The man’s manner, though he was mean in
appearance, was peremptory, and the Katekiro
dared not refuse his request, but rose and conducted
him to the king.
It happened, strangely enough, that at the
same moment Maanda was relating to his mother
whom he had sent for, the story o f a strange
dream he had dreamed during the night. He
had scarcely finished its relation when the Katekiro
was announced, who said to him, “ King,
here is a strange man, a peasant, I believe, who
states that he has important news to tell thee
and thee alone,” which when the king heard'
and had seen the peasant, he said to his mother,
“ L o ! now, this is the v e ry man I saw in my
dream, who told me such wonderful news.”
Then turning eagerly to the peasant, he said
to him, “ S p eak , man, what is it thou hast to
s a y to me?”
“ O king,” he replied, “ I may not speak except
to thee and th y mother, for so have T been
commanded.”
Then Ma anda impatiently commanded the
Katekiro to retire and, that they might not be
disturbed, to se t a guard at the outer g a te , so
that on no account either man, woman, or child
might enter the inner court.
M/hen th ey were quite alone, the peasant began
to unfold to Ma’anda his s to ry from the
beginning to the end, just as it is told here, coneluding
With the old man’s words: “ Bid the
king come with his mother and thyself, and,
m a r k me, not even his dog must follow him.
On hearing this news, Ma’anda said, “ Come,
let us g o , only us three, for so the old man
said,” and taking his spear and shield the king
strode out o f the inner court through a private
gate followed b y his mother and the peasant,
without communicating to a soul else whither
he was going.
Despite this secrecy, however, it soon became
publicly known that K ing Ma’anda and his mother
had left the palace, accompanied b y a peasant,
and that they had taken the direction o f the
forest, towards which they had been seen travelling
with rapid steps b y one who communicated
the information to the Katekiro.
This news plunged the principal chief o f the
kingdom into a state o f perplexity. He was
for a moment at a lpss what to d o , for had
his master desired any other company, he would
undoubtedly have made it known, but, on the
other hand, this conduct was inexplicable, and
the, king might have been lured b y some cunning
plausible tale to proceed in this manner,
whereby he might be destroyed without detection.
.
A s the thought o f treachery to the king
flashed through his mind, he instantly resolved
to follow him and watch alter his safety , an