The Gourd laughs at its contracting (lit., tying) the marriage with the young Queen. Through shame at it, grief was produced in her. When she asked for a medicine for [the illness caused by] the grief, they said, “Should you eat the flesh of the Fish (mastayā) in the midst of the sea, and the fat, you will be cured.”
[The King] having constructed six ships for the six Princes [the brothers of the Princess], told them to go to bring the Fish. The Gourd also at that time said [to the Princess], “Ask [for permission] for me also to go.” [She asked her father accordingly].
Regarding that the King said, “The Gourd itself will apply medical treatment!” Having said it he gave it a broken-legged horse and a piece of broken sword.
Taking them, it went near a Bō tree, and having tied the horse at the tree, [and assumed a human shape], put on clothes [taken] from a hollow in the Bō tree, and went away from the palace. The Gourd, [now a Prince], says, “The God Śakra (Indra) is I myself.”
The six persons for whom the ships were constructed and given, went away [on the sea, in search of the Fish]. When [the Gourd Prince] told those six persons [to catch the Fish], the whole six on one side tried to take it, [but failed].
They having said, “We cannot take it,” he asked, “For me to take and give you it, what mark am I to make on you?” [They came to terms, and he caught the Fish]. Having stretched out the tongues of the six persons he cut them, and they gave him their jewelled finger-rings. When they brought from the Gourd [Prince] and gave [the Princess] the flesh and fat [of the Fish] the illness was cured.
[As the six Princes claimed to have caught the Fish themselves, the Prince, who had left his clothes at the Bō tree and had again taken the form of the Gourd], caused many persons to be brought, and told them to stretch out and look at the tongues of these six persons. [It also produced their finger-rings as proof that it was the Gourd who had caught the Fish]. Having shown that the tongues of the six persons were cut, the Gourd, having employed the servants, [made them] cut open the Gourd.
[The God Śakra then rose out of it in his Prince’s form, and said,] “I am not [of] the things conceived in a womb. Because for the god Śakra that is impure, having created the Gourd I was born [in it]. As there was deficiency of merit for our father the King, I [thus] caused it to be cast away.”
(Probably he then returned to Indralōka, his divine world, but the narrator omitted to state this. There were many other omissions at which it will be seen that I have endeavoured to supply the necessary words).
North-western Province.