“Wait a little space, sir minister; I have a word to say to you!”
And the minister stood still in great astonishment. But the child said, “Bear these words faithfully unto the King:—
“It is said that when the young of the peacock are first fledged their feathers are all of one blue colour, but afterwards, as they increase in proportions, their plumage assumes the splendid hues admired by men. Even so when a King’s son is born. For a while he remains under the tutelage of his parents; but if, when he has come to man’s estate, he would be a great king, worthy to be called king of the four parts of the universe[7], it will behove him to call together the princes of the four parts of the universe to a great assemblage and prepare for them a sacred festival[8], at which such may be their number who may come together to honour it, that fifteen thousand waggon-loads of salt may even fall short of what is required!
“So the parrots, when they first break through their egg-shell, appear very much like any other birds, but when they are full grown they learn the speech of man and grow in sagacity and wisdom[9]. Even so when a King’s son is born. For a while he remains under the tutelage of his parents; but when he comes to man’s estate, if he would be a mighty king, worthy of being called king of the four parts of the universe, it will behove him to call together all kings and devas and princes of the earth, with all the countless Bodhisattvas, and all the priests of religion, and prepare for them a great religious banquet. At such a banquet it is well if fifteen thousand waggon-loads of salt suffice for the seasoning. This for your King.”
The minister took the message of the child word for word to the Gandharva, who when he heard it clasped his hands in agony and rose up, saying,—
“What is this that I have done! Of a certainty the child was a Bodhisattva[10]. But it is the truth that what I did to him I did in ignorance. Run now swiftly and fetch me back my son.” The minister therefore set out on his way without stopping to take breath; but what haste soever he made the King’s eagerness was greater, and at the head of a great body of the people Gandharva himself took his way in all speed to the place in the thick grove where they had laid the child. And since he did not find him at the first, he broke out into loud lamentations, saying,—
“0 thou, mine own Bodhisattva! who so young yet speakest words of wisdom, even young as thou art exercise also mercy and forgiveness. O how was I mistaken in thee! Set it not down to me that I knew thee not!”
While he wandered about searching and thus lamenting, the cry of a child made itself heard from the depths of a grotto there was in the grove, which when the King had entered he found eight princes of the serpent-gods[11] busy tending the child. Some had woven for him a covering of lotus-blossoms; others were dropping honey into his mouth; others were on their knees, bowing their foreheads to the ground before him. Thus he saw them engaged, only when he entered the cave they all at once disappeared without leaving a trace behind[12].
Then the King laid the child on a litter borne by eight principal men, and amid continual lamenting of his fault, saying, “O my son, Bodhisattva, be merciful; I indeed am thy father,” he brought him to his dwelling, where he proclaimed him before all the people the most high and mighty Prince Vikramâditja.