her own young one and the infant prince.  One of those fruits she gave to her own child and the other she gave to the prince.  The fruits she brought were sweet as nectar, and capable of increasing strength and energy.  Every day she brought them and everyday she disposed of them in the same way.  The infant prince derived great strength from the fruit of Pujani’s giving that he ate.  One day the infant prince, while borne on the arms of his nurse, saw the little offspring of Pujani.  Getting down from the nurse’s arms, the child ran towards the bird, and moved by childish impulse, began to Play with it, relishing the sport highly.  At length, raising the bird which was of the same age with himself in his hands, the prince pressed out its young life and then came back to his nurse.  The dam, O king, who had been out in her search after the accustomed fruits, returning to the palace, beheld her young one lying on the ground, killed by the prince.  Beholding her son deprived of life, Pujani, with tears gushing down her cheeks, and heart burning with grief, wept bitterly and said, ’Alas, nobody should live with a Kshatriya or make friends with him or take delight in any intercourse with him.  When they have any object to serve, they behave with courtesy.  When that object has been served they cast off the instrument.  The Kshatriyas do evil unto all.  They should never be trusted.  Even after doing an injury they always seek to soothe and assure the injured for nothing.  I shall certainly take due vengeance, for this act of hostility, upon this cruel and ungrateful betrayer of confidence.  He has been guilty of a triple sin in taking the life of one that was horn on the same day with him and that was being reared with him in the same place, that used to eat with him, and that was dependent on him for protection.’  Having said these words unto herself, Pujani, with her talons, pierced the eyes of the prince, and deriving some comfort from that act of vengeance, once more said, ’A sinful act, perpetrated deliberately, assails the doer without any loss of time.  They. on the other hand, who avenge themselves of an injury, never lose their merit by such conduct.  If the consequence of a sinful act be not seen in the perpetrator himself, they would certainly be seen, O king, in his sons or son’s sons or daughter’s sons.  Brahmadatta, beholding his son blinded by Pujani and regarding the act to have been a proper vengeance for what his son had done, said these words unto Pujani.’

“Brahmadatta said, ’An injury was done by us to thee.  Thou hast avenged it by doing an injury in return.  The account has been squared.  Do not leave thy present abode.  On the other hand, continue to dwell here, O Pujani.’