Page:Sagas from the Far East; or, Kalmouk and Mongolian traditionary tales.djvu/95



the Well-and-wise-walking Khan found that he had again missed the end and object of his journey, without hesitation or loss of time he once more betook himself to the cool grove, and summoned the Siddhî-kür to come with him, threatening to hew down the mango-tree.

But as he bore him along, bound in his bag of many colours, in which was place to stow away an hundred, the Siddhî-kür spoke thus, saying, "Tell thou now a tale to beguile the weariness of the way." But the Well-and-wise-walking Khan answered him nothing. Then said the Siddhî-kür again, "If thou wilt not tell a tale, at least give the token that I may know thou willest I should tell one."

So the Khan nodded his head backwards and the Siddhî-kür told this tale, saying,—

Long ages ago there reigned over a flourishing province, a Khan named Kun-snang. He had a son