They asked the next Prince, “What is the science you learnt?” “I learnt archery,” he said.
They asked the young Prince, “What is the science you learnt?” “I learnt carpenter’s work,” said the young Prince.
The three persons asked the eldest Prince, “What is there at our house?” Then he said, “On the Palmira-tree a female crow (kawaḍi), having laid three eggs, is sitting on them,” he said.
“What is missing from our house?” they asked. “The Rākshasa having taken the King’s Queen to that [far] shore of the sea, [after] putting her in the middle room (lit., house) in the midst of seven,[1] has put the seven keys in his mouth,” he said.
After that, the whole seven came to the city. The King having come rubbing (whetting) a sword, asked the eldest Prince, “What is the science you learnt?” “I learnt sooth,” he said.
He asked the next Prince, “What is the science you learnt?” “I learnt theft.” He asked the next Prince; “I learnt archery.” He asked the youngest Prince, “What is the science you learnt?” “I learnt carpenter’s work,” he said.
Having said, “It is good,” the King asked, “What is there at my house?” “On the Palmira-tree a female crow is sitting on three eggs,” [the eldest Prince] said.
“What is lost from my house?” he asked, to look [if he knew]. “The Rākshasa having gone away, and put the King’s Queen in the middle house (room) in the midst of seven, has placed the seven keys in his mouth,” he said.
“Doer of theft, without the female crow’s flying away, while it is [sitting there] in that manner, take an egg, and come back,” he said. Without the crow’s flying away, while it was [sitting] in that manner he took an egg, and came back.
Having caused the egg to be buried under the rice winnowing tray, he said, “Archer, without swerving to that side or this side, shoot [for the arrow] to go cutting it quite across.” He shot so as to go quite across.