In a city there are five sons of a nobleman. In yet [another] city
there is a Princess without both parents. The Princess is a person
possessing many articles. Having thought that when the eldest son of
the nobleman went there she must make him stop [there], and having
spoken with the Princess's kinsfolk [regarding it], the eldest son
having gone near the Princess she caused him to remain.
After he stayed there many days, this Princess asks this nobleman's
son, "What do you know of the sciences?" Then he says, "I don't know
a single one." Having said, "If so, you cannot stay near me; go you
away," she drove him away.
This nobleman's son came home. The nobleman asks his son, "What have
you come for?"
"The Princess asked me, 'What do you know of the sciences?' I said,
'I don't know anything.' 'If so, you cannot stay near me,' she
said. Because of that I came," he said.
Immediately, this nobleman says to all his five sons, "Unless you five
learn five sciences, without [doing so] don't come to my house." Having
said it he drove them away. Thereupon, these five persons went to five
cities, and learning five sciences, after much time came home. [One was
a soothsayer, the second was a marksman, the third a thief, the fourth
made very rapid journeys, and the fifth could bring the dead to life.]
This nobleman, after that having summoned the eldest son, asked,
"What is the science that thou knowest?"
"I know [how] to tell sooth," he said.
To look at this one's knowledge, the nobleman, having seen that a
female crow had laid eggs in a tree, said, "Should you tell me the
sooth that I ask, you are [really] an astrologer." Having given his
son betel he asked it [mentally].
After he asked it, this one says, "Father, you have asked me if a
female crow has laid eggs in a tree. Is it not so?" he asked.
Thereupon, the nobleman said to the one who was able to shoot, "Come
here. Without the female crow's knowing it, and without breaking the
egg, shoot thou so that it may become marked [only],--an egg out of the
eggs that are in that nest," he said. The nobleman's son having said,
"It is good," shot in the manner he told him.
Then this nobleman, having summoned the thief, says, "Go thou, and
without the crow's knowing, bring thou only the egg which this one
shot." Having said, "It is good," he brought that very egg.
Then the nobleman said, "Go again, and place thou it [back in the
nest]." He said, "It is good," and went and put it [back].
Thereupon, [having called the eldest son again], what sooth did the
nobleman ask? Thinking it in his mind [only], he asked, "How are now
the happiness and health of the Princess whom you at first summoned
[in marriage]?"
After he asked, this one having looked at the sooth, says, "The
Princess having now died, they have taken her to bury," he said.
Thereupon, the nobleman said to the one who is able to go on rapid
journeys, "Go, and do not allow them to bury her"; he went accordingly.
Then this nobleman said to the one who causes life to be restored,
[26] "Go and restore the life of the Princess, and come thou back to
my city." Having said, "It is good," this one went, and, causing her
life to be restored, the person who made rapid journeys, and the one
who caused life to be restored, and the Princess, all three persons,
came to the nobleman's city.
Thereupon the Prince who caused her life to be restored, says,
"I shall take the Princess whose life I caused to be restored."
Then the person who went on rapid journeys says, "Unless I had gone
quickly, and had not allowed them to bury her, and if they had buried
her, how would you take her? Because it is so, I shall take her."
Then the soothsayer says, "If I had not looked at the sooth, and told
[you about her death], how would you two take her? Because it is so,
I shall take her."
Then the nobleman says, "Unless I caused the sooth to be looked at,
[27] how would you three otherwise take her? Because it is so,
I shall take her." Owing to that, these four persons were quarrelling.
Now then, out of these four persons, to whom does she belong? According
to our thinking, indeed, she belongs to the nobleman.
North-western Province.