The three thieves, glorying in their victory, and little understanding the meaning of the song and the intentions of the dancers, were proudly seated chewing betel and tambâk (tobacco). Meanwhile the song was sung a third time. Tâ tai tôm had left the lips of the singer; and, before tadingana was out of them, the traders separated into parties of three, and each party pounced upon a thief. The remaining one--the leader himself, for to him the other nine left the conclusion--tore up into long narrow strips a large piece of cloth, six cubits long, and tied the hands and feet of the robbers. These were entirely humbled now, and rolled on the ground like three bags of rice!
The ten traders now took back all their property, and armed themselves with the swords and cudgels of their enemies; and when they reached their village, they often amused their friends and relatives by relating their adventure. [80]
In a certain town there reigned a king named Patnîpriya, [81] to whose court, a poor old Brâhmin, named Pâpabhîru, [82] came every morning, with a yellow lime in his hand, and presenting it to the king, pronounced a benediction in Tamil:--
Nanmai vidaittâl, nanmai vilaiyum: Tîmai vidaittâl, tîmai vijaiyum: Nanmaiyum tîmaiyum pinvara kânalâm.
"If good is sown, then good will grow: If bad is sown, then bad will grow: Thus good or bad the end will show."
The king respected as much the noble benediction of the Brâhman as he did his grey hairs.
In this way the presentation of the fruit continued daily, though the Brâhmin had nothing to request from the king, but simply wished to pay his respects. On observing that he had no ulterior motives, but was merely actuated by râjasêvana, or duty to his king, the king's admiration for his old morning visitor increased the more.
After presenting the fruit the Brâhmin waited upon his sovereign till his pûjâ [83] was over, and then went home where his wife kept ready for him all the requisites for his own pûjâ. Pâpabhîru then partook of what dinner his wife had prepared for him. Sometimes, however, a Brâhmin neighbour sent him an invitation to dinner, which he at once accepted. For his father, before he breathed his last, had called him to his bedside, and, pronouncing his last benediction, had thus advised him in Tamil:--