riot wished
to know who it might be. So he hid himself and listened, his heart
melting with pity.

The old mother was bowed down by anguish, and started to lament over
the youth. "Oh, Shell-crest! Oh, my virtuous son, whom I fondled, not
counting the labour and the pain! Oh, my son, my only son! Where shall
I see you again? Oh, my darling! When your bright face is gone, your
old father will fall into black despair. How can he live then? Your
tender form is hurt by the rays of the sun. How can it bear the pangs
of being eaten by Garuda? Oh, my unhappy fate! Why did the Creator and
the serpent-king choose my only son from the broad serpent-world, and
seize upon him?"

And as she lamented, the youth, her son, said: "Mother, I am unhappy
enough. Why torture me yet more? Return home. For the last time I bow
before you. It is time for Garuda to come."

And the mother cried: "Alas, alas for me! Who will save my son?" And
she gazed about wildly and wept aloud.

All this Cloud-chariot, the future Buddha, saw and heard. And with deep
pity he thought: "Alas! This is a serpent named Shell-crest, sent here
by Vasuki for Garuda to eat. And this is his mother, following him out
of her great love. He is her only son, and she is mourning in pain and
bitter anguish. I should forever curse my useless life if I did not
save one in such agony at the cost of a body which must perish anyway
some day."

So Cloud-chariot joyfully approached and said to the old mother:
"Serpent-mother, I will save your son. Do not weep."

But the old mother thought that this was Garuda, and she screamed: "O
Garuda, eat me! Eat me!"

Then Shell-crest said: "Mother, this is not Garuda. Do not be alarmed.
What a difference between one who soothes our feelings like the moon,
and the fearful Garuda."

And Cloud-chariot said: "Mother, I am a fairy, come to save your son. I
will put on his garment and offer my own body to the hungry bird. Do
you take your son and go home."

But the old mother said: "No, no. You are more than a son to me. To
think that such as you should feel pity for such as we!"

And Cloud-chariot answered: "Mother, I beg you not to disappoint me."
But when he insisted, Shell-crest said: "Noble being, you have
certainly shown compassion, but I do not wish to save my body at the
expense of yours. Who would save a common stone at the cost of a pearl?
The world is full of creatures like me, who are merciful only to
themselves. But creatures