Part 17

These seven persons spoke, "Should that one's elder brothers come, indeed, we shall be unable to kill her. Before they come let us kill her." Having spoken thus, and having put the sister-in-law and that monkey into a bag and tied it, they hung it at the ridge pole. Having hung it, after the seven persons were pounding paddy the seven strike seven blows with the rice pestles at the bag. At the number they are striking, that monkey, jumping and jumping, scratches that woman who is in the bag. He having scratched her, afterwards blood descends from the bag. Then the seven persons having said, "Now then, it is bad [for her] to be [thus]; having released her let us put her down," having unfastened the bag, put down the sister-in-law at the veranda.

Then the sister-in-law's elder brothers came home. Having come there the eldest brother asked, "Where is our younger sister?"

Then these seven women said, "We don't know. Having gone behind Rodiyas, and her caste having [thus] fallen, there! she is weeping and weeping in the direction of the veranda."

Afterwards the eldest elder brother having gone, "What, younger sister, happened to you?" he asked at the hand of the younger sister.

The younger sister cannot speak, because a sharp piece of potsherd has stuck in her throat. The whole seven elder brothers having gone, spoke [to her]. Because she did not speak, the eldest elder brother said, "Who can cut [and kill] this younger sister?" The whole five other elder brothers said they could not; the young elder brother said, "I indeed can."

Having said it, causing them to cook a bundle of rice, calling the younger sister also, and taking the sword, and taking the bundle of cooked rice, he went [with her] to a forest jungle (himalekata). Having gone there he said to the younger sister, "Younger sister, [for me] to look for lice on your head lie down." Afterwards the younger sister lay down; well then, the elder brother began to smash the lice. Then sleep went to the younger sister.

Afterwards the elder brother having placed the younger sister's head very softly on the ground, and having cut a Rat-snake on the path he was coming on, [after] smearing the blood on the sword he showed the sword to the people who were at home.

Afterwards that younger sister having awoke, when she looked her elder brother was not [there], in the midst of the forest. Well then, weeping and weeping, taking also the bundle of cooked rice, having bounded to a path she began to go.

Having gone thus,--there is a city called "The City the Rakshasa eats"; there is an alms-hall at that city,--having gone, she arrived there. There, having eaten that bundle of cooked rice, and having joined herself to the people who are giving alms, she began to give alms.

The eyes of the whole of these seven elder brothers and seven women became blind. After that, news reached those persons that there is an alms-hall of the city the Rakshasa eats. After that, they very fourteen persons went near the alms-hall.

That sister-in-law also having gone in a diga [marriage], has borne a child also. She having given food to this party, when that sister-in-law and the sister-in-law's child were preparing (lit., making) to sleep, the child said to the sister-in-law, "Mother, for me to hear it tell me a story."

Then the sister-in-law [said], "Son, what do I know? I will tell you the things indeed that happened to me." So the son said, "It is good, tell them."

Afterwards she told him all the matters that occurred to this sister-in-law. Those seven elder brothers having heard the things she says, and having said, "Ane! Our younger sister to-day is relating our grandeur!" as soon as they gave the salutation "Sadhu!" the eyes of the whole seven elder brothers became clear.

The eyes of the seven women did not become clear. The seven elder brothers also stayed at the very city at which is the younger sister. The seven women having been in much hunger they went and died.

Finished.

North-western Province.

NO. 127

THE STORY OF THE OLD MAN [182]

In a certain country an old man ground gunpowder. Having ground it until the time when it became night, he dried it in the sun. In the evening, at the time when he was preparing (lit., making) to put it in the powder-horn, the old gentleman's [183] grandson having come said, "Grandmother, let us burn (pussamu) gunpowder, to look at it."

Then, having scolded the child she said, "Bring a fire-brand." Having brought it, "Grandmother, give me a little powder," he said. After that, she put gunpowder into a potsherd. Having put it in she told him to burn it. When he was placing the fire-brand [to it] the little powder that was in the potsherd all burnt.

Because the old gentleman was near the potsherd the old gentleman's beard and body were burnt. On account of the difficulty of his body he said to his wife, "Warm and give me a little water," he said.

The woman having warmed the water called him to bathe; at that time the old gentleman came there. After that, while the woman for the purpose of cooling the water went to bring cold water, the man, taking a piece of coconut shell, poured [the hot water] over his body. Because there was too much heat in the water his body began to burn.

While he was crying out on his body's burning, a man having come said for that burning, "Cowdung (ela-goma) indeed is good." [184]

Afterwards the man having gone running, bringing excrement deposited by a child called Goma, from the place where they tie the cattle, smeared it on the burning places. The [old] man perceiving the stench, at the time when he said to his wife, "What is this stench? Is this cowdung or what? Look," the woman brought a lamp. When she looked, perceiving that it was ordure, she said, "The things this foolish stubborn fellow is doing to himself!" Spitting, having brought water and bathed him she went with him into the house. Afterwards in many days she made him well.

North-western Province.

NO. 128

THE MAGIC LUTE PLAYER [185]

In a country a Prince [after] constructing a Lute plays [186] it. Throughout the extent through which the sound was heard, not a female elephant nor tusk elephant stays away; it comes to look. In that manner he caused many elephants to be brought [up to him] in the jungles.

A Princess of another city was minded to look at this Prince. Because it was so she said, "I will (would) give five hundred masuran to a person who brought and gave him; having given them I will marry that person."

Yet [another] Prince asked, "I will bring and give him; will you marry me?" When he asked, the Princess says, "Cause him to be brought; I will [then] marry you."

Thereupon this Prince having also taken a great quantity of white cloths, proceeded to that city. Having gone there, and having halted (natara-wela) in a jungle, cutting sticks he constructed a white tusk elephant with [them and] the white cloths; having made it this Prince is under the tusk elephant.

Certain men (minissu wagayak) having seen this white tusk elephant, say to the Prince who having played the Lute causes the tusk elephant to be brought, "O Prince, there is a good white tusk elephant in that forest," they said.

Afterwards this Prince took the Lute and played it as on other days; this tusk elephant did not come. Having said [to himself], "What is [the reason of] it, Bola? To-day this tusk elephant did not come!" and having gone a considerable distance he played it. Then this tusk elephant went a little further off (epitata). The Prince at that time went near and played it; then this elephant went still a little further. In that manner this Prince having placed and placed the Lute at the end (asse) of the tusk elephant's tail, plays it; still also this tusk elephant goes on. In that way these very two went to this Princess's city.

Thereupon this Princess became much pleased, and having given five hundred masuran to this Prince got married to this Prince. The Prince who played the Lute she caused to remain as the Minister.

North-western Province.

Although there appears to be no Indian folk-tale of a musician who could attract the wild animals like the Finnish hero, the notion is found in that country, and one of the reliefs at the Ramaswami temple in Kumbakonam represents various wild animals listening to Krishna's flute playing. Colossal figures of animals are sometimes taken in processions; they are formed on a framework of bamboos or sticks; in one figure of an elephant the spaces in the frame were filled with leafy twigs.

NO. 129

THE LAD WHO SANG SONGS

At a certain time there was a man; the man had a girl and a boy. At the time when they were thus, the man went alone to the sea to catch fish (mas). Having gone, when he was catching fish a very large wave having knocked him into the sea, the man on account of the water (current) drifted away.

At that time the men of the ferry-boat near there were laying nets. This man having gone was entangled (lit., tied) in the nets. Then the ferry-boat men drew out the nets. When they looked a man was entangled in a net. Then, taking the man ashore they laid him on his face, and while they were pressing on his belly with the feet, without the man's life going he breathed. [187] Then without having caused hurt to this man when they were treading on his belly for the water to go, the man became conscious.

Then the men having said, "Of what country are you?" having spread the news around, and given him cooked rice which had been taken for the party to eat, they told him to choose [some] fishes. He having selected them, in the evening they went to the village, taking the man. Having gone [there], as this man who fell into the sea does not know the road to go to his village, doing work for hire for the ferry-boat men and continuing to eat [thus], he stayed [there].

The elder female child and the younger lad whom there were of the man who fell into the sea, went to the Hettiya's shop to bring salt. At the time when they went, the Hettiyas put the girl in the house, and shut the door. Having beaten the boy, they drove him away.

At that time, the King of that city having made ready a very great eating (kaema), sent letters to the Kings of other cities to come for the eating. After that, those Kings all came to the city. In the royal party, the King of the city at which was the man who fell into the sea and went ashore, also came.

Having come, all the party having assembled in that day night, after they ate the food this lad who had lost his father and elder sister had come [there]. Having given food to this lad, while he was [there] the royal party, having eaten and drunk, conversed together regarding the happiness and sorrow in the various cities.

Then this lad who was without father and elder sister, thought of telling the matters which the party omitted, by way of a verse. Having thought of it he says,

Apucci mude waetuna. Father fell into the sea. Akka Hettiya In his quarter the Chetti Padeta damala Elder sister has set; he Dora wahagatta. The door has shut on me. Ayinan! Ayinan! Alas! Alas!

Thereupon, having met with this lad, hearing the words that ought to be known at the city at which they are, they spoke, "Hahak! Hahak! [188] don't speak." Having stopped the talk, they said, "Who is that lad who said the verse? Say that verse again for us to hear."

Then the boy said again,

Father fell into the sea. In his quarter the Chetti Elder sister has set; he The door has shut on me. Alas! Alas!

Then the royal party, calling the boy near, and after that having heard of the matters that occurred, gave food to the lad from the royal house, and made him stay at the royal house.

When he was [there] in that way for a little time, the King of that city having died, because a King was necessary to burn [the corpse] [189] they decorated the tusk elephant, and taking it they walk through the whole city. Then the tusk elephant keeps coming towards the palace itself.

Because of it, men came out on the path on which the tusk elephant is coming. At that time, the tusk elephant having come, kneeling down made obeisance to that lad.

Then those men, having made the lad bathe in sandal water (water perfumed with sandal), and placed him on the tusk elephant's back, went in procession round the city, and having come back they burnt that King, and made a funeral mound [over the ashes].

While exercising the sovereignty over the men of the city, when a little time had gone the King went to that place called the Hettiya quarter, and having beheaded all the Hettiyas, came back calling his elder sister [to accompany him], and gave her in marriage.

There was a daughter of the dead King. After marrying that Princess, in a little time there was a child.

After that, he went to that city in which his father is, and calling his father also, he returned. Having come back, he remained exercising the sovereignty in a good manner.

North-central Province.

NO. 130

THE HUNCHBACK TALE

In a certain city, at one house there was a Hunchback. One day, at the time when this Hunchback went to the rice field, his wife, having cooked rice, called him, saying, "Hunchback! Hunchback!" Thereupon anger having come to him he went home and thrashed his wife; thereupon the woman died.

Having buried the woman, at the grave he planted tampala. [190] When the tampala had become large a cow having approached there ate the tampala with the sound [191] that goes "Kuda caw caw." [192] At that time, also, anger having come to the man he struck and killed the cow.

Having buried the cow, upon the grave he planted a foreign yam plant. [When it had grown], cutting up the foreign yam plant [after digging it up], and having gone and put it in a cooking-pot (haeliya), when he had placed it on the [fire on the] hearth, at the time when it boils [193] with the sound [191] that goes "Kuda goda goda, Kuda goda goda," [194] the man having become angry carried [the pot] also away, and struck it on the stone [and broke it].

After a few days, at the time when he was sleeping, with the sound that goes Kuda run [195] flies alighted on his body. Thereupon he having arisen, with the intention of killing the flies set fire to the house.

After the fire became alight, having seen that it burns with the sound that goes "Kuda busu busu, Kuda busu busu," [196] he, also, sprang into the midst of the fire and was killed.

Uva Province.

The story is a variant of No. 29, vol. i, "The Pied Robin."

NO. 131

THE POOR MAN AND THE JEWELS

At a certain village attached to a seaport there was a poor man. The man tried to borrow twenty thousand pounds from rich men who were in the village. As there was not a thing to take from him [as security] any one was unwilling to give the money.

While he was walking about asking for the money, a certain nobleman [197] having called him, said, "I will give you the money; I shall not take it again from you." Having said thus, he counted the money and gave it to him.

And the man taking it, and having gone near the landing-place and expended two thousand pounds, caused a house to be built, and having expended sixteen thousand pounds caused the house to be filled with cow-dung, chaff, etc.

After that, he set fire to the house, and having collected and put into sacks the whole of the ashes, he gave a thousand pounds, and bringing a ship for hire loaded the sacks into it. Having gone to a country in which cold, etc., proceed from serpents, [198] and heaped up the sacks, and told him to come in three months more, he sent away the shipmaster (naew-potiya).

The man having unfastened the whole of the sacks of ashes, placed [the ashes] thinly [on the ground]. The whole of the serpents having come to the ashes, owing to their having slept there eject jewels.

After three months he again put the ashes into the sacks. And the ship having arrived that day, he loaded the whole of the sacks [in it], and having gone to his own country and heaped up the sacks, and for the remaining cash taking a house for hire, he placed the sacks of ashes [in it], and dwelt there.

One day having washed a little of the ashes from a bag, there was a quantity (rasiyak) of very valuable gems there. Having shown that to the nobleman who gave the money, he told him to take a part from the bags, but he said he did not want them. And the poor man having much importuned him, and given him a portion from the bags, the two persons lived in friendship.

Finished.

Uva Province.

NO. 132

THE LEARNED POOR MAN

In a certain country a poor man, having nothing to eat, went to another country. Having gone there, and gone to a travellers' shed, he remained lying down.

During the time while he was there, still [another] man of the city who was without food and clothing came to the travellers' shed. Then the man who came first asked the man who came afterwards, "Where art thou going?"

The man said, "Being without [food] to eat, I am going to this city to beg something."

Then the man who came first says, "I, indeed, being without [food] to eat have come here. Now then, because we two are men without [food] to eat, I will tell you a device," said the man who came first to the man who came afterwards.

Then the man who came afterwards asked, "What is it?"

The man says, "Thou having gone to the royal palace and made obeisance, say at the hand of the King, 'From the exalted royal palace I ought to receive a salary.' Then the King will ask, 'On what account should I give pay to thee?' Then say thou, 'In this your kingdom, Sir, either for any needed fight, or any needed thing, when I have come into the midst of it I can manage the affair. I can [also] beat the notification tom-toms. Because of that, indeed, I am asking pay.'"

Then the man having gone near the royal palace, asked in that manner. The King asked, "For what shall I give pay to thee?" The man replied in the very way which that man told him.

Then the King having heard the words and being pleased, appointed a salary for that man, and said, "From to-day thou must look after the troubles of this city."

The man having said, "It is good," said at the hand of the King, "I have nothing to eat," asking for the pay also, [and he received a sum in advance].

Having gone near that man who gave him the instructions, and told him this talk which occurred at the royal palace, and given the teacher a half share from that pay which was given, taking the other half share the man went to his village. That man who gave the instructions, not going anywhere else, remained cooking and eating at that very travellers' shed.

Thereafter, for the man who received the pay the King established the name Beri-Nadaya. [199] Well then, when that Beri-Nadaya was coming and going to [and from] the palace, he was providing assistance for that teacher.

At that time, on a road of the city a lion having lain in wait began to kill people. In those days, Beri-Nadaya, having come to his village, stayed [there]. Without telling Beri-Nadaya, because he was a new man, having sent the old accustomed Ministers and other multitudes for killing the lion, [the King] told them to return [after] killing the lion.

Thereupon, the party having been sent to go, after they went, when Beri-Nadaya was going to the royal palace he went to the place where the teacher was staying.

At that time, the news regarding this lion having reached the teacher, he said, "In this manner, a lion which eats men is staying at this city. I have news that men went from the royal palace to kill the lion. Because of it, as soon as you go, 'You must seize the lion,' the King will say. Thereupon, say 'I can,' and asking for a piece of cord, and placing it [coiled] round your neck, go. Then the men will come [after] killing the lion. Then say, 'There! People, the work you have done is good! (sarcastically). Asking for a cord I came from the palace [in order] to go [back after] seizing it [alive], so as to place it as a present [200] [for the King]. Concerning this, blame will fall on you from the King.' Having said this, frighten them. Thereupon the party will say, 'Ane! Beri-Nadaya, don't say that we killed it.' Then say thou, 'It is good. If so, let no one speak [about it]. Having placed [the deed] upon my own back, I will say it myself.' Then the men will say, 'It is good.'"

When Beri-Nadaya was doing this, it happened in this very manner. [The King] gave Beri-Nadaya at the rate of a thousand masuran a month. Then Beri-Nadaya, taking the pay, as on other days continued to give little by little [only] to that teacher, so that his regard [for him] became lost, and remained so.

At that time, to seize that city seven Kings and seven armies came, and surrounded the city. On account of it, this King having said, "To this Mara [201] army what shall I do?" was in fear.

Then the King having waited until the time when Beri-Nadaya came, says, "It is not like you killed the lion. Seven Kings and seven armies having come, are near the city gates. Go and fight."

That Beri-Nadaya went near that teacher, and told him this. The teacher said, "[After] asking for the King's festival tusk elephant and sword, come thou."

After that, Beri-Nadaya having gone near the King, when he came [after] asking for the festival tusk elephant and the sword, both of them went for the fight. Having gone, Beri-Nadaya, being on the tusk elephant, when he peeped and looked having seen those monarchs [202] and the multitude, fell unconscious under the tusk elephant.

Thereupon, that teacher, having dragged Beri-Nadaya aside, and cast him away, wrote a letter and shot it [attached to an arrow] to the place where those seven Kings were. The royal party said, "What is this that is fallen from the sky?" When they looked there was written, "It is I myself whom they call Danuddara Panditayo. [203] If you can, be pleased to come to fight." The royal party becoming afraid regarding it, all ran off to the quarters to which each one went.

The Panditayo came to the palace on the tusk elephant. After he came, the Panditayo was placed by the King in the post of Prime Minister.

North-western Province.

In The Jataka, No. 80 (vol. i, p. 204) there is a story which closely agrees with this. The clever man was a dwarfish Brahmana who, aware that he would not be employed on account of his small size, joined with a huge ignorant weaver, who received an appointment as archer to the King at Benares. By following the Brahmana's instructions the weaver obtained all the credit of killing a tiger and buffalo as in this tale, but becoming proud, he treated his adviser with scorn. Afterwards, when ordered to attack a hostile force he was so overcome with fear that the Brahmana made him descend from the elephant on which they were riding, and he himself then attacked the enemy's camp, captured the King, and was loaded with honours.

The despatch of the message attached to the arrow is not mentioned in this story; but in the Jataka tale No. 181 (vol. ii, p. 62) Prince Asadisa, son of a King of Benares, is represented as scratching a message on an arrow, firing it into the camp of some hostile forces headed by seven Kings who were besieging the city, and thereby scaring these enemies away. A footnote states that in the Mahavastu the message was wrapped round the arrow.

In two instances in the Maha Bharata (Drona Parva, xcix, and cci) the senders' names were engraved on arrows.

In the Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed., vol. 4, p. 103), a Prince wrote a letter, set it on the point of an arrow, and shot it into a garden in which a lady was walking.