me] and through fear he caused booths to be erected at the two places where the breaches happened : he summoned the farmers, carnams (clerks) and people from both villages, and [labouring] by day and night he caused grass, earth, and stone to be cast into the breaches, and was thus securing the dyke of the lake. Next day Prasannappa Nayudu came from Kūdēru to Raāçānapallē, and sent word that in four hours he[1] would arrive.
As he was accordingly coming along the bank of the lake he enquired whether Siriappa was well. As he drew near the breaches, Siriappa, losing all courage, fell down on the spot where he stood, struggled, and died.
When Prasannappa N. heard of this, lie laid out some money on his funeral: he himself did not proceed to Anantapuram, but pitched his tent close by, and dwelt there night and day. He caused the two breaches to be closed, and appeased [the gods with offerings] and was then thinking of going into town.
CHAPTER SECOND.
1. Meantime, his lady Siddamma had borne him a son named Ramappa N. and the boy was four years old; when two courtezans named Vasantamma and Laççamma came from Tadimarri to Anantapuram: they subsisted by their usual employ; the people of the village used to go into the (nagari) palace to receive [their dole of] milk and buttermilk, for their children. This (miss) Vasantamma went also into the fort for buttermilk; when Prasannappa Nayudu beholding her face[2] and figure, fell in love with her; he said "whose [child] are you?" She said, "I am a courtezan:" and told him all her story:[3] whereupon he said "Stay here with me." He allotted her a separate dwelling close by the palace: he supplied her with food and clothing; he was unable to be away from this Vasantamma even for a moment; and even when he went in procession[4] to Bucca-
