New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-27
4 FROG md II FORTUNE.
Centuries old Incident Brought
Forscqrd in Lazrsuit IN CeylOn.

4 fortune worth many millions of dollars once
hung on the life of bullfrog. The frog died
five centuries ago and the story might have
died with it. except for a lawsuit which has now
ftirred up the whole island of Ceylon. In one
report of this lawsuit, as published in The
Times" OF Ceylon the sad nature OF the frogs
death is portrayed. and still sadder facts are
also made public which show how the fortune
went the way of the frog.
The claimants TO the fortune assert that they
have an ancestor who was a veritable NimrOd-
on one occasion, they say, King Parakrama
Eahu VI, who ruled Ceylon in the middle
uf the fifteenth century, held great athletic
tournament and invited all the archers to con-
test for prize. OF those who entered this con-
test there were two whose skill seemed to be
equal There was no target which they could
a,t hit. The King was at a loss to decide how
o. bestow the prize. when bullfrog croaked
loud and deep in nearby pond. At the sound
the monarch leaped from his throne and
houted:
There. there! The man who can kill that
D. og shall win the prize"
The two contesting archers looked at the pond,
but saw no frog The willy reptile was lurking
leueath the water.
You must shoot by the sound" said the
King. Your eyes are equally keen. This is
contest of the ears"
The first archer drew his string and at the
next croak he sped his arrow. 1t disappeared be-
meath the water; but few moments later there
came another croak. The arrow had missed.
Then the second archer bent his bow, and with
the second croak still ringing in his ears he
shot at the invisible target. The arrow plunged
into the water, but soon reappeared. floating
upon the surface. transfixed in the body If the
frog. The reptile had croaked its last.
Moved by his admiration for such a marks
man. the King presented him with a tract of
ttty thousand acres. including several villages,
and gave him as title to the estate 'sannas"
or copper plate, which were inscribed the
terms of the gift.
For some reason other, so the present
claimants TO this vast fortune say, the copper
plate was lost, and in order to substantiate their
claim they had two school teachers at Gale
make another. This they showed the court as
IDENTICAL with the "sannas' which King Para
5rama Bahu VI gave to the peerless frog killer
As this whole territory is now crown land
! N. Fernando. who appeared for the crown
took shot at the claimants much rs their dis
unsEished ancestor took shot at the frog. Ac-
cording to his arguments the frog was killed
an rlSht and the land was granted by the King
10 the archer The fortune might have peace
luiiy descended from father TO son in the family
OF the famous frog killer had not one of them
.uIhed traitor and been beheaded for favorng
the British As the result of his untimely end
the land escheated to the crown the ''sarnas'
was taken back and the fortune was lost.
According to dispatches from CeyIon the
Judges who heard the case have not vet rem
oerec their decision. The two school teachers
however, have been sentenced to five years at
hard labor for forgery