At the bottom of the river a bell sprang into existence, and Lelha was
found lying asleep in it. Then he awoke and sat up, and loosening the
knot which his wife had tied on his waist cloth, said, "Oh! Indarpuri
Kuri, give me at once food and drink, tobacco and fire," and on
the instant his wants were supplied. So he ate and drank, and was
refreshed. Then he prepared his pipe, and when he had lit it he said,
"Oh! Indarpuri Kuri, give me a fully equipped horse that will carry
me home before the tobacco in this pipe is consumed." The last word
had scarcely escaped his lips when a horse stood beside him. It was
a fierce animal, of a blue colour, and no fly could alight on its
skin. It was fully equipped, and impatient to start. Lelha, still
smoking his pipe, mounted, and his steed at one bound cleared the
river, although it was seven or eight kos broad, and flying like the
wind, landed him at home before the tobacco in his pipe was consumed.
The hiras and manis were in the possession of Lelha's wives. His
brothers wheedled them into giving them up, saying they will be safer
with us.
Lelha went to his mother's house and said to her, "Tell no one of my
being here." He had alighted from his horse on the outskirts of the
city, and returned it to the Indarpuri Kuri.
A period of ten days elapsed before Lelha's brothers and his wives
arrived. The latter declined to accompany the former at once to the
raja's palace. They said, "Let your mothers come, and conduct us,
as is usual when a bride enters her husband's house." The two elder
ranis then came, and the four sons went to the raja's flower garden
and hung the hiras and manis on the branches of the trees, and the
whole countryside was instantly lighted up by the sheen of the precious
stones. The saying of the Koema Jugi was fulfilled to the letter.
Lelha also sent his mother to welcome his wives, but when the elder
ranis saw her coming, they reviled her and drove her away. They would
not permit her to come near. She returned home weeping. "You told me,"
she said, "to go and welcome your wives, and I have been abused. When
will you learn wisdom?" Lelha ran into the house, and brought a ring,
and giving it to his mother, said, "Take this ring, and place it
in the lap of one of them." She took the ring, and gave it to one
of Lelha's wives, and immediately they all rose, and followed her
laughing, to their new home.
The elder ranis went and informed their sons of what had happened,
but they said, "They are Lelha's wives. What can we do?"