"Even a white serpent was my son."
"If that is so," answered the tamer, thy son is with me. Even now a
mighty Garuda-bird had him in his beak and prepared to devour him. But
I, who am a tamer of all living creatures, knew how to entreat him
so that he should give the white serpent up to me."
Then he lifted his cap from off the grass and delivered the White
Serpent-prince unto the Serpent-king, his father.
The Serpent-king was full of delight at getting back his son, and
called a great feast of all his friends and acquaintance among the
serpent-princes to celebrate his joy. And the tamer he took into his
palace, and he dwelt with him.
After a time, however, the man desired to return to his own country,
and spoke to the Serpent-king to let him go. Then said the White
Serpent-king, who reigned over the white mother-o'-pearl shells--
"Behold, as thou hast dealt well with me, I will not let thee go
without bestowing somewhat on thee, and telling thee what good fortune
shall befall thee. Behold these two times hast thou served me well;
and long time have I sought thee to reward thee, for first thou
didst release my daughter, the Princess Goldfrog, from servitude,
putting her out of the window of the palace, and now thou hast
restored my son, even mine only son, to me. Know, therefore, that of
thee shall be born four sons, every one of whom shall be a king in
Gambudvîpa. Nevertheless, seeing it will befall that, ere that time
come, thou shalt pass through a season of trial, and be in need,
I give unto thee this Mirjalaktschi (5) and this wand. Whensoever
thou wantest for food, touch but this Mirjalaktschi with the wand,
and immediately every kind of viand shall be spread out before thee."
Then he brought him up to the edge of the water to let him depart,
giving him a brightly painted Mirjalaktschi and a mother-o'-pearl wand;
moreover, he gave him a red-coloured dog also.
Then the White Serpent-king went his way down under the water again
to his palace, and the tamer turned him towards his own country,
the red-coloured dog following behind him.
"Thus was the promise of Princess Goldfrog fulfilled," exclaimed
the Khan.
And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhî-kür replied,
"Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walking Khan hath opened
his lips." And with the cry, "To escape out of this world is good!" he
sped him through the air, swift out of sight.