Thereupon the Barber went home, and grief having bound him because he could not do [according to] the words which this woman said, he remained unable to eat cooked rice also.
At that time the Barber woman asked, “What are you staying [in this way] for, not eating cooked rice, without life in your body?”
The Barber said, “I thought of taking in marriage such and such a Heṭṭi woman. Owing to it the Heṭṭi woman said, ‘When the Great King has gone, when the Second King has come to Ceylon, when the flower of the creeperless jasmine has blossomed, having cut twenty, having stabbed thirty, having pounded three persons into one, when two dead sticks are becoming knocked into one, come mounted on the back of two dead ones.’ Because I cannot do it I remain in grief.”
Thereupon the Barber woman said, “Indō! Don’t you get so much grief over that. For it, I will tell you an advice. ‘The Great King having gone, when the Second King came to Ceylon,’ meant (lit., said), when the sun has set and when the moon is rising. ‘When the creeperless jasmine flower is blossoming,’ meant, when the stars are becoming clear. ‘Having cut twenty,’ meant, having cut the twenty finger [and toe] nails. ‘Having stabbed thirty,’ meant, having well cleaned the teeth (with the tooth-stick), to wash them well. ‘Having pounded three persons into one,’ meant, having eaten a mouthful of betel (consisting of betel leaf, areka-nut, and lime) you are to come. [These] are the matters she said.[5] Because of it, why are you staying without eating? If you must go, without getting grieved go in this manner, and come back.”
Thereupon the Barber having gone in that manner, while he was there yet two [other] persons heard that those two are talking. When they heard—there is a custom in that country. The custom indeed is [this]: There is a temple [kōvila] in the country. Except that they give [adulterers, or perhaps only offenders against caste prohibitions in such cases as this?] as demon offerings (bili) for the temple, they do not inflict a different punishment [on them]. Because of it, seizing these two they took them for the purpose of giving [them as] demon offerings for the temple.
This Barber woman, learning about it, in order to save her husband undertook the charge of the food offering[6] for the temple, and went to the temple taking rice and coconuts. Having gone there, and said that they were for the kapuwā[7] (priest) of the temple, she came away calling her husband, too.
Then to that Heṭṭi woman this Barber woman [said], “Having said that you are cooking the food offering (pusē) which I brought, stay at the temple until the time when the Heṭṭirāla comes. The deity will not take you as the demon offering (billa).[8] Your husband having come back will seek and look [for you]. When he comes seeking, say, ‘I having married my husband, he went away now six months ago. Because of it, having told my husband to come I undertook the charge for [cooking] the food offering.[9] Just as I was undertaking the charge he came. Because of it, not having seen the face of my lord (himiyā), paying respect to the deity I came to cook the food offering.’ Continue to say this.”
Thereupon the Heṭṭi woman having done in that very manner, the Heṭṭiyā came. Well then, she having made the woman [appear] a good woman, [her husband], taking charge of her, came calling her to the house, and she remained [there] virtuously (hon̆da seyin).
This story was related by a woman in the North-central Province, to a man whom I sent to write down some stories at a village at which I had been promised them. Her name, given as Sayimanhāmī (Lady Simon), and expressions she used, show that she probably belonged originally to the Western Province.