Note 5 — The Woman Pre-eminent in Cunning1

Thereupon the Barber woman said, “Indō! Don’t you get so much grief over that. For it, I will tell you an advice. ‘The Great King having gone, when the Second King came to Ceylon,’ meant (lit., said), when the sun has set and when the moon is rising. ‘When the creeperless jasmine flower is blossoming,’ meant, when the stars are becoming clear. ‘Having cut twenty,’ meant, having cut the twenty finger [and toe] nails. ‘Having stabbed thirty,’ meant, having well cleaned the teeth (with the tooth-stick), to wash them well. ‘Having pounded three persons into one,’ meant, having eaten a mouthful of betel (consisting of betel leaf, areka-nut, and lime) you are to come. [These] are the matters she said.5 Because of it, why are you staying without eating? If you must go, without getting grieved go in this manner, and come back.”