The Girl who always found helpers.
There were once upon a time, six brothers and a sister. The brothers were married. They were merchants, and their business often took them to a distance from home. On such occasions the wives were left alone with their sister-in-law. For some reason or other they hated the girl, and took every opportunity to harass and worry her.
One day when the brothers were away on a journey they said to her, “Oh! girl, go to the forest and bring a load of firewood without tying it.” What could the girl do? She must obey her sisters-in-law, or else they would beat her, and give her no food. So she went to the forest with a heavy heart, bewailing her unhappy lot in the following plaintive song,
Woe is me! For I must bring
Unbound a fagot on my head.
Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
While business you far hence hath led.
Seeing her grief a Jambro snake asked, “Why daughter, do you cry?” She replied, “My brothers have gone away on business, and my sisters-in-law persecute me. They have sent me to bring a bundle of firewood on my head without tying it.” The Jambro took pity on her and said, “Gather firewood.” Then the Jambro stretched himself full length upon the ground and said to the girl, “Lay the sticks on me.” When she had done so the serpent twined itself round the fagot like a rope, and said, “Now lift it on to your head, but when you reach home, lay your burden down gently.”
When her sisters-in-law knew that she had done what they considered impossible, they were still more angry with her, and ordered her to go to the forest and get milk from a tigress. They gave her a small earthen vessel, saying, “Go, bring us the milk of a tigress.” What could the girl do? She went to the forest with a heavy heart, bewailing her unhappy lot in the following plaintive song,