At that time the Princess having said, "It is good," the two together
having bounded off, proceeded to the place where the Prince who went
there stays. During the time while these persons are staying there
obtaining a livelihood, the Prince's life is in his sword. Except
that his brothers know that his life is in this sword, no other
person knows.
The Princess one day went to the river to bathe. While bathing there,
three or four hairs of her head in the Princess's hair knot having
become loosened and having floated, went away in the river. When the
Prince of the King of that country was bathing lower down in the river,
those hairs of her head which went became entangled on the hand of the
Prince. When the Prince, having said, "What is this?" was looking,
it was a sort of long hairs of the head, hair of the head of gold
colour, and about two fathoms' length.
Having seen this hair, and known that these were the very best, like
[those of] a royal Princess, he thought, "I must seek this Princess,"
and went to the palace. Having taken the hairs of the head he showed
them to his father the King. Having shown them he told him to do
whatever [was necessary], and seek and give him the Princess to whom
this hair of the head belongs.
He published by the notification tom-tom that to a person who, having
found, gave her, he will give goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant's
load. An old woman who stayed near there said, "I can." Having told
the old woman to come, the King asked, "What do you want in order to
go to seek the Princess?"
"I don't want anything, O Lord; I only want a boat," she said. So he
gave her a boat.
Having gone to the river taking the boat, the old woman sat in the
boat, saying and saying lamentations, and having floated she went up
[234] the river. Having gone in that way, and tied the boat on that
side, the old woman went to the place where the Princess possessing
that hair, and the Prince, are staying.
When the old woman was going there the Prince was not at home. To
the Princess the old woman said, "Ane! Daughter, there is no person
to look after me. Assist me for the sake of charity," she said. The
Princess becoming grieved at it told the old woman to remain.
After a little, the Prince came home. Having come he asked, "This
mother, a person from where is she? What came she here for?"
Thereupon the Princess also [said], "She came and said, 'There is
no one to give me to eat!' Because of it, I being alone I said,
'Remain with me,'" she said.
While she was [there] in that way, at the time when the Prince was
not [there] the old woman said to the Princess, "You having eaten
and drunk, when you are lying down by way of fun ask the Prince,
'Where is your life?'"