Part 9

In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. iii, p. 256, a religious mendicant gave an inexhaustible jar of copper to a poor man who had presented food to him, and warned him against inviting the King to his house. The man neglected the advice, and the King took the jar. He then received from the donor a pot filled with sticks and stones. When he demanded the copper jar the King ordered him to be seized, but the men were beaten by the articles which issued from the second jar, and the King returned the first one. In the same volume, p. 267, there is an account of a rice measure, a jar of ambrosia, and a bag of jewels which were all inexhaustible. When a King sent men to take them a magical stick drove them away.

In Indian Fairy Tales (M. Stokes), p. 32, a foolish youth broke cakes into five pieces in the jungle, and said, "Now I'll eat this one, then the second, then the third, then the fourth, and then the fifth." The fairies who haunted the place thought he was about to devour them, and gave him a cooking pot out of which any food could be procured; at a cook's shop it was changed for a common one. When no food issued from this, he took five more cakes, repeated the words, received a box which produced any clothes required, and was drugged by the cook, who substituted a common box for it. He again took five cakes, and received a rope and stick which would tie and beat men when ordered. With these he recovered the other articles.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. i, p. 13, a King called Putraka persuaded two Asuras to race for the possession of articles left by their father,--shoes on which one could fly, a staff that wrote only truth, and a food vessel. The King then put on the shoes, carried off the other things, and founded the city called Pataliputra after Patali (his wife) and himself. The translator gave references to an Indian variant in which the rod is replaced by a purse, and to European examples.

In vol. ii., p. 3, of the same work four Yakshas presented a poor man with an inexhaustible food pitcher. When his kinsmen inquired about it he took it on his shoulder and began to dance, his foot slipped, the pitcher fell and was broken, and he reverted to his former poverty. This story is found in Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 74. Inexhaustible bowls filled with jewels are mentioned in vol. ii, p. 220, also.

In Les Avadanas (Julien), vol. ii, p. 8, and Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues, vol. ii, p. 185, the story of the demons (Pisacas) is almost the same as that above quoted. In the latter work, vol. iii, p. 259, two persons were quarrelling over a hat which rendered the wearer invisible, shoes with which he could walk on water, and a cudgel that would beat a person to death. When they raced for an arrow that a man shot he made off with the things.

In Sagas from the Far East, p. 84, in a Kalmuk tale, a man who frightened away some demons found that they had left an inexhaustible gold goblet which provided food and drink. He exchanged it for a magic cudgel, a hammer which when struck on the ground nine times caused a nine story tower to rise, and a goat-skin bag out of which rain fell when it was shaken, in each case sending back the cudgel to recover the articles.

In the Maha Bharata (Vana Parva, iii) Yudhishthira recited a Hymn to the Sun, on which this deity bestowed on him an inexhaustible copper pot out of which fruit, roots, meat, and vegetables were produced.

There is a Bamana variant from the interior of Senegambia, given in Contes Soudanais (C. Monteil), p. 58. A hyæna found a small pot called The Generous Pot, out of which he obtained rice, kus-kus (large millet), and other food. His hostess informed the King, who after testing it, kept it, and attached it to his arm. The hyæna then found a cutlas which told him its name was Cutlas-who-strikes. The King heard from his hostess that it was better than the pot. When he took it the hyæna stood beside his arm on which the pot hung, told him the name of the cutlas, and while it was striking him snatched away the pot and absconded.

In Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria (Dayrell), p. 20, a King had a drum the beating of which caused food to appear, but if the owner stepped over a stick or tree the food went bad, and men with sticks beat the guests and owner.

NO. 98

CONCERNING FOUR FRIENDS

In a single country there were four friends. During the time while they were staying there all four reared a dog. At the time when it had grown up the dog became extremely large.

After that, the four persons having spoken together: "Let us divide the [ownership of the] dog [among us]," divided the dog, to one person the fore-leg, to one person the hind-leg; in this manner the four persons divided it into four [shares].

[After] dividing it, when no long time had gone, one fore-leg of the dog was broken. After it was broken, the other three persons having told the man who owned the fore-leg that the fore-leg was broken, found fault [with him for not attending to it].

Thereupon the man, taking a medicine and an oil for it, soaked a rag, and tied it round [the leg]. After he had tied it round, the dog went near the hearth, and while it was staying there the fire caught that oiled rag.

The four persons had planted a cotton garden, and having [picked and] dried the cotton, had heaped it up. This dog's body coming against the heap of cotton, the fire caught it, and all the cotton burnt away.

After that, the four persons quarrelled [over it], and beat each other. [After] beating each other, they went near the King of the country. The whole three persons brought actions against the man [for the value of their shares of the burnt cotton].

How did they bring them? "Ane! O Lord, Your Majesty, we were rearing a dog and planting a cotton garden. We four persons divided the [ownership of the] dog [into shares]. While we were there after dividing it, the fore-leg belonging to this owner was broken. He wrapped it in a cloth [soaked in] oil for wounds. The dog, having gone near the hearth, was sleeping. The fire caught the dog. When it caught it, the dog having gone, jumped upon the heap of cotton which had been dried and heaped up. The cotton was burnt up. Because of it, we ask for [the amount of] the loss from this man." They brought the action thus.

The man says, "I am not a guilty person. I only wrapped the oiled rag on the fore-leg for the wound to heal. I did not do it in order to burn the cotton."

Thereupon those other three persons [said], "We don't know that. It is owing to you indeed that the cotton was burnt. Because of it, you must pay the [amount of the] loss to us three."

After that the King asked, "Was the dog's broken leg so thoroughly broken that it could not place the foot on the ground?"

The three persons said, "It could not place the foot on the ground even a little."

Then the King having considered, said regarding it, "Because it went by means of the three legs which belonged to you three persons, by your fault the cotton has been burnt, and [the amount of] his loss must be given to that one by you three persons."

After that, by those three persons the price of his share of the cotton was paid to the other man.

North-central Province.

This is one of the stories related of Mariyada Raman (translation by Mr. P. Ramachandra Rao, p. 11), in which four dealers in cotton reared a cat, each one owning one leg. The judgment was that given by the King in the Sinhalese version. This form of the story is known in Ceylon, and was related by a Tom-tom Beater of the interior of the North-western Province.

NO. 99

CONCERNING A HORSE

A man, taking a horse, went on its back. When so going the [skin on the] horse's back was broken, [a sore being formed which rendered the horse unserviceable]. After it was broken, the man removing the few horse cloths, while the horse was [left] there went away.

An oil trader, when coming on that path taking oil, having seen that [the skin on] this horse's back was broken, smeared a little of that oil on it, and went away.

Still [another] man having come, when he looked [saw that] a horse had fallen down. When the man looked at it he saw that the [skin on the] back was broken, and that man, taking a great many large rags, bandaged the back well, for it to become strong. Having bandaged it, and having further poured a little oil on it, he went away.

Near the path on which was the horse a man cut a chena, and set fire to the chena. When it was blazing some fire-sparks having come and fallen on the oil-rags on this horse's back, the fire seized the horse. Having seized it, when [the rags were] burning it was unable to get up [at first]. The horse having got up, and gone running, jumped into a citronella (paengiri) garden, and while it was running there and here, the fire seized the citronella plants, and the citronella plants burnt completely.

The man who owned that citronella garden went near the King for the law-suit. Having gone, he said to the King, "O Lord, Your Majesty, a horse, which having broken [the skin of] its back was wrapped with oil-rags, having jumped into my citronella garden, the citronella garden was totally burnt." Having said this he instituted the action.

Regarding it the King said, "It is not the fault of the man who wrapped the oil-rags round it. It is not the fault of the horse. Because thou didst not tie the fence [properly] the fault is thine, indeed."

The horse having been burnt in that very fire, died.

North-central Province.

NO. 100

THE STORY OF THE PEARL NECKLACE

At a certain city there are a King and a Queen, it is said. While they are there, one day the Queen with the female slave went to bathe at the pool in the King's garden. Having gone there, the Queen, having taken off her garments and put them down, placed her necklace upon the garments; and having told the female slave to stay there the Queen went into the pool, and is bathing. Then the female slave went to bathe.

A thievish female Grey Monkey (Waendiriyak) that was in the garden, took the necklace, and having placed it in a hole in a tree remained silent.

The Queen having bathed and come ashore, when she looked for the necklace while putting on her garments, there was no necklace. Afterwards she asked at the hand of the female slave, "Where, Bola, is the necklace?"

Then the female slave said, "I did not see a person who came here and went away [with it]."

Then both of them having come to the palace, the Queen told the King that thieves took the necklace. Thereupon the King caused the Ministers to be brought, and said, "Go quickly and seek ye the necklace." The Ministers speedily tying [up their cloths], [81] began to run [in search of it].

At that time a poor man from a distant place came into the jungle to seek sticks and creepers. When he was coming, the Ministers watching there were saying, "Seize him; he bounded away here."

This poor man having heard it thought to himself, "Should I stay here they will seize me. Because of it, having bounded away from here I must go to my village."

At the time when the man was running away, the Ministers having gone and seized the man, and beaten and beaten the man with their hands and feet, took him near the King.

Thereupon the King asked at the hand of the man, "Didst thou take a gold [and pearl] necklace in this manner?"

Then the man thought to himself, "Should I say that I did not take this necklace, the King will behead me. Because of it, I must say that I took it." Having thought this, he said, "I took it."

Then the King asked, "Where is it now?"

The man said, "I gave it to the Treasurer (sitano) of this city."

Afterwards the King having caused the Treasurer to be brought, asked, "Did this man give thee a necklace?"

Thereupon the Treasurer thought to himself, "Should I say that he did not give it to me, he will now behead this poor man. Because of it, I must say that he gave it to me." Having thought this, he said, "He gave it."

The King asked, "Where is the necklace now?"

Then the Treasurer said, "I gave it to a courtesan woman."

Afterwards the King caused the courtesan woman to be brought. "Did this Treasurer give thee a necklace?"

Thereupon the courtesan woman thought to herself, "What will this be about, that such a Treasurer said he gave me a necklace? Because of it, it is bad to say he did not give it; I must say he gave it." Having thought this, she said, "He gave it."

Then the King asked, "Where is it now?"

The courtesan woman says, "I gave it to the man who knows the science of astrology (ganita saestara), or to the Gandargaya" (sic).

Afterwards the King having caused the Gandargaya to be brought, asked, "Did this courtesan woman give thee a necklace?"

At that time the Gandargaya thought to himself, "What is this thing that this woman said? It will be about something regarding which the woman is unable to save herself. It is because of that [she will have said] that I took it that day. Because of it, it is not good to say she did not give me it; I must say she gave it." Having thought this he said, "She gave it."

Well then, on that day it became night; there was no time to hear the case. After that, the Ministers said, "Having put all these four persons in one room, outside we must listen secretly to the manner in which this party talk." The King gave permission [to act accordingly]. Afterwards, the Ministers having put the four persons in one room, and shut the door, stayed outside secretly listening.

Then firstly that Treasurer asked at the hand of that poor man, "When didst thou give me a necklace? What is this thing thou saidst?"

Then the poor man says, "Ane! O Treasurer, I am a very poor man. Your Honour is a very wealthy person. Because of it, in order that I may save myself I said that I gave it to Your Honour. It was for that. Otherwise, when did I give Your Honour a necklace?"

Afterwards that courtesan woman asked at the hand of the Treasurer, "O Treasurer, when did you give me a necklace? What is this you said?"

Then the Treasurer says, "Thou, also, art a possessor of much wealth. I also am a person who has much wealth. On account of it, because we two can escape from this injury that has occurred [to us], I said it. Otherwise, when did I give thee a necklace?"

Then the Gandargaya asked the woman, "What, woman, is this thing that thou saidst? When didst thou give me a necklace?"

The courtesan woman says, "Ane! O Gandarvaya, [82] thou, having said sooth, art a person who obtains much wealth. Because of it, as we, having even paid the debt (the value of the necklace), can escape, I said it. Otherwise, when did I give thee a necklace?"

Well then, the talk of the four persons was heard by the Ministers who were secretly listening. That day, after it became light, taking the four persons out, they took them near the King. The Ministers who had listened in secret said to the King, "These four persons are not the thieves."

Then the King asked the Ministers, "How did ye ascertain that they are not thieves?"

The Ministers said, "We stayed listening in secret; by that we ascertained."

The King said, "If so, who are the thieves who took this necklace?"

Then the Ministers said, "According to the way in which it appears to us, maybe it is a thievish female Grey Monkey that is in the garden, who took the necklace." The Ministers said, "You ought to set free these four persons." After that, the King having released the four persons sent them away.

Afterwards, the Ministers having gone to the garden, caught a male Grey Monkey. [After] catching it they came to the palace, and having sewn the jacket and breeches, and put the jacket on the Monkey, and put the breeches [on it], and put flower garlands [on it], and dressed the Monkey, and again sent the Monkey to the garden, the Ministers remained looking on.

Then that thievish female Grey Monkey who took the necklace, having seen the Monkey that had been clothed, went to the fork of the tree in which she placed the necklace, and placing the necklace on her neck, came outside.

These Ministers having seen it, the Ministers clapped their hands [to frighten her]. At the time when they were saying "Hu," as that female Grey Monkey was going jumping and jumping from tree to tree, the necklace that was on the female Monkey's neck fell to the ground.

After that, the Ministers went, and picking it up, came to the royal palace and presented it to the King. On account of it, the King having become much pleased with the Ministers gave them many offices.

North-western Province.

This is evidently the Jataka story No. 92 (vol. i, p. 224), in which the man who was first caught declared that he gave the necklace to the Treasurer, who said that he passed it on to the Chaplain, who stated that it was given to the Chief Musician, who said he handed it to the Courtesan. To make the monkey produce and wear it, a number of bead necklaces were placed on the necks, wrists and ankles of other monkeys that were caught. In this story the last person charged totally denied having received the necklace.

In A. von Schiefner's Tibetan Tales (Ralston), p. 181, the Queen hung the necklace on a tree, whence a monkey stole it. A beggar who was arrested first charged a merchant with receiving it from him, and afterwards also, as accomplices, a courtesan, a lute player, and the son of the Minister. The Minister got the King to release the prisoners, and to take the Queen to the park wearing a necklace. When she danced the monkey imitated her, and the necklace fell off its neck.

With reference to the remarks of the prisoners in the Sinhalese version, that being wealthy persons they could escape by paying the value of the missing necklace, a statement not found in the Jataka story, Sirr, who was a Deputy Queen's Advocate in Ceylon, stated in Ceylon and the Cingalese (1850), vol. ii., p. 231, that "theft was punished by a fine equal to the value of the stolen property, by flogging, and by imprisonment; or, if the thief immediately restored the property, he was only flogged and paraded through the village where the crime had been committed." According to Dr. Davy, flogging and imprisonment were not always inflicted, however.

In the middle of the seventeenth century, according to Ribeiro, "if the thief confessed his crime he was condemned to pay the highest value of the article which satisfied the other party, and as a penalty for his offence double its value to the Royal Treasury" (History of Ceilão, translation by Pieris, 2nd ed., p. 152).

NO. 101

THE WIDOW WOMAN AND LOKU-APPUHAMI

At a village a Siti [83] widow-mother had a son having the name Appuhami. That Loku-Appuhami, having seen that the men of that district are gambling, came to his mother, and said, "Mother, the men of this village are gambling. Having cooked rice during the day time give me it, and a little money, for me to go to gamble," he said.

Then the woman says, "Ane! Son, whence is there money for us? You be quiet," [84] she said.

The boy having heard the mother's word, through being unable to gamble went outside the house. When going, this boy saw that two men having been at the cattle herd near a tamarind tree, went away. Having seen them, this boy went there and looked; when he looked two sallis (half-farthings) had fallen down there.

After that, this boy having taken the two sallis, said to his mother, "Mother, now then, cook and give me rice, to go to gamble," he said.

Hearing that, the old woman asked, "Whence is there money for you?"

Then the boy said, "There were two sallis for me at the root of the tamarind tree; they will do for me," he said.

After that, the widow-mother having cooked rice dust, gave it. The boy having eaten the rice, went to the gambling place. Having gone, he laid down those two sallis, and told the men to play. The men did not play.

Then a youth of that very sort having been there played for it. Then for the two sallis yet two sallis came. Next, he wagered (lit., held) the whole four sallis. On that occasion, for those four sallis yet four sallis came. In this manner he that day won a large amount.

Having won and gone from there, on the following day, also, he came. Having come, and when playing that day having lost the money, he played also on credit. Having played on credit, after he went away, on the following day those creditors, through ill-feeling for him, went in order to ask for the debts.

When they were going, this boy they call Loku-Appuhami was colouring a cudgel in a good manner. Before that, he had said to his mother, [85] "At first when the men come, when I am asking for betel and areka-nut, you remain silent, looking on. Then I shall come and beat you [with this cudgel]; then fall down as though you died. When I am calling you a second time, do you, having gone into the house and dressed well, like a good-looking young girl, bring the betel box," he said.

Well then, she did in that manner. When he did it (i.e., struck her) the woman in that very way fell down. Having fallen, when she was [there] that one (araya) again called her. Then [getting up and] dressing well [inside the house] like a young girl, she takes a betel box. When [she was] coming, those men who came to take the debts asked, "What did you to your mother?" they asked.

Then he says, "I made her Tirihan," [86] he said. Having said it, the man went into the house.

After he went into the house these men who came to take the debt, thinking, "Ade! It is good for us also to make our women Tirihan; we don't want this debt," and taking that cudgel, bounded off.

When they were bounding off, that Loku-Appuhami having quickly (wijahata) sprung out and called those persons (arunta) says, "Ade! You are taking it; that is right. Beat seven persons, and put them into one house (room), and remain without opening the door until the time when seven days are going, [for them] to become Tirihan," he said. Having heard him the party went.

Having gone, and having beaten seven persons, and put them into one house, when they were there seven days blue-flies began to go over the walls of the house. Then this party say, "It is indeed because they have become Tirihan that the blue-flies are going." Having said [this] they looked; when they looked all had died.

After that, they came in order to seize Loku-Appuhami. Having come they seized him; seizing him, and having placed his arms behind his back and tying him, they went to throw him into the river. Having gone, there was a travellers' shed near the river; having tied him at the post of the travellers' shed, those men went outside, and went away [temporarily].

After they went, a Moorman, taking a drove of laden pack-bulls (tavalama), went near the travellers' shed. When going, having seen that man who is tied to the post, this Moorman asks, "Why, Loku-Appuhami, are you caught and tied to that tree?"

"Ane! Tambi-elder-brother, because I have lumbago I am tied."

Then he says, "Ane! Loku-Appu, I also have lumbago. Because of it, catch and tie me also to that tree," he says.

Then Loku-Appu said, "If so, unfasten me."

After that, the Tambi having come, unfastened him. After he unfastened him, Loku-Appuhami having caught him, and placed him at the tree, and tied him, went away, driving the drove of pack-bulls.

After he went, those men having come, when they looked he was the Tambi. Then those men say, "Ade! Loku-Appuhami took the appearance of a Moorman!" Having spoken together, and seized that Moorman, they put him into the river and went away.

Then Loku-Appuhami, taking that Moorman's drove of pack-bulls, goes through the midst of those men's houses. When [he was] going, a woman said to the men, "Look there! Loku Appuhami who went to be thrown into the river,--On! he is bringing a drove of pack-bulls!" she said.