In a country, during the time when a Prince is causing cattle to graze,
the cattle having borne [calves] he goes to take milk in the morning
every day, it is said.
While he was going one day, at the time when he was bringing milk
having met with a Nagaya and a female Cobra, [340] the Nagaya said,
"Will you bring and give me every day, morning by morning, one leaf-cup
of milk?" [341] he asked. The Prince said, "I will bring and give it."
When he was bringing and giving it no long time, one day when he was
taking the milk on that day the Nagaya was not [there]; the female
Cobra and a Rat-snake were [there]. Well then, at his hand the female
Cobra asked for the leaf-cup of milk. The Prince did not give it;
he poured the milk into an ant-hill.
At the time when the Nagaya came from the journey on which he went,
the female Cobra says, "The Prince having come, not giving the milk
went away." When she said this, the Nagaya having become angry went
to the house at which the Prince stays, and remained at the corner
of the mat on which the Prince sleeps.
While it is [there] the Prince says [aloud to himself], "Now for
a long time I was going and giving milk to a Nagaya and a female
Cobra. To-day I went, taking the milk. When I was going the Nagaya
was not [there]. Because the female Cobra and a Rat-snake were on
the ant-hill, the female Cobra asked me for the milk. Not giving it
I came home, having poured it into an ant-hill."
The Nagaya having become angry regarding it, came back, and having
bitten and killed the female Cobra, heaped her up. On the following
morning, at the time when the Prince took the milk only the Nagaya was
[there]; the female Cobra was killed.