Both the princesses were confident that their father would help Happy Hunter.
The younger princess left Princess Tayotama with Happy Hunter and went back quickly to the palace.
There the younger princess told the king about the visit of Happy Hunter.
Ryn Jin was thrilled on hearing this because this was the first time in several hundred years that the Sea King's palace had been visited by mortals.
After ceremoniously welcoming Happy Hunter into the palace who had come with the elder Princess Tayotama and organizing a feast, the Sea King finally asked Happy Hunter the reason for his visit.
“As I have told your daughters, King Ryn Jin, I have come here to take my brother's fishing hook which I lost the other day. I think that the hook may be lost in the sea. That is the reason I came here.”
The Sea King happily nodded his head and he issued his command and had all the marine animals come and meet him. The octopus, the cuttlefish and the other varieties of fish all came before their king.
When the Sea King announced about the missing fishing hook, they were all surprised they looked at each other and did not know what to say.
At last the cuttlefish came forward with an idea. “None of us have taken it but it is entirely possible that the red bream could have stolen the hook.”
The Sea King was surprised. “Why do you say that?”
“Since yesterday the red beam has not been able to eat anything. He seems to be suffering from a bad throat. It could be that the hook is in his throat.”
The other fish nodded at cuttlefish’s logic.
“Yes, that is entirely possible.” That was when the Sea King noticed that the red bream had not come to the gathering of all the fishes.
When Red Bream was summoned, he came to the palace and he looked frightened and very sick. He also seemed in pain.
The Sea King looked surprised. “Why did you not come to my summons? Are you ill?”
The red bream nodded. “I have been ill since yesterday, your majesty.”
Then Ryn Jin was convinced that red bream had stolen the hook.
That was when, red bream cried out. “I heedlessly snapped at bait which I saw in the water. I had no intention of stealing anything. The hook is still stuck in my throat. I cannot eat properly since then. Please pardon me.”
Finally, with the permission of the Sea King, the cuttlefish opened red bream's mouth as wide as possible and put one of his feelers down the red bream’s throat and brought out the hook.
The Sea King then returned the hook to Happy Hunter.
Happy hunter was overjoyed on getting back his hook.
After that he asked the king to forgive red bream for the entire mistake. Happy Hunter blamed himself for the entire mistake and so he asked the king not to punish red bream.
The king easily forgave the red bream.
Adapted from Japanese Folk Stories
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