In a certain country a King had two Princes. After the two Princes
became big, calling them near the King the King asked both, "Is
Destiny the greatest thing or not?" [321]
At that time the big Prince said, "Destiny is the greatest (widi
lokuyi)"; the young Prince said, "It is insufficiently great (madi
lokuyi)." Because the big Prince said, "Destiny is the greatest,"
the King commanded that they should behead and kill him. Thereupon
the Prince's mother, having given him a little money, and said,
"Son, go thou to a country thou likest," sent him away. Then the
Prince having looked for a country to proceed to, went away.
When he is going on the path, the men whom he meets ask, "Where
are you going?" Thereupon the Prince, not saying another speech,
gives answer to the talk, saying, "Destiny." However much they speak,
this Prince, except that he says, "Destiny," does not give a different
reply. While giving replies in this manner, this Prince walks through
various countries.
In yet [another] city, a daughter of the King, and a daughter of the
Minister, and a daughter of a rich Hettiya called the Money Hettiya,
these three having been born on one and the same day and the three
having gone to one school learning letters, after they became big
gave presents to the teacher.
What of their giving presents to the teacher! Regarding the teacher's
instructing these three children, it was in name only. There was a
chief scholar; it was the scholar indeed who taught the letters to
all these three children. Notwithstanding that it was so, they did
not give him presents or anything.
Because of it he being grieved at it, and thinking that if there should
be a word which the King's daughter says, the Minister's Princess
and the Money Hettiya's daughter hearken to it, he sent a letter in
this manner to the royal Princess: "O Royal Princess, except that I
taught you three persons the sciences [for him], our teacher did not
teach them. Having tried so much and taught you three, at your not
thinking of me I am much grieved." He wrote [thus] and sent it.
The royal Princess had ordered the Minister's daughter and the Money
Hettiya's daughter every day in the morning to come to the royal
palace. Therefore the two persons, having stayed at home only at night,
in the morning arrive at the royal palace.
One day, while these very three are stopping and playing at the royal
palace, a man brought a letter and gave it into the royal Princess's
hand. Thereupon the royal Princess having broken open the letter,
when she looked [in it] the party's second teacher [had written]
that he was displeased.
Then the Princess said thus to the Minister's daughter and the Money
Hettiya's daughter: "Look. Omitting to give our presents or anything
to our second teacher who took much trouble and taught us, and having
given presents to our big teacher, when coming away we did not even
speak, he has written. It is indeed foolishness at our hand. Because
of it, let us write anything we want to send, and send a letter [to
him]. Having sent it let us give anything he asks for," she spoke
[to them]. [Thus] speaking, she wrote and sent: "Anything you ask we
will give. Please write what thing you want."
Thereupon, the letter having gone the party's second teacher received
it. Having received it, owing to the form of the letter that person
writes, "I want nothing. Because you three said you will give anything
I want, I am coming to marry you three persons. What do you say about
it?" He wrote and sent [this].
The letter having gone, the royal Princess, together with the other
persons also, received it. When they looked at the letter, the party
perceived that the letter they wrote was wrong. Perceiving it, the
royal Princess said, "Comrades, [322] the word that we wrote and sent
was wrong. The second teacher has sent letters [asking] how he is to
come to marry us three. Because we made a mistake, and as we cannot
tell lies, let us appoint a day and send [word]." Thereupon the two
persons gave permission for such a word [to be sent].
She wrote and sent the letter: "To-morrow night, at twelve, you must
come to the palace; at one you must come to the Minister's house;
at three, you must come to the Money Hettiya's house." Having written
it, [after] sending it in this manner the three persons making ready
distilled Attar water [323] and several sweet drugs to put on his
body when he comes, and priceless food, waited for him.
That day, that royal Prince who is walking along saying "Destiny,"
coming to the city at night time and having become hungry, remained
sleeping near the gate [324] of that palace. The second teacher
loitered a little in coming. After the royal Prince had gone to sleep
during the whole night [up to midnight], placing food and fragrant
sorts on a tray in her own hands, and having come near the gate of the
palace and felt about, when [the Princess] looked the Prince who says
"Destiny" was there.
At that time the royal Princess, thinking he was the second teacher,
said, "What are you sleeping for? Get up."
That Prince, saying, "Destiny," being unable to arise [through
sleepiness,] remained lying down. Thereupon the royal Princess,
touching his body with her hand, made him arise; and having given him
this food to eat, and having sprinkled distilled Attar water on his
body, and having complied with immoral practice, [325] the Princess
went to the palace. Then the Prince who says "Destiny" was sleeping
[again] near the gate of the palace.
At that time the second teacher came. Having come there, he asked that
Prince who says "Destiny," "Who are you, Ada?" Then that Prince said,
"Destiny." "What is, Ada, Destiny?" he asked. Then again he gave
answer, "Destiny." At this next occasion, having said, "What Destiny,
Ada!" he pushed him away.
Thereupon the Destiny Prince [having gone] near the gate of the
Minister's house, was sleeping [there]. Then the Minister's daughter
having come, asked, "Who are you?" The Prince said, "Destiny."
Then the Minister's daughter said, "What is it you call Destiny? On
account of the letter you sent, the royal Princess and we two also,
having spoken have made ready. Eat these things quickly; I must go."
Thereupon the Prince said, "Destiny." Then the Minister's daughter
having touched him on the body and caused him to arise, gave him
the food to eat, and having put distilled Attar water and several
sweet drugs on the Prince's body, and complied with immoral practice,
went away. The Destiny Prince went to sleep there.
At that time the second teacher, having stayed looking about near the
palace and the Princess not being [there], thinking he must go even to
the Minister's house, came to the Minister's house. At that time the
Destiny Prince was there. The second teacher having gone, asked this
one, "Who are you, Ada?" He said, "Destiny." Thereupon having said,
"What Destiny! Be off!" and having beaten him he drove him away. Having
driven him away the second teacher stayed there looking about.
The Destiny Prince having gone to the house of the Money Hettiya,
there also stayed sleeping near the gate. Then the Hettiya's daughter
having come with sandal-wood scent and distilled Attar water, asked,
"Who are you?" At that time the Prince said, "Destiny."
The Hettiya's daughter having said, "What Destiny! Get up," touched his
body, causing him to arise; and having given him food also, putting
distilled Attar water on his body, complied with immoral practice,
and went into the house. The Destiny Prince went to sleep there.
That second teacher having stayed looking about at the Minister's
house, and having said [to himself] that because the Minister's
daughter did not come he must go even to the Money Hettiya's house,
came there. At that time, the Destiny Prince was sleeping there also.
Then the second teacher asked, "Who are you, Ada?" Thereupon the Prince
said, "Destiny." Saying, "What Destiny, Ada!" and having struck him a
blow, he pushed him away. Thereupon the Destiny Prince having gone,
remained sleeping in a grass field more than four miles away. That
second teacher having stayed there watching until it was becoming
light, went to his city.
On the following day morning this fragrance [from the scents sprinkled
on the Prince] having gone through the whole city, when the King was
making inquiry [he learnt] that this Princess, too, had put on this
scent. Thereupon the King thought, "Besides the Minister no other
person comes to my palace. It is a work of his, this," he got into
his mind.
The Minister thinking, "Besides the King no other person comes to
my house; this is a disgraceful step (kulappadiyak) of the King's,"
got angry.
The Money Hettiya, thinking, "Except that the King comes, no one else
comes to my house; because of that, this is indeed a disgraceful step
of the King's," got angry.
After that, the whole three having met at one place, speaking about
this, when they were making inquiry the fragrance of the distilled
Attar water on the body of the Destiny Prince came [to them]. Then
seizing him and having come back, for the fault that he committed
they appointed to kill him.
At that time the royal Princess and the other two persons having
come before them, said, "It is not an offence [of his]. After you
kill that man please kill us three"; [and they gave a full account
of the matter]. Before they said this word the Destiny Prince said
even more words than anyone was saying and saying.
After that, the King also having freed him from death, asked the
Destiny Prince, "Of which village are you; of which country?"
Then the Destiny Prince said, "I am of such and such a city, the son of
the King. One day our father the King asked me and my younger brother,
'Is Destiny the greatest thing or not?' Thereupon I said, 'Destiny is
the greatest'; younger brother said, 'It is not the greatest.' Because
I said, 'Destiny is the greatest,' he appointed me for death. I
having run away from there, I dwelt in this manner, walking through
a multitude of cities. When they were speaking, I replied, 'Destiny.'"
At that time the King and Minister, including also the Hettiya,
speaking together, said, "This will be done to this one by the
Gods. Therefore let us marry these three to this one; we did not
marry and give the three to him."
They married them accordingly, [and] the King handed over charge of
the King's kingdom [to him]. After that, he remained exercising the
kingship in a good manner, with justice.
Another King having gone to the city in which the King the Prince's
father stayed, [after] fighting him and taking the city, banished the
King and his Queen and Prince. After that, the three persons having
come away arrived at the city where the Destiny Prince was ruling, and
stayed there, obtaining a living by breaking firewood and selling it.
The Destiny Prince one day walking in the city, when returning saw
that this King his father, and younger brother, and mother are selling
firewood. Having seen them, and having come to the palace without
speaking, he sent a messenger to tell the three firewood traders to
come. The messenger having gone told the three firewood traders that
the King says they are to come. Thereupon the three persons becoming
afraid, and thinking, "Is selling firewood of the jungle of the Gods
and getting a living by it, wrong?" in fear went to the royal palace.