At that time, the news regarding this lion having reached the teacher, he said, “In this manner, a lion which eats men is staying at this city. I have news that men went from the royal palace to kill the lion. Because of it, as soon as you go, ‘You must seize the lion,’ the King will say. Thereupon, say ‘I can,’ and asking for a piece of cord, and placing it [coiled] round your neck, go. Then the men will come [after] killing the lion. Then say, ‘There! People, the work you have done is good! (sarcastically). Asking for a cord I came from the palace [in order] to go [back after] seizing it [alive], so as to place it as a present[2] [for the King]. Concerning this, blame will fall on you from the King.’ Having said this, frighten them. Thereupon the party will say, ‘Anē! Bēri-Nādayā, don’t say that we killed it.’ Then say thou, ‘It is good. If so, let no one speak [about it]. Having placed [the deed] upon my own back, I will say it myself.’ Then the men will say, ‘It is good.’ ”
When Bēri-Nādayā was doing this, it happened in this very manner. [The King] gave Bēri-Nādayā at the rate of a thousand masuran a month. Then Bēri-Nādayā, taking the pay, as on other days continued to give little by little [only] to that teacher, so that his regard [for him] became lost, and remained so.
At that time, to seize that city seven Kings and seven armies came, and surrounded the city. On account of it, this King having said, “To this Māra[3] army what shall I do?” was in fear.
Then the King having waited until the time when Bēri-Nādayā came, says, “It is not like you killed the lion. Seven Kings and seven armies having come, are near the city gates. Go and fight.”
That Bēri-Nādayā went near that teacher, and told him this. The teacher said, “[After] asking for the King’s festival tusk elephant and sword, come thou.”
After that, Bēri-Nādayā having gone near the King, when he came [after] asking for the festival tusk elephant and the sword, both of them went for the fight. Having gone, Bēri-Nādayā, being on the tusk elephant, when he peeped and looked having seen those monarchs[4] and the multitude, fell unconscious under the tusk elephant.
Thereupon, that teacher, having dragged Bēri-Nādayā aside, and cast him away, wrote a letter and shot it [attached to an arrow] to the place where those seven Kings were. The royal party said, “What is this that is fallen from the sky?” When they looked there was written, “It is I myself whom they call Danuddara Paṇḍitayō.[5] If you can, be pleased to come to fight.” The royal party becoming afraid regarding it, all ran off to the quarters to which each one went.
The Paṇḍitayō came to the palace on the tusk elephant. After he came, the Paṇḍitayō was placed by the King in the post of Prime Minister.
North-western Province.