No. 216
The Story of Goḷu-Bayiyā[1]
In a country there was, it is said, a man called Gōnaka-Bokkā. There were ten younger brothers of that Gōna-Bokkā, it is said.
The ten younger brothers spoke: “From elder brother Gōna-Bokkā there is not any advantage for us [because he idles and does no work]. It is difficult for us, doing [house] work for ourselves. On account of it, we will bring one [woman in] marriage for us ten persons.” After having said it, having said, “Let us go to the village called Oṭannāpahuwa,” the young younger brother went to the village, it is said. He went to that Oṭannāpahuwa to ask about the marriage.
After that, the other nine persons speak, it is said: “When we say to our elder brother, ‘Gōna-Bokkā,’ the woman they are bringing for us will say, Bola, that the name called Gōna-Bokkā is not good caste [enough] for her. The woman they are bringing for us will come [now]. On account of it, let us call him Goḷu-Bayiyā. Let us give her to our Goḷu-Bayi elder brother also to neutralise[2] our [inferior] names,” they are talking together, it is said.
Then, several days wearing down the road, the youngest brother of all having come, said, it is said, “Elder brothers, I went to ask at Oṭannāpahuwa. The woman indeed is of good lineage (wan̥śe). They sent word, ‘Who gives in marriage to a young youngster?[3] Tell the elder brothers, one of them, to come.’ ”
After that, the ten persons speak [together], it is said, “Let us send elder brother Goḷu-Bayiyā, older than we ten, to ask about the marriage,” they talk.
Well, the person they call Goḷu-Bayiyā is a great fool, it is said. After that, those ten spoke: “Elder brother, if you also agree (lit., come) to the things we say, you also come [after] calling After that, Goḷu-Bayiyā said, “It is good; I will go.” Causing them to cook a lump of rice, he set off and went. He goes and he goes. Because he does not know the path, having gone [part of the way], sitting down on a rock in the midst of the forest he ate the lump of cooked rice. Having eaten it, while he is there a woman of another country, having become poor, is coming away, it is said, along the path. Having come, she sat down near the rock on which is that Goḷu-Bayiyā. After that, the woman asks, it is said, “Of what country are you? Of what village?” the woman asked the man.