[7] Manuksa duwek: in the reply the first of these words is manussa. [↑]
[8] Yōdī, an expression often applied jestingly to a child, or a person who thinks herself strong. [↑]
[9] In Sagas from the Far East, p. 22, a Khan’s son with a friend had killed two serpent deities which ate the people, when he went to be their prey in the place of his father. His friend then suggested that they should return home, but the Khan’s son replied, “Not so, for if we went back to our own land the people would only mock us, saying, ‘The dead return not to the living!’ and we should find no place among them.” In vol. i, p. 77, of these Sinhalese tales, a man asks, “Can anyone in the other world come to this world?” But other Sinhalese stories show that there is, or was, a belief that people who have died may sometimes reappear on earth immediately, in their previous form, and not merely as new-born children, the common idea, as on p. 308, below. See Nos. 191 and 210. For the text of the sentence see p. 416. [↑]
No. 232
Concerning the Heṭṭi Man’s Son
In a former time, in a certain country there was a certain Heṭṭi family possessing a great quantity of goods, it is said. There were seven sons of the Heṭṭiyā. For the purpose of learning he sent the seven sons to school. Out of the Heṭṭi children who go to school, as the youngest son was a mischievous rough fellow, having set out from the house in order to go to school, while on the road he got hid, not going to the school. At the time when, the school having been dismissed, the other children are coming back, this child also, like a person who went to school, comes to the house with his brothers, and dwells [there].
That this one did not go (non̆giyā) to school no one tells either the father or mother. Because of what thing? Because of the harshness that there is of his, should they give information to his parents that he did not go to school they are afraid he will cause great annoyance to the people who give the information.
In that manner going to the school and coming according to his will, and making disturbance with the other children (lamō), and walking to several places at the time when he is dwelling [there], he one day in the eventide having descended to the city street goes to walk.