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poison.* She placed these sweetmeats in an undamaged pitcher, and said to the Bráhman: My lord, go yourself and give these to Árámaçobhá. You must also tell her from me that she is to eat these sweetmeats herself, and not to give them to anyone else; for these sweetmeats will meet with ridicule in the king's palace, on account of the clumsy way in which they are made, for what skill can be expected from rustic villagers ?' Agniçarman, not seeing through her craftiness, put a seal on the pitcher and started off. In course of time he reached the city of Páțaliputra, and being weary, he slept under the shade of a banyan-tree in the garden outside the city. Now, it happened that that very snake-prince saw the Bráhman asleep, and possessing, from the union in him of merit and religion, the knowledge called limited, † he knew that he was the father of Árámaçobhá. He said to himself: Ha! I see what it is; that stepmother has given him food mixed with poison, and sent him with it, to Árámaçobhá to bring about her death.' Having perceived this, he took out the poison. Then the Brahman gave the food to Árámaçobhá. She said to the king: My lord, look at this pitcher, in order that it may be opened.' The king said: 'Queen, no one is considered by me equal to you, so open the pitcher yourself.' Then the queen opened the pitcher, and a perfume unattainable in the world of mortals issued from it. Sweetmeats appeared in it resembling ambrosia. The king said:
Queen, give one sweetmeat to each of the other queens.' Then, in accordance with the king's order, one sweetmeat was given to each of the queens. All of them, when they had tasted the sweetmeats, praised Árámaçobhá, and said:
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Truly her parents must be prosperous, since they send their daughter such sweetmeats, which even a king would find it difficult to obtain.' Then Agniçarman said to the king: My lord, let Árámaçobhá be sent to her father's
* Compare the cake which the envious sisters send to Maruzzedda in Gonzenbach's third tale ('Sicilianische Märchen,' p. 10).
† See Dr. Hoernle's Uvásaga Dasáo,' appendix iii., p. 44. appears to extend to material objects only.
I have here inserted one or two words to make sense.
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