Chapter V: Part 5

“The two dangers to which I refer,” continued the Mouse, “are flood and Cats. You see the majority of our burrows are in the low-lying land near the river, and whenever the river rises a little it overflows this level country and floods our nests. What we would suggest to you is that you should build a strong dam all down the river bank so as to ensure that the water cannot overflow into our nests. And as to the Cats they are always the persecutors of Mice, and we ask you to banish them altogether from your kingdom.”

“Very well,” replied the King, “if you can succeed in averting the danger which now threatens us, I will undertake to do all that you ask of me in this respect.”

On hearing this, the King of the Mice salaamed profoundly to the King, and returned as fast as he could to his own subjects.

On the following evening he marshalled all the full-grown Mice of his kingdom, and about dusk, he led down a large army numbering several hundreds of thousands to the edge of the river, where he found the sticks all laid out as had been arranged with the King. In accordance with instructions they had received, the Mice at once proceeded to launch these sticks on the river, and they themselves embarked upon them two or three at a time; and so, pushing off from the bank, they sailed across the river and soon landed on the opposite side.

It was now quite dark, and the enemy’s soldiers were all asleep in their camp, some lying in tents and some in the open air, with their arms beside them ready for any alarm. The Mice on a word of command from their King, scattered themselves without delay through the sleeping camp, and each one began to do as much destruction as he possibly could in the shortest possible space of time. Some nibbled at the bowstrings and the slings of the soldiers’ muskets; others gnawed the slow-match and fuses; whilst others bit off the clothes and pigtails of the sleeping men. In fact, they attacked fiercely anything upon which their teeth could make an impression, and tents, stores, grain, and provisions of all kinds were soon reduced to shreds or scattered in confusion in every direction; and after a couple of hours’ work they all collected upon the river bank, and, embarking again on their sticks, they sailed quietly over to their own shore without having been detected by the enemy, or even having caused any alarm.

Next morning at daybreak, a great outcry arose from the enemy’s camp. Each man as he rose from his sleep found himself in a woeful plight—his clothes in rags, his pigtail cut off, his bow without a string, his rifle without a sling, and with no fuse or slow-match to fire it, and no provisions for breakfast. Each one began to accuse the other of theft and treachery, and before many minutes had passed the whole camp was in a state of wild confusion, comrade quarrelling with comrade, or accusing their officers of dishonesty and ill-faith.

In the midst of this uproar the sound of bugles was heard on the opposite bank, and a few shots were fired; and terrified at the thought of being taken unawares, the whole army took to flight, and in a few minutes not a man was to be seen.

When the King of the country of the Mice saw what had happened he was greatly elated, and, sending for the King of the Mice, he thanked him very sincerely for his good offices. And, in accordance with the bargain they had made, he at once had a strong embankment constructed all down his own side of the river to guard against floods, and he issued an edict forbidding all persons, on pain of death, to keep a cat of any kind henceforth within the frontiers of his country, and so the Mice lived securely and happily ever afterwards.

And in order to insure against any more attempts at invasion from the side of the neighbouring kingdom, the King sent a herald across the river to the ruler of that country, to say that, on this occasion, he had only considered it worth while to employ his Mice to defeat his enemies; but that if he was again threatened, he was ready to employ first all the domestic animals of the country; and if they did not succeed, he would have to have recourse to the wild beasts; and in the event of their failing, he was prepared to come himself with his warriors in order to produce the desired results.

When the ruler of the other country heard this message he considered it wiser at once to make a treaty of peace, as he could not hope to defeat the warriors and wild beasts of a country whose Mice had shown such skill and courage. So the two countries remained on friendly terms for many years after; and the Mice, secured against flood and Cats, lived happily and safely, and received every year from the King of the country a barnful of grain as a free gift in thankful recognition of the services which they had rendered in time of need.

STORY No. XX.

THE STORY OF THE TORTOISE AND THE MONKEY.

There was once an old Tortoise who lived with his wife and family in a large lake, on the borders of which grew an extensive jungle; and in the forest there were many wild beasts, more especially Monkeys, who swarmed in great numbers all along the shores of the lake.

It happened one day that the Tortoise came out of the lake and went for a stroll amongst the trees which grew near the water. After walking for some distance he became hungry, and looking up into a cocoanut-tree, near which he found himself, he thought how much he should like to get one of the cocoanuts which were growing near the top. He made several awkward attempts to climb the tree, but the stem was so straight and so smooth that he was quite unable to succeed; and he was just about to give up the attempt in despair when he espied a large Monkey sitting among the branches. The Monkey, who had been watching the Tortoise’s attempts to climb the tree with some curiosity, felt rather sorry at his failure, and noticing that the Tortoise was a fine, well-grown fellow with a very handsome shell, he thought he would do him a kindness, so breaking off one or two of the cocoanuts, he threw them down to the Tortoise, who gratefully ate the fruit.

The two animals now entered into conversation with one another, and soon striking up quite a friendship, the Monkey led away the Tortoise into the jungle, and showed him a comfortable cave where he could spend the night. The Tortoise was so interested with all he saw and so pleased with his friend the Monkey, that he remained for several days in the forest, moving about during the day and sleeping with the Monkey in the cave every night.

Meanwhile Mrs. Tortoise was becoming rather anxious concerning her husband’s prolonged absence. He had never been away from home for so long before, so finally she despatched one of the young Tortoises to find out where his father was and how he was getting on. The young Tortoise accordingly swam to land, and after hunting about for some time in the forest he came across his father near the cave.

“Good-morning, Father,” said he, “Mother has sent me to find out where you are and how you are getting on.”

“Oh, I am all right, my boy,” replied Father Tortoise; “tell Mother she need not trouble about me. My friend, Brother Monkey, and I are just having a good time in the forest, and I will be home in a few days. Now run off to your Mother.”

So the young Tortoise went back to his mother and told her what had happened. Mrs. Tortoise was not at all pleased at her husband’s conduct.

“It is quite time,” thought she, “that he should return to his wife and family, instead of amusing himself with a vulgar Monkey in the forest.”

So she sent the boy back again to his father, with a message to say that Mrs. Tortoise was very ill, and that her physician had told her that the only thing to cure her was a Monkey’s heart. So he must return at once to his home and bring a Monkey along with him.

The young Tortoise accordingly proceeded to hunt out his father again, and as soon as he met him he gave him Mrs. Tortoise’s message. On hearing the news of his wife’s illness, Mr. Tortoise became much alarmed, and reproached himself for having stayed away for so long; and in order to secure the necessary medicine for his wife he informed his friend the Monkey that he was obliged to return home at once on urgent business, and he invited the Monkey to come and spend a few days at his house. The Monkey accepted his friend’s invitation, and the two set off together to the shores of the lake.

When the Monkey understood that it would be necessary for him to enter the lake, he became rather alarmed, and remarked to the Tortoise that never having been in the water, he was afraid it would be difficult for him to reach the Tortoise’s home.

“Never fear about that, Brother Monkey,” said the Tortoise; “I can arrange that quite simply. If you will mount upon my back, I will swim with you wherever we want to go.”

So the Monkey mounted upon the Tortoise’s back, and the Tortoise set out to swim to his house.

As they went across the lake the Tortoise began telling the Monkey about his wife’s illness, and in doing so he foolishly let out that the only medicine to cure her was a Monkey’s heart. On hearing this the Monkey became very much alarmed, and saw that he was being led into a trap.

“Dear me, Brother Tortoise,” said he, “I am very much grieved to hear of your wife’s illness, but if she is as bad as all that I do not think that one Monkey’s heart will be enough. I should think that three or four at least would be required in order to effect a cure. If you like, I can easily get several other Monkeys from amongst my friends to accompany us to your home.”

The Tortoise thought that this was a good idea, and agreed to carry the Monkey back to the shore and await him there while he went off to fetch some other Monkeys. So he turned round and swam back through the lake till he reached the edge, where he waddled out on to the beach.

As soon as he found himself on dry land the Monkey skipped off the Tortoise’s back as fast as he could, and climbed to the top of the tallest tree he could find in a twinkling. On reaching the top of the tree he began reviling the Tortoise, and calling out every bad name he could think of.

“You are a nice sort of friend,” said he, “to ask me to pay a visit to your home in order to kill me and use my heart as medicine for your ugly wife. Do you call that a proper return for all my attention to you, and for showing you all over the jungle? However, I have been too clever for you this time, and you will have to do without my heart for many a long day to come. And as to the hearts of those other Monkeys that I promised to you—well, you can just wait till you find them for yourself.” [9]

The Tortoise, on hearing these words, fell into a violent passion, and made several efforts to climb the tree in order to punish the Monkey, but being quite unable to climb at all, he soon gave up his attempt and determined to get even with the Monkey in some other way. So he hid himself in the water until evening, and as soon as it was dusk he came out on the land and proceeded very quietly to the cave where he and the Monkey had lived together, and concealed himself in the darkest corner of it waiting till the Monkey should come in.

The Monkey, however, was a good deal too clever to be caught in a simple trap like this. When his usual bedtime arrived, he came to the mouth of the cave and, looking in, he called out in a loud voice:

“Oh, great cave! great cave!”

The Tortoise lay low in his dark corner and gave no sign of life.

After a few moments’ silence the Monkey again called out:

“Oh, great cave! great cave!”

Still the Tortoise lay low and gave no sign.

“Curious thing,” said the Monkey to himself in an audible tone of voice, “very curious! There used always to be an echo in this cave, but I can’t hear the slightest echo to-night. There must be something wrong,” and saying this he again called out:

“Oh, great cave! great cave!”

The foolish Tortoise, thinking that if he simulated an echo the Monkey would enter the cave as usual, hereupon gave answer from his dark corner:

“Oh, great cave! great cave!”

On hearing this the Monkey chuckled to himself at the simplicity of the Tortoise, and went off to sleep in some other part of the forest.

STORY No. XXI.

THE STORY OF ROOM BACHA AND BAKI.

Once upon a time, in the country of Room, there lived a King called Bacha, who, having married a young Princess from a neighbouring kingdom, lived with her for a short time very happily. But it happened that both the King and Queen were of a very argumentative turn of mind, and were constantly disputing with one another about all sorts of trifles, and as neither would ever give way to the other, it generally ended in their quarrelling. The King, who was a proud and head-strong man, was not at all pleased that his wife should venture to maintain her opinion against his, and gradually became very much incensed against her.

One night, as the two were sitting together after dinner, a fox began to bark in the palace grounds outside.

“Ah!” said the King, “do you hear that tiger roaring?”

“My dear,” replied the Queen, “that is not a tiger, it is a fox.”

“Certainly not!” said the King. “Do you think I don’t know a tiger when I hear him? There can be no question but that it is a tiger.”

The Queen again contradicted him, and a heated argument ensued, in which neither convinced the other. At length, the King said that he could not stand this argument any longer, but would submit the question for decision to his council on the following day. If the council agreed that he was in the wrong, he should be sent adrift on a log of wood on the great river that flowed past the palace; but if the Queen should be found to be in the wrong, she should suffer this fate.

So next day the King summoned a council, composed of all his wisest ministers and men of science. When they were all seated in the council chamber, he addressed them as follows:

“Last night,” said he, “some beast began to bark outside the palace. I maintained that it was a tiger; the Queen affirmed that it was a fox. I desire to submit the question to you for decision. If you decide that it was a fox, I agree to be sent adrift upon a log of wood on the great river which flows past my palace; but if you think that the animal was a tiger, then the Queen is to suffer this penalty.”

So saying, the King withdrew, leaving his ministers to decide the question. The counsellors, after weighing the matter for some time, summoned to their presence several peasants living in the neighbourhood, and these being all agreed that no tiger ever came within many miles of the palace, whereas foxes prowled there nightly, it was clear to the council that the King was in the wrong. Before any decision was given, however, the oldest counsellor rose and addressed the meeting as follows:

“It appears to me,” said he, “that the King is undoubtedly in the wrong in this matter; but I wish to point out to you that if we announce our decision to that effect, the consequence will be that we shall be left without our King, and with only a Queen to reign over us. This, as you know, is a most undesirable state of affairs. I propose, therefore, that in spite of our real opinion in the matter we should make a public announcement to the effect that the King was right in his argument.”

The others agreed to these words of wisdom, and the counsellors proceeded in a body to the King’s throne-room and informed him publicly that after due deliberation they had come to the conclusion that he was undoubtedly in the right. The King was greatly pleased at hearing his opinion confirmed, and at once gave orders that the Queen should be sent adrift on the river astride a log of wood. So the poor Queen was taken down to the river bank, and placing herself astride of a log of wood, she floated off down the great river.

After floating along for several hours the current at length carried her to the opposite bank, many miles away from her own country, and as soon as she arrived in shallow water she waded ashore and looked about her. As far as she could see, the whole country appeared to be one great plain, covered with high grass, through which it was almost impossible for anyone to force their way; but after hunting about for a time, she discerned a small opening in the grass, which led her to a narrow winding path, along which she walked for some considerable distance. After going some way she came suddenly upon an open clearing in the grass, in the middle of which a very old man, with a white beard reaching almost to his waist, was seated before a small fire cooking himself some food.

“Good-morning, sir,” said the Queen, when she saw him; “can you give me a morsel of food, for I am very hungry.”

“Certainly, Madam,” replied the old man; “you are welcome to all I have,” and so saying, he handed over to her the whole of his provisions.

When the Queen had made a good meal, the old man addressed her as follows:

“You must know,” said he, “that I am a magician, living in this prairie, and you must carefully follow the directions which I shall now give you. You must first follow the path, which will lead you to the top of a small hill, and when you arrive there a son will be born to you. This boy is not an ordinary human child, but is the incarnation of a very holy Lama, with miraculous qualities, and he will from his birth be able to walk and talk. His name is Baki, and you must follow him wherever he leads.”

The Queen thanked the old man for his advice, and following the narrow path, it soon led her to the top of a small hill; and here she was delivered of a child, who, as the magician had predicted, was of a miraculous nature, and was at once able to walk and talk. The boy without any hesitation went forward along the path, followed by his mother, and after travelling for some distance they emerged from the great grass jungle into an open cultivated country.

Now it happened that on that day the three sons of the King of that country were out hunting together, and as they rode along looking out for game they suddenly came upon the Queen and her son. Having heard her story, they mounted her and the boy upon a horse and carried them off to the King’s palace. The King at once took them under his protection, and gave orders that the boy should be brought up with his own sons, and he and his mother lodged in apartments in the palace.

Baki grew rapidly in beauty and stature, and soon became an expert in all sports and games. One day he and the King’s three sons were out hunting together, when by chance they suddenly came upon a beautiful snow-white doe, who jumped up before them and galloped off towards the mountains. The four young men at once started off in pursuit; but the horses upon which the King’s sons were riding gradually tired, and one after another they dropped out of the hunt, leaving Baki to continue alone. As the chase continued the poor doe began to show signs of exhaustion, and Baki, who was close upon her heels, was feeling confident that he would soon catch her. All at once the deer galloped straight up to what appeared to be a precipitous rock, and touching the rock with her muzzle, it flew asunder, revealing the entrance to a great cave within; and as she crossed the threshold of the cave her skin fell from her, and she appeared in the form of a beautiful young woman. Baki, who was of a very courageous disposition, did not hesitate for a moment, but, leaping from his horse, he followed the lady into the cave, and scarcely had he entered when the rock doors closed behind him with a loud crash. Following the form of the lady along a narrow passage, he emerged presently into a great lofty apartment, hollowed out in the centre of the rock, luxuriously furnished and brilliantly lighted, and with a row of great glass pillars running down the centre.

The girl meanwhile had seated herself upon a couch in one corner of the room, and addressing the young man, she asked him who he was, and what he meant by thus thrusting himself upon the privacy of a lady. The young Prince apologised, and explained the circumstances of the case as best he could, whereupon the girl addressed him as follows:

“You must know,” said she, “that the place where you now find yourself is the abode of a terrible and blood-thirsty Ogre, and that I, who am human like yourself, was captured by him some time ago, and he proposes shortly to make me his wife. Meanwhile he has taught me certain magic spells, which enable me to transform myself into any animal I please, and to come and go at my pleasure; but without the assistance of some human being it is impossible for me to escape from his clutches. But we will talk further regarding these matters to-morrow. It is now near the time for the Ogre’s return, and if he finds you here he will certainly kill you without the least hesitation, so you must hide now before he returns.”

So saying she went over to the central glass pillar and, unscrewing a portion of it, she showed him a cavity inside, within which he concealed himself.

Scarcely was he securely hidden within the pillar when the door of the cave flew open, and a huge Ogre entered the central chamber. Calling the young lady to him, he commanded her to bring his dinner, and after making a sumptuous repast he sat down on some cushions and began playing the guitar. At the first sound of the music all the pillars in the room, with the exception of the one in which Baki was concealed, began a slow and stately dance, his pillar alone remaining firm and unshaken. When the Ogre saw that one of the pillars was not dancing as usual he grew very angry, and seizing a huge hammer in his hand, he advanced upon it, threatening to shatter it into a thousand fragments; but the young lady, seizing him by the arm, begged him to spare it.

“Look,” said she “at the position of the pillar. It is the most central and the largest of them all. No doubt it feels some sense of dignity and wishes to be distinguished from the remainder. Spare it at any rate to-night, and it will probably dance as usual to-morrow.”

The Ogre agreed to this, and shortly after retired to rest.

Next morning at daybreak he set off about his business, and as soon as he was gone the girl opened the pillar and released Baki, and after giving him a good breakfast, she spoke to him as follows:

“It is a very difficult thing,” said she, “for a human being to kill an Ogre, for whatever damage you may do to his body is of no avail unless you can also destroy the object with which his spirit is bound up. Now this particular Ogre’s existence depends upon the life of a green Parrot, which is carefully hidden from human view, but I have ascertained where it is kept, and will explain to you how you may find it. Behind the rock in which we are now living you will find another great rock standing by itself. You must go up to this, and, kicking it three times with your right foot, you must exclaim at each kick, ‘Great Raven, open the door.’ As you pronounce these words for the third time the door will open, disclosing a large cave, in the centre of which, seated upon a red stone, you will see a green Parrot. If you can kill this Parrot you will also destroy the Ogre without any danger to yourself.”

On hearing this Baki at once promised to follow the lady’s directions, and she released him from the cavern. Going round to the back of the rock, he found himself face to face with another great rock standing by itself. Kicking this rock three times with his right foot, he pronounced the magic words, and as he said them for the third time two rocky doors flew open, disclosing a cave inside. Entering the cave he saw a green Parrot seated on a red stone in the centre, and he at once seized the bird and wrung its neck. As soon as he had accomplished this he ran hastily back to the main cavern, and as he approached the entrance he saw the Ogre, who had just been returning to his home, lying across the threshold stone dead, with his neck all twisted. The young lady was greatly rejoiced at the successful issue of their adventure, and the two, leaving the Ogre’s body behind them, proceeded forthwith to the capital of the country, where the King’s palace was situated.

On arriving at the capital Baki decided to hire a small house, where he could lodge the young lady and change his own dress before proceeding to pay his respects to the King; so having taken a house in the suburbs, he left the lady there while he went out himself into the streets to hear the news. He soon found out that during his absence the King had announced his intention of marrying Baki’s mother, and the poor lady, now that she had no son to protect her, had protested in vain, saying that she was already the wife of another. Baki was very indignant when he heard of this treacherous conduct on the part of the King, and determined to foil his plans. So returning to the young lady, he related to her all that he had heard.

“Do not be anxious,” said she. “If you will follow my advice I will show you how you may yet get the better of the King.”

And she forthwith instructed him in certain magic spells, which she had learned from the Ogre.

Armed with these, Baki proceeded at once to the palace. When he arrived in the courtyard he sat himself down upon the King’s mounting-block, and muttering the necessary spell, he was at once transformed into a large cowrie-shell. After lying on the mounting-block for some time it chanced that one of the grooms of the palace passed by, and, seeing the shell, he paused to look at it, and remarked to himself:

“What a beautiful cowrie-shell!”

“Yes, I am a very handsome shell,” replied the cowrie, to the terror and astonishment of the groom.

“Why,” said he, “what sort of a shell are you? What can you know about cowries, or anything else?”

“I know a great deal,” said the shell. “For instance, I could tell the King something about Prince Baki, which perhaps he would not like to hear.”

When the groom heard this he ran straight into the palace and informed the Prime Minister all that the shell had said. The Minister, having told the King of the matter, the King gave orders that the shell should at once be brought into his presence and placed upon a table before him. When this had been done the King addressed the shell, saying:

“What are you, and what do you know about Prince Baki?”

“I can tell you this,” replied the shell, “that if you attempt to marry Prince Baki’s mother you will find yourself in a very unpleasant position.”

On hearing this the King was very much incensed, and he ordered one of his servants to bring in a big hammer to smash the shell to fragments, saying that he would not be browbeaten by a wretched little object like a shell. So one of the servants, bringing up a hammer, struck the shell a violent blow and broke it to pieces. In an instant each piece of the shell turned into an armed man, and Prince Baki himself appeared amongst them in his proper form.

Great confusion now arose amongst the courtiers; some fled in one direction and some in another, whilst others, drawing their swords, prepared to fight with the strangers. Meanwhile the armed men, who were in reality demons, placed temporarily under the command of Prince Baki, looked fiercely around them, and waving their swords, shouted to the Prince, “Whom shall we kill? Whom shall we kill?”

Baki now pointed to the King, and in a moment the band of armed men fell upon him, cut him to pieces, and disappeared with shouts of triumph through the roof of the palace. When the courtiers saw what had happened, they hastened to prostrate themselves before the feet of so powerful a magician, and installed Baki as their new king.

As soon as he was seated upon his throne he sent for the young lady whom he had rescued from the Ogre’s cave, and, having married her, they lived happily for many years. And the Queen, his mother, soon after returned to King Bacha, and having agreed with him never more to argue on trivial matters, they had no more disputes or quarrels, and long reigned together over a contented and prosperous kingdom.

STORY No. XXII.

THE STORY OF THE HOME-BRED BOY.

HOW HE FOUND THE LOST TURQUOISE.

There was once an old woman living in Tibet whose husband had died and left her alone with her only son.

As the Boy grew up, his Mother grew more and more fond of him, and disliked parting from him even for a moment. She was afraid that if he left her house and began wandering about by himself some accident might happen to him, and she would be left desolate in her old age. So the older he grew the more careful she became, until at last she saw that it was impossible to restrain the Boy any longer, and it would be necessary for him to go out into the world to seek his fortune, just as other young men of his age had to do. So when he had reached the age of fifteen she waited till the fifteenth day of the sixth month, which is a very auspicious date, and calling the Boy to her, she presented him with a new suit of clothes, a horse, a dog, a gun and a sword; and she told him that he was now at liberty to leave his home and to go out into the world to seek his fortune.

The Boy was greatly delighted at receiving these gifts and with the prospect of meeting with some adventures, so after saying farewell to his Mother, he mounted his horse, and with the dog trotting at his heels he started away down the road. All day he rode quietly along by himself without meeting with any adventures, and towards evening he reached a high plateau near the top of a range of mountains. As he was crossing the plateau a fox jumped up in front of him and ran off towards the mountains. The dog, on seeing the fox, started to chase it; while the young Man, thinking he was to have some fun at last, galloped after the dog as fast as he could.

After running for some distance the fox suddenly disappeared into his earth, and the Boy, riding up, dismounted at the mouth of the hole, and began to scheme how he was to catch the fox when he came out. So he took off his cloak [10] and fastened it to the saddle with his sword and his gun, and then placed his horse a little to one side of the fox’s earth, whilst his dog stood ready at the other side; and he himself took off his hat and put it over the mouth of the hole, and taking a large stone in his hand, he crouched down ready to slay the fox when it came out.

After sitting waiting for some time the fox all of a sudden darted out of its earth, and ran off towards the hills, with the Boy’s hat sticking over its head. It came so suddenly that he had no time to hit it with his stone, or to interrupt its flight. The dog, on seeing the fox go off, at once started in full pursuit; and the horse, excited by the dog’s cries, galloped off after the pair, and in a few moments all three were lost to sight in the gathering darkness. The poor Boy found himself in a moment bereft of all his possessions—his horse, his dog, his gun, his sword, his hat, and even his outer robe, which he had strapped on his saddle, had all disappeared. After running after his horse for some distance he gave it up in despair, and lay down to pass the night as best he could under a big poplar-tree.

He woke towards dawn, and, looking up into the branches of the tree, he saw a large Raven’s nest, on which an old Raven was sitting hatching her eggs, whilst Father Raven perched on a branch near by. When day broke the two Ravens began talking to one another.

“Good-morning, Father Raven,” said the old bird on the nest, “who is this sleeping under our tree?”

“That,” replied Father Raven, “is a foolish home-bred Boy who has no experience of the world. In trying to catch a fox last night he lost his horse, his gun, his sword, his dog, and even his clothes, and now he has not the least idea where to find them.”

“Yes, so I see,” replied Mother Raven, “but it is clear, nevertheless, that all he has to do is to go towards the villages which lie towards the east from here—there he will meet with good fortune.”

On hearing this the Boy at once started off towards the east, and proceeding for some little distance, he met an old Beggar Man, to whom he related the whole of his story, and asked him if by any chance he had seen the missing property. The old Man, seeing before him only a poor Boy, without even a hat or a cloak, did not believe a word of this story, so he only laughed at him and mocked him; and finally, when the Boy grew angry, gave him a sound beating, and left him to go on his way disconsolate.

Wandering on a little further, he came to a big house where a wedding feast was being celebrated. Coming timidly up to the door of the house, he peeped in at the guests, and presently one of the servants happening to pass by, he related his sad story. But just then the Bridegroom caught sight of him, and called out in a rough voice:

“Who are you who come crying here at my wedding feast? We want no woebegone faces here to-day to bring us bad luck. Go away, you ill-omened creature.”

So the poor Boy slank away sadly, and after wandering about till nightfall he reached another large house further towards the east. After the reception he had received from the wedding party he was afraid to go in or to knock at the door, so creeping into the backyard he dug himself a nest in the manure heap, and crouched down in this for warmth, all hidden except his head. Thus he spent the night comfortably enough.

Early next morning the pigs belonging to the place began to poke about the yard and the manure heap, and several of them, as they passed, rooted at his head with their snouts to see if he was anything good to eat.

He could not stand this very long, so finally, screwing up his courage, he went to the back door of the house, and asked one of the servants to lend him a knife, saying that he wanted it to cut up the dry meat which formed his breakfast. The servant lent him a knife, and as soon as he had got it he enticed one of the pigs away to a quiet corner, where he killed it and cut off its head; and taking with him some strips of its flesh, he returned to his nest in the manure, and hid himself there again, together with the pig’s head, waiting to see what would turn up.

Towards noon the Lady of the house came out into the yard, and as she was moving about superintending the various farming operations, it happened that a large and valuable turquoise fell out of her headdress without her noticing it. When, after a few minutes, she went back into the house, leaving the turquoise lying in the middle of the yard, the Boy thought that this would be a good opportunity of getting the turquoise for himself, but he was afraid to leave his nest for fear of being noticed; so picking up a piece of rag from amongst the manure he threw it over the turquoise, concealing it from sight.

Shortly after, one of the maid-servants came out of the house, and seeing a piece of rag lying in the middle of the yard, she picked it up, and the turquoise with it, and thrust them both into a crevice in the wall.

Just then a great uproar arose from the house, where the Lady had discovered the loss of her turquoise. The whole household was summoned, and set to work to search for the missing jewel. For some time great bustle prevailed, everyone searching hither and thither, and ransacking every hole and corner; but no one thought of examining the piece of dirty rag thrust carelessly into a crevice of the farmyard wall.

Finding that all their efforts were of no avail, the Lady of the house sent off in hot haste to summon all the most famous diviners, magicians, and lamas of the neighbourhood, and these, when they arrived, began practising all kinds of spells and casting auguries in the hope of discovering what had become of the turquoise; but all in vain, and when nightfall arrived, they were no better off than they were before.

Towards evening they packed up their various magical instruments and spells, and went away very downhearted; and as soon as they were gone the Boy emerged from his hiding-place, and going boldly to the house, he said that he was a famous magician and could find the turquoise for them; and he asked that on the following morning all the diviners and lamas should again be summoned, as well as the inhabitants of all the neighbouring houses. The Lady of the house was at first inclined to ridicule the idea of this disreputable-looking beggar being able to accomplish what none of these famous sorcerers could do; but thinking it worth while to give the Boy a chance, she decided to do what he suggested, and meanwhile ordered her servants to let him have a good supper, of which he stood badly in need.

Next morning, about ten o’clock, a large crowd of people assembled in the courtyard of the house. In addition to the magicians and lamas of the day before, a great many of the neighbours had obeyed the summons, and amongst them were the people who had treated the poor Boy so badly during their wedding feast, and the Beggar who had reviled and beaten him. As soon as they were all seated in rows ready to see what was going to happen, the Boy, holding the pig’s head under his arm, presented himself before them all, and addressed them as follows:

“Now,” said he, “I hope in a few minutes to be able to discover the missing turquoise, for I am possessed of magic qualities of unusual power. In my search I shall be assisted by this enchanted pig’s head which I hold under my arm. Owing to the spell I have cast upon it, it is able at once to detect a thief or a dishonest person, and also to discover stolen property.”

So saying he took the pig’s head in both hands, and holding its snout towards the company, he went round from person to person, halting for a moment in front of each. Presently he arrived in front of the Bridegroom, who had been so rude to him some days before, and the pig’s head at once became violently agitated, and kept poking itself towards this man.

“Ah!” said the Boy, “here is evidently a dishonest man; it is no good our proceeding any further in our search until he has been beaten and turned out of here.”

The other people at once seized upon the wretched man, and after giving him a severe thrashing, they turned him out of the place. Next to him was sitting the Beggar who had so insulted the Boy, and who had disbelieved his story. Here, again, the pig’s head became violently agitated, and the Beggar, too, was well beaten and turned out. Having got rid of these two persons, the Boy now began to walk round the yard, the pig’s snout apparently sniffing carefully at every part of the wall in the farm buildings. Presently, coming to the crevice into which the rag had been thrust by the servant-maid, he moved the pig’s head violently to and fro.

“Ah!” cried he, “the missing turquoise must be somewhere near here.”

On hearing this everyone began to search about in that neighbourhood, and in a few minutes the turquoise was found inside the rag thrust into the crevice of the wall.

The Mistress of the house on recovering her turquoise was greatly elated. She took the Boy into the house, and having presented him with a new suit of clothes, and given him all he wanted to eat and drink, she handed him a large sum of money, and he went on his way in a far better plight than when he had first arrived there.

THE HOME-BRED BOY.

HOW HE DISLODGED THE SPIDER.

After leaving the house where he had found the turquoise, the home-bred Boy wandered along until, towards nightfall, he arrived at the same poplar-tree where he had previously stayed the night, and, lying down under its branches, he fell fast asleep, and did not wake up until towards morning.

As day was dawning the two Ravens overhead began talking to one another as before, and the boy overheard their conversation.

“Good-morning, Father Raven,” said the hen bird on the nest. “What kept you so late last night?”

“Well,” replied Father Raven, “the fact is, I was visiting a farmhouse down yonder, where the mistress of the house, as it happens, is very ill. She is suffering from a severe pain in her left ear, which drives her almost distracted, and no one about the place knows what it is nor how to cure it. They have consulted all of the most famous doctors and lamas in the neighbourhood without, however, affording her any relief at all. Indeed, no one knows what is the cause of the disease except myself. I have ascertained that the pain in her ear is due to the fact that some days ago a large Spider effected an entrance during her sleep, and that the Spider and her young ones have now taken up their abode inside the Lady’s head. It is impossible to dislodge them except by a stratagem. As you are aware, Spiders are in the habit of sleeping all through the winter months, and only wake up and emerge from their retreat in the spring. If it were possible to make the Spiders believe that spring had arrived, they would come out of the ear at once; otherwise they will remain there all through the winter.”

“Indeed,” replied Mother Raven, “that is very interesting; but how would it be possible to make the Spider believe that spring had come?”

“There is a very simple stratagem, which I have often seen employed,” replied Father Raven, “which is as follows: a piece of green cloth must first be spread upon a table and well sprinkled with water, and the Lady must bend her ear over this so that the Spiders can see it. It will appear to them to be a green field, wet with the spring rains, and they will imagine it is time to come out; and then, if they still display any reluctance to emerge, it is only necessary to beat a drum to simulate thunder. Thunderstorms, as you know, only occur in the spring, and the Spiders on hearing this noise will feel convinced that spring has really come, and will emerge without any further hesitation. The moment they come out on the table they must be wrapped up in the cloth with the greatest expedition and carried away and killed, for if this is not done, they will always be ready at the slightest alarm to climb back into the ear by the threads which they have left suspended behind them.”

Mother Raven thanked Father Raven for his information, and she then said:

“But you yourself are not looking at all well this morning, what is the matter with you?”

“Well,” said he, “I am sorry to say I over-ate myself yesterday. The people of the house kept praying to the gods, and were all day long occupied in making offerings of rice and flour. Most of these offerings were thrown out into the garden, and I was able to eat as much as I wanted. In fact, I ate a great deal too much, and I fear that I am going to die. If I do, you must faithfully promise to remain in mourning for me, in accordance with Tibetan custom, for three years, three months and three days.”

Mother Raven, on hearing this, was greatly affected, and solemnly vowed to carry out the wishes of her husband, and poor old Father Raven, getting into the nest, shortly after breathed his last.

As soon as he was dead Mother Raven remarked to herself that she had a great deal too much to do in looking after her family and household duties to think for a moment of following so absurd a custom as mourning for a dead bird for any period at all. So she pushed old Father Raven’s body out of the nest with her bill and let it fall to the ground below, while she herself flew off to find food for the young ravens, which had just been hatched out.

Meanwhile the Boy, who had listened attentively to the colloquy of the Ravens overhead, went straight off to hunt for the house where the Lady was suffering from pains in her ear, and he decided in his own mind to make this another opportunity for displaying his magical powers. He soon arrived at the house in question, and found the whole family in great grief, and the poor mistress of the house suffering torments with the pain in her ear. Going to the house he asked what was the matter, and on hearing the cause of their sorrow he at once announced that he was possessed of very wonderful magic powers, and was prepared to effect a cure. The people of the house who had seen him on the previous day, when he had found the turquoise, were inclined to believe him, and asked him what they should do to procure relief for their mistress.

“All that is necessary,” replied he, “is a square piece of green cloth, some clean water in a jug and a couple of drums.”

When these things had been made ready he spread the piece of green cloth on the table and sprinkled some water over it, and he then told the Lady of the house to lean across the table so that her painful ear should come above the patch of green cloth. No sooner had she done so than the Spiders inside, seeing the green expanse with water still lying upon it, thought that the spring had come and began moving about, and the old Mother Spider at once let herself down by a thread to see if it was really spring.

The people of the house were greatly astonished at seeing the Spider emerge, but the Boy ordered them not to touch her; and having satisfied herself that there was really water on the cloth, she climbed again up her thread, and went back into the Lady’s ear to impart the good news to her family. The Boy now ordered the drums to be beaten, and on hearing this sound the whole of the spider family, thinking that the noise was thunder, and that spring had undoubtedly arrived, hastily emerged from the Lady’s ear and let themselves down, one after another, on to the green cloth. As soon as they were all, to the number of seven, arrived upon the table, the Boy snatched up the piece of cloth, and wrapping up the spiders inside it, he carried them all outside and destroyed them.

The Lady of the house was now completely cured and overwhelmed the Boy with gifts and compliments, and he left the house carrying with him a large sum of gold, in addition to that which he had received the day before. He now bent his steps towards his Mother’s house, and as he was going along the road to his home he suddenly came face to face with the old Beggar who had previously insulted him, and whom he had had beaten and turned out when he was looking for the turquoise. The old man, who was of a very jealous and vindictive temper, was very much incensed against the Boy, and had determined to avenge himself upon him. As the Boy came down the road the old Beggar suddenly emerged from behind a clump of bushes, holding a sword in his right hand and a fly in the hollow of his left fist.

“Now,” said he, “I believe you to be an impostor. You have twice made pretence to magical powers, which in reality you do not possess, and I am about to put you to a final test. If you can tell me what I hold in my left hand I shall let you go free; but if you fail to do so, I shall immediately kill you with this sword.”

The poor Boy was greatly alarmed at hearing these words, and having no weapon himself he was completely at the old man’s mercy. So at a loss to know what to say, he replied:

“Well, then, you can kill me if you like, for I am as much in your power as though I were a fly which you hold in your left hand and which you can crush at your pleasure.”

The old man was so much astonished at hearing this reply, which he looked upon as a proof of the Boy’s supernatural powers, that he forthwith became one of his most ardent admirers; and as he had seen where the Boy’s horse, dog, and other belongings had disappeared to on the occasion when they had all followed the fox, he was able to lead the boy to a distant valley, where he found his horse and dog together. Here having recovered his sword and his gun, his clothing and other possessions, he mounted upon his horse and followed by his dog he returned to his Mother’s house a very much richer Boy than when he had left it.

THE HOME-BRED BOY.

HOW HE DEFEATED THE ENEMY.