A different version of the legend occurs in a Canarese collection, entitled Katha Manjari, which is worthy of reproduction, since it may possibly be an earlier form than that in the Persian Parrot-Book:  A certain king had a magpie that flew one day to heaven with another magpie.  When it was there it took away some mango-seed, and, having returned, gave it into the hands of the king, saying:  “If you cause this to be planted and grow, whoever eats of its fruit old age will forsake him and youth return.”  The king was much pleased, and caused it to be sown in his favourite garden, and carefully watched it.  After some time, buds having shown themselves in it became flowers, then young fruit, then it was grown; and when it was full of ripe fruit, the king ordered it to be cut and brought, and that he might test it gave it to an old man.  But on that fruit there had fallen poison from a serpent, as it was carried through the air by a kite, therefore he immediately withered and died.  The king, having seen this, was much afraid, and exclaimed:  “Is not this bird attempting to kill me?” Having said this, with anger he seized the magpie, and swung it round and killed it.  Afterwards in that village the tree had the name of the Poisonous Mango.  While things were thus, a washerman, taking the part of his wife in a quarrel with his aged mother, struck the latter, who was so angry at her son that she resolved to die [in order that the blame of her death should fall on him]; and having gone to the poisonous mango-tree in the garden, she cut off a fruit and ate it; and immediately she was more blooming than a girl of sixteen.  This wonder she published everywhere.  The king became acquainted with it, and having called her and seen her, caused the fruit to be given to other old people.  Having seen what was thus done by the wonderful virtue of the mango, the king exclaimed:  “Alas! is the affectionate magpie killed which gave me this divine tree?  How guilty am I!” and he pierced himself with his sword and died.  Therefore (moralises the story-teller) those who do anything without thought are easily ruined.[52]

   [52] There is a very similar story in the Tamil Alakesa
        Katha, a tale of a King and his Four Ministers, but the
        conclusion is different:  the raja permits all his
        subjects to partake of the youth-bestowing fruit;—­I
        wonder whether they are yet alive!  A translation of the
        romance of the King and his Four Ministers—­the first
        that has been made into English—­will be found in my
        Group of Eastern Romances and Stories, 1889.