Wonder Tales from Tibet

by Eleanore Myers Jewett

Massang moved as if to give her what she asked, but catching sight of a very evil smile on her face, he paused.

“It may well be,” thought he to himself, “that this is a wicked witch, and if I give her a taste of my stew, she will carry off stew, pot and all, as she very likely did when each of my three companions was here before. I had best be careful.” Then, turning to the old woman, he said, “Good mother, right gladly will I give you a taste of my stew, but it is now much too thick, and I dare not leave it lest it burn. I pray you fetch me a small pail of water, that I may make it the more savory, and then you shall have as much as you desire.”

The old woman grunted, being ill [[61]]pleased, but she took the pail which Massang handed her and immediately disappeared out of the window. But she left her little bundle behind her.

Now Massang had purposely given her a pail with a hole in it so that she would be a long time trying to fill it, and as soon as she had gone he went to her bundle and opened it. In it were a ball of catgut, an iron hammer and a pair of iron scissors. As he took these out they grew larger, and by this he knew for a certainty that she was a witch and determined to deal very carefully with her. He stowed away the three treasures in his pocket and put in their place a ball of ordinary cord, a wooden hammer, and a pair of wooden scissors. As soon as he had placed these in the bundle, they became as small as the others had been. Then he went back to his place beside the stew and sat watching it as if he had never moved. Before long the little witch woman flew in at the window, [[62]]tossed down the useless, empty pail and stamped her foot in a terrible rage.

“Have a care!” she shouted, and her high cracked voice trembled with anger. “Have a care how you meddle with me! My body is small, but my power is great! Give me a taste of your stew at once, or it will be the worse for you!”

Massang looked at her quietly and did not move. “I am not afraid of your power,” said he. “So long as you taste not my food, you are no stronger than I.”

“Indeed!” said the old woman, stamping her foot again. “Do you think in your pride you can match your strength with mine? Well, so be it; let us see which has the greater power. I will put you to three tests, after which, if you do not cry aloud for mercy, you may put me to the same. Come now, do you agree, or does your courage already begin to fail you?”

“Not in the least!” said Massang, getting up. “Let us have the tests at once.”

The witch picked up her bundle, opened [[63]]it and took out the ball of cord which she thought to be her magic catgut. “First I will bind you with this,” said she, “and if you succeed in freeing yourself, you can do the same to me; if not” (and here she laughed scornfully), “you shall be bound to me, soul and body, to be my slave forever.” Then she flew at Massang and tied his legs and arms securely with the cord; but as it was only ordinary cord, and Massang’s strength was great, he very soon broke loose from it. The old woman howled with rage, but he quickly seized her and tied her fast with her own magic catgut, and though she struggled long and hard, she could not work herself free.

“Enough!” cried she at length, panting and weary. “Loose me! You have won in this test, but it is only the first and the least; there are two more, and in these you will find yourself easily overcome.” Massang unwound the catgut from her, and she sprang up, trembling and gnashing her teeth in anger, while Massang was [[64]]calm and quiet as if he were merely playing a little game.