The man went [to a river near] the sea, to help men to cross to the other side. [119] When he helped them to cross, the man does not take the money which the men [offer to] give.

When he was helping men to cross in that way, one day an old man came. He helped the man to cross. The man’s betel bag, and walking stick, and oil bottle were forgotten [120] on that bank. Afterwards the old man says, "Ane! My betel bag was forgotten." That Siwrala, having gone to that bank, brought and gave him the betel bag.

Then that old man said, "Ane! My walking-stick was forgotten." The Siwrala brought and gave that also. Then that old man said, "Ane! My oil bottle was forgotten." The Siwrala brought and gave that also.

Well then, that old man tried to give money to this man; the Siwrala did not take it. The old man went away.

This Siwrala came home. Having gone there, the Siwrala, having got fever, lay down. Well then, the Siwrala says, "I shall be still a little delayed."

The woman asked, "What are you saying? Am I not becoming afraid [when you talk in that way]?"

Then the man says, "Nay, I will say nothing. They are telling me to mount on that carriage, and telling me to mount on this carriage."

The woman said, "That is false you are saying."

Then the man said, "To look if it is false, string a flower garland and give me it."

Afterwards the woman having strung a flower garland, gave it. The man, taking the flower garland, threw it on the [celestial] carriage [in the air]. Then the flower garland was arranged on the carriage. Having seen it, that woman, covering her face, died.

Having died there, the woman having been [re]-born in the divine world, when she was coming again to the house the man had not yet died. On account of it the woman said, "Why have you not died yet? I, having died, and gone, and been [re]-born in the divine world,--is it not so?--came here. Come, and go with me," she said.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

The account of the dying man’s words and the flower garland which hung on the celestial carriage is borrowed from Mah. I., p. 226 (Dr. Geiger’s translation). When six gods invited the dying King Duttha-Gamani to join them on their celestial cars and proceed to their heavenly world, he motioned to them to wait while sacred verses were being chanted, and explained to the monks what his gesture signified. As it was thought that his mind was affected, he ordered flower garlands to be thrown into the air, and these arranged themselves on the cars, which were invisible to all but the King.

NO. 211

HOW THE POOR MAN BECAME WEALTHY

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. During the time while they are there, there is an infant [son] of the two persons. After the infant became big they were stricken by a very great scarcity of food.

Having given all and eaten, being without anything, at the time when, doing work at cities and having brought rice dust, they were continuing to eat, a King came, and calling that boy went away [with him].

The King having come again to this boy’s house, said at the hand of the boy’s mother and father, "How is the manner in which you get a living now?"

The two persons said, "Having worked in these cities and brought rice dust [we cook and eat it]."

The King said, "Can you go with me to my city?"

The two persons having said "Ha," the two went with the King to the King’s city. The King built and gave the two persons a house also (gekut), to be in, and the two, doing work at the city, [after] cooking continue to eat.

All the city spoke of giving a danaya (religious feast) to the Gods and the host who come with the Gods. These two also spoke, "Let us also give (demu) a danaya." Having been there without eating for two or three days, they got together the things for the dana.

When they will give the dana on the morrow, to seek a fish for the dana this man went to the sea quarter. As he is going, the sea fishermen, having drawn their nets ashore, are stringing the fishes together. Then the fishermen asked, "Where are you going?"

This man said, "I am to give a danaya to the Gods to-morrow. For it I am going to seek a fish."

The fishermen said, "We will give it. String these fishes."