The King having come, when he looked the lion was not [there]. “Where is the lion?” the King asked the party of Ministers. The party of Ministers said, “By the Prince the lion [was] sent away.”
Then the King having said, “Should the disobedient Prince remain at this palace I will kill him,” sorrow seized the Queen regarding it, and having given the Prince expenses, and given him also a horse, and said, “Having gone to any country you like, get a living,” sent him off.
The Prince having mounted on the horse, when he was going the Minister-Prince (son of the Minister), the friend of the Prince, asked, “Where are you going?”
Then the Prince says, “Having been guilty of sending away the lion, it has occurred that I am to go away, not staying in this country.”
Thereupon, the Minister-Prince, having said, “If my friend the Prince be not here my remaining is not proper,” set off to go with the Prince.
Having set out, when the two had gone a little far together, [they saw that] a letter had been written, and fixed on a tree. Having taken the letter, when they looked in it there was said that should one go to the right district good will happen, should one go to the left district evil will happen. Thereupon, having looked at the letter the Minister-Prince went to the right district, the royal Prince went to the left district.
While the royal Prince was going he met with a gambling place. He, also, having gone there gambled. Having gambled he lost all the money he took. After that, being without money, while he was staying looking on, owing to a rich Heṭṭiyā’s being there he sold him the horse, and taking the money played [again]. That also he lost.
After that, having written himself as the slave of the Heṭṭiyā, and having said, “Should I be unable to bring back the money I will do slave work,” taking the money he gambled [again]. That also he lost.
At that time, the Heṭṭiyā, having mounted upon the horse, calling the Prince for the horsekeepership went away. The Heṭṭiyā having gone home established the name “Sokkā”[2] for the Prince.
That Sokkā he told to look after the horse, having well attended to it and bathed it. That Sokkā not giving food and water to the horse, the horse went decrepit. Owing to it, the Heṭṭirāla having become angry, said, “Sokkā, you cannot look after the horse. Because of it, work you in the flower garden.”