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The Pearl of Asia.
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whole body was covered with tumors, on which account he was called Nai Saan Pom, or the man of a hundred thousand tumors. This man had a small garden on the river's bank a day's journey south of the city in which he cultivated egg-plant, pepper and other vegetables as a means of subsistence. One of these egg-plants, standing near his house, was watered daily from his own person, it therefore bore fruit of extraordinary size and beauty. The king's daughter, at that time desiring some egg-plant, sent her maids to buy some. Attracted by the beauty of these large ones offered for sale by Nai Saan Pom, she purchased them. She carried them to her mistress, who partook of them, and was consequently found to be pregnant. When her father became aware of it, he made inquiry, but could not learn that she had in anyway violated her chastity. At the end of ten months she brought forth a son perfect in all parts and distinguished for his great beauty. All the royal family aided in nonrishing the child till it was three years old. Its royal grandfather then thought that he would then endeavor to discover by divination its father. He made a proclamation commanding all the males of the city to assemble in the grounds of the royal palace, each person being required to bring with him some article of food. He then commanded the nurse to bring the child forth, with a prayer that if his father were present the child might be guided to him and eat whatever he had in his hand. Passing by the inviting portion in the hands of the rich and the great, he made his way straight to Nai Saan Pom who had only a lump of cold rice. Embracing him round his neck, he took this and ate it, to the great astonishment and indignation of all present. A feeling of shame