ke this?

_Chandra_

Oh, there's no need for things to get on with us, so long as we
ourselves get on.

_Watchman_

Mad! Quite mad! Raving mad!

_Chandra_

Why, here comes our Dada.

Dada, what made you lag behind?

_Chandra_

Don't you know? We are free as the wind, because we have no
substance in us. But Dada is like the rain-cloud of August. He
must stop, every now and then, to unburden himself.

_Dada_

Who are you?

_Ferryman_

I am the Ferryman.

_Dada_

And who are you?

_Watchman_

I am the Watchman.

_Dada_

I am delighted to see you. I want to read you something that I
have written. It contains nothing frivolous, but only the most
important lessons.

_Ferryman_

Very good. Let us have it then.

_Watchman_

Our master used to tell us that there are plenty of men to say
good things, but very few to listen. That requires strength of
mind. Now, go on, Sir, go on.

_Dada_

I saw, in the street, one of the King's officers dragging along a
merchant. The King had made up a false charge, in order to get
his money. This gave me an inspiration. You must know that I
never write a single line which is not inspired by some actual
fact. You can put my verses to the test in the open streets and
markets----

_Ferryman_

Please, Sir, do let us hear what you have written.

_Dada_

_The sugar-cane filling itself with juice
Is chewed and sucked dry by all beggars.
O foolish men, take your lesson from this;
Those trees are saved, which are fruitful._

You will understand that the sugar-cane gets into trouble, simply
because it tries to keep its juice. But nobody is so foolish as
to kill the tree that freely gives fruit.

_Watchman_

What splendid writing, Ferryman!

_Ferryman_

Yes, Watchman, it contains great lessons for us.

_Watchman_

It gives me food for thought. If only I had here our neighbour,
the Scribe! I should like to take this down. Do send round to
tell the people of the place to assemble.

_Chandra_

But, Ferryman, you promised to come out with us. Yet, if once
Dada begins to quote his quatrains, there will be----

_Ferryman_

Go along with you. None of your madness here. We are fortunate
now in having met our master. Let us improve the occasion with
good words. We are all of us getting old. Who knows when we shall
die?

All the more reason why you should cultivate our company.

_Chandra_

You can always find another Dada. But when