Kumāra or Kuman (the section on the children) is the eighth of the 13 sections of Vessantara Jataka. It tells of Brahmin Jūjaka who had arrived at Mount Vamka and stayed overnight near the hermitage of the ascetic Vessantara. At dawn on the next morning, Jūjaka waited until Princess Maddī went away to gather fruits. He then came out and begged Vessantara for Prince Jali and Princess Kanha. When the children realized that the Brahmin was asking for them, they were so scared that they hid themselves under the lotus leaves in the pond. Vessantara called them and made them understand his wishes. Then the ascetic gave them to Jūjaka who bound their hands together and dragged them out of there.
Colophon:
[The writing of this manuscript] was completed at the time of the evening drum.
Nibbāna paccayo hotu metteyya santike anāgate kāle niccaṃ dhuvaṃ dhuvaṃ.
In CS 1273, a ruang khai year, on the eighth waning-moon day of the second [lunar] month, the second day of the week, I, Novice Phimmasan, wrote the manuscript during my stay of assistance [to a senior monk] at Wat Si Bun Rüang in Hariphunchai.
Other notes:
This date corresponds to Tuesday, 14 November 1911 (1273 Karttika 23).