this lamb.

_Crowd._ Maha Kali, accept our offering!
Kali Ma, accept our offering!
Kali Durga, great Goddess, accept our offering!

_The priest turns toward the lamb and raises his knife.
BUDDHA steps to the altar and places his hand gently upon the
priest's arm._

_B._ Hold!

_Pr._ Meddler!

_B._ Pause before thou sheddest blood.

_Pr._ How dar'st thou rudely interfere, strange monk,
With our most sacred sacrifice? This lamb
Is offered to the goddess. Thou disturbest
Our holy ritual.

_He lifts his knife against BUDDHA, but SIHA draws his sword
and knocks the knife out of the priest's hand._

_GS._ Keep peace, bold priest!

_Pr._ The vengeance of the gods will be upon you.

_B._ If there be gods they must be potent, noble,
And great and holy; and if the gods are holy,
They do not need the offering of a victim,
They do not want the life of this poor trembling lamb.

_Pr._ The gods are kind; they take the lamb in place of this poor
stricken man. We must do penance for his sins, for the sins of his
wife, for the sins of his children.

_Farmer._ I crave forgiveness for the sins for which my dear good
child has had to die.

_Pr._ His sins are great and nothing can wash them away but blood.

_B._ Herein thou errest, priest. Blood does not cleanse.
It washes not away the stain of sin;
The slaughter of a victim heaps but guilt
On guilt, and does not right a wrong. Rise,
Rise, my good friend. Take comfort!

_The farmer rises._

Be a man.

_The others rise gradually._

_F._ What shall I do, good master?

_B._ Right all the wrongs thou didst and sin no more.

_Pr._ This lamb was given to the goddess. It is mine.

_GS._ Are you the steward of the goddess' property?

_SIHA steps close to the priest who retires step by step and
finally hurries off the stage._

Come, shepherd, take the frightened lambkin up
And bear it to its mother in the fold.

[The shepherd takes up the lamb and stands ready to carry it away. The
musicians slink away. The lambbearers and the people walk off in
procession, followed by the Buddha with his disciples. General Siha
remains alone on the stage. A trumpet call at a short distance and
another one close by.]

_GS._ What does that signal mean?

_An officer accompanied by a trumpeter enters. A third
trumpet call on the stage. The officer delivers a letter._

_Officer._ A dispatch from hi