Expert - Watawlawathu

1. The sculptor's daughter

On the banks of the Gower River there was a region called Patitthana. In that region reigned a great king named Travikkamasena, whose power rivaled that of King Indra. Every day, while the king was holding a banquet in the assembly hall, a certain ascetic named Khandishila came to the king and offered him a piece of fruit. The king, after receiving the fruit given by the ascetic every day, would immediately hand it over to the treasurer who was sitting in the inner chamber.

Thus, ten years passed by in two stages. However, one day, when Zawgyi left the conference hall after presenting the fruit to the king, the king gave the fruit that Zawgyi had given to a monkey that had escaped from the king's hand and had come to the place. When the monkey bit the fruit, the fruit broke open, and from the fruit came out a very bright and precious gem.

When the king saw the jewel, he asked the treasurer, “Where have you kept the fruits that Zawgyi gave you?” When the treasurer heard the king’s words, he was terrified and said, “Your Majesty, I threw those fruits into the treasury from outside without opening the door. If you have any orders, I will open the door and look at the fruits.”

When the treasurer made this request, the king gave the treasurer permission to go and see the fruits. The treasurer left and returned shortly after. He reported this to the king.

“Your Majesty, I saw those fruits rotting and drying in the treasury. Furthermore, I saw a large collection of dazzling jewels in the treasury.”

The king was overjoyed when he heard this. He gave the jewels to the treasurer. The next day, when Zawgyi arrived as usual, the king asked Zawgyi:

“Wizardhor Zawgyi, why do you keep coming to me every day, spending so much on treasures? Until you tell me about it today, I will not accept your fruit.”

When the king said this, Zawgyi said this to the king privately:

"I have a prescription to prescribe. I need the help of a brave man for that matter. O brave king, I beg you to help me with that matter."

When the king heard this, he nodded his head and promised to do as Zawgyi had said. Then Zawgyi was satisfied and continued to tell the king:

"Your Majesty, if that is the case, I will wait for you under the shade of a banyan tree outside the cemetery at about the first hour of the night on the day of the moon's passing. Please come to that place."

“Okay, I will continue to come.”

When Khanti Thila Zawgyi heard the king's promise, he returned to his place with satisfaction.

Then, as soon as the moon waned, the brave king remembered the promise he had made to Zawgyi. So, as soon as night fell, he wrapped his head in a black cloth, held a sword in his hand, and went out fearlessly to the cemetery. But all around him was a thick, dark night.

It was pitch black with a frightening cover. The condition of the cemetery was made worse by the ghostly flames rising from the cremation pyres.

It looks scary and scary. In addition, the bones, ribs, and skulls of the dead people in the cemetery are scattered all over the place. The terrible ghosts and monsters in the cemetery are also haunting and frightening. The loud barking of dogs is bringing the cemetery to life.

After the king had searched the cemetery, he found Zawgyi circling around under a large banyan tree. So he approached Zawgyi and asked, “O Zawgyi, I have arrived. What can I do for you, Zawgyi?”

When Zawgyi heard these words, he looked at the king and happily said this:

"Your Majesty, if you are willing to help me, go straight north from here alone. You will find a palm tree. In that palm tree is a corpse."

You will find a body hanging from a tree. Take the body and return it to me. I want you to help me in this way.”

The brave king, who respected his oath, immediately said, “I will do it,” and set off north. He walked north along the path dimly visible by the flames of the cremation of the dead. After traveling a short distance, he reached the palm tree with difficulty in the darkness. The palm tree had been burned by the smoke of the cremation of the dead, and was like a ghost, withered and withered. The flesh of the dead also smelled of life. The king saw the dead body hanging from the trunk of the tree, as if it were carried on the shoulders of a green ghost. So he climbed the tree and cut the rope that was tied to the dead body. When the dead body fell to the ground, it cried out in pain, “Oh, my mother!”

Then the king, thinking that he was still alive, came down from the tree and stroked the dead man with compassion. At that moment, the dead man laughed loudly, saying, “Ha.. ha!” like a ghost. When the king realized that the dead man was already riding the dead man, he said without hesitation, “Why are you laughing? Let us go.” At that moment, the king saw that the dead man riding the dead man had disappeared from the ground and was hanging on the tree again. Then the king climbed up the tree again and took the dead man down. Because the hearts of heroes are like diamonds.

It was a jewel that was harder to carve than stone. Then King Trivikamasane placed the dead man on his shoulder and left without saying a word with the dead man. As he left, the dead man on his shoulder said to the king:

"Oh... King, I will tell you a story so that you will not be bored on the road. Listen," he said as an introduction.

There was a city called Varanasi, the abode of Shiva. That city was inhabited only by the great and the noble, and was like the mountain of Kailash. The river Ganges, which was always full of water, flowed near that city, resembling a necklace of jewels hanging from its neck. In that city, long ago, there lived a king named Vatapamakuta. That king, like a forest fire, destroyed the forest.