No. 214
The Horikaḍayā Story
In a certain country there are seven Queens, it is said. For the whole seven Queens there are no children.
In the King’s garden one Jak fruit grew[1]; after the Jak fruit ripened he cut it; in it there was one section containing a seed (madula). Afterwards the King said, “Can a Queen eat this Jak section and bear a child?” Six Queens said they cannot; one Queen ate it.
She having eaten it, ten months were fulfilled (lit., filled) for bearing a child. Then the King happened to go for a war. Afterwards pains seized that Queen; she bore a Chank shell. Then when the six Queens made an Asura figure,[2] having taken that Chank shell they buried it in the dunghill. Well then, having waited until the time when the King came, the six persons showed him the Asura figure. Afterwards the King having struck blows at the Queen who was confined, drove her away.
A bull having come to the place where that Chank shell was buried, and dug it with its horns, saw the Chank shell and swallowed it. The bull having gone to the sea evacuated the Chank shell; there also the shark having seen it swallowed it. From there, having killed the shark, fishermen (kewulō) took it to the city; when taking it along the street to sell, the Queen who bore that Chank shell met with them. Having seen the shark the Queen asked, “For how much are you selling this shark?”
The fishermen said, “We are selling it for four tuṭṭu (three half-pence).”
Afterwards the Queen having given four tuṭṭu, took the shark. Having brought it to her lodgings and cut it, when she looked there was a Chank shell in its stomach. Having put the Chank shell away, [after] cooking the shark meat she ate.
When she was [there after] putting away the Chank shell, one day she looked at it. Then having seen that inside the Chank shell a Prince is drinking milk that is in his hand,[3] she took the Prince out. At that time (ē pāra) the Queen got to know that it was the Chank shell that she bore. She gave the Prince a jacket. At the time when she put it on[4] there was a cutaneous eruption (hori) on his body. Afterwards the Queen said he was Horikaḍayā (the one with the bit of hori).