The Tusk Elephant of the Divine World (Variant).
In a certain country a man having worked a rice field, after the paddy became big a tusk elephant comes from the Divine World and eats the paddy.
The man having gone, when he looked (balāpuwama) there are no gaps [in the fence] for any animal whatever to come; there are footprints. The man thought, “It is the rice mortars of the men of our village that have eaten this; I must tell the men to tie the rice mortars to the trees.” Thinking it, in the evening the man having told it to the whole of the houses,[2] together with the man they tied all the rice mortars to the trees. Having tied them, the man who owned the rice field and the men of that village went to the rice field and remained looking out.
Then from the Divine World they saw a tusk elephant, and with the tusk elephant also a man, come. Having seen them, when the men having become afraid are looking on, the tusk elephant eats the paddy. Then the men asked at the hand of the man who came with the tusk elephant, “You [come] whence?”
Then the man said, “We come from the Divine World; if you also like, come.”
After that, the men having said “Hā,” [added], “How shall we come now? At the speed at which you go we cannot come.”
Then the man said, “As soon as the tusk elephant has got in front[3] I will hang at the elephant’s tail. One of you also take hold at my waist,[4] let still [another] man take hold at the man’s waist, and thus in that manner all come.”
After that, the men having said “Hā,” in that very way the tusk elephant got in front. The man having hung from the tusk elephant’s tail, when they were going away, the other men holding the waists, there was a coconut tree in the path.
Then the man who came from the Divine World said, “Andō! The largeness of these coconuts!”
Then these men asked, “In the Divine World are the coconuts very large?”
Then the man [in order] to say, “They will be this much [across],” released the hand which remained holding the tail of the tusk elephant. So the man fell to the ground, and all the other men fell to the ground.
Only the tusk elephant went to the Divine World.
Cultivating Caste, North-western Province.
In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 234, Mr. C. J. R. Le Mesurier mentioned the man who tied up the rice mortars in the belief that the elephants’ foot-prints in a rice field were caused by them.
In the Kathā Sarit Sāgara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 111, a man who got a tank made found that some animal tore up the surface of the embankment. When he remained on the watch for it he saw a bull descend from heaven, and gore it; and thinking he might go to heaven with it, he held the tail and was carried up to Kailāsa, the bull evidently being the riding animal of the God Śiva. After spending some time in happiness he descended in the same way, in order to see his friends. They asked him to take them with him on his return, and he consented. He seized the bull’s tail, the next man held his feet, the third his, and so on, in a chain. While they were on their way upward one of the men inquired how large were the sweetmeats he ate in heaven. The first man let go, joined his hands in a cup shape, and said, “So big.” Thereupon they all fell down and were killed. The story adds that “the people who saw it were much amused.”
[1] That is, the amount of the seed being first deducted, a certain share of the produce would be taken by the cultivator—sometimes one-half or one-third,—the rest going to the owner of the land, in this case the King. [↑]
[2] Gedarawal gānēṭtama. Gānē or gāna = gahana, multitude; compare kaḍawal gānēma, vol. i, p. 86, line 17. [↑]
[4] Um̆balat ekkenek magē ina gāwin allā-ganillā (hon. pl.); gāwin, “near,” is commonly used for “at” or “by,” as in ata gāwin allāgana, seizing the hand (vol. i, p. 127, line 23). [↑]
No. 228
The Gamarāla who ate Black Fowls’ Flesh and Hīn-aeṭi Rice
In a certain country there were a Gamarāla and a Gama-Mahagē, it is said. There was a paramour for this Gama-Mahagē, it is said. Because the Gamarāla was at home the paramour was unable for many days to come to look at the Gama-Mahagē.
Because of it, the Gama-Mahagē having thought she must make her husband’s eyes blind, went on the whole of the days to the bottom of a spacious tree in which it was believed that there is a Dēvatāwā, and cried, “O Deity, make my man’s eyes blind.”
Having seen that in this way incessantly (nokaḍawama) the Gama-Mahagē in the evening having abandoned all house work goes into the jungle, the Gamarāla wanted to ascertain what she goes here for. The Gamarāla also in order to stop this going of the Gama-Mahagē settled in the afternoon that there will be a great quantity of work [for her] to do. The Gamarāla, who saw that nevertheless, whatever extent of work there should be, having quickly finished all the possible extent she goes into the jungle, on the following day in the evening having been reminded of the preceding reflections, remained hidden in a hollow in the tree there.
And the Gama-Mahagē, just as on other days, in the evening having finished the work and having come, cried, “O Dēvatāwā who is in this tree, make my man’s eyes blind.” Having cleared the root of the tree and offered flowers, she also lighted a lamp.
The Gamarāla who was looking at all these, having been struck with astonishment, after the Gama-Mahagē went away descended from the tree and went home.
On the following day, also, in the evening the Gamarāla, catching a pigeon and having gone [with it], remained hidden in the hollow of the very same tree. At the time when he is staying in this way, the Gama-Mahagē having come, and having offered oil, flowers, etc., just as before, when she cried out [to the deity] to blind her man’s eyes, the Gamarāla from the hollow of the tree, having changed his voice, spoke, “Bola!”
Thereupon the Gama-Mahagē, having thought, “It is this Deity spoke,” said, “O Lord.”
At that time the Gamarāla said thus, “If [I am] to make thy man’s eyes blind, give [him] black fowls’ flesh[1] and cooked rice of Hīn-aeṭi rice.” Having said [this], he allowed the pigeon which he had caught to fly away.
Thereupon the Gama-Mahagē having thought, “This Deity is going in the appearance of a pigeon,” having turned and turned to the direction in which the pigeon is going and going, began to worship it. And the Gamarāla after that having slowly descended from the tree, went away.
Beginning from that day, the Gama-Mahagē, walking everywhere, having sought for black fowls’ flesh and Hīn-aeṭi rice, began to give the Gamarāla amply to eat. While the Gamarāla, too, is eating this tasty food, after a little time he says to the Gama-Mahagē, “Anē! Ban̥,[2] my eyesight is now less.” When he said thus, the Gama-Mahagē more and more gave him black fowls’ flesh and cooked Hīn-aeṭi rice.
After a little time more went by, he informed her that by degrees the Gamarāla’s eyesight is becoming less. At this time the Gama-Mahagē’s paramour began to come without any fear. The Gamarāla, groping and groping like a blind man, when he is walking in the house saw well that the paramour has come.
Having said, “Ban̥, at the time when you are not [here], dogs having come into the house overturn the pots,” the Gamarāla asked for a large cudgel. Keeping the cudgel in this manner while he was lying down, when the paramour came having seized his two hands and beaten him with the cudgel, he killed him outright.
While he was thus, when the Gama-Mahagē came he said, “Look there, Ban̥. Some dogs having come from somewhere or other, came running and jumping into this. Having thrown them down with the cudgel, I beat them. What became of them I don’t know.”
Having heard this matter, at the time when the Gama-Mahagē looked she saw that the paramour was killed, and having become much troubled about it because there was also fear that blame would come to her from the Government, lifting up the corpse and having gone and caused it to lean against a plantain-tree in her father’s garden, she set it there.
Her father having gone during the night-time to safeguard the plantain enclosure, and having seen that a man is [there], beat him with his cudgel. Although the blows he struck were not too hard, having seen that the man fell and was killed, the plantain enclosure person, having become afraid, lifting up the corpse and having gone [with it], pressed the head part in the angle of the shop of a trader in salt, and went away.
The salt dealer having thought, “A thief is entering the house,” struck a blow with a cudgel. But having come near and looked, and seen that the man is dead, at the time when it became light he informed the Government. He said that the man could not die at his blow, and that some person or other had put him there.[3]
Because on account of the dead man there was not any person to lament, having employed women for hire he caused them to lament. At this time one woman lamented: “First, it is my misfortune; next to that, father’s misfortune; and after that the salt dealer’s misfortune.”[4] At the time when they asked, “What is that?” when she related the whole account for her punishment they ordered her to be killed.
Western Province.
In The Jātaka, No. 98 (vol. i, p. 239), a man in order to cheat his partner got his father to enter a hollow tree, and personate a Tree-Sprite who was supposed to occupy it. When the matter in dispute was referred to this deity, the father gave a decision in favour of his son.
In The Adventures of Rājā Rasālu (Swynnerton), p. 138, a man whose wife absented herself every night, followed her and discovered that she prayed at the grave of a fakīr that her husband might become blind. He hid himself in the shrine, and on the next night told her that if she fed her husband with sweet pudding and roast fowl he would be blind in a week; he then hurried home before her. Next morning she remarked that he was very thin and that she must feed him well; he acquiesced and was duly fed on the two dishes. He first stated that his eyes were getting dim, and after the seventh day that he was quite blind. Her paramour now began to visit the house openly. One day the man saw his wife hide him in a roll of matting; he tied it up, and saying he would go to Mecca, shouldered it and left. He met another man similarly cheated, and they agreed to let the lovers go.
In the Kathā Sarit Sāgara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 40, after two brothers buried at the foot of a tree two thousand gold dīnārs, one of them secretly carried them off,[5] and afterwards charged the other with stealing them. As the King could not decide the case, the thief claimed that the tree at which the money was buried would give evidence for him. The question was put to it next day and a voice replied that the innocent brother took the money; but when the officers applied smoke to the hollow the father who was hidden there fell out and died, so the thief was punished by mutilation.
In Folk-Tales of the Telugus (G. R. Subramiah Pantulu), p. 28, there is a similar story in which the thief was sentenced to pay the whole amount to the other man.
In the Kolhān folk-tales (Bompas) appended to Folklore of the Santal Parganas, p. 482, a Potter’s wife whom a Raja advised to kill her husband, set up a figure of a deity in her house, and prayed daily to it that the man might become blind and die. On overhearing her, the Potter hid behind the figure, said her prayer was granted, and predicted that he would be blind in two days. When he feigned blindness she sent for the Raja, who together with the woman was killed at night by him, and his corpse placed in a neighbour’s vegetable garden. Towards morning the neighbour saw an apparent thief, struck him on the head, and discovered he had killed the Raja. He consulted the Potter and by his advice placed the body among some buffaloes, where their owner knocked it over as a milk thief, and after consulting the Potter threw it into a well. It was discovered there and cremated.
In Folklore of the Santal Parganas (collected by Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 247, a smith was the hero in place of the Potter. The body of a Prince was left at three houses in turn, the last householder being imprisoned.
In Santal Folk Tales (Campbell), p. 100, a man whose wife died left her corpse in a wheat field, tied in a bag loaded on a bullock, and got hid. When the field owner thrashed the bullock the man came forward, charged him with killing his sick wife, and received six maunds of rupees as hush money. The standard maund being one of 40 sers, each of 80 tolas or rupee-weights (Hobson-Jobson), this would be 19,200 rupees.
Regarding the black fowls, Bernier stated that in India there was “a small hen, delicate and tender, which I call Ethiopian, the skin being quite black” (Travels, Constable’s translation, p. 251). In a note, the translator added the remarks of Linschoten (1583–1589) on Mozambique fowls:—“There are certain hennes that are so blacke both of feathers, flesh, and bones, that being sodden they seeme as black as ink; yet of very sweet taste, and are accounted better than the other; whereof some are likewise found in India, but not so many as in Mossambique” (Voyage, i, 25, 26. Hakluyt Soc.).
[1] A breed of black fowls is considered to have the tenderest flesh of all; the flesh is very white, but the bones are black on the surface. [↑]
[2] Contraction of Bolan, apparently; a Low-country expression. [↑]
[3] These adventures of the corpse remind one of the Hunchback of the Arabian Nights, but they are Indian episodes. [↑]
[4] Issarawelā maganē; ī gāwaṭa appanē; īṭat passe ḷunu huppanē. maganē = magē + anaya or anē. [↑]
[5] When money stolen from me was buried, the leader of the thieves removed it during the same night, and buried it at a fresh place in the jungle. [↑]
No. 229
How the Gamarāla drove away the Lion
In a certain country the wife of a Gamarāla had a paramour. Having given this paramour to eat and drink, because she wants him to stay there talking and associated [with her] the Gama-Mahan̆gē every day at daybreak tells the Gamarāla to go to the chena, and at night tells him to go to lie down at the watch hut; even having come to eat cooked rice, she does not allow him to stay at home a little time.
The Gamarāla, having felt doubtful that perhaps there may be a paramour for the Gama-Mahan̆gē, one day at night quite unexpectedly went home and tapped at the door.
Then, because the paramour was inside the house, the Gama-Mahan̆gē practised a trick in this manner. During the day time the Gamarāla had put in the open space in front of the house a large log of firewood that was [formerly] at a grave. “A Yakā having been in this log of firewood, and having caused me to be brought to fear, go and put down that log of firewood afar. Until you come I cannot open the door,” the Gama-Mahan̆gē said.
The Gamarāla having been deceived by it, lifting up the log of firewood in order to go and put it away, went off [with it]. Then the paramour who was in the house having opened the door, she sent him out. When the Gamarāla came back (āpuwāma) anybody was not there.
After this, one day when the Gamarāla came at the time when the door had been opened, because the paramour was in the house the Gama-Mahan̆gē told the paramour to creep out by the corner of the roof [over the top of the wall], to the quarter at the back of the house, and go away.
But having crept a little [way], because he remained looking back the Gama-Mahan̆gē says, “You are laughing. Should he even cut my body there will be no blood [of yours shed]. Creep quickly. If not, there will be great destruction for us both.” But because he does not speak, when she came near and looked she saw that the paramour having stuck fast was dead. Because his mouth was opened, this woman thought, “At that also he is laughing.”
Well then, when the Gamarāla came into the house the Gama-Mahan̆gē said, “Look here. A thief having come and having prepared to steal the goods that are in the house, is dead on the path on which he crept from here when I was coming. It is a good work,” she said. The Gamarāla, taking this for the truth, buried the man.
After this the Gama-Mahan̆gē met with another paramour. The man said to the Gama-Mahan̆gē, “We must kill the Gamarāla. The mode of killing [shall be] thus:—Because it troubles men when a lion that is in the midst of such and such a forest in this country is roaring, to-morrow during the day the King will cause a proclamation tom-tom to be beaten [to notify] that he will give goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load to a person who killed[1] the lion, or to a person who drove it away. You having caused the proclamation tom-tom to halt, say that our Gamarāla can kill the lion,” the paramour taught the Gama-Mahan̆gē.
In this said manner, the Gama-Mahan̆gē on the following day having stopped the proclamation tom-tom, said, “Our Gamarāla can kill the lion.”
Well then, when the Gamarāla came [home] they told him about this matter. Then the Gamarāla, having scolded and scolded her, began to lament, and said, “Why, O archer, can I kill the lion?” But because the King sent the message telling the person whom they said can kill the lion, to come, when the Gamarāla, having submitted to the King’s command, went to the royal house [the King] asked, “What things do you require to kill the lion?”
Thereupon the Gamarāla thought, “Asking for [provisions] to eat and drink for three months, and causing a large strong iron cage to be made, I must go into the midst of the forest, and having entered the cage, continuing to eat and drink I must remain in it doing nothing.” Having thought it, asking the King for the things and having gone into the midst of the forest, he got into the iron cage, and continuing to eat and drink stayed in it doing nothing.
While he was staying in this manner, one day the lion having scented the iron cage looked at it. Then the Gamarāla with a lance that was in his hand stabbed [at it, for the blade] to go along the nose. The Gamarāla did thus through fear; but the lion having become afraid, not staying in the midst of that forest went to another forest.
After that, the Gamarāla [informed the King that he had driven it away, and] taking the goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load, went home and dwelt in happiness.
Western Province.
In The Orientalist, vol. ii, p. 175, in a story given by Mr. T. B. Panabokke, a foolish Adikār who was sent to kill a lion, ran off as it was coming, and climbed up a tree. The lion came, and resting its fore-paws against the tree trunk, tried to climb up it. The man was so terrified that he dropped his sword, which entered its open mouth and killed it. He then descended, cut off the head, and returned in triumph. In a variant in the same volume, p. 102, the animal was a tiger. The story is given in Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 207, the animal being a lion.
In Tales of the Punjab (Mrs. F. A. Steel), p. 85, a weaver who had been made Commander-in-Chief killed a savage tiger by accident in the same manner, through his dagger’s falling into its open mouth when he was in a tree.
In The Indian Antiquary, vol. xiv, p. 109, in a South Indian story by Naṭēśa Sāstrī, a man who was sent to kill a lioness climbed up a tree for safety. When the lioness came below it and yawned he was so much alarmed that he dropped his sword, which entered her open mouth and killed her.
[1] Lit., having killed, gave. [↑]
No. 230
The Son who was Blind at Night
In an older time than this, in a certain village there was a nobleman’s family. In the nobleman’s family there was a Prince whose eyes do not see at night.
Because the nobleman-Prince is not of any assistance to his parents, the nobleman having spoken to his wife, told her that having given him suitable things, etc., she is to send off this one to any place he can go to, to obtain a livelihood. The lady (siṭu-dēvī) having tied up a packet of cooked rice and given it to her son, says, “Go in happiness, and earn your living.”
Thereupon this Prince whose eyes were blind at night, taking the packet of cooked rice and having started, goes away. Having gone thus, and at the time when it was becoming evening having eaten the packet of cooked rice, he thinks, “Should it become late at night my eyes do not see.” Having thought, “Prior to that, I must go to this village near by,” and having arisen from there very speedily, he arrived at a village.
Having gone there and come to a house, during the time while he is dwelling with them this one says, “I am going away [from] there for no special reason (nikan). I am going for the purpose of seeking a marriage for myself,” he said.
Thereupon they say, “There is a daughter to be given with our assent. We do not give that person in that manner (i.e., not merely because she is sought for). From our grandfather’s time there is a book in our house. To a person who has read and explained the book we are giving our daughter in marriage,” they said.
At that time this person who is blind at night asked for the book. The party brought and gave him the book. This person who is blind at night, taking the book into his hand, began to weep.
When they asked, “What are you weeping for?” he says, “Except that in my own mind I completely understand the difficulty of the matters that are in this book, I wept because of the extreme difficulty that there is for some one else in expounding it,” he said.
At that time the party think, “To give our daughter [in marriage] we have obtained a suitable son-in-law.” They gave her in marriage.
At the time when he is living thus for a few days, his father-in-law having spoken, says, “Don’t you be unoccupied (nikan). There is our chena; having gone to the chena with the other brothers-in-law, taking a tract of ground for yourself clear it and sow it for yourself.”
This one having said, “It is good,” and having gone, taking a side of the chena began to clear it. This one worked more quickly than the other persons. Thereupon the father-in-law felt much affection for this person who was blind at night.
During that time when he was clearing it, a porcupine having been there at the corner of a bush, he killed it unseen by anyone, and put it away and hid it. At the time when it became evening the other dependants (pirisa) went home. This one, his eyes not seeing, was in the chena, clasping the dead body of the porcupine.
During the time while he was thus, the father-in-law came to seek him. Thereupon he says to the father-in-law, “It is excellent that you came first to do a work. Was it good to go home empty-handed? When I stopped for this business you went away, didn’t you?”
Thereupon the father-in-law says, “Don’t you be displeased; we did not know that you stopped. Come, to go home.”
Then he says, “I cannot go in that way. Getting a stick and having come, hang this animal in the manner of the carrying-pole load (taḍa), in order to carry it,” he said.
Thereupon, tying the carrying-pole, and placing the father-in-law in front,[1] he came to the house. That his eyes do not see, this one did not inform the father-in-law.
While a few days are going in that manner, the work in the chena having been finished he sowed it, and fitting up a watch-hut there he is [watching it] carefully.
While he is thus, thieves having broken into the house of the King of that country came near the watch-hut to which this one goes, in order to divide the goods. When they were sitting there dividing the goods, this one opened his eyes, and becoming afraid says, “Seize them! Beat them! Tie them!”
At once the thieves, leaving the goods and having become afraid, jumped up and ran away. When this one, collecting the heap of goods and having arrived at the house, informed the father-in-law, the father-in-law gave the King notice of it. The King having become much pleased, caused this one to be brought, and having given him various things appointed him to the office of Treasurer[2] of that city.
[1] That is, at the front end of the pole; the other man held the rear end on his shoulder, and was thus guided by it along the path which his eyes could not distinguish. [↑]
No. 231
The Son and the Mother[1]
In a certain country a widow woman lived with her only son, it is said. At the time when her son arrived at a young man’s age, this woman for the purpose of bringing and giving him a [bride in] marriage, having descended to the road, set off to go to a village not distant from it. While this woman was going thus, in order to quench her weariness she went to a travellers’ shed that was at the side of the path.
After a little time, yet [another] woman having arrived at this very travellers’ shed, when these two were conversing one of those persons asked [the other] on account of what circumstances she went along by that road. At that time the woman who had come first to the travellers’ shed gave answer thus, that is, “My husband having died I have only one son. Because of it, in order to seek a marriage for that son I set out and came in this manner,” she said.
Thereupon the other woman says, “My husband also having died, I have only one daughter. I came on the search for a suitable husband for that daughter,” she said.
After that, these two persons ascertaining that they were people belonging to the [good] castes, agreed to marry the son and daughter of these two persons. [After] promising in this manner, having given in marriage the other woman’s daughter to the son of the first-mentioned woman, because the daughter’s mother is living alone they summoned the whole four persons to one house, and resided there.
When they are coming and dwelling in that manner a very little time, the young man said to his mother that his wife was not good. A very little time having gone thus, the young woman says to her husband, “I cannot reside here with your mother. Because of it [please] kill her. If it be not so, having gone away with my mother we shall live alone,” she said.
Although even many times he did not give heed to the word of his wife, because the young man was unwilling to kill his mother, in the end, at the time when his wife set off to go away, he said, “It is good; I will kill mother. You must tell me the way to kill her.”
Thereupon his wife said thus, “In the night time, when thy mother is sleeping, taking completely[2] the bed and having gone [with it], let us throw it in the river,” she said.
In the night time, at the time when all are sleeping, the young woman having tied a cord to the leg of the bed on which her mother-in-law is sleeping, went to sleep, placing an end of the cord in her hand.
The young man having seen this circumstance, after his wife went to sleep unfastened the end of the cord that was tied to the leg of his mother’s bed, and tied it to the leg of the bed of his wife’s mother. While it was thus, suddenly this young woman arose, and spoke to her husband: “Now the time is good,” she said.
When he asked, “Because there is darkness how shall we find our mother’s bed?” “I have been placing a mark,” the woman said. Well then, because the end of the cord was tied to the leg of this woman’s bed, both together lifting up the bed went and threw it in the river.
After it became light, when she looked, perceiving that the young woman’s mother was thrown into the river, and coming to grief, and having wept, she said thus to her husband, “For committing some fault[3] we have thrown my mother into the river. Well, let us kill your mother, too,” she said again.
The husband being not satisfied with this, because the request of his wife was stronger than that [disinclination], said, “It is good; let us kill her.”
When her husband further asked, “By what method shall we kill mother?” she said, “When thy mother is asleep, lifting up the bed completely and having gone [with it], and having placed a pile of sticks at a new grave, let us burn her.” The husband approved of her word.
On the following day, subsequently to its becoming light, when the woman whom the two persons were lifting up was asleep, having gone [after] lifting up the bed completely, they placed this woman together with the bed on the middle of the pile of firewood which they had gathered together previously. But to set fire to the heap of firewood they did not remember to take fire. Because of it, and because to bring fire each person was afraid to go alone, both set off and went.
During the time while they were going thus, when strong dew was falling like rain the woman who was asleep on the pile of firewood having opened her eyes, said, “Am I not at this grave mound?” She also having looked far and near,[4] thought, “It is indeed a work, this, of my son and daughter-in-law;” and having descended from the pile of firewood, lifting up a new corpse that was at the grave, and having gone and placed it upon that bed that was on the pile of firewood, she plucked off her cloth, and having clothed the corpse she entered the jungle quite unclothed.
The son and daughter-in-law having come, remained looking about. Then her son and daughter-in-law procuring fire,[5] and having come to the new grave, both persons made the fire burn at the two ends of the pile of firewood, and went away.
The woman, who had looked very well at this business, because she was unclothed could not come near villages. Having entered a forest wilderness that was near there, when going a considerable distance she saw a rock house (cave). Having gone to this rock house, when she looked [in it] she saw that a great number of clothes, and ornaments, and kinds of food and drink were in this rock house, and having thought, “For these there will be owners,” she remained quite afraid to seize them.
At that time a gang of thieves who owned the goods, hundreds of thousands in number, that were in this rock house, having come and looked in the direction of the rock house, saw that an unclothed Yaksanī had entered there. Having become afraid at it, the whole of them bounded off, and having gone running arrived near a Yakadurā,[6] and said thus, “Friend, one Yaksanī having entered is now staying at the rock house in which are the goods that we collected and placed [there] during the whole eight years in which we now have been committing robberies. Because of it, should you by any means of success whatever drive away the Yaksanī for us, we will give a half from the goods,” they said to the Yakadurā.
Thereupon the Yakadurā being pleased, when he went to the neighbourhood of the rock house with the thieves, the thieves, through fear to go, halted. The Yakadurā having gone quite alone to the rock house, when he asked the woman who was unclothed, “Art thou a human daughter[7] or a Yaksanī?” she gave answer, “I am a human daughter.”
At that time the Yakadurā said, “If so, I cannot believe thy word. Of a Yaksanī, indeed, there is no tongue; of a human being there is the tongue. Because of it, please extend the tongue [for me] to look at it, having rubbed my tongue on thy tongue,” the Yakadurā said.
Thereupon this woman thought thus, “If so, these men having thought I am a Yaksanī, are afraid of me. Because of it, having frightened them a little more I must get these goods,” she thought.
Having thought thus, and having come near the Yakadurā, at the time when he extended the tongue she bit his tongue. Thereupon, when the Yakadurā began to run away, blood pouring and pouring from his mouth, the thieves, having become more frightened at it, ran away; and having said, “If she did so to the Yakadurā who went possessing protective spells and diagrams, [after] uttering spells over limes, and uttering spells over threads coloured with turmeric, how will she do to us?” they did not go after that to even that district.
Well then, that woman, putting on clothes that were in the rock house, and having eaten and drunk to the possible extent [after] making up the goods into bundles as much as possible, came to look for her son. When the daughter-in-law and son saw her coming while afar, having arrived at astonishment at it, they asked, “How have you who were put on the pile of firewood and burnt, come again? Whence are these goods?”
Thereupon the woman says, “Why, Bola, don’t you know that after their life, when they have burnt men they receive goods?” she asked.
Then her daughter-in-law, having thought that she will be able to bring goods, said, “Anē! Please burn me also in that way.”
Having said, “It is good,” the mother-in-law, having gone taking her daughter-in-law, and having put her on the pile of firewood, set fire [to it].
At that time, “Apoyi! I indeed cannot stay,” she cried when she began to burn.
Thereupon her mother-in-law cries out, “Hā! Hā! Don’t cry out. Should you cry out you will not receive the goods. While you were burning me did I also cry out? Anē! Because you are stronger than I, [after] making a great many articles into bundles come back,” she said. In this manner having told and told her, and having burnt the daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law went home.
After a few days had gone, her son asks, “Mother, you by this time came bringing the goods. This giantess[8] has not [come] yet; what is that for?” he asked.
She said, “No, son; she is staying to bring a great many goods.”
Having waited, one day the son having thoroughly tied the mother to kill her, on account of the manner in which he accepted the daughter-in-law’s word, she said, “Why, Bola, fool! Dead men having arisen from the dead, will there be a country also to which they come?[9] I came in this manner,” and having told her whole story, and employed her son, they went taking a great many carts, and brought to the village the whole of the goods that were in the above-mentioned rock house.
After that, this son contracted another marriage. Having seen his wealthiness, the King of that country gave him a post as Treasurer.[10]
Western Province.
This is also a folk-tale called “The Wicked Daughter-in-law,” in the North-western Province, the parents of the young man being a Gamarāla and Gama-Mahagē. The wife wished to kill her mother-in-law because the latter and her own mother were quarrelling. She and her husband threw the first bed into a forest pool (eba). The incident of the return of the robbers to the cave where they had hidden their plunder is omitted; the Mahagē simply put on a number of silver and gold articles and carried home a bundle of others, including necklaces and corals. She told her daughter-in-law that there were many more at the burial ground, and the latter went to fetch them. When she arrived there she saw a fresh corpse, and became so much afraid that she fainted, and fell down and died.
This story is given in The Jataka, No. 432 (vol. iii, p. 303).
In the Kathā Sarit Sāgara (Tawney), vol. i, p. 88, a servant girl who had absconded with her master’s store of gold, climbed up a leafy tree to escape from him. One of his servants climbed up it in search of her. Seeing that she would be captured, she pretended to be in love with him, and as she was kissing his mouth she bit off his tongue, and he fell down unable to speak. Her master thought he had been attacked by a demon, and at once ran off.
In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. iii, p. 141, a woman who wished to kill her mother-in-law persuaded her husband to believe that if she were burnt she would be re-born as a deity, and receive continual offerings from them. They made a great fire in a deep trench, gave a feast at it, and when the people had gone pushed the mother over the edge into it, and ran off. She fell on a ledge in the side of the trench and thus escaped, was unable to return home in the darkness, and climbed up a tree for safety from animals and demons. While she was there, robbers came to the foot of the tree with valuable articles they had stolen, and when they heard her sneeze ran off, thinking she was a demon. In the morning she returned home with a heavy bundle of jewellery they had left, told the daughter-in-law that she had become a deity and had therefore received these valuables, and offered to send her also. The fire was made up afresh, the man pushed his wife into it, and she was burnt up.
[1] Putā saha Māeniyō; in the folk-tales the word meaning “son” is always spelt thus, with long a. [↑]
[3] That is, as a punishment for some fault of theirs they had killed the wrong person. [↑]
[5] That is, blowing the glowing fire-sticks into flames. [↑]
[6] A demon expeller of low caste. [↑]
[7] Manuksa duwek: in the reply the first of these words is manussa. [↑]
[8] Yōdī, an expression often applied jestingly to a child, or a person who thinks herself strong. [↑]
[9] In Sagas from the Far East, p. 22, a Khan’s son with a friend had killed two serpent deities which ate the people, when he went to be their prey in the place of his father. His friend then suggested that they should return home, but the Khan’s son replied, “Not so, for if we went back to our own land the people would only mock us, saying, ‘The dead return not to the living!’ and we should find no place among them.” In vol. i, p. 77, of these Sinhalese tales, a man asks, “Can anyone in the other world come to this world?” But other Sinhalese stories show that there is, or was, a belief that people who have died may sometimes reappear on earth immediately, in their previous form, and not merely as new-born children, the common idea, as on p. 308, below. See Nos. 191 and 210. For the text of the sentence see p. 416. [↑]
No. 232
Concerning the Heṭṭi Man’s Son
In a former time, in a certain country there was a certain Heṭṭi family possessing a great quantity of goods, it is said. There were seven sons of the Heṭṭiyā. For the purpose of learning he sent the seven sons to school. Out of the Heṭṭi children who go to school, as the youngest son was a mischievous rough fellow, having set out from the house in order to go to school, while on the road he got hid, not going to the school. At the time when, the school having been dismissed, the other children are coming back, this child also, like a person who went to school, comes to the house with his brothers, and dwells [there].
That this one did not go (non̆giyā) to school no one tells either the father or mother. Because of what thing? Because of the harshness that there is of his, should they give information to his parents that he did not go to school they are afraid he will cause great annoyance to the people who give the information.
In that manner going to the school and coming according to his will, and making disturbance with the other children (lamō), and walking to several places at the time when he is dwelling [there], he one day in the eventide having descended to the city street goes to walk.
While going, a certain horse-keeper taking a horse brought it for sale. He having stopped the horse-keeper, asks, “To which district are you taking this horse?”
To that the horse-keeper gives answer, “I am taking this horse for sale.”
Thereupon he said, “It is good. For how much money will you give this horse?”
Then the horse-keeper says, “You a man who takes horses, indeed! There is not any profit in telling you the amount. The value of this horse is much,” he said.
Thereupon, having much scolded the horse-keeper, and having arrived at his house calling [the man to bring] the horse, he speaks to his father and says, “Take and give me this horse.”
At that time his father the Heṭṭiyā having rebuked him, drove him away. As this one was a vile rough fellow, taking the saying heavily, he began to make disturbance with his father. Thereupon anger having gone to the father, seizing him and having beaten him, he drove him away.
Having done thus, this one came into the house, and taking a gun speaks to his father and says, “Should you not take and give me this horse, shooting myself I will die.” Thereupon his father having become afraid, took the horse and gave [him it].
From the day when he took and gave the horse, he did not even go to the school. Having gone away according to his own notion, he joined the war army of that country. During the time when he was thus, also, he began to work there, so as to be a great dexterous person. The Chief of the war army there showed him much favour.
When a little time had gone thus, having been ordered to a war they came [for it]. Thereupon this one also having gone with the war force, and having been halted on the battle-ground, during the time while they are [there] the Chief of the Army spoke to this force (pirisa). When he said that in order to fight, a person who is able is to go to the enemy-King, and give the leaf missive (pattraya) which the Counsellor had prepared for the purpose, having seen that everyone remained without speaking, this one came forward, and having said, “I am able to go and give it,” asked for the letter.
When he thus asked, the Commander of the Army, having arrived at great sorrow, says, “By this fight to whom will occur victory, defeat, or any other thing I am unable to say. But should you stay on the battle-ground, harm not befalling you at any time, you may escape. The messenger who goes in order to give notice to this enemy-King does not escape at any time. When, having said the message, he is dismissed, the guards strike him down. I know that you are a person of a great wealthy family. I know that the advantage that is obtained from another twelve soldiers I am receiving from you. [But] because at the time when I spoke to any person who was willing to despatch and make known this message, you came forward, it is not justice to cause another person to go.” Having said [this], the General arrived at great sorrow.
Thereupon this one says, “Don’t be afraid. Having gone and given the letter I shall come back. But I cannot go thus; I don’t want these clothes. Please make afresh and give me clothes in the manner I say.” When he said [this], the General, in the manner he said, made and gave him the clothes.
Thereupon, putting on the clothes and having mounted on the back of the horse which his father took and gave him, taking the leaf that was written for the purpose of giving the notice to the enemy-King, he went off.
At the time when he was going there, the guards of the King’s house thought that a trader gentleman was coming in order to give assistance connected with the war. Without any fear whatever he went on horse-back to the royal palace; and having given the leaf and turned back, driving the horse a little slowly to the place where the guards are, and, having come there, driving the horse with the speed possible, he arrived at the place where his force is.
When he arrived thus, the General, having become much attached to him, established this one as the third person for that force. After that, having fought he obtained victory in the fight also. After he obtained victory in the fight, he appointed him to the chiefship of the army. During the time while he was dwelling thus, he went and in still many battles he obtained victory.
After that, having appointed him to the kingship,[1] he sent him to improve the out-districts. Having dwelt in that manner for much time, and having reached old age, he performed the act of death (kālakkiriyā).
[1] Evidently a post in which he had the title of Raja, and not the general government of the whole country. A ruler termed “the Eastern King” (Pacina Raja) is mentioned in an early inscription (Dr. Müller’s, No. 34A); as no such title is found in the histories, he may have been a district governor. The hero of this story appears to have received a somewhat similar post. [↑]
No. 233
The Fortunate Boy[1]
At a certain city there was a poor family, it is said. Of that family, the father having died, the mother and also a son remained, it is said. The mother, by [reason of] her destitute state without food, was supported by pounding [rice into] flour for hire at the shops, it is said.
While getting a living thus, having sent the son to school he began to learn letters. While he was staying in that way for learning them, one day [his mother] having sent him to school, at the time when he was coming home he was looking on nearby while a great rich man was getting a ship prepared on the sea shore. While he was thus looking, at the time when this boy having gone near looked, the work at the ship was becoming finished, it is said.
Owing to it, the boy, speaking to the rich man, says, “Will you sell this ship?” He asked [thus], it is said.
[In reply] to it, the rich man having looked in the boy’s direction, said in fun, “Yes, I will sell it.”
The boy asked, “For how much will you sell it?”
“For five hundred pounds for the ship on which pounds, thousands in number, have been spent I will give it,” he said.
On account of it the boy, having placed in pawn his books and slates at a shop near by, and having [thus got and] brought twenty-five cents,[2] and given them as earnest money for the ship, says, “To-morrow morning at nine, having secured the money I will take the ship,” he said. The rich man through inability to say two words remained without speaking, it is said.
The boy having gone home, at the time when he was there, when his mother asked, “Why, Bola, where are thy books and slates?” the boy says, “Having asked the price for a new ship of such and such a rich man, and agreed to take it, I placed the slates and books in pawn, and bringing twenty-five cents I gave them as earnest money,” he said.
His mother having become angry at it, and having beaten the boy, scolding him drove him away without giving him food, it is said.
At the time when she drove him away, having gone near a Heṭṭiyā of that city he says, “Anē! Heṭṭirāla, I having agreed to take such and such a rich man’s ship, and having gone to school, at the time when I was coming I placed my books and slates in pledge at a shop; and bringing twenty-five cents and having given them as earnest money, and agreed to secure the remaining money to-morrow morning at nine, I was going home meanwhile. When I told my mother these matters, she bringing anger into her (undae) mind, beat me, and drove me from the house without having given me food. Because it is so, you having paid this price for this ship keep it in your name,” he said.
The Heṭṭiyā becoming pleased at it, on the following day morning having made ready the money and gone with the boy, the Heṭṭiyā says, “I will stay here. You having gone with this money and given it to him, take the ship. As soon as you take it (ē aragana wahāma) speak to me; then I will come,” he said.
Then the boy, having gone in the manner he said, at the agreed time, and having spoken to the rich man, says, “According to the agreed manner, here (menna), I brought the price for you. Taking charge of it and having written the deeds, give me the ship,” he said.
The rich man, as soon as he was out of a great astonishment,[3] having gone and written the deeds, and having handed over the ship, says, “Aḍē! Bola, boy, is thy filth (kunu) a religious merit? Where, indeed, if this had not broken and fallen [on me], for a price of that manner was I to give the ship on which I incurred expenses to the amount of thousands of pounds! Thy birth having been consistent with it, it will be a debt [of a previous existence] which I was to give to thee. Because it is so, I will launch on the great sea this ship on which these five hundred pounds are spent, and will give [thee it there],” he said.
On account of it, the boy having summoned the Heṭṭiyā, says, “There (Onna)! I got the ship! Although I got it, the price I gave for the ship was not mine; it was yours. Because of that, load into this ship the goods you want [to send], and having placed hired workmen [on board] for it, give charge of it to me. I having gone to some country or other [after] doing trading shall come back in happiness,” he said.
Then that man who sold the ship, having collected together people and incurred great expenses, and caused the ship to be launched on the sea, gave him it, it is said. Having acted in that manner and given it, out of that price not bringing a cent home, he spent it over that; and having related the circumstance to his family, not feeling (ne-gena) any grief, in good happiness he dispatched the time (kal aeriyā), it is said. If you said, “What is [the reason of] that?” “There is no need for us to take [to heart] sorrow. From the debt that we were to give him [in a previous existence] we are released,” he said.
After that, the Heṭṭiyā having loaded into the ship bags of rice, thousands in number, and placed [over it] a hired captain, made the boy the principal (palamuweniyā), and having given him charge sent it off, it is said.
While the ship was going, time went by, many days in number, it is said; but while they were going on as a land (goḍak) was not yet to be perceived, the ship drifted to a great never-seen country, it is said. When they investigated in the country, and looked at the auspicious character of the kind of men who are [there], their faces were of the manner of dogs’ faces, the body like these bodies of ours,[4] but the food was human-flesh food, it is said.
On account of it, the persons who were in the ship being afraid, say, “Anē! This is indeed a cause for both ourselves and our ship to be lost!”
While they are staying [there] the boy says anew, “I think of an expedient for this, that is, let us cook a great rice [feast] on the ship. Having cooked it, I will go to this village, and having spoken to the men and come [after] assembling them, and having eaten this food of ours, we will tell them to look [round the ship].”
Having caused the rice to be made ready the boy went to the village, and having come [after] assembling the men, while giving them the food to eat, these men, perceiving that it was a food possessing great flavour that they had not eaten and not seen (no-kā nu-duṭu) say, “This sort you call ‘rice’ we [first] saw to-day indeed. For what things will you give this?”[5] they asked.
To that the sailors say, “Except that we give for money, for another thing we do not give,” they said, it is said.
Meanwhile the men (minisun) say, “In our country there is not a kind called ‘money’; in our country there are pieces of silver and gold. If you will give it for them, give it,” they said, it is said.
After that, the sailors having spoken [together] and caused them to bring those things, began to measure and measure and give the rice, it is said. Should you say, “In what manner was that?” that kind of men, putting the pieces of silver and gold into sacks and having brought them, began to take away rice to the extent they give, it is said.
During the time while they are doing taking and giving (ganu denu) in that way, because the sailors had great fear of staying, at night, at about the time when both heaps were equal (hari) by stealth they began to navigate the ship, it is said. At that very time, at the time when they looked at the accounts of that rice they gave, the cost had been not more than a hundred bags in number, it is said. For the rice that was of that cost there had been collected sacks of gold and silver,—about twelve were assembled, it is said.
Having gone to yet [another] country, and sold those things, and made them into money (mudal kara), taking for the money yet nine ships, and together with this ship having loaded goods into the whole ten ships, he began to come to his own city.
While coming there, at the time when [the citizens] looked at this it was like the mode of coming for a great fight. Meanwhile, not allowing them to approach their own country, the King asked, “Of what country are these ships? Are they coming for some fight, or what?”
At that, having raised the flag of the ship they say, “No; we have not come for a fight. In these ships are trading-goods. In any other way but that we have not come,” they said.
Yet still the King asked, through the excess of his fear, saying and saying, “Whose ships? Who is the owner?”
To that the boy, having caused them to raise the ship’s flag, says, “Such and such a Heṭṭirāla’s indeed are these ships,” he said.
Then speedily having caused the Heṭṭiyā to be brought, when he asked him, the Heṭṭiyā says, “These ships are not for me. I bought such and such a rich man’s ship for such and such a boy, and loaded rice in it; since I sent it (aeriya haeṭiyē) there is not even news yet,” the Heṭṭiyā said.
After that, having sent a boat, and caused the principal person of the ships to be brought, when he asked, indeed, thereafter the Heṭṭiyā gets to know [the facts]. As soon as he ascertained he caused the ships to be brought, and when the Heṭṭiyā asked the boy about these matters the boy gave account of (kiyā-dunnā) the wonderful things that occurred, it is said.
At the time when he reported them the Heṭṭiyā says, “I will not take charge of these ships. Should you ask, ‘What is [the reason of] that?’ because your merit (pina) is great, when I have taken the things you obtained they will not flourish for me,” he said. On account of it, the Heṭṭiyā took only the five hundred pounds that the Heṭṭiyā gave the boy, and the price of the rice, it is said.
Thereupon the boy, having caused a great palace to be built, and having decorated his mother with great beauty, causing her to ascend a great horse-carriage, published it by beat of tom-toms; and obtaining the office of Treasurer (siṭu tanataera) he dwelt in that palace. Having established hired persons for the ships, he began to send them to various countries (raṭa raṭawala), it is said.
[1] The Sinhalese title is, “The Story of the Ship and the Heṭṭiyā.” [↑]
[2] A quarter of a rupee, which in Ceylon was subdivided into one hundred cents about forty years ago. [↑]
[3] Or, “having been in a great astonishment, speedily having gone,” etc. The text is Mahat pudumayakin in̆da wahama gos. [↑]
[4] In the paintings on the walls or ceilings of Buddhist temples, many Yakshas are represented as having the heads of animals, such as bears, dogs, snakes, and parrots, with bodies like those of human beings. [↑]
[5] Lit., “these,” hāl, rice, being a plural noun. [↑]
No. 234
How the Daughter-in-law got the Masuran
In a certain city there was a nobleman.[1] There had been a great quantity of the nobleman’s goods, but the goods in time having become destroyed, he arrived at a very indigent condition. During the time while he was [thus], existing by his son and daughter’s continuing to strongly exert themselves as much as possible, at last this nobleman died.
After that, at the time when his son arrived at full age, his mother began to say to the son, “Son, because I am now a person who is approaching old age, you are unable quite alone to provide for me. Because it is so, thou must take in marriage a woman from a suitable family,” she said.
Well then, after he had married, the woman does not exert herself for his mother. Her husband having succeeded in ascertaining that she does not exert herself in this manner, and having thought that for [counteracting] this he must make a means of success, collected a quantity of fragments of plates that were at the whole of the places in the village; and taking a large skin, and having caused a purse to be made from the skin, and put in the skin purse the quantity of fragments of plate that he collected, he says to his mother, “Mother, when you have come near that woman, open the box so as to be visible from afar, and having behaved as though there were great wealth in it, and shaken this skin bag, place it in the box [again], and put it away.”
When he said thus, his mother, taking [to heart] her son’s saying, having made a sound with the skin bag in the manner he said, so as to be noticed by her son’s wife, and having treated it carefully, placed it in the box.
From the day on which the son’s wife saw it, she began to exert herself for her mother-in-law. During the time when she is exerting herself thus, a leprosy disease attacked her mother-in-law. Thereupon the son spoke to his mother, and said, “Mother, taking that skin bag, and placing it at the spot where you sleep, say in this manner to your relatives and my wife, that is, ‘Beginning on the day when I was little (poḍi dawasē paṭan) until this [time] I gathered together these articles. For not any other reason but in order to give them at the time of my being near death, to a person who has exerted herself for me, I gathered these together. Should any person out of you exert [herself] for me, to that person I will give these.’ You say [this],” he said secretly to his mother.
After that, his mother having gathered together her relatives, and having called her daughter-in-law near, while in front of the whole of them she said in the mode which her son taught her, that to the person who exerted herself for her she will give the skin bag of masuran.
Thereupon each one, competing according to the measure of her power, attended on this female leper. That son’s mind arrived at Having buried the corpse, after the disturbance was done with the son’s wife unfastened the bag of masuran. When she looked [in it], having seen that it had been filled with only the fragments of the plates that were in the village, she arrived at extreme grief. That woman’s mother also having come at this time, very noisily asked, “Did my daughter receive the bag of masuran?” Thereupon her daughter having told her that she was cheated, when she had shown her the bag of fragments of plates both of them wept; and that woman having become angry with her husband separated from him, and went to her own house. Western Province. In The Orientalist, vol. iv, p. 121, Miss S. H. Goonetilleke published nearly the same story without the introductory part, presumably as it is found in Kandy. The son gave his mother a bag containing stones, telling her to pretend that it held valuables. She threatened to leave owing to her daughter-in-law’s neglect of her, and to go to her own daughter’s house, and she went off while the daughter-in-law was asleep. The son scolded his wife, and told her the bag of gold would now be left to his mother’s daughter, so she went off next morning, coaxed her back, and attended to her carefully afterwards, and only learnt about the trick when the woman was dying. In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 241, an old man who was wealthy, thinking he was about to die, divided his property among his sons, who afterwards neglected and abused him, and treated him with cruelty. A friend to whom he related his troubles afterwards came with four bags of stones, and told him to pretend that he had returned to pay off an old debt of large amount, on no account allowing the sons to get the bags. This had the desired effect; the sons attended carefully to him until he died, and then greedily opening the bags learnt how they had been tricked. A certain Beggar having gone from village to village was earning a subsistence by making a Monkey[1] dance and dance. By it those two collected a very little money. Having changed the small coins they got a pound in gold, and a rupee. During that time the Monkey was well accustomed to [visit] the royal house. For marrying and giving the Princess of the King of the country, the King began to seek Princes. At that time royal Princes not being anywhere in those countries, he stayed without doing anything (nikan). At that time the Monkey called Appusiññō asked Babāsiññō the Beggar, “Am I to arrange and give you an opportunity [for a marriage]?” Then Babāsiññō said, “What is this you are saying, Appusiññō? For you and for us what [wedding] feast!” Then Appusiññō said, “It doesn’t matter to you. I will arrange and give it from somewhere or other.” Having said thus, Appusiññō went to the royal house. At that time the King having seen Appusiññō, asked, “What have you come for?” Then Appusiññō said, “The Mudaliyār[2] Babāsiññō told me to go and ask for the bushel for measuring golden pounds. On that account I came.” Then the King thinking, “Who is it, Bola, who is a rich man to that degree?” told him to ask a servant for it, and go. So Appusiññō, asking a servant for it, went back [with it]. [Afterwards] taking the golden pound which, having changed [their small coins for it], they were hiding, and having glued it in the bushel so as not to be noticed, he handed over the bushel, with the golden pound also, at the royal house. Thereupon the King, having looked at the bushel, said, “Look here. A golden pound has been overlooked[3] in this. Appusiññō, take it away.” Thereupon Appusiññō said, “Golden pounds like that are swept up into the various corners of the house of our Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō. Because of it, what of that one!” The King thought, “Maybe this person is a richer man than I!” The Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō and Appusiññō stay in a hut enclosed with leaves.[4] There are deficiencies of goods for those persons, for cooking and eating; there are only the small cooking pot (muṭṭiya) and the large cooking pot (appalla) [as their goods]. On yet a day Appusiññō went running to the royal house. Having said that the Lord Mudaliyār told him to go and ask for the bushel for measuring rupees, he asked for it. At that time the King asked Appusiññō, “Whence comes this money?” Appusiññō said, “All is indeed the revenue which he receives from gardens, and grass fields, and rice fields.” After that, he took away the vessel. At that time taking the rupee which was hidden, having brought it again, he gave it [with the rupee inside]. That day also the King said, “Look here. A rupee has been overlooked; take it away.” Thereupon he says, “If one gather up rupees at home in that way there are many [there]. What of that one!” Appusiññō having gone, and having walked to the shops in the villages, [after] finding about a hundred old keys, returned. Having brought the keys, and having thoroughly cleaned them, and made them into a bunch of keys, he tied them at his waist. [After] tying them at his waist he went in the direction of the royal house. The King, having seen this bunch of keys, asked, “Whence, Appusiññō, keys to this extent?” “They are the keys of the cash-boxes in the wardrobes of the Lord Mudaliyār,” he said. Having said it, Appusiññō said, “O Lord King, Your Majesty, will you, Sir, be angry at my speaking?” The King replied, “I am not angry at your speaking, or at your saying anything you want.” Thereupon Appusiññō says, “Our Lord Mudaliyār having walked to every place in this country, there was not an opportunity (iḍak) [for a marriage] to be found.” The Monkey informed the King that although during the little time that had passed he was poor, at present he was a great rich man, and that he was a person born formerly of an extremely important lineage. “Because of it I am speaking,” he said. At that time the King said, “That there are signs of his wealth, I know. His caste and birth[5] I do not know. Hereafter (dewenu) having inquired [about them], I will say.” Thereupon Appusiññō having gone into a multitude of villages, told the men, “The King having sent messages and told you to come, will ask, ‘Is Babāsiññō a very wealthy person? Is he a person of good lineage?’ Then say, ‘He is of a very good caste.’ ” After that, the King having summoned the Talipat fan men[6] who were in that country, made inquiry, “Is Babāsiññō’s house (i.e., lineage) good or bad?” The whole of them began to say, “He is a monied man, an overlord of lineage,”[7] they said. After that, Appusiññō came once to the royal palace. At that time the King said to Appusiññō that he must see the bridegroom. Thereupon Appusiññō having gone home, and again having gone to the bazaar and bought a piece of soap, caused the Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō to bathe. Again, the Monkey known as Appusiññō, splitting his head with a stone, went running to the royal house. Thereupon the King asked Appusiññō, “What has split your head?” Appusiññō says, “The Lord Mudaliyār sought for the keys to get clothes to go somewhere or other. Out of my hand the keys were lost. On account of it having beaten me with a club and my head having been split, I came running here,” he said. Thereupon the King says, “You can find the keys some time. Until then, there are the needful clothes. Go and give him any cloth you want out of them,” he said. So having taken a good cloth in which gold work was put, he dressed him, and he having come to the royal house, the King became pleased with the Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō; and having caused the naekat (planetary prognostics) to be looked at, settled to marry [him to his daughter]. Thereupon, having told the men who were in that country, and having decorated the city, he observed the [wedding] festival, having also been surrounded by much sound of the five instruments of music in an extremely agreeable manner. Well then, while they were going summoning the Princess to Babāsiññō’s own country, the Monkey through extreme delight ran jumping and jumping in front. While the Monkey was going thus, a party of boys who were causing certain goats to graze, having heard the noise of the five instruments of music, became afraid. At the time when they asked, “What is this?” “They are coming breaking up a country, upsetting a country. If ye are to save these goats, say they are the Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō’s,” the Monkey said. When they are going a little further, certain herdsmen who are looking after cattle having become afraid, at the time when they asked [what the noise was], “They are coming breaking up a country, upsetting a country. If ye are to escape say, ‘We are causing the Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō’s cattle to graze,’ ” the Monkey said. When they are going a little further, certain men who are doing rice-field work having become afraid, at the time when they asked, “What is this noise?” he said, “They are coming breaking up a country, upsetting a country. If ye are to escape say, ‘We are doing work in the Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō’s rice fields.’ ” At the whole of the aforesaid places the men observed the method which the Monkey said. The Monkey saw during the time he was staying in the midst of the forest, a house in which is a Yaksanī. As in that house there are riches, silver and gold, like a palace, and because there was nothing in Babāsiññō’s house, he thought of going there. Having thought it, and having left the bride and bridegroom and the whole of them to come in carts, and having said, “Come on this path,” Appusiññō got in front, and having gone to the place where the Yaksanī is, said, “Isn’t there even news that they are coming breaking up a country, upsetting a country? The King is coming to behead you. Because of it, go to that stone well and get hid.” Thereupon, the Yaksanī having gone to the stone well, got hid. While she was hiding [in it], this Appusiññō having thrown stones [into it], and having killed the Yaksanī, swept the Yaksanī’s house, and when the party were coming was there. The King and the rest having come, when they looked much wealth and corn were there. Having said, “This one is a great rich person, indeed,” while the servants and the Princess remained there the King came back to the city. But however much assistance the Monkey gave, Babāsiññō having forgotten the whole of it did not even look whether they gave the Monkey to eat. Well then, while the party are staying there, one day, to look, “Does the Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō regard me?” Appusiññō was getting false illness. At that time Babāsiññō said, “What a vile remnant[8] is this! Take it and throw it away into the jungle.” Thereupon the Monkey made visible and showed the absence (naetikama) of Babāsiññō’s good qualities (guna), bringing forward many circumstances [in proof of it. He said], “Putting [out of consideration] that I was of so much assistance, you said thus!” Having said, “Because of it, staying here is not proper,” he went into the midst of the forest. [1] Rilawā, the brown monkey, Macacus pileatus. A variant terms it a Wan̆durā (Semnopithecus). [↑] [2] The title of a superior chief in the Low-country, equivalent to the Raṭēmahatmayā of the Kandians. [↑] [4] That is, the spaces in the stick walls were merely closed with leafy twigs. [↑] [7] Kāsi aettek, wan̥sādipotiyek. [↑] In a certain country there was a King who having gambled gets the victory. At that time, in that country there was a Beggar. One day, Senasurā,[1] having come near the Beggar, said, “Taking the money that thou hast begged and got, go near the King, and say thou, ‘Let us gamble.’ Then the King will say, ‘I will not.’ Then say thou, ‘Somehow or other, to the degree in which you, Sir, hold At that time the Beggar by begging had obtained about a thousand pounds. Having taken that little money he spoke to the King about the gambling. Then the King scolded him: “What gambling with thee, Beggar!” Then the Beggar says, “Should I hold the wager that you, Sir, hold, that is as much [as matters] to you, isn’t it? Why are you saying so? Let us gamble.” Then anger having come to the King, and having said “Hā, it is good,” he became ready to gamble. Having made ready the two gambled. While gambling the King began to lose at the wagers they were laying and laying. Having thus lost, he staked (lit., placed) the palace, also, and played. By that [throw] also, he lost. Then having staked Lan̥kāwa (Ceylon) also, he played. By that [throw] also, he lost. After that, going from the palace the King and Queen made an outer palace, and the Beggar stayed in the palace. This King and Queen [afterwards] went away. Being unable to go on, they sat down at a place. While they were sitting the Queen lay down, and placed her head on the foot of the King. During the time while the Queen was asleep, the King taking a ball of straw placed it for the Queen’s head; and while the Queen was sleeping there the King went away. At that time some men came there, bringing laden oxen. Then having heard the noise of the caravan (tavalama), the Queen awoke. When she looked about the King was not there. Then the Queen also having joined the caravan people, went away [with them]. Having gone, while she was lying down at a place, Senasurā, having come taking the disguise of a leopard, sprang at the party of caravan cattle. Then all the cattle which were tied up, breaking [loose] bounded off. Having bounded off, while they were running all these men sprang off on that road. This Queen sprang off to one hand (a different direction). Having bounded off she entered a city. The mother who makes garlands for the royal house, being without a person [as an assistant], having sought one and walked there, met with this Queen. At the time when she asked at the hand of the Queen [if she would help her], she said, “I can work.” Well then, the Queen stayed [there], doing and doing garland-making work. That King having abandoned the Queen, while he was going away, Senasurā, taking the disguise of a polan̆gā[2] (snake), stayed on the path. When the King was going from there the polan̆gā said, “Having swallowed a prey I am here, unable to go. Because of it take hold of my tail, and having drawn me aside and left me, go away.” Thereupon the King having taken hold of the tail of the polan̆gā, while he was drawing it aside it bit him on the hand. Then leprosy having struck the King, the King’s eye became foul. At that time a horse belonging to the King of yet [another] city was born. [The King went there, and was appointed as a horse-keeper under the King who owned the horse.] That garland-making mother (the ex-Queen) one day having gone taking flowers, placed them on the couches at the palace. When she was coming out, a trader who sold clothes when at that gambling city, having brought clothes to this city and having seen her as that garland-making mother was coming out, this trader made obeisance to this garland-making mother. Thereupon the Queen of the King of the city having seen it summoned the trader, and asked him, “Why didst thou make an obeisance to our garland-making mother?” The trader says, “What of that Queen’s doing garland-making work! [She is] the Queen of the King of such and such a city. Having seen her before, through being accustomed to it I made obeisance.” When she asked the garland-making mother about the circumstances, all was correct. After that having told the King, when the King, having heard of it, went looking at her she was the King’s elder sister. Thereupon he caused the garland-making mother to bathe in sandal-wood water, and robed her. Having heard the circumstances, in order to find the King (her husband) he made use of an expedient in this manner. Settling to eat a feast, he sent letters to the royal personages of cities successively, to come to this city. Then on the day the whole of the Kings came. Before that, he had told that Queen that should that King come she was to ascertain it. All these royal parties and their horse-keepers having come, and the royal party having arrived at the palace, that horse-keeper (the former King) went to another quarter, and placed a gill of rice on the hearth [to boil]. Cooking it and having eaten, because he was a King before that he set off to look at this royal party when eating food, and having come, peeped a little and looked. When he looked he saw that that Queen was there. Thereupon both these persons having seen each other began to weep. Then the whole of the Kings, having hit upon a little about it, inquired, “What is it?” Then the [royal] party said, “It is thus and thus.” Then the King summoned the horse-keeper, and having made him bathe in sandal-wood water, kept the Queen and the King in the palace. Having much thanked that royal party [of guests] and said, “It was for the sake of finding this one, indeed, that I laid this feast,” he sent the party [of guests] to those cities. This party (the King and Queen) remained at this royal house. Western Province. This story is a variant of the Indian tale of King Nala and Queen Damayantī. The two dice, Kali and Dwāpara, personified, as well as several Gods, were in love with Damayantī, but she married Nala, selecting him at a Swayamvara (at which a Princess makes her own choice of a husband). In order to separate them, Kali entered Nala when he had neglected his religious practices one day; and he became a drunkard and a gambler, and thus lost his kingdom, which was won by his brother at dice. He and his wife wandered away, and after showing her the path to her father’s kingdom, he abandoned her while she was asleep. He met with Kārkōṭaka, a snake King, and carried him from a fire which scorched him. The snake then bit him on the forehead, causing him to become deformed, and gave him garments which restored his original form when worn; and he entered the service of a King as cook and horse-keeper. Damayantī joined a caravan, and then became a palace attendant of a Queen who proved to be her mother’s sister. A Minister of her father’s recognised her; and on her story’s becoming known her uncle sent her back to her father. She heard of a clever cook and horse-keeper whom she suspected to be Nala; when she got a false notice of a Swayamvara to be sent to the King his employer he made Nala drive him there. Nala was tested in various ways by Damayantī, who at last felt sure of his identity; she then sent for him, and Kali having now left him he told his story, put on his magic garments, and they were re-united. He afterwards recovered his kingdom from his brother. In the Sinhalese version which has been given, the dice are not mentioned, and the reason why Senasurā brought about the misfortunes of the King and Queen,—that is, his jealousy,—is also not explained. In Folklore of the Santal Parganas (Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 144, the story is given without any intervention of the deities or personified dice. After being abandoned, the Princess was engaged as a servant at a palace, and the Prince became a groom at the same place. She saw and recognised him, and afterwards the younger brother restored half the kingdom to him. [1] The deity of the planet Saturn. [↑] In a certain country, during the time when a King was exercising sovereignty the King married a Queen, it is said. In the Queen’s womb, begotten by the Great King, three Princes were conceived, it is said. While the three Princes were in the state approaching full age, the eldest Prince of the three Princes improved himself in throwing stones with the stone-bow, it is said. During the time when he was improving himself thus, he became a very skilful and dexterous person at stone-bow throwing. After that, the same Prince having abandoned the stone-bow began the shooting of animals with the bow and arrows. By that means, having shot at animals and killed animals, while eating the flesh with good joy and pleasure he passed the time in happiness with his father the King, and his mother the Queen, and his younger brothers who were the other two Princes. At the time when he passed the time thus, his mother reached the other world. Not much time after it the Great King effected the wedding festival for yet [another] Queen from another country. The Queen was a childless proud woman. Because it was so, her happiness was in passing the time in discourtesy. Furthermore, by this Queen there not being any notice of the three Princes, and as she was passing the time in anger and jealousy, the three Princes spoke together, “When our father the King has gone to war with any city, we three persons, taking three bags of masuran and causing a bag of cooked rice to be made ready, will go to another country.” [After] saying [this], at the time when they are there the King received the message to go to a war. As soon as he received it,[1] having spoken to the Princes and the Queen, “Remain in happiness, looking after the country and the palace,” the Great King having been adorned to go went away. After he went, the three Princes, making ready the bags of masuran and cooked rice, and forsaking the country, having started to go to another country, went off. While they were thus going, a very severe water-thirst[2] seized the elder Prince. While going seeking water, perceiving that there was no water he said to the other young Princes, “Having gone to a high hill or up a large tree, look if there is water near.” Then a Prince having gone up a tree, when he looked said that very far away a pool of water is visible. After that, having gone to the quarter in which is the pool and having met with water, staying there and dividing the bag of cooked rice they ate. Having eaten and drunk, and having finished, they spoke together, “Let us three pluck three [lotus] flowers from this pool. [After] plucking them let us go to three countries. When we have gone there, should there be harm to anyone whatever of us, the flowers of the remaining two will fade.” Having said [this], the three Princes [plucked three flowers, and taking them with them] went to three countries. After they went there, while the eldest Prince was going on the road, a palace of great height was visible. When he went to the palace that was visible, there was a Princess [at it] possessing much beauty. Having seen this Prince’s splendour[3] that very Princess fell down unconscious, without sense. Afterwards the Prince having restored the Princess to consciousness, asked, “What happened?” The Princess having spoken, said, “Having seen your beauty, Sir, it caused a great dizziness to seize me, and I fell down.” After that, the Prince, begging a little water from the Princess, drank. After he drank, “Why is there no one in this palace?” he asked. The Princess spoke, “My father the King, and mother went for bathing their heads with water.[4] I and the flower-mother alone are [here],” she said. When the Prince asked on account of it, “Will the party come now?” “They will come now quickly,” said the Princess. Then the King and the Queen, [after] doing the head-bathing, came. The King and the Queen having seen this Prince became greatly afraid. “Of what country are you, Sir? Who and whose?” they asked the Prince. The Prince says, “I am a son of such and such a King of such and such a city,” he said. Because of it, the Great King asked, “Came you with the thought of perhaps a war, or what?” Then the Prince said, “No. After my mother died, while I was remaining in great sorrow, when my father the King, marrying another Queen, was there, for me a great shame entered my mind because of the Queen’s unseasonable action; and while the King went for a war I having forsaken my country came to this country.” After that, the truth of it went to the Great King, to his mind. As soon as it went there,[5] when a [little] time was going by, having married and given the King’s daughter [to him], and made it public by the proclamation tom-tom, and having handed over the country also, he decorated them [with the regal ornaments]. While he was exercising the kingship of that country, the other Princes of the country, having become angry concerning this Prince and having thought of a means of killing him, said, “We will give the flower-mother five hundred masuran to give him this small quantity of poisonous drug, having deceived the Princess by some method or other.” [They said to her], “Should you do as we said, we will give you these presents.” Should she be unable in that manner they told her to [tell] the Princess to ask where the Prince’s life is. In that way, the flower-mother having prepared a new [sort of] food for the Prince, and having also put [into it] this drug and deceived the Princess, at the time when the Prince is eating food she told her to give him this new food. This having seemed the truth to the Princess, at the time when the Prince was eating food she gave it. The Prince, too, having been much pleased with the food, and having eaten and drunk, finished. Owing to it, anything did not happen. On the following day the flower-mother says to the Princess, “Where is the Prince’s life?” She told her to ask. When she asked the Prince on account of it, “My life is in my breast,” he said. When she told it to the flower-mother in the morning, the flower-woman said, “What he said is false.” She told her to ask thoroughly. At night on the following day, when she asked he asked for oaths from the Princess, [of a nature to ensure] the impossibility of escaping from them, that the Princess must not tell it to any person. Afterwards the Princess swore, “I will not tell it.” Then the Prince says, “My life is in my sword,” he said. On the following day, when the flower-woman asked, having deceived the Princess, the Princess said, “If you will not tell it to anyone I will tell you. [For me] to tell it, you [must] take an oath with me,” she said. When the flower-mother swore to it the Princess said, “The Prince’s life is in the Prince’s sword.” From the day when she heard the fact for herself, that flower-mother to an extent never [done] before, began to pile up a heap of firewood and coconut husks. When the Princess asked, “What is that for?” she says, “For us to put in the hearth at the time when rain rains,” she said. While not much time was going in that way, one day not having shut the door of the palace, at night this flower-mother stole the Prince’s sword, put it into that piled up heap of firewood, and set it on fire; but the handle for holding the sword was left outside the flames. That fire fell into the heap.[6] At the time when it was thoroughly burning the Prince’s life was becoming ended here. After the sword was burnt the Prince completely died. Not allowing them to bury the dead body, the Princess having caused a coffin to be made, and placed the dead body inside the coffin, remained in much grief. While she was thus, the flowers of the Prince’s brothers having faded, when they came seeking him ascertaining the truth they went to the palace. At the time when they went, having seen the Princess who was in the palace they asked the Princess, “Why? For what [reason] are you without cause (nikan) in this great trouble?” they asked. To that the Princess says, “At the time when a Prince of such and such a King of such and such a country came to this country, my father the King having asked the Prince his age, and looked [into his horoscope], married and gave me to him; and having given him charge to rule the country also, that person (her father) died,” she said. “After that, while he is exercising the kingship this flower-mother told me to ask where the Prince’s life is. When I asked, the Prince’s life is in the Prince’s sword, he said. After that, whether such and such a thing occurred I do not understand,” she said. When those Princes sought for the sword there was no sword. Afterwards they looked in that heap of ashes on the fire ground. They met with only the piece of that hilt for holding. Having met with it, one person having gone running and having come [after] plucking limes, began to polish that piece of sword. The other having opened that coffin (lit. corpse-box) was near it. While he was there, by an authorisation of the Deity the sword was restored (lit. went right) better than it was [before]. Then life being as though [re-]established for the Prince also, he arose. After that, having investigated about these matters and looked [into them], perceiving what the flower-mother did he impaled that woman and killed her. Afterwards these three Princes and the Princess sought their father the King, and went to [their own] country. [2] There being several thirsts besides that caused by want of water,—such as thirsts for spirituous liquor, power, knowledge, happiness, etc.—the villager usually defines the former as water-thirst, diya or watura-tibbaha. [↑] [4] Paen is-nānayaṭa. It includes the bathing of the whole body. [↑] [6] That is, the fire burned into the midst of the heap, where the sword was placed. [↑] In a certain country a King was rearing wild animals. The King had learnt in a thorough manner the speech of animals. One day at that time the fowls were saying, “Our King assists us very much; he gives us food and drink.” They thanked the King very much. The King having heard their talk, the King laughed with pleasure. The royal Queen having been near, asked, “What did you laugh at?” “I merely (nikan) laughed,” the King said. Should he explain and give the talk to any person the King will die. Because of it he did not explain and give it. That the King knows the speech of animals he does not inform anyone. The royal Queen says, “There is no one who laughs in that way without a reason. Should you not say the reason I am going away, or having jumped into a well I shall die.” Thereupon the King, because he was unable to be released from [the importunity of] the Queen, thought, “Even if I am to die I must explain and give this.” Thinking thus, he went to give food to the animals. Then it was evident to those animals that this King is going to die. Out of the party of animals first a cock says, “His Majesty our King is going to be lost. We don’t want the food. We shall not receive assistance. Unless His Majesty the King perish thus we shall not perish. In submission to me there are many hens. When I have called them the hens come. When I have told them to eat they eat. When I have told them to go they go. The King, having become submissive in that manner to the thing that his wife has said, is going to die.” The King having heard it, laughed at it, also. Then, also, the royal Queen asked, “What did you laugh at?” Thereupon, not saying the [true] word, the King said, “Thinking of constructing a tank, I laughed.” Then the Queen said, “Having caused the animals that are in this Lan̥kāwa (Ceylon) to be brought, let us build a tank.” Then the King having said, “It is good,” caused the animals to be brought. The King having gone with the animals, showed them a place [in which] to build a tank; and telling them to build it came away. The animals, at the King’s command being unable to do anything, all together began to struggle on the mound of earth. Those which can take earth in the mouth take it in the mouth. All work in this manner. The Jackal, not doing any work, having bounded away remained looking on. After three or four days, the King having gone [there] trickishly stayed looking on. The King saw that the other animals are all moving about as though working; the Jackal, only, having bounded off is looking on. Having seen it he asked the Jackal, “The others are all working; thou, only, art looking upward. Why?” Thereupon the Jackal said, “No, O Lord; I looked into an account.” Then the King asked, “What account art thou looking at?” The Jackal says, “I looked whether in this country the females are in excess or the males are in excess.” The King asked, “By the account which thou knowest, are the females in excess or the males in excess?” The Jackal said, “So far as I can perceive, the females are in excess in this country.” Then the King said that men are in excess. Having said it the King said, “I myself having gone home and looked at the books, if males are in excess I shall give thee a good punishment.” The King having come home and looked at the books, it appeared that the males were in excess. Thereupon the King called the Jackal, and said, “Bola, males are in excess.” Then the Jackal says, “No, O Lord, Your Majesty; they are not as many as the females. Having also put down to the female account the males who hearken to the things that females say, after they counted them the females would be in excess.” Then the Jackal said, “Are the animals able to build tanks? How shall they carry the earth?” Thereupon the King having considered it, and having said, “Wild animals, wild animals, you are to go to the midst of the forest,” came home. At that time, the Queen asked, “Is the tank built and finished?” Then the King, taking a cane, began to beat the Queen. Thereupon the Queen, having said, “Anē! O Lord, Your Majesty, I will never again say anything, or even ask anything,” began to cry aloud. The King got to know that the Jackal was a wise animal. Western Province. Compare vol. ii., Nos. 167 and 168. In Santal Folk-Tales (Campbell), p. 22, after a King had received from the Snake King the power of understanding the speech of animals, he laughed on hearing a dispute between a fly and an ant over some grains of rice. As the Queen insisted on being told the reason, to disclose which he had been warned would be fatal to him, he was about to tell her and then get her to push him into the Ganges, when he overheard the talk of some goats. A he-goat replied to a she-goat’s request that he would bring her some grass from an island in the river, that he would not be made like this foolish King who vainly tried to please a woman and was about to die because of it. The King saw his foolishness, made the Queen kneel to pay obeisance to him in order to be told the secret, and then beheaded her. In a certain country there was a King. Madness seized the King. It having seized him, he caused all the men of the city to be brought, and seized from them their gains; should the party say even a word about it he kills them. Having killed them in this manner, when the city was diminished a half share, he sent to tell the Treasurer (siṭānō) to come. He knows thoroughly that in order to kill that person he had been told to come. The Treasurer asked at the hand of the Treasurer’s wife, “What shall I do for this?” Thereupon the woman said, “You having gone, to the talk which the King says having said nothing [else] in reply, say ‘Eheyi’ (Yes),[1] to the whole.” Having heard her word the Treasurer went to the palace. The King asked, “Treasurer, is there rain in your quarter?” The Treasurer said “Eheyi, Lord.” “Are you well now?” he asked. The Treasurer, not saying another speech, to that also said, “Eheyi, Lord.” In this manner they talked until the time for eating rice in the day time. To all he said, “Eheyi.” Then the King said to the Treasurer, “Treasurer, now the time for eating rice has come, hasn’t it?” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.” Thereupon the King said, “Treasurer, let us go to bathe.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.” The King said, “Ask for the copper water-pot.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord.” Having said it and gone, he returned [after] asking for [and getting] it. Then the King said, “Get in front.” The Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord”; having said it the Treasurer got in front. Having gone to the river, the King took off his clothes, and putting on the bathing cloth, [entered the water, and] asked the Treasurer, “Treasurer, won’t you bathe?” The Treasurer, having said, “Eheyi, Lord,” remained on the rock. While the King was talking and going backwards and backwards, he was caught by an eddy in the water, and went to the bottom. Having sunk, when he was rising to the surface he said, “Treasurer, I shall die; draw me out quickly.” Thereupon the Treasurer said, “Eheyi, Lord,” [but did not move]. When he was going to the bottom the next time the King died. Then the Treasurer, taking the few royal ornaments, came home. Having come, he said at the hand of the Treasurer’s wife, “The King died,” [and he gave an account of his death]. Thereupon the woman said, “O fool! I said that indeed. Putting on those royal ornaments, go to the royal palace and say, ‘It is I who am King; also I killed the King. If ye do not hearken to the things I say I will kill you also.’ ” The Treasurer did in that very way. The whole of the men of the city were afraid. Well then, the Treasurer exercising the sovereignty over the city, the Treasurer’s wife became the Queen. Western Province.No. 235
The Monkey and the Beggar, or the Monkey Appusiññō and the Beggar Babāsiññō
No. 236
How the Beggar and the King gambled
No. 237
The Story of the King
No. 238
The King who learnt the Speech of Animals
No. 239
The Mad King