the snake said, "open your mouth wide, and i'll go down and see what it is." the snake went down: when he returned he said, "you have a rakshas in your stomach, but if you will let me cut you open, it will come out of you." "if you do that, i shall die," said the rohu. "oh, no," said the snake, "you will not, for i will give you a medicine that will make you quite well again." so the fish agreed, and the snake got a knife and cut him open, and out jumped laili.