It was [necessary] for the King to go for a war. In sorrow for it, having called together women who assist [at child-birth], and many people, he gave them [to the Queen]. On his return journey she had not borne a child. On the very day on which he came, pains having seized her she gave birth [to a Gourd].
The women who were there, having taken the Gourd which this Queen bore, in order to throw it away at another city took the Gourd to a flower garden at the city, and put it there.
When the garland-making mother (mal-kāra ammā) went to pluck flowers, “May I also pluck flowers?” the Gourd asked.
“How will you, Gourd, pluck flowers?” she said.
“That does not matter to you; I will pluck flowers. I must go to the garland-making mother’s house,” it said.
Having gone [there], “I will plait flower chaplets (malwadan),” it said. To plait the chaplets it asked for the thread and needle. Better than the plaiting of the flower chaplets on other days it plaited the flower chaplets, and gave them.
Having seen [the beauty of] the flower chaplets [when the flower mother took them to the palace], the Princess asked, “Who plaited the flower chaplets to-day?” she asked; [she was informed that the Gourd did it].
The Gourd was minded to contract marriage with the young Queen (Princess). It asked the King of the city [to give his consent]. “If the Queen (Princess)[1] is willing I am willing,” he said.
[When it asked the Princess, she said], “Having carried upstairs gold from the house of the garland-making mother, should you tie up [as a decoration] cloths [worked] with gold, in the morning I will celebrate the wedding festival.”
In the morning the Gourd went upstairs. It having gone [with the gold and hung up the cloths], the wedding festival was celebrated.