[paragraph continues] There he dwelt a long time till he reached old age. At that time Sakka had four daughters, Hope, Faith, Glory, and Honour, who taking with them many a heavenly scented garland came to lake Anotatta, to disport themselves in the water, and after amusing themselves there seated themselves on mount Manosila. Just at that moment Narada, a brahmin ascetic, went to the palace of the Thirty-Three to rest during the heat of the day and constructed a dwelling-place for the day in the bowers of Cittakuta in the Nanda grove. And holding in his hand the flower of the coral tree, to serve as a sunshade, he repaired to Golden Cave, the place where he dwelt on the top of Manosila. The nymphs on seeing this flower in his hand begged it from him.

[393] The Master, to make the matter clear, said:

In Gandhamadana's lordly height,
These nymphs, great Sakka's care, delight;
To them a saint of world-wide fame
With goodly bough in hand there came.

This bough with flowers so pure and sweet
Is deemed for gods and angels meet:
No demon, none of mortal birth
Can claim this flower of priceless worth.

Then Faith, Hope, Glory, Honour, those
Four maids with skins like gold, arose,
And, peerless 'midst all nymphs confessed,
The brahmin Narada addressed,

"Give us, O sage, this coral flower,
If still to give is in thy power,
As Sakka's self we'll honour thee,
And thou in all things blest shalt be."

When Narada their prayer had heard,
He straight a mighty quarrel stirred:
"I need it not; whom ye allow
To be your queen shall claim the bough."

[394] The four nymphs on hearing what he said spoke this stanza:

O Narada, supreme art thou,
On whom thou wilt the boon bestow:
Whom thou shalt with such gift invest,
Amongst us shall be counted best.

Narada, on hearing their words, addressing them said:

Fair one , such counsel is not right;
What brahmin strife would dare excite?
Take to the lord of sprites your quest,
If ye would know who's worst or best.

Then the Master spoke this stanza:

With pride of beauty mad and rage
Excited by the cunning sage,

To Sakka, lord of sprites, they go,
Who 'mongst them all is best to know.

[395] As they stood asking this question,

These nymphs so earnest in their quest
Sakka with due respect addressed,
Ye all in beauty equal are,
Who thus with strife your peace would mar?"

Being thus addressed by him they said:

Narada, world-traversing, a sage of might,
Truth-piercing, steadfast ever in the right,
Thus spake to us on Gandhamadana's height;
"To Sakka, lord of spirits, straightway go,
If who is first or last ye fain would know."