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TRANSLATION
189
665. A monkey wandering abroad came there and, on seeing
me, fell on the ground in a swoon. 666. Recovering consciousness that monkey quickly went
away and in a short time came back to me, 667. bringing water in a lotus leaf and plucking two excellent
herbs. He pounded the arrow-extracting herb some
where on the rock face, 668. and anointed my limbs, taking out the barbs. Then he
sprinkled them with the juice obtained from pounding
the wound-healing herb 669. and my limbs were made whole at once. By giving me
life he became for me like a very dear kinsman. 670. He wrote in characters on the ground: 'I, sir, used to
live in your village as a doctor named Sikața, 671. who on dying was reincarnated in me, a monkey in this
forest. On my father's death when I grew up I became
the leader of a herd. 672. Another more powerful monkey obtained the mastery
of the herd; I was driven out by him and came wander
ing here. 673. I saw you here, your five limbs racked by the nails and
as I reflected that somewhere or other I had seen you
before, 674. there came to me the memory of my previous incarnation
and I knew you and the remedy by which you have
been healed. Now do me a favour in return 675. by killing the monkey my enemy.' I agreed to his • proposal and he then took me to the area where the
herd was. 676. A great combat took place between them which roused
them to ferocity. One hit the other until he was
streaming with blood but 677. somehow he escaped from there and came to me. Then
he conversed with me by writing characters :
