The Rākshasa came to the house and [finding that she was not there] said, “Wimalī will not stay at home.” Then he tried to eat her figure, and ate a great part of the flour figure. After he had eaten this [his mouth was choked with the flour, so] he said, “May a mouth be created on the top of my head.” When he had said this [the mouth was created, and] the Rākshasa’s head being split in two by it, he died.
Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.
No. 53
The Pots of Oil
A man having gone to the Lower Twelve Pattus (the name of a district) to seek for coconuts, and having collected fifty or sixty coconuts at a shed [where he was lodging, found that] because of their great weight he was unable to bring them; and so he expressed [the oil from] them.
Having expressed it, on the morning of the following day he asked for two large pots, and filling them with the oil he tied them as a pingo (carrying-stick) load (one below each end of the stick), and set off with them.
During the time while he was coming on his way to his village, he met a man in the road, and having given him betel, etc., to eat, said, “Anē! Friend, you must assist me a little. Take this pingo load somewhat far, and hand it over to me. I will give you four tuttu” (three halfpence). [The man agreed to help him, and took the load.]
Then the man, as he was going along the road, thought, “With the funds provided by these four tuttu I shall buy a hen chicken. Having taken it home, after it has become large and laid twelve eggs I shall [set them under it and] get twelve chickens. After the twelve chickens have become big, I shall sell them for sixpence apiece. With that money I shall get a he-goat and a she-goat, and that she-goat will bear two kids.
“When the kids have become large I can sell them for five rupees apiece, and having given the ten rupees I shall get a buffalo cow. While I am rearing the buffalo cow she will bear a calf. At that time I shall go to ask about a lucky hour (fixed by astrology) for taking the [first] milk.