The Valiant Dwarf

Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in
Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a brahmin in a market-
town in the North country, and when he was grown up he
studied under a teacher of world-wide fame at Takkasila.
There he learnt the Three Vedas and the Eighteen
Branches of knowledge, and completed his education.
And he became known as the Sage Little Bowman.
Leaving Takkasila, he came to the Andhra country in
search of practical experience. Now, it happened that in
this Birth the Bodhisatta was somewhat of a crooked little
dwarf, and he thought to himself, " If I make my appear-
ance before any king, he's sure to ask what a dwarf like
me is good for ; why should I not use a tall broad fellow
as my stalking-horse and earn my living in the shadow of
his more imposing personality ? " So he betook himself to
the weavers' quarter, and there espying a huge weaver
named Bhlmasena, saluted him, asking the man's name.
"Bhlmasena 1 is my name," said the weaver. "And what
makes a fine big man like you work at so sorry a trade ? "
" Because I can't get a living any other way." "Weave no
more, friend. The whole continent can shew no such
archer as I am ; but kings would scorn me because I am
a dwarf. And so you, friend, must be the man to vaunt
your prow r ess with the bow, and the king will take you into
his pay and make you ply your calling regularly. Mean-
time I shall be behind you to perform the duties that are
laid upon you, and so shall earn my living in your shadow.
In this manner we shall both of us thrive and prosper.
Only do as I tell you." " Done with you," said the other.

Accordingly, the Bodhisatta took the weaver with him
to Benares, acting as a little page of the bow, and putting
the other in the front; and when they were at the gates of
the palace, he made him send word of his coming to the
king. Being summoned into the royal presence, the pair
entered together and bowing stood before the king.
"What brings you here? " said the king. " I am a mighty
archer," said Bhimasena; "there is no archer like me in
the whole continent/' " What pay would you want to
enter my service ? " "A thousand pieces a fortnight, sire."
" What is this man of yours ? " " He's my little page, sire."
" Very well, enter my service."

So Bhimasena entered the king's service; but it was
the Bodhisatta who did all his work for him. Now in
those days there was a tiger in a forest in Kasi which
blocked a frequented high-road and had devoured many
victims. When this was reported to the king, he sent for
Bhimasena and asked whether he could catch the tiger.

" How could I call myself an archer, sire, if I couldn't
catch a tiger?" The king gave him largesse and sent
him on the errand. And home to the Bodhisatta came
Bhimasena with the news. "All right," said the Bodhisatta ;
" away you go, my friend." " But are you not coining too ? "
"No, I won't go; but I'll tell you a little plan." "Please
de, my friend." "Well, don't you be rash and approach
the tiger's lair alone. What you will do is to muster
a strong band of country-folk to march to the spot with
a thousand or two thousand bows; when you know that
the tiger is aroused, you bolt into the thicket and lie down
flat on your face. The country-folk will beat the tiger
to death ; and as soon as he is quite dead, you bite off
a creeper with your teeth, and draw near to the dead
tiger, trailing the creeper in your hand. At the sight
of the dead body of the brute, you will burst out with-
'Who has killed the tiger? I meant to lead it by a
creeper, like an ox, to the king, and with this intent had
just stepped into the thicket to get a creeper. I must
know who killed the tiger before I could get back with
my creeper.' Then the country-folk will be very frightened
and bribe you heavily not to report them to the king ; you
will be credited with slaying the tiger ; and the king too
will give you lots of money."

"Very good," said Bhimasena; and off he went and
slew the tiger just as the Bodhisatta had told him.
Having thus made the road safe for travellers, back he
came with a large following to Benares, and said to the
king, "I have killed the tiger, sire; the forest is safe for
travellers now." Well-pleased, the king loaded him with
gifts.

Another day, tidings came that a certain road was
infested with a buffalo, and the king sent Bhimasena to
kill it. Following the Bodhisatta's directions, he killed
the buffalo in the same way as the tiger, and returned
to the king, who once more gave him lots of money. He
was a great lord now. Intoxicated by his new honours,
he treated the Bodhisatta with contempt, and scorned
to follow his advice, saying, "I can get on without you.
Do you think there's no man but yourself? " This and
many other harsh things did he say to the Bodhisatta.

Now, a few days later, a hostile king marched upon
Benares and beleaguered it, sending a message to the king
summoning him either to surrender his kingdom or to do
battle. And the king of Benares ordered Bhimasena out to
fight him. So Bhimasena was armed cap-a-pie in soldierly
fashion and mounted on a war-elephant sheathed in
complete armour. And the Bodhisatta, who was seriously
alarmed that Bhimasena might get killed, armed himself
cap-a-pie also and seated himself modestly behind Bhi-
masena. Surrounded by a host, the elephant passed out
of the gates of the city and arrived in the forefront of the
battle. At the first notes of the martial drum Bhimasena
fell a-quaking with fear. " If you fall off now, you'll get
killed," said Bodhisatta, and accordingly fastened a cord
round him, which he held tight, to prevent him from
falling off the elephant. But the sight of the field of
battle proved too much for Bhimasena, and the fear of
death was so strong on him that he fouled the elephant's
back. "Ah," said the Bodhisatta, "the present does not
tally with the past. Then you affected the warrior; now
your prowess is confined to befouling the elephant you
ride on." And so saying, he uttered this stanza:

You vaunted your prowess, and loud was your boast;

You swore you would vanquish the foe!
But is it consistent, w y heu faced with their host,

To vent your emotion, sir, so?

When the Bodhisatta had ended these taunts, he said,
" But don't you be afraid, my friend. Am not I here to
protect you?" Then he made Bhimasena get off the
elephant and bade him wash himself and go home. " And
now to win renown this day," said the Bodhisatta, raising
his battle-cry as he dashed into the fight. Breaking
through the king's camp, he dragged the king out and
took him alive to Benares. In great joy at his prowess,
his royal master loaded him with honours, and from that
day forward all India was loud with the fame of the Sage
Little Bowman. To Bhimasena he gave largesse, and sent
him back to his own home ; whilst he himself excelled in
charity and all good works, and at his death passed away
to fare according to his deserts.