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away 12,000 prisoners my two sons were taken away too, and therefore 

 I was crying." Then the king, having comforted the poOr woman, 

 was displeased with the doings of his father ; and having said, " I shall 

 go to the Chola country," went to Jaffna with an army, and having 

 given leave to the army he went with the warrior Nila and struck the 

 sea with his mace and divided the waters and went to the Chola city, 

 and having intimidated the Chola king sat on the throne like Indra, 

 king of gods. Ma getting hold of the elephants of the city struck 

 one against the other and killed both. When thus the Chola city was 

 being devastated the ministers informed the Cholian king of it. Then 

 the Cholian king asked King Gajaba, " Are the Sinhalese people come 

 to destroy this city? " Then King Gajaba said, " Except the small boy 

 who accompanied me hither, there is no army with me," and sent for 

 the warrior Nila and kept him by his side. Then the Cholian king 

 asked him, " Why did your Majesty come alone ? " Then King Gajaba 

 answered, " Your Majesty's father during my father's reign brought 

 12,000 prisoners — I am come to take them away." Then the Cholian 

 king replied, " One of our ancestors fought the gods and conquered 

 them : shall I give your people back ? " Then King Gaja Bahu 

 said, " I shall destroy this city and reduce it to ashes ; will you give 

 me for my people 24,000 men or not ? " and having pressed sand 

 produced water, and having squeezed the iron mace also produced 

 water, and having thus enlightened the Cholian king obtained 24,000 as 

 prisoners with interest, and also the gem anklet of the goddess Pattini, and 

 the arms of the four gods of the four temples, and the alms-bowl which 

 was carried away during the reign of King Walagamba ; and having 

 warned him not to do such a thing in future, came to Lanka with the 

 prisoners, sent them to their own lands, and the rest he placed in Alut- 

 kuru Korale, and having reigned twenty-four years he went to heaven. 



It will be observed that no mention is here made of the 

 restoration of the tooth-relic as recorded in the Rajaratna- 

 karaya. I think the reference in the Rajaratndkaraya is an 

 interpolation by some ignorant copyist. But it is interesting 

 to note that the fact that some Cholians were brought over 

 and placed in Alutkuru Korale during this king's reign is 

 supported by an old tradition to the same effect still current 

 amongst the Sinhalese.* 



* Cf. the name of the village Telingipata in the Ragam pattuwa of 

 Alutkuru Korale. — B., Hon. Sec. 



