Thereupon the King says, “Widow-Mahagē, wilt thou tell the Prince to come to my palace?” he said. The Mahagē having come, told him.
At the time when she is telling him, the Princesses say, “Should he tell you any work, don’t say, ‘Hā’ (yes), and don’t say, ‘I cannot,’[5] and don’t say, ‘I can.’ Having said, ‘After having considered I will tell you,’ come back,” the Princesses say.
To the Mī-flower Princess the chariot of the Gods is visible beyond a kalpa; to the Nā-flower Princess the chariot of the Gods is visible beyond two kalpas.
[When he went to the palace], “Prince,” the King says to the Prince, “in the morning and in the evening I want seven handkerchiefs of Blue-lotus flowers.”
He did not say “Hā”; he did not say “I cannot.” After having said, “I will consider and tell you,” he came back to the place where he is living at the widow’s house.
This Prince having come, says to the two Princesses, “The King says to me, ‘In the morning and in the evening I want seven and seven handkerchiefs of [Blue-lotus] flowers. Can you [bring them]?’ Thereupon I said, ‘After having considered I will tell you.’ ”
The Princesses say, “Prince, when you have gone to pluck the flowers you would die while in the pool, [but we will save you]. In the pool there is a great Crocodile. Because the King is not clever [enough] to kill you and write (that is, contract) a marriage to us two, it is good to do thus,” they said.
Thereupon, the Prince having gone the second time near the King, this Prince says, “I can.”
After he came home taking seven handkerchiefs, both the Princesses, having called the Prince and having combed and tied up his hair (lit., head), uttered spells on his right over a handful of sand, and after giving it, say, “Having gone near the pool, throw down the handful of sand on the right. At that time the human-flesh-eating Crocodile having come will go ashore.” Having given [the spells over] a handful on the left also, they said, “Plucking seven handkerchiefs of flowers, come out, and quickly on the left throw down this handful of sand, [or] the Crocodile will come.” [He acted accordingly.]
At the time when he was coming [after] plucking the flowers, a large Blue-lotus flower having been there he plucked that flower, and having come back, gave it [to the Princesses] at the house. Then having gone to the royal palace, taking also the seven handkerchiefs of flowers, [he gave them to the King].