There was a certain Bakarawata City. At the same city seven Fish-Owls
who were friends dwelt at one place. Out of them the name of one
was Rawana-Face; [the names of the others were] Great-Fisher,
Long-Boned-One, Dumb-One, Trap-Setter, Noisy-Drummer, Big-Fool. [12]
While they are in friendship in this way, without a marriage, one day,
having called the others, [one of them] said thus:--"The whole of us
are beings possessing much dignity. Because of it, let us summon a
woman [as wife] for the whole seven of us."
Having [thus] talked, for the purpose of asking for the daughter of
King Motanis [in marriage] the two called Noisy-Drummer and Trap-Setter
having gone to Kurupiti City, and perched on the portico (torana)
near the palace of King Motanis, cried with the sound, "Um, Um." [13]
At that time the King having come out, and perceiving, because he knows
the Fish-Owl language, the matter for which they called out [to him],
the King asks them, "What is the business that ye do? Your livelihood
being of a different sort, how is it?" he asked Noisy-Drummer.
Thereupon he says, "O King, Your Majesty, it is I indeed whom in
Bakarawata City they call Noisy-Drummer. In the same city the Minister
of King Kuru am I."
Then the Fish-Owl called Trap-Setter says, "I am the son of King
Motaba, who is near the same city," he said.
Thereupon the King says, "Unless King Motaba will give marriage to you,
we are unable [to do] so." Having said, "Ye are of the lower animals"
(tirisannu), he abused them, and drove them away.
After that Noisy-Drummer and Trap-Setter came to Bakarawata City,
[and told the others of the failure of their mission]. While they
were there, to Noisy-Drummer the other five say, "Ye fools! When
ye asked for marriage in that way will they give it?" Having said
[this], they quarrelled [with them]. What was that for? Because King
Motaba is not an overlord of lineage, [14] if they had asked for the
marriage from an overlord of lineage it would be good. Having said
[this], they five quarrelled with them.
After that, the two Fish-Owls called Great-Fisher and Long-Bones went
to Sulambawati City in order to ask for [marriage with] the Nadakara
Kumari, [15] the daughter of King Attapala.
While they were there, sitting upon the porch of the palace of King
Attapala, Long-Bones called out, "King Attapala!"
After that the King having come, when he asked, "What is it?" as
they were sitting upon the porch Long-Bones spoke to the King,
"We came to ask for a marriage."
At that time, King Attapala asks Great-Fisher, "Is this one thy
brother, or thy friend?"
Thereupon Great-Fisher says, "O Lord, this is our Long-Bones; he is
my eldest brother. He is a person of the royal race. Just now, as
we got cold in the head many days ago, our faces have become heavy
[looking]," he said.
After that, when the King asked them, "How do you get a living?" they
say, "Aniccan dukkhan! [16] When Your Majesty is ruling you obtain all
things, and get a subsistence [in that way]. We are not thus. For us
seven brothers, at one place there are rice-fields [extending] over
sixty yalas. [17] At yet [another] place there are nine amunas. The
others indeed I am unable to mention separately. The whole [of the
cultivators] of these rice-fields having come near us, after having
asked [permission from] us work [in them], and bring and give the
paddy at our very house." He wove and told a great many [such] lies.
Having said, "It is good; I will give my Princess to thee. Come thou
into the palace to look if she is beautiful," the King went inside
the palace. At that time they also went.
When he was threatening them,--"Now then, I will give ye a good
marriage now!" becoming afraid, and having said, "There is no need
of this marriage for us," they sprang off; and having gone even to
Bakarawata City, they say to the others, "The King of that city is
an extremely wicked one (wasa napurek). He abused and disgraced us
in many ways," they said.
Thereupon, Big-Fool says, "Ye are fools! If you went to a place where
there is [good] lineage, and asked for a marriage, they will give
it. By asking for a marriage from persons without lineage, will they
give it?"
Having said this, these two called Rawana-Face and Dumb-One also went
for the purpose of finding the marriage. While they were journeying
thus, they arrived near the Sun, the Divine King. While they were
there, having seen the Sun they say thus, "O Lord, we came to ask
to take in marriage for us Your Majesty's daughter, that is, Paduma
Kumari," they said.