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A few days later, he came to a thick forest. He was very thirsty. He looked around for

some water. At last he found a well. He went to the well and peered inside. He saw a

monkey, a tiger, a snake and a man in it. They had all fallen into the well and were
trying to come out.

“Please help us. We are stuck in the well and cannot get

out,” said the monkey.

Subuddhi soon found a long vine which he lowered
into the well. The monkey held onto it and

came out of the well. “Thank you friend. I’ll do

whatever I can for you,” said the monkey. The
monkey then ran off into the forest.

“O kind man,” the tiger called out to him,

“Please help me out. I shall be thankful to

you.”

“But you are a tiger,” said Subuddhi. “You’ll
kill me if I bring you out.”

“Don’t be afraid, my dear friend,”

said the tiger. “I promise I will do
you no harm.”

Subuddhi shook with fear but he

thought it was good to be kind to

others. So he pulled the tiger out of the well.

The tiger also promised to help Subuddhi if he ever needed anything.

The next to be rescued from the well was the snake. Before leaving, it said, “Thank you,
my kind friend. If ever you are in difficulty, just call me. Wherever you are, I shall come

and help you.” But it also warned Subuddhi about the man in the well. “Please do not
help him. If you do, you will be in trouble,” said the snake. Then

it slithered away into the forest. Now, the man in the well began Why did Subuddhi help
the snake, though it was
to call out for help. dangerous to do so?

Subuddhi felt sorry for the man, so he pulled him out of the well.

“Thank you for your kindness,” said the man. I am a goldsmith. I live in Varanasi in the

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