--- title: Opening, part 3 — The grateful elephant · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 3, «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The illustration to Story 17, _Dragon Jewel-neck_, represents the king of the dragons encircling the ascetic with his coils. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/3/page/2/) [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 3 # Opening, part 3 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/3/) **2** Now from the day he was born, the citizens fought with the king of Kosala.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") But because they had no man to lead them in battle, the force, large as it was, gave way little by little in the conflict.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") Ministers reported this fact to the queen, saying: “We fear that if the force continues thus to give way, we shall lose the battle.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") But the state elephant, the king’s friend, does not know that the king is dead, that his son is born, and that the king of Kosala has come to fight.”[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") And they asked her: “Shall we let him know?”[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") “Yes,” said the queen, assenting.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") She adorned the boy, laid him in a head-coil of fine cloth, came down from the terrace, and accompanied by a retinue of ministers, went to the elephant-stable, and laid the Future Buddha at the feet of the elephant.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Said she: “Master, your friend is dead.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") We didn’t tell you because we were afraid it would break your heart.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Here is the son of your friend.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") The king of Kosala has come and has surrounded the city and is fighting with your son.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") The force is giving way.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") Do you either kill your son or get and give him the kingdom.”[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the elephant with his trunk caressed the Future Buddha and lifted him up and put him on his shoulders and cried and wept.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he lowered the Future Buddha and laid him in the arms of the queen, and with the words, “I will capture the king of Kosala!” went out of the elephant-stable.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the ministers clad him with armor and adorned him, and unlocking the city-gate, went out in his train.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") As the elephant went out of the city, he trumpeted the Heron’s Call, making the multitude tremble and quake, and frightening them away.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") He broke down the stockade, seized the king of Kosala by the top-knot, and carried him and laid him at the Future Buddha’s feet.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") And when men rose to kill him, he would not let them, but set the king free with the admonition: “Henceforth be careful; do not presume on the youth of the prince.”[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") Thenceforth the Future Buddha had complete mastery over all the Land of the Rose-apple.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") No other adversary dared to stand up against him.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Future Buddha was seven years old, he received the ceremonial sprinkling and became known as King Noble-heart.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") He ruled with righteousness, and when his life was come to an end, departed, fulfilling the Path to Heaven.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Teacher had related this parable, he uttered, as Supreme Buddha, the following stanza:[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Relying on Noble-heart, a mighty host, delighted, Captured Kosala alive, dissatisfied with his army.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") \_2.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") Grateful Animals and Ungrateful Man.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Driftwood is worth more than some men.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") Jātaka 78: i. 322-327.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") \_True is this saying of some men of the world.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This parable was related by the Teacher while he was in residence at Bamboo Grove with reference to Devadatta’s going about for the purpose of killing him.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") For while the Congregation of Monks, sitting in the Hall of Truth, were discussing Devadatta’s wickedness, saying, “Brethren, Devadatta knows not the Teacher’s virtues, but is going about for the sole purpose of killing him,” the Teacher drew near and asked: “Monks, what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together?”[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") “Such-and-such,” was the reply.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") “Monks,” said the Teacher, “not only in his present state of existence has Devadatta gone about for the purpose of killing me; in a previous state of existence also he went about for the purpose of killing me in the very same way.”[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, in response to a request of the monks, he related the following Story of the Past:[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Prince Wicked.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") In times past Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") He had a son named Prince Wicked, and Prince Wicked was as tough and hard as a beaten snake.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") He never spoke to anybody without either reviling him or striking him.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") The result was that both by indoor-folk and by outdoor-folk he was disliked and detested as much as dust lodged in the eye or as a demon come to eat.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") One day, desiring to sport in the water, he went to the river-bank with a large retinue.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") At that moment a great cloud arose.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") The directions became dark.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") He said to his slaves and servants: “Come, fellows! take me and conduct me to mid-stream and bathe me and bring me back.”[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") They led him there and took counsel together, saying: “What can the king do to us\![123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") Let’s kill this wicked fellow right here!”[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying, they plunged him into the water, made their way out of the water again, and stood on the bank.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") As the courtiers returned to the king, they reflected: “In case we are asked, ‘Where is the prince?’ we will say, ‘We have not seen the prince; it must be that upon seeing a cloud arise he plunged into the water and went on ahead of us.’”[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") The king asked: “Where is my son?”[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") “We do not know, your majesty.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") A cloud arose.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") We returned, supposing: ‘He must have gone on ahead of us.’”[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") The king caused the gates to be flung open, went to the river-bank, and caused them to search here and there.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") “Search!” said he.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") Nobody saw the prince.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") As a matter of fact, in the darkness caused by the cloud, while the god was raining, the prince, swept along by the river, seeing a certain tree-trunk, clambered on it, and sitting astride of it, traveled along, terrified with the fear of death, lamenting.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Snake, rat, parrot, and man.[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") Now at that time a resident of Benāres, a certain treasurer, who had buried forty crores of wealth by the river-bank, by reason of his craving for that wealth, had been reborn on top of that wealth as a snake.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Yet another had buried thirty crores of wealth in that very spot, and by reason of his craving for that wealth, had been reborn on the spot as a rat.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") The water entered their place of abode.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") They went out by the very path by which the water came in, cleft the stream, and went until they reached the tree-trunk bestridden by the royal prince.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") Thereupon one climbed up on one end, the other on the other, and both lay down right there on top of the tree-trunk.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Moreover, on the bank of that very river there was a certain silk-cotton tree, and in it lived a certain young parrot.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") That tree also, its roots washed by the water, fell on top of the river.[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") The young parrot, unable to make headway by flying while the god was raining, went and perched on one side of that very tree-trunk.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did those four persons travel together, swept along by the river.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/3/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/3/) - next →: [Opening, part 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/4/) - ↑ back to [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/)