Afterwards the eldest Princess said, "Come here; having warmed yourself a little at the fire go away."

After that, the man went into the rock-house and warmed himself at the fire, and taking the elephants came to the city, and told the King, "Having seen that in this manner there are two Princesses in a rock-house I came to tell you," he said.

The King said, "Our elder brother and I and you, we three, let us go to-morrow to fetch the two Princesses." The man said "Ha."

On the following day the three persons having gone near the rock-house, that man went near that rock-house and asked for fire. At that time, when the eldest Princess is preparing to give the fire these three persons sprang in, and having drawn the two Princesses outside, when they were seizing them the two Princesses lost their senses. Afterwards restoring them to consciousness they came to the King’s city.

When the mother of these two Princesses [after] seeking food came to the rock-house, these two Princesses were not [there]. After that, when this widow woman is going weeping and weeping along a path, having seen that a great tusk elephant King is on the path this woman said, "Did you meet with my two Princesses?"

The tusk elephant King said, "Two royal thieves and a man who guards the elephants, placing the two Princesses on the back of an elephant went away."

Afterwards, when this widow woman was going to the city along the path on which they took the tusk elephant she saw that the elder Princess is near the well. This widow woman having become thirsty asked for a little water.

The Princess said, "Go away, widow woman, there is not any water to give thee."

Afterwards, when this widow woman met with the younger sister’s house, the Princess having been in the house came out, and said, "Our mother!" Quickly having bathed her with coconut milk scented with sandal wood and placed her on the bed, as she is going aside that woman said, "Daughter (pute), go for a little silver and gold for yourself. As you are going along the path on which you came there will be a tusk-elephant King. The tusk-elephant King will give it."

Afterwards, [when she had got the silver and gold] the Princess and the widow woman went away. They went away with another King.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

NO. 203

THE ELEPHANT-FOOL

There is a man’s elephant. Yet [another] man having gone [to him], said, "Friend, give (that is, lend) me your elephant; there is a work for me to do for myself," and asked for it. Then the man who owned the elephant says, "Take it and go." Afterwards the man having taken it, while it was doing his work the elephant died.

Afterwards this man having come, says, "Friend, while your elephant was with me it died. On that account am I to take an elephant and give it to you; or if not am I to give the money it is worth?" he asked.

Thereupon the man who owned the elephant says, "I don’t want another elephant; I don’t want the money, too. Give me my elephant itself," he says.

Then this man says, "I cannot give the elephant that died. Do the thing that thou canst," he said.

Thereupon the man who owned the elephant says, "I will kill thee."

One day, having seen this man who owned the elephant coming, this man’s wife says to the man, "Placing a large water-pot near the door, shut the door." This one having said, "It is good," placed a large water-pot near the door, and shut the door.

Thereupon the man who owned the elephant having come to the house, asked the woman, "Where is thy husband?" Then the woman said, "There. He is in the house."

Having said, "Open the door, courtesan’s son," when he struck his hand on the door the door opened, and the water-pot was broken.

Then this woman asks for it, saying, "After thou hast broken my water-pot, give it to me immediately."

The man said, "I will bring a water-pot and give you it."

"I don’t want another; give me my very water-pot," she says.

Thereupon, being unable to escape from this woman, having said, "For the debt of the elephant let the water-pot be substituted," the man who owned the elephant went away.