Thai Rubbing from the West Wall of the Temple of Wat Po, Bangkok; Dasakantha's Daughter, the Mermaid Suvaranamaccha, Has Fishes Take Hanuman's Rocks Away into the Sea
Sukreep and Hanuman at the sea
(Wat Pho in Bangkok)
Hanuman gets to work on the causeway without further delay. For two days all goes well, and the road to Longka grows out into the strait. Under Sukreep's direction, and with Hanuman's superhuman example to spur them on, the lesser monkeys redouble their efforts, and it seems certain that the construction will be finished before the end of the appointed time. On the third day, however, a curious thing happens. All progress stops. The monkeys continue to hurl their rocks into the water, but not one inch further forward does the causeway advance. It is as if the materials are being hurled into a bottomless gulf. Conscious that time is passing, Hanuman works even faster, but even so, by the end of the third day the monkeys have nothing to show for their labor.
Sukreep, perturbed by this state of affairs, takes his nephew to one side. "Hanuman, my boy," he says, "something is wrong here. I suspect our friend Totsagan is up to his tricks. If you value your life, you'll take my advice and dive down there below the green waves and see why our work is being held up."
Hanuman is only too pleased to take his uncle's advice. The laborious business of carting stones is not much in his line, and he thinks a bit of diversion will come in nicely. He grips his sword firmly, and having saluted Sukreep, the Son of the Wind kicks up his heels and dives neatly under the turbulent waves.
