Then the Vedarāla having come back, says to the people of the party, “There is a shed indeed. Stay if you like; go on, if you want to go,” he said. So this party having come to the shed sat down.
The people of the party said to the Vedarāla, “Vedarāla, why are you staying looking about? Night is coming on. We must seek a little firewood and water,” they spoke together.
The house persons having heard these words, said, “What is this, that you are saying ‘Vedarāla’? Does he know sooth and the like?” they asked.[2]
The persons of the party said without a reason for it (nikamaṭa), “To a certain extent he can tell matters of sooth.”
“If so, don’t be delayed on account of anything you want. We will bring and give you rice, firewood, and water.” So they brought and gave them five quarts of rice, a dried fish, a head of ash-plantains.
This party, cooking amply, and having eaten, said at night to the person who owned the house, “Now then, bring a packet of betel leaves for him to tell you sooth.” So the house person having brought the betel, gave it to the Vedarāla.
Thereupon the assumed (lit. “face”) Vedarāla, having taken the betel, after having looked at it falsely becoming “possessed,” said, “It is a yoke of oxen of yours that have been lost, isn’t it?”
Then the house person said, “You have said the sooth very correctly. I asked it of the deities of many dēwālas (demon-temples), and of sooth-sayers. There wasn’t a person who told me even a sign of it.”
Thereafter the Vedarāla asked, “What will you give me for seeking and giving you the yoke of cattle?”
That person said, “Even if you can’t give the full yoke of cattle, I will give a half share of the value”; thus he promised.