In a certain country there were a Gamarala and a daughter of the
Gamarala's, it is said. Well then, for the Gamarala they brought
a Gama-mahage. [4] The Gama-mahage's daughter and that Gamarala's
daughter stayed in one place. The Gamarala and the Gama-mahage cook
and eat separately; the Gamarala's daughter and the Gama-mahage's
daughter cook and eat separately.
A King comes every day to the house in which are the two
girls. Afterwards, the Gama-mahage's daughter, having quarrelled
with the Gamarala's daughter, went to the Gama-mahage and told tales:
"A King comes every day to the house we are in."
Then the woman said, "Daughter, you go to that house to-day [and
watch if he comes]." Having said "Ha" (Yes), that girl went.
Afterwards the girl came to the house in which was the Mahage. After
having come, she said, "Mother, to-day also the King came."
Then that girl's mother, having cut her finger-nails [5] and given
them into the hand of the girl, said, "Daughter, take these and place
them upon the beam of the threshold." The girl, having taken them and
placed them on the beam of the threshold, came to the Mahage's house.
On the following day the girl did not go to the house of the Gamarala's
daughter. That day, also, came the King. After he came he placed
his foot on the beam of the threshold; then the finger-nails pricked
him. Immediately the King went to the city on the back of the tusk
elephant.
On the following day, when that [Gamarala's] girl was weeping and
weeping under a tree because he did not come, while some crows
were swallowing and swallowing the fruits of the trees a crow said,
"Ando! What is that Gamarala's daughter crying for?" The other crow
said, "What is it to thee! Do thou in silence quickly swallow two or
three fruits off that."
Afterwards, it having become night, part of the crows went to
the nests; two still remained over in the tree. One of them said,
"Ane! What is that Gamarala's daughter crying for?" The other crow
said, "What is it to thee! Do thou in silence swallow the fruits
off that. All the crows went away; mustn't we also go? It has become
night."
Then the Gamarala's daughter laments, "A light was falling and falling
[into my life]; it is not there now."