In a certain country a Prince was born to a King, it is said. For
the purpose of giving milk to the Prince he caused a wet-nurse
[306] to be brought. Because the nurse's milk was insufficient for
the Prince, he caused yet [another] person to be brought. That also
being insufficient he caused yet [another] person to be brought. In
that manner having caused seven wet-nurses to be brought, the whole
seven gave milk to the Prince. That milk also being insufficient,
for the day he gave him also the cooked rice from a quarter [bushel]
of rice, and a quarter of a goat, to eat. Having eaten this food,
during the time when the Prince became somewhat big [so as] to walk
here and there, he gave him the cooked rice from a half bushel of
rice and the meat of a goat, to eat. Until the time when ten years
were completed for the Prince he gave food thus.
At that time the Prince began to jump that side and this side in the
river. That circumstance was published in all cities. During the time
when it was thus published, the people of the cities were collected
together to look at this Prince. Thereupon, when the Prince was jumping
to that bank of the river, while in the midst of the great multitude
he fell into water of about two fathoms. Thereupon the Prince, having
swum with great shame and having gone to the bank, again jumped to
this bank. That time he fell into water of about three fathoms. At
that time the Prince becoming very highly ashamed, not speaking at all,
went to the royal house, and having been adorned with the five weapons,
[307] entered the midst of the forest and went away.
While going thus a little far he met with an old mother. Thereupon this
Prince speaks to the old woman, "Ane! Mother, I am very hungry. Prepare
and give me a little cooked rice to eat," he said. When he said so,
the old woman, calling the Prince and having gone to her house,
and given [him] a sort of vegetable stew to eat, says, "Ane! Son,
to cook and give boiled rice I cannot get water. The crocodile in the
river has fallen mad. I cannot go also into the midst of the forest
to get firewood, the leopard having fallen mad. Should you bring and
give firewood and water I can cook and give cooked rice," she said.
Thereupon the Prince having said, "It is good," and taken his sword,
and gone into the midst of the forest, when [he was] breaking firewood
the leopard came and sprang [at him]. After that, the Prince having
chopped with the sword and killed the leopard, cutting off his tongue
and breaking as much firewood as he can bring, brought it and threw
it down at the old woman's house.
Thereafter, having taken his sword and the water-pot, at the
time when he is going near the river the crocodile came springing
[at him]. Thereupon, having chopped it with the sword, he cut the
crocodile into four or five [pieces], cutting off its tongue also;
and having come back [after] taking also a pot of water he gave it to
the old woman; and having told her to make ready and give the food,
because of pain in the body of the Prince, as soon as he had reclined
a little he went to sleep.
While he was there for a little time, the old woman having seen that
a man is lifting up the leopard which the Prince killed, and going
away [with it], having spoken to the Prince, says, "Son, a man,
killing the leopard which had fallen mad is taking it to the royal
house. The King had appointed that to a person who, having killed,
gave the leopard and the crocodile, he will give much wealth. The
King having given much wealth to the man, at the time when you went
into the midst of the forest didn't you meet with the leopard?" Having
said it, she told him the whole of these matters.
After that, the Prince, not speaking at all, went to the royal house
behind the man who is lifting and going with the leopard. The man
having gone to the royal house, and made obeisance to the King, [and
shown him the leopard], said, "O King, in the midst of the forest I
killed the leopard that had fallen mad. Regarding it, please give me
the wealth that Your Honour has appointed."
Thereupon the King being much pleased, at the time when he is preparing
to give the wealth this Prince went near the King, [and said],
"O Great King, I killed this leopard. This man, taking the carcase
of the leopard I killed, came to obtain the wealth for himself. If
this man killed it be good enough to look where this leopard's tongue
is. I have killed not only this leopard. The crocodile, too, that had
fallen mad in the river will be [found to be] killed." Having said,
"Here, look; the two tongues of those two," he gave them to the
King. The King, too, having taken the two tongues and looked at them,
believed that he killed the leopard, and having killed the man who
told the lies gave much wealth to this Prince.
The Prince, bringing the wealth and having given it to the old
woman, and been there two or three days, the Prince went to
another district. While going thus he met with a dried areka-nut
dealer. Thereupon the two persons having become friends, while they
were going along they met with an arrow maker. The three persons
having joined together, talk together: "Friend, what can you do?"
Thereupon the dried areka-nut dealer says, "Having uttered spells
over this dried areka-nut of mine, when I have struck it having gone
everywhere it comes again into my hand. After that, I can do what I
have thought (hitu andamak)," he said.
When they asked the arrow maker, he informed them that, in the very
way which the dried areka-nut dealer said, with the arrow also he
can display power.
After that, the Prince says, "The cleverness of you two is from the
dried areka-nut and the arrow; my cleverness is from the strength of
my body. Should I think of going in the sky further than ye two, having
sprung into the sky I go," he said. Thereupon those two persons having
made obeisance to the Prince, the whole three went to one district.
In that village, at a great wealthy house, an illness due to a
demon (yaksa ledak) having been caused in a young woman, they had
been unable to cure her. These three persons at that very house got
resting-places. These three persons ascertaining this circumstance,
the Prince having performed many demon ceremonies and cured the young
woman's demon illness, married and gave the young woman to the dried
areka-nut dealer; and having planted a lime seedling in the open
ground in front of the house, he says, "Some day, should the leaves
of this lime tree wither and the fruit drop, ascertaining that an
accident has occurred to me, plucking the limes off this tree come
very speedily seeking me." Having made him stay there he went away
with the arrow maker.
When going a little far, anciently a great collection of goods having
been at yet [another] house, and it afterwards having reached a state
of poverty, the principal person of the family having died, they got
resting-places at the house, at which there are only a daughter and a
son. At the time when these two asked the two persons of the house,
"Is there nobody of your elders?" they told these two the whole of
the accidents that had happened to the people.
Thereupon the Prince, having spoken to the arrow maker and made him
halt there, just as in the former way planted a lime seedling; and
in the very manner of the dried areka-nut dealer having given him
warning, the Prince went away quite alone.
Having gone thus and arrived at a certain village, when he looked
about, except that the houses of the village were visible there
were no men to be seen. Arriving at a nobleman's house [308] in
the village, a house at which there is only one Situ daughter,
this Prince got a resting-place. Having given the resting-place,
this Situ daughter began to weep. Thereupon this Prince asked,
"Because of what circumstance art thou weeping?"
Thereupon this Situ daughter says, "My parents and relatives a certain
Yaka ate; to-day evening he will eat me too. Through the fear of that
death I weep," she said.
At that time the Prince says, "Putting (taba) [out of consideration]
one Yaka, should a hundred Yakas come I will not give them an
opportunity [309] to eat thee. Don't thou be afraid." Having satisfied
her mind he asks, "Dost thou know the time when the Yaka comes?"
Thereupon the Situ daughter said, "Yes, I know it. When coming, he
says three [times], 'Hu, Hu, Hu'; that is, when he is setting off,
one Hu, and while near the stile, one Hu, and while near the house,
one Hu; he says three Hus."