No. 220
The Thief and the Rākshasas
In a certain village a man and a Rākshasa, having become friends, dwell. While they are there this friend went to the Rākshasa jungle. When going, the Rākshasa seized him to eat. Then the man says, “Don’t eat me; I will give thee demon offerings.” The Rākshasa, having said, “It is good,” allowed him to go home.
After that, that man having brought a youth gave him to the Rākshasa to eat. In that manner every day he brought and gave a youth until the time when the youths of the village were finished. All the youths having been finished there was not a youth for this man to give. While he was thus the man died.
After he died, the Hūniyan Yakā[1] began to come to the house [visiting the widow in the disguise of a man]. When he was coming, the woman’s father having seen him went into the house to seize him. Having gone [there], when he looked there was not a Yakā. After that, the man having gone away went to sleep. Then the Hūniyan Yakā having gone to that man’s village, said, “Don’t come to look at me.”
The man said afterwards to his daughter, “Daughter, ask for wealth at the hand of that man.” After that, the woman says to the Yakā, “Bring and give me wealth.” Thereupon the Yakā says, “I will bring and give it.”
Having gone to the place where that man is sleeping, says the Yakā, “Come thou, to go [with me] for me to give thee wealth.” He went with the man near the hidden treasure. Having gone, he opened the door of the hidden treasure. “Take for thyself the treasure thou wantest,” he said. Then the man took a golden necklace, two cloths, four gem-lamps, four cat’s-eye stones (wayirōḍiya gal), and twelve pearls. Taking those, the man came home.
When he was coming home, [four] other men having seen that he brought the wealth, the men went to break [into] the hidden treasure. After they went there, the four men having uttered spells, and put “life”[2] (i.e., magical life or power) into four stones, buried them at the four corners, in such a manner that no one could come [within the square formed by them]. After that, half the men break into the hidden treasure. (The others were repeating protective spells to keep away evil spirits.)
The Hūniyan Yakā ascertained about the breaking. Having ascertained it he came near the hidden treasure, but as the four stones are there he cannot seize the men.