No. 96
The Three Heṭṭiyās
In a certain country there were three persons, Big Heṭṭiyā, Middle Heṭṭiyā, and Little Heṭṭiyā. During the time while they were there, the three persons having gone to dig [for] gems, dug [for] gems until the money of the parties was finished. They did not meet with even one gem.
Because they did not, having come again to the village, certain acquaintances of those people were there. Taking (that is, borrowing) a little money from those parties, the whole three persons dug [for] gems again in partnership until the money was finished. They met with only one gem.
It was in the mind of Big Heṭṭiyā to get it into a big box. It was in the mind of Middle Heṭṭiyā to get it into a middle [sized] box. It was in the mind of Little Heṭṭiyā to get it into a little box.
Well then, the three persons having quarrelled about it, Little Heṭṭiyā made a little box, Middle Heṭṭiyā made a box larger than that, Big Heṭṭiyā made a box still larger than that.
Having made them, they placed the gem in the little box of Little Heṭṭiyā, that box they placed inside Middle Heṭṭiyā’s box, and having put it in they placed that box inside Big Heṭṭiyā’s box. [Each one kept the key of his own box.]