Vessantara-Jataka in Pali and English - MyWebSpace

Translation 496 Vessantara-Jåtaka
[Fausbøll, Jåtaka, vol. VI, p. 496]
As close behind an elephant his mate is often found
Moving through mountain pass or wood, o’er rough or level ground,
So with my boys I'll follow thee, wherever thou mayst lead,
Nor shalt thou find me burdensome or difficult to feed." 1
With these words she began to praise the region of Himalaya as if she had seen it:
"When you shall see your pretty boys, and hear their prattle ring
Under the greenwood, you'll forget that ever you were king.
To see your pretty boys at play, and hear their prattle ring
Under the greenwood, you'll forget that ever you were king.
When you shall see your pretty boys, and hear their prattle ring
In our fair home, you will forget that ever you were king.
To see your pretty boys at play, and hear their prattle ring
In our fair home, you will forget that ever you were king.
To see your boys all gay-bedeckt, the flowers to watch them bring
In our fair home, you will forget that ever you were king.
To see your boys at play all gay, the flowers to watch them bring
In our fair home, you will forget that ever you were king.
When you behold your dancing boys their wreaths of flowers bring
In our fair home, you will forget that ever you were king.
When you behold them dance and play, and wreaths of flowers bring
In our fair home, you will forget that ever you were king.
The elephant of sixty years, all lonely wandering
The woodland, will make you forget that ever you were king.
The elephant of sixty years, at even wandering
And early, will make you forget that ever you were king.
1 The last two stanzas are similar to two stanzas from Jataka No. 529 (Fausbøll, vol. V, p.
259, lines 21-24; Cowell, vol. V, p. 133): "As close behind old elephant a young one oft
is found/Moving through mountain-pass or wood, o'er rough or level ground,/So bowl in
hand I'll follow thee, wherever thou mayst lead,/Nor shalt thou find me burdensome or
difficult to feed."