EMPEROR SHIBI

Shibi said: "How happy I am to hear you say that! Here, take this."

With this, Shibi cut a part of his flesh from his body, and placed it in one of the pans of a balance and put the dove in the other pan. But it was less than the weight of the dove. So the king cut some more of his flesh and put it in the balance. It made no difference. More and more of Shibi's flesh was thrown into the balance. But the balance was still tipped on the side of the dove. As a final measure, the king threw his own body into the scale against that of the dove. Only then did the two weights seem equal.

Then Shibi said to the hawk: "Now you can eat me and let the dove go."

Then the birds revealed their real forms as Indra and Agni.

They said: "Shibi, we came to test your devotion to your dharma. We are fully satisfied that nothing will make you forsake your dharma. We bless you!"

The Gods then returned to heaven.

Shibi ruled the country for a long time. After death he went to heaven. His name is now the very symbol of self-sacrifice.

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