Page:Barlaam and Josaphat. English lives of Buddha.djvu/123

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APPENDIX
cxvii

VI.g. The King and Shepherd.

A king hunting invites a shepherd to eat with him in the heat of the day.

Shepherd. "I cannot eat with thee, for I have already promised another greater than thee."

King. "Who is that?"

Shepherd. "God, who has invited me to fast."

King. "But why fast on such a hot day?"

Shepherd. "I fast for a day still hotter than this."

King. "Eat to-day, fast to-morrow."

Shepherd. "Yes, if you will guarantee that I shall see to-morrow."

[Occurrences in Barlaam. — Only in Heb., c. xvi., probably from Mahomedan source.

Literature. — Weisslovits, 97, loi.]

VI.h. The Bird and the Prophet.

A bird, fearing for the safety of its eggs, placed them in the nests of other birds. When the storm arose and the waves approached, it went to the various nests and uttered its cry. Its young ones recognised it and flew away with it, while the other fledglings remained to be destroyed.

So a prophet summons the faithful, who alone are saved from destruction by recognising his voice.

[Occurrences in Barlaam. — In Heb., c. xix., and Arab.

Literature.— Weisslovits, 109.]

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