In a certain forest lived a fiend named Cruel. One day he met a Brahman in his wanderings, climbed on his shoulder, and said: “Now go ahead’

So the terrified Brahman started off with him. But on observing that the fiend’s feet were soft as a lotus-heart he asked him: “Sir, why are your feet so tender?”

And the fiend replied: “I am under a vow never to touch the ground with my feet until I have washed them.” Soon the Brahman, while meditating a plan of escape, came to a lake. Here the fiend said: “Sir, do not stir from this spot until I come forth from the lake after bathing and worshipping the god.”

Thereupon the Brahman thought: “He will be sure to eat me after his worship. I will hurry away. For he will not follow me with unwashen feet.”

And when he did so, the fiend, not daring to break his vow, did not follow.

“And that is why I say:

A prudent man should always ask,… .

and the rest of it.”

After listening to this, the king summoned the Brahmans and said: “Brahmans, a three-breasted daughter has been born to me. Are any remedial measures to be taken, or not?” And they replied: “O King, listen.

A daughter fitted out with limbs

Too numerous or few,

Will lose character, and will

Destroy her husband, too.

But if the father sees a girl

With triple breast about,

She dooms him to a speedy death

Without a shade of doubt.

“Therefore, O King, shun the sight of her. Give her to anyone who will marry her, but banish him from the country. If this is done, there is no offense to laws human or divine.”

When the king had listened to this opinion, he ordered a proclamation to be made everywhere with beat of drum, as follows: “Hear ye! There is a three-breasted princess. To anyone who marries her the king will give a hundred thousand gold-pieces, but will exile him.” For a long time this proclamation was made without anyone marrying the princess, who remained in seclusion and grew to young womanhood.

Now there was a blind man in the city, and as companion he had a hunchback named Slow, who guided him with a staff. These two heard the drum and consulted, saying: “In case we touch that drum, we get girl and gold. With the gold our life will be happy. And even if death results from the girl’s deformity, it will put a final end to the wretchedness of poverty. For

Until a mortal’s belly-pot

Is full, he does not care a jot

For love or music, wit or shame,

For body’s care or scholar’s name,

For virtue or for social charm,

For lightness or release from harm,

For godlike wisdom, youthful beauty,

For purity or anxious duty.”

After this consultation, the blind man went and touched the drum saying: “I will marry the girl.” Thereupon the king’s men went and reported: