The wedding over Lelha was conducted to the bath, and afterwards invited to a banquet; but he declined saying, “So long as you detain my brothers in confinement, I cannot partake of your hospitality.” So they were brought to the palace, and their feet bathed, and then ushered into the banqueting room. After they were seated they began to whisper to each other, “What caste do these people belong to, with whom he expects us to eat? Does he intend to make us break our caste?” Lelha hearing them, said, “Not so, my brothers. This is my father-in-law’s house.” Thus were their doubts removed, and they ate and drank with much pleasure.
VIII.
The journey homewards was resumed in the morning, the boats in the same order as previously.
Lelha’s four brothers were envious of his good fortune, and on the way they talked about him, and decided that he must be put to death. They said, “How can we put him out of the way? If we do not make away with him, on our return home, he will be sure to secure the succession to our father’s kingdom.” Having come to this conclusion the next thing was, how could it be accomplished, for Lelha was far more powerful than they were. It was only by stratagem that they could hope to accomplish their purpose, so they said, “We will invite him to a feast and when he stands with a foot on either boat, before stepping into ours, we will push the boats apart and he will fall into the river and be drowned. We must get his wives to join in the plot, for without their aid we cannot carry it into execution.” During the day they found means to communicate with Lelha’s wives. They said to them, “We will make a feast on our boat. Make him come on board first, and when he has a foot on each boat you push yours back, and we will do the same to ours, and he will fall into the water, and be drowned. We are the sons of a raja, and our country is very large. We will take you with us and make you ranis.” Lelha’s wives pretended to agree to their proposal; but they afterwards told him all. They said, “Do as they wish, but you will not be drowned. We will remain faithful to you, and you will reach home before us.”
So the four brothers prepared a sumptuous feast, and the boats were brought close to each other to enable Lelha and his wives to go on board. One of Lelha’s wives tied a knot on his waist cloth, as a token that they would remain true to him. He then preceded them in going into the other boat, and just as he had a foot on each gunwale, the boats were pushed asunder, and Lelha fell into the water. Having thus got rid, as they thought, of Lelha, the brothers made all possible speed homewards.
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.