The Colas c12.48

c12.48

bright faced *viraliyar*, I spent many pleasant days. On occasions, he entreated me to eat food prepared from rice; then I ate fine cooked rice which, with unbroken edges and erect like fingers, resembled the buds of the *mullai* (flower), together with curries sweetened with milk, in such quantity that they filled me up to the neck. So I stayed happily with him, and by eating flesh day and night, the edges of my teeth became blunt like the ploughshare (after) ploughing dry land. Getting no time to rest, I began to dislike food; and one day I said: O! prosperous (king)! expert in collecting tribute from your angry foes, let me go hence, back to my old city.'