The Way in which the Prince traded
Reading edition
In a certain country the son of a King having thought that he himself earning it he must obtain a living, asked permission for it from his father the King.
Then the King said, “Son, if the goods that there are of mine will do without your earning a living and [thus] obtaining it, you can live happily, enjoying the possession of this wealth which there is,” he said.
But the Prince, being dissatisfied with it, said to his father the King, “In order for me to do trading, having loaded goods in a ship please give me charge of it,” he said.
Because of the strong wish of the Prince in this matter, the King having caused three ships to be constructed, loaded goods in one and gave the Prince charge of it, and sent the other two ships for the purpose of his protection.
After these three ships had sailed a considerable distance, a strong wind struck them; and the two ships which went for his protection having sunk, the ship in which was the Prince drifted to a shore.
Thereupon the Prince having said, “At what country have we arrived?” when he began to walk there for the purpose of looking, he saw a city in which were houses without men, and an abandoned palace. At that time, in order to find a country in which are men, he caused a dependant of this Prince to climb up a very high tree; when he looked he saw at a place not far from there a city at which men are dwelling, and they went there.
Thereupon this Prince who owned the ship, asking for a very clever clerk from the Minister who ruled the city, arrived there on the day on which he sends the fire-ball to destroy the city. When he is sending the fire-ball the Prince asked the deity, “What is the reason for sending this fire-ball?”
The deity said, “The King who ruled here stole the goods of such and such men to these extents, put in prison falsely such and such men.” When he is saying a quantity of such-like matters, the clerk who went with the Prince wrote down the whole.
Thereupon the Prince said to the deity, “The goods which the King stole from the men I will apportion and give to them. I will assist the men who were put in prison without cause. Because of it, henceforward do not send the fire-ball and destroy the city.” When he said it the deity accepted it.
After that, the Prince having sold the goods that were in the ship and the ship also, and having assisted the families whom the wicked King had injured, together with the Minister governed the country.
One day this Prince having gone for hunting-sport, when he was going hunting, a deer, feeling the wound at the shooting and shooting, ran off in front. The Prince having run after the deer, became separated from his retinue. Having seen, when going along, that a very beautiful Princess is at a rock cave in the midst of the forest, when he asked her [regarding] the circumstance, she said, “A Yakā brought me and put me in this rock cave. Once in three months he comes to look [at me].” Thereupon the Prince, calling for his retinue, and when it came having gone away taking this Princess, gave her in marriage to the Minister.
After this, because neither this Princess nor the Minister, both of them, paid regard to this Prince who had assisted them, the Prince having become angry went away.
Having gone thus, becoming wearied he went to sleep near a pool in the midst of the forest. At this time, two robbers having come, placed [there] a very beautiful Princess on a golden bed, and being unable to divide them, [each] cried out, saying, “The bed for me; the Princess for me. Give me them.”
Thereupon the Prince, having opened his eyes and said, “Who are ye?” sprang near them, taking his sword, and said, “I am such and such a Prince. I will kill you. If I am not to kill you, give me the Princess, and if ye want the bed take ye it away.” The two robbers having become afraid, taking the bed went away.
This Prince went away, taking the Princess, and having arrived at a country, dwelt there in misery. At this time, her father the King made public that to the person who, having found, gave him this Princess, he will give a share from the kingdom, and marry and give her.
Well then, for the purpose of finding her, a young man from the Princess’s country having walked to all places, at last arrived by chance at the place where both of them are residing. Recognising the Princess, and during that day night getting a resting-place there and having stayed at it, he stole the Princess, and went near her father the King.
Thereupon the Princess said to her father the King, “Do not give me in marriage to this wicked one. There is a Prince who at the very first delivered me from robbers. While that Prince was there [after] finding me, this wicked one having gone [there], stealing me by force came away.” Thereupon the King commanded them to impale this man, and kill him.
Through grief at [her loss], that Prince who was [there] having come after seeking her for three months, [the King] gave him this Princess in marriage, and gave him the kingship of that country, also.
Western Province.