This answer angered the King’s minister, and Tamba was put in chains.  He was subjected to various tests which he overcame with the aid of the animals he had fed on his trip.  But again he was fettered and even lashed.

One day the King wanted to bathe, so he sent his four wives to fetch water.  A young girl accompanying them saw how all of them were bitten by a horned viper and ran back to tell the news.  The wives were brought back unconscious, and no one could help them.  The King then thought of Tamba, who was brought before him.  Tamba administered an antidote which the viper he had fed had given him, the wives recovered, the wicked minister was beheaded and Tamba was rewarded with the hand of the princess.

THE SEWING MATCH

The third tale is herewith translated verbatim: 

“There was a man who had a most beautiful daughter, the favorite of all the young men of the place; two, especially, tried to win her regard.  One day these two came together and begged her to choose one of them.  The young girl called her father; when the young men had told him that they were suing for his daughter’s hand, he requested them to come there the next day, when he would set them a task and the one who got through with it first should have the girl.

“Meanwhile the father bought in the market a piece of cloth and cut it up for two garments.  Now when the two rivals appeared the next morning he gave to each the materials for a garment and told them to sew them together, promising his daughter to the one who should get done first.  The daughter he ordered to thread the needles for both the men.

“Now the girl knew very well which of the two young men she would rather have for a husband; to him, therefore, she always handed needles with short threads, while the other was always supplied with long threads.  Noon came and neither of them had finished his garment.  After awhile, however, the one who always got the short threads finished his task.

“The father was then summoned and the young man showed him the garment; whereupon the father said:  ’You are a quick worker and will therefore surely be able to support your wife.  Take my daughter as your wife and always do your work rapidly, then you will always have food for yourself and your wife.’

     “Thus did the young man win his beloved by means of her
     cunning.  Joyfully he led her home as his wife.”

BALING OUT THE BROOK

This tale reveals the existence of individual preference, but does not hint at any other ingredient of love, while the father’s promise of the girl to the fastest worker shows a total indifference to what that preference might be.  In the following tale (also from Koelle) the girl again is not consulted.