The ocean of story, being C.H. Tawney's translation of Somadeva's ...

GENEROSITY REWARDED 129
looking at their father with tearful eyes. Even when Taravaloka
saw that he was unmoved, but the whole world of
animate and inanimate existences was moved at his fortitude.
Then the virtuous Madri slowly returned, tired, from a
remote part of the forest to her husband's hermitage, bringing
with her flowers, fruits and roots. And she saw her
husband, who had his face sadly fixed on the ground, but she
could not see anywhere those sons of hers, though their toys,
in the form of horses, chariots and elephants of clay, were
scattered about. Her heart foreboded calamity, and she said
excitedly
to her husband :
" Alas ! I am ruined ! Where
are my little sons ? " Her husband slowly answered her :
" Blameless one, I gave those two little sons away to a
poor Brahman, who asked for them." When the good lady
heard that, she rose superior to her distraction, and said to
"
her husband : Then you did well ; how could you allow a
suppliant to go away disappointed ? " When she said this,
the equally matched goodness of that married couple made
the earth tremble and the throne of Indra rock.
Then Indra saw by his profound meditation that the
world was made to tremble by virtue of the heroic generosity
of Madri and Taravaloka. Then he assumed the form of a
Brahman, and went to Taravaloka's hermitage, to prove him,
and asked him for his only wife, Madri. And Taravaloka was
preparing to give without hesitation, by the ceremony of
pouring water over the hands, 1 that lady who had been his
companion in the wild forest, when Indra, thus disguised as
"
a Brahman, said to him : Royal sage, what object do you
mean to attain by giving away a wife like this ? " Then
"
Taravaloka said : I have no object in view, Brahman ;
so much only do I desire : that I may ever give away to
Brahmans even my life." When Indra heard this he resumed
"
his proper shape, and said to him : I have made proof of
thee, and I am satisfied with thee; so I say to thee, thou
and soon thou shalt be
must not again give away thy wife ;
made emperor over all the Vidyadharas." When the god had
said this he disappeared.
1 As Anathapindika gives the Jetavana garden to Buddha in the Bharhut
Sculptures ;
see also Vol. VII, p. 79.
VOL. VIII. I