THE ORIGIN OF DEATH
When God first made the world, He took two handsful of ashes and placed them in a corner and hid Himself. These became a man and a woman. God then called the man by name, saying: “Manoo,” and the man replied, “Hoo” instead of “Ha Jee” (Yes Life) respectfully, as he should have done.
For this reason was everlasting life denied him, and where he stood, there were his ashes when he died. Even to this day, if a man should scratch himself, a line of white ash of which he was made is seen. If any man addresses another as “Jee” it is accounted to his good.
THE REAL MOTHER
There was once a Rajah who had seven wives; six of these were rich and dwelt in his Palace, but the seventh was poor, and lived apart in a little mud hut by herself. The Rajah had one great sorrow, and that was that he had no children. One day he went out to shikar (or hunt) and saw an old Fakir lying fast asleep. He did not know that the Fakir had been asleep for twelve years; so he pressed his hands and feet, and the old man awoke. Seeing the Rajah sitting beside him, he thought he had been attending him for twelve years, so he said: “What is your wish, my son?” and the Rajah said: “I have no children. I want neither riches nor honour, but a son.” Then the old Fakir gave him his staff, and said: “Go to yonder mango tree and hit it twice, bring away any fruit which may fall to me.”
The first time the Rajah hit the tree only six mangoes fell, and the next time only one; these he carefully carried to the old Fakir, who told him to take them home, and give one each to the Ranees, and they would each have a son.
So the Rajah returned to his Palace, and gave them to his six Ranees, but quite forgot the poor Ranee, who lived apart by herself. The six Ranees did not believe what the old man said, so they just tasted the fruit and then threw it away; but when the poor Ranee heard what had happened, she told her servant to go and look in the drain for any mangoes the others had thrown away, and bring them to her; so the servant brought them, and she carefully ate every one. Three months afterwards she sent for an old nurse, or dhai, who told her that she would soon be a mother.
The Rajah was passing by when he saw the old nurse coming out of the poor Ranee’s hut, so he made enquiries; and, when he heard the news, there were great rejoicings in the Palace. This made the other six Ranees very angry indeed, and they called the old dhai and told her that if, when the child was born, she would promise to kill it, they would give her a great reward. When the day came the wicked old dhai who was in attendance on the Ranee, said: “Ranee, I must blindfold your eyes.” The Ranee consented, and while thus blindfolded, became the mother of six sons and one daughter.