King Ardschi-Bordschi's minister had one only son. This son went out
to the wars, and returned home again after two years' absence. Just
while the minister was engaged with preparations for a festival of
joy to celebrate the return of his son, there appeared before him
suddenly another son in all respects exactly like his own. In form,
colour, and gait there was no sort of difference to be discerned
between them. Moreover, the horses they rode, their clothing, their
quivers, their mode of speech, were so perfectly similar that none
of the minister's friends, nor the very mother of the young man,
nor yet his wife herself, could take upon them to decide which of
the two was his very son.
It was not very long before there was open feud in the house between
the two; both youths declaring with equal energy and determination,
"These are my parents, my wife, my children...." Finding the case
quite beyond his own capacity to decide the minister brought the whole
before the King. As the King found himself similarly embarrassed
he sent and called all the relations; and to the mother he said,
"Which of these two is your son?" and to the wife, "Which of these
two is your husband?" and to the children, "Which of these two is
your father?" But they all answered with one consent, "We are not in
a condition to decide, for no man can tell which is which."
Then King Ardschi-Bordschi thought within himself, "How shall I
do to bring this matter to an end? It is clear not even the man's
nearest relations can tell which of these two is the right man;
how then can I, who never saw either of them before? Yet if I let
them go without deciding the matter, the Boy-king will send and tell
me I am not gifted to discern the true from the false, and counsel
me before all the people to lay aside my kingly dignity. Now then,
therefore, let us prove the matter even as the Boy-king would have
it proved. We will call the men hither before us, and will examine
them concerning their family and ancestors; he that is really the
man's son will know the names of his generations, but he that merely
pretendeth, shall he not be a stranger to these things?" So he sent
and called the men before him again separately and inquired of them,
saying, "Tell me now the names of thy father, and grandfather, and
great-grandfather up to the earliest times, so shall I distinguish
which of you is really this man's son." But the one of them who had
come the last from the wars, was no man but a Schimnu (1), who had
taken the son's form to deceive his parents, he by his demoniacal
knowledge could answer all these things so that the very father was
astonished to hear him, while the real son could go no farther back
than to give the name of his grandfather.
When Ardschi-Bordschi therefore found how much the Schimnu exceeded
the real son in knowledge of his family, he pronounced that he was
the rightful son, and the wife and parents and friends and all the
people praised the sagacity of the king in settling the matter.
Thus the Schimnu was taken home with joy in the midst of the gathering
of the family, and the real son not knowing whither to betake himself,
followed afar off, mourning as he went.
It so happened that their homeward way lay past the mound, where the
Boy-king sat enthroned, who, hearing the feet of many people, and the
voice of the minister's son wailing behind, called them all unto him,
nor could they fail of compliance with the word of the Boy-king in
his majesty.
When they had paid him their obeisance, bowing themselves many times
before him, the Boy-king, rising in his majesty, thus spoke:--
"The decision of your King is hasty, and can never stand. I will
judge your cause. Do you promise to abide by my decision?"
Then they could not choose but accept; and he made them state their
whole case before him, and explain how Ardschi-Bordschi had decided,
which when he had heard, he said,--
"I will set you the proof of whether of you two is the rightful son;
let there be brought me hither a water-jug." And one of the boys who
stood in waiting that day upon the Boy-king's throne, ran and fetched
a water-jug, holding in measure about a pint.
When he had brought it, the Boy-king ordered him to place it before
the throne; then said he, "Let me see now whether of you two can enter
into this water-jug; then shall we know which is the rightful son."
Then the rightful son turned away sorrowful and mourned more than
before, "For," said he, "how should I ever find place for so much as
my foot in this water-jug?"
But the Schimnu, by his demoniacal power easily transformed himself,
and entered the jug.
The Boy-king, therefore, no sooner saw him enclosed in the water-jug,
than he bound him fast within it by sealing the mouth with the
diamond-seal, which he might not pass (2), undismayed by the appalling
howling with which the Schimnu rent the air, at finding himself thus
taken captive.
Thus bound he sent him back to Ardschi-Bordschi, together with all
the family concerned in the case, and with them this declaration
written in due form of law:--
"According to the principles of earthly might, and the sacred maxims
of religion hast thou not decided, O Ardschi-Bordschi! Thus should
not an upright and noble ruler deal. The wife and children of thine
own subject hast thou given over to the power of a wicked Schimnu;
and sent the rightful and innocent away lamenting. Unless it is given
thee to discern good from evil, truth from falsehood, it were better
thou shouldst lay aside thy kingly dignity. But if thou desirest to
remain king, then judge nothing without duly investigating the matter
even as I."
With such a letter the Boy-king sent the men back to Ardschi-Bordschi.
When the King read the letter, he exclaimed, "What manner of boy is
this, who writes thus to the King? He must be a being highly endowed
with wisdom. If it was the same boy who appeared every day so gifted,
I should hold him to be a Bodhisattva or indeed a very Buddha; but
as on different days different boys attain to the same sagacity, the
source must remain one and the same for all. Shall it not be that
on the foundations of this hill or mound is a stupa, where Buddhas
or Bodhisattvas have propounded sacred teaching to men. Or shall it
be that there lies hidden therein some treasure gifted to impart
wisdom to mortals? In some way of a certainty the spot is endowed
with singular gifts."
Thus he spoke; and concluded the affair of the two sons in accordance
with the Boy-king's judgment, giving over the rightful one to his
family, and delivering the Schimnu to be burned.