the poor child, who was
half dead with thirst; and finding that he was suffering from hunger
also, I knocked down some nuts from the top of a high tree with a
well-aimed blow of a stone.

The old man was very grateful for my timely assistance; and when we
were all comfortably seated in the shade, he gave me, at my request, a
long account of the circumstances which had brought him there,
saying:--

"There was formerly a King of Vidarba remarkable for wisdom and
justice, learned in the Scriptures, a protector of his subjects (by
whom he was much beloved), a terror to his enemies, wise in political
science, upright and honest in all his actions, kind to his
dependents, grateful for even small services, and gracious to all.
Having lived the full age of man, he died, leaving a prosperous
kingdom to his son Anantavarma, a young man of great abilities, but
caring more for the mechanical arts, music, and poetry, than for his
duties as a ruler.

"One day, one of his father's old counsellors in private addressed him
thus: 'Sire, your majesty, with the advantage of royal birth, has
almost every good quality that can be desired; your intelligence is
very great; your knowledge superior to that of others; but all this,
without instruction in political science and attention to public
affairs, is insufficient for a king; void of such knowledge, he is
despised, not only by foreigners, but by his own subjects, who,
disregarding all laws, human and divine, at last perish miserably, and
drag down their sovereign in their fall. A king who has not political
wisdom, however good his eyesight may be, is regarded by the wise as a
blind man, unable to see things as they are. I entreat you, therefore,
to give up the pursuits to which you are so devoted, and to study the
art of government. Your power will then be strengthened, and you may
long reign over a happy and prosperous people.'

"To this exhortation the young king appeared to listen attentively;
and said: 'Such is the teaching of the wise; it ought to be followed.'

"After dismissing the old counsellor, the king went into the women's
apartments, and began to talk to them of the exhortation which he had
just received. His observations were attentively listened to by one of
his constant attendants, who determined, if possible, to turn the
king's thoughts in another direction, and prevent him from being
influenced by the good advice which had been given. This man had many
accomplishme