142 Memorandum on the Ancient bed of [No. 158. 



ceiving the story of the wealth-giving sleep to be a fiction, invented 

 by their wives to conceal the real source of their wealth, they resolved 

 to remove the youth from their path, thinking that by so doing they 

 would obtain the entire control over the money, which was now 

 squandered by him. On the pretence of its being necessary to the 

 completion of his education and the benefit of his health that he 

 should travel to Bindachul, they sent him, in spite of the remonstran- 

 ces of their wives, under the charge of eight assassins with instructions 

 to murder him on the road. Arriving in the depths of a gloomy forest, 

 they prepared to execute their commission, but their hearts relenting, 

 they informed Pootur of the real object of the journey, upon which he 

 promised to reward them if they would allow him to sleep for an 

 hour. The assassins retired, and at the end of an hour he brought 

 them 1000 deenars, and gave them a ring from his little finger to 

 show to his father as a proof of their having murdered him. The assas- 

 sins returned to Casi, and showing the ring obtained their pro- 

 mised reward from Kooshun and Bukshun ; but the two wives im- 

 mediately on seeing the ring of Pootur conjectured his fate, and died 

 on the spot. The wicked husbands were thus reduced again to the 

 poverty from which they had been relieved. 



" In the meantime the youth Pootur proceeded on his journey, and 

 presently encountered two Rachases, named Bunkut and Sunkut, sons 

 of Ghurbhaj. They told him, that their father had recently died and 

 left them three wonderful things, which they found it difficult to divide 

 between two, and they accordingly requested the advice of Pootur as to 

 the best method of settling the dispute. The three things were — First, 

 a pair of wooden shoes, which had the virtue of transporting the wearer 

 immediately to any place he might wish to go to- Secondly, a purse, 

 out of which the po s sessor could draw jewels and precious stones of 

 any kind he desired, ad libitum. Thirdly, a staff, which on being erect- 

 ed in any chosen spot, a beautiful city would arise and endure for ever. 



" Pootur, in answer to the application of the Rachases, proposed that 

 they should decide the matter by a race, and that whoever first reached 

 a distant point which he indicated, should retain possession of the three 

 prizes. Agreeing to this, and depositing the stakes with Pootur, they 

 set off at full speed. Immediately after their departure, Pootur heard 

 a voice from Heaven, saying, * Put on the wooden shoes, fix the purse 



