Then he said, "I am going for the Fire Cock at the Rakshasa’s house," he said.

"Don’t you go on that journey; the people who go for that Fire Cock, except that they go, do not return."

"Don’t at any rate tell that fact to me indeed; I indeed must really go for the Fire Cock. I came here at the time when I wanted a resting-place."

"A resting-place indeed I can give. To give to eat [there is] not a thing," the widow-mother said.

"No matter for the food; should you give me a resting-place it will do," he said.

While the person of the resting-place was staying looking on, because he could not eat, from what she had cooked of rice dust she gave him a little to eat.

"Mother, being unable to cook again for you, although to-day you cooked rice dust, I will give you a power," he said. "Raw-rice, be created," [and he gave her power to do the same].

"If so, son, I will give you a power. Here (Menna). Having taken away this bamboo stick, for the Rakshasa’s stopping you on the path when you are coming away, say, 'Ci! Bamboo, be created,' and throw down the bamboo stick. Then the bamboo fence will be created. The Rakshasa having gone up it, while he is coming down [on the other side] you will be able to come a considerable distance."

When he was going away from there on the following day, while he was on the road it became night. It having become night, again he went to the house of a widow woman. Having gone there he asked for a resting-place.

"In this way when night has come, where are you going?" she asked.

Then he said, "I am going to bring the Fire Cock at the Rakshasa’s house," he said.

"Except that thousands of robbers, thousands of archers [108] go, except that the persons who went there went, they did not come back. Because it is so don’t you go."

"I indeed must really go for the Fire Cock. For me to stay here [to-night] you must give the resting-place."

Then she said, "I can indeed give it. To give you to eat [there is] not a thing to give."

"No matter for food for me; should you give me a resting-place it will do."

The widow-mother having cooked a little rice dust gave him to eat.

"Mother, I shall not again be able to cook [even] rice dust for you. I will give you a good power." He gave her a power to create raw-rice.

"Better than the power you gave me I will give you a power. Having gone to the Rakshasa’s house, when you are coming, taking the Fire Cock also, the Rakshasa will come running to eat you. When he is thus coming, here, having taken away this piece of charcoal and said, 'Ci! Fire, be created,' throw it down; the fire fence will be created. Then the Rakshasa having come will jump into the fire. Without speaking, slowly come home."

[The Prince went, stole the Fire Cock, and escaped from the pursuit of the Rakshasa by means of the three gifts. [109] The Rakshasa was burnt at the fire fence.]

[The Prince] having come there [again], and gone to the place where the turtle jacket is, putting on his body the turtle jacket [and resuming his turtle shape], came to his village. Having come there he handed over the Fire Cock to the King. When he was giving it the King said, "From to-day my country, together with the goods, is in charge for thee."

"There are goods [belonging] to me which are better than that; I don’t want it," he said.

The same King, in order to make a [religious] offering of those goods, commanded a Bana (recitation of the Buddhist scriptures).

When the Turtle’s wife and yet [other] women are going to hear the Bana, the other women who are coming to hear the Bana, say, "O Turtle’s wife, come, to go to hear the Bana." Having gone there, while they are hearing the Bana the Turtle, having taken off the turtle jacket [and become a Prince again], went to hear the Bana.

Then the Turtle’s wife thought, "It is my very husband, [110] this." Having thought it and come home, at the time when she looked she saw that the turtle jacket was there, and taking out the goods that were in it she put the same jacket on the [fire on the] hearth, and went [back] to hear the Bana.

The Turtle’s wife’s husband having come home, when he looked the turtle jacket was not [there]. Having got into the house he remained silent.