been born as Pancasikha; but the sixth in line has broken the tradition." Then this thought occurred to him; he would go humble that man of sin, and teach him the fruit of giving. So he summoned to him Canda, Suriya, Matali, Pancasikha, and said, "Sirs, the sixth in our line has broken our family tradition; he has burnt the almonry, the beggars he has driven away; he gives nothing to any one. Then let us humble him!" So with them he proceeded to Benares.

At that moment the merchant had been to wait upon the king, and having returned, was walking to and fro under the seventh gate-tower , looking along the road. Sakka said to the others, "Do you wait until I go in, and then follow one after another." With these words he went forward, and standing before the rich merchant, said to him, "Ho, Sir! give me to eat!"--"There is nothing to eat for you here, brahmin; go elsewhere."--"Ho, great Sir! when brahmins ask for food, [64] it must not be refused them!"--"In my house, brahmin, is neither food cooked nor food ready for cooking; away with you!"--"Great Sir, I will repeat to you a verse of poetry,--listen." Said he, "I want none of your poetry; get you gone, and do not keep standing here." But Sakka, without attending to his words, recited two stanzas:

"When food is not within the pot, the good would get, and not deny:
And thou art cooking! 'twere not good, if thou wouldst now no food supply

"He who remiss and niggard is, ever to give denies;
But he who virtue loves, must give, and he whose mind is wise."

When the man had heard this, he answered, "Well, come in and sit down; and you shall have a little." Sakka entered, repeating these verses, and sat down.

Next came Canda up, and asked for food. "There's no food for you," said the man, "go away!" He replied, "Great Sir, there is one brahmin seated within; there must be a free meal for a brahmin, I suppose, so I will enter too." "There is no free meal for a brahmin!" said the man; "be off with you!" Then Canda said, "Great Sir, please do listen to a verse or two," and repeated two stanzas: (whenever a terrified niggard gives to none, that very thing that he fears comes to him as he gives not :)--

"When fear of hunger or of thirst makes niggard souls afraid,
In this world and the next those fools shall fully be repaid.

"Therefore give alms, flee covetise, purge filth of greed away,
In the next world men's virtuous deeds shall be their surest stay."

[65] Having listened to these words also, the man said, "Well, come in, and you shall have a little." In he came, and took a seat with Sakka.

[paragraph continues] After waiting a little while, Suriya came up, and asked for food by repeating two stanzas: