(47) THE POOR MAN CROWS LIKE A DUCK

It happened once that a foreign country was celebrating its Religious Day for festivities. All women wore blue lotus flowers as ornament in their hair.
To her husband, a woman said, "If you can get blue lotus flowers for me, I shall remain as your wife. Otherwise. I'll walk out on you."
Her husband was capable of crowing like a duck. He then entered the king's pond to steal blue lotus flowers. He crowed when he was caught by the palace guard. The guard asked: "Who are you?"
With a slip of the tongue, the poor man replied: "I'm a duck."
He was arrested and was taken to the king. On the way, he crowed again. Thereupon, the guard said, "You didn't crow properly before, what's the use of doing so now?"
So are the stupid in the world.
One who in his lifetime does all kinds of evil deeds to the others, is reluctant to repent and subdue his mind. Only at the time of his demise, he says, "From now on, I shall start to do good deeds."
The guard will nevertheless send him to the King of Hell. It is too late for him to want to do good deeds, just as the stupid man who could crow like duck.

47貧人作鴛鴦鳴喻
昔外國節法慶之日，一切婦女盡持優鉢羅華以為鬘飾。有一貧人，其婦語言：「爾若能得優鉢羅華來用與我，為爾作妻；若不能得，我捨爾去。」其夫先來常善能作鴛鴦之鳴，即入王池作鴛鴦鳴偷優鉢羅華。時守池者而作是問：「池中者誰？」而此貧人失口答言：「我是鴛鴦。」守者捉得將詣王所，而於中道復更和聲作鴛鴦鳴，守池者言：「爾先不作，今作何益？」
世間愚人亦復如是，終身殘害作眾惡業，不習心行使令調善，臨命終時方言：「今我欲得修善。」獄卒將去付閻羅王，雖欲修善亦無所及已，如彼愚人欲到王所作鴛鴦鳴。

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