The Incomparable Archer

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of
Benares, the Bodhisatta was conceived as the son of the
Queen Consort. She was safely delivered ; and on his
name-day they gave him the name of Asadisa-Kumara,
Prince Peerless. About the time he was able to walk,
the Queen conceived one who was also to be a good being.
She was safely delivered, and on the name-day they called
the babe Brahmadatta-Kumara, or Prince Heaven-sent.

When Prince Peerless was sixteen, he went to Tak-
kasila for his education. There at the feet of a world-
famed teacher he learnt the Three Vedas and the Eighteen
Accomplishments ; in the science of archery he was peer-
less; then he returned to Benares.

When the king was on his deathbed he commanded
that Prince Peerless should be king in his stead, and
Prince Brahmadatta the viceroy. Then he died; after
which the kingship was offered to Peerless, who refused,
saying that he cared not for it. So they consecrated
Brahmadatta to be king by sprinkling him. Peerless
cared nothing for glory, and wanted nothing.

While the younger brother ruled, Peerless lived in all
royal state. The slaves came and slandered him to his
brother ; " Prince Peerless wants to be king ! " said they.

Brahmadatta believed them, and allowed himself to be
deceived ; he sent some men to take Peerless prisoner.

One of Prince Peerless' attendants told him what was
afoot. He w r axed angry with his brother, and went away
into another country. When he arrived there, he sent in
word to the king- that an archer was come, and awaited
him. "What wages does he ask?" the king enquired.
"A hundred thousand a year." "Good," said the king;
"let him enter."

Peerless came into the presence, and stood waiting.
"Are you the archer?" asked the king. "Yes, Sire." "Very
well, I take you into my service." After that Peerless
remained in the service of this king. But the old archers
were annoyed at the wage which was given him ; " Too
much," they grumbled.

One day it so happened that the king went out into
his park. There, at foot of a mango tree, where a screen
had been put up before a certain stone seat of ceremony,
he reclined upon a magnificent couch. He happened to
look up, and there right at the treetop he saw a cluster
of mango fruit. " It is too high to climb for," thought he ;
so summoning his archers, he asked them whether they
could cut oft* yon cluster with an arrow, and bring it down
for him. " Oh," said they, " that is not much for us to do.
But your majesty has seen our skill often enough. The
newcomer is so much better paid than we, that perhaps
you might make him bring down the fruit."

Then the king sent for Peerless, and asked him if he
could do it. "Oh yes, your 3Iajesty, if I may choose my
position." "What position do you want?" "The place
where your couch stands." The king had the couch re-
moved, and gave place.

Peerless had no bow in his hand; he used to carry
it underneath his body-cloth; so he must needs have a
screen. The king ordered a screen to be brought and
spread for him, and our archer went in. He doffed the
white cloth which he wore over all, and put on a red cloth
next his skin; then he fastened his girdle, and donned
a red waistcloth. From a bag he took out a sword in
pieces, which he put together and girt on his left side.
Next he put on a mailcoat of gold, fastened his bow-case
over his back, and took out his great ramshorn bow, made
in several pieces, which he fitted together, fixed the bow-
string, red as coral ; put a turban upon his head ; twirling
the arrow with his nails, he threw open the screen and
came out, looking like a Naga prince just emerging
fi'om the riven ground. He went to the place of shooting,
arrow set to bow, and then put this question to the king.
"Your Majesty," said he, "am I to bring this fruit down
with an upward shot, or by dropping the arrow upon it? '

"My son," said the king, "I have often seen a mark
brought down by the upward shot, but never one taken
in the fall. You had better make the shaft fall on it."

"Your Majesty," said the archer, "this arrow will fly
high. Up to the heaven of the Four Great Kings it will
fly, and then return of itself. You must please be patient
till it returns." The king promised. Then the archer
said again, "Your Majesty, this arrow in its upshot will
pierce the stalk exactly in the middle ; and when it comes
down, it will not swerve a hairsbreadth either way, but
hit the same spot to a nicety, and bring down the cluster
with it." Then he sped the arrow forth swiftly. As the
arrow went up it pierced the exact centre of the mango
stalk. By the time the archer knew his arrow had
reached the place of the Four Great Kings, he let fly
another arrow with greater speed than the first. This
struck the feather of the first arrow, and turned it back ;
then itself went up as far as the heaven of the Thirty-three
gods. There the deities caught and kept it.

The sound of the falling arrow as it cleft the air was
as the sound of a thunderbolt. "What is that noise?"
asked every man. " That is the arrow falling," our archer
replied. The bystanders were all frightened to death, for
fear the arrow should fall on them ; but Peerless com-
forted them. " Fear nothing," said he, " and I will see
that it does not fall on the earth." Down came the arrow,
not a hairbreadth out either way, but neatly cut through
the stalk of the mango cluster. The archer caught the
arrow in one hand and the fruit in the other, so that they
should not fall upon the ground. " We never saw such a
thing before ! " cried the onlookers, at this marvel. How
they praised the great man ! how they cheered and clapped
and snapped their fingers, thousands of kerchiefs waving
in the air ! In their joy and delight the courtiers gave
presents to Peerless amounting to ten millions of money.
And the king too showered gifts and honours upon him
like rain.

While the Bodhisatta was receiving such glory and
honour at the hands of this king, seven kings, who knew
that there was no Prince Peerless in Benares, drew a
leaguer around the city, and summoned its king to fight
or yield. The king was frightened out of his life. " Where
is my brother ? " he asked. " He is in the service of a
neighbouring king," was the reply. " If my dear brother
does not come," said he, " I am a dead man. Go, fall at
his feet in my name, appease him, bring him hither!"
His messengers came and did their errand. Peerless took
leave of his master, and returned to Benares. He com-
forted his brother and bade him fear nothing; then
scratched 1 a message upon an arrow to this effect: "I,
Prince Peerless, am returned. I mean to kill you all with
one arrow which I will shoot at you. Let those who care
for life make their escape." This he shot so that it fell
upon the very middle of a golden dish, from which the
seven kings were eating together. When they read the
writing they all fled, half-dead Avith fright.

Thus did our Prince put to flight seven kings, without
shedding even so much blood as a little fly might drink ;
then, looking upon his younger brother, he renounced his
lusts, and forsook the world, cultivated the Faculties and
the Attainments, and at his life's end came to Brahma's
heaven.