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King Polajanaka had no son; he had only one daughter, called Sivali Devi who was an intelligent and astute girl. The courtiers asked King Polajanaka, as he was lying on his death bed: “Your Majesty, after your demise, whom shall al of us entrust the throne to?” The King answered: “All of you should entrust the throne to the one who would be able to please Sivali Devi our daughter, or to the one who would be able to tell which side is the head of the Square Throne, or to the one who would be able to string the Bow that requires the strength of a thousand men, or the one who would be able to discover the Sixteen Great Treasures. All the courtiers said: “Your Majesty, pray speak out the riddle of those treasures to all of us.” The King then spoke out the riddles about various things, and of all treasures, thus:

These Sixteen Great Treasures are: the Treasure of the Rising Sun, the Treasure of the Setting Sun. the Treasure Inside, the Treasure Outside, the Treasure which is Neither Inside Nor Outside, the Treasure Going up, the Treasure Going Down, the Treasure at the Four Banyan Trees, the Treasure enclosed by the Circle One League Long, the Great Treasure at the End of the Pair of Tusks, the Treasure at the End of the Tail’s Hair, the Treasure in the Water, the Treasure at the Top of the Tree and the Bow which needs a Thousand Men to String. Which side is the Head of the Square Throne and to please Sivali Rajadevi.