Page:Folk-lore of the Telugus.djvu/29



The King of Kalinga had a washerman who used to wash his cloths exceedingly well and bring and give them to Trim daily. One day, the king was exceedingly pleased with the scrupulously clean manner in which the clothes were brought to him and promised the washerman to grant any one prayer he might make. The washerman looked at the king and said that he was most anxious to become the king's minister, and requested the king to bestow the post on him. The king did so, dispensing with the services of his old minister, who had served him for a very long time.

It came to pass that, not long afterwards, a certain other king having heard of the weakness of the washerman minister, raised a huge army and gave battle. His master having heard of what had come to pass, called upon the new minister to muster his forces, to which he replied that as he had already made the