For some variants, see the notes at the end of the story numbered 48.
In Indian Nights’ Entertainment, Panjāb (Swynnerton), p. 355, a Princess in man’s disguise, acting as the King’s guard, found a ghūl in the form of a woman howling under a corpse that was hanging from a gallows. She stated that it was her son whom she could not reach, and she asked to be lifted up. When raised up to it by the Princess she began to suck the blood, on seeing which the Princess made a cut at her, but only severed a piece of her clothing, which proved to be of so rich a quality that the King ordered her to procure more for his wife.
In the Jātaka story No. 96 (vol. i, p. 235) an Ogress in the disguise of a woman followed a man into Takkasilā, intending to devour him. The King saw her, was struck by her beauty, and married her. When he had given her authority over those who dwelt in the palace, she brought other Ogres at night, and ate the King and every one in the place.
No. 25
The Wicked King
In a certain country there are a King and a Queen, it is said. The Queen has no children. During the time while she was rearing another (adopted) Prince, a child was born to the Queen.
After it was born, the King and Queen having spoken together, “Let us kill the Prince whom we have brought up,” said to the King’s Minister, “Take this Prince and put him down in a clump of bamboos.” The Minister having taken the Prince, and put him down in a clump of bamboos, returned. The Prince was seven years old.
After that, a man having gone to the bamboo clump to cut bamboos, and having seen, when he looked, that this Prince was there, without stopping to cut bamboos took away this Prince.