"What a beautiful cowrie-shell!"
"Yes, I am a very handsome shell," replied the cowrie, to the terror and astonishment of the groom.
"Why," said he, "what sort of a shell are you? What can you know about cowries, or anything else?"
"I know a great deal," said the shell. "For instance, I could tell the King something about Prince Baki, which perhaps he would not like to hear."
When the groom heard this he ran straight into the palace and informed the Prime Minister all that the shell had said. The Minister, having told the King of the matter, the King gave orders that the shell should at once be brought into his presence and placed upon a table before him. When this had been done the King addressed the shell, saying:
"What are you, and what do you know about Prince Baki?"
"I can tell you this," replied the shell, "that if you attempt to marry Prince Baki's mother you will find yourself in a very unpleasant position."
On hearing this the King was very much incensed, and he ordered one of his servants to bring in a big hammer to smash the shell to fragments, saying that he would not be browbeaten by a wretched little object like a shell. So one of the servants, bringing up a hammer, struck the shell a violent blow and broke it to pieces. In an instant each piece of the shell turned into an armed man, and Prince Baki himself appeared amongst them in his proper form.
Great confusion now arose amongst the courtiers;
