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240.
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1887.
handed is always deemed to be a sin, so he took old king, and then he was to succeed him. up the ruby he had picked up at the red lake What more could the old king want ? He with him as a present, and drove to the palace. thanked the youth and named him henceforth His rich dress, his beautiful person, the coach | "the Young King." He asked him his parentand four, and everything about him made him age, and the now young king Krishna Singh appear to be himself a king or a prince, so the replied that he was of Royal parentage, but king of Pushpapura did not think it at all odd more than this he would not say, asking the that he should visit him, and treated him as old king to excuse him, and saying that everyan equal, going forward a few steps to meet thing would be revealed to him in due course. him, and receiving him with a royal greeting. The old king was delighted with Krishna Singh The Takkuttakki asked after his good health and and wished to be relieved from the burden tendered his present, which went far to confirm of the State at once, and agreeably to his the previous opinion the king had formed of his wishes King Krishna Singh took at once upon social position. He was indeed very pleased to himself the management of the kingdom of receive so rare a gift, and told the Tukkuttûkki Pushpapura. Thus suddenly, by the caprice that he had one gem of the kind, that he had of fortune, the Takkattakki turned into a king, for a long time been in search of another and henceforth was known as King Krishna to match with it, and that he was accord - Singh. ingly all the more delighted now to have In the evening, after the Court was over, King had one given him. The Täkkutt@kki now in- Krishpa Singh started to go to his house in the sulted the king, or rather seemed to insult him, city, accompanied by the palace band, horses, eleby saying that his was a gem of the first water, phants and other royal paraphernalia as usual, and that no other gom in the world could but he forbad any of them to go on with him approach it either in beauty or value! The on the pain of death. Such things, he said, were king flew into a fary at this piece of brag, and meant for proud empty-headed kings, and not made the same boast as to his gem. They then for persons like himself. All he wanted was to both agreed to a wager as to which was the go home as an ordinary man without any pomp. best gem. The king's stake was his kingdom Thus he returned home before the 5th ghatika in case his gem was found to be the inferior and resumed his duties 88 & menial! During one, while the Tåkkuttûkki bound himself to the night and up to the 10th ghatiká of the serve the king for twenty-eight years in case he morning he used to act as a servant under lost. Both the gems were then subjected to all the princess and Sellam, and after his dinner possible tests. The best gem-Assayers and mer. he came down, dressed himself like a king chants were called in, and one and all of them and drove to the Court, and there swayed the gave it as their opinion that the Takkattäkki's whole kingdom till the second ghatika of evengem was immensely superior to the king's. ing. This was his routine for several months, The king thereupon true to his word told the | Krishna Singh had studied the Rájaniti" so Takkattûkki to take possession of his kingdom. well that he ruled like Brihaspati," being just to
Now our hero was not a person to be blinded every one. The people were overjoyed at the by fortune, as he possessed a good deal of fore- justice and impartiality of their young king, sight. He thought that he would not be and the old king, too, as he had no son, thanked acting rightly if he took upon himself the the gods for having sent him one so intelligent duties of a king publicly, and he told the king and so able to wield the sceptre after him. He that he was satisfied to be his agent ;-that is, treated him very kindly, and had a high regard as the king was rather old, he would take upon for his merits, but he dared not ask him to himself to do all the royal duties in the name disclose his parentage. Thus no one knew of the king. The Takkuttakki was to transact where he came from in the morning or where he all the royal business, but the king was to sign went to in the evening, and though he attend. the papers and appear to manage the State. ed the Court most punctually, and performed He agreed to act thus during the lifetime of the the duties of a king most satisfactorily towards
* A popular book on politics according to Indian * The Minister of Indra, the Ruler of the Honvens. notions.
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