The Colas c11.56

c11.56

'If you ask us 'who is your king?' Our king is he who
To the labourers gives strong palm-wine strained and
[mellow,
And with the fat of turtle satiates their desire,
And fills their mouths with lampreys' rich roast flesh.
They leave short toil for feast; the feast prolong!
In that good fertile land the minstrels with their kin
Find our king the foe of want and hunger's pangs.
He is the lord of Kōḻi, the mighty Cōḻa king.
He loves converse with Potti, whose friendship knows
[no flaw.⁷¹
All the day long he laughs with heart right glad!