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CHAPTER TWELVE from worms. Your father put your finger, even such as it was, in his mouth. So long as your finger was in his mouth, you were comfortable. So you were cherished by the father, you ill-mannered wretch, whom you have thrown into prison as a return."
Kūņika said, “Why did father send me molasses-sweetmeats and sugar-sweetmeats to Halla and Vihalla ?”
Celaņā said, “You were displeasing to me because you were an enemy to your father. I alone had the molassessweetmeats given to you, simpleton.”
Kūņika said: “ Shame, shame on me, acting without reflecting. I shall restore the kingdom to father, as if it had been given on deposit.”
With these words, he sipped water,243 though the meal was half-eaten, and handed the boy to a nurse. Kūņika got up, eager to go to his father. Thinking, “ I shall break the chains on father's feet,” he took an iron staff and ran to Śreņika. The guards assigned to Śreņika, former attendants, saw Kūņika coming and, confused, said: “Your son comes quickly, carrying an iron staff, like Yama in person. We do not know what he will do." Śreņika thought: “ Certainly he intends to kill me. Other times he came, carrying a whip; now he comes, carrying a staff. I do not know. He will kill me by some evil death. So, death is a refuge for me before he has come.” With this idea, Sreņika put poison in the hollow of the palate on the tip of his tongue and his life departed quickly, as if it had been at the starting-point in front. 244
When Kūņika came and saw his father lifeless before him, beating his breast, he screamed. He moaned: “Oh ! Honored father, by such deeds I became a scoundrel without an equal on earth. Since my wish, I shall beg forgiveness from my honored father,' was not fulfilled, I am now again
243 161. Hindus sip water at the end of a meal. 244 167. Kūņika is usually credited with the murder of Sreņika.
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