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MUNIPATI
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between asked the inquisifive minister 'I was then a commoner,' said the king'
"Meanwhile the elephant raised up the new king with her trunk and placed him on her back The whole party then moved towards the city They reached the palace, where the king was duly placed on the throne and given charge of the highest office of the state The king administered his realm in a very efficient manner, but he had no attachment in anything The minister suggested that he should take a wife, but the king politely declined
"Elsewhere, Sukumala was spending her days in the company of the cripple Jitasatru had left some saving behind, ard so for some time thiere was no difficulty, but they could not live like that for long They were scon faced with the prospect of penury One day, the cripple asked Sukumala to earn for their sustenance Said he, 'You see, I am a cripple and I cann't move So please do something so that we may have some earning' 'How can I ?' retorted: the lady 'I am a woman I have no experience of earning money It is the duty of a man to support his wife I cann't go to earn' Again some days passed like this, but with great difficulty At last, they came to an agreed solution which was that Suhumala would carry the cripple on her back, and the latter would sing and beg They felt that that would be a nice way of living on public compassion
“They were now moving from one city to another People were attracted by the sweet voice of the cripple, and they took pity on him When his music would be over, Sukumala would tell the people, 'I am a devoted and pious wom an But my parents have married me with this cripple So I carry him on my back, but we lead a very honest and pure life So be kind to us and help us as best as you can Your generosity is lour only support in this world' Such pitiable words would dissolve even a rock, what to speak of the human heart Thus they lived on.
