gem-mountain. On seeing this the parrot-king was greatly rejoiced, and, expressing his gratitude to Suja, he uttered the next gâtha:—
"To all thy kin be thus a friend, Suja,
Well pleased to-day am I with this fine tree."
Indra, after having granted his request, and having made an Udumbara tree with immortal fruit, then along with Suja departed to his own realm.
Cakkavâka Jâtaka.[1]
The Crow and the Ruddy Geese.
In former days, when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, a certain greedy crow wandered about feeding on the carcases of elephants, and the like. When he was sated with them he said, "I'll live on the fat of fish on the bank of the Ganges." There he dwelt for a few days, eating dead fish; then he went into the forest on the slope of the Himâlaya and fed upon various fruits. Afterwards he came to a great lake abounding in fish and tortoises. In that place he saw two cakkavâkas (ruddy geese) that lived upon the water-plants in the lake. Then thought he to himself, "These creatures are very beautiful and of marvellous splendour; their food must be nice. I'll make inquiry as to what they eat, and I'll take the very same food, and so become golden like them." Then he paid a visit to their quarters and greeted them. Sitting on the branch of a tree, by way of commending them, he gave utterance to the following gâtha:—
"Ye birds, I say, with golden plumes so bright,
That joyful roam about by two and two;
'Mongst birds and men, what bird do all commend?
Do tell me, pray, the kind that's most esteemed?"
On hearing this they replied in the following gâtha:—
"O plague of men![2] by men we're praised and known
As ruddy geese that true and faithful live;
Esteemed by birds, that find us ever kind.
We lovely birds do much this lake frequent."
