es continued until the balance is just, and the soul
has purified itself. Every fault must have its expiation and every
higher faculty its development; pain and misery being signs of the
ordeals in the trial, which is to end in the happy re-absorption of the
emancipated spirit.

[6] The mouse, as vehicle of Gunesh, is an important animal in Hindoo
legend.

[7] The champak is a bushy tree, bearing a profusion of star-like
blossoms with golden centres, and of the most pleasing perfume.

[8] A religious observance. The devotee commences the penance at the
full moon with an allowance of fifteen mouthfuls for his food,
diminishing this by one mouthful each day, till on the fifteenth it is
reduced to one. As the new moon increases, his allowance ascends to its
original proportion.

[9] The wife of Vishnoo, Goddess of beauty and abundance.

[10] The black or Indian cuckoo.

[11] A grove where the Vedas are read and expounded.

THE PARTING OF FRIENDS

Then spake the Royal Princes to Vishnu-Sarman,

"Reverend Sir! we have listened to the 'Winning of Friends,' we would
now hear how friends are parted."

"Attend, then," replied the Sage, "to 'the Parting of Friends,' the
first couplet of which runs in this wise--

'The Jackal set--of knavish cunning full--
At loggerheads the Lion and the Bull.'

"How was that?" asked the sons of the Rajah.

Vishnu-Sarman proceeded to relate:--

THE STORY OF THE LION, THE JACKALS, AND THE BULL

"In the Deccan there is a city called Golden-town, and a wealthy
merchant lived there named Well-to-do. He had abundant means, but as
many of his relations were even yet richer, his mind was bent: upon
outdoing them by gaining more. Enough is never what we have--

'Looking down on lives below them, men of little store are great;
Looking up to higher fortunes, hard to each man seems his fate.'

And is not wealth won by courage and enterprise?--

'As a bride, unwisely wedded, shuns the cold caress of eld,
So, from coward souls and slothful, Lakshmi's favors turn repelled.'

'Ease, ill-health, home-keeping, sleeping, woman-service, and content--
In the path that leads to greatness these be six obstructions sent.'

And wealth that increases not, diminishes--a little gain is so far
good--

'Seeing how the soorma wasteth, seeing how the ant-hill grows,
Little adding unto little--live, give, learn, as life-time goes.'

'Drops of water f