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Prakrit and
pabhramśa Studies
datta secured from the king S. 's release by pledging himself as the hostage. S. visited Sāyalimgā, who on failure of S. 's return by the promised fifth day, was on the point of immolating herself on a burning pyre. S. presented her with clothes and toiletries. Next morning he returned to the execution ground. S. boasted of having committed many thefts. The king discovered S. 's identity by examining a sword bearing the latter's signature-the sword was procured from the courtesan. But to test S.'s prowess the king sent an army to attack S. A band of fifty two crack heroes mounted an attack. The five thieves informed by Nārada rushed to Si's help and overpowered the attackers. The king acknowledged his defeat. He warmly welcomed his son-in-law and daughter.
Shortly, S. struck up friendship with a Brahmin, a Vaisya and a Ksatriya. The four were looking out for adventures. Hearing about a mystery of the corpse of a merchant's father in the city of Tumba that kept returning every day from the cemetery, the four friends went to the merchant, who was prepared to offer two lakhs to anyone who would accomplish cremation of the corpse. They undertook the task. Incidentally S. exorcized a Brahmin's daughter possessed by a Sākini.
The four friends carried the corpse to the cremation ground and decided to guard it by turn. When the Brahmin was on duty in the first watch of the night, a woman requested him for help to reach the food brought by her to her husband, who was hanged but life was still lingering in. The Brahmin bent down and the woman mounted on his back. Eventually she was caught gobbling raw flesh from the hanging body. The Brahmin cut off the witch's hand before she escaped. During the second watch, the Vaisya saw a bunch of ghosts cooking their dinner. Nearby twenty-two princes were kept bound for being served as dessert. He assailed the ghosts and released the princes. During the third watch, the Ksatriya saw a Rākşasa abducting a princess. He killed him and freed the princess. During the fourth watch, the corpse, occupied by a Vetāla stood up and challenged S. to a gambling match. Extending his arm, he got the game from the royal palace. He was defeated at
