Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-07-04
A BUDDHIST LEGEND.

In the village Of Sarvathi there lived q
young wife named Keesah, who, at the age
Of ii, gave birth to SON; and she lovcd
him with all the love and joy of the possesor
of q newly-found treasure, for his face was
like golden cloud his eyes fair and tender
as blue lotus, and his smile bright and
beaming like the morning light upon the
dewy flowers. But when the boy was able
to walk. and could run about the house,
there oamo day when he suddenly fell sick
and died And Kecsah not understanding
what had happened to her fair, otus-oyed
boy, clasped him to her bosom, and went
about tho village from house to house, pray
ing and weeping, and bcsocching tho good
people to give her some medicine to cure her
baby. But the villagers and noighbors, on
seeing her, said -
Is the girl mad. that she still bears about
on her breast the dead body Of her child p
At length a holy man, plying the girls
sorrow, said to himself: "Alas this Koesah
does not understand the law of death will
try to comfort her" And he answered her,
and said, "My good girl, cannot give you
any medicine to cure your boy, but know
holy and wise physician who can"
"Oh !" said the young mother, ado tell
me who it ia, that may 60 Mt once to him |!
And tho holy man replied, lilo is called
the Buddbn and he 'alone can cure thy
child
Then kcesah on hearing this, was com
iorted, and set out TO find the Buddha, still
clasping to her heart the Iiieless body Of her
child, And when she found him, she bowed
down before him, aud said -
20 my lord and master do you know o.
any medicine that will cure my baby ~
And the Buddha replied and said ayes
| know Of one, but you must get it for me.
Aud she asked "What medicine do yol
want Tell mo, that may hasten in search
Of it,"
And the Buddha said 81 want only {
few grains OF mustard-seed Leave here tn,
boy, aud 80 you and bring them to me-"
The girl refused to part with her baby
but promised to get the seed for him. Al
she was about to set out, the pitiiul Buddha
recalling her, said -
"My sister, tho mustard-soed that re
quire must be taken from house where n,
child, parent, husband, wife, relative, O
slave has ever died"
The young mother replied, every good
my lord = and went her way, taking he
boy with her, and setting him astrido on he
hip, with his lileless head resting on her DO
som. Thus sho went from house to house
from palace to hut, begging for some grain
OF mustard-seod. The people said to her
"llero are tho seeds take them, and go tn,
way" But she first asked -
"ln this my friends house, has there eve
died child, husband, parent, or a slave ?
And they one and all replied ".Lady
what is this that thou hast said 2 KnoWes
thou not that tine living arc few, but tina
tho dead are manyl There is no such hous
az thou seokest."
Then she went to other houses and beggo
the grains Of mustard-seed, which they glad
ly gave her, but to her Questionings ono sale
al have lost a son; !" another, al have lost
parent !" and yet another, 81 have lost
slave" and every one and all Of them mad
some such reply, At last, not being able
discover single house free from the doaC
whence she could obtain the mustard-see'
and feeling utterly faint and weary, she 81