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MUNIPATI
117
Munipatı started his story
Kanku had an evil design
"In the city of Champakamala. there reigned a king named Vasupala who had a very able minister in Subuddhi. In the same city, there lived a rich and very popular merchant named Abhinava Sundari was the name of his daughter Merchant Dhanapala was his neighbour but he was poor He had a daughter named Kanku The two girls were friends One day, both the girls came to a tank to enjoy water sports Sundari took out her ornaments and deposited - them on the tank before she entered into water Now, She came out earlier, picked up - the ornaments and left When Sundari came out, she did not find her precious things When she reported it to her father, he came to Dhanapala, but the latter, instead of . admitting his daughter's fault, told him flatly that the ornaments belonged to his daughter and that the allegation was baseless The matter came up for the minister's arbitration and he gave proof of his ready wit He ordered -for the production of both the girls and the ornaments before ⚫ him When this was done, the minister turned to Kanku and said, 'My daughter, you say these are yours Very good Please put them on
"Kanku started, but as she was not used to ornaments, in the process of wearing she exhibited her own ignorance about them Besides, they didn't fit well with her person When Sundarı's turn came, she did wear them at once and with skilled hands, and they fitted in well Now, the minister -took no time to give his verdict 'The ornaments belong to Sundari, not Kanku They may be returned to Abhinava, and Dhanapala is to be punished for their improper acquisition and wrongful possession according to the law of the land'"
Munipatı added,
"Merchant You are shrewd and intelligent, but you distinguish not truth from falsehood. Truth is something different from your notion
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