In a certain country, during the time when a King was exercising sovereignty the King married a Queen, it is said. In the Queen’s womb, begotten by the Great King, three Princes were conceived, it is said.

While the three Princes were in the state approaching full age, the eldest Prince of the three Princes improved himself in throwing stones with the stone-bow, it is said. During the time when he was improving himself thus, he became a very skilful and dexterous person at stone-bow throwing. After that, the same Prince having abandoned the stone-bow began the shooting of animals with the bow and arrows. By that means, having shot at animals and killed animals, while eating the flesh with good joy and pleasure he passed the time in happiness with his father the King, and his mother the Queen, and his younger brothers who were the other two Princes.

At the time when he passed the time thus, his mother reached the other world. Not much time after it the Great King effected the wedding festival for yet [another] Queen from another country. The Queen was a childless proud woman. Because it was so, her happiness was in passing the time in discourtesy.

Furthermore, by this Queen there not being any notice of the three Princes, and as she was passing the time in anger and jealousy, the three Princes spoke together, “When our father the King has gone to war with any city, we three persons, taking three bags of masuran and causing a bag of cooked rice to be made ready, will go to another country.”

[After] saying [this], at the time when they are there the King received the message to go to a war. As soon as he received it,1 having spoken to the Princes and the Queen, “Remain in happiness, looking after the country and the palace,” the Great King having been adorned to go went away.

After he went, the three Princes, making ready the bags of masuran and cooked rice, and forsaking the country, having started to go to another country, went off. While they were thus going, a very severe water-thirst2 seized the elder Prince. While going seeking water, perceiving that there was no water he said to the other young Princes, “Having gone to a high hill or up a large tree, look if there is water near.” Then a Prince having gone up a tree, when he looked said that very far away a pool of water is visible.

After that, having gone to the quarter in which is the pool and having met with water, staying there and dividing the bag of cooked rice they ate. Having eaten and drunk, and having finished, they spoke together, “Let us three pluck three [lotus] flowers from this pool. [After] plucking them let us go to three countries. When we have gone there, should there be harm to anyone whatever of us, the flowers of the remaining two will fade.” Having said [this], the three Princes [plucked three flowers, and taking them with them] went to three countries.

After they went there, while the eldest Prince was going on the road, a palace of great height was visible. When he went to the palace that was visible, there was a Princess [at it] possessing much beauty. Having seen this Prince’s splendour3 that very Princess fell down unconscious, without sense. Afterwards the Prince having restored the Princess to consciousness, asked, “What happened?”

The Princess having spoken, said, “Having seen your beauty, Sir, it caused a great dizziness to seize me, and I fell down.”

After that, the Prince, begging a little water from the Princess, drank. After he drank, “Why is there no one in this palace?” he asked.

The Princess spoke, “My father the King, and mother went for bathing their heads with water.4 I and the flower-mother alone are [here],” she said.

When the Prince asked on account of it, “Will the party come now?” “They will come now quickly,” said the Princess.

Then the King and the Queen, [after] doing the head-bathing, came. The King and the Queen having seen this Prince became greatly afraid. “Of what country are you, Sir? Who and whose?” they asked the Prince.

The Prince says, “I am a son of such and such a King of such and such a city,” he said.

Because of it, the Great King asked, “Came you with the thought of perhaps a war, or what?”

Then the Prince said, “No. After my mother died, while I was remaining in great sorrow, when my father the King, marrying another Queen, was there, for me a great shame entered my mind because of the Queen’s unseasonable action; and while the King went for a war I having forsaken my country came to this country.”

After that, the truth of it went to the Great King, to his mind. As soon as it went there,5 when a [little] time was going by, having married and given the King’s daughter [to him], and made it public by the proclamation tom-tom, and having handed over the country also, he decorated them [with the regal ornaments].

While he was exercising the kingship of that country, the other Princes of the country, having become angry concerning this Prince and having thought of a means of killing him, said, “We will give the flower-mother five hundred masuran to give him this small quantity of poisonous drug, having deceived the Princess by some method or other.” [They said to her], “Should you do as we said, we will give you these presents.” Should she be unable in that manner they told her to [tell] the Princess to ask where the Prince’s life is.

In that way, the flower-mother having prepared a new [sort of] food for the Prince, and having also put [into it] this drug and deceived the Princess, at the time when the Prince is eating food she told her to give him this new food. This having seemed the truth to the Princess, at the time when the Prince was eating food she gave it. The Prince, too, having been much pleased with the food, and having eaten and drunk, finished. Owing to it, anything did not happen.

On the following day the flower-mother says to the Princess, “Where is the Prince’s life?” She told her to ask. When she asked the Prince on account of it, “My life is in my breast,” he said. When she told it to the flower-mother in the morning, the flower-woman said, “What he said is false.” She told her to ask thoroughly.

At night on the following day, when she asked he asked for oaths from the Princess, [of a nature to ensure] the impossibility of escaping from them, that the Princess must not tell it to any person. Afterwards the Princess swore, “I will not tell it.” Then the Prince says, “My life is in my sword,” he said.

On the following day, when the flower-woman asked, having deceived the Princess, the Princess said, “If you will not tell it to anyone I will tell you. [For me] to tell it, you [must] take an oath with me,” she said. When the flower-mother swore to it the Princess said, “The Prince’s life is in the Prince’s sword.”

From the day when she heard the fact for herself, that flower-mother to an extent never [done] before, began to pile up a heap of firewood and coconut husks. When the Princess asked, “What is that for?” she says, “For us to put in the hearth at the time when rain rains,” she said.

While not much time was going in that way, one day not having shut the door of the palace, at night this flower-mother stole the Prince’s sword, put it into that piled up heap of firewood, and set it on fire; but the handle for holding the sword was left outside the flames. That fire fell into the heap.6 At the time when it was thoroughly burning the Prince’s life was becoming ended here. After the sword was burnt the Prince completely died.

Not allowing them to bury the dead body, the Princess having caused a coffin to be made, and placed the dead body inside the coffin, remained in much grief.

While she was thus, the flowers of the Prince’s brothers having faded, when they came seeking him ascertaining the truth they went to the palace. At the time when they went, having seen the Princess who was in the palace they asked the Princess, “Why? For what [reason] are you without cause (nikan) in this great trouble?” they asked.

To that the Princess says, “At the time when a Prince of such and such a King of such and such a country came to this country, my father the King having asked the Prince his age, and looked [into his horoscope], married and gave me to him; and having given him charge to rule the country also, that person (her father) died,” she said. “After that, while he is exercising the kingship this flower-mother told me to ask where the Prince’s life is. When I asked, the Prince’s life is in the Prince’s sword, he said. After that, whether such and such a thing occurred I do not understand,” she said.

When those Princes sought for the sword there was no sword. Afterwards they looked in that heap of ashes on the fire ground. They met with only the piece of that hilt for holding. Having met with it, one person having gone running and having come [after] plucking limes, began to polish that piece of sword. The other having opened that coffin (lit. corpse-box) was near it. While he was there, by an authorisation of the Deity the sword was restored (lit. went right) better than it was [before]. Then life being as though [re-]established for the Prince also, he arose.

After that, having investigated about these matters and looked [into them], perceiving what the flower-mother did he impaled that woman and killed her. Afterwards these three Princes and the Princess sought their father the King, and went to [their own] country.

Western Province.

In a certain country a King was rearing wild animals. The King had learnt in a thorough manner the speech of animals.

One day at that time the fowls were saying, “Our King assists us very much; he gives us food and drink.” They thanked the King very much. The King having heard their talk, the King laughed with pleasure.

The royal Queen having been near, asked, “What did you laugh at?”

“I merely (nikan) laughed,” the King said. Should he explain and give the talk to any person the King will die. Because of it he did not explain and give it. That the King knows the speech of animals he does not inform anyone.

The royal Queen says, “There is no one who laughs in that way without a reason. Should you not say the reason I am going away, or having jumped into a well I shall die.”

Thereupon the King, because he was unable to be released from [the importunity of] the Queen, thought, “Even if I am to die I must explain and give this.”

Thinking thus, he went to give food to the animals. Then it was evident to those animals that this King is going to die. Out of the party of animals first a cock says, “His Majesty our King is going to be lost. We don’t want the food. We shall not receive assistance. Unless His Majesty the King perish thus we shall not perish. In submission to me there are many hens. When I have called them the hens come. When I have told them to eat they eat. When I have told them to go they go. The King, having become submissive in that manner to the thing that his wife has said, is going to die.” The King having heard it, laughed at it, also.

Then, also, the royal Queen asked, “What did you laugh at?”

Thereupon, not saying the [true] word, the King said, “Thinking of constructing a tank, I laughed.”

Then the Queen said, “Having caused the animals that are in this Lan̥kāwa (Ceylon) to be brought, let us build a tank.”

Then the King having said, “It is good,” caused the animals to be brought. The King having gone with the animals, showed them a place [in which] to build a tank; and telling them to build it came away.

The animals, at the King’s command being unable to do anything, all together began to struggle on the mound of earth. Those which can take earth in the mouth take it in the mouth. All work in this manner. The Jackal, not doing any work, having bounded away remained looking on.

After three or four days, the King having gone [there] trickishly stayed looking on. The King saw that the other animals are all moving about as though working; the Jackal, only, having bounded off is looking on.

Having seen it he asked the Jackal, “The others are all working; thou, only, art looking upward. Why?”

Thereupon the Jackal said, “No, O Lord; I looked into an account.”

Then the King asked, “What account art thou looking at?”

The Jackal says, “I looked whether in this country the females are in excess or the males are in excess.”

The King asked, “By the account which thou knowest, are the females in excess or the males in excess?”

The Jackal said, “So far as I can perceive, the females are in excess in this country.”

Then the King said that men are in excess. Having said it the King said, “I myself having gone home and looked at the books, if males are in excess I shall give thee a good punishment.”

The King having come home and looked at the books, it appeared that the males were in excess. Thereupon the King called the Jackal, and said, “Bola, males are in excess.”

Then the Jackal says, “No, O Lord, Your Majesty; they are not as many as the females. Having also put down to the female account the males who hearken to the things that females say, after they counted them the females would be in excess.” Then the Jackal said, “Are the animals able to build tanks? How shall they carry the earth?”

Thereupon the King having considered it, and having said, “Wild animals, wild animals, you are to go to the midst of the forest,” came home.

At that time, the Queen asked, “Is the tank built and finished?”

Then the King, taking a cane, began to beat the Queen. Thereupon the Queen, having said, “Anē! O Lord, Your Majesty, I will never again say anything, or even ask anything,” began to cry aloud.

The King got to know that the Jackal was a wise animal.

Western Province.

In a certain country there was a King. Madness seized the King. It having seized him, he caused all the men of the city to be brought, and seized from them their gains; should the party say even a word about it he kills them.

Having killed them in this manner, when the city was diminished a half share, he sent to tell the Treasurer (siṭānō) to come. He knows thoroughly that in order to kill that person he had been told to come.

The Treasurer asked at the hand of the Treasurer’s wife, “What shall I do for this?”

Thereupon the woman said, “You having gone, to the talk which the King says having said nothing [else] in reply, say ‘Eheyi’ (Yes),1 to the whole.” Having heard her word the Treasurer went to the palace.

The King asked, “Treasurer, is there rain in your quarter?” The Treasurer said “Eheyi, Lord.”

“Are you well now?” he asked. The Treasurer, not saying another speech, to that also said, “Eheyi, Lord.”

In this manner they talked until the time for eating rice in the day time. To all he said, “Eheyi.”

Then the King said to the Treasurer, “Treasurer, now the time for eating rice has come, hasn’t it?” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.”

Thereupon the King said, “Treasurer, let us go to bathe.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.”

The King said, “Ask for the copper water-pot.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.” Having said it and gone, he returned [after] asking for [and getting] it.

Then the King said, “Get in front.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord”; having said it the Treasurer got in front. Having gone to the river, the King took off his clothes, and putting on the bathing cloth, [entered the water, and] asked the Treasurer, “Treasurer, won’t you bathe?” The Treasurer, having said, “Eheyi, Lord,” remained on the rock.

While the King was talking and going backwards and backwards, he was caught by an eddy in the water, and went to the bottom. Having sunk, when he was rising to the surface he said, “Treasurer, I shall die; draw me out quickly.” Thereupon the Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord,” [but did not move]. When he was going to the bottom the next time the King died.

Then the Treasurer, taking the few royal ornaments, came home. Having come, he said at the hand of the Treasurer’s wife, “The King died,” [and he gave an account of his death].

Thereupon the woman said, “O fool! I said that indeed. Putting on those royal ornaments, go to the royal palace and say, ‘It is I who am King; also I killed the King. If ye do not hearken to the things I say I will kill you also.’ ”

The Treasurer did in that very way. The whole of the men of the city were afraid. Well then, the Treasurer exercising the sovereignty over the city, the Treasurer’s wife became the Queen.

Western Province.

In a certain country there was a King. There were seven Princes for the King. Having instructed the whole seven, the King tried to fit them [for their position]. The party without wanting to do anything whatever passed the days in amusement.

The King thought when he looked [at their idleness], “From this party of seven persons there is not an advantage,” and having punished (daḍa gahalā) the whole seven, “Go to any kingdom you can; don’t stay in this country,” he said.

The seven persons speaking [together] said, “Our father the King told us to go!” and the whole of them went.

Out of them, the eldest Prince, took six flower seeds. The whole seven having arrived at a kingdom, to the youngest Prince the eldest Prince said, “Getting any livelihood you can, remain in this country. At the place where you stay plant this flower seed for yourself. It having sprouted, when the flower tree has grown, on the tree a flower will blossom. At the time when the flower has faded come seeking me.” Having told him thus he made the Prince stay in that country.

In that very way he made the other five stay in five countries. Having given to those persons five flower seeds, he told them [about them] in the very way he told that Prince.

To the last country the eldest Prince went. When he was living in that country doing cultivation work, one day he went to walk in the midst of the forest. In the midst of the forest there is a house. The Prince saw it. Having gone to that rock house (cave), when he looked a Princess was [there].

He asked the Princess, “Are you a human daughter, or a Yaksa-daughter?”

Thereupon the Princess said, “I am a daughter of a King. Having eaten food at night I went to sleep. That Yakā having brought me, I am in this rock house. I also do not know a path for going away; I stay in fear,” the Princess said.

Then the Prince asked the Princess, “Will you come to go with me?”

At that time the Princess having said, “It is good,” the two together having bounded off, proceeded to the place where the Prince who went there stays. During the time while these persons are staying there obtaining a livelihood, the Prince’s life is in his sword. Except that his brothers know that his life is in this sword, no other person knows.

The Princess one day went to the river to bathe. While bathing there, three or four hairs of her head in the Princess’s hair knot having become loosened and having floated, went away in the river. When the Prince of the King of that country was bathing lower down in the river, those hairs of her head which went became entangled on the hand of the Prince. When the Prince, having said, “What is this?” was looking, it was a sort of long hairs of the head, hair of the head of gold colour, and about two fathoms’ length.

Having seen this hair, and known that these were the very best, like [those of] a royal Princess, he thought, “I must seek this Princess,” and went to the palace. Having taken the hairs of the head he showed them to his father the King. Having shown them he told him to do whatever [was necessary], and seek and give him the Princess to whom this hair of the head belongs.

He published by the notification tom-tom that to a person who, having found, gave her, he will give goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load. An old woman who stayed near there said, “I can.” Having told the old woman to come, the King asked, “What do you want in order to go to seek the Princess?”

“I don’t want anything, O Lord; I only want a boat,” she said. So he gave her a boat.

Having gone to the river taking the boat, the old woman sat in the boat, saying and saying lamentations, and having floated she went up1 the river. Having gone in that way, and tied the boat on that side, the old woman went to the place where the Princess possessing that hair, and the Prince, are staying.

When the old woman was going there the Prince was not at home. To the Princess the old woman said, “Anē! Daughter, there is no person to look after me. Assist me for the sake of charity,” she said. The Princess becoming grieved at it told the old woman to remain.

After a little, the Prince came home. Having come he asked, “This mother, a person from where is she? What came she here for?”

Thereupon the Princess also [said], “She came and said, ‘There is no one to give me to eat!’ Because of it, I being alone I said, ‘Remain with me,’ ” she said.

While she was [there] in that way, at the time when the Prince was not [there] the old woman said to the Princess, “You having eaten and drunk, when you are lying down by way of fun ask the Prince, ‘Where is your life?’ ”

So the Princess asked the Prince, “Where is your life?”

At that time the Prince said, “My life is in my sword.”

Through the ignorance of the Princess regarding it, she told that old woman that his life is in the sword. Well then, the old woman from that day, having said that it was for putting in the hearth on rainy days, sought for firewood and heaped it up. When the old woman is going to sleep, every day having built a bon-fire she goes to sleep.

One day during the day time, having been [there] at the time when the Prince is not there, she looked where the sword is. Thereupon, at night a rain began. Having said, “To-day there is rain,” she strengthened the bon-fire. After the Princess and the Prince went to sleep she brought the sword and put it in the bon-fire.

Having arisen in the morning, when she looked the Prince having died the Princess began to lament. The old woman also falsely lamented. The two persons having been lamenting and lamenting a little time, the old woman, calling the Princess, went to obtain shelter at another place. Having gone there, and handed over the Princess to the King of that country, taking the presents also, the old woman went home.

At that time the King told the Princess to take that Prince in marriage. Thereupon the Princess said, “My Prince is now dead only two or three days. Because of it I want time for a month.” Having found an upper-story house very near there, he sent the Princess to stay in the upper-story house in that street.

Having seen that the flowers of the flower trees of the younger brothers of that Prince had faded, [his brothers] began to seek him. Seeking him, they went to the place where the Prince is dead. Having gone, these six persons together said, “Where is the sword?” and began to seek it. When seeking it, the sword having been in a heap of ashes they took it. Thereafter having taken the sword to the river, they cleaned it; at that time life was [re-]established for that Prince. Then the Prince having arisen spoke to those Princes, and having said, “Now then, go you to each of the places where you were,” he did that cultivation work, and remained obtaining a livelihood [thus].

This one got news that that old woman having taken the Princess and given her to the King, received for herself presents and distinctions. At that time sorrow having gone to the Prince he went to seek the Princess. When [he was] going walking in the street in which is the Princess, the Princess saw that this one is going. The Prince did not see her.

At that time the Princess began to write a letter. Having written the letter, the Princess remained in expectation of the time when the Prince is coming. The Prince, through news that she is in that very street, came back. At that time the Princess, having seen that the Prince is coming, taking the letter dropped it [so as] to fall in front of him. The Prince having taken the letter, when he looked at it and read it there was written, “That old woman who stayed near us having deceived us and having brought and given me to the King, received for herself presents and distinctions. The King said to me that he must marry and give me to the King’s Prince. Thereupon I said, ‘My Prince is not dead a month now.’ Because of it, asking for time for a month, I am staying in another house,” there was written. “I said so through the thought that I shall obtain my Prince again. In three days more we are going to the church (palliya) to marry. Because of it, having got a horse carriage should you come on that day to the church we can escape and go off,” there was written.

Thereupon the Prince on the day she told him having got a horse carriage also, went near the church in the disguise of a horse-keeper, and halting the carriage, remained [there].

On the wedding day the King, the Prince, the Princess, the whole of the party, went in a horse carriage. The Princess saw that that Prince is staying like the horse-keeper, holding the horse. But when the Princess looking [at him] went into the church, the horse-keeper [Prince] having remained standing, becoming sleepy reclined a little. Then the Prince went to sleep.

That Princess having got married and come, and having ascended into the carriage which the Prince brought, not knowing that the Prince was asleep struck the horse, and making it bound went off as though she flew. The other people who were there, not observing the quarter to which the Princess went, went away. The King and the married Prince after that sought her; they did not meet with her. The sleeping horse-keeper Prince having ascertained that the carriage was not [there], weeping and weeping began to go along the path on which that Princess went.

When the Princess was going in the midst of a forest wilderness, Vaeddās having been there came and watched in order to seize her. Having watched, they said to the Princess, “If thou come not with us we will shoot and kill thee.”

Thereupon the Princess asked, “I can come with one of you. How shall I come with four or five persons?”

The Vaeddās asked the Princess, “If so, how is it [to be]?”

Thereupon the Princess says, “You having been set in line, all at one discharge shoot. Having shot, I will join the person whose arrow should fall far, who came [after] picking up the arrow, and will come [with him],” she said.

At that time the whole of the party having been fixed in line shot [for the arrows] to go very far. Having shot, all ran for the purpose of bringing the arrows. Thereupon the Princess having struck the horse, driving it off went away without being perceived. The Vaeddās having got the arrows and come, went away without the Princess.

When she was going to that side from the forest wilderness in which are the Vaeddās, the Princess thought that should she go by the carriage she will be unable to escape. So she descended from the carriage to the ground, and having unloosed the horse drove it into the jungle. She rolled the carriage over into the jungle.

The Princess having thrown away the Princess’s dress, dressing like a Heṭṭiyā went away. In this manner she went to another kingdom. In that country, establishing shops, there was a rich Heṭṭiyā. She approached near him. At that time the shopkeeper Heṭṭiyā having become much pleased with the [apparent] Heṭṭiyā, told him to remain there. Well then, the shopkeeper Heṭṭiyā asked, “Who art thou?”

Thereupon the Princess said, “I am a Heṭṭirāla of a country; I came to establish a shop.”

The shopkeeper having heard that word, said, “If so, let us two trade in partnership.” Having said [this] he handed over a shop to the Princess resembling a Heṭṭiyā. He gave for it suitable servants.

At that time this Princess says, “I having come to a new country, when establishing a shop have the thought to give a dāna (free donation of food), and secondly to establish the shop.”

Thereupon the shopkeeper Heṭṭirāla having become pleased, and having said, “Let us two pay the amount that the cost comes to,” they gave the dāna.

Then that horse-keeper Prince having come, approached there. The Heṭṭirāla having seen the horse-keeper gave him alms. The [Princess] Heṭṭirāla after the man ate the food put him in a house and told the servants to shut the door.

During that night having given the dāna and having finished, “Whence are you?” the new Heṭṭirāla asked the horse-keeper.

At that time the horse-keeper said to that Heṭṭirāla, “Anē! Heṭṭirāla, I indeed am a royal Prince. The Princess whom I had married, driving off in the horse-carriage came here. I also having become hungry when coming here [saw that] there was an alms-house. Because of it I came here,” he said.

The Heṭṭirāla, having cast off those clothes and put on clothes in the manner of a Princess, came and asked, “Am I the Princess?”

Having said, “You indeed are my Princess,” holding her hand he began to weep. The clothes that she wore like the Heṭṭirāla that Prince put on. After that, having gone near the shopkeeper Heṭṭirāla, they told him completely the things that occurred to these people. This Heṭṭirāla having become pleased at it told them to stay at that very shop. The two persons trading at the shop and having become very wealthy, remained at that very city.

Western Province.

In a certain country both the royal Prince and the Minister-Prince were joined together by much friendship, it is said. Thus, having been in that way, one day the royal Prince having talked with the Minister-Prince, says, “Friend, we two having come to a foreign country, let us do trading.”

The Minister-Prince also having said, “It is good,” the two persons taking as much money as each can carry for the purpose of trading, set off to go to a foreign country.

During the time when they are going thus, the two having met with a junction of two roads, the two persons say, “We two having separated at these roads let us go to two districts.” So speaking, having separated they went to two districts.

Out of them, the royal Prince having arrived at the place where a courtesan woman is gambling, and having staked with the courtesan woman this money he brought, gambled. The courtesan woman won the whole of the money. Well then, the royal Prince having staked the clothes he was wearing, when he gambled the Prince lost them also.

Well then, the Prince says, “It is good.2 If so, you and I having staked ourselves let us gamble.”

So speaking, staking each against the other they gambled. Thereupon the Prince lost. Having shaved the Prince’s head, taking him for the state of labourer, while he was drawing water and washing pots, when the Heṭṭirāla of that village was going by that street he saw the Prince who was washing and washing pots, and great sorrow having been produced for the Heṭṭirāla, he spoke to the courtesan woman, and says, “The labourer who is washing these pots is of very white colour. It is not worth [while] taking this work from him. If you will give me him I can give him a suitable means of livelihood.”

Thereupon the courtesan woman says, “Yes, if there is sorrow for you concerning him; although I can give him I cannot give him without payment (nikan). Why? He has let me in3 for a thousand masuran. If the Heṭṭi-elder-brother give that money I can give him; if not so, I cannot give him,” the courtesan woman said.

Then the Heṭṭirāla says, “It is good. Taking the money from me give me him.”

The Heṭṭirāla gave the money; and taking the Prince and having arrived at his house the Heṭṭirāla having spoken to the Prince, asks, “What can you do?”

The Prince says, “I can do anything.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “Don’t you do work [so as] to become tired. There are my shops; you can stay at a shop.” When he asked, “Can you [do] letter accounts?”4 the Prince said, “I can.” When he said it, having said, “If so, go to my shop,” he started him, and having gone with the Heṭṭirāla he gave him charge of the shop.

Thereupon the Prince asks, “Do you give the shop goods on credit (nayaṭa) and the like? How is the mode of selling the goods?”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “Yes, give them on credit. When giving them on credit don’t merely give them; [after] writing the name give them.”

Thereupon the Prince having said, “It is good,” and taking charge, from that time spoke to men who are going on the road. When the men came he asked, “Where are you going? Where is your village? What is your name?” Afterwards he says, “It is good. Taking anything you want, go.” Having said and said it, and having brought in that manner all the men going on the road, in a week’s time he finished the goods that were in the shop. During the time when he was giving the goods in that way, should anyone come and having given money ask for goods, taking the money he gave goods for the money.

When he finished the goods in that manner, the Heṭṭirāla, not knowing [about it], having become much pleased, said, “You are very good, having looked with this promptitude at the account of the money for which you sold the goods. Bringing goods afresh will be good, will it not?”

When he was preparing to look at the accounts, having brought the book in which he wrote the men’s names, and a little money, [the Prince] placed them [before him]. The Heṭṭirāla asked, “What is this?”

Then the Prince says, “Why, what is it you are asking? Have I blundered? In the book, indeed, the names will be correct; having indeed written the names I gave the goods. I did not give goods to even a person without having written the name.”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “Anē! You are a great fool; you are not a person who can do trading.” Having said [this], the Heṭṭirāla, calling the Prince, went home again.

Having gone [there], when three or four days were going the Heṭṭirāla’s wife began to scold the Heṭṭirāla, “For what reason are we causing this one to stay, and undergoing expense by giving him to eat and to wear?” When she shouted to the Heṭṭirāla, “If this thief is sitting unemployed, this very day having beaten him I shall drive him away,” the Heṭṭirāla asks the Prince, “Child, there are many cattle of mine; can you look after the cattle?”

At that time the Prince says, “It is good; I can look after cattle.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having gone, calling the Prince, to the district where the cattle are, and having shown him the cattle, says, “All these cattle are mine. You must look after them, taking care of them very well. Do not send them into outside gardens. You must tie the fastening (baemma) well.”

Thereupon the Prince says, “It is good, Heṭṭi-elder-brother. Don’t be afraid. Having well tied the fastening I shall look after the cattle.”

Having started off the Heṭṭirāla and sent him away, the Prince placed each one of the cattle at each tree, and having tied the fastenings and tightened them to the degree that they were unable to take breath, was looking in the direction of the cattle. While he was there some cattle died, some were drawing the breath (i.e., gasping for breath). At that time, the time of eating cooked rice went by.

The Heṭṭirāla, having remained looking for the Prince’s coming at the time of eating cooked rice during the day, when the time went by thought, “He is a great fool, isn’t he? Having sent the cattle into the gardens of others they have been seized, maybe.” As he did not come at noon to eat cooked rice, he said, “I must go to look”; and having come there, when he looked some had died at the very bottom of the trees to which they were tied, some are drawing and drawing breath.

The Heṭṭirāla asks the Prince, “Why, fool, what a thing this is you did! Do you look after cattle in this way?” Having said [this], he scolded him.

Thereupon the Prince says, “What is the Heṭṭi-elder-brother saying? The Heṭṭi-elder-brother said at first, ‘Having tied the fastenings well, look after them, not letting (nen̆dī) them go into the gardens of others.’ I tied the fastenings well, and stayed looking at them. What is it you are saying? Have I tied them badly? If there is a fault in the tying, tell me.”

Well then, the Heṭṭirāla being without a reply to say, [thought], “Because I told this fool to tie the fastenings well, he, thinking foolishly, in observance of the order killed my few cattle. I was foolish; this fool will not have the ability to do this work;” and he went, calling the Prince again, to the Heṭṭirāla’s house.

When he is there three or four days, in the very [same] manner as at first the Heṭṭirāla’s wife began to scold the Heṭṭirāla:—“Having come calling this thief again, is he simply sitting down? Even for a day there will not be [the means] here to give this one to eat, sitting down unemployed. This very day I will drive him from the house.” Having said various things she scolded the Heṭṭirāla.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having spoken to the Prince asks, “Can you plough rice fields?”

At that time the Prince says, “It is good. I am able to do that work.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “It is good. If so get ready to go to-morrow morning.”

Having given the Prince a plough also, and having arisen at daybreak, the Heṭṭirāla set off to go on a journey. Calling the Prince on the journey on which he is going, and having gone and shown the Prince the Heṭṭirāla’s fields, he says, “Look there. From the place where that egret is perched plough to that side until the time when I have gone on this journey and come back.”

Well then, this Prince says to the Heṭṭirāla, “It is good, Heṭṭi-elder-brother. Let Him go on the journey He is going.5 I will plough to the place where the egret is.”

Taking over the charge, and having started off the Heṭṭirāla and sent him away, he tied the yoke of bulls in the plough. When he went driving them to the place where the egret is, the egret having gone flying perched at another place. Driving the yoke of bulls he went there also. The egret having gone flying from there also, perched at another place. Driving the yoke of bulls he went there also. From there also the egret having gone flying, perched at another place. Thereupon the Prince, driving the yoke of bulls and having gone to the root of the tree, taking a large stick and beating and beating the yoke of bulls, says, “Why, bulls (gonnunē)! Go to the place where the egret is. Should you two not go to the place where the egret is I shall not succeed in escaping from the Heṭṭirāla; to-day there is not any work [done], and I myself did not eat.” Saying and saying [this], he began to beat the yoke of bulls. While he was there beating and beating them it became night.

The Heṭṭirāla, also, having made that journey, came to the house. Having come there the Heṭṭirāla asks, he asks from the house people, “Hasn’t the fool himself who went to the rice field come?”

Thereupon the house people say, “After he went with the Heṭṭi-elder-brother in the morning, he did not come back.”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “Apoyi! As that fool himself came not there will be some accident or other!”

Quickly having gone running to the rice field, when he looked, at no place in the rice field had [the ground] been ploughed, and he does not see the yoke of bulls or the man. When the Heṭṭirāla looks on that and this side, the Prince whom the Heṭṭirāla came to seek having seen him, breaking a large cudgel he began to beat the yoke of bulls more and more, as though he did not see him.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla, having heard this noise when he looked, having heard it and gone running, asks, “Why, fool! What is this you are doing?”

The Prince says, “Go away, go aside. From the morning itself I drove and drove this yoke of bulls [so as] to go to the place where the egret is. They did not go yet. You are good, the way the bulls have been trained!” Having said [this], the Prince began to scold the Heṭṭirāla.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “Yes, the way that yoke of bulls has been trained is indeed not good. Because the bulls will not go up trees those bulls are not good. Afterwards taking a yoke of bulls that go up trees you can plough. Let us go now, to go home.” Having said [this], he came calling the Prince.

The Heṭṭirāla’s wife asks, “Even to-day did that fool do even that work?”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “To-day indeed don’t speak to that fool. He has been very angry. Because he was angry I came calling him, without speaking anything.”

Thereupon the woman having been silent that day, on the next day began to scold the Heṭṭirāla and the Prince. The Heṭṭirāla having thought, “Should I remain causing this fool to stay he will cause much loss to me. Having gone, taking him, and having spoken to my son-in-law, I must put him in a ship and send him away.” Having thought thus, and having spoken to the Heṭṭirāla’s wife, he says, “Don’t you scold; I am sending him away soon.” Thereupon the woman remained without making any talk.

Then the Heṭṭirāla says, “Taking him I must go to-morrow or the next day; having prepared a suitable thing (food) for it give me it.” Thereupon the woman having gone, and very well prepared a food box to give to her daughter and son-in-law, and for these two persons to eat for food on the road a package of cooked rice, gave him them.

The Heṭṭirāla tied them well, and taking also a suit (coat and cloth, kuṭṭamak) of the Heṭṭirāla’s new clothes to wear when they got near the son-in-law’s house, and having tied them in one bundle, and called the Prince, he says, “We two must go on a journey and return. Can you go?”

When he asked the Prince, the Prince says, “It is good; I can go.”

The Heṭṭirāla having said, “If so, take these two bundles,” gave him the two packages. Just as he is taking the two bundles in his hand, the Prince asks, “What are these?”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “One bundle is my clothes; one is things for us for the road, to eat.”

The Prince taking them, when he was starting to go on the journey the Heṭṭirāla’s wife gave him yet a package. The Prince asks, “What is this?”

Thereupon the woman says, “For our son-in-law there is need of snakes’ eggs; in that packet there are snakes’ eggs. Having gone, give that packet into either son-in-law’s hand or daughter’s hand.” The Prince, taking the packet, put it away.

The Heṭṭirāla, dressing well, mounted upon the back of a horse, and calling the Prince went off. When he had gone a considerable distance, the Prince alone ate the package which she prepared and gave him to eat for the road. Taking the food which was in the packet that she told him to give to the son-in-law, having said they were snakes’ eggs, he ate of them to the possible extent; and having thrown the remaining ones there and here, and seen an ant-hill on the path when coming, he broke a stick, and taking it, prodding and prodding [the ground] round the ant-hill he began to cry out. The Heṭṭirāla having turned back, when he looked the Prince says, “The snakes that were in this packet, look! they entered this ant-hill!” Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla, ascertaining that he is telling lies, having said, “It is good; if so, you come on,” calling him, goes on.

At that time, the time for eating cooked rice at noon having arrived, the Heṭṭirāla, stopping the horse, said, “Bola, I am now hungry. Take out even the packet which you brought to eat for the road.”

Thereupon to the Heṭṭirāla the Prince says, “Heṭṭi-elder-brother, what is this you say? Because you said, ‘They are for the road, to eat,’ I threw them away for the road to eat, and came. For eating for the road, what shall we eat?”

Well then, much anger having gone to the Heṭṭirāla, because there was not a thing to do he said, “If so, come, to go.”

As they were going, the Heṭṭirāla, having hunger which he was unable to bear, says to the Prince, “Bola, can you climb this tree, and pluck a young coconut for me and give it?” Thereupon the Prince says, “I can.”

Having climbed the tree, and gone round the stems of the branches of the tree, holding two stems firmly, with his two feet he began to kick down the clusters of [ripe] coconuts into the jungle, and the clusters of young coconuts into the jungle. Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having descended from the horse’s back, began to shout, “Hā! Hā! Don’t pluck them, don’t pluck them!” At that time the person who owned the place having come, prepared to beat him.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “It is I who sent him up the tree to make him pluck a young coconut. He is a great fool; don’t beat him.”

The man, treating with respect the Heṭṭirāla’s saying, said, “It is good. If so, having eaten as many young coconuts as possible, go ye”; and the man went away.

Thereupon the Prince having eaten young coconut with the Heṭṭirāla, when they set off to go the Heṭṭirāla says, “Having struck [thy hand] on my head, swear thou in such a way that thou wilt not go [in future] by even a foot-bridge (ēdanḍa) in which a coconut trunk is laid, putting [out of consideration] going up a coconut tree.”

Thereupon the Prince having struck on the Heṭṭirāla’s head, swears, “I will not go up a coconut tree, and I will not go by a foot-bridge in which a coconut trunk is placed.” Having sworn this, they began to go.

When going they met with a bridge in which a great many coconut trunks were placed. The Heṭṭirāla having gone to the other side, spoke to the Prince, [telling him to follow]. Thereupon the Prince says, “Anē! I cannot come. Having struck on the head of the Heṭṭi-elder-brother and sworn, how can I come?”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having descended from the back of the horse, came [across]; and lifting up the Prince and having gone [over], placed him on the other side. Through that disturbance the cloth that was on the Heṭṭirāla’s head fell on the ground. The Heṭṭirāla did not see it. The Prince having seen that the cloth fell, took it with his foot, and having thrown it into the bush went on.

When going a considerable distance, ascertaining that the cloth on the Heṭṭirāla’s head was not [there], he asks the Prince, “My cloth fell on the ground; didn’t you see it?”

Thereupon the Prince says, “The thing which the Heṭṭi-elder-brother has thrown away when coming, why should I bring? I threw it into the bush with my foot.”

Then the Heṭṭirāla says, “Since you threw away the cloth and came, beginning from this time when anything has fallen from us don’t leave it and come.”

The Prince says, “It is good. If so, beginning from this time, without throwing it away I will bring it.”

Beginning from there, taking the horse-dung and earth from the staling-place he went along putting and putting them in the Heṭṭirāla’s clothes box. Having gone there, when they came near the house of the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter, [the Heṭṭirāla] having spoken to the Prince asking for the bundle of clothes, he unfastened it. When he looked, he saw that the horse-dung and mud were in the bundle of clothes, and much anger having gone to the Heṭṭirāla, he said, “Ǣ! Enemy, what is this?”

Thereupon the Prince says, “What, Heṭṭi-elder-brother, are you saying? At first you said, ‘Don’t throw away anything that falls from us.’ What is this thing you are saying now?”

Then the Heṭṭirāla thought to himself the word he said at the beginning was wrong; bearing it because of it, he says, “With these clothes on my back I cannot go to the house of son-in-law’s people. My clothes are very dirty. I shall come when it has become night. Thou having gone immediately (daemmama) say that I am coming.” Having said [this], and told the Prince the road going to the house, he started him.

Thereupon the Prince having gone to that house and having spoken, says, “The Heṭṭi-elder-brother started and came in order to come with me. Thereupon he got a stomach-ache.6 Before this also7 he got a stomach-ache. The Heṭṭi-elder-brother having told me the medical treatment he applies for the stomach-ache, and started me quickly, sent me to prepare the medicine,” he said.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter having become much afraid, asked, “What is the medicine?”

The Prince says, “Don’t be afraid; it is not a difficult medicine [to prepare]. Taking both coconut oil of seven years and the dust of Mā-Vī (the largest kind of paddy), and having ground them together, when you have made ball-cakes (aggalā), and placed them [ready], it will do; that indeed is the medicine. Don’t give him any other thing to eat.”

Thereupon, the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter very quickly having ground up coconut oil and Mā-Vī dust, and made ball-cakes, placed them [ready]. When, after a very long time, the Heṭṭirāla came, quickly having given him to wash his face, hands, and feet, as soon as he had finished she gave him that ball-cake to eat.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla thinks, “My daughter and son-in-law having become very poor, are now without a thing also to eat”; but through shame to ask he remained without speaking. Well, then, at the time for eating rice at night, although the whole of the [other] persons ate cooked rice and finished, she did not give cooked rice to the Heṭṭirāla. Having made ready [the necessary things,—mat and pillow]—to sleep, only, she gave them.

The Heṭṭirāla lay down. Having been in hunger during the daytime and night, when he had eaten the ball-cakes he began [to experience the purgative effect of the oil]. After he had [been affected] four or five times, being without water to wash his hands and feet, having spoken to the Prince he asks, “Bola, the water is finished; there is not a means to wash my hands and feet. Didn’t you see a place where there is water?”

Thereupon the Prince says, “I saw it. There is a sort of water-pot.” Having gone to the place where there are pots of palm juice, and filled a cooking pot, he brought the palm juice, and saying it was water gave it.

Thereupon the whole of his body having been smeared with the palm juice, he says, “Bola, this is not water; it is a sort of palm juice. Seek something to wipe this, and give me it.”

Then the Prince having torn in two the pillow that was [there] for placing the head upon, gave him the cotton to wipe off the palm juice. When the Heṭṭirāla was wiping off the palm juice with the cotton, the palm juice and cotton having held together, it became more difficult than it was. Thereupon having become very angry with the Prince, and having looked to that and this hand, finding a little water and slightly washing himself he came to the bed, and made ready to go to sleep. Again [the purgative affected him violently, and he was compelled to utilise a cooking-pot which the Prince brought him]. When he was removing it in the early morning, unobserved by the people at the house, [the Prince] having gone running says to the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter, “Look there. Last night it was very difficult for your father. Having become angry that you did not pay attention to him he is going away.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter having gone, embraced the Heṭṭirāla. When she embraced him, the Heṭṭirāla and the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter were [befouled by the contents of the vessel].

The Heṭṭirāla having become very angry said, “He having done me much injury until this time, now he smeared this on my body, didn’t he?” Being unable to bear it, and having told his son-in-law all these matters in secret, “Taking him, we will go away and put him in a distant country,” he said.

The son-in-law having said, “It is good,” and having spoken to the Prince, says, “We two are to go on a journey. The three [of us] having gone together, let us return.” So saying, on the following day after that, the Heṭṭirāla, and the Prince, and the Heṭṭirāla’s son-in-law, the three persons together, went to the wharf (naew-toṭṭa).

Thereupon the Prince thought, “Now then, it is not good; I must spring off and go.” Having thought [this], when he said to the two persons, “I must go aside [for necessary reasons],” the two said, “If so, having gone, come back.”

Having gone running from there to the place where the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter is, he says, “They told me to ask for the money which he gave yesterday to be put away, and to go back quickly.” Having said it, asking for [and getting] the money from the Heṭṭiyā’s daughter, he bounded off and ran, and in much time arrived at his city.

The Heṭṭirāla and the Heṭṭirāla’s son-in-law having remained looking till the Prince comes, said, “Let that fool go to any place he wants.” When they went home, ascertaining that he went [after] taking the money also, [they searched until] they became much fatigued, but did not succeed in finding him.

The Minister-Prince, who having joined with the royal Prince went away, [after] trading very well and gaining profit, again arrived in happiness at the city. Having seen the royal Prince, while the two are [there], having discussed each other’s happiness and sorrow, and binding their friendship in the very first manner, when the royal Prince’s father the King died, the royal Prince was appointed to the sovereignty, and gave the post of Chief Minister to the Minister-Prince.

Western Province.

(By Saddhunanda Sthavira of Ratmalāna Wihāra.)