Long ago, when King Brahmadutta ruled Benares, the Bodhisattva was born as a blackbull-calf. He was so strong and handsome thatall who saw him were fascinated by his beauty.
The owner of the calf was staying in a house rented from an old woman who ran an inn. Aftera few days, he had to leave the village. As he was unable to take the calf with him, he gavethe calf to his land lady in lieu of the rent, before leaving the place.
The old inn-keeper was overjoyed, as shehad no one to call her own. She tended the calfas if he were her own son. Every day she wouldlovingly give him fodder, take him to the canal,and scrub and bathe him with her own hands.He was never tied up, but left free to roam aroundat will.
Soon, the calf grew up into a strong young bull. He wandered around the village in the company of other cattle, grazing. Children would amuse themselves by taking rides on his backand playing with him. He was the favourite ofall.
One day, the young bull thought, ‘My fostermotheris a poor woman; in spite of that, shetakes great care of me. She has to work veryhard. If only I could earn some money andlighten her burden, I would be happy.
He started thinking of some way by whichhe could make an earning.
One day, it so happened that a merchantwas on his way to the village, bringing with hima caravan of five hundred bullock-carts loadedwith sacks of grain. The caravan progressed smoothly until it reached the river beside the village. The fine sand on the river-bank proveda hindrance, as the bullocks were unable to pullthe carts across. So, the caravan came to astandstill at the river-bank.
The merchant looked around, and spotted aherd of cattle grazing by the river-bank. He went closer, hoping to find some bullocks to pull hiscarts. It was then that he spotted the young bull(the Bodhisattva). He thought, ‘This black bull isno ordinary creature. I’m sure he can easily pullmy carts across the river!’
Approaching the cowherds, he asked, “Boys, whose is this black bull? Will you lend him tome for a while, so that I can get my caravana cross the river? I shall pay you whatever youask for.”
