Looking at his wife, the husband replied, “It is good in our sight.”
When the morning came and they wished to steam some rice for their breakfast, they had no pot, but the priest freely offered the use of his pot and insisted upon their using of the sacred wood for their fire, the wood which was used in propping the branches of the Po tree.[13]
Being ready to go on their way, the priest presented them with gifts of food, silver and gold, saying, “I will soon leave the priesthood and come to marry your beautiful daughter.”
But three days had passed, when the man and his wife came again to the temple and told the priest that their daughter was dead, and a long time they all mourned together.
“I will ever remain true to my love for your [69 ] daughter. Never will I leave the priesthood,” vowed the priest, while the man and his wife returned to their home, spent the silver and gold the priest had given them, and cheerfully laughed at him, for never had they had a daughter!
[13]: The sacred tree of Buddhists.
The Disappointed Priest
In a temple of the north lived a priest who had great greed for the betel nut.[14] One day, compelled by his appetite, he inquired of a boy-priest if no one had died that day, but the boy replied he had heard of no death.
A man, while worshipping in the temple, overheard the priest’s words, and on his return to his home, said, “The priest wants some one to die so he can have betel to eat. Let us punish him, because he loves the betel nut better than the life of a man. Make me ready for the grave, then wail with a loud voice and the priest will come.”