No. 62
The Gamarāla’s Foolish Son
While a Gamarāla and a Gama-gāēni (his wife) were at a village, as there were no children to those two for a long time they went to a Dēwāla, and worshipped the Gods in order to obtain a child. After that they obtained a child. As that child was growing up the Gamarāla and Gama-gāēni were becoming very old.
So one day the Gamarāla says to the Gama-gāēni, “Before we die we must summon and give a bride to the youth.” Having said this they summoned and gave him a small girl.
During the time while they were living thus, the Gamarāla had an illness. After that the Gamarāla died. Afterwards, while the Gama-gāēni, and the son, and the son’s wife were there, one day the wife of the Gama-puta (son of the Gamarāla) said, “Now then, let us go to my village, and having gone there, sowing our rice field lands let us do cultivation”; and both of them went.
While they were there, one day, as an illness settled on the Gama-puta’s wife, the Vedarāla (village doctor) went to see her. The Vedarāla asked, “What is the illness?”
Then he said, “My wife has tumours which are growing large.” The Vedarāla having made a medicine which was to be rubbed [on the places], and having come to the house gave it, saying, “Rub thou this medicine on them.”
When he had been rubbing it for four or five days they grew larger. The Gama-puta having seen this, said, “Aḍā! These tumours are becoming very severe. I cannot go for medicine every day if they go on like this. Let us go to my village.” So they set off to come to the Gama-puta’s village.
As they were coming, a man was driving a bull on the road. This Gamarāla’s son asked, “Where are you taking the bull?”
The man said, “I am taking it to my village,” he said. “Where are you going?” he asked.