How an Ungrateful Son Planned to Murder His Old Father

　　Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was King of Benares, there was in a family of a certain village of Kasi an only son named Vasitthaka. This man supported his parents, and after his mother”s death, he supported his father as has been described in the introduction. But there is this difference. When the woman [Vasitthaka”s wife] said, "Look there! That is your father”s doing! I am constantly begging him not to do this and that, and he only gets angry!" she went on, "My lord, your father is fierce and violent, forever picking quarrels. A decrepit old man like that, tormented with disease, is bound to die soon; and I can”t live in the same house with him. He will die of himself before many days are out. Well, take him to a cemetery, and dig a pit, throw him in, and break his head with the spade; and when he is dead, shovel the earth upon him, and leave him there."

　　At last, by dint of this dinning in his ears, said he, "Wife, to kill a man is a serious matter. How can I do it

　　"

　　"I will tell you of a way," quoth she.

　　"Say on, then."

　　"Well, my lord, at break of day, go to the place where your father sleeps. Tell him very loud, that all may hear, that a debtor of his is in a certain village, that you went and he would not pay you, and that if he dies the man will never pay at all. And say that you will both drive there together in the morning. Then at the appointed time get up, and put the animals to the cart, and take him in it to the cemetery. When you get there, bury him in a pit, make a noise as if you had been robbed, wound and wash your head, and return."

　　"Yes, that plan will do," said Vasitthaka. He agreed to her proposal, and got the cart ready for the journey.

　　Now the man had a son, a lad of seven years, but wise and clever. The lad overheard what his mother said. "My mother," thought he, "is a wicked woman, and is trying to persuade father to murder his father. I will prevent my father from doing this murder." He ran quickly, and lay down beside his grandsire.

　　Vasitthaka, at the time suggested by the wife, prepared the cart. "Come, father, let us get that debt!" said he, and placed his father in the cart.

　　But the boy got in first of all. Vasitthaka could not prevent him, so he took him to the cemetery with them. Then, placing his father and his son together in a place apart, with the cart, he got down, took spade and basket, and in a spot where he was hidden from them began to dig a square hole. The boy got down and followed him, and as though ignorant what was afoot, opened a conversation by repeating the first stanza:

　　No bulbs are here, no herbs for cooking meat,

　　No cat-mint, nor no other plant to eat.

　　Than father, why this pit, if need be none,

　　Delve in Death”s acre mid the woods alone

　　This his father answered by repeating the second stanza:

　　Thy grandsire, son, is very weak and old,

　　Oppressed by pain from ailments manifold.

　　Him will I bury in a pit today.

　　In such a life I could not wish him stay.

　　Hearing this, the boy answered by repeating a half stanza:

　　Thou has done sinfully in wishing this,

　　And for the deed, a cruel deed it is.

　　With these words, he caught the spade from his father”s hands, and at no great distance began to dig another pit. His father approaching asked why he dug that pit, to whom he made reply by finishing the third stanza:

　　I too, when thou art aged, father mine,

　　Will treat my father as thou treatest thine;

　　Following the custom of the family

　　Deep in a pit I too will bury thee.

　　To this the father replied by repeating the fourth stanza:

　　What a harsh saying for a boy to say,

　　And to upbraid a father in this way!

　　To think that my own son would rail at me,

　　And to his truest friend unkind should be!

　　When the father had thus spoken, the wis…

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