In a spacious great city three Yakas were born. Well then, the three
Yakas spoke together: "Let us three Yakas go to the school of the
Chief of the Yaka forces (Yaksa Senadipotiya), [26] to learn letters."
After they learnt letters the three spoke together: "Let us go to
learn the sciences." The three having walked along the path came to the
travellers' shed at the place where there are again three paths. The
three spoke together. One said, "I will learn the science of killing a
man." One said, "I will learn the science of causing [re-]birth." The
other said, "I will learn to do magic." In the hand of one Yaka [was]
the sword; in the hand of one Yaka, the betel-cutter; in the hand of
one Yaka, the axe.
Those three Yakas said, "You go on that path; I will go on this
path." Then the three Yakas go on the three paths. Before they went
they said, "When any matter of sickness has happened to a person out
of us three, how shall we get to know?"
Then one said, "I will plant a lime tree"; one said, "I will plant a
flower tree"; one said, "I will make a flower pool." [27] Well then,
saying that should any accident occur to the Yakas the fruit will fall
from the lime tree, or the flowers on the flower tree will fade, or the
water of the pool will become muddy, [28] they went on the three paths.
Having gone on the three paths, when they came to three countries
the three summoned three wives, ordinary women (nikan gaenu). The
Yakas taking human appearance, putting on good clothes like men,
putting aside the teeth of Yakas (Yak-dat), taking good teeth, the
women do not know that the three are Yakas.
After a long time, a man died in the village of the Yaka who planted
the lime tree. That Yaka having taken the corpse after they buried it,
and having drawn it to the surface, ate it. [29]
An old thief saw it. Having seen it, on seeing that woman he told her,
"In this manner, the man who is in your house in this way eats human
flesh," having seen that woman, he told that. Owing to it, that woman
that day got to know that said Yaka is a Yaka. After that she prepared
to kill him.