riddles, or even in constructing compliments."

One other Oriental variant of this story may be cited because of its
similarity to two of our tales (cf. our episodes C and C2). This is
an Anamese version, printed in the "Chrestomathie cochin-chinoise"
(Paris, 1872), 1 : 30:--

There was once a man who, being qualified for nothing, and not
knowing how to earn a living, made up his mind one day to become
a diviner. As luck had many times served him, the public came to
believe in his oracles.... He amassed a good round sum, and day
by day his success made him more bold and boastful. Once a golden
tortoise disappeared from the palace of the king. As all searches for
it resulted in nothing, some one mentioned the diviner to the king,
and begged permission to summon him. The king ordered his litter
prepared, the escort and the umbrellas of honor, and sent to have
the conjurer fetched. When the conjurer learned what was the matter,
he was very much disturbed, but he could not resist the commands
of the king. Accordingly he dressed himself, entered the litter,
and set out. Along the road the poor diviner continually bemoaned
his fate. Finally he cried out, "What is the use of groaning? The
stomach (bung) has caused it all; the belly (da) will suffer for it"
(an Anamese proverb). Now, it happened that the two litter-bearers
were named Bung and Da, and it was they who had stolen the king's gold
tortoise. When they heard the exclamation of the diviner, they believed
that they had been discovered. They begged him to have pity on them;
they confessed that they had stolen the tortoise and had hidden it
in the gutter. "Very well," said the diviner, "I will spare you; I
will say nothing; reassure yourselves." When he reached the palace,
he went through some magical performances, found the tortoise, and