Part 15

After the Gamarala went away, he lowered out of the corn-store one and a half amunas of paddy, and having taken them placed them in the rice field; and having come back, and gone [again] taking the yoke of cattle and the plough, and driven two or three furrows for the whole length of the field, and sown over the field the amuna and a half, and tied the cattle at a tree [in the jungle], and cut the fence that was round the field, and come home, and also cut the fence of the garden, and heated a pot of water, also, until it was thoroughly boiling, while he was placing it [ready] the Gamarala came, at the time when the ground is being stricken dark.

Having come, he asked, "Did you do all these services?" That son-in-law said, "Yes."

After he said it, he asked, "Did you warm water for me to bathe?"

At that time he said, "Father-in-law, I heated the water, and the chill has been taken off. Come to bathe." He brought that pot of boiling water, and called him.

Then the Gamarala said, "I can bathe [myself]. You go."

Thereupon he says, "When do you bathe (that is, pour water over yourself) by your own hand? Please bathe by my hand."

Having said, "It is good," the father-in-law tying on the bathing cloth (ambuda baendaganda), told him to bathe him.

Thereupon the son-in-law poured on his back, from the pot, that water which was boiling. Then the Gamarala, as it was burning his back, cried, "What, son-in-law, did you do here?"

Then the son-in-law says, "Don't shout in that way, father-in-law; that indeed is a piece of the New Speech."

Because his back had been scalded, the hot water having been thrown on it, the relatives were dismissed from his mind. The Gamarala's back was scalded to the extent that he was unable to rise for two or three days.

After two or three days had gone by, when he looked at the fence of the garden, the fence had been cut. Thereupon the Gamarala asked at the hand of the son-in-law, "Son-in-law, who cut the fence of the garden?"

Then he says, "Father-in-law, that indeed is a part of the New Speech," he said. At that time, also, the Gamarala was angry.

[After] looking at it, he went to the rice field, and when he looked, the fence of the rice field also had been cut, and paddy had been sown in the [unploughed] rice field. When he asked also at the hand of the son-in-law, "What is [the meaning of] that?" "A part of the New Speech, indeed, is that," he said. The Gamarala at that also became angry.

Afterwards he asked the son-in-law thus, "Where is even my yoke of cattle?"

Thereupon the son-in-law said, "They are tied in the chena jungle." He was angry also concerning that [the cattle being then dead or nearly so].

For many a day afterwards he remained without talking with the son-in-law. During the time while he is thus, that daughter who had been given [in marriage] to an out-village, sent word that [her] father and brother-in-law, both of them, must come.

Next day that father-in-law having cooked cakes, tied them in a bag, and having cooked a bundle of rice, tied that also in a bag, in order to go to the place where the Gamarala's elder daughter was given in marriage. Then he called the son-in-law, saying, "Let us go."

The son-in-law, taking the cake bag, asked, "Father-in-law, what sort is this?"

The father-in-law replied, [jokingly,] "There are cobras in it."

Then the son-in-law, taking the bag of cooked rice, asked, "Father-in-law, what sort is this?"

The father-in-law said, "That is for the road."

Afterwards the son-in-law, taking the cake bag, went in front; the father-in-law taking the bundle of cooked rice, went behind. The father-in-law was unable to go quickly.

The son-in-law while going on and on ate those cakes. At the place where the cakes were finished he broke open the mouth of the bag, and setting it on an ant-hill stopped there looking at it.

Then the father-in-law having come up, asked, "What, son-in-law, is that?"

The son-in-law said, "I don't know, father-in-law. As you said those were cobras I placed it on the ant-hill for them to creep out."

Afterwards taking the rice bag, also, that was in the hand of the father-in-law, he again went a long way in front, opened the rice bag, and ate the cooked rice, and having thrown away the bag, stopped there, sitting down.

The Gamarala having come up, said, "Let us eat the bundle of cooked rice. Where, son-in-law, is the rice bag?"

Then the son-in-law said, "I don't know, father-in-law. As you said that was for the road, I put it on the road and came away."

They were near a [road-side] shop. At that time, having given the son-in-law a panama, [142] the Gamarala said, "Go to that shop and bring plantains."

Then having gone to the shop, taking sixteen plantains for the panama he thought thus:--"Should I take these sixteen plantains near father-in-law, I shall receive eight plantains [as my share]. Because of that, I must eat the eight plantains here and go." Thereupon he ate eight plantains.

Having eaten them, he thinks again, "Should I take these eight plantains father-in-law will not eat them without having given me four plantains. Because of it, I must eat the four plantains in this very place." So he ate the four plantains.

Having eaten them, still he thinks, "Should I go taking these four, father-in-law will never eat without giving me two. Because of it, after eating the two in this very place I must go." So from the four he ate two.

Having eaten these, still he thinks, "Should I take these two near father-in-law [143], he will never eat without giving me one. Because of it, I must go after eating one in this very place." So from the two he ate one.

Having eaten it, still he thinks, "Should I take this near father-in-law [143] he will never eat without giving me a piece. Because of it, I must go after eating the piece here." So breaking the plantain in two he ate a piece.

Having eaten it, he brought the remaining piece, and gave it to his father-in-law. Thereupon the Gamarala asks, "Is there [only] so much plantain, son-in-law?" he asked.

Then the son-in-law said thus, "Father-in-law, I ate my portion; your portion is that much," he said.

The village at which was the father-in-law's daughter, was very near. Afterwards the son-in-law said, "Father-in-law, isn't there scarcity of food now everywhere in the country? On that account it is wrong for us both to go there at the same time. You come behind; I will go in front."

Having gone to the place where the daughter was, he said, "Father-in-law is coming there. It is bad for him to eat anything; he has eaten a medicine. On account of the medicine he is only eating [paddy] dust porridge; it is bad to eat anything else. On that account cook quickly a little porridge from paddy dust, and place it [ready] for him," he said.

After that, having amply cooked rice and curry for the son-in-law, she gave him to eat; and for the daughter's father, taking some of the paddy dust that was in the store-room, she cooked porridge. While she was looking for him the Gamarala came; afterwards she gave him the porridge.

The man, thinking, "Ane! Our daughter must be without anything to eat," having eaten a very little of the porridge went to sleep.

In the night that daughter's girl was crying. Saying, "I want to go and sleep near grandfather," she went to the place where the man was. Having gone there the girl was crying in the same way.

Then the son-in-law, hearing her, asked at the man's hand, "What, father-in-law, is that girl crying for?"

The father-in-law, being very sleepy, said, "I don't know, son-in-law; we must split her belly, [144] maybe."

Afterwards the son-in-law, having got up, came to the place where the girl was, taking a knife, and split the girl's belly.

Next day, having buried the girl, the father-in-law and the son-in-law came to their village.

After they went, the son-in-law, having become desirous to eat cakes, told [his wife] to cook cakes. Thereupon the Gamarala's wife said there was no palm sugar. On account of it, the son-in-law, having become hostile, was minded to go once again to the village at which the Gamarala's elder daughter was given [in marriage].

Having gone there, he said to the Gamarala's daughter, "Ane! Mother-in-law having died, I came here to tell you of the pinkama. [145] The pinkama is on the day after to-morrow. Because of it, cooking a few cakes and the like, come," he said. Thereupon the Gamarala's daughter wept.

Then this son-in-law says, "What are you crying for? As for the name 'crying,' we also cried. Through crying you will not meet with her. Because of it, plucking and setting to ripen a spike of plantains and the like, and cooking a few cakes, come on the day after to-morrow." Having said this he came back.

Having come there, he said to the Gamarala and the whole of the other persons who were listening, "Father-in-law, your daughter having died, the pinkama is on the day after to-morrow. Because of it, they said to the whole of you that you are to go [after] plucking and setting to ripen spikes of plantains, and cooking cakes."

Afterwards the Gamarala, the Gamarala's wife, the son-in-law, the son-in-law's wife, all having wept and wept, cooked cakes and milk-rice; and taking ripe plantains, and tying pingo (carrying-stick) loads of cakes and spikes of plantains, the two parties went until the time when they came face to face.

When they are coming in contact the Gamarala's wife goes weeping, "Ane! Daughter, he said you died."

Thereupon the daughter comes weeping, "Ane! Mother, it is for your pinkama we came here."

While both parties, having made lamentation in this manner, are weeping, the son-in-law who knows the Gamarala's New Speech, said, "To-day also you cannot cook cakes! Eat ye," and began to eat the cakes.

After that, their troubles being allayed, when they asked from this one, "What is this you said?" he said, "This indeed, father-in-law, is a little of the New Speech. For the purpose of your getting to know it I did it."

After that all were consoled.

North-western Province.

In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 131, Mr. W. Goonetilleke gives the incident of the plantain eating as part of a tale called "The Story of Hokka." The hero of it was a servant of the Gamarala's. He bought sixteen plantains, and ate his half share, on his way back repeating the process until only one was left, which he offered to the Gamarala. His master complained of his stupidity in getting only one plantain for the money. Hokka replied that he received sixteen, but had eaten the rest. "How did you [dare to] eat them, you dog?" asked the Gamarala. Hokka held up the plantain, peeled it, and put it in his mouth, saying, "This is the way I ate the plantains, your honour."

In Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 92, a foolish man who was taking money to the local treasury, put it in some flour which he handed to a baker's wife to be made into cakes. In the morning, when he remembered and asked for it, she refused to return it unless he told her two stories this way and two that way, and as he could think of none he went off without it. When his clever brother heard of it, he put some brass finger-rings into flour, handed it to the same woman, and in reply to her remarks stated that there were many rings at the bush where he picked these. When she went to pick some, thinking them gold, the man told her husband that she had followed a man who beckoned to her, the husband took a bamboo and gave her a sound beating. The clever brother, learning that the baker's daughter was betrothed to a lad at another village, told a person whom he met to inform the boy's parents that the girl had died from snake-bite; he himself told the girl's mother that wolves had attacked and killed the lad. The two mothers met on the way, quarrelled and fought, and became reconciled on finding the reports false. The brother told the baker's wife that he had now told her two stories this way, and she was glad to give him his brother's money before he told her two that way.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. i, p. 289, a barber whose wife was visited by a King pretended to be sick, and informed the King that his wife was a witch who extracted and sucked his entrails while he slept, and then replaced them. When the barber went home he told his wife that his razor had broken on some abnormal and very sharp teeth of the King's. When the King came, and the barber's wife stretched out her hand to find the teeth, the King cried, "A witch! A witch!" and escaped.

In the Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed., vol. i, p. 355) a negro slave related how when his master sent him home for some article, he informed his wife and daughters that his master had been killed by the fall of an old wall. They rent their robes, overturned the furniture, and broke the windows and crockery, the slave assisting them. Then, led by him, they and the neighbours went lamenting to bring the body home. The Governor also took labourers with spades and baskets. The slave got ahead, told the master that his house had fallen and killed his wife, daughters, and everything else. While his master and his friends were lamenting and tearing their robes the procession of mourners arrived and the hoax was discovered. The Governor made the slave "eat stick" till he fainted.

In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 211, a man who was sent by his master to buy mangoes, only sweet and fine ones, tasted each one to ascertain if it was of the requisite quality.

NO. 115

THE MASTER AND SERVANT

While a certain Master and Servant were going on a journey, they having become hungry the Master said, "Ada! Bring plantain flowers," [146] and gave money to the Servant.

The Servant having brought plantain flowers, for the purpose of eating them they sat down at a place. The Master spoke to the Servant, "Ada! Don't throw away their rinds (potu); having given money also [for them] what are you throwing them away for?" he said.

"If so, you must eat them," the Servant said.

Thereupon, while the Master first was eating the peel (leli) of the plantain fruits, his stomach having filled he became unable to eat the core [of the peeled fruit].

After that, the Servant ate the small quantity of the core.

Uva Province.

NO. 116

HOW THE SON-IN-LAW CUT THE CHENA

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. There is a daughter of those two persons. Having brought a man to the house for the girl, he stayed there.

One day the father-in-law said to the son-in-law, "[After] asking for a Naekata (a lucky hour, depending on the positions of the planets), and returning, prepare to cut a little jungle [for making a chena]."

After that, the son-in-law went near the Naekatrala (astrologer) and asked for a naekata. Then the Naekatrala said, "The naekata will be on Thursday" (Burahaspotinda, sic).

Afterwards the son-in-law, saying, "Burahas, burahas," comes away. The path on which to come is along the [front of the] Gamarala's house; except that, there is no other path. When he is coming away along the [front of the] Gamarala's house, the Gamarala's dog comes growling (burana) in front of him. Well then, the son-in-law forgets the naekata.

Well then, having gone back again near the Naekatrala, he said, "Ane! Naekatrala, not having remembered the day I have come here again." Then the Naekatrala says, "Why do you forget; didn't I say Thursday?"

When the son-in-law, again saying and saying, "Burahas, burahas," is coming away along the [front of the] Gamarala's house, the dog comes growling. Well then, again this man forgets the naekat day.

Again having gone near the Naekatrala, he asks him. Thus, in that manner, that day until it becomes night he walks there and here.

Afterwards the Naekatrala said, "What has happened to you that you are forgetting in that way?"

Then this son-in-law says, "What is it, Naekatrala? Isn't it because of the Gamarala's dog? What else?"

Then the Naekatrala said, "Why do you become unable [to remember] because of the dog?"

This son-in-law replies, "When I am going from here saying and saying, 'Burahas, burahas,' along the [front of the] Gamarala's house, that dog comes in front of me growling. Well then, I forget it."

The Naekatrala having given into the man's hand a cudgel, said, "Should the dog come, beat it with this;" and saying, "The day is Thursday," sent him away.

After that, the man came home in the manner the Naekatrala said. That day was Wednesday; the next day, indeed, was the naekata. On that day he said to the man's wife, "To-morrow, indeed, is the naekata, Thursday. Early in the morning you must make ready a bundle of cooked rice."

On the following day the woman cooked a bundle of rice and gave him it. The man, having taken the bundle of cooked rice and hung it on a tree, clearing at the tree only [sufficient] for the man to lie down, slept there until the time when it becomes noon. At noon, bathing in water and returning, he ate the bundle of cooked rice; and having been sleeping there again until the time when it becomes night, he came home in the evening. Thus, in that way, until the time comes for setting fire to the jungle, he ate the bundles of cooked rice.

Then when men told the son-in-law they were going to set fire to the jungle [at their chenas] he said, "Father-in-law, I must set fire to my jungle. I cannot quite alone. If you go too it will be good."

Afterwards the father-in-law said, "Ha, if so, let us go," and taking a blind (smouldering) torch, and taking also a bundle of [unlit] torches, the father-in-law quite loaded, the son-in-law empty-handed in front, they go on and on, without end.

The father-in-law said, "Where, son-in-law, are we going still?"

The son-in-law says, "Still a little further. Come along." Having said this, and gone near the tree where he ate the rice, a buffalo was asleep in the place which he had cleared and had been sleeping at. The son-in-law, cutting a stick, came and struck the buffalo, and drove it away, saying, "What did you come to sleep in my chena for?"

Then the father-in-law asked, "Where, son-in-law, is the chena?"

The son-in-law says, "Ando! Father-in-law, this Candala [147] buffalo was sleeping in one part that I had cut. The others men stole and went off with, maybe."

After that, the father-in-law, having become angry, came home.

North-western Province.

NO. 117

A GIRL AND A STEP-MOTHER

At a certain time, at a village there was a certain Gamarala. There was a daughter of the Gamarala's. The daughter's mother died. After she died, for the Gamarala they brought another [woman in] marriage. Of the previous diga (marriage) of that woman there is a girl. The woman and the girl are not good to the Gamarala's daughter.

At the time when the Gamarala is not [there], she tells the two girls to clean cotton. She told that step-mother's daughter to remain at the corner of the house, and clean the cotton. She told the daughter of the Gamarala's previous marriage to clean cotton in the lower part of the garden, under the lime tree. Having told her to clean it, the step-mother says, "Should a roll of cotton go away through the wind I will split thy head," she said.

When with fear on account of it, the [Gamarala's] girl is cleaning the cotton, a great wind having struck her, all the small quantity of cotton went away owing to the wind. The step-mother saw that the cotton is going. Having seen it, she went and said to the girl, "Why did'st thou send away the cotton in the wind? Thou canst not remain here. Thou having gone near the female Bear, [after] begging for the golden spindle (ran idda), the golden bow for cleaning cotton (ran rodda), the golden spindle (ran wawnna), the golden spinning-wheel (ran yantare), feed the seven mouths of the Seven-mouthed Prince and get a living. Unless [thou dost] that, thou canst not obtain a living here." Having said [this], she beat her.

The girl, hearing the word which her step-mother said, went near the female Bear, and asking for [and obtaining] the female Bear's golden spindle, golden cotton-bow, golden spindle, golden spinning-wheel, went to the place where the Seven-mouthed Prince is. The Seven-mouthed Prince is a human-flesh-eating man; there are seven mouths for that man.

At the time when the girl was arriving there, the Seven-mouthed Prince had not come back since he went [148] to eat human flesh. This girl having hastened, having cooked seven quarts of rice and seven curries, and covered those things and placed [them ready], remained hidden when the Seven-mouthed Prince was coming.

The Seven-mouthed Prince having come, when he looked some rice and curry had been cooked. The Seven-mouthed Prince asks, "Who has cooked these?" The girl does not speak about it. After that, the Seven-mouthed Prince having prepared himself, ate the whole of the cooked rice and curry. Having eaten, and having been sleeping, on the following day, in the morning, he went for human-flesh food.

Having waited until the time when he goes, the girl that day having cooked six quarts of rice, and having cooked six curries, cleaned and swept the house, and that day also got hid. That day also, having come, he asked in that manner [who had done it]. That day, also, she did not speak. That day he obliterated one mouth.

In this order, until the time when it became one quart, she cooked and gave him to eat. Out of the seven mouths he obliterated six; one remained over. On that day, having cooked in the day a half [quart] of rice, and cooked two curries, and having warmed and placed water for the Seven-mouthed Prince to bathe, and taken another sort of cloth [for him], she placed those things [ready] for him. Having expressed oil, she placed it [ready for him]. That day the Seven-mouthed Prince having come, says, "Come down, person who is assisting me." Having said it, he called her. After that, the girl came. After she came, he asked, "What is the reason of your assisting me in this way?"

Then the girl tells him. The girl says, "I have no mother; father has brought a step-mother. That step-mother having beaten me said, 'Thou canst not be here and obtain a living. Thou having gone near the female Bear, [after] begging for the female Bear's golden spindle, golden cotton bow, golden spinning-wheel, golden spindle, go near the Seven-mouthed Prince, and feeding the seven mouths obtain a living. Except that, thou canst not get a living here,' she said. Owing to that I came," she said.

Afterwards he became much pleased about it. Having become pleased he told her to stay [as his wife]. Afterwards having called the Prince, and caused him to bathe in warm water, and caused him to put on good cloths, and rubbed oil [on his hair], and combed his head, that day the two sitting down ate cooked rice.

From that time, the party became rich there to a good degree. The girl's father, and step-mother, and step-mother's girl, having gone to the place where she is, obtained a subsistence from there.

North-western Province.

Messrs. H. B. Andris and Co., of Kandy, have been good enough to inform me that the wawnna is a kind of spindle or yarn-holder, two and a half feet long, on which the thread is wound after spinning. It is narrow in the middle part and wider at each end. The rodda is eighteen inches long.

NO. 118

THE WICKED ELDER BROTHER

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. There is a younger sister of the man. The elder brother's wife is very dear to the younger sister; the younger sister is a very good girl.

One day the elder brother said at the hand of the woman, "It is in my mind to call my younger sister [to be my wife]."

The woman says, "Well, what is it to me, if it be good to you?"