Wall-Ear: "What is your view, sir? Tell me." And Wall-Ear said: "O King, he certainly should not be killed. For if you spare his life, you two may well grow fond of each other, and spend the time pleasantly. There is a saying:
Be quick with mutual defense
In honest give-and-take;
Or perish, like the ant-hill beast
And like the belly-snake."
"How was that?" asked Foe-Crusher. And Wall-Ear told the story of
THE SNAKE IN THE PRINCE'S BELLY
In a certain city dwelt a king whose name was Godlike. He had a son who wasted daily in every limb because of a snake that used his belly as a home instead of an ant-hill. So the prince became dejected and went to another country. In a city of that country he begged alms, spending his time in a great temple.
Now in that city was a king named Gift, who had two daughters in early womanhood. One of these bowed daily at her father's feet with the greeting: "Victory, O King," while the other said: "Your deserts, O King."
At this the king grew angry, and said: "See, counselors. This young lady speaks malevolently. Give her to some foreigner. Let her have her own deserts." To this the counselors agreed, and gave
