nd Siddhattha
With lads such as the gardner's jolly son,
Kala Udayin. Like a lark he warbles!
Would there were more like him. He jokes and laughs
And never makes a sullen face. But tell me
How is to-day Kala Udayin's father?

_V._ His sickness turns from bad to worse. I fear
He cannot live.

_S._ [_with concern_] Have him removed from here;
Siddhattha likes him much and if he knew
Udayin's sorry fate, it might undo
All good effects of joyful fatherhood.

_V._ The best will be to move him in the night.

_S._ Move him by night, and do it soon.--But hush,
Yasodhara is coming with her babe.

YASODHARA (_Y_) _and two attendant maids, one carries an
umbrella, shading the Princess; the other,_ GOPA (_G_),
_carries the infant_.

_P._ [_meets her and kisses her._]
Welcome, thou sweetest flower of our garden,
Thou ray of sunshine in Siddhattha's life.

_S._ My dearest daughter! how is Rahula?

_Y._ My royal father, Rahula is growing,
And he increases daily in his weight;
To-day he smiled at me most cunningly.
I'll lay him down, for he is fast asleep.

_All enter the palace. The stage remains empty a moment.
Soft, serious music (Buddha's "Hymn of Victory") is heard._

SECOND SCENE.

SIDDHATTHA (_B_) _and_ KALA UDAYIN (_K_) _enter_.

_K._ My sweet Prince, when you are king you must appoint me court
jester. Will you, my good Lord? We two are good contrasts: You full of
dignity upon a royal throne, a golden crown upon your head, the
scepter in your hand, and I dressed in motley with cap and bells.
Heigh ho! That will be jolly. And after all we are so much alike!

_B._ A royal crown shall never grace my head.

_K._ And why should it not, sweet Prince?

_B._ I have a higher aim, a greater mission.
What is a kingdom? What are wealth and power?
What crown and scepter? They are transient things,
I yearn for the Immortal state, Nirvana.

_K._ Then wilt thou be a Buddha? Oh, even then will I follow thee.

_He kneels down with clasped hands._

Wilt thou a holy Buddha be,
O keep me in thy company
Though I'm a jester. I'll be good.
Let me attain beatitude.

_B._ Rise Kala, rise, I am a mortal man,
I'm not omniscient, nor have I yet
Attained the goal of goals, enlightenment.--
Tell me, why dost thou think we are alike?

_K._ My Lord, you have no ambition to be a king; you think the world
is full of vanity, and you consider that life and its glory will pass
away.