Concerning a Royal Princess and a Turtle

CONCERNING A ROYAL PRINCESS AND A TURTLE At a certain period, at the time when a King and a Minister are passing the time with great trust [in each other], the…

CONCERNING A ROYAL PRINCESS AND A TURTLE

At a certain period, at the time when a King and a Minister are passing the time with great trust [in each other], the King and the Minister had a talk in this manner. The talk, indeed, was thus: To the Minister the King says, "Minister, let us two at one time contract marriage; having contracted it, and your Queen (Devi) having borne a daughter, should my Queen bear a son let us accomplish the wedding festival of the two children who are born first." [This] was his speech.

Thereupon the Minister said thus, "It is good, O King; your Queen having borne a Princess, should my Queen bear a Prince, [or] my Queen having borne a Princess should your Queen bear a Prince, let us accomplish the wedding festival," he said. At that the King having been much pleased, the two persons contracted marriage and remained passing the time in friendship.

During the time when they are [thus], the royal Queen bore a Princess endowed with much beauty. On that very day the Minister's Queen also bore a Turtle. Concerning the circumstance that the Minister's Queen bore the Turtle, the King and the Minister also remained in much grief. During the time when they were thus, the royal Queen bore yet six Princesses. At the time when she had borne [the last of them] ten years were fulfilled for the Princess whom she bore first.

Thereupon this Minister asked the King thus, "O Lord, Your Majesty, for your Princess and my Turtle, for both of them, the age has now become equal. Because of it, now then, let us accomplish the wedding festival;" [thus] he spoke.

At that time, getting into his mind the notion (lit., word) that, breaking the word the King has said at first, should he subsequently say a word otherwise he will go into hostility, the King unwillingly said thus: "You go and ask my Princess about it," he said.

Thereupon the Minister having gone near the Princess asked her.

The Princess said thus, "Ane! Appa! I cannot accomplish the festival of the marriage to that Turtle," she said.

Thereupon the Minister, not even speaking anything about it, came out of the palace. Having come, while still a long time is going he remained without coming back.

Having so remained, after no long time went by they were ready to accomplish the wedding festival for the other six Princesses of the King's, also. At that time the Minister having gone still [another] time, asked the King; the King told him in the very manner he said before that. Thereupon the Minister having gone asked the Princess.

Thereupon the Princess said thus: "If I am to marry the Turtle, tell the Turtle to bring a Suriya-kanta flower; should he bring it I will marry him," she said.

The Minister having returned [home], it having come [to him] he told it to the Turtle. "Father, I can bring and give it," the Turtle said.

Then the Minister would say a word thus [doubtingly] to the Turtle, "Turtle, when would you bring it indeed?"

Thereupon the Turtle, feeling (lit., bringing) shame at it in its mind, having descended into a river, went away; and having gone to the place where the Sun [God, Suriya], having risen, his chariot comes, and presented its head to [be crushed by] the chariot wheel, remained [there].

At that time the Sun asks thus, "O Turtle, why didst thou place thy head at this chariot wheel?" he asked.

The Turtle says thus, "Ane! O Sun [God], you, Sir, must give me a fifth part from your rays (that is, one-fifth of their brilliancy). If not, unless I die here I will not go," it said.

Thereupon the Sun having given power to the Turtle for the manner of its coming out into the light from its turtle shell, told it to come outside. Then by the authority of the Sun, the Turtle, abandoning the turtle shell, came into the light. After it came out it was created a man. Thereupon he gave him a fifth part from the Sun's rays. After he gave it, "What do you want still?" he asked. He said he wanted a Suriya-kanta flower also.

Then the Sun, having shown the path to the house of the Devatawa who sleeps three months [at a time], and having said, "Thou having gone, when he arises while thou art displaying games then ask thou [regarding it]," the Sun rose on this side.

Thereupon the Prince who was fettered by the disguise of the turtle, having gone near the Devatawa who sleeps three months, when he was displaying games the Devatawa awoke, and asked, "Because of what came you here?"

The Prince said, "We came regarding the want of a Suriya-kanta flower for me."

At that time the Devatawa showed him the path [leading] near the Devatawa who sleeps two months. Having gone there also, he awoke him. Having awakened, he asked the Prince thus, "Regarding what matter did you awake me?" he asked. There, also, the Prince said he came about the want of a Suriya-kanta flower.

Thereupon the Devatawa showed him the path to the house of the Devatawa who sleeps one month. Having gone there also, when he was displaying games that Devatawa also awoke. At that time he too asked regarding what want [he had come]. Thereupon he told him in the very manner he formerly said.

After that, the Devatawa said thus, "Look there. When you have gone along that path there will be a pool in which the Virgin Women (Kanniya-Striyo ) bathe. Having gone there and been hidden, as soon as the Virgin Women have descended into the pool to bathe take even those persons' wearing apparel. There will be a dewalaya (temple) just there; having gone into the dewale shut the door yourself. Then the Virgin Women having come and told you to open the door, will make games, a disturbance, and the like. Do you, without opening the door through their saying those things, say thus: 'Except that should you bring and give me a Suri-kanta flower I will open the door and give you these ornaments, I will not otherwise give them.' Say [this]." While saying it he showed the Prince the path.

The Prince having gone in that very manner, and got hid, while he was there, in the very way the Devatawa said, the Virgin Women came and descended into the pool to bathe.

Thereupon this Prince, taking the wearing apparel of the Virgin Women, went into the dewalaya which was near there, and shut the door himself. At that time the Virgin Women having come played games [outside]. This Prince, not having looked in their direction even, in the very manner the Devatawa told him before asked for a Suriya-kanta flower.

The Virgin Women said, "We will give a Suri-kanta flower; [be pleased] to give us our clothes."

Thereupon the Prince while giving only [some] clothes for them to put on until the time when they give the Suriya-kanta flower, kept back the other wearing apparel. After that, the Virgin Women, having given oaths, begged for and got the other wearing apparel, too. [After] begging for them, they brought and gave him a Suriya-kanta flower.

After they gave it, the Prince came near the Devatawa who told him the path. As soon as he came the Devatawa asked, "What else do you want?"

"You must give me a power to beat men, even millions in number," he said.

Thereupon the Devatawa having given him a cudgel, said, "However many [there may be], even to [the extent of] an army, place this cudgel in the road, and tell it [after] beating them to come back. [After] beating however many persons [there may be] it will come."

Taking that also, the Prince went near the other Devatawa. When he went, that Devatawa also asked, "What else do you want?"

Thereupon the Prince said, "You must still give me a [magic] lute (venawa), and a power to display the hidden things thought of."

After that, having given him a bag called Kokka, he said thus, "Having placed this bag called Kokka [hanging from your shoulder], think that anything you want is to make its appearance; anything you want will appear." Having said this he gave him it. He gave him a lute: "Being at any place you like, play (lit., rub) it; any person He wants will hear and come," he said.

Taking these and having come here from there, because the Virgin Women are possessors of the power of flight through the air, in order for them to come from the sky he remembered the party, and played the lute.

Thereupon, the party came with the speed with which he played it. After they came, he gave that cudgel and the bag called Kokka, both of them, into the hand of the Virgin Women, saying, "When I want these, as soon as I play the lute you must very speedily bring and give me them;" and taking also the lute he crept into the turtle shell again, and came to his own city. What of his coming! Because he is inside the turtle shell he is still the Turtle.

Well then, having given food and drink to the Turtle, "Did you bring a Suriya-kanta flower?" his father the Minister joked.

Thereupon the Turtle said, "I have brought a Suriya-kanta flower."

After that, "If so, bring it," the Turtle's father said.

After that, having gone outside the city gate, when he was playing the lute the Virgin Women brought and gave him the Suri-kanta flower. After they gave it, having brought it he gave it into his father's hand. Having so given it, when he presented it to the Princess they accomplished the wedding festival of [the marriages of] six other Princes to the six younger Princesses who still remained to the King, and of the Turtle to the eldest Princess.

Having accomplished it, during the time when they are thus those six Princes went hunting. Because they married and gave the eldest daughter to the Turtle, having built a house outside the palace and given it to these two, they separated [them from the others].

When this party are going near that house they ask at the hand of that eldest daughter, "Where [is he], Bola? Isn't thy Turtle going hunting?"

Thereupon the Princess remains grieved at it. The Turtle, who had heard it, having called the Princess (devi), said, "Go to the royal palace, and asking for a horse and a sword for me bring them." At that speech the Princess went and asked for them at the King's hand. At that time the King having said, "For the Turtle what horses! what swords!" became angry at the Princess. The Princess having become grieved, told the Turtle that her father the King will not give them.

After that, having said, "Asking for an old mare and a short sword, come [with them]," he sent her yet [another] time. After that, he gave her an old mare and a short sword. Having given them, after she brought them to the Turtle's house, to the Princess the Turtle says, "Pull creepers, and having placed me on the back of the mare, twine them [round me and the mare]."

Thereupon the Princess having pulled creepers, wrapped [them round him on the mare]. Having wrapped them, making [the mare] bound he went somewhat far; and having come out of the turtle-shell, the Prince (as he now was), taking the lute, played the lute for the Virgin Women to come. Then the Virgin Women came.

After they came, because those Princes went in white clothes on the backs of white horses, this Prince said, "You must bring and give me very speedily an excellent horse, and a white dress, and an excellent sword." Thereupon with that speed they brought and gave them.

After they gave them, the Prince, having tied the old mare at a tree, putting on the [dress and] ornaments they brought, mounted on the back of the white horse. Having gone to a very large open place, and placed (that is, hung from his shoulder) the bag called Kokka, he thought, "A great number of all quadrupeds must assemble together in my presence." After that, all the quadrupeds that were in the midst of that forest, the whole having come, collected together.

Without those six Princes meeting with any animal whatever, they approached near the Prince who had collected these quadrupeds together. Having arrived and said, "O Lord, where is Your Majesty going in the midst of this forest?" [the Princes], having paid reverence to him, made obeisance.

Thereupon the Prince says, indeed, "I am the person who exercises sovereignty over the whole of the wild animals in the midst of this forest. Where are ye fellows going?" he asked falsely.

At that time these six Princes said thus regarding it, "O Lord, we six persons came hunting; we did not meet with any animal whatever," they said.

Thereupon this Prince says thus, "To you six persons I will give six deer should you cut off and give [me] six [pieces] of your cloths," he said.

Thereupon having cut and given six pieces from the six cloths which the six Princes had been wearing, killing six deer they came away.

Having allowed the party to come, this Prince descended from the back of the horse, and catching a rat and having killed it, brought it home; having come and having crept into the turtle-shell, he says thus [to his wife], "Give a half from this rat to your father the King, and cook the other piece for us two," he said.

At that time the Princess doing thus, went and gave a half to the King. Thereupon the King having become angry at it, put her also outside the [palace] gate. The Princess, feeling (lit., bringing) vexation at it, having come weeping and weeping, the two cooked and ate the other half.

In this way, six days they went hunting. On the whole of the six days the Turtle also having gone, gave hunting-meat to those six Princes, taking the jewelled rings from their fingers, ears, and the hairs of the head; all these when the seventh day was coming were finished.

What of this Prince's acting with so much ability! That he is a Prince even yet any person you like has no knowledge.

At the time when he is thus, having gone hunting and finished, on the seventh day making ready an eating like a very great feast they remained at the royal palace with the Kings [who had come for it]. Thereupon, on that day this Turtle was minded to bathe. Having become so minded, he told [his wife] to warm and give him water; having told her to give it, he told her to tie and give him mats also, round about [as a screen].

That day the Princess had boiled and boiled paddy at the hearth in the open space in front of the house. Having warmed water and tied the mats, she gave [it to him] to bathe. Having given it, this Princess went to light the fire [afresh] at the paddy hearth. When she was going, this Prince having gone to bathe, and having come out of the turtle-shell [within the screen], went outside from the place where the mats were tied, for the purpose of lowering water over his body.

When he was going, this Princess having seen that he was a Prince, went running, and taking the turtle shell put it on the hearth at which she boiled that paddy. Thereupon the Prince having gone crying out, got only the lute that was in the turtle shell. The turtle shell burnt away.

At that time the Prince, decorating himself, went to the royal palace. After he went he began to relate the manner in which he gave hunting-meat to the six Princes. While telling it he showed the [rings from the] fingers, ears, and hair, and the pieces of cloth of the six Princes.

After he showed them, [the King], having given the sovereignty to the Prince, made the other Princes servants of the Prince. He married those six Princesses also to that very Prince.

Finished.