In a certain country there was a most skilful teacher. One day when
this teacher went to walk in the village, having seen that there were
two sons of a widow woman at one house, asking for these two children
from the woman for the purpose of teaching them the sciences he went
away [with them].
The teacher began to teach these two the sciences. But perceiving
that the elder one could not learn the sciences he taught him the
method of cooking, and the younger one the sciences. After he had
taught these two the sciences it was [agreed] that the mother should
select the person [of them] whom she liked.
When their learning was near being finished, the younger one having
gone home said, "You ask for me; elder brother knows how to cook,
only."
The mother having said, "It is good," after their learning was finished
the teacher told the mother to take the person she liked. That day
she brought away the younger one. The teacher, perceiving the trick
that the younger one had done for him, was displeased.
The widow woman was very poor. One day the boy said, "Mother, let us
sell cattle"; and taking a [charmed] cord and having given it to his
mother, he said, "Having fixed this cord to my neck, at that time I
shall become a bull. At the time when you sell the bull do not give
the cord to anyone."
When the woman put the cord on her son's neck he became a most handsome
bull. Having taken the bull to the city and sold it, she brought the
cord home. At the time when the merchant [who had bought the bull]
looked in the evening, the bull had broken loose and gone away.
After having done thus many a time, the merchant related the
circumstance to the teacher of that district. The teacher, knowing
the matter, said, "Having brought the bull together with the cord,
place it and tie it at the side of a jungle."
That woman on the following day having taken the bull [for sale],
he gave about double the price he was paying for the bull, and having
brought the cord also, tied it at the side of a jungle, [and informed
the teacher].
While it was [there], in the evening the teacher having approached
it in a leopard-disguise killed the bull.
Uva Province.