At a certain city, a lion having been caught by the King of the city had been put in a house. While the King’s Prince and the Minister’s Prince were playing at ball near the house in which was the lion, the royal Prince’s ball fell into the cage in which the lion is lying. Thereupon the Prince asked the lion for the ball. Then the lion said, “Should you let me go I will give the ball.” Then the Prince having said, “It is good,” and having cheated him, asking for [and getting] the ball remained without letting the lion go.

Having come on the following day, while those two were playing at ball, that day, also, the royal Prince’s ball went and fell at the place where the lion is. The Prince that day also asked the lion for the ball.

At that time the lion says, “You shall not cheat me as on that day, indeed; to-day indeed, unless you let me go I shall not give it.” Then the Prince having let the lion go, asking for [and getting] the ball, played.

The King having come, when he looked the lion was not [there]. “Where is the lion?” the King asked the party of Ministers. The party of Ministers said, “By the Prince the lion [was] sent away.”

Then the King having said, “Should the disobedient Prince remain at this palace I will kill him,” sorrow seized the Queen regarding it, and having given the Prince expenses, and given him also a horse, and said, “Having gone to any country you like, get a living,” sent him off.

The Prince having mounted on the horse, when he was going the Minister-Prince (son of the Minister), the friend of the Prince, asked, “Where are you going?”

Then the Prince says, “Having been guilty of sending away the lion, it has occurred that I am to go away, not staying in this country.”

Thereupon, the Minister-Prince, having said, “If my friend the Prince be not here my remaining is not proper,” set off to go with the Prince.

Having set out, when the two had gone a little far together, [they saw that] a letter had been written, and fixed on a tree. Having taken the letter, when they looked in it there was said that should one go to the right district good will happen, should one go to the left district evil will happen. Thereupon, having looked at the letter the Minister-Prince went to the right district, the royal Prince went to the left district.

While the royal Prince was going he met with a gambling place. He, also, having gone there gambled. Having gambled he lost all the money he took. After that, being without money, while he was staying looking on, owing to a rich Heṭṭiyā’s being there he sold him the horse, and taking the money played [again]. That also he lost.

After that, having written himself as the slave of the Heṭṭiyā, and having said, “Should I be unable to bring back the money I will do slave work,” taking the money he gambled [again]. That also he lost.

At that time, the Heṭṭiyā, having mounted upon the horse, calling the Prince for the horsekeepership went away. The Heṭṭiyā having gone home established the name “Sokkā”2 for the Prince.

That Sokkā he told to look after the horse, having well attended to it and bathed it. That Sokkā not giving food and water to the horse, the horse went decrepit. Owing to it, the Heṭṭirāla having become angry, said, “Sokkā, you cannot look after the horse. Because of it, work you in the flower garden.”

Then Sokkā says, “Heṭṭirālahāmi, in our kingdom it was that very work that was mine. I am much accustomed to it.” Having said this he took charge. [After] taking charge, every day uprooting and uprooting the best (lit., good good) flower trees (plants) he began to plant [them afresh].

The Heṭṭirāla having gone one day, when he looked saw that all the flower trees had died. Having said, “Sokkā, thou canst not [do] this work; thou hast completely done for my flower garden,” he beat him.

He said, “After that, that work is of no use for thee,” and gave him charge of a plantain garden. Having handed it over he said, “Sell the plantains; having brought the money thou art to give it to me.”

Then Sokkā said, “It is good, Heṭṭirālahāmi; I am accustomed to that work.”

Well then, what does that Sokkā do? Leaving aside the ripe plantains, having cut the immature plantains he takes them to the shop. No one taking them, having brought them back he throws them away. By this means, all the plantain garden went to waste.

The Heṭṭirāla having gone one day, when he looked the plantain garden had been destroyed. Thereupon, having called Sokkā, and having said, “Where is the revenue obtained from this? Thou art a Yakā come to eat me,” he became angry, and scolded him.

Having said, “Thou canst not do that work. Look here (Menna); from to-day attend thou to the grazing of these cattle,” he gave him charge of them.

Then Sokkā, having said, “It is good, Heṭṭirālahāmi. In our country I do that for a livelihood; I am well accustomed to it,” took charge of them. Taking charge, he went driving the cattle to the jungle.

Having gone there he looked for a bull to eat, and having killed it, cutting a haunch he came home [with it]. At that time the Heṭṭirāla having seen the haunch of flesh, asked, “What is that, Sokkā?”

Then Sokkā says, “As I was going a leopard was [there], seizing a deer. Then I said ‘Hū.’ Then the leopard sprang off and ran away. After that, because I was unable to bring it I came [after] cutting off a haunch.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirālahāmi said, “Sokkā, it is good,” and stroked his head, and said, “Give ye abundantly to eat to Sokkā.”

By that method he began to bring the haunch every day, one by one. The Heṭṭirāla and the Heṭṭi-woman on those days were very kind to Sokkā.

When a few days had gone, because of the eating of the deer’s meat it appeared that the cattle of the herd were finished. Then, having called Sokkā, he asked, “Where are the cattle?”

Sokkā says, “I could not drive the cattle to the stalls; they are in the jungle.”

The Heṭṭirāla, not trusting the word he said, went into the jungle to look at the cattle. When he was going, the stench [of the dead bodies] began to strike him to the extent that he was unable to go into the jungle. Having gone in, when he looked he saw that there are the heads and legs of the cattle. “Sokkā is good! I ate the meat. I must kill Sokkā,” he got into his mind.

The Heṭṭirāla had taken a contract to give firewood to a ship. He told Sokkā to cut firewood by the yard account for the ship. Because he must give firewood once a month, having cut the firewood by the yard account he was to heap it up. At that time, Sokkā, having said, “It is very good, Heṭṭirālahāmi,” taking that work also, went for cutting firewood.

The ship came after a month. The Heṭṭirāla went and looked, in order to give the firewood. There were only three or four yards of firewood; there was no firewood to give to the ship. When the ship person, having called the Heṭṭirāla, asked for the firewood, there being no firewood to give a great fault occurred. Having fined the Heṭṭirāla he destroyed the firewood contract.

“After Sokkā came there was great loss of money; this one lost it. I must kill him,” the Heṭṭirāla got into his mind.

Getting it in his mind, he said to the Heṭṭi-woman, “I am going to the quarter in which younger sister is. Having prepared something to eat on the road please give me it.” The Heṭṭi-woman having prepared a box of sugared food, and made ready a box of clothes, and tied them as a pingo (carrying stick) load, placed [them ready].

The Heṭṭirāla having arisen at dawn in the morning and mounted on horse-back, and said, “Sokkā, taking that pingo load, come thou,” the Heṭṭirāla went on horse-back in front.

Sokkā, while going on and on (yaddī yaddī), ate the sugared food until the box was finished. When going a little far in that manner, the whip that was in the Heṭṭirāla’s hand fell down. Sokkā picked it up and threw it into the jungle.

The Heṭṭirāla, having gone a little far, asked, “Where [is the whip], Bola? You met with it.”

Thereupon Sokkā said, “I don’t know; there is no whip.”

Then the Heṭṭirāla having become angry, said, “Thou must bring anything that falls, whether from me or from the horse,” and he scolded him.

After that, Sokkā picked up the dung which the horse dropped, and began to put it in the clothes box. In that way and this way, at noon the time for eating came.

On that road there was a travellers’ shed. For the purpose of eating food at that travellers’ shed they halted. Having opened the box in order to eat, when [the Heṭṭirāla] looked there was nothing of food in the box. “Where is the food that was in this?” he asked Sokkā.

Sokkā said, “I don’t know what was [in it] when it was given to me, indeed.”

The Heṭṭirāla being very hungry, and in anger with Sokkā also, started to go. Having gone, when they were coming near his younger sister’s village he said to Sokkā, “Go thou, and tell them to be quick and cook a little food because I am fatigued.”

Then Sokkā having gone said to the Heṭṭirāla’s younger sister and brother-in-law, “The Heṭṭirāla is coming; as he has become ill he is coming. Because of it, he does not eat anything. He said that having removed the shells from unripe pulse and prepared balls of it, you are to place them [ready]; and that having killed a fowl for me I am to eat it with cooked rice, he said. The Heṭṭirāla at night is himself accustomed to salt gruel.”

Afterwards that party, having prepared them, gave them in the evening. The Heṭṭirāla because of fatigue having eaten these things and drunk a great deal of salt gruel, went to sleep. (It is necessary to draw a veil over the nocturnal difficulties of the Heṭṭirāla owing to the purgative action of his evening’s repast. In the morning) the Heṭṭirāla thought to himself, “It is Sokkā himself makes the whole of these traps. Because of it I must kill him.”

Well then, having said, “We must go,” and having opened the clothes box, when he looked horse-dung had been put [in it]. Then at the time when the Heṭṭirāla asked, “Sokkā, what is this?” he said, “That day you told me to take anything that falls from the Heṭṭirāla or from the horse. Because of it I put these things away; I put them in that, without omitting one.”

After that, having set off, they went away to go home. Having gone a considerable distance, when they were approaching the house he said to Sokkā, “Go thou, and as there has been no food for me for two days or three days, tell grandmother to prepare something for food.”

Having said “Hā,” Sokkā having gone running, says, “Grandmother, madness having seized him, the Heṭṭirāla is coming. No one can speak [to him]; then he beats them. You will be unable to be rid of it.” He said all these words.

Then the grandmother asked, “What, Sokkā, shall we do for it?”

Thereupon Sokkā says, “Putting on a black cloth and a black jacket, take two handfuls of branches, and without speaking having gone in front of him, please wave them.”

Having said it and come running back to the Heṭṭirāla, he said, “Heṭṭirālahāmi, there is no means of doing anything in that way. Madness having seized grandmother she is dancing, [after] putting on a black cloth and a black jacket, and breaking two handfuls of branches.”

When the Heṭṭirāla was asking at the hand of Sokkā, “What shall I do for it?” Sokkā said, “Breaking two handfuls of branches, and having gone without even speaking, please strike them on the head of grandmother.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla, having gone in that very way, without speaking began to beat her. The grandmother also began to beat the Heṭṭirāla. In this way constantly for half a day they beat each other. Afterwards having recovered their reason, when he learnt, while they were speaking, that it was a work of Sokkā’s, he thought of injuring him.

On the following day after that, he wrote a letter to the Heṭṭirāla’s brother-in-law: “In some way or other please kill the person who brings this letter.” Having said, “Go and give this letter, and bring a reply from brother-in-law,” he gave it into Sokkā’s hand.

Sokkā, taking the letter, went to a travellers’ shed on the road. While he was there yet [another] man came there. Having broken open this letter and shown it to the man, he asked, “What things are in this letter?”

The man, having looked at the letter, said, “ ‘The person who brings this letter has caused a loss to me of three or four thousand pounds.’ Because of it, it is said [that he is] to kill him.”

Thereupon Sokkā, having thrown the letter away, went to a house, and asking for pen and ink and having come back, told that man and caused him to write the [following] letter:—“The person who brings this letter has been of great assistance to me. Because of it, having given to him your daughter [in marriage], give him a half share of your landed property.” Having taken it and gone, he gave it.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla’s brother-in-law having looked at the letter and having been pleased, married to him and gave him his eldest daughter;3 and having given him a half share of his money, and told him to go again to the place where this Heṭṭiyā is, sent him away.

Well then, the Prince whom the Heṭṭiyā caught, taking his Heṭṭi wife, went away to the district where the Minister-Prince is.

Western Province.

In a certain city there was a King; the King was married. If the Queen bore a Prince they rear the Prince; if she bore a Princess, at the very time when she was born, [even] should she be alive, they bury her. This order is a thing commanded by the King.

The King’s Queen formerly having given birth to a first-born Prince, and having reared him and been satisfied with him, he continued to stay there. During the time while he was there the Queen bore yet a Princess.

Then the King told them to bury the Princess. The midwife having given her into the hand of a man told him to bury her. So the man in order to bury the Princess took her and went to the burial ground.

At that very time, as the elder Prince of the King, who had been for sport, was coming back, he saw that this man [after] putting this Princess into a bundle was going to the ground for new burials; and he asked the man, “What is that you are going with, [after] making it into a bundle?”

The man said, “In this bundle is your younger sister, Sir.”

Then the Prince said, “Anē! Stop there for me to look at her a little.” So the man stopped.

When this Prince went and looked, she was a Princess who was beautiful to the extent that through sorrow he could not look at her. Thereupon asking the man for the Princess, what does this Prince do? Having given her to another woman, having given sufficient hire for it, he said, “Having very thoroughly brought her up until she reaches maturity, not showing her to anyone, hand her over to me.” The woman said. “It is good.”

Well then, the Princess in not much time had reached maturity. After that, this Prince, sewing suitable robes for the Princess, came, and causing the Princess to put them on went with her to the palace at which he stayed.

Then the King, having become angry at the Prince, contrived a stratagem to kill her, that is, he wrote to a great person of the city, “My Princess is [here]. To kill the Princess make ready an eating (feast) at your house, and having put poison into the food for the Princess send a letter to all of us to come for the eating.”

So the great man having made it ready just like that, sent a letter to this King for all who are at the royal palace to come. Thereupon the King, having looked at the letter, prepared to go there.

This Prince perceived that it was a device which was adopted by the King for the purpose of killing the Princess. Having perceived it and told those parties to go before, at the time when they were going this Prince and his younger sister, both of them, mounted on a cart (carriage), and went along another path to the midst of a forest. As they were going on, leaving the forest wilderness behind, there was a city which a [wild] tusk elephant, having come, is making desolate. They went to the city. While they were going to the city it did not become light.

As this Prince and Princess were going, not knowing that there is a tusk elephant laying waste the city, the tusk elephant walked through the whole city, and having broken down the houses, while it was coming to go back to the midst of the forest this Prince and Princess met it in front.

Having met it, it chased the Prince and Princess along the road. As it was going chasing them this Prince drew his sword and struck it. Then the sword went and pierced the stomach of the elephant, and it died. After it died they stayed that day night at the city.

The King of the city having gone with the city tusk elephant to stay at night at certain other rock houses (caves), comes to this city only for hearing law-suits in the daytime. Having come and repaired the houses which that [wild] tusk elephant had broken, and heard law-suits, as it becomes night he goes to the rock house.

The King [had] notified by beat of tom-toms1: “To the person who [shall have] killed this tusk elephant I will give a portion from my kingdom and marry my Princess, and I will send him to stay at this city.” Every one was unable.

On the morning on which this Prince killed the tusk elephant, men came in order to build [the damaged houses in] the city. When they looked about that day, they said that the tusk elephant is still staying there, sleeping; and the men having become afraid, ran away.

After that, a man came, and having slowly come near the tusk elephant, when he was looking at it perceived that was dead. Thereupon the man having come near, when he looked [saw that] some one had stabbed the tusk elephant.

There was a house near by. Having gone near it, when he looked he saw that a Prince and a Princess were sleeping. Having seen them, he spoke to the Prince and awoke him, and asked, “How did you kill this tusk elephant?”

Then the Prince said, “I stabbed it with my sword and killed it.”

The man said, “Anē! By favour to me you must stay there a little,” and having gone he said to the King, “Last night a Prince and Princess came to our city; and having stabbed the tusk elephant with the sword and killed it, they are still staying [there], sleeping.”

Thereupon the King having come, when he looked they were there. The King having heard from the Prince about the matter, and having gone calling them to the palace, and given them food and drink, asked to marry his Princess to the Prince.

At that time the Prince said, “Until the time when I marry and give my younger sister I will not marry”; and they went away to yet a city.

When he was going, [persons] are robbing the city of this [other] King. Because of it, [the King] gave notice by beat of tom-toms, “Can any one seize them?” Thereupon all said they could not.

This Prince having said, “I will endeavour [to do] this,” went away. While going, he met with a young Leopard, a young Parrot, and a Kitten. Taking the three and placing them in a cart, while going on he saw in the midst of the forest a very large house like a prison.

Thereupon the Prince, not going to look at it during the daytime, waited until it became night; and having gone at daybreak, when he was looking about, the robbers having come [after] committing robbery he ascertained that they were making ready to sleep.

Having waited a little time after the men had gone to sleep, when he looked for an opening, because there was not one, being on the back of his horse he sprang on the wall. Having sprung on it, when he looked [he saw that after] putting down their armour on going to sleep, they were sleeping well. Thereupon the Prince cut them all down, beginning from one end. One of them having been wounded and got hid in the room, remained; all the other men died. The blood that came from them flowed to the depth of the Prince’s knee.

After that, having waited until it became light he cut a hole, and having put the dead bodies into the hole he thoroughly washed the houses and cleaned them. Because there were many silver and golden things there he stayed a little time.

While he was staying, one day, having told the Princess to remain [there], the Prince, taking a gun, went to hunt. At that time the Parrot, the Leopard, and the Cat went with the Prince.

The three and the Prince, or a person who would send him away, not being near, that robber who had been wounded that day, and having got hid remained after the Prince went away, came out into the light; and asking for cooked rice from the Princess and having eaten it, became associated with the Princess, and stayed a few days without the Prince’s knowing it, healing those wounds and the like.

Then that robber spoke to the Princess, “Having killed your elder brother and we two having married, let us remain [here].”

Thereupon the Princess also being willing regarding it, asked the robber, “How shall we kill elder brother?”

Then the robber said, “At the time when your elder brother comes, say that you have got fever, and remain lying down. Then he having come will be grieved. Then say, ‘Elder brother, the deity who protects us—who he is I do not know—said there is a pool in the midst of this forest. In the pool there is a lotus flower. Unless, plucking the lotus flower, you come and boil it, and I should drink the gravy, my fever will not be cured otherwise.’ ”

The Princess asked the robber, “When he has gone to the pool what will happen?”

The robber said, “There is a Crocodile in the pool. No one can descend into the pool. Because the Celestial Nymphs (Apsarases) bathe [there], should another person go the Crocodile will swallow him.”

Then the Princess having become pleased, at the time when the Prince, having gone for hunting-sport, came back, she remained lying down groaning and groaning.

The Prince having come asked, “What is it, younger sister?”

The Princess said, “Anē! Elder brother, I have got fever.”

Thereupon the Prince through grief that the Princess had got fever does not eat the cooked rice. Then the Princess said all the words which the robber told her. So having said, “I will bring the lotus flower,” the Prince went.

Having gone and found the pool, when he looked there was a large lotus flower in the manner she said. The Prince, putting on the bathing cloth,2 and fastening his sword in his waist string, prepared to descend into the pool.

Thereupon, the three animals that went with the Prince said, “Don’t descend,” and began to say it again and again. Out of them the Parrot said, “Elder brother, having gone flying, I will bring each pollen grain of the flower. Don’t you descend.”

The Prince said, “While thou art going and bringing each grain of pollen it will become night. On that account I will go, and cutting the flower from the outside will come back”; and he descended into the pool. As he descended, the Crocodile having come swallowed him. When it was swallowing him the sword fixed at the Prince’s waist pierced the Crocodile’s stomach, and the Crocodile and the Prince died.

Thereupon the three animals which remained on the bank, rolling over and over on the ground, breaking and breaking up the soil of the earth, began to cry out.

At that time the Celestial Nymphs came to the pool to bathe. Having come, and seen the lamentation of these animals, they told the Dēvatāwā of the pool to come, and splitting open the stomach of the Crocodile he caused the Prince to be [re]-born. Having come to life, the Prince, plucking the lotus flower, came to the bank.

Then the four, taking the lotus flower and having come back, and boiled and given it to that Princess, the false fever of the Princess was cured. Well then, by that they were unable to kill him.

So the robber asked the Princess, “Now then, how to kill your elder brother?”

Then the Princess said, “Elder brother having come [after] walking, goes from this side near the screen to wash his face. You stay on the other side [of the screen] and cut him with your sword.” So he remained that day in that way.

That day the Prince having come [after] walking did not go to the side to which he goes before; he went to the other side. At that time the man having been [there] tried to spring away. Then having cut down the man with the sword that was in the Prince’s hand, he asked the Princess, “Whence this man?” The Princess remained silent.

Thereupon the Prince said, “I shall not do anything to you; say the fact.” The Princess told him the fact.

Then the Prince having said, “Thou faithless one! Go thou also,” cut her down with the sword; and taking those things, went with the three animals to the city where he killed that tusk elephant.

Having gone there, and told the King the manner in which he killed the robbers, and all the dangers that had befallen him, the King, having been pleased, married the King’s Princess [to him]; and having given the kingdom also to that very Prince, he remained there.

The Prince having gone to his [father’s] city, said to the King, “Father, having destroyed the word which you, Sir, said, by the acts that I performed, I was made to ascertain [the wisdom of] it.”

Having made obeisance to his father the King, and told him all the circumstances that had occurred, thereafter he came back with contentment to that city. Having come, he remained ruling over that city.

Western Province.

In a certain country there was a son of a King. After this son had become big to a certain extent, for the purpose of teaching him he sent him near a teacher; but as time was going on, the teacher, ascertaining that he could not teach this one, gave notice to His Majesty the King. Thereupon the King having summoned the Prince near him, sent him to stay unoccupied (nikan) in the royal house.

During the time while he was thus, the other Princes, having finished learning the sciences and having again arrived near the King, began to show him, one by one, their dexterity. Some of them began to make jests about this ignorant Prince. Thereupon this Prince being much ashamed, and his father the King also not concealing it, his Prince, putting on his ornaments and decorating himself with his sword, bow, etc., having entered a forest wilderness went away.

When he had gone in this manner for a considerable distance through the midst of the forest wilderness, he saw a house of a cow-herd. The Prince went to this cow-herd’s house, and having told him of his hunger, asked for a little food.

The cow-herd’s wife, having thought that she must take the Prince’s costly ornaments, gave the Prince to eat, drink, and sit, and [permitted him] to stay; and having told him to unfasten his clothes and go to sleep, handed over to him a bed also.

Thereupon having thought, “This woman is a most kind person,” the Prince having taken off his ornaments, gave them together with his weapons to the cow-herd’s wife. The Prince having been sleeping, after his eyes were opened, when he asked for the ornaments from the cow-herd’s wife, without giving them she told the Prince to dwell there.

Well then, a certain goddess who saw that this young Prince in this manner was causing the cattle to graze, having shown great compassion towards him, one day approached near him and said thus, “I will give thee a turtle shell and a spell. By the power of the spell thou canst do the thing thou thinkest. Having got inside the turtle shell thou canst stay there. If not in that way, thou canst become a Prince decorated with beautiful ornaments. But without saying the spell just now, thou art to say it when thou hast become twenty-five years of age,” she said.

But this Prince, for the purpose of seeing whether the spell is true or false, having said it, became a Turtle; and again having said it became a handsome Prince. After that, until the twenty-fifth year arrives he put away and hid the turtle shell.

After this time, the Prince having stayed [there] causing the cattle to graze, when the twenty-fifth year arrived, taking also the turtle shell he set off in the very disguise of a poor man, and went away to another country. This Prince having arrived at the house of a flower-mother who gives flowers to the King of that country, dwelt [with her] like a son. During the time when he was staying thus, he got to know the affairs of the royal house.

Out of the King’s seven daughters six having contracted marriages, only the youngest Princess was left. When the husbands of those six Princesses went hunting, the Prince who stayed near the flower-mother having gone into the midst of the forest became an extremely handsome Prince; and having decorated himself with the sword, bow, etc., and mounted upon a horse, and waited to be visible to the other Princes who were in the midst of the forest, when they were coming to look [at him] immediately having become a Turtle he hides in a bush.

When he acted in this manner on very many days, the husbands of the six Princesses related this circumstance while at the royal house. [Their account of] this matter the youngest Princess who was unmarried heard.

Thereafter, one day the six Princesses and their husbands also, went to the festival pool to bathe. The youngest Princess went with these. The Prince who had become the son of the flower-mother, creating a most handsome Prince’s body, and having gone after the whole of them, waited [there] to show a pleasure to these Princesses who came to bathe; and immediately having become a Turtle, got hid at the side of the pool.

Only the youngest Princess saw this circumstance. Having thus seen it, catching the Turtle and wrapping it in her silk robe she took it to the palace. After she took it to the Princess’s chamber, the Turtle, having become the Prince, talking with the Princess told her all his story, and when he told her that he was a royal Prince the two persons agreed to marry each other.

Beginning from that time (taen), this Prince whom men were thinking was the son of the flower-mother, by the favour of the Princess began to go to the floor of the upper story where the Princess resides. During the progress of time, the King perceived that the Princess was pregnant, and having menaced the Princess and asked who was the offender regarding it, ascertaining that he was the flower-mother’s son, he gave the Princess to the flower-mother’s son, and turned them out of the palace.

After this, one day because of a great feast at the royal house, the King ordered these six Princes to go for hunting, and return. Because the flower-mother’s son was in an extremely poor condition, except that the other Princes made jests at him they did not notice him. The other six Princesses ask the Princess of the flower-mother’s son, “Is your husband going for the hunting-sport to-day?”

Then having exhibited a most sorrowful state, the Princess says, “That I do not know. I must ask my husband, and ascertain.”

When the other Princes had ornamented [themselves] for the hunting-sport, the flower-mother’s son, seeking a rust-eaten sword and rotten bow, went to the midst of the forest, and taking a Prince’s appearance, mounted upon a horse. Having gone [hunting], cutting off the tongues of the whole of the animals that he hunted [and killed], and taking only a rat-snake [besides], he returned to the palace before everybody [in his ordinary form].

The King required to look at the animals which these Princes had hunted [and killed]. Thereupon, to be visible above the meat procured by the hunting of the whole of them, [the Prince] placed [on the top of them] the dead body of his rat-snake. Then the whole of them abused this one, it is said.

Thereupon this one says to the King, “It was not these Princes; I killed these animals.” Having said, “If these killed them, where are the tongues of these animals?” he opened [their] mouths and showed them. Having shown the King the tongues of the animals which he had, and caused them to see [him in] the likeness of the Prince decorated with all the ornaments, like the full moon, this flower-mother’s son stood before the King. Thereupon, the King and the other Princes also, retreated in extreme astonishment.

Thereupon, when he gave the King information of all the account of this Prince from the commencement, [the King] having handed over the sovereignty to him he put on the crowns.1

Western Province.

In a certain country there was a King, it is said. There was a single daughter of the King’s. From many places they spoke of marriage to that royal Princess, but her father the King did not agree to it.

At last, when a certain royal Prince asked to marry this Princess, her father the King, having made inquiry, because of his not happening to be a son of the Chief Queen was not satisfied with it.

But on account of the Prince’s possessing a mind extremely attached to the said Princess, having considered several means of success for bringing away this Princess, he made a very large brass lamp. The chamber of the lamp had a size [sufficient] for the Prince to be concealed [in it].

Having caused the lamp to be constructed in this manner, after the Prince entered there, having employed four persons they took this very lamp to sell. In order to go in this way, the Prince said thus to his servants, “There is necessity for me to enter such and such a royal house. While [you are] taking this lamp, when anyone [elsewhere] asks for it, mention a price which it is not worth; but having gone to the royal house give it at whatever they ask it for,” he said.

Thereafter the servants, keeping this word in mind, and the Prince being concealed [in it], took the lamp to the royal house, it is said. The King, having seen the lamp and having thought, “This is an extremely fine lamp. This is suitable for placing in my daughter’s chamber,” asked the price of it, it is said. Thereupon the servants who took the lamp fixed the price at four hundred masuran. And when the King said, “This is not worth so much; I will give seventy-five1 masuran,” the servants because of the Prince’s word gave the lamp at that price, it is said.

Thereafter, for the purpose of beautifying the royal Princess’s chamber he placed there this lamp. The Prince, also, having entered the lamp was [in it].

Although for the care of the Princess many servants were staying there, the Prince obtained opportunity in order to bring about conversation with the Princess, it is said. By this method obtaining about a [half] share of the Princess’s food, the Prince remained hidden for a time.

They give the Princess only one quantity of food. It was the custom once in seven days to weigh this Princess;2 but as the Prince was eating a share of the Princess’s food, the Princess having become thin became less in weight.

Having seen that the Princess’s weight by degrees was growing less, the servant women, becoming afraid, informed the King that the Princess perhaps had some illness. The King also having thought that the Princess perhaps had some sickness (ābādayak), made inquiry, and having ascertained that she had not a sickness in that way, ordered them to give additional food on account of it. After this time, having seen that the Princess is increasing in weight by the method, at the time when he inquired about it, he ascertained, it is said, that the Princess had been pregnant for eight months.

After this, although the King investigated by several methods regarding the manner in which this disgrace occurred to the Princess, he was unable to learn it. Everyone in the country got to know about this.

In this way, after the King was coming to great grief, he caused notification to be made by beat of tom-toms throughout the country that to a person who should seize and give him the wicked man who caused the disgrace to the royal Princess, he will give goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load.

A certain old woman, having caused the proclamation tom-tom to stop, said, “I can catch and give the thief,” it is said. Thereupon they took the old mother near the King.

Then the King having spoken, asked, “Canst thou catch and give the thief?”

“It is so; may the Gods cause me to be wise,” the old woman said, it is said.

“Dost thou require something for it?” he asked.

“[You] must give me a permission for it in this manner,” she said. “That is to say, whether in the [right] time or in unseasonable time,3 it is proper that I should receive permission for coming to any place I please in the palace,” she said. And the King gave permission for it.

The old mother, upon that same permission having come to the royal house, while conversing in a friendly manner with the Princess after many days had gone by ascertained that from outside anyone was unable to approach the palace. But perceiving that some one could hide inside the lamp that is in the Princess’s chamber, one day, in the evening, at the time when darkness was about to fall, she came to the Princess’s chamber, and having been talking, dishonestly to the Princess she scattered white sand round the lamp, and went away.

In the morning, having arrived, when she looked she saw the foot-marks of a person who went out of the lamp, and perceiving that most undoubtedly the rogue is in the lamp, told the King (rajuhaṭa), it is said. Thereupon the King having employed the servants and brought the rogue out, made the tusk elephant drink seven large pots of arrack (palm spirit), and ordered them to kill him by means of the tusk elephant.

Having made the Prince sit upon the tusk elephant, they went near the upper story where the Princess was. The elephant-driver was a servant who was inside the palace for much time. As he was a man to whom the Princess several times had given to eat and drink, the Princess said for the elephant-keeper to hear, “With the tusk-elephant face don’t smash the tips of the cooked rice.”4

The elephant-keeper also understanding the speech, without killing the Prince saved him. Although he employed the tusk elephant even three times, and made it trample on his bonds, at the three times he escaped.

Thereupon the King [said], “This one is a meritorious person;”5 and having caused him to be summoned, and made notification of these things after he came, at the time when he asked, “Who art thou? What is thy name?” he told all, without concealing [anything]. Thereupon he married and gave the Princess to the Prince.

While the two persons were living thus, a longing arose for the Princess to wear blue-lotus flowers. As this time was a season without flowers, having heard that there would be flowers only at one pool at a Kinnara village at a great distance, the Prince went there. While he was there, a Roḍi (Kinnara) woman by means of a [knowledge of the] teaching of the Kala6 spells caused the Prince to stop there, it is said.

When time went in this manner without the Prince’s coming, the King started off and sent four Ministers for the purpose of finding him. The four persons, ascertaining that the Prince had been captured and taken into the Kinnara caste, went there, and spoke to the Prince.

Perceiving that while by the mouth of the Roḍi (Kinnara)7 woman the word “Go” was being said, he was unable to go,8 they spoke to the Prince, and did a trick thus, it is said; that is, they told the Prince to say, “Certain of my friends have come; we must give them amply to eat and drink.” “Because of it [be pleased] to tell the Kinnara woman to cook food amply,” they said. When the Prince told the Kinnarī to cook food in that manner she did so.

When the Prince summoned the Ministers to the food, they, the four persons, putting sand in their waist pockets and mixing it with the food, endeavoured to eat, it is said. Having done so, the four Ministers said, “Although we came so far seeking our friend, we were unable to eat even a mouthful of rice from our friend without sand and stones [being] in it,” and having scolded the Prince they went away. At that time the Prince appeared as though approaching great grief.

The Roḍi (Kinnara) woman who saw this spoke to the Prince, “Go, calling your friends to come,” she said. After the way in which she said this [word] “Go,” the Prince very speedily having started, went with the four Ministers to his own country. Having gone thus and arrived at the palace, he told of the beauty of the Kinnara woman, and all his story.

In the meantime the Kinnara woman also having arrived in front of him, the Kinnara woman having said, “Here he is,” when she seized the Prince’s hand the King, having pushed the Roḍi (Kinnara) woman from there, sent her out of the way.

The Kinnara woman because of this trouble drew out her tongue, and having bit it died, it is said; and after that having cast out the dead body they burned it. On the grave mound a plant [used as a] vegetable grew.

Two women of the village near this place came here to break fire-wood. Because one of the two women had pregnancy longing, uprooting the plant [used as a] vegetable, she cooked and ate it to allay the longing. After she ate thus, the woman having given birth to a female child she grew up extremely beautiful, like the dead Kinnara woman.

During this time, the Prince in succession to his father-in-law had come to the sovereignty, it is said. At the time when the child born like the Kinnara woman had arrived at sufficient age, the King having come and having seen her when he was going [past], remembered the dead Kinnara woman, and having tied his affections on the young woman endeavoured to obtain her, it is said. But her two parents not being pleased at it, as the King was going to walk away beat him, and killed him.

After the King died, when the King’s men were burying him they gave the kingship to his son. After this son arrived at the time when he understood matters, he asked his mother how his father the King died, and ascertaining it he seized the men of the village at which they killed the King, and having put them in a ship he launched it on the sea. The men having cast nets, catching fish [in them] got their livelihood. After this, having cast the net and made efforts, catching a hundred Seer fishes they went to the village that was visible on shore. That village, indeed, is now Mīgamuwa (Negombo).

Western Province.