VI.

VIDAMUNDAN KODAMUNDAN.

MR. WON'T- GIVE AND MR. WON'T- LEAVE.

Silentio, VII, 2681

IN a certain town there lived a clever old Brâhmaṇ,named Won't- Give.* He used to go out daily andto beg in all the houses round, under the pretencethat he had to feed several Brâhmaṇs in his ownhouse. Good people, that believed in his words,used to give him much rice and curry stuffs, withwhich he would come home, and explain to his wifehow he had deceived such and such a gentleman bythe imposition of feeding in charity many persons athome. But if any hungry Brâhman, who had heardof his empty boast of feeding Brâhmans at home,came to him, he was sent away with some excuse orother. In this way Mr. Won't- Give brought homea basketful of rice and other necessaries every day,of which he only used a small portion for himself andhis wife, and converted the remainder into money.

Kodámundan.