IX.
At the bottom of the river a bell sprang into existence, and Lelha was found lying asleep in it. Then he awoke and sat up, and loosening the knot which his wife had tied on his waist cloth, said, “Oh! Indarpuri Kuri, give me at once food and drink, tobacco and fire,” and on the instant his wants were supplied. So he ate and drank, and was refreshed. Then he prepared his pipe, and when he had lit it he said, “Oh! Indarpuri Kuri, give me a fully equipped horse that will carry me home before the tobacco in this pipe is consumed.” The last word had scarcely escaped his lips when a horse stood beside him. It was a fierce animal, of a blue colour, and no fly could alight on its skin. It was fully equipped, and impatient to start. Lelha, still smoking his pipe, mounted, and his steed at one bound cleared the river, although it was seven or eight kos broad, and flying like the wind, landed him at home before the tobacco in his pipe was consumed.
The hiras and manis were in the possession of Lelha’s wives. His brothers wheedled them into giving them up, saying they will be safer with us.
Lelha went to his mother’s house and said to her, “Tell no one of my being here.” He had alighted from his horse on the outskirts of the city, and returned it to the Indarpuri Kuri.
A period of ten days elapsed before Lelha’s brothers and his wives arrived. The latter declined to accompany the former at once to the raja’s palace. They said, “Let your mothers come, and conduct us, as is usual when a bride enters her husband’s house.” The two elder ranis then came, and the four sons went to the raja’s flower garden and hung the hiras and manis on the branches of the trees, and the whole countryside was instantly lighted up by the sheen of the precious stones. The saying of the Koema Jugi was fulfilled to the letter.
Lelha also sent his mother to welcome his wives, but when the elder ranis saw her coming, they reviled her and drove her away. They would not permit her to come near. She returned home weeping. “You told me,” she said, “to go and welcome your wives, and I have been abused. When will you learn wisdom?” Lelha ran into the house, and brought a ring, and giving it to his mother, said, “Take this ring, and place it in the lap of one of them.” She took the ring, and gave it to one of Lelha’s wives, and immediately they all rose, and followed her laughing, to their new home.
The elder ranis went and informed their sons of what had happened, but they said, “They are Lelha’s wives. What can we do?”