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178 TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MANIPATI-CARITA 531. 'I would like to understand the speech of creatures that
have bodies and are born from embryos.' Again the
god said: I have granted you a great boon, 532. you will understand but if you reveal this to any other
person your head will at once burst into seven parts.'
Having said this the god went to his abode. 533. One day whilst the king's toilet was being attended to
in the massage room his tame koil bird spoke thus to
her mate: 534. My lord, fetch me some sort of ointment from among
the king's unguents, and I will remove the weariness
of mind and body.' 535. The male koil bird said : ‘Am I weary of life?'. Under
standing their conversation the king laughed. 536. Then the queen asked : Why did you laugh, my lord ?'
and repeated the question with insistence but the king
would not in any way reply. 537. She said : If you do not tell me I shall certainly die.'
Then the king replied: 'Whether you die or not I
shall assuredly die if I tell you '. 538. She did not believe the king and said: “Tell me in
order that we may both die at the same time.' Then
the king yielding to his love 539. had a great funeral pile built in the cemetery with the
finest timber, and said : When I have gone there I
will tell you the cause of my laughter.' 540. Having bathed and anointed his body he mounted an : elephant together with the queen and went out from
the city after distributing largesse to the people. 541. People meeting in the bazaar and at intersections of three
and four roads and on the terrace roofs were saying:
'For what reason does the king want to die? ' 542. whilst others would reply: 'He is to reveal something
to the queen and after that he will die.' Then the king went outside.
