In this manner they talked until the time for eating rice in the day time. To all he said, “Eheyi.”
Then the King said to the Treasurer, “Treasurer, now the time for eating rice has come, hasn’t it?” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.”
Thereupon the King said, “Treasurer, let us go to bathe.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.”
The King said, “Ask for the copper water-pot.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.” Having said it and gone, he returned [after] asking for [and getting] it.
Then the King said, “Get in front.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord”; having said it the Treasurer got in front. Having gone to the river, the King took off his clothes, and putting on the bathing cloth, [entered the water, and] asked the Treasurer, “Treasurer, won’t you bathe?” The Treasurer, having said, “Eheyi, Lord,” remained on the rock.
While the King was talking and going backwards and backwards, he was caught by an eddy in the water, and went to the bottom. Having sunk, when he was rising to the surface he said, “Treasurer, I shall die; draw me out quickly.” Thereupon the Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord,” [but did not move]. When he was going to the bottom the next time the King died.
Then the Treasurer, taking the few royal ornaments, came home. Having come, he said at the hand of the Treasurer’s wife, “The King died,” [and he gave an account of his death].
Thereupon the woman said, “O fool! I said that indeed. Putting on those royal ornaments, go to the royal palace and say, ‘It is I who am King; also I killed the King. If ye do not hearken to the things I say I will kill you also.’ ”
The Treasurer did in that very way. The whole of the men of the city were afraid. Well then, the Treasurer exercising the sovereignty over the city, the Treasurer’s wife became the Queen.
Western Province.