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fell from the world of gods, and, owing to the effect of the disgust shown in a former birth, he was conceived in the womb of an elephant-driver's wife. Now, it happened that & woman of the merchant caste, the wife of a merchant, who lived in that city, was a great friend of that elephantdriver's wife. She gave her own son to the woman of the merchant caste. Then the woman of the merchant caste kept continually laying him at the feet of the elephantdriver's wife. They gave the boy the name of Metárya. In course of time Metárya grew up. At night the god came from the world of gods and admonished that Metárya;' but he would not receive his admonitions. And about this time Metárya was seen by the elephant-driver adorned with fresh youth, returning to his house in a chariot, after marrying eight daughters of opulent men. Then the elephant-driver said : ‘If my son were alive, I also would perform for him the ceremony of betrothal.' Then the wife of the elephant-driver, being inspired by the power of the god, revealed all her conduct to the elephant-driver, and said : This is my son. When the elephant-driver heard that Metárya was his son, he dragged him out of his chariot, and saying, “The marriage of people of inferior caste with people of high caste is not commendable,' flung him into a dungeon in his own house. After twelve years the god came there. The god said : ‘Friend, do you recognise me?' Metárya said: 'I do not recognise you.' Then the god appeared in his true form, and said: 'I am your friend in a former life. I have frequently come from the world of gods to admonish you, but you will not receive my admonitions. It is I that have brought about all the present state of affairs.' Metárya said : " Then bring about my release.' Then the god gave him a goat. That goat went on producing jewels continually,* and the elephantdriver regularly made over those jewels to King Greņika.
* This goat resembles the ass in Gonzenbach's Sicilianische Märchen,' No. 52, and still more closely the ass in Kaden's. Unter den Olivenbäumen,'' Schuhflicker im Glücke.' See also Grimm's No. 36. More parallels will be found on pp. 8 and 453 of vol. ii, of my transla. tion of the Katha Sarit Ságara."
'Kathá Sarito and on pp. 8 and 49 See also Grimm'snter den
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