Part 32

At the Gamarala's house there were twelve hens for one cock. One day, the two old people quarrelling while the Gamarala is on the raised veranda, the cock says to the hens, "Ane! What a fool this Gamarala is! I am keeping in order twelve wives; my master is unable to keep in order one wife. Should my wives make a disturbance I will beat the whole of them well," he said.

The Gamarala having understood the motive for which the cock said it, and shame having been produced, went into the house and beat his wife well. After that, the woman and the Gamarala without a quarrel dwelt excellently [together].

Although this Gamarala can ascertain the motive in the minds of others, he does not tell it at any time to anybody. One day, the Gamarala and his wife having gone to the cattle shed (gawa maduwa), while they were [there] an ass asked a bull that having ploughed from morning was brought and tied [there], "Friend, is that work very difficult?" The friend to that remark says, "At present I have not strength to walk," he said.

The Gamarala having understood that talk laughed. His wife teased him much and asked the reason why he laughed. Because of the woman's plaguing him the Gamarala said, "I laughed because this bull grinned at the cow."

Uva Province.

In the Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed., vol. i, p. 13), a merchant heard an ass advise a bull to feign sickness and refuse to draw the plough or to eat, so as to get a holiday. He made the ass pull the plough all day in its place. The ass then said to the bull that their master had ordered the bull to be killed if it refused to plough again, and the merchant laughed until he fell on his back. His wife pestered him for the reason, which he could not give on pain of instant death. As he was about to tell her, the dog rebuked a cock for crowing and flapping its wings when their master was going to die. The cock replied that if their master would give his wife a good beating with mulberry twigs he might enjoy life in peace. The merchant accordingly beat her until she was nearly senseless, and she became "submissive as a wife should be."

NO. 170

CONCERNING THE GOLDEN PEACOCK

In a certain country there is a King, it is said. Near the city there is also a mountain; on the mountain a [golden-coloured] Peacock lodges. A Vaedda of that country saw that the Peacock lodges on the mountain; having seen it the Vaedda for a long time made efforts to seize the Peacock.

At that time the Peacock, getting to know that this Vaedda is saying, "I will seize it," went to another mountain. Having gone, during the time while it was at the mountain this Vaedda got to know of it. Learning about it, the Vaedda went near that mountain also, and made efforts to seize the Peacock. Age having gone to the Vaedda while he was trying to catch [it], when he was about (lit., making) to die he told the Vaedda's son about the matter of the Peacock. While saying it the Vaedda died.

After the Vaedda's son became big he went near the mountain on which the Peacock lodged. Having gone there, owing to its freedom from danger (abiyata) he was unable to seize this Peacock. "I at least must seize this Peacock," he thought.

After that, taking a pair of noose-posts (mala-kanu), and catching also a peahen, he went there as the first light came, and having fixed the pair of noose-posts he made the peahen cry out. When it was crying out the Peacock came and perched (waehaewwa) near the peahen. Thereupon it was fastened at the pair of noose-posts, and while it was fastened the Vaedda went and seized the Peacock. The Vaedda, seizing it, released the Peacock from the pair of noose-posts. Having released it and said [to himself] that the Peacock is dead, he placed it on one side. Having put it aside he opened the noose of the noose-posts. In the twinkling of an eye the Peacock, having been as though dead, flew away. The Vaedda sorrowed more than his first sorrow [at being unable to catch it].

The Peacock having flown away, without staying in that country went to another country. In that country it began to lodge on a mountain of that country also. At the time when a Vaedda of that country was going hunting he met with the Peacock alone, and told the King of that country, "There is a gold-coloured Peacock at such and such a cave."

When he said it the King caused the notification tom-toms to be beaten, and told all the Vaeddas of that country to come. Then all the Vaeddas came. After they came the King said, "On such and such a mountain a Peacock lodges. Catching the Peacock come back."

Then the Vaeddas having gone tried to catch it; the Vaeddas were unable to catch it, so the Vaeddas told the King, "We cannot catch it." Then the King having become angry with the Vaeddas said, "Without staying in my country go ye to another country." So the Vaeddas went away.

Out of them one Vaedda stopped and said to the King, "O Lord, Your Majesty, I will go quite alone and come back [after] catching it."

Then having said, "It is good," the King asked, "To catch the Peacock what are the things you want?"

The Vaedda said, "I want, for five days, food-expenses and a pair of noose-posts." So the King gave them.

Then the Vaedda, taking the articles also, went near the mountain. Having gone there, he stayed for three or four days to get to know the time when the Peacock comes and goes for food; he learnt the times when the Peacock comes and goes. [After] learning them having fixed the pair of noose-posts in the morning before it became light, he made the peahen [which he had caught and brought with him] call in the very same manner as at first. Then the Peacock came and perched on the pair of noose-posts [and was caught]. Thereupon the Vaedda, taking the Peacock, came near the King. The King took the Peacock, and gave the Vaedda many presents and distinctions. Having given them he kept the Peacock.

When it had been there in that way a considerable time, a King of another country, taking his army also, came to seize that city. At the time when he came, this King having prepared to go to the war and having come carrying the Peacock, said, "Should I win in this war I will free thee; if not, I will kill thee."

Then the Peacock said, "Taking my feather, and placing it on your head, and tying it there, should you go you will win." So the King having gone in that manner conquered in that war.

Having conquered he came to the palace, and having come near the Peacock, he says, "By thy power, indeed, I conquered in this war." Having said, "Because of it, half the kingdom is for thee, the other half for me," dividing the kingdom he remained there.

North-western Province.

In The Jataka, No. 159 (vol. ii, p. 23), and also No. 491 (vol. iv, p. 210), there is a story of a Golden Peacock. "The egg which contained him had a shell as yellow as a kanikara bud; and when he broke the shell, he became a Golden Peacock, fair and lovely, with beautiful red lines under his wings." We learn that "when day dawned, as he sat upon the hill [at Dandaka], watching the sun rise, he composed a Brahma spell to preserve himself safe in his own feeding-ground." It was as follows:--

There he rises, king all-seeing, Making all things bright with his golden light. Thee I worship, glorious being, Making all things bright with thy golden light. Keep me safe, I pray Through the coming day. [343]

During the reign of six Kings it could not be captured on account of the spell, but at last a hunter with the assistance of a tame peahen owing to whose presence the bird forgot to utter the spell, succeeded in catching it in a spring net. [344] The Peacock proved to the satisfaction of the King that he had been a devout monarch himself in a former life, keeping the five Precepts, and after being rewarded with an existence in the heaven of Sakra had been re-born on earth as a Golden Peacock. After this he was allowed to return to "the golden hill of Dandaka." The bird admitted that "all who eat of me become immortal and have eternal youth." In the second story the Peacock was released by the hunter, whom he converted to Buddhism.

In all the earlier part of this Jataka tale there is no trace of Buddhism; the Peacock was a sun worshipper, pure and simple. It is evident that the latter part has been tacked on to it in order to give it a Buddhist complexion.

It is possible, therefore, that the Sinhalese form of the tale preserves an early version which the composer of the Jataka story modified to suit his purpose. See my note in vol. i, p. 240, on the story of the Jackal and the Turtle.

NO. 171

THE STORY OF THE BRAHMANA'S KITTEN

In a certain country a Brahmana reared a kitten, it is said. He said that he reared the kitten in order to give it [in marriage] to the greatest person of all in this world.

After the kitten became big he took it to give to the Sun, the Divine King. [345] Having taken it there he gave it to the Sun, the Divine King.

The Sun, the Divine King, asked, "What is the reason why you brought this kitten?"

Then the Brahmana said, "Rearing this kitten since the day when it was little, [346] I have brought it to give to the greatest person of all in this world."

Then the Sun, the Divine King, said, "Although I fall as sun-heat (awwa) like fire, into the world, there is a greater person than I. Mr. Rain-cloud [347] having come, when he has spread his car for himself I am unable to do anything. The gentleman is greater than I. Because of it, having taken it give it to the gentleman."

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Rain-cloud.

Then the Rain-cloud asked, "What is the reason why you brought this kitten?"

Then the Brahmana said, "I reared this kitten since the day when it was little, to give it [in marriage] to the Sun, the Divine King. When I brought and gave it to the Sun, the Divine King, he said, 'There is a greater person than I. Give it to Mr. Rain-cloud.' Because of it, I brought this kitten to give it to you to marry."

Then the Rain-cloud says, "I, the Rain-cloud, having come, what of my car's spreading out and remaining! The Wind-cloud having come, and smashed and torn me into bits, throws me down. He is greater than I. Because of it give it to him."

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Wind-cloud. Then the Wind-cloud asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?"

Then the Brahmana said, "I reared this kitten since the day when it was little, to give it [in marriage] to [His Majesty of] the Sun race. The Sun, the Divine King, told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. The Rain-cloud told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. Because of it, I brought it to give it to you to marry."

Then the Wind-cloud says, "I, the Wind-cloud, having gone, what of my going throwing down the Rain-cloud and smashing the trees! I am unable to do anything to the Ground [348] Ant-hill. However much wind blows, the Ant-hill does not even shake. Because of it he is greater than I. Take it and give it to him."

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Ground Ant-hill. Then the Ground Ant-hill asked, "What have you brought this kitten for?"

Then the Brahmana says, "I reared this kitten to give it [in marriage] to His Majesty the Sun. When I brought it near the Sun, the Divine King, he told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. The Rain-cloud told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. The Wind-cloud said, 'There is a greater than I, the Ground Ant-hill. Give it to him.' Because of it I brought it to give it to you."

Then the Ground Ant-hill said, "The Sun, the Divine King, can do nothing to me, the Rain-cloud can do nothing to me, the Wind-cloud can do nothing to me, but there is a greater person than I, the Bull (gon-madaya). He having come and gored me, smashes me and throws me down. Because of that give it to the Bull."

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Bull. Then the Bull asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?"

The Brahmana says, "To give this kitten [in marriage] to His Majesty the Sun, I reared it since the day when it was little. When I brought it there, the Sun, the Divine King, told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. When I brought it near the Rain-cloud he told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. When I brought it there he told me to give it to the Ground Ant-hill. When I brought it there he said, 'The Bull is greater than I; give it to him.' Because of it I brought it to give it to you."

Then the Bull says, "There is a greater person than I, the Leopard. It is true that I trample on the Ant-hill, and gore it and throw it down; but the Leopard chases me, and tears me, and eats my flesh, therefore he is greater than I. Because of it give it to him."

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Leopard. Then the Leopard asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?"

The Brahmana says, "This kitten reared I to give [in marriage] to His Majesty the Sun. Well then, having walked from there in this and this manner, the Bull told me to give it to you. On account of that I brought it to give it to you."

Then the Leopard says, "The Cat is greater than I; my Preceptor is the Cat. He taught me to climb up trees, but I have not yet learnt how to descend. [349] Because of it give it to the Cat."

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Cat. Then the Cat asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?"

The Brahmana says, "For you I did not rear this kitten. Having reared it to give [it in marriage] to the most powerful person of all in the world, I took it to give to the Sun, the Divine King. Then he told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. When I took it near him he told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. When I took it near him he told me to give it to the Ground Ant-hill. When I took it near him he said, 'There is a greater person than I, the Bull.' When I took it near him he told me to give it to the Leopard. When I took it near him the Leopard said, 'Because the Cat is my Preceptor give it to the Cat.' Therefore I brought this kitten to give it to you."

After that, the Cat having said, "It is good," marrying the kitten it remained there.

North-western Province.

In the Literary Supplement to The Examiner of Ceylon for 1875, it was stated that the cheetah (leopard) applied to the cat to teach him the art of climbing, but the cat forgot to show him how to descend. From that time the cheetah never spares the cat if he can catch him, but out of veneration for his old teacher he places the body on some elevation and worships it [that is, makes obeisance to it], instead of eating it. (Quoted by Mr. J. P. Lewis in The Orientalist, vol. ii, p. 149).

In the short tales at the end of The Adventures of Raja Rasalu, (Panjab, Swynnerton), p. 179, the tiger was taught by the cat. When he thought he had learnt everything the cat knew, the tiger sprang at it, intending to eat it; but the cat climbed up a tree, and the tiger was unable to follow it. The story is repeated in Indian Nights' Entertainment, p. 350.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 56, an ambitious Candala girl who determined to marry a universal monarch saw the supreme King bow down to a hermit. She followed the latter, but when he prostrated himself at a temple of Siva she attached herself to that God. A dog behaved in such a manner at the shrine that she followed the dog, which entered a Candala's house and rolled at the feet of a young Candala; the girl therefore was married to him.

In the same work, vol. ii, p. 72, a hermit transformed a young mouse into a girl, and reared her. When she had grown up he offered her to the Sun, saying he wished to marry her to some mighty one. He was referred in turn to the Cloud and the Mountains, but the Himalaya said that the Mice were stronger than he and dug holes in him. She was then transformed into a mouse once more, and married a forest mouse. This latter form of the tale is given in The Fables of Pilpay, in which it was the girl who wished to be married to a powerful and invincible husband.

In Folklore of the Santal Parganas (collected by Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 168, the parents of a beautiful girl of a semi-aboriginal caste determined to marry her to the greatest person in the world. They took her in turn to the Sun, the Cloud, the Wind, the Mountain, and the Ground Rat. When they applied to the rat it informed them that their own people were more powerful than the rats, as they dug out and ate them; so in the end the girl was married to a man of their own caste.

NO. 172

THE STORY OF THE MANGO BIRD

In a certain country a hen bird is eating the mangoes at a Wild Mango tree, it is said.

While a man was chopping the earthen ridges in the field at which is the Wild Mango tree, having seen the Mango Bird [350] the man went up the tree, and having caught the Mango Bird and descended from the tree to the ground, struck the Mango Bird on the root of the tree. Having struck it he asked the Mango Bird, "Mango Bird, was that day good [or] is to-day good?" [351]

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, And looking if hardness in Mango root there be."

After that, the man having placed the Mango Bird in a gap in the earthen ridge in the rice field, in which there was water, asks the bird, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, And 'mid the lower lands the frolic watery."

After that, as the man was coming home taking the bird, there was a grass field by the path. Having struck the bird [on the ground] in the field, the man asked, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea."

After that, the man having taken the bird, as he was going home struck the bird on the road stile, and asked, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea, Finding that the road stile would be crossed by me."

After that, the man having taken the bird, as he was going to go (sic) into the house struck it on the door-frame, and asked the bird, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea, Finding that the road stile would be crossed by me, Learning the defects of the door-frame's carpentry."

After that, the man, having [broken the ligature round the end of a torch, and] lighted the torch, and set the bird upon [the flame, to singe off the feathers], asked, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea, Finding that the road stile would be crossed by me, Learning the defects of the door-frame's carpentry, Fracture of the tying of the torch by thee."

After that, the man cut up the bird with the bill-hook, and says, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea, Finding that the road stile would be crossed by me. Learning the defects of the door-frame's carpentry, Fracture of the tying of the torch by thee, Looking the smith's bill-hook's cutting to see."

After that, the man put the bird in the cooking vessel, and having placed it on the hearth [to cook], asked, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea, Finding that the road stile would be crossed by me, Learning the defects of the door-frame's carpentry, Fracture of the tying of the torch by thee, Looking the smith's bill-hook's cutting to see, Looking at the sittings in the potter's pottery."

After that, this man, having apportioned the cooked rice on the plate, and having apportioned the flesh of the bird, while he was eating [it] asked, "Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?"

Then the bird says,

"Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, 'Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea, Finding that the road stile would be crossed by me, Learning the defects of the door-frame's carpentry, Fracture of the tying of the torch by thee, Looking the smith's bill-hook's cutting to see, Looking at the sittings in the potter's pottery.

Sir, behold! Be good enough to remain looking out."

Having said [this], the Mango Bird flew out of the man's nose. The man died just as the bird was flying away.

North-western Province.

The Sinhalese query and rhyme are:--

Ætamba kirilliye, edada honda adada honda? "Edat hondayi, adat hondayi, Ætamba gahaka aetamba kaen, Ætamba mule hayiya baelin, Owiti maenda paen keliyen, Pitiye sameyan keruwen, Man-kadulle yana eññan deggatten, Uluwasse wadu-hadukan iganagatin, Hulu-atte baemma kaedin, Aciriye kaette kaepun baeluwen, Badahaelaye walande indun baeluwen. Ralahami, On! Bala-inda hondayi."

There is a variant in the Sierra Leone district, given in Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider, and the Other Beef (Cronise and Ward), p. 160. A devil who lived near a town had forbidden traps to be set in the "bush" [forest and bushes] there. A stranger set a trap, and caught a pigeon. The pigeon then told him to carry it to his house. When he had done this, it told him to kill it; then to pluck off its feathers; then to clean it; to put the pot on the fire; to cut it up; to cook it immediately; to put in salt; to put in pepper; to taste the food; and lastly it told him to eat it up. He complied with all the instructions. In the evening he went to the "bush" again. When he opened his mouth to speak, the bird flew out, the man died, and his body was carried off by the devil.