This story is probably defective in parts, and some incidents in the last portion appear to have been omitted,—regarding the ball player, the shooter, and the plough maker.
The Attempt of Four Brāhmaṇa Princes to Marry. (Variant c.)
A certain Brāhmaṇa had a daughter named Candrāpatī. She was a person endowed with beauty. Four Brāhmaṇa Princes having heard of the excellence of her figure, came to try to marry her. The Brāhmaṇa her father having inquired what sciences they knew, each one said that he did not know [any]. He said that he could not marry and give the Princess-daughter to them.
Thereupon, they four having arrived at shame, came near a travellers’ rest-house, and conversing [said], “We four persons having gone separately to districts for learning sciences, [after] three months in succession again let us arrive at this very place.” Promising [this], and having looked in the four directions, they departed. In this manner the four of them having arrived each in a different district, and having [become] conversant with the sciences,—looking at omens, going in the sky, abating poison, giving life [anew,—after] three months in succession arrived at the aforesaid travellers’ rest-house.
Thereafter, they four again departed for taking in marriage the Princess. At that time a Hūnā (House Lizard) cried. Then the person who was clever at omens told the remaining three persons that a cobra having bitten the Princess, they are taking her to the grave at that time.
Thereupon the person who possessed the power of flight through the air, having gone by the power of flight through the air, together with the other three, halted at the grave of the dead body. Then the poison discharger reduced the poison; the other gave her life.
Afterwards, while the four of them are one by one boasting of the gain due to themselves, they quarrelled over it. For that reason, not obtaining the Princess, they again went away.
North-western Province.