The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

until she returns as she had a dream of a nightmare last night. Then our mother gave a
hug to both of us in her breasts and full of tears, she instructed you to take care of both
of us. Now why are you giving us away to the Brahmin while our mother is away?”
AmmA ca tAta nikkhantA : “Father, please wait until our mother comes back. Mother is
out in search of fruit and wild roots and has not yet come back. When we have seen our
mother and taken much fruits, then give us aways if you will. Ayam brAhmaBo : Let
this Brahmin sell us or kill us as his will.”
Api ca kho : This Brahmin has eighteen signs of deformations. balanka pAdo :
His feet are huge like the feet of an elephant. Andhanakho : His nails are dirty, his flesh
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hangs slumped down. dIghuttaroTho : His upper lip is long, dirty with spit and he has a
broken nose. kaLAro : His teeth stick out like the teeth of a pig. bhagganA sako : He has
a broken back. bagga piThi : He is pot-bellied, hunch-backed, and visamA cakkhuko :
his eyes are crossed. Loha massu : His beard is red like the bears of a brawn; valInaM :
his skin is wrinkled and freckled; vikato : his legs tremble when walking. bhahAkharo :
He is very tall like a cruel devil; ajinAnica : wearing a skin of a tiger; amanusso : he is
inhuman and horrible. Koci : Is it a man or a ghoul who feeds on flesh and blood, who
has come from the village to the jungle to ask you for us, father? How can you look on
as we are taken off by an ogre?” AsmA nUnA te yadayaM : “Your heart must be as hard
as stone or strongly bound with iron, if you do not care that we have been tied up by a
Brahmin greedy for money, excessive and ferocious, who drives us along like cattle.
Idheva acchataM kaBhA : But let KaBhA remain here anyway as she does not understand
anything. She cries like a fawn who has wandered from the herd and longs for its
mother’s milk.”
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