homage to this king. He had a wife named Virtue, a son named
Trusty, and a daughter named Heroic. And he had just three
servants, a dagger at his hip, a sword in his hand, and a shield in
his other hand. These were all the servants he had when he asked
the king for five hundred gold-pieces a day as his wages.

And the king thought from his appearance that he was a
remarkably brave man, so he gave him the wages he asked. But out
of curiosity he put spies on his track, to learn what he did with all
the money.

Now Hero called on the king in the morning, and at noon he took
his sword and stood at the palace gate and divided his daily salary.
One hundred gold-pieces he gave to his wife for food and
household expenses. And with another hundred he bought clothes
and perfumes and nuts and such things. And another hundred he
devoted to the worship of Vishnu and Shiva, after taking the
ceremonial bath. And the two hundred which were left he gave to
Brahmans and the unhappy and the poor. This was the way he
divided and spent the money every day. Then after he had
sacrificed and eaten dinner, he stood every night alone at the
palace gate with his sword and shield. All this King Shudraka
learned from his spies and was greatly pleased and forbad the spies
to follow him again. For he thought him a wonderful man, worthy
of especial honour.

Then one day a veil of clouds covered the sky and poured down
rain in streams day and night, so that the highway was quite
deserted. Only Hero was at his post as usual by the palace gate.
And when the sun set and dreadful darkness was spread abroad