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CEYLON BRANCH 



that her improper conduct would be discovered, she said to him, 

 We cannot remain here, for should our misconduct be known, 

 my parents will tear us to pieces ; let us take some property 

 with us, retire privately, and live in some other country where 

 we shall be unknown. They did so, and lived together. When 

 she was far advanced in pregnancy, she said to him, it will be 

 a sad thing for both of us if I give birth to a child in a place 

 where I have no relations ; let us return to iriy family : but 

 he put it off, saying, let us go to-morrow, or the day after. 

 She thought, this foolish man, knowing that hw fault is great, 

 will not endeavour to go i but parents Certainly feel for their 

 children, and whether he go or remain, it is proper that I should 

 go. Accordingly she put aside her household furniture, left 

 the house, and told the neighbours that she was returning to 

 her family, and set out on her journey. The man returning 

 home, and being informed by the neighbours that she was gone 

 to her relations, followed quickly after her, and overtook her 

 on the road just as she was taken in labour. He accosted her, 

 and said, wife* what is this ? She replied, husband, I have 

 borne a son, what shall we now do? That for which I was 

 going to my parents' house has taken place on the road ; what 

 shall we gain by going there ? Let us remain where we are* 

 To this he agreed, and as the child was born on the road, they 

 called him Pant'haka. Not long afterwards, she again proved 

 pregnant, and again desirous of returning to her parents set 

 out on her journey, but her second son was also born on the 

 road. On this account they called the first born Maha 

 Pant'haka, and the other one Chulla Pant'haka; taking their 

 children with them, they returned to their former habitation. 

 While living there, the child Pant'haka heard the other chil- 

 dren saying, uncle, grand-father, grand-mother, &c, and 

 coming to his mother said, Mother, other children say, uncle, 



