..續本文上一頁e lad recited three stanzas, one by way of answer, and two as an holy hymn:

　　I am not harsh, my father, nor unkind,

　　Nay, I regard thee with a friendly mind.

　　But this thou dost, this act of sin, thy son

　　Will have no strength to undo again, once done.

　　Whoso, Vasittha, hurts with ill intent

　　His mother or his father, innocent,

　　He, when the body is dissolved, shall be

　　In hell for his next life undoubtedly.

　　Whoso with meat and drink, Vasittha, shall

　　His mother or his father feed withal,

　　He, when the body is dissolved, shall be

　　In heaven for his next life undoubtedly.

　　The father, after hearing his son thus discourse, repeated the eighth stanza:

　　Thou art no heartless ingrate, son, I see,

　　But kindly hearted, O my son to me.

　　”Twas in obedience to thy mother”s word

　　I thought to do this horrid deed abhorred.

　　Said the lad, when he heard this, "Father, women, when a wrong is done and they are not rebuked, again and again commit sin. You must bend my mother, that she may never again do such a deed as this." And he repeated the ninth stanza:

　　That wife of yours, that ill-conditioned dame,

　　My mother, she that brought me forth, that same,

　　Let us from out our dwelling far expel,

　　Lest she work other woe on thee as well.

　　Hearing the words of his wise son, well pleased was Vasitthaka, and saying, "Let us go, my son!" he seated himself in the cart with son and father.

　　Now the woman too, this sinner, was happy at heart; for, thought she, this ill-luck is out of the house now. She plastered the place with wet cow dung, and cooked a mess of rice porridge. But as she sat watching the road by which they would return, she espied them coming, "There he is, back with old ill-luck again!" thought she, much in anger. "Fie, good-for-nothing! cried she. "What, bring back the ill-luck you took away with you!"

　　Vasitthaka said not a word, but unyoked the cart. Then said he, "Wretch, what is that you say

　　" He gave her a sound drubbing, and bundled her head over heels out of doors, bidding her never darken his door again. Then he bathed his father and his son, and took a bath himself, and the three of them ate the rice porridge. The sinful woman dwelt for a few days in another house.

　　Then the son said to his father, "Father, for all this, my mother does not understand. Now let us try to vex her. You give out that in such and such a village lives a niece of yours, who will attend upon your father and your son and you. So you will go and fetch her. Then take flowers and perfumes, and get into your cart, and ride about the country all day, returning in the evening."

　　And so he did. The women in the neighbor”s family told his wife this. "Have you heard," said they, "that your husband has gone to get another wife in such a place

　　"

　　"Ah, then I am undone!" quoth she, "and there is no place for me left."

　　But she would inquire of her son. So quickly she came to him, and fell at his feet, crying, "Save thee, I have no other refuge! Henceforward I will tend your father and grandsire as I would tend a beauteous shrine! Give me entrance into this house once more!"

　　"Yes, mother," replied the lad, "if you do no more as you did, I will. Be of good cheer!" And at his father”s coming he repeated the tenth stanza:

　　That wife of yours, that ill-conditioned dame,

　　My mother, she that brought me forth, that same,

　　Like a tamed elephant, in full control,

　　Let her return again, that sinful soul.

　　So said he to his father, and then went and summoned his mother. She, being reconciled to her husband and her husband”s father, was thenceforward tamed, and endued with righteousness, and watched over her husband and his father and her son. And these two, steadfastly following their son”s advice, gave alms and did good deeds, and became destined to join the hosts of heaven.

《How an Ungrateful Son Planned to Murder His Old Father》全文閱讀結束。