While he was there the Queen said, “Son, should the King see that you are [here] he will behead you. Because of it go to any place you like.”
The Prince said, “Mother, give me a thousand masuran, and a packet of cooked rice.” The Queen gave him a packet of cooked rice and a thousand masuran. Afterwards, the Prince having taken them, while he was at that travellers’ shed again a man is taking a Cat which eats by stealth, in order to put it into the river.
This Prince asked, “Will you sell that?” The man said he would sell it. The Prince asked, “For how much?” The man [said], “I will sell it for a thousand masuran.”
Afterwards the Prince gave the thousand masuran that were in his hand, and taking the Cat, and the Prince and the Cat having eaten the packet of cooked rice, the two came to the Prince’s city.
Then the Queen asked, “Son, on this journey what have you brought?”
The Prince says, “Mother, having given the thousand masuran that I took I brought a Cat.”
Then the Queen said, “Don’t thou come again. Go to any place thou wantest.”
The Prince said, “Mother, give me a thousand masuran, and a packet of cooked rice.” After that, the Queen gave him a packet of cooked rice and a thousand masuran. The Prince, taking them and taking also the Cat, came to the rock house; and the whole four having eaten the packet of cooked rice started to go away.
Having gone away, and having gone near a large Nā tree,[1] while they were there the Cobra said, “You stay[2] here until I come back [after] seeking the Nāga King.”
The Cobra having gone, and having returned near the large Nā tree [after] seeking [and bringing] the Nāga King, the Cobra said to the Nāga King, “This Prince has been of very great assistance to me. Because of it you must set me free [by giving a suitable ransom].”