Chapter Knights of the Ermine to Kolao of K by Brewer's Readers Handbook

It belonged in the seventeenth century to Aurungzebe the Great. The shah Jihan sent it to Hortensio Borgio to be cut, but the Venetian lapidary reduced it from 793 5/8 carats to 186, and left it dull and lustre-less. It next passed into the hands of Aurungzebe’s great-grandson, who hid it in his turban. Nadir Shah invited the possessor to a feast, and insisted on changing turbans, “to cement their love,” and thus it fell into Nadir’s hands, who gave it the name of “Koh-i-noor.” It next passed into the hands of Ahmed Shah, founder of the Cabûl dynasty; was extorted from shah Shuja by Runjet Singh, who wore it set in a bracelet. After the murder of Shu Singh, it was deposited in the Lahore treasury, and after the annexation of the Punjaub was presented to queen Victoria in 1849. It has been re-cut, and, though reduced to 106 carats, is supposed to be worth £140,000.

There is another diamond of the same name belonging to the shah of Persia.

Kolao, the wild man of Misamichis. He had a son who died in early youth, and he went to Pat-Koot- Parout to crave his, son’s restoration to life. Pat-Koot-Parout put the soul of the dead body in a leather bag, which he fastened with packthread, and hung round the neck of Kolao, telling him to lay the body in a new hut, put the bag near the mouth, and so let the soul return to it, but on no account to open the bag before everything was ready. Kolao placed the bag in his wife’s hands while he built the hut, strictly enjoining her not to open it; but curiosity led her to open the bag, and out flew the soul to the country of Pat-Koot-Parout again.—Gueulette: Chinese Tales (“Kolao, the Wild Man,” 1723).

Orpheus, having lost his wife Eurydicê by the bite of a serpent, obtained permission of Pluto for her restoration, provided he looked not back till he reached the upper world. He had got to the end of his journey when he turned round to see if Pluto had kept his word. As he turned he just caught sight of Eurydicê, who was instantly caught back again to the infernal regions.

Adam and Eve in Paradise were forbidden to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge; but Eve could not resist. She ate and gave to Adam, who ate of the fruit also, and both were expelled from Paradise.

Pandora entrusted her box to Epimetheusher husband, but enjoined him on no account to open it. Curiosity induced Epimetheus to peep into it, when out flew all the ills that flesh is heir to. However, the lid was slammed down before Hope had made his escape.

(Similar tales are extremely numerous.)