The Princess said, “Having said ‘I will not,’ how will it be? Let us two go to-day.” So the Prince and Princess came. When they arrived, the King was about to die, and breathing with difficulty. The Prince came and sat near the King’s feet; the Princess sat near the King’s head. The King told the Prince to come near in order to give him an oath [to repeat], in such a manner that he would be unable to seize any article of the King’s.
Well then, as the King was coming to mention the King’s treasure houses and all other things, while he was opening his mouth to say the truth-oath to the Prince, the Princess, the King’s daughter-in-law, being aware of it, stroked the King’s neck, saying, “If so, father, for whom are they if not for us?” Then that which the King was about to say he had no opportunity of saying; while she was holding his neck he died.
After that, the Prince having obtained the sovereignty, and the treasure houses, and the other different houses that were there, the Prince and Princess stayed at that very palace.
Anun nahanḍa yanakoṭa tamumma nahinawā.
While they are going to kill others they die themselves.
[1] Sillu, “Hopscotch,” a game omitted from my account of village games in Ancient Ceylon. I have seen boys playing a form of Hopscotch which may be this one. I do not understand the reference to “dragging” the counters home after it, unless the meaning is “carrying.” The Sinhalese verb used is adinawā, which is sometimes employed with this other meaning. [↑]