rought forth an offspring of great
splendour. At the very same time the king also got by his queen a son.
Pujani, who was grateful for the shelter of the king's roof, used every
day to go to the shores of the ocean and bring a couple of fruits for the
nourishment of her own young one and the infant prince. One of those
fruits she gave to her own child and the other she gave to the prince.
The fruits she brought were sweet as nectar, and capable of increasing
strength and energy. Every day she brought them and everyday she disposed
of them in the same way. The infant prince derived great strength from
the fruit of Pujani's giving that he ate. One day the infant prince,
while borne on the arms of his nurse, saw the little offspring of Pujani.
Getting down from the nurse's arms, the child ran towards the bird, and
moved by childish impulse, began to play with it, relishing the sport
highly. At length, raising the bird which was of the same age with
himself in his hands, the prince pressed out its young life and then came
back to his nurse. The dam, O king, who had been out in her search after
the accustomed fruits, returning to the palace, beheld her young one
lying on the ground, killed by the prince. Beholding her son deprived of
life, Pujani, with tears gushing down her cheeks, and heart burning with
grief, wept bitterly and said, 'Alas, nobody should live with a Kshatriya
or make friends with him or take delight in any intercourse with him.
When they have any object to serve, they behave with courtesy. When that
object has been served they cast off the instrument. The Kshatriyas do
evil unto all. They should never be trusted. Even after doing an injury
they always seek to soothe and assure the injured for nothing. I shall
certainly take due vengeance, for this act of hostility, upon this cruel
and ungrateful betrayer of confidence. He has been guilty of a triple sin
in taking the life of one that was born on the same day with him and that
was being reared with him in the same place, that used to eat with him,
and that was dependent on him for protection.' Having said these words
unto herself, Pujani, with her talons, pierced the eyes of the prince,
and deriving some comfort from that act of vengeance, once more said, 'A
sinful act, perpetrated deliberately, assails the doer without any loss
of time. They, on the other hand, who avenge themselves of an injury,
never lose their merit by such conduct. If the consequence of a