--- title: Opening, part 13 — The grateful elephant · full text with trees description: Opening, part 13, «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: _B. Uncanonical version. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/13/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/) / Opening, part 13 # Opening, part 13 Opening, part 13 of «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole text, 154 sentences and 2574 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/13/page/2/) \_B. Uncanonical version.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") Jātaka 168: ii.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") 58-60.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") \_A hawk flying strong.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This stanza was recited by the Teacher while in residence at Jetavana to explain his own meaning in the Parable of the Bird.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") For one day the Teacher addressed the monks: “Walk, monks, in lawful ground, in the region of the fathers.”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he said: “You just stay where you belong.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") In former times even animals, because they left their own ancestral region and walked in forbidden ground, fell into the hands of their enemies, but through their own intelligence and resourcefulness escaped from the hands of their enemies.”[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was reborn as a quail, and made his home in a field of clods, turned up by the plow.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") One day he said to himself: “I will seek food in a foreign region.”[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") So he left off seeking food in his own region and went to the edge of a wood.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Now while he was picking up food there, a hawk saw him and attacked him with violence and caught him.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") As the hawk was carrying off the quail, the quail thus lamented: “I am indeed mighty unfortunate, I possess very little merit,--I who walked in forbidden ground, in a foreign region.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") If to-day I had walked in my own ground, in the region of my fathers, this hawk would certainly not have been equal to coming to a combat with me.”[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") “But, quail, what is your feeding-ground?[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") What is the region of your fathers?”[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") “A field of clods, turned up by the plow.”[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the hawk, not exerting his strength, released him.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") “Go, quail\![20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Even there you will not escape.”[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") The quail went there, and mounting a big clod, stood and cried to the hawk: “Come now, hawk!”[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") The hawk, exerting his strength, flapped both his wings and attacked the quail with violence.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") But when the quail knew: “This hawk is coming for me with a vengeance!” he turned and entered a crack in that very clod.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") The hawk, unable to check his speed, struck his breast against that very clod.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus the hawk, with heart broken and eyes bulging out, met destruction.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Teacher had related this Story of the Past, he said: “Thus, monks, even animals, when they walk in forbidden ground, fall into the hands of their adversaries; but when they walk in their own ground, in the region of their fathers, they humble their adversaries.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Therefore you also must not walk in forbidden ground, in a foreign region.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") If, monks, you walk in forbidden ground, in a foreign region, the Evil One will obtain entrance, the Evil One will obtain lodgment.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") If, monks, you walk in lawful ground, in the region of the fathers, the Evil One will not obtain entrance, the Evil One will not obtain lodgment.”[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, revealing his omniscience, he uttered the first stanza:[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") A hawk flying strong, attacked with violence A quail standing in his feeding-ground, and thus met death.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Now when the hawk had thus met his death, the quail came out and exclaimed: “I have seen the back of my enemy!”[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") And standing on his heart and breathing forth a solemn utterance, the quail uttered the second stanza:[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Endowed with sense, delighting in my own feeding-ground, My enemy gone, I rejoice, intent on my own good.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") The Teacher, having proclaimed the Truths by the narration of this fable, identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the hawk was Devadatta, but the quail was I myself.”[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") \_21.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") How Not To Hit an Insect.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Better an enemy with sense than a friend without it.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") \_A. Boy and mosquito.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") Jātaka 44: i. 246-248.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Better an enemy.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This parable was related by the Teacher while he was journeying from place to place in the country of the Magadhas, in a certain little village, with reference to some foolish villagers.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") The story goes that once upon a time the Teacher went from Sāvatthi to the kingdom of Magadha, and journeying about from place to place in that kingdom, arrived at a certain little village.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Now that village was inhabited for the most part by men who were utter fools.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") There one day those utter fools of men assembled and took counsel together, saying: “Folks, when we enter the forest and do our work, the mosquitoes eat us up, and because of this our work is interrupted.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Let us, every one, take bows and weapons, go and fight with the mosquitoes, pierce and cut all the mosquitoes, and thus make way with them.”[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") They went to the forest with the thought in their minds, “We’ll pierce the mosquitoes.”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") But they pierced and hit one another and came to grief, and on their return, lay down within the boundaries of the village, in the village-square, and at the village-gate.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The Teacher, surrounded by the Congregation of Monks, entered that village for alms.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The rest of the inhabitants, being wise men, seeing the Exalted One, erected a pavilion at the village-gate, gave abundant alms to the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, saluted the Teacher, and sat down.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") The Teacher, seeing wounded men lying here and there, asked those lay disciples: “Here are many men who are in a bad way.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") What have they done?”[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") “Reverend Sir, these men started out with the thought in their minds, ‘We’ll have a fight with the mosquitoes.’[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") But they pierced one another and returned themselves the worse for wear.”[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the Teacher: “Not only in their present state of existence have utter fools of men, with the thought in their minds, ‘We’ll hit mosquitoes,’ hit themselves; in a previous state of existence also they were the very men who, with the thought in their minds, ‘We’ll hit a mosquito,’ hit something very different.”[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, in response to a request of those men, he related the following Story of the Past:[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha made his living by trading.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") At that time, in the kingdom of Kāsi, in a certain frontier village, dwelt many carpenters.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") There a certain grey-haired carpenter was planing a tree.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Now a mosquito settled on his head,--his head looked like the surface of a copper bowl!--and pierced his head with his stinger, just as though he were sticking him with a spear.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") Said he to his son who sat beside him: “Son, a mosquito is stinging me on the head,--it feels just as if he were sticking me with a spear\![62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Shoo him away!”[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") “Father, wait a moment\![64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") I’ll kill him with a single blow!”[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") At that time the Future Buddha also, seeking wares for himself, having reached that village, was sitting in that carpenter’s hut.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") Well, that carpenter said to his son: “Shoo this mosquito off!”[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") “I’ll shoo him off, father!” replied the son.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") Taking his stand immediately behind his father, the son, with the thought in his mind, “I’ll hit the mosquito!” raised aloft a big, sharp axe, and split the skull of his father in two.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") The carpenter died on the spot.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") The Future Buddha, seeing what the son had done, thought: “Even an enemy, if he be a wise man, is better; for an enemy, though it be from fear of human vengeance, will not kill.”[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") And he uttered the following stanza:[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") Better an enemy with sense Than a friend without it, For with the words, “I’ll kill a mosquito!”[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") A son,--both deaf and dumb!-- Split his father’s skull\![74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/13/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/12/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/13/page/2/) - ↑ back to [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/)