SUAN THE GOOD GUESSER
That evening Suan ordered the soldiers to stand
There was once an old woman who had an only son
named Suan. Suan was a clever, sharp-witted boy. His
mother sent him to school. Instead of going to school,
however, Suan climbed up the tree that stood by the
roadside. As soon as his mother had passed by from
the market, Suan hurried home ahead of her. When
she reached home, he cried, Mother, I know what you
bought in the market today. He then told her, article
by article. This same thing happened so repeatedly,
that his mother began to believe in his skill as a
diviner.
One day the ring of the datus daughter disappeared.
All the people in the locality searched for it, but in
vain. The datu called for volunteers to find the lost
ring, and he offered his daughters hand as a prize to
the one who should succeed. Suans mother heard of
the proclamation. So she went to the palace and
presented Suan to the datu. Well, Suan, tomorrow tell
me where the ring is, said the datu. Yes, my lord, I
will tell you, if you will give your soldiers over to me
for tonight, Suan replied. You shall have everything
you need, said the datu.
around him in a semicircle. When all were ready, Suan
pointed at each one of them, and said, The ring is
here, and nowhere else. It so happened that Suan
fixed his eyes on the guilty soldier, who trembled and
became pale. I know who has it, said Suan. Then he
ordered them to retire.
SUAN THE GOOD GUESSER
There was once an old woman who had an only son
named Suan. Suan was a clever, sharp-witted boy. His
mother sent him to school. Instead of going to school,
however, Suan climbed up the tree that stood by the
roadside. As soon as his mother had passed by from
the market, Suan hurried home ahead of her. When
she reached home, he cried, Mother, I know what you
bought in the market today. He then told her, article
by article. This same thing happened so repeatedly,
that his mother began to believe in his skill as a
diviner.
One day the ring of the datus daughter disappeared.
All the people in the locality searched for it, but in
vain. The datu called for volunteers to find the lost
ring, and he offered his daughters hand as a prize to
the one who should succeed. Suans mother heard of
the proclamation. So she went to the palace and
presented Suan to the datu. Well, Suan, tomorrow tell
me where the ring is, said the datu. Yes, my lord, I
will tell you, if you will give your soldiers over to me
for tonight, Suan replied. You shall have everything
you need, said the datu.
That evening Suan ordered the soldiers to stand
around him in a semicircle. When all were ready, Suan
pointed at each one of them, and said, The ring is
here, and nowhere else. It so happened that Suan
fixed his eyes on the guilty soldier, who trembled and
became pale. I know who has it, said Suan. Then he
ordered them to retire.
Late in the night this soldier came to Suan, and said, I will
get the ring you are in search of, and will give it to you if
you will promise me my safety. Give it to me, and you
shall be safe, said Suan.
Very early the next morning Suan came to the palace with
a turkey in his arms. Where is the ring? the datu
demanded. Why, sir, it is in this turkeys intestines, Suan
replied. The turkey was then killed, and the ring was found
inside it. You have done very well, Suan. Now you shall
have my daughters hand, said the datu. So Suan became
the princesss husband.
One day the datu proposed a bet with anyone who wished
to prove Suans skill. Accordingly, another datu came. He
offered to bet seven cascos of treasure that Suan could not
tell the number of seeds that were in his orange. Suan did
not know what to do. At midnight he went secretly to the
cascos. Here he heard their conversation, and from it he
learned the number of seeds in the orange. In the morning
Suan said boastfully, I tell you, your orange has nine
seeds. Thus Suan won the whole treasure. Hoping to
recover his loss, the datu came again.
This time he had with him fourteen cascos full of gold. He
asked Suan to tell him what was inside his golden ball.
Suan did not know what to say. So in the dead of night he
went out to the cascos, but he could learn nothing there.
The next morning Suan was summoned into the presence
of the two datus. He had no idea whatever as to what was
in the ball; so he said scornfully, Nonsense! That is right,
that is right! shouted a man. The ball contains nine
cents. Consequently, Suan won the fourteen cascos full of
gold. From now on, nobody doubted Suans merit.
Late in the night this soldier came to Suan, and said, I will
get the ring you are in search of, and will give it to you if
you will promise me my safety. Give it to me, and you
shall be safe, said Suan.
Very early the next morning Suan came to the palace with
a turkey in his arms. Where is the ring? the datu
demanded. Why, sir, it is in this turkeys intestines, Suan
replied. The turkey was then killed, and the ring was found
inside it. You have done very well, Suan. Now you shall
have my daughters hand, said the datu. So Suan became
the princesss husband.
One day the datu proposed a bet with anyone who wished
to prove Suans skill. Accordingly, another datu came. He
offered to bet seven cascos of treasure that Suan could not
tell the number of seeds that were in his orange. Suan did
not know what to do. At midnight he went secretly to the
cascos. Here he heard their conversation, and from it he
learned the number of seeds in the orange. In the morning
Suan said boastfully, I tell you, your orange has nine
seeds. Thus Suan won the whole treasure. Hoping to
recover his loss, the datu came again.
This time he had with him fourteen cascos full of gold. He
asked Suan to tell him what was inside his golden ball.
Suan did not know what to say. So in the dead of night he
went out to the cascos, but he could learn nothing there.
The next morning Suan was summoned into the presence
of the two datus. He had no idea whatever as to what was
in the ball; so he said scornfully, Nonsense! That is right,
that is right! shouted a man. The ball contains nine
cents. Consequently, Suan won the fourteen cascos full of
gold. From now on, nobody doubted Suans merit.