Collectanea. 2 1 9
" Let him be taken outside the town and killed. He is a bastard." As for the boy (he had for) his friend the son of the Minister.^ When the people of the town had gone to the bush, they cut off (one of) his hands and shewed (it) to the King, and said they had killed him. A female leper came and found the boy lying down, (and said), — "Who is this son of Adam?" She returned home and drew some water and fetched (it), and washed (the stump of) the hand, which had been cut off. Then she licked (it), and it became as before. She sent him in front, and they went home. He grew in knowledge and in strength, and became old enough to have a house of his own. She made a house for him (to live in) himself, and he married the daughter of an Ant. He found some traders, and got them to go to his father. Now it was said to him, — " See he (the son) has married the Ant's daughter." The father sent to him, and said, (it was) not the Ant's daughter but the daughter of the King of the Thicket (whom) he should have married. He began to cry, and cry, until the leper came to him and asked him, and said, — '"What has happened to you?" He said, — " My father says I must marry the daughter of the King of the Thicket." She said, — " Is that all that has happened to make you cry?" She took (some) money,^ and went to the thicket to arrange the marriage. A woman was brought. He sent to his father, and said, — " Lo, he had married the daughter of the King of the Thicket also." Then he (father) said, — " It is not the daughter of the King of the Thicket he should have married, but the daughter of the King of the Water." Then the boy began to cry. So the leper said, — "Son of the house of my master, whatever troubles you? Tell me." He told her. She went into the water, and found the King of the Water, and said, — "I have come to visit you (am your guest). I hear (that) you have some daughters. I want one. I have a son." * He called his daughters together, and said, — "Choose the one who seems best to you." She chose (one). They went home together. She married them. He went and sent to his father, and said he had
^The order of precedence of the officials varies in different towns. See Robinson's dictionary.
^ Marriage is of course by a modified form of purchase.
- By adoption.
