In a certain city there are seven elder brothers and younger brothers, it is said. Younger than the whole seven there is a young younger brother. Those seven elder brothers said to the younger brother, “Younger brother, you must bring a wife for yourself. In that way having eaten a meal from that house and a meal from this house, you cannot end [your] existence.”

Then the younger brother said, “I indeed at any time whatever will not bring a wife.”

Thereupon the elder brother said to the younger brother, pushing him, “If so, remain looking out in order to call [in marriage] the Maehiyalle-gama Princess.”

After that, the younger brother, having said, “It is so indeed,” tied a ladder in order to go to Maehiyalle-gama. When he had gone along the ladder a considerable distance, having fallen from the ladder to the ground the Prince went into dust (kuduwela giya).

After that, having come from the city Awulpura, they picked up the bits into which the Prince was smashed; having come from the great city Handi they joined them together; having come from Upadda city they caused the Prince to be [re]-born.1

After that, the Prince went to Maehiyalle-gama. When he went there, the Princess having gone to bathe, only the servants were at the palace. The servants having gone, said to the Princess, “Some one or other has come to our palace.” Then the Princess told them to give him a mat at the calf-house. The servants having given him a mat at the calf-house, he did not sit down.

Again the servants went and said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not sit down.” After that, the Princess told them to give him a mat at the man??uwa (open shed). The servants gave a mat at the shed.

The Prince did not sit down.

Again the servants went and said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not sit down.” Then the Princess told them to spread a mat inside the palace and give it. The servants spread a mat inside the palace, and gave it.

The Prince did not sit down.

The servants again having gone, said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not sit down.” Then the Princess told them to give him a chair. Afterwards the servants gave a chair.

The Prince did not sit down.

The servants again went and said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not sit down.” The Princess told them to give him a couch. Afterwards the servants gave a couch.

The Prince did not sit down.

The servants went and said at the hand of the Princess, “Then, also, he did not sit down.”

Afterwards the Princess said, “Give the couch on which I recline, if so.” The servants gave the couch on which the Princess reclines.

After that, the Prince sat down.

Then the Princess, also, [after] bathing came to the palace. Having come, the Princess said at the hand of the servants, “To that person who has come give food.”

Then the servants asked at the hand of the Princess, “In what shall we give the cooked rice?” Then the Princess told them to give pieces of leaf. Afterwards the servants having put the cooked rice on pieces of leaf gave him it.

The Prince did not eat.

After that, the servants said at the hand of the Princess, “He does not eat.” Then the Princess told them to put it on a plate and give it. The servants having put it on a plate gave it.

He did not eat.

The servants said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not eat.” Afterwards the Princess said, “If so, put the plate upon the betel tray and give it.” The servants having put the plate upon the betel tray, gave it.

The Prince did not eat.

Again the servants said at the hand of the Princess, “Then, also, he did not eat.” Afterwards the Princess said, “Put it on my golden dish and give it.” The servants, having put it on the Princess’s golden dish, gave it.

The Prince ate.

After that, the Princess having come near the Prince, asked, “What is He?2 A Yaka, or a Deity?”

Then the Prince said, “I am neither a Yaka nor a Deity; a man.”

Then the Princess asked, “For what matter has He Himself come here?”

The Prince said, “To marry the Princess; I for no other business whatever have come.”

The Princess said, “If so, stay.”

After that, the Princess marrying the Prince, when he was there for a considerable time the Prince said, “I must go to our city and come back.” Then the Princess said, “I also must come.”

The Prince having said, “Ha, it is good; let us go,” the two went to the Prince’s city. Near the city there is a well; near the well there is a tree. Having caused the Princess to stay in the tree, the Prince went into the city to bring a horse for the Princess to go to the city.

After he went there, a woman of the smiths’ caste (aciri gaeni) came to the well for water. Having come, when the smith woman looked in the direction of the well, the reflection of the Princess who was in the tree appears in the well. She saw the figure, the smith woman.

Having seen it, the woman thought it was the woman’s [own] figure, and having seen the beauty of it, thought, “A?e! I am such a good looking woman as this! Why came I for water?”

When she looked up the tree she saw that the Princess is [there], and the smith woman says, “Ane! Having descended, please bathe with a little water [that I will draw for you]. Why are you there?” The Princess remained there without descending.

The smith woman once more said, “Please descend.” Afterwards, the Princess having descended, and taken off her clothes, while she was bathing the smith woman said, “Please bend down for me to rub your back.” The Princess bent down. Then the smith woman raised her and threw her into the well.

The Princess was unable to come to the ground. The smith woman, putting on the clothes of the Princess, climbed up the tree.

Then the Prince having come there bringing a horse, the Prince stopped, and thinking that the smith woman was the Princess, told the smith woman to descend; and the Prince and the smith woman went to the city on the horse.

Then a blind man came near the well for water. The Princess, being in the well, said, “Having torn the cloth of the person who came for water, and knotted the pieces together, put it into the well.”

Afterwards, having torn the blind man’s cloth, he put it into the well. Seizing it, the Princess came to the ground; and making clear the two eyes of the blind man, she went with the blind man [? to her palace].

North-western Province.