HURD WAR. 
215 
only as should be acceptable, he made it necessary 
that he should select and purchase the goat himself, 
for which purpose he was supplied with money by all 
who sought his assistance ; and thus doubtless he filled 
his coffers and his stomach at the expense of his fol- 
lowers. But the gods did not long suffer themselves 
to be mocked. This wicked Brahmin stood alone, and 
his fall came speedily. 
One day, having been into the market to purchase 
a goat, Suryaput was returning with the animal slung 
over his shoulder, when he was espied, from behind a 
thicket, by three dukliaits (robbers), who having tra- 
velled far, and being very hungry, coveted the goat. 
‘ Yet,’ said one of them, * behold this man is a Brah- 
min ; we may not lay hands on him. If he were a 
common person, we would slay him, and feast upon 
the goat ; but now we must restrain our hands. How 
fat is that young goat, and how delicious a curry would 
his flesh furnish to appease our hunger ! Yet must we 
suffer it to go by untouched.’ 
“ 1 Truly,’ said the second dukhait, * this is a Brah- 
min, and therefore we cannot by any means possess 
ourselves of the goat. — Let the holy man depart unmo- 
lested.’ 
“ f Not so,’ said the third, who was an old man, * al- 
though I should be as unwilling as either of you to 
do any violence to this Brahmin, still I can see no 
possible objection to our obtaining the goat by the 
exercise of stratagem. Have we not a familiar saying, 
