When the ogre saw him approaching, he caused his own car to turn out of the road and greeted him in a friendly manner, saying: “Where are you going?” The caravan-leader also caused his own car to turn out of the road, allowing room for the carts to pass, and standing aside, said to that ogre: “We, sir, are just approaching from Benāres. But you are approaching decked with water-lilies both blue and white, with lotus-flowers both red and white in your hands, chewing the fibrous stalks of water-lilies, smeared with mud, with drops of water streaming from you. Is it raining along the road by which you came? Are the lakes completely covered with water-lilies both blue and white, and lotus-flowers both red and white?” When the ogre heard his words, he said: “Friend, what’s this you’re saying? Do you see that dark green streak of woods? Beyond that point the entire forest is one mass of water; it rains all the time; the hollows are full of water; in this place and in that are lakes completely covered with lotus-flowers both red and white.” As the carts passed, one after another, he inquired: “Where are you going with these carts?” “To such-and-such a country.” “What are the goods you have in this cart,--and in that?” “Such-and-such.” “The cart that approaches last moves as though it were excessively heavy; what goods have you in that?” “There is water in that.” “In bringing water thus far, of course, you have acted wisely. But beyond this point you have no occasion to carry water. Ahead of you water is abundant. Break the chatties to pieces, throw away the water, travel at ease.” And having so said, he added: “You continue your journey; we have some business that detains us.” The ogre went a little way, and when he was out of their sight, went back again to his own city of ogres. Now that foolish caravan-leader, out of his own foolishness, took the advice of the ogre, broke the chatties to pieces, threw away all of the water, leaving not so much as a dribble, and caused the carts to move forward. Ahead there was not the slightest particle of water. For lack of water to drink the men grew weary. They traveled until sundown, and then unharnessed the carts, drew them up in a contracted circle, and tied the oxen to the wheels. There was neither water for the oxen nor gruel and boiled rice for the men. The weakened men lay down here and there and went to sleep. At midnight the ogres approached from the city of ogres, slew both oxen and men, every one, devoured their flesh, leaving only the bare bones, and having so done, departed. Thus, by reason of a single foolish caravan-leader, they all met destruction. The bones of their hands and all their other bones lay scattered about in the four directions and the four intermediate directions; five hundred carts stood as full as ever.