After a long journey U Babam Doh arrived at the pool, on the shores
of which he found a large wooden chest, which he rightly guessed had
belonged to some unfortunate traveller who had fallen a victim to
the dragon. Upon opening the chest he found it full of fine clothes
and precious stones, such as are worn only by great princes; these
he took and made into a bundle to bring home.
Remembering his mother's instructions not to venture into the pool,
he did not leave the dry land, although he was hot and tired and
longed to bathe in order to refresh himself. He began to call out
with a loud voice as if hallooing to some lost companions, and this
immediately attracted to the surface U Yak Jakor, who, after waiting
a while to see if the man would not come to bathe in the pool, came
ashore, thinking to lure his prey into the water. But U Babam Doh was
on his guard, and did not stir from his place, and when the dragon
came within reach he attacked him suddenly and captured him alive. He
then bound him with rattan and confined him in the wooden chest.
Fortified by his success, and rejoicing in his victory, U Babam
Doh took the chest on his shoulders and brought the dragon home
alive. Being wishful to enhance the sensation, when the day came for
him to make his revelations public in the Durbar, he did not inform
his mother that he had U Yak Jakor confined in the wooden chest, and
when she questioned him about the contents of the chest he was silent,
promising to let her see it some day. In the meantime he forbade her
to open it, on pain of offending him, but he showed her the bundle
of silken clothes.
The news soon spread through the village that U Babam Doh had come
back, and when the people saw him walking with lifted head and
steadfast look, the rumour got abroad that he had been successful
in his quest for proofs. This rumour caused the Heir-apparent to
tremble for his own safety, and hoping to baulk U Babam Doh once more,
he persuaded the Siem to postpone the date of the Durbar time after
time. Thus U Yak Jakor remained for many days undiscovered, confined
in the chest.
Now U Babam Don's mother, being a woman, was burning with curiosity
to know the secret of that wooden chest which her son had brought
home and around which there appeared so much mystery. One day, when
her son was absent, she determined to peep into it to see what was
hidden there. U Yak Jakor had overheard all that the mother and son
had said to one another, and he knew that the woman was not aware
of his identity. As soon as he heard her approaching the chest he
quickly transformed himself into the likeness of her dead husband,
though he was powerless to break the rattan.
The woman was startled beyond speech when she saw (as she thought)
her husband alive and almost unchanged, whom she had mourned as
dead for so many long years. When she could control her joy she
requested him to come out, to partake of food and betel nut, but he
replied that although he had by the help of their son escaped from the
dragon's stronghold, he was under certain vows which would have to be
fulfilled before he could come out, for if he left the chest before the
fulfilment of his vow he would fall again into the power of the dragon.
The mother began to find fault with her son for having concealed the
fact of her husband's rescue from her, but the dragon said that if
the son had disclosed the fact to anybody before the fulfilment of
the vows it would have committed him into U Yak Jakor's hands. She
must beware of letting U Babam Doh know that she had discovered the
secret, or both her son and her husband would be lost to her for ever,
while by judicious help she might bring about his release.
Upon hearing this the woman implored him to show her in what way she
could assist, and so quicken his release. The wily dragon hoped in this
way to bring about the death of U Babam Doh, so he replied that his
vow involved drinking a seer of tigress' milk, and that he who obtained
the milk must not know for whom or for what purpose it was obtained.
This was sad news for the woman, for it seemed to her quite impossible
to procure tigress' milk on any condition. She was even less likely
to find any one willing to risk his life to get it, without knowing
for whom and for what purpose, and she wept bitterly. After a time
she called to mind the many exploits of her son as a hunter, and she
conceived a sudden plan by which she hoped to obtain tigress' milk.
By and by she heard the footsteps of her son outside, and she
hurriedly closed the lid of the chest, and lay on the ground, and
feigned sickness, writhing as if in great agony. U Babam Doh was
much concerned when he saw his mother, and bent over her with great
solicitude. He tried many remedies, but she seemed to grow worse
and worse, and he cried out in sorrow, saying, "Tell me, my mother,
what remedy will cure you, and I will get it or die."
"It is written in my nusip (book of fate) that I shall die of this
sickness, unless I drink a seer of tigress' milk," said the mother.
"I will obtain for you some tigress' milk," said the youth, "or die";
and, taking his bow and quiver and his father's lota, he went into
the forest, asking some neighbours to come and sit with his mother
during his absence.
When he had been gone some time his mother said she felt better, and
requested the neighbours to return to their homes, as she wished to
sleep; but as soon as they were out of earshot she got up and prepared
a savoury meal for him whom she thought her husband.