..续本文上一页able to get out of trouble together."

　　"Brahman," the chief musician asked the high priest, "when do you think you gave the jewel to me

　　"

　　"I only said I did," answered the chaplain, "because I thought you would help to make the time in prison pass more agreeably."

　　Finally the courtesan complained, "You wretch of a musician, you have never visited me, and I have never visited you. When could you have given me the necklace

　　"

　　"Don”t be angry, my dear." said the musician. "I just wanted you to be here to keep us company. Cheer up! Let”s all be lighthearted together for a while."

　　As soon as his servants had reported this conversation to the Bodhisatta, he saw that all his suspicions were correct. He was convinced that a female monkey had taken the necklace.

　　"Now I must find a way to make her drop it," he said to himself. He ordered his servants to catch some monkeys, to deck them out with strings of beads, and then to release them again in the pleasure garden. The men were to carefully watch every monkey in the grounds. As soon as they saw one wearing the missing pearl necklace, they were to frighten her into dropping it.

　　The monkeys strutted about with their beads strung around their necks, their wrists, and their ankles. They flaunted their splendor in front of the guilty monkey, who sat quietly guarding her treasure. At last, jealousy overcame her prudence. "Those are only beads!" she screeched, and foolishly put on her own necklace of real pearls. As soon as the servants saw this, they began making loud noises and throwing things at her. The monkey became so frightened that she dropped the necklace and scampered away. The men took it to their master.

　　The minister immediately took it to the king. "Here, sire," he said, "is the queen”s necklace. The five prisoners are innocent. It was a female monkey in the pleasure garden that took it."

　　"Wonderful!" exclaimed the king. "But, tell me, how did you find that out

　　 And how did you manage to get it back

　　"

　　When he had heard the whole story, the king praised his minister. "You certainly are the right man in the right place!" he proclaimed. In appreciation, the king showered the minister with immeasurable treasure.

　　The king continued to follow the Bodhisatta”s advice and counsel. After a long life of generosity and meritorious acts, he passed away to fare according to his deserts.

　　His lesson ended, the Buddha again praised Venerable Ananda”s merits, and identified the birth. "Ananda was the king of those days," he said, "and I was his wise counselor."

《The Queens Necklace》全文阅读结束。