[4] In the text it is termed yantraya, a machine, implement, contrivance; but maturāpu yantraya is a talisman, a charmed implement. In the story given in the Arabian Nights it is termed a talisman, and it was on the Princess’s neck. [↑]
[5] In the Arabian Nights it was placed at the bottom of a jar of olives. [↑]
No. 104
Concerning the Prince and the Princess who was Sold
In a certain country there was the son of a King. He gave charge of him to a teacher, and told him to teach the son. On the day on which he was handed over he was not there. On the following day, only, having gone to the school, after that having said he was going to school he went to the high road, and during the whole day-time[1] having been eating and eating kaju [nuts] in the evening he comes home and says that he went to school. A single person does not know of this deceit.
In this manner, while two or three years are going he did thus. The teacher also did not give information to the King about this matter.
He not giving it, one day the King to look into this Prince’s learning wrote a letter and placed it on the table. After that lying Prince came, having said that he went to school, [the King], with the view that “If he was learning it is good for me to ascertain easily by [means of] letters,” said, “Son, on that table there is a letter. I omitted (baeri-wunā) to look at it. Break it [open] and look what the letter is.”
Thereupon the Prince, having broken [open] the letter and looked at it, said, “Anē! Father, except that in this there are a sort of strokes and strokes, and a sort of drops, I indeed cannot perceive anything.”
Then the King having become angry at the teacher sent him a letter. The teacher having looked at the King’s letter, sent a letter thus: “Anē! O King, except that you, Sir, handed over your son, I have not even yet seen the Prince after that.”