The Buddhist monks with their subscription books for their temple, their own private ' five-viscera temple,' as everybody knows. Have you ever heard of the monk who went into the country with his mass-book and a pair of small cymbals? A tiger met him. The monk clashed his cymbals in his face, and he swallowed them. Having nothing left besides, the monk threw his mass-book at the beast, who ran off to his den.
The little cubs asked if he had brought anything for them to eat. " No, " he replied, " but I am glad to have got home without paying anything. "
" Without paying anything, father? "
"Yes, my sons. I met a monk, and only swallowed a couple of thin cymbals, when he brought out his subscription book! I had to run hard, or he would have got a donation out of me."
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