विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

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clothes brown, converted his dress into that of a devotee,
and went roaming about different countries, in the exercise
of penance and religious duties.
“The princess in the mean time had gone far on her
travels. One hot day, as she was leisurely proceeding along,
she overheard an altercation between two young men.
They were pupils of an ascetic, who, before he died, a short
time previous, had bequeathed three different articles to
them, which were to be equally divided. They could not,
however, come to an amicable settlement as regarded the
partition of the bequest. They were yet disputing when
the princess, still in disguise, happened to ride past them.
They resolved to appeal to her, which was accordingly done.
Nearly in the same breath they unfolded to her the cause
of their dispute. The princess desired to know what were
the three things which had been left to them by their tutor;
upon which they produced a wallet, a bowl or plate, and a
pair of wooden shoes. The princess then asked them to
inform her of the use of these articles. In their simplicity
they told her that the plate, if duly reverenced and entreated,
would yield forthwith an abundance of shoodpukwan,* that
the wallet would produce any amount of gold, and that the
shoes would transport their owner to any part of the world
on his merely expressing the wish. Malattee, on hearing
this explanation, said that she could not pronounce any
judgment unless they agreed to abide by it, and to do as
she would bid them. Being desirous to put an end to their
contention, they at once consented to this, whereupon she
pointed to a tree at a distance, and said, ‘He who returns
first to me after running to that tree and touching it, shall
become the possessor of two of these articles, and the other
shall take the remaining one for his share.’ They agreed
to this, and, placing the three articles in the hands of their
umpire, started away at their utmost speed towards the
tree. When they had placed a good distance between
them and the princess, the latter, availing herself of the

• Pure confectionery.