Story 166 - The Four-faced King And The Turtle

AT a certain city there was a King with four faces. The King thought he must take the city called Ibbawa.^[1] For ten million lakhs (a billion) of turtles who are in that Ibbawa city, the Chief is the Turtle King.

To kill the Turtle King and seize the city this Four-faced King went, taking many troops, and taking his sword. Having gone there, after having surrounded Ibbawa city, and set guards (raekala), he sent a letter to the Turtle King:

“What is it ? Wilt thou give thy city to us ? If not, wilt thou fight ?”

Thereupon the Turtle King says,

“For thy having thy four faces we are not afraid. What of thy four faces ! We are dwelling with iron dishes both above and below us. Shouldst thou shoot at us and strike us, no harm will befal us”

Afterwards the Four-faced King, having said,

“Ha! If so, let us fight,”

began to fight.

The Turtle King says to the other turtles,

“Do ye decorate yourselves to go to battle.”

He gave notice to the whole of the turtles.

The Four-faced King having ascertained that the turtles were being decorated for the battle, the King became afraid, and thought of going back. Because the King at first had not seen the turtles, although the Turtle King was about a yojana (perhaps sixteen miles) high and broad, and since it was the royal city, he says,

“We did not come for the war, O Turtle King. I came to ask to marry Your Majesty’s daughter to my son, Prince Kimbiya.”

After that, the Turtle King thinks,

“At no time were men able to be tied [in marriage] to us. Because of it, we must give our daughter Gal-ibbi (Tortoise).”

Having said [this] he was satisfied. So the Four-faced King and the King’s army entered Ibbawa city.

Well then, the Turtle King having given quarters to the army and the Four-faced King, made ready food. Because before that the turtles were not accustomed to give food and drink to men, having brought putrid birds (kunu sakunu) that turtles eat and drink, they gave them to all.

After that, the Four-faced King says,

“We do not eat this food.”

Then the turtles ask,

“If so, O Four-faced King, what do you eat ?”

Thereupon the Four-faced King said,

“We eat rice and curry.”

Then because the Turtle King receives the thing he wished for, having created very suitable food he gave it to the Fourfaced King and the army.

After that, the Turtle King and the Four-faced King having spoken [about it], appointed the [wedding] festival for the seventh day from to-day.

The Four-faced King and the army having come to [their own] city, say,

“We will not summon a [bride in] marriage from those turtles.”

Having said it, they remained without going to Ibbawa city.

This Turtle King, after seven days passed, says to the other turtles,

“Having said that they will take a [bride in] marriage from us, they treated us with contempt. Because of it, let us go to fight with the Four-faced King.”

Well then, the Turtle King, having come with the ten million lakhs of turtles, [after] setting guards round the city of the Four-faced King, says to the Four-faced King,

“Will you fight with us, or take the marriage that was first spoken of ?”

After that, the Four-faced King began to fight with the Turtle King. Having fought for seven days, the Four-faced King having been defeated, and the city people also being killed, the Turtle King got the sovereignty of the city.

Having spared only the son of the Four-faced King, Prince Kimbiya, to that Prince he gave Gal-Ibbi, the daughter of the Turtle King. Beginning from that time, the Turtle King exercised the sovereignty over both cities.

Having summoned Gal-Ibbi [in marriage] seven Princes were begotten by Prince Kimbiya. The seven persons after they became big and great ascertaining that they were born from the womb of the tortoise, the mother of each of them, through shame ripping open (lit., splitting) each other, the whole seven died.

North-western Province.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibba is a fresh-water turtle; Ibbawa would be Turtle City.