build a fire and cook ourselves a meal, and if the serpent-gods spoke the truth, we shall then be rich for the rest of our lives."
With their knives they cut off the heads of their dreaded enemies and, having built a fire of twigs, they cooked them well and then ate them. Schalu ate the golden head and declared it delicious, while Saran said that he had never tasted anything quite so good as the emerald-green head.
"Let us see," said the Prince, when they had finished, "how well the charm works. I wish that my mouth would pour forth gold!" Scarcely had he finished speaking before a rain of bright gold coins fell from his lips, and the boys gathered them up in big handfuls and stowed them away in their pockets.
"Now let me try!" said Saran. "I wish that my mouth would pour forth emeralds!" Immediately emeralds pattered to the ground in great profusion.
"What fun!" said Saran, gathering them up. "Now let us hasten back to the
