Part 18

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. i, p. 519, a young Brahmana suggested to a Prince that he should receive a daily salary of one hundred gold pieces; this was paid to him. In the same work, vol. ii, p. 251, an unknown man demanded and received five hundred dinars (about £250) as his daily wage. In the Hitopadesa an unknown Rajput was granted four hundred gold pieces as his daily pay.

While the Sinhalese were besieging the Portuguese in Colombo in A.D. 1588, the Sinhalese King shot into the fort a letter containing a demand for the safe conduct of officials who were to arrange a truce (Pieris, Ceylon, vol. i, p. 243).

NO. 133

A POOR MAN AND A WOMAN

At a certain city there were a poor woman and a man. Because the two persons had not [anything] to eat and to wear, the woman having pounded and pounded [paddy] obtained a livelihood.

When not much time had gone in this manner, being unable to pound and eat, her strength and ability [to work] went. Thereupon she one day having beaten the man with the broom, [204] and having said, "Strumpet's son, bring thou from somewhere or other things for food," seized him by the hair-knot, and cast him out of the door-way.

Then the man, through shame at what the woman had done, having gone along a road and sat down at a tree, when the time for eating rice came, wept.

Thereupon, the Devatawa who stayed in that tree came and asked at the hand of the man, "Bola, what art thou crying for?"

Then this man says, "O Lord, my wife having become without strength or ability [to work], because we two were unable to obtain [anything] having beaten me with the broom, seized me by the hair-knot and put me outside. Having come [here] owing to it, because I cannot bear my hunger I wept."

The Devatawa asked, "What dost thou want?"

The man said, "I want goods."

Thereupon the Devatawa, having given the man three pills, says, "Taking these three pills, having thought of the thing thou wantest cast them down. The things thou wantest will be created."

Then the man, taking the pills, for one said, "May my house be created a palace, together with the possession of wealth," and threw away one pill. In that manner this occurred.

For the next one he said, "On each side of the door-way of my house, may a horse of silver and a tusk elephant of gold be created," and threw away a pill. In that manner they were created.

For the other one he said, "A road to my house having been created, let a carriage for me to go in, and many things come into existence," and threw away the other pill. In that very way they were created. After that, having come home he remained in happiness.

After that, a woman of another house came to this house for fire. Having come and seen these matters, she asked this woman, "Sister-in-law, how did you obtain these things?"

Thereupon this woman says, "Having beaten my husband with the broom, I caught him by the hair-knot, and put him out at the door-way, to seek goods and come back. After that, he went, and having been near a tree came back [after] receiving them." Having said [this], she told the woman about these matters [and that her husband received the things he thought of].

Afterwards the woman, having gone home and beaten the woman's husband with the broom, caught him by the hair-knot, and put him out at the door-way. The man having gone also, stayed near the tree, weeping and weeping.

At that time, by the Devatawa three pills were given (lit., gave) to [this] man also. The man, taking them, came home.

Thereupon the woman having warmed water, and made him bathe, and given him to eat, and given him betel to eat, asked the man, "What have you brought?" The man showed her the three pills.

The woman, taking the three pills in her hand, and having looked at them, said, "Are these ani that you have brought?" and threw them away. Then in every place on the woman's body ani were created.

Then for three years having striven, finding the three pills she said, "Leaving the anus which was there, may the others be obliterated," and having picked up the three pills she threw them away. Thereupon she became as at first.

North-central Province.

The plight of the woman is nearly similar to that of Indra after he had been cursed by Gautama for visiting Ahalya, as related in the Katha Sarit Sagara, vol. i, p. 123.

In Folklore in Southern India (Natesa Sastri), p. 208, while an indigent Brahmana was asleep in a forest, the God Siva and his wife Parvati ate his cooked rice, leaving in its place five magic cups of gold out of each of which an Apsaras came and served him with delicious food. After he had returned home and given a feast to the villagers, a rich landholder went off to obtain similar prizes, the God and Goddess ate his rice, and left five cups for him. As soon as he returned home he summoned the whole village to a feast; but when the cups were opened out several barbers issued from each, and held and shaved all the guests clean.

In the Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed., vol. iv, p. 114) a man heard in the Night of Power that three prayers would be granted to him. After consulting his wife, he prayed that his nose might be magnified, as a sign of his nobility, and it became so large that he could not move. He then prayed to be rid of it, and his nose disappeared altogether; his last prayer caused it to be restored to its first state.

NO. 134

THE STORY OF THE RAKSHASA AND THE PRINCESS [205]

In a certain country there are a King and a Queen, it is said. The Queen bore a Princess. In that very country there are a Rakshasa and a Rakshasi. The Rakshasi, too, bore a son. In that Princess's horoscope there was [found] that she will contract marriage with a Rakshasa; in that Rakshasa's horoscope there was [found] that he will marry a Princess.

After both had become considerably big the King and Queen died; only that Princess is in the palace.

The Rakshasa can create anything [he has] thought of. The Rakshasa thought, "The palace and royal goods that are in the palace all are to disappear." In that very manner they disappeared.

There not being a place for the Princess to stay in, when she is weeping and weeping the Rakshasa having come there asked at the hand of the Princess, "What are you weeping for?"

Then the Princess said, "I weep as there is not a place for me to be in, and not a thing to eat,--because of that."

After that the Rakshasa said, "I will give food and clothing; can you come to our house?" Then the Princess said, "I can."

After that, the Rakshasa and the Princess came to the Rakshasa's house. Then at the hand of the Rakshasa asked the Rakshasa's mother, "Who, son, is that?"

Then he said, "Mother, I have come summoning such and such a King's Princess, for you to get [some] ease." [206]

After that, the Rakshasi having said, "Yes, it is good," while, having employed the Princess, she was making her do all the work, the Princess being like a servant of the Rakshasi's, the Rakshasi had the thought, "[How] if I eat the Princess?"

Having thought it, one day when the Rakshasi was preparing to go to eat human bodies she said at the hand of the Princess, "[By the time] when I am coming, having brought and placed [ready] seven large pots of water, and brought and placed [ready] seven bundles of firewood, and boiled and pounded seven paelas of paddy (each about three-eighths of a bushel), and plastered cow-dung on [the floors of] seven houses, and cooked, warm water for me to bathe and place thou it [ready]. If not, I will eat thee." Having said this the Rakshasi went to eat human bodies.

After that, the Princess remained weeping and weeping. So the Rakshasa asked, "What art thou crying for?"

The Princess said, "Mother, telling me so many works, went away. How shall I do them?"

Then the Rakshasa said, "Don't thou be doubtful about it. When mother, having come back, has asked, say thou that thou didst all the works."

After that, the Princess, having remained silent in the very manner the Rakshasa said, told at the hand of the Rakshasi [on her return] that she did the works. When the Rakshasi looked to see if the works were right, all were right. Well then, to eat the Princess there was no means for the Rakshasi.

After that, she sent word to the Rakshasi's younger sister, "There is a girl of the palace [here]; I have no means of eating that girl; whatever work I told her that work has been quite rightly done. Now then, how shall I eat [her]? I will send this girl near you; then you eat her."

The Rakshasi said at the hand of the Princess, "Go to the house of our younger sister's people; a box of mine is there. If thou dost not bring it I will eat thee."

After that, the Princess having come near the stile, while she was weeping and weeping the Rakshasa came there and asked, "What art thou weeping for?"

Then the Princess said, "Mother told me that there is a box at the house of little-mother's people. [207] Having said [I am] to bring it, if not she will eat me, when I have gone for the box little-mother will eat me. To-day indeed I cannot escape."

After that, the Rakshasa [said], "Little-mother is blowing and blowing [the fire] at the hearth; the box is near the door. Thou having gone running, taking the box come away."

Afterwards, having gone running, at the time when the Princess looked the Rakshasi is blowing and blowing at the hearth; the box was near the door. The Princess having gone into the house, taking the box came running. The Rakshasi chased after her; she was unable to eat her. For that Rakshasi [who sent her] there, also there was not a way to eat her.

When she was there in that way for a considerable time they asked for a marriage for the Rakshasa. Having asked it, the Rakshasi also having become ready to go for the marriage, said at the hand of the Princess, "When we come summoning the bride, having well prepared the house, and set the tables and chairs, and boiled and cooked for the marriage party, place [the food ready]." Saying [this] the Rakshasi went for the marriage.

The Rakshasa having been behind said at the hand of the Princess, "Thou having remained without speaking, say thou didst all the works that mother told thee." Having said it the Rakshasa, too, went for the marriage.

Afterwards the Princess having been [there] without speaking, after the wedding-party, summoning the bride, returned, the Rakshasi asked at the hand of the Princess, "Didst thou do all the works I told thee? Didst thou do them?"

The Princess said, "Yes." When the Rakshasi looked all the works were right; there also there was no way to eat her.

Afterwards she taught the bride, "Daughter, there! Eat that girl if you can; I tried to eat her in [every] possible manner." After that, the girl tried if she could eat her; [208] she was unable to eat the Princess.

When she was there in that manner a considerable time, the Rakshasa and the Princess having got hid went away. Having thus gone, and having created the Princess's royal palace in the very manner in which it was [before], the two remained at the palace.

Finished.

North-western Province.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. i, p. 215, a Brahmana married a Rakshasi Princess, and there is an account of a similar union in the story No. 135 which follows.

NO. 135

THE WAY THE RAKSHASI DIED

In a certain city there is a Rakshasi, it is said. The Rakshasi seizing each man who is going along, eats him. While a Brahmana was going along, she seized the Brahmana, but because the Brahmana had a good beautiful figure, putting him in her rock-house (cave) and shutting the door, she remained without eating him.

During the time while he was there a child was borne to the Brahmana by the Rakshasi; the child was like the Brahmana. Having sought food she continued to give it to the Brahmana and the little one. While the Rakshasi was there in that way the youngster (paetiya) became big.

One day having waited until the time when the Rakshasi goes to seek food, the youngster asked at the hand of the Brahmana, "Father, what is [the reason why] you have one form and mother a [different] form?"

Then the Brahmana says, "Son, your mother is a Rakshasi. Seizing each man who is going past this place, she eats him. I also came to go this way. Then seizing me she put me in the rock cave. She has not done any harm to me yet."

The youngster said, "Father, we cannot remain in this way. Rakshasis and men cannot be in one place."

Then the Rakshasi came, bringing food. So the youngster said, "Mother, when you are not here how will it be for us? Tell us the limits [of the power] of these persons" (that is, those who lived there).

The Rakshasi said, "In width they are five gawwas (twenty miles); in length they are ten gawwas (forty miles)."

On the following day, during the time when the Rakshasi went to seek food, the Brahmana and the youngster having taken a large quantity of excellent (honda honda) goods, the two persons bounded off to go by the quarter that was ten gawwas long, and went away. Then the Rakshasi having come [after] seeking food, when she looked neither Brahmana nor youngster [was there].

After that, while the Rakshasi was going along continuing to cry aloud, these two persons had not yet succeeded in bounding through the forest that was ten gawwas in length. The Rakshasi, weeping and weeping, having said, "What was this need for you to abandon me?" came back, summoning these two [to accompany her].

On the following day, after the Rakshasi went to seek food, these two persons having bounded through the quarter that was five gawwas in width, reached the far bank of a river.

Then the Rakshasi having come [after] seeking food, when she looked these two were not [there]. After that, as the Rakshasi was coming continuing to cry aloud, these two came to this bank of the river; the Rakshasi, sitting down on the bank on that [other] side, remained crying aloud.

While she was there the Rakshasi said, "Son, there is a spell of mine; [after] learning it go."

Thereupon the youngster said, "I will not [return to learn it]; say it while sitting there."

Afterwards the Rakshasi, sitting on the bank on that side, said the spell. The youngster, sitting on the bank on this side, learnt the spell. "When you have uttered that spell, on this side of twelve years you will meet with any lost thing," the Rakshasi said.

After that, the Brahmana and the youngster came away to the Brahmana's village. That Rakshasi having been looking while a trace of the heads of these two was visible, through the affection there was for the two persons, when those two were hidden [from her view] the Rakshasi's bosom was rent, and she died.

While that Brahmana and the youngster, having gone to the village, were staying there, certain goods of the King's having been lost, the King published a proclamation by beat of tom-toms that to a person who found and gave the goods he will give wealth [amounting] to a tusk elephant's load, and a district from the kingdom.

Then the Brahmana's youngster having said, "I can," and having uttered the spell taught by that Rakshasi, obtained the goods and gave them to the King. He having given them, the King gave to the Brahmana's youngster wealth [amounting] to a tusk elephant's load, and a district from the kingdom.

North-western Province.

This is the first part of the Jataka story No. 432 (vol. iii, p. 298), in which the King and family priest hid some valuable jewels taken by them out of the treasury, in order to test a youngster's power. He discovered them, but the King insisted on his declaring also who was the thief. He endeavoured to avoid doing this, and when at last he made it known, the people rose, killed the King and priest, and set the youngster (who was the Bodhisatta) on the throne.

In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 360, a similar story is also given. The Brahmana was seized by a Kinnari, who is afterwards termed a Yakshi. When the son and father escaped she did not die, but sent the boy a guitar by playing on which he would preserve his life. If, however, he touched the first string with his finger he would experience misfortune; of course he did this.

NO. 136

HOW A RAKSHASA TURNED MEN AND BULLS INTO STONE

In a certain country there are seven elder brothers and younger brothers. In a certain [other] country there are seven elder sisters and younger sisters. At the time when they are there the whole of the seven elder brothers and younger brothers are without wives; the seven elder sisters and younger sisters are without men (husbands).

At the time when the seven elder brothers and younger brothers are doing work in the rice field, the seven elder sisters and younger sisters are going by the place where they are working. "Where are you going?" they asked (haehuwwa).

At the time when they asked they said, "Seven elder sisters and younger sisters are going to seek for themselves seven elder brothers and younger brothers."

"We indeed are seven elder brothers and younger brothers."

With the eldest elder brother the eldest elder sister contracted (lit., tied) marriage; with those [other] six persons these six [other] persons contracted marriage. To the seven houses they took the seven persons (their wives).

A Rakshasa came for religious donations (samadame). Having come, at the very first he got donations from the eldest elder sister. When he begged from the other six, five persons gave donations abundantly (hondatama). When he begged for donations from the youngest younger sister, she tried to give them [while] sitting in the house.

"We do not take them in that way," [he said].

When, having come to the doorway, she tried to give them [there, the Rakshasa] placed a walking-stick in his hand, and when he extended [it towards her] he began to go in front; the woman, weeping and weeping, began to go behind the Rakshasa [holding the other end of the magic stick].

Having gone on and on, at the time when he stopped there were seven stone posts. When the walking-stick that was in his hand prodded the ground she became stone [like them].

The young younger sister's seven elder brothers and younger brothers went [on a trading journey?] taking seven yokes of bulls. At the time when they were taking them, the seven yokes of bulls and the seven men he made into stone. [209]

He restored that woman to consciousness again; having restored her to consciousness the Rakshasa went with her [to his] home. After he went, when the son of the elder sister of the younger sister who went with [the Rakshasa] proceeded there (etenta gihama) [to seek] the seven yokes of bulls and the men who went [with them], his seven fathers [210] and the seven yokes of bulls were there [turned into stone].

(Apparently this is only a portion of a longer story, but the narrator was unacquainted with the rest of it.)

North-western Province.

In Folklore of the Santal Parganas (Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 222, a Jogi turned into stone seven brothers who had followed him in order to recover the wife of one of them whom he had carried off by getting her arm-tassel and going away with it. She was compelled to follow him while it was in his possession. When her son who was left behind proceeded in search of her, he came to the place where his petrified uncles were. As he was eating his food there he saw the stones weeping, recognised them, and placed a little food on each for them to eat. Afterwards, when he had killed the Jogi and was returning with his mother, he bathed, and then spread a cloth over the stones, on which they recovered their human shape, became alive, and thought they had merely slept.

In the Story of Madana Kama Raja (Natesa Sastri), p. 85, a Prince who had stolen the garments of Indra's daughter while she was bathing, was turned by her spells into stone when he looked back at her. He was revived by an old woman with whom he lived; she sprinkled water on the stone and uttered spells.

In the same work, p. 149, the Turtle Prince was informed that if he looked back after stealing the garments of a divine maid or Apsaras while she was bathing, he would be turned into stone. See the first note after No. 151 in this volume.

See the notes after No. 155.

NO. 137

THE RAKSHASA-EATING PRAKSHASA [211]

In a certain country there is an islet; on the islet there are a few houses. On the islet a Rakshasa dwells. This Rakshasa having seized them eats [the men] from each house at the rate of one man every day.

When the Rakshasa is coming seizing and eating the men in that way for a great number of years, the men of the islet having become finished, at one house, only, men have remained over. In that family there are two parents and four children. The names of the four are One-cubit, Two-cubits, Three-cubits, Four-cubits.

While these children are there, the Rakshasa seized even both the parents of these children. Out of the children, the child called Four-cubits is a female child. The female child for grief at the loss of her mother is weeping and weeping. While these three elder brothers are unable to pacify her, one day at night, One-cubit having spoken says, "Two-cubits, Three-cubits, being now without our mother and father, there is not a thing for us to eat. Our younger sister having remembered mother at all times, is weeping and weeping. Because of it, I and Two-cubits having gone to a country, will come back [after] seeking something for you to eat. Three-cubits, you stay [at home], looking after and soothing younger sister."

One-cubit and Two-cubits having crossed over from the island, and having gone on and on, arrived at a country. Having arrived, while they are going thus, they met with a youth who is looking after cattle. Having met with him, he asked these two, "Where are you two going?"

"We two are going seeking any sort of livelihood," they said.

"Can you two stay to look after cattle?" he asked. "We can," they said.

Having said, "Come. Our Gamarala has many cattle. For looking after them he still wants people," this youth who looks after cattle, calling these two, went to the Gamarala's house.

When they went, the Gamarala asked this youth who looks after the cattle, "Who are these two youths?" "These two came seeking a livelihood," he said.

Then the Gamarala asks these youths, "What can ye do for a living?" "We can graze cattle," they said.

Then the Gamarala asked the big youth, "What name?" "One-cubit," he said. He asked the younger youth, "What is thy name?" "Two-cubits," he said.

Thereupon the Gamarala, having given charge of one hundred cattle to One-cubit, and one hundred cattle to Two-cubits, said, "Having thoroughly caused the cattle given to you to eat and drink, and having looked after them, not giving the cattle to jungle quadrupeds, ye must bring them in the evening, and completely put them in the folds," the Gamarala said.

After many days, the Gamarala thought, "I must go to look at the cattle [that are] with One-cubit and Two-cubits." One day in the evening, at the time when they were putting them in the folds, he went and remained looking on. The cattle are thoroughly healthy. When the Gamarala looked [at the numbers] those of both persons are correct.

The Gamarala, having become much pleased, having gone home, says, "The cattle of One-cubit and Two-cubits are in very good [condition]. Please give food amply to both youths," the Gamarala ordered at the house. Thereupon, they give food amply to both persons. For [many] days besides, the two are thoroughly taking care of the cattle.