Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

"""OThe Hare-Mark on the Moonendure, admired of all who behold thee." The tree-godanswered : If it must be so, then I have one boon to ask :Cut first the top, the middle next, and then the root ofme." The king protested that this was a more painfuldeath than to be felled entire. "O forest lord/ he said,is thine thus to be cut limb from limb and"whatgainpiece by piece ?To which the "Lucky-tree replied There:kith and kin haveis a good reason for my wish : mygrown up round me, beneath my shade, and I should crushthem if I fall entire upon them, and they would grieveexceedingly."At this the king was deeply moved, and wonderedat the tree-god s noble thought, and lifting his hands insalutation, he said :Lucky-tree, O forest lord, asthou wouldst save thy kindred, so shall I spare thee ;sofear nothing."Then the tree-god gave the king good counsel and wenthis way ;and the king next day gave generous alms, andruled as became a king until the time came for his departureto the heavenly world.The Hare-Mark on the MoonOnce upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares,the future Buddha was born as a hare and lived in awood. He had three friends, a monkey, a jackal, and anotter ;all these animals were very wise. The hare used topreach to the others, exhorting them to give alms andkeep the fast-days. On one of these fast-days the hareand his friends were seeking their food as usual; the otterfound some fish, the jackal some meat, the monkey somemangoes. But the hare, as he lay in his form beforegoing out to eat his grass, reflected that ifanyone shouldask him for a gift of food, grass would be useless. As heR257