In a certain country there was a man called Matalana, it is said. This
man was the son of the concubine of the King of that country, it is
said. That Matalana from infancy was getting his living by committing
robbery.
Having been committing robbery in this manner, and having arrived at
the age of a young man, Matalana having spoken to his mother, asked,
"Mother, who is our father?"
Thereupon his mother says to him, "Son, thou art not a so-so (ese-mese)
person. The King of this country is thy father."
When his mother said thus, having said, "It is good. If so, I will do
a good work," he began to steal things belonging to the King. During
the time while he is thus committing robbery, the King in various
ways having fixed guards, endeavoured to catch the thief, but he was
unable to seize him.
Matalana getting to know that guard has been very carefully placed at
the royal house, without going for robbery to the royal house began to
steal the goods belonging to the King that are outside. Thereupon the
King, having thought that somehow or other having caught the thief he
must put him in the stocks, and having made the guards stop everywhere,
caused a carpenter to be brought and said, "Having seized the thief who
steals the things that are the King's property, to make him fast in the
stocks make a pair of stocks in a thorough manner. Regarding it, ask
for and take the whole of the requisite things from the royal house."
When the King ordered it, the carpenter, taking all the things suitable
for it and having gone, made the stocks. On the day on which they
were finished, Matalana, having arrived at the carpenter's house,
and having been talking very well [with him], asks the carpenter,
"Friend, what is this you are making?"
Thereupon the carpenter says, "Why, friend, don't you know? These
are indeed the stocks I am making for the purpose of putting in the
stocks the thief who steals the goods belonging to the King," he said.
When Matalana asked, "Ane! How do you put the thief in the stocks
in this," the carpenter having put his two legs in the two holes of
the stocks, to show him the method of putting him in the stocks at
the time while he is making them, Matalana, having [thus] put the
carpenter in the stocks, taking the key in his hand [after locking
them], struck the carpenter seven or eight blows, and said, "[After]
opening a hard trap remain sitting in it your own self, master,"
and saying a four line verse also, [279] went away.
On the following day, when the King came to look at the stocks he
saw that the carpenter has been put in the stocks. When he asked,
"What is this?" he ascertained that the thief named Matalana, who is
stealing the goods belonging to the King, had come, and having put
the carpenter in the stocks and struck him blows went away. Thereupon
the King having said, "It is good, the way the thief was put in the
stocks!" dismissed the carpenter and went away.
After that, Matalana having gone stealing the King's own clothes that
were given for washing at the washerman's house, at night descended
to the King's pool, and began to wash them very hard. The washerman,
ascertaining that circumstance, gave information to the King. Thereupon
the King, having mounted upon the back of a horse and the army also
surrounding him, went near the pool to seize Matalana.
Matalana getting to know that the King is coming, the army surrounding
him, came to the bank at one side of the pool, carrying a cooking pot
that he himself had taken, and having launched [it bottom upwards]
and sent it [into the pool], began to cry out, "Your Majesty, look
there! The thief sank under the water; [that is his head]. We will
descend into the pool from this side; Your Majesty will please look
out from that side."
While he was making the uproar, the foolish King, having unfastened
[and thrown down] his clothes, descended into the pool.
Then Matalana [quickly came round in the dark, and] putting on the
King's clothes, and having mounted upon the back of the horse, says,
"Look there, Bola, the thief! It is indeed he." When he said, "Seize
ye him," the royal soldiers having seized the King, who had unloosed
[and thrown off] his clothes, tied him even while he was saying,
"I am the King." Having tied the King to the leg of the horse on
which Matalana had mounted, and, employing the King's retinue, having
caused them to thrash him, Matalana, in the very manner in which he was
[before], having unloosed [and thrown off] the clothes [of the King],
bounded off and went away.
After that, the retinue who came with the King having gone taking the
[supposed] thief to the royal house, when they were looking perceiving
that instead of the thief they had gone tying the King, were in fear
of death. The King, not becoming angry at it, consoled his servants;
and having been exceedingly angry regarding the deed done by Matalana,
and having thought by what method he must seize Matalana, made them
send the notification tom-tom everywhere.
After that, Matalana, again arranging a stratagem to steal clothes
from the washerman, and preparing a very tasty sort of cakes, hung the
cakes on the trees in the jungle, in the district where the washerman
washes. Matalana, taking in his hand two or three cakes and having
gone eating and eating one, asked the washerman for a little water.