In a certain country there was a Prince, [the son] of a poor King, it is said. The Prince went to another country to learn letters. Having gone there, and in no time learning his letters, he said to the teacher, “I must go to my village.” Afterwards the teacher gave him permission.
After that, while the Prince was coming to the city, the Prince having become hungry, remained sleeping near a tree. A man having come there said, “What, Prince, art thou sleeping there for? It is not good to sleep there; [be pleased] to get up,” he said.
Then the Prince said, “I cannot even get up. I am hungry; because of it, indeed, I have fallen down here.”
Then the man says, “Well, then, what shall I do? In my hand also there is not a thing to give for food. There is an Aṭṭikkā tree[1]; on that Aṭṭikkā tree the fruit will be ripe. Let us go [for me] to show it to thee.”
Causing the Prince to arise, and having come near the Aṭṭikkā tree, that very man, having plucked Aṭṭikkā and given it to the Prince, after he ate said to the Prince, “Now then, go you along that path. Well, I’m going;” and the man went away.
After that, as the Prince also was coming along the path he met with a leopard [standing] across the path. The Prince cannot come [on account of it]. Well then, while the Prince is there a man is coming along in the direction in which the Prince is. Then, as the man would drive this leopard to the Prince, he shouted, and said “Hū,” and clapped his hands. Then the leopard bounded off and went away.
Afterwards that man having come near the Prince, asked, “Prince, where art thou going?”
The Prince says, “Having gone in this manner to learn letters, I am going to my city.”
Then the man says, “Going to the city does not matter to you. Come, to go with me.”
The Prince says, “How shall I go in that way? My parents will seek me. Because of it, having gone to the city, and asked at the hand of my parents I will come,” he said.