[1] A dry measure said by Clough to be about three pints wine measure. See the Additional Notes at the end of this volume. [↑]
[2] Karagama Devi pal, eka mage duwa pal, hatara pata naeliyen dek, deka, deka, deka. Lit., “the protection of Karagama Devi,” etc. The oaths of this kind most commonly heard are ammā pal, “by [my] mother,” and aes deka pal, “by [my] two eyes.” But ammappā pal, “by [my] mother and father,” and maha poḷowa pal, “by the great earth,” are not unusual. [↑]
[3] Gattā nan̥ dī, gattā naṇ dī. All these are imitations of the voices of croaking frogs, the first being the rapid and shriller cries of the small frogs, and the second the deeper and slower calls of the larger frogs. [↑]
No. 186
A Louse and a Bug
In a certain country, at a King’s palace there is a delightful bed for reclining on. There was a female Louse which dwelt among the exceedingly white sheets spread on the bed. And that female Louse, drinking blood on the body of the King, passed the time in happiness.
At that time, one day a certain Bug walking anywhere came to the bed. At that time the White Louse said with a displeased countenance, “Embā! O meritorious Bug, because of what camest thou to this place? Before anyone gets to know about it go thou quickly from here.”
At that time the Bug said, “Embā! O meritorious female, although [addressed even] to a wicked person who came to the house, speech like this is not proper. Whether of acrid taste, bitter taste, or sour taste, the fault of [requiring] food being the cause, various kinds of blood of several low men were sucked and drunk by me. By me at any time a sweet blood was not drunk. On that account, sitting down, if thou art willing, [the desire of] very sweet food being the cause, by sucking for myself thus, betimes, the blood—any blood, be it inferior—on the body of this King, to-day I shall dwell in happiness. Therefore, to me who, not having obtained food, came to the house, may you be pleased to give this very food. The drinking this King’s blood solitarily, by thee only, is not proper,” he said.
Having heard that, the Louse said, “O meritorious Bug, I suck and drink the blood of this very King who has gone to sleep. If thou swiftly shouldst be drinking the blood with me, thou wilt drink much blood.”