BRANCH — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 129 



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down, brought the dish and said, Brother take this and give 

 your sister something for it. The merchant took it into his 

 hand, and suspecting it to be gold he made a scratch through 

 the dirt and ascertained that it was so, but hoping to get it 

 for nothing said, What is this worth ! it is not worth half a 

 masaka, and throwing it on the ground rose from his seat and 

 went away. The two merchants had agreed that when one of them 

 had left a street the other might enter it. Bodisat accordingly, 

 entered the street crying, Buy my jewels ! buy my jewels ! and 

 came to the door of the house. The child again requested the 

 grand-mother to buy her something, but she replied, My child? 

 the first merchant who came threw the dish on the ground and 

 went away. What can I now give to buy a jewel for you? 

 She replied, Mother, that merchant was a surly man, but this 

 one is of a pleasing countenance and mild of speech, perhaps 

 he will take it. Then call him. She did so, and he came in 

 and sat down. When they gave him the dish he saw that it 

 was gold and said, Mother, this dish is worth a lack: I have 

 not goods enough with me to buy it. The grand-mother replied^ 

 Brother, the merchant who first came said it was not worth half 

 at masaka, threw it on the ground and went away. The dish 

 has been changed into gold by the power of your virtue : I 

 present it to you : give us some trifle for it and take it. Bo- 

 disat immediately gave them 500 kahapanas which he had with 

 him, and golden ornaments to the same amount, and saying,, 

 Allow me only to retain the yoke for carrying my goods, my 

 bag, and these eight kahapanas. Obtaining these he departed;, 

 hastened to the bank of the river, gave the eight kahapanas to 

 the boatman and got into the boat. 



The covetous merchant, going again to the house said, Bring 

 that dish, I will give you something for it. But the woman 5 

 scolding him, said, You did value our golden dish worth a lack 

 at half a masaka. Another merchant a just man, who appears 

 £@ be your master, has given us a thousand pieces of gold for 



