The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent Shell-crest.Which is the more self-sacrificing?
So the king walked along with the goblin.And the goblin said: "O king, listen to a story the like of which was never heard."There is a mountain called Himalaya where all gems are found.It is the king of mountains.Its proud loftiness is everywhere the theme of song.The sun himself has not seen its top.
On its summit is a city called Golden City, brilliant like a heap of sunbeams left in trust by the sun.There lived a glorious fairy-king named Cloud-banner.In the garden of his palace was a wishing-tree which had come down to him from his ancestors.
King Cloud-banner had worshipped the tree which was really a god, and by its grace had obtained a son named Cloud-chariot.This son remembered his former lives.He was destined to be a Buddha in a future life.He was generous, noble, merciful to all creatures, and obedient to his parents.
When he grew up, the king anointed him crown prince, persuaded thereto by his counsellors as well as by the remarkable virtues of the youth.While Cloud-chariot was crown prince, his father's counsellors came to him one day and kindly said: "Crown prince, you must always honour this wishing-tree in your garden; for it yields all desires, and cannot be taken away by anybody.As long as it is favourably disposed to us, the king of the gods could not conquer us, and of course nobody else could."Then Cloud-chariot thought: "Alas! The men of old had this heavenly tree, yet they did not pluck from it any worthy fruit.They were mean- spirited.They simply begged it for some kind of wealth.And so they degraded themselves and the great tree too.But I will get from it the wish which is in my heart."With this thought the noble creature went to his father.He showed such complete deference as to delight his father, then when his father was comfortably seated, he whispered: "Father, you know yourself that in this sea of life all possessions, including our own bodies, are uncertain as arippling wave.Especially is money fleeting, uncertain, fickle as the twilight lightning.The only thing in life which does not perish is service.This gives birth to virtue and glory, twin witnesses through all the ages to come.Father! Why do we keep such a wishing-tree for the sake of transient blessings? Our ancestors clung to it, saying:It is mine, it is mine.' And where are they now? What is it to them, or they to it? Then, if you bid me, I will beg this generous wishing-tree for the one fruit that counts, the fruit of service to others."His father graciously assented, and Cloud-chariot went to the wishing- tree, and said: "O god, you have fulfilled the wishes of our fathers.Fulfil now my one single wish.Remove poverty from the world.A blessing be with you.Go.I give you to the needy world." And as Cloud-chariot bowed reverently, there came a voice from the tree: "I go, since you give me up." And the wishing-tree immediately flew from heaven and rained so much money on the earth that nobody was poor.And Cloud-chariot's reputation for universal benevolence was spread about.
But all the relatives were jealous and envious.They thought that they could easily conquer Cloud-chariot and his father without the wishing-tree, and they prepared to fight to take away his kingdom.But Cloud-chariot said to his father: "Father, how can you take your weapons and fight? What high-minded man would want a kingdom after killing his relatives just for the sake of this wretched, perishable body? Let us abandon the kingdom, and go away somewhere to devote ourselves entirely to virtue.Then we shall be blessed in both worlds.And let these wretched relatives enjoy the kingdom which they hanker after."And Cloud-banner said: "My son, I only want the kingdom for you, and if you give it up from benevolent motives, what good is it to me? I am an old man."So Cloud-chariot left the kingdom and went with his father and mother to the Malabar hills.There he built a hermit's retreat, and waited on his parents.
One day, as he wandered about, he met Friend-wealth, the son of All- wealth, who lived there as king of the Siddhas.And Cloud-chariot spoke to him and made friends with him.
Then one day Cloud-chariot saw a shrine to the goddess Gauri in the grove, and entered there.And he saw a slender, lovely maiden surrounded by her girl friends and playing on a lute, in honour of Gauri.The deer listened to her music and her song, motionless as if ashamed because her eyes were lovelier than their own.When Cloud-chariot saw the slender maiden, his heart was ravished.
And he seemed to her to make the garden beautiful like the spring- time.A strange longing came over her.She became so helpless that her friends were alarmed.
Then Cloud-chariot asked one of her friends: "My good girl, what is your friend's sweet name? What family does she adorn?"And the friend said: "This is Sandal, sister of Friend-wealth, and daughter of the king of the Siddhas." Then she earnestly asked for the name and family of Cloud-Chariot from a hermit's son who had come with him.And then she spoke to Sandal with words punctuated by smiles: "My dear, why do you not show hospitality to the fairy prince? He is a guest whom all the world would be glad to honour."But the bashful princess remained silent with downcast eyes.Then the friend said: "She is bashful.Accept a hospitable greeting from me." And she gave him a garland.
Cloud-chariot, far gone in love, took the garland and put it around Sandal's neck.And the loving, sidelong glance which she gave him seemed like another garland of blue lotuses.So they pledged themselves without speaking a word.
