--- title: Opening, part 5 — The grateful elephant · full text with trees description: Opening, part 5, «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: The man took them and went and sold them. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/5/) [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 5 # Opening, part 5 Opening, part 5 of «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole text, 172 sentences and 2585 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/pg74064/5/page/2/) The man took them and went and sold them.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") When the money they brought was gone, he went to the Future Buddha again and said: “Master, the money I got by selling you tusks turned out to be no more than enough to pay off my debts.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Give me the rest of your tusks!”[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” said the Future Buddha, consenting.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") And ordering all things precisely as before, he gave him the rest of his tusks.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Those also did that man sell, and then came back again.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") “Master,” said he.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") “I cannot make a living.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Give me the stumps of your tusks!”[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” said the Future Buddha, and sat down precisely as before.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") That wicked man trod on the Great Being’s trunk,--that trunk which was like unto a rope of silver; climbed up on the Great Being’s temples,--those temples which were like unto the snow-clad peaks of Kelāsa, with his heel kicking the tips of the tusks and loosening the flesh; and having mounted the temples, with a sharp saw severed the stumps of the tusks, and went his way.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") But even as that wicked man receded from the vision of the Future Buddha, the solid earth, which extends for a distance of two hundred thousand leagues and four Inconceivables more, which is able to endure such mighty burdens as Sineru and Yugandhara, and all manner of foul-smelling and repulsive objects,--even the solid earth, as if unable to endure the wickedness he had piled upon it, burst asunder and yawned.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Instantly from the Great Waveless Hell flames of fire shot forth, enveloped that man, that betrayer of friends, wrapping him, as it were, in a blanket proper for death and laid hold of him.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") When that wicked man thus entered the earth, the tree-spirit resident in that forest-grove thought: “An ungrateful man, a man who will betray his friends, cannot be satisfied, even if he be given the kingdom of a Universal Monarch.”[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") And making the forest ring, proclaiming the Truth, the tree-spirit uttered the following stanza:[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") To an ungrateful man Ever looking for an opening You may give the whole earth And yet not satisfy him.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did that tree-spirit, making the forest ring, proclaim the Truth.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") The Future Buddha, having remained on earth during the term of life allotted to him, passed away according to his deeds.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the Teacher: “Monks, not only in his present state of existence has Devadatta proved ungrateful; in a previous state of existence also he was ungrateful just the same.”[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Having completed the parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the man who betrayed his friend was Devadatta, the tree-spirit was one of my disciples, but Good King Elephant was I myself.”[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") \_4.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") Quail, Crow, Fly, Frog, and Elephants.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") \_The biter bit.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Jātaka 357: iii.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") 174-177.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Hearing that the monks of Kosambi were quarreling, the Exalted One went to them and said: “Enough, monks\![26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") No quarreling\![27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") No brawling\![28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") No contending\![29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") No wrangling!”[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he said: “Monks, quarrels, brawls, contentions, wrangles,--all these are unprofitable.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") For because of a quarrel even a tiny quail brought about the destruction of a noble elephant.”[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was reborn as an elephant.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") He grew up to be a fine big animal, acquired a retinue of eighty thousand elephants, and becoming the leader of a herd, made his home in the Himālaya region.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") At that time a tiny female quail laid her eggs in the elephants’ stamping-ground.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") When the eggs were hatched, the fledglings broke the shells and came out.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Before their wings had grown and while they were yet unable to fly, the Great Being came to that spot with his retinue of eighty thousand elephants in search of food.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") When the tiny quail saw him, she thought: “This elephant-king will crush my fledglings and kill them.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Well, I will ask of him righteous protection for the defense of my little ones.”[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") So folding her wings and standing before him, she uttered the first stanza:[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") I salute you, elephant of sixty years, Forest-ranger, glorious leader of a herd; With my wings I do you homage.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") I am weak: do not kill my little ones.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the Great Being: “Do not worry, tiny quail; I will protect your little ones.”[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") And he stood over the fledglings, and the eighty thousand elephants passed by.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he addressed the tiny quail: “Behind us comes a single solitary elephant; he will not obey our command.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") If you ask him also when he comes, you may obtain safety for your little ones.”[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying, he went his way.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") The tiny quail went forth to meet the solitary elephant, did homage to him with her wings, and uttered the second stanza:[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") I salute you, solitary elephant, Forest-ranger, pasturing on mountain and on hill; With my wings I do you homage.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") I am weak: do not kill my little ones.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The solitary elephant, hearing her words, uttered the third stanza:[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") I will kill your little ones, tiny quail.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") What can you do to me?[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") You are a weakling.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Even a hundred thousand like you Could I crush with my left foot.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying, he pulverized her little ones with his foot, and went his way trumpeting.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") The tiny quail perched on the branch of a tree and thought: “Just now you go your way trumpeting.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") In only a few days you will see what I can do\![58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") You do not understand that the mind is stronger than the body.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") Ah, but I will make you understand!”[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") And threatening him, she uttered the fourth stanza:[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") For not alway does strength avail; For strength is the destruction of a fool.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Elephant-king, I will do you harm, You who killed my little ones since I was weak.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus spoke the tiny quail.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") For a few days she ministered to a crow.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") The crow was pleased and said: “What can I do for you?”[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the tiny quail: “Master, there is only one thing I want done.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") I expect you to peck out the eyes of that solitary elephant.”[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” assented the crow.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") The tiny quail then ministered to a green fly.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") The fly also said, “What can I do for you?”[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the tiny quail: “When this crow has put out the eyes of the solitary elephant, I wish you would drop a nit on them.”[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” assented the fly also.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") The tiny quail then ministered to a frog.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the frog: “What can I do?”[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the tiny quail: “When this solitary elephant has gone blind and seeks water to drink, then please squat on the mountain-top and croak; and when he has climbed to the top of the mountain, then please hop down and croak at the bottom.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") This is all I expect of you.”[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") The frog also, hearing her words, assented, saying, “Very well.”[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") Now one day the crow pecked out both of the elephant’s eyes, and the fly let a nit drop on them.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") The elephant, eaten up by maggots, maddened with pain, overcome with thirst, wandered about seeking water to drink.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") At that moment the frog, squatting on the mountain-top, let out a croak.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") The elephant thought: “There must be water there;” and climbed the mountain.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the frog hopped down, and squatting at the bottom, let out a croak.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") The elephant thought: “There must be water there.”[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") And going to the brink of the precipice, he tumbled and fell to the foot of the mountain, and met destruction.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") When the tiny quail realized that he was dead, she cried out: “I have seen the back of my enemy!”[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") And pleased and delighted, she strutted over his shoulders, and passed away according to her deeds.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/5/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/4/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/5/page/2/) - ↑ back to [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/)