Page 193 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

having reached home safely, the merchant joined his business. and soon he forgot the promise he made. But all of a sudden, he was reminded of it. he then thought that in stead of not sending puja-offerings, it would be worthwhile to send worth four annas. again he thought that instead of sending puja-offerings at four annas, it would be better to send a green-coconut at four paise. Without sending his servant, he himself went outdoors to buy a coconut with the object in view that he might save some paise himself. in the market, he came to know that a coconut, if bought in the orchard, could be had at only two paise. so he went to an orchard. The owner of the orchard told him that if the latter plucked a coconut from the tree, it would cost only one pice. Glad at heart, the merchant climbed up a coconut tree. There grew a few smaller coconut trees by the side of a well, and so he got onto one of them. he was not accustomed to climbing up a tree, nevertheless he went up in order to save one pice. The moment he caught hold of the bunch of coconuts, he slipped, and he began dangling with that bunch of coconuts. at that point of time, a man was passing by on horseback. he drew the attention of the horse-rider and said, “Oh dear! please save me, i will amply reward you. Please stand on the back of the horse and hold my feet.”
The horse-rider felt greedy and did what he was requested to do. The horse on the other hand got scared and ran away. The horse-rider, with no other alternative, began dangling with the feet of the businessman. When both the people were so dangling, a man with a big percussion on his shoulder was passing by that way. seeing him, the businessman said, “Dear friend, you can see how we are precariously hanging. if i take off my hand from the bunch of coconuts, then both of us will be drowned to death. if you stand on your percussion and save us, then we could be saved. i promise to reward you, dear.”
The owner of the percussion stood up on his instrument and no sooner had he caught the feet of the horse-rider, than his per- cussion rolled on to fall into the well. The (mridangi) percussionist then began to dangle with his hands held tight to the feet of the horse-rider. Thus the three began to sustain in the balance. and
Fhftd Volum: Second Taranga 163