Story of Śubhadatta

A wood-cutter who lived in Pāṭalīputra.

Śubhadatta earned his living by cutting wood in the forest and selling it for fuel. One day, while cutting wood in the forest he saw four Yakṣas by chance. When he understood from their dress and bearing that they were divine beings, Śubhadatta was frightened. The Yakṣas spoke to him and when they came to know that he was poor, they engaged him as their servant. Śubhadatta served them with devotion. When it was time for their meal they pointed to him a pot and asked him to serve them food from it. But when Śubhadatta saw the pot empty, he was confused. The Yakṣas, with an amused smile asked him to put his hand into the pot and assured him that he would get anything he wished to get from it.

Śubhadatta accordingly took out all the things they wanted from it and served them. They took their food and were satisfied. A few days passed in this way and then Śubhadatta began to think of his family. The Yakṣas understood that he was longing to return home. So they allowed him to go after getting whatever boon he wished to ask them. Śubhadatta asked for that magic pot which would supply whatever he wanted. On hearing it the Yakṣas told him that he would not be able to keep that pot and that if it was broken everything would be lost. So they advised him to ask them something else. But Śubhadatta was not prepared to accept their advice. At last they gave him the magic pot.

Śubhadatta reached home happily with the pot. He told the whole story to his people at home. His neighbours grew suspicious when he stopped going to the forest to cut trees, after he returned with the pot. To their enquiries about it, he replied haughtily and informed them of his good luck. One day in his frantic joy, he danced, carrying the pot on his head and as ill-luck would have it, he slipped his foot and fell down. The pot crashed to the ground and was broken to pieces. So he was forced to become the wood-cutter again. (Kathāsaritsāgara, Śaktiyaśolambaka, Taraṅga 1).