No. 257
The False Tale
At a certain city there was a poor family, it is said. In that family there were only a man called Hendrik, a female called Lusihāmī, and a boy called Poḍi-Appu. There was a brother younger than Hendrik, it is said. That person’s name was Juwan-Appu. At the time when the two brothers were getting a living in one house, they having quarrelled, Juwan-Appu in the day time went away into the country.
While the afore-said three persons are getting a living in that way, Poḍi-Appu’s father died. The boy was very young. While Lusihāmī was doing work for hire, her boy got to be a little big. At that time the boy is a boy of the size for walking about and playing.
One day, when the boy went to another house he saw that the children are playing. Having thought, “This boy must go for those games,” he went there. From that day the boy goes for those games daily.
In another city there is a soothsayer. The soothsayer is a very good clever person for bringing hidden treasures, it is said, the city in which the soothsayer stayed not being included in this talk. When he was going looking in the manner of his sooth, it appeared to him that there is an outside city at which is a very great hidden treasure. For taking the hidden treasure it appeared, according to his sooth, that he must give a human demon offering (nara billak). When he looked who is the man for the human demon offering, it appeared, according to the sooth, that he must give for the demon offering Poḍi-Appu, being the son of the aforesaid Lusihāmī.
The soothsayer set off to seek this boy. What did he bring? Plantains, biscuits, lozenges (losinjar); in that manner he brought things that gladden the mind of the child.
Having come to the district in which is the boy, walking to the places where children are playing, when walking in that district while dwelling there, one day having gone to the place where Poḍi-Appu and the like are playing he stayed looking on. Meanwhile, according to the soothsayer’s thought, he had in mind that Poḍi-Appu was good [for his purpose].
Next, the soothsayer having gone to one side, taking his medicine wallet, when he turned over and looked at the book there was mentioned that it was Poḍi-Appu [who should be offered].