Part 19

While Three-cubits is looking after the younger sister, one day the younger sister, having called to remembrance her mother, began to weep. Thereupon he said, "Four-cubits, younger sister, don't cry. Our big elder brother and little elder brother [after] seeking food for us two will now bring it. Then I will give you a great deal to eat." While he was speaking in order to pacify her, she began to weep still still more. Three-cubits endeavoured much to pacify her; he was unable to pacify her.

Then Three-cubits says, "Younger sister, don't you cry; I will go on the island, and bring a Kirala [212] fruit, and give you it. You remain [here] without going to bathe, or going anywhere. I will go quickly, and bring Kirala." Having said [this], Three-cubits went to the edge of the island.

Just as he is going there, the Rakshasa having landed on the island to seize and eat human bodies, when he is coming looking and looking at the whole of the houses, he saw this Four-cubits, the little lass, [213] and having sprung into the house, lifted her up and ran away.

On the other bank of the island, sitting in a boat a man is killing fish. Then, having seen this Rakshasa lifting up this child and going away, the man who is killing fish, having become afraid of the Rakshasa, sprang from the boat into the water, and remained under water (lit., swallowed up). After the Rakshasa, not seeing him, went away, the man who is killing fish mounted into the boat.

Well then, Three-cubits, [after] plucking Kirala quickly having gone taking them to give to his younger sister, when he looked his younger sister was not [there]. Thereupon, when Three-cubits, saying and saying, "Four cubits! Younger sister, younger sister!" was going weeping and weeping, seeking her, through not seeing her he sought and sought still still further, and went to the edge of the island.

While he was there weeping and weeping, saying and saying, "Four-cubits! Younger sister!" that man who was rowing the boat heard it, and came to see what this youth is lamenting for.

Having come, "What is it, boy, thou art lamenting for?" the boatman asked.

Then he says, "Ane! Our younger sister was weeping and weeping at home. Then, having come on the island to pluck a Kirala fruit, I went back [after] plucking a Kirala fruit, to give it to younger sister. Having gone home, when I looked for younger sister, younger sister was not [there]," the youth, weeping and weeping, said to the boatman, saying and saying [also], "When elder brothers have come now, and have asked, 'Where is younger sister?' what shall I say?"

Then the boatman says, "Thou having now wept, what [good] will it do? Why didst thou come away, leaving thy younger sister quite alone? It would be thy younger sister whom, a little time before now, when I was fishing and fishing sitting in the boat, I saw the Rakshasa carrying, and going away with, after crossing to the other shore. I also sank in the water through fear, and got hid."

Then this youth, Three-cubits, saying and saying, "Ayiyo! My younger sister! My younger sister!" and again having wept and wept, rolling on the ground, the boatman says to him, "Thou having now lamented, what [good] will it do? Be off home!"

Well then, while Three-cubits is at home, weeping and weeping, One-cubit having said, "Two-cubits! Younger brother," says [also], "Now then, it is enough. We have stayed here. We don't know now what our Three-cubits and Four-cubits our younger sister are doing at this time. Let us go to look."

One-cubit and Two-cubits spoke together, and said, "Let us tell the Gamarala to-day, and to-morrow go to the village, and return. To go to look at either little younger brother or younger sister is good."

One-cubit and Two-cubits, the cattle having gone [home] in the evening, put them in the folds; and having gone to the house told the Gamarala, "We must go to our village, and [after] looking at our younger brother and younger sister, come back," they said to the Gamarala.

Then the Gamarala said, "It is good. Go and come back again." When he said, "What do ye want to take?" they said, "Should you tie up and give us a few cakes to take to the village, it would be good."

Then the Gama-gaeni (wife of the Gamarala) quickly having tied up two packets of cakes in sufficient quantity for both of them, gave them to them to take. Both of them, taking them, set off to go to the village, and went away.

Having gone, and crossed over to that shore, when they went home only Three-cubits, their younger brother, was at home. "Where, little younger brother, is younger sister?" asked One-cubit and Two-cubits.

Then Three-cubits said, "Elder brothers, after you went younger sister began to cry. Then I said, 'Don't cry; I will go on the island and pluck a Kirala fruit, and bring it.' Having gone, when coming [after] plucking a Kirala fruit, a man who was in the boat at the island saw that the Rakshasa went away taking younger sister," he said.

Then both the elder brothers asked, "Where did he bring her?"

"To that side of the island she was brought," he said.

The whole three having been [there] a few days, the three spoke together: "Let us go to seek our younger sister."

Having said, "It is good," while the whole three are going along eating and eating the two packets of cakes that they brought, the two elder ones, having seen that the two packets of cakes are coming to be finished, said to the younger brother, "Our cakes are coming to be finished. You go along this path, and return [after] seeking something for us to eat," they said.

Three-cubits went; he went to seek some food, and return. When going, he went to the house of the Kudu Hettirala [214] of that village. Having gone he said, "Ane! Hettiralahami, the food we brought became finished. You must give something for us to eat for the present on the road."

When he said it, there was much paddy dust at the house of the Hettirala's people. The Hettirala told them to give a little of it. Then he made a large bag (olaguwak), and putting in it paddy powder to the extent it holds, when he was coming he saw (dituwaya) a large tree in the midst of the jungle. When coming near the tree he saw a bats' place. When he looked there, having seen that many bats' skins had fallen down, those also in a sufficient quantity he put into the bag.

When he was coming [after] putting them in, he saw that both One-cubit and Two-cubits, being without food, were sitting at the root of a tree. When he asked, "What are you doing here?" "Until you came we were looking out at the road," they said.

When they asked, "What is there for us to eat?" "Only paddy dust and bats' skins," he said.

"What are we to do? Let us go, eating and eating even those," they said.

When they were going very far in that manner, having seen that a man is bringing an ass to sell, said Three-cubits, "One-cubit, Two-cubits, you must take that ass and give it to me," he said; "if not, I will not come to look for younger sister," he said. Then, taking the ass they gave him it.

When going still further having seen that a man is bringing two flat winnowing trays, "One-cubit, Two-cubits, having taken those two winnowing trays, you must give them to me," he said. Taking also the two winnowing trays they gave him them.

When going still a little further, having seen that they are bringing two bundles of creepers, he told them to take them also, and give him them. Taking them also, when going on having seen that yet [another] man was bringing a tom-tom, he told them to take that also, and give him it. Taking that also, they gave him it.

Having seen that still a man was bringing two elephant's tusks, he told them to take them also, and give him them. Taking them also they gave him them.

When going still a little further, having seen that a man was taking porcupine quills, he told them to ask for and give him a few of those also. They asked for and gave them.

When going still a little further, having seen that there were two red ants' nests in a tree, "Please break and give these also to me," he said. Those also they broke off and gave.

When they gave them, having made two wallets, and put the things in the two wallets, tying them well and loading all on the back of the ass, as they were going very far they met with an old mother. Having met with her she asked, "Ane! where are you going on this path? This path is a path going to the house of the Rakshasa. Should you go [on it] the Rakshasa will kill and eat you," she said.

Then they say, "It is on this path itself that our younger sister will be. Let us go on. If the Rakshasa kill us let him kill."

Having said [this], the three persons having gone on and on, when they were going met with a great big house. The three spoke together: "It has now become night. Having stayed at a resting-place at this house, let us go on in the morning to-morrow," they said.

Having said, "It is good," when they went near the house the Rakshasa's wife asked, "Who are you? Where are you going? What came you here for?"

"We are One-cubit, Two-cubits, Three-cubits. Our younger sister, Four-cubits, having been in the island, a Rakshasa brought her away. We are going seeking her," they said.

"Ane! My elder brothers, (ayiyandila)! Did you come seeking me?" Having said, "It is I myself," holding her elder brothers she smelt [215] them, and said, "Apoyi! When the Rakshasa has come now he will eat you." Having quickly called them into the house, she told the whole of them (seramanta) to ascend to the upper room (uda geta), and remain [there]. Even the ass they took up. "When the Rakshasa has gone in the morning we can talk together," she said.

Having said [this], the younger sister, having gone outside, and made fast and tied up the stile, and come back quickly, and given her elder brothers to eat, became as though not knowing anything [about them].

While she was there, when the Rakshasa is coming saying "Hu" three times, the three elder brothers were frightened. The ass was more frightened than that; it began to move about.

Then the younger sister says, "Elder brother, there! The Rakshasa is coming! Remain without moving about until it becomes light to-morrow."

"It is good, younger sister," Three-cubits, the youngest elder brother, said.

There! When that little time was going the Rakshasa came. Washing his face and mouth, he sat down to eat food. Having sat down, eating and eating food, he says, "There is a smell of human flesh; there is a smell of human flesh."

Then the Rakshasi says, "If you eat human flesh, and in your mouth there is human flesh, and in your hand there is human flesh, is there not a smell of human flesh?"

"No, it is a smell of fresh human flesh."

When the Rakshasi said, "If so, it is to eat me you say that," the Rakshasa, having eaten without speaking, rolled over at that very place and went to sleep.

All One-cubit's party (Ekriyanala), through the fatigue of the journey, the whole of them (seramantama) went fast asleep. When a little time is going by, a red ant (dimiya) having come out of a red ants' nest, and as it was going along having climbed up the ass's leg, the red ant bit it. Then the ass, making a sound "Tok, tok," began to kick the boards [of the floor].

Then One-cubit opened his eyes. When he was looking what was the noise, it was the noise of the ass kicking. Then One-cubit held the legs of the ass, for it not to make the noise.

Then the ass, becoming afraid, got up, making a sound, "Didi-bidi."

The Rakshasa having become afraid, and having jumped up, when he was saying, "What, Bola, is this one? I am going to eat this one," Three-cubits says, "Come here, thou! To eat thee is insufficient for me!" he said.

Then the Rakshasa, having been frightened, said, "Who art thou, Clever One, to eat me?"

"I am the Rakshasa [216]-eating Prakshasa," he said.

The Rakshasa, becoming thoroughly frightened, called out, "Get down, and come here."

"Thou come here," Three-cubits called out.

"Who art thou?" he asked again.

"It is I indeed, the Rakshasa-eating Prakshasa," he said.

"If so, throw down thy two Jak trees," [217] he said. Then he lifted up and threw down the two bundles of creepers.

"Throw down thy two tusks," he said. He lifted up and threw down the two [elephant's] tusks.

"Throw down thy two ears," he said. He lifted up and threw down the two winnowing trays.

"Show me one eye," he said. Then having put down the tom-tom at the corner of a plank on which there was plaster he showed him it.

He told him to tap on his belly, and show him it. Then, pressing one hand on one side (end) of the tom-tom, at the other side (end) he made a noise, "Bahak, bahak."

Then the Rakshasa having become [more] frightened, standing up holding the Rakshasi's hand, and looking for the road so as to run off, told him to cry out.

Then Three-cubits thinks, "When he is running away now, he will run off taking with him younger sister." Having become afraid of it, taking a red ants' nest softly to the end of the boards, he broke and threw down the red ants' nest on the Rakshasa's head. Then the Rakshasa having let go the hand of the Rakshasi, began to scratch his head and body in all places.

At that very time having put the other red ants' nest into the two ears of the ass, the three persons began to prick it with the porcupine quills. Then when it began to give hundreds of brays (buruwe beri), the Rakshasa having become thoroughly frightened, said, "I don't want you below"; and having abandoned even the Rakshasi, crying "Hu," and breaking through the fence also and upsetting the village, on account of the noise of the ass and the cunning of the three persons and the power of the red ants, he ran away.

Then the elder brother, and the younger brothers, the three persons, taking their younger sister, went to their village.

Kumbukkan, Eastern Province.

In a variant (a) of the North-western Province the persons were a youth termed One-span (Ek-wiyata), his two elder brothers, and his elder and younger sisters. A quarrel having arisen among them, One-span and his younger sister went off alone. While they were in the midst of a forest a Rakshasi carried off the girl during her brother's temporary absence, so he returned home, informed the others, and he and his two brothers set off in search of her. The elder sister having been angry with him, gave One-span some cold boiled rice to take with him, and to the others warm rice. When the two opened their bag of warm rice they heard worms or grubs (panuwo) that were in it making a sound, "Mini, mini," as they gnawed at it, so they begged their brother to share his cold rice with them. He did so, and afterwards when they objected to take and carry along with them a coconut tree, a palmira tree, an elephant calf (aet-wassek), and two or three large black ants (kadiyo), on each occasion he demanded the return of the rice and curry they had eaten. They found their younger sister at "a very large tiled house," and she hid them and the young elephant and the other things in the loft. The Rakshasi returned, said, "There is a smell of fresh human flesh," and afterwards was frightened as in the story given above, and ran away.

If the names in this tale and variant indicate the heights of the persons, as appears probable, this is the only instance in which dwarfs are mentioned in the Sinhalese folk-tales that I have collected.

In the Saddharma Pundarika (Kern, S.B.E., vol. xxi, p. 83), mention is made of a form of dwarf demons, "malign urchins, some of them measuring one span, others one cubit or two cubits, all nimble in their movements."

In Tales of the Punjab (Mrs. Steel), p. 3 (Wide-Awake Stories, p. 7), there is an account of a dwarf who was only one cubit high; he had magical powers. In Sagas from the Far East, p. 39, a demoness in the form of a woman one span high is mentioned (see p. 171). In Folklore of the Santal Parganas (Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 189, there is an account of a man who was only a span high.

In the last mentioned work, p. 81, two men who were in a tree frightened a Raja and his attendants by dropping a tiger's paunch and beating a drum out of which flew a number of bees that they had placed in it. These attacked and drove away the people below, and the men got their goods.

In The Indian Antiquary, vol. xiv, p. 135 (Folklore in Southern India, p. 116), in a Tamil story by Pandit Natesa Sastri, a tiger which knew magic took the form of a youth, married a girl who went off with him, and had a son who was a tiger. The girl sent a message to her three brothers, and they went to rescue her, taking an ass, an ant, a palmira tree, and a washerman's iron tub that they found. They were put in the loft by her. When the tiger told them to speak, one put the ant in the ear of the ass, to make it bray. He then told them to show him their legs and bellies; they held out the palmira tree and the tub, on seeing which he ran off, and they escaped with her.

In Old Deccan Days (M. Frere), p. 229, a blind man and a deaf man when going for a walk found and took with them a washerman's ass, and the large pot in which he boiled clothes, and also put some large black ants into a snuff-box. They took shelter from a storm in the house of a Rakshasa, and fastened the door. When the ogre tried to enter, saying "I'm a Rakshas," the blind man replied, "Well, if you're Rakshas I'm Bakshas, and Bakshas is as good as Rakshas." The Rakshasa asked to see his face and was shown the donkey's; he asked to see his head and was shown the pot; he told him to scream, and the ants were put in the ears of the ass, the braying of which frightened the Rakshasa away. When they went off next day with his treasure, he came with six friends to kill them. They climbed up a tree (as in the next variant), the ogres stood on each other's shoulders to reach them, the blind man lost his balance, fell on the uppermost one, and all tumbled down together. When the deaf man shouted, "Well done; hold on tight, I'm coming to help you," all the Rakshasas ran away.

THE RAKSHASIS-EATING PRAKSHASA. [218] (Variant b.)

At a certain village there were a Gamarala and a Tom-tom Beater. For the Tom-tom Beater there was nothing to eat. Because of it, having gone to the Gamarala's house he got a large basket of paddy on loan. While he was eating it the two persons having joined together worked the Gamarala's two rice fields.

Out of them, the [rice in the] Gamarala's field being of very good quality was well developed; [that in] the Tom-tom Beater's field was undeveloped. Because of it, the arrangement which the Tom-tom Beater made was thus: "Because I am to give a debt to you, you take my rice field, please, and give me your rice field, please," the Tom-tom Beater said to the Gamarala. So the Gamarala having told him to take it, the Gamarala took the Tom-tom Beater's field.

The Tom-tom Beater having cut the growing rice in the field and trampled it [with buffaloes], got the paddy. The Gamarala obtained hardly anything (tikapitika). So not much time was occupied in eating it.

After that, a daughter of the Gamarala's was taken away by a Rakshasa. Then the Gamarala having come near the Tom-tom Beater, and said, "Let us go on a search for my daughter," both persons went together.

At that time the Gamarala took a bag of money. The Tom-tom Beater, not showing it to the Gamarala, took a bag of fragments of broken plates. The Gamarala tied up a bag of cooked rice; the Tom-tom Beater tied up a bag of rice-dust porridge.

At the time when they were going, being hungry they stopped at the bottom of a tree and made ready to eat the cooked rice. Having made ready, the Tom-tom Beater, taking a small quantity of rice from the Gamarala's leaf [plate] of cooked rice, ate it.

Having eaten it, the Tom-tom Beater says, "Don't you eat the cooked rice which I have polluted by eating; be good enough to eat my bag of cooked rice." Having said it, he gave him the bag of rice-dust porridge. Then when the Gamarala unfastened the bag there was only porridge.

Having said, "Well then, what [else] shall I do?" the Gamarala ate the rice-dust porridge. The Tom-tom Beater ate the package of good cooked rice which the Gamarala brought. Thereupon the Gamarala said at the hand of the Tom-tom Beater, "I ate the rice-dust porridge; don't tell anyone whatever," he said. The Tom-tom Beater said, "It is good."

At the time when they were going away, yet [another] Tom-tom Beater, taking a drum to sell, came up. So this Tom-tom Beater, thinking of taking the drum, spoke to the Gamarala [about it]. Then the Gamarala said, "If there is money in thy hand give it, and take it."

The Tom-tom Beater, having shaken the package of plate fragments said, "There is money by me; I cannot unfasten it. If you have money be good enough to give it." The Gamarala said, "I will not." [219]

Then the Tom-tom Beater said, "If so, I will say that you ate the rice-dust porridge." Then the Gamarala said, "Here is money," and gave it. So the Tom-tom Beater got the drum.

Taking it, at the time when they were going along the path again, a man came taking a deer-hide rope. That, also, the Tom-tom Beater having thought of taking, in the very same way as at first he asked the Gamarala for money. The Gamarala said, "I will not give it."

So the Tom-tom Beater said, "I will say that you ate the rice-dust porridge." Then having said, "Don't say it," the Gamarala gave the money.

After that, the Tom-tom Beater taking the deer-hide rope, at the time when they were going along the road, a man came bringing a pair of elephant tusks.

Then the Tom-tom Beater in the very same way as at first asked the Gamarala for money. The Gamarala said, "I will not [give it]."

So the Tom-tom Beater said, "If so, I will say that you ate the rice-dust porridge." Then the Gamarala, having said, "Don't say it," gave the money.

The Tom-tom Beater taking the pair of elephant tusks, they went to the Rakshasa's house. When they went, the Rakshasa having gone for human flesh food, only the Gamarala's daughter was [there]. The girl quickly having given food to the two persons, the Gamarala's daughter told them to go to the upper story floor. [220] Afterwards the Gamarala and the Tom-tom Beater went to the upper story floor.

In the evening, the Rakshasa having come said, "Smell of fresh human flesh!"

Then the Gamarala's daughter said, "Having come [after] eating fresh human flesh, what smell of human flesh!" After that the Rakshasa without speaking lay down.

Then at the time of dawn the Tom-tom Beater was minded to chant verses, so he spoke to the Gamarala [about it]. The Gamarala said, "Don't speak." Without listening to it he chanted verses softly, softly (hemin hemin).

Thereupon the Rakshasa having arisen, asked, "Who art thou?"

The Tom-tom Beater said, "I myself am the Rakshasis-eating Prakshasa."

Then the Rakshasa said, "If so, show me thy teeth." The Tom-tom Beater showed him the pair of elephant tusks.

Then the Rakshasa, becoming afraid, said, "Show me the hair of thy head." The Tom-tom Beater showed him the deer-hide rope.

Then the Rakshasa said, "If that be so, let us roar." Then having said, "It is good," the Tom-tom Beater began to beat on the drum. The Rakshasa becoming [more] frightened, said that he was going near his preceptor, and ran away. Then the Tom-tom Beater and the Gamarala, in order to get hidden, went into the midst of the forest of Palmira trees.

Then the Rakshasa, placing his preceptor in front, came up to go through the middle of the forest of Palmira trees. At that time, having seen the two Rakshasas, these two persons being afraid prepared to climb two trees. Thereupon the Tom-tom Beater, taking the drum, went up the tree. The Gamarala being unable to go up the tree, having gone to the middle of the tree, slid down [with a] siri siri [noise] to the ground.