14. I told him I had no meat, and the more I said so, the more he repeated his foolish craving, which could neither be supplied with nor put down to silence.
15. I was then moved by paternal affection, and affliction of my heart, to tell him, “child, cut off a slice of my flesh, and roast and eat it.”
16. He agreed to it, and said ‘give it then’; because his hunger was so pressing and his vitality was so much exhausted, that he could not decline to crave my flesh for his food.
17. Being then overpowered by affection and compassion I thought of putting an end to all my grief with my life, which became so intolerable to me at his excessive distress.
18. Being unable to endure the pain of my affection, I despaired of my own life; and resolved to resort to death, as my only friend at this last extremity.
19. I collected some wood, and heaped them together for my funeral pile, and having put it on fire, I saw it blaze as I wished.
20. As I was hastening to throw myself on this pile, I was immediately roused from my reverie by the sound of music proceeding from this palace, hailing me as king, and shouting my victory jaya.
21. I understood this conjurer had wrought this enchantment on me, and put me to all these imaginable troubles for so long a period.
22. Like the ignorant, I was subject to a hundred changes of fortune (which can never approach the wise). As the great and mighty King—Lavana, had been recapitulating and expostulating on the vicissitudes of fortune:—
23. The sorcerer suddenly disappeared from his sight, at which the courtiers looked around them with their staring eyes; and then addressed the king, saying:—