Brahmadatta, king of Benares, once started off during the rainy season to quell a border rising. He stopped on the way, while his men steamed peas and put them into troughs for the horses to eat. A monkey came down from a tree hard by, filled his mouth and hands with peas, went back to his tree and started eating. One pea fell down, and he, letting all the other peas fall, clambered down to seek for the lost one. The Bodhisatta, who was the king's counsellor, pointed out to the king how fools of little wit spend a pound to win a penny. On hearing this, the king went back to Benares.
The story was told to Pasenadi, who was going on a similar expedition during the rains, and on the way visited the Buddha at Jetavana. The king in the story is identified with Ananda. J.ii.74ff