In Hindu Literature 245 



sought delight, rain to her servants, beatitude to her friends, 

 bamboo-hke to her elders." 



In a description of beautiful women Bana tells us 

 that — 



" Tribes of bees, attracted by their breath, are their 

 beauteous veils." 



The attraction of the bees by a sweet breath is a favorite 

 theme with the later writers, and Bana gives us the follow- 

 ing charming description of a bride : — s 



" A fragrance of flowers breathed about her, as if she 

 had come forth from the heart of spring. The perfume 

 of her breath attracted the bee tribes, as if she were sprung 

 from the Malaya breeze." 



In the folk-songs, too, and in the fables the bee is not 

 wanting. From the " Samadeva " we get the following de- 

 lightful picture of the man who thinks only of the pleasures 

 of the moment : — 



" A traveller, who had slept in a tree in a forest, upon 

 waking saw beneath him a crouching lion, and above him a 

 great hissing boa. In terror he knew not which way to turn. 



" Thereupon there trickled down to him from a bee's-nest 

 built in the tree beautiful honey. He tasted it and — 

 straightway forgot his danger ! " 



" A hunter sold to a merchant a honey-comb. A drop of 

 honey fell from it to the floor. The merchant's cat licked 

 it up. 



" The hunter's dog bit and killed the cat. 



" The merchant, angered at the death of his beloved cat, 

 struck the dog. 



" Then the hunter and the merchant fell upon each other. 

 At the outcry the neighbors hastened thither and there 

 ensued a general fight. They fought and slew each other 

 until all lay dead on the ground — and all on account of 

 a drop of honey ! " 



