Bisuntha, at this time, had taken up service in the house of an oil merchant, and being a stranger, he was selected for a second time, and sent by the Rajah to accompany the merchant, at the risk of his life.
At the first sandbank, when the ship was in difficulties and could not be moved, the merchant told Bisuntha he must prepare to die; but Bisuntha said: “You desire your ship to move, whether I die or whether I do not. If I can make it move on for you, will you spare my life?”
To this the merchant agreed; and Bisuntha cut his finger, and dropped a few drops of blood into the sea. As soon as he did this the ship moved on, and so the merchant would not part with him, or kill him, but kept him during the whole voyage, and brought him back to the town.
Rupa had half forgotten his brother all this while, but one day he was stricken with remorse, and determined to find out what had happened after he had left the forest, with the intention of burning the remains of Bisuntha.
In order to get news of him, he sent out a notice that he would pay any one who would come daily and talk with him, for he hoped in the course of conversation that some one would mention the circumstance of the boy who was found dead in a tree in the forest.
At length Bisuntha himself came to hear what the Rajah his brother was doing, so he disguised himself as a girl, and went to the Palace.
When the Rajah saw him he said: “What have you to say, O my daughter?” and Bisuntha said: “Do you wish me to talk on general subjects or only of myself?”
“Of yourself,” said Rupa.
So the lad began. “There were once two brothers, whose names were Rupa and Bisuntha, and they had a stepmother.”
Rupa’s interest was now breathless, but after telling a small part of the story Bisuntha said he was tired, and would tell the rest next day.