Chapter XV: Part II (3)

After that, news reached the King that a girl called Wimali was at the Rakshasa's house. Having learnt this, the King came to take away Wimali. When he arrived there [the Rakshasa was out, so] he formed a figure of Wimali out of rice flour, and after placing that figure in the Rakshasa's house, took Wimali to the city.

The Rakshasa came to the house and [finding that she was not there] said, "Wimali 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 Rakshasa'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, "Ane! 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.

"After I have got to know the lucky hour and gone to take the milk, the buffalo cow, becoming afraid, will kick at me." Saying this, he jumped aside in order to avoid it.

As he was coming on the path, at this time he had reached a foot-bridge formed of a single tree trunk (edanda), and while going along at the middle of it he made the jump [to escape the cow's kick]. As he jumped, he fell off the tree trunk, taking the load of oil with him [and the two pots were smashed].

At his fall, the owner of the oil asked, "Having come so far taking care of this oil, why did you throw it down and break the pots at this foot-bridge, friend?"

The man said, "With the funds provided by the four tuttu I thought of buying a chicken. This happened owing to that."

Afterwards the owner of the oil, saying, "Never mind the spilling of the oil; you must go with me," invited the man to accompany him, and they went together. Having arrived at the village, because he was a capable man [the owner of the oil] gave him his daughter [in marriage].

Not a very long time afterwards, the men of the village said that they must go to Puttalam to load salt and sun-dried fish, and bring them back [bartering part of them on the way home]. The man said, "Father-in-law, I also must go to Puttalam." So the father-in-law made ready a cart load of goods, and giving them to him told him to go with the other men, and said, "[When disposing of the goods] the things which they count you also count and give; the goods which they give 'simply' (that is, without counting), you also give 'simply.'" [109]

Afterwards the men who went from the village, while coming back from Puttalam, from place to place gave the goods they were bringing, and took [in exchange] the things they wanted. The man having observed which goods they counted, counted and gave the same goods, without [taking] money. The goods which the other men gave without counting, that man also gave without counting. Thus, in that manner he gave all the goods loaded into the cart, until at last only the cart and the yoke of bulls remained over.

Afterwards the men who went in the party gave goods, and each one got a horse. This man gave the cart and yoke of bulls and got a horse.

While they were coming bringing the horses, the men of the party gave goods, and each one got a goat of foreign breed. So this man gave his horse, and got a goat.

While they were bringing the goats, the men of the party, saying, "We must each one get a dog with a party-coloured body," gave goods, and got one apiece. So this man gave the foreign goat that he was bringing, and got one.

Having come to a shop where they were selling foreign pots, the men of the party gave goods, and each one got a foreign water-pot. This man giving the parti-coloured dog, also got one.

Afterwards having come very close to their village, each of the men of the party, saying, "I will give four tuttu and get shaved," got shaved. So this man gave that foreign water-pot, and got himself shaved.

In the end the man returned home without either cart, or yoke of bulls, or goods.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

Some Eastern variants have been mentioned above in the story of the Kitul seeds, No. 26.

In The Orientalist, vol. ii, p. 102, there is a story by Mr. A. E. R. Corea, in which a man who was going in search of work gathered some leaves on the road-side, which are eaten as a vegetable. In another district where there were no vegetables he exchanged them for fishes, a leaf for a fish. Going on, he bartered these for digging hoes, and these again for oxen, with which he set off on his return home. Having nothing to eat, he continued to give two oxen for two rice cakes, until at last he arrived at his house empty-handed.

In the Panchatantra (Dubois), a Brahmana who had been at two feasts on the same day, carried away from the second some pots of ghi--or liquid butter,--milk, and flour, and began to consider how he would acquire wealth by means of them. He would sell them, and buy a she-goat, which would have kids, and in a short time he would possess a flock. He would then sell the goats and buy a cow and a mare, by selling the calves and foals from which he would become a rich man. He would get married and have numerous children, who would be well educated and well dressed. His wife would become inattentive to her duties at the house. During her absence the children would run about near the cows, and the youngest one would be injured by them. For neglecting them he would beat his wife, and taking up his stick to beat her he smashed the pots containing his provisions.

NO. 54

THE MOUSE MAIDEN [110]

There are a King and a Queen of a certain city, and there is a daughter of the Queen.

They asked [permission] to summon the daughter to go [in marriage] to the Prince of another city. The King said "Ha," so they came from that city to summon the King's Princess. After coming, they told the bride to come out [of her chamber] in order to eat the rice [of the wedding-feast]. The Queen said, "She is eating cooked rice in the house."

Then they told her to come out in order to dress her in the robes [sent by the bridegroom (?)]. The Queen said, "She is putting on robes [in her chamber]."

Then they told her to come out in order to go [to the bridegroom's city]. So the Queen told two persons to come, and having put a female Mouseling [110] in an incense box, brought it, and gave it into the hands of the two persons, and said, "Take ye this, and until seven days have gone by do not open the mouth of the box." Having taken it to the city, when they opened the mouth of the box after seven days, a mouse sprang out, [and hid itself] among the cooking pots.

There was also a (servant) girl at the Prince's house. The girl apportioned and gave cooked rice and vegetable [curry] to the Prince, and covered up the cooking pots [containing the rest of the food]. Then the Mouseling came, and having taken and eaten some of the cooked rice and vegetables, covered up the cooking pots, and went again among the pots.

On the following day the same thing occurred. The Prince said to the girl. "Does the Mouseling eat the cooked rice? Look and come back." The girl having gone and looked, came back and said, "She has eaten the cooked rice, and covered the cooking pots, and has gone." The Prince said, "Go thou also, and eat rice, and come back." So the girl went and ate rice, and returned.

Next day the Prince said, "I am going to cut paddy (growing rice). Remain thou at the house, and in the evening place the articles for cooking near the hearth." Then the Prince went. Afterwards, in the evening the girl placed the things for cooking near the hearth, and went out of the way.

The Mouseling came, and cooked and placed [the food ready], and again went behind the pots. After evening had come, that girl apportioned and gave the rice to the Prince. The Prince ate, and told the girl, "Go thou also, and eat rice, and come back." So the girl went and ate rice, and having covered the cooking pots came to the place where the Prince was.

Then the Mouseling came and ate rice, and covered up the pots. After that, she said to the [other] mice, "Let us go and cut the paddy," and collecting a great number of mice, cut all the paddy, and again returned to the house, and stayed among the pots. Next day when the Prince went to the rice field to cut the paddy, all had been cut.

Afterwards the Prince came back, and saying, "Let us go and collect and stack [the paddy]," collected the men, and stacked it, and threshed it by trampling [it with buffaloes]. Then they went and called the women, and having got rid of the chaff in the wind, brought the paddy home.

After they had brought it, the Prince went near the place where the cooking pots were stored, at which the Mouseling was hidden, and said, "Having pounded this paddy [to remove the husk], and cooked rice, let us go to your village [to present it to your parents, as the first-fruits]."

The Mouseling said, "I will not. You go." So the Prince told the girl to pound the paddy and cook rice, and having done this she gave it to the Prince.

The Prince took the package of cooked rice, and went to the Mouseling's village, and gave it to the Mouseling's mother.

The Queen asked at the hand of the Prince, "Where is the girl?"

The Prince said, "She refused to come."

The Queen said, "Go back to the city, and having placed the articles for cooking near the hearth, get hid, and stay in the house."

After the Prince returned to the city, he did as she had told him. The Mouseling having come out, took off her mouse-jacket, and [assuming her shape as a girl] put on other clothes. While she was preparing to cook, the Prince took the mouse-jacket, and burnt it.

Afterwards, when the girl went to the place where the mouse-jacket had been, and looked for it, it was not there. Then she looked in the hearth, and saw that there was one sleeve in it. While she was there weeping and weeping, the Prince [came forward and] said, "Your mother told me to burn the mouse-jacket." So the Mouseling became the Princess again, and the Prince and Princess remained there.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

The notion of a skin dress that could be put off and on, and that transformed a person into one of the lower animals, is well-known in folk-tales. It is found in Old Deccan Days (Frere), pp. 183, 193, where a King had a jackal-skin coat which turned him into a jackal when he put it on, until it was burnt.

At p. 222, a Princess concealed herself by putting on the skin of an old beggar woman. She was discovered when she removed it in order to wash it and herself. In the end it was burnt by the Prince she had married, and she retained her true form as a Princess.

In Indian Fairy Tales (Stokes), p. 41 ff., there is a Prince who had a monkey skin, which he could put on and off as he wished.

In Indian Nights' Entertainment, Panjab (Swynnerton), p. 344, four fairies came in the form of doves, and took off their feather dresses in order to bathe. A Prince concealed one dress, and the fairy was unable to resume her bird form and fly away.

In The Story of Madana Kama Raja, or "Dravidian Nights" (Natesa Sastri), pp. 56, 57, there is an account of a tortoise Prince who had the power of leaving his shell and assuming his human form. His mother one day saw the transformation, and smashed the shell, after which he remained a Prince.

In Folk-Tales of Hindustan, Allahabad (Shaik Chilli), p. 54 ff., the daughter of the King of the Peris had the form of a monkey while she wore a monkey's skin, and her own form at other times. When a Prince burnt the skin she took fire, and flew away in a blaze to her father's palace. While she was ill there, the Prince discovered her and cured her, and she did not resume her monkey form.

The feather-vest of the Dove-maidens--female Jinn--in the Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed.), iii, p. 417 ff., is well known. They removed it for bathing, and could not fly without it.

NO. 55

SIGIRIS SIÑÑO, THE GIANT

In a country there was a great person called Sigiris Siñño. He was a very wealthy person; under him ten hired labourers worked.

During the time while he was in this state, Sigiris Siñño having thought he would drink arrack (spirit distilled from palm juice), began to drink a very little. In that way he became accustomed to drink very largely. Afterwards having come [home] drunk he went to beat the labourers; also he did not give them their wages properly. When he had acted in this manner for many days, they, after speaking together, gave Sigiris Siñño a good beating, and on account of their [short] pay took the goods of Sigiris Siñño, and went away. Then no one would give work to Sigiris Siñño, so he drank until the goods in his house were finished.

Then, there being nothing for this one to drink or eat, and having become like a madman, at the time when he was walking and walking about he saw a man carrying a young coconut. Begging, "Give me that," and taking it, he went to a travellers' resting-shed.

While he was there eating the young coconut after breaking it, a great number of flies began to settle there. After he had struck at the flies with his hand, twenty died. Thereupon this one went to a person who did tin work, and said, "Ane! Friend, do a little work for me and give me it."

"What is it?" the tin worker asked.

This one said, "Cut on a sheet of tin in Tamil and Sinhalese, 'I killed twenty,' and give me it."

Having said, "It is good," he cut it and gave it.

After he had cut and given it, this one took it, and preparing a hanging board, and hanging the sheet of tin on it, put the cord on his neck, and walked along the roads. Men who saw this stepped on one side through fear, and went away.

Certain Tamils having seen this at a city, said to Sigiris Siñño, "In our country the King has a giant. Should any one fight with him and win, the King said he will give him a present of five hundred masuran, and the post of Prime Minister. This being so, can you go there with us [and fight him]," they asked.

Then Sigiris Siñño, thinking, "Let me go even should I be struck by lightning," said, "I am able to fight with the giant," and went to that city with the Tamils.

Having arrived there, these Tamils handed him over to the King under whom that giant had a post. The King asked this one, "I have a giant. Canst thou fight with the giant and win?"

Sigiris Siñño said instantly, "A son who has killed twenty giants better than that one am I."

So the King said to his giant, "Now then, do what fighting thou knowest, and conquer that one."

Then the giant said to Sigiris Siñño, "To-day you must come and swim [against me] in the great sea for eight days. We require from the King ten rupees in order to get things to eat while we are swimming." Having said this and got them, the two giants went to the shops, and got things for the ten rupees.

Then Sigiris the Giant said to that giant, "What are these few things! For one meal I want six quarts of rice and I want three bottles of arrack. I can swim for eight or ten months."

After that, this giant thought, "I can't eat as much as this one, and I can't drink as much, and I can't swim for eight or ten months. Therefore I am indeed unable to swim with this giant and beat him." He told the King so.

The King said, "If so, thou wilt lose."

The giant said, "At swimming I shall lose. We must fight each other."

"It is good," said the King. Then the King asked Sigiris Siñño, "Canst thou fight with this one?"

Sigiris Siñño replied, "I will give that one one blow."

So the King said, "Fight ye each other to-morrow."

Thereupon Sigiris the Giant said, "Not to-morrow. After a month has gone both giants will fight each other. Having proclaimed it, and put both of us into two houses under one roof, you must give us to eat until the month is finished."

The King said, "It is good."

Sigiris the Giant having sought for an iron nail, from that day dug into the wall of the house in which the giant was [which separated their two rooms]. Having dug [nearly through] it, when the month would be finished to-morrow Sigiris the Giant said to that giant, "Ade! Giant, give me a little tobacco."

That giant said, "How can I give you tobacco there?"

Sigiris the Giant replied, "Knock a hole through that wall with your hand, and give me it."

"I cannot," that one said.

Then Sigiris the Giant said, "What sort of a giant art thou, one who can't make a hole through that wall and give me a little tobacco!" Saying, "Look there! Give me it through there," Sigiris the Giant struck with his hand at the place which he had previously bored. When he struck it his hand made a hole through to the other side. That giant becoming afraid at the blow, began to tremble, and thought, "I can't win in fighting with this one."

On the following day they made them come out to fight. The place was filled with people who had come to look on. Sigiris the Giant thinks in his mind, "To-day is indeed my Fate. How shall I escape?" That giant, through fear his thoughts were the same.

The King said, "Strike ye each other."

Having said, "It is good," each one being afraid of the other, said, "Strike thou." Sigiris says to the other, "Thou strike," he says. By that one and by this one not a blow was struck.

Then the King says to Sigiris the Giant, "Strike thou first."

Sigiris the Giant said, "It is good," and thinking of running away, and saying to the people, addressing them loudly, "Get to both sides, and stop there," looked round to run off. At that, the other giant, rolling the people over, began to run away, and the people who were there cried "Hu," after him.

Then the King having become pleased with Sigiris Siñño, and having given him a present of five hundred masuran, established him in the post of Prime Minister.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

In Wide-Awake Stories (Steel and Temple), p. 89--Tales of the Punjab, p. 80--a weaver who killed a mosquito thought himself a hero, and eventually became the ruler of half the country.

In Indian Nights' Entertainment, Panjab (Swynnerton), p. 208, a weaver killed nine flies on his arm, and called himself Nomar Khan, the Nine-killing Prince. He became Commander-in-Chief.

NO. 56

THE PROUD JACKAL

In the midst of a certain forest a Lion stayed. Having joined with that very Lion, a Jackal was eating and eating the flesh of animals killed by the Lion.

After a few days had gone by, the Jackal, becoming arrogant, said to the Lion, "Don't say 'Jackal' to me."

Thereupon, "What shall I say?" the Lion asked.

Then the Jackal says, "You must call me, saying to me, 'Jackal-artificer' (Nari nayide)."

In this way, when the Lion had said, "Jackal-artificer," for many days, he said, "Don't say 'Jackal-artificer.'"

"What name am I to say?" the Lion asked.

"Say to me, 'Small Lion'; don't say, 'Jackal-artificer,'" he said.

After the Lion had been saying, "Small Lion," for a few days, "Say to me, 'Great Lion'; don't say, 'Small Lion,'" he said to the Lion.

Then the Lion says, "For me to say, 'Great Lion,' you must make the Lion's roar," the Lion said.

Then the Jackal having gone near a tusk elephant, after he had cried out, as the Lion's roar, "Hokkiye, Hokkiye" (the beginning of the customary yelping cry of the Jackal), the tusk-elephant kicked the Jackal.

Thereupon the Jackal died.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

In the Jataka stories 143 (vol. i, p. 306) and 335 (vol. iii, p. 75), a Jackal who acted as a Lion's servant induced his master to let him go out in the latter's place, in order to kill animals. He howled and sprang at an elephant, but was crushed to death by it.

STORIES OF THE DURAYAS

NO. 57

THE SEVEN ROBBERS

In a country there are seven robbers. Among them, in the same gang, there is a fool. One day they went to commit robbery. While they were there, they got a devil-dancer's box, containing his mask and ornaments. Having brought it, the seven persons went into a rock cave to sleep.

When they had gone there that foolish man became hungry. After the others went to sleep that fool took out the devil-dancer's clothes, and having looked at them put them on.

After he had put them on, one of those men opened his eyes. Then on account of the noise of the bells [of the devil-dancer] the others opened their eyes also. When they saw the man dressed in the devil-dancer's clothes they were frightened, and saying, "Ade! The Kohomba deity is coming," the other six persons ran away.

As they were running, that man who had the clothes ran after them, saying, "Stay there, stay there." While they were running those six persons leaped over a well [in the path]. This one also jumped, but being held back by the clothes he fell into the mouth of the well.

After he had fallen into the well, a woman came to draw water. Then he placed his weight in the bucket when she lowered it. After the woman had got to know of the weight, striving and striving she got the bucket near the mouth of the well. The man who had fallen, and was in it, said, "A little more, my mother." Then the woman hearing this [and seeing what she thought was a demon in the well], let go, and bounded away.

Duraya. North-western Province.

In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 136, a story is given regarding twenty-five idiots, in which is a variant of this tale. Some robbers whom one of them was assisting left him outside a house with a basket that he had brought out of it. While they were inside searching for booty, he found in the basket the dress worn in representations of a demon termed Gara Yaka, and put it on. When the robbers came out they thought he was the demon himself, and ran off, with the idiot at their heels. In the end, they jumped into a well, were followed by him, and all were drowned.

NO. 58

THE STUPID BOY

In a certain city there are a Gamarala, a Gama-gaeni (his wife), and a son of theirs. The Gamarala went to the chena. The Gama-gaeni lay down, and told the Gama-puta (the son) to examine her head [for insects]. While he was looking through the hair she fell asleep, and a fly settled on her head. "Ade! Fly, do not bite our mother's head," he said, "mother will scold me."

The fly having gone flying away, settled again on her head. Saying, "Now then, this fly is biting mother's head again," he placed his mother's head gently on the ground. Then having gone and taken a rice pestle, and come back with it, he said, "Is the fly still biting the head?" and struck at the fly with the rice pestle, killing his mother with the blow.

The boy's father having come, tried to arouse her. "How is it that mother is dead?" he asked. The boy said, "A fly was biting our mother's head. I struck it with the rice pestle. Because of it she died." So the Gamarala took the woman away and buried her.

Then he came home with the boy. Having arrived, the Gamarala told the boy to make a pot of gruel. Having made the pot of gruel he told the boy to take it, and they went to the jungle to cut fence sticks. The man, cutting and cutting the fence sticks, told the boy to draw them out, and throw them down. Then the boy, taking the fence sticks, threw them into the river.

Taking the pot of gruel, and making a raised platform of sticks, he placed it on it. The Gamarala said to the boy, "Now then, as you have come here, go and drink gruel." Then the boy having gone under the stick frame, and pierced the bottom of the pot, and made a hole through it, placed his mouth under it, and drank a sufficient quantity. Still the gruel comes from the pot, so the boy said to the pot of gruel, "Father is there. Don't come out, gruel."

Having cut the fence sticks, the Gamarala came to drink gruel. There was nothing in the gruel pot. He asked at the hand of the boy, "Where, Ada! is the gruel?"

"The gruel went out while I was saying don't go," he said.

Then the Gamarala thought, "There is no need to keep this boy," and having beaten him he drove him away.

As the boy was going, weeping and weeping, he met with a Buddhist monk. [111] There were two bundles in the Lord's hand. He told the boy to take the couple of bundles. As the boy was carrying them he asked at the hand of the Lord, "What is there in the bundles?"

"Palm-sugar packets, [112] and plantains," he said.

The Lord asked at the hand of the boy, "What is thy name?"

The boy said, "My name is Aewariyakka Mulakka."

As he was coming along from there the boy lagged behind. So the monk spoke to the boy, "Aewariyakka Mulakka, Ada! Come on quickly," he said. Then the boy ate some packets of sugar, [113] and rows of plantains. [114]

The monk having gone to the pansala (monk's residence), when he looked [found that] packets of sugar and rows of plantains were missing. "Ada! where are the other plantains and palm-sugar that were in these?" he asked.

"Lord, I am a packet eater (Mulakka), and a first-row-of-plantains eater (Aewariyakka)," he said. "I ate them." There and then, having beaten the boy, he chased him away.

Then, as a washerwoman-aunt was washing clothes, she saw the boy going along, and asked him, "Can you live at our house?" "I can," he said. She asked his name; Giya ("He went") he said was his name.

Having taken the washed clothes, and placed them in the house, he asked at the hand of the mother for the [unwashed] clothes that were in the house. She told him to come [and take them]. After the boy had come in, the mother asked at the hand of the boy, "What is your name?" The boy said, Awo ("He came"), and took the clothes away.

Afterwards, because both the clothes and the boy were missing, [the washer-woman] having searched and looked for him, went home. On account of her going late the washerman called her [and asked the reason]. She said, "It is because of Giya" (the words might also mean, "It is because he went"). A man who was in the house having heard it, said, "Ada! He said Awo."

While both were saying, "Giya," "Awo," ("He went, he came"), the boy took the clothes, and went to his village.

Duraya. North-western Province.

The fly-killing incident occurs in Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 306, in which a Buneyr man killed an old woman by throwing a stone at a fly that was on her face.

In the Jataka story No. 44 (vol. i, p. 116), a boy killed his father by striking with an axe at a mosquito that had settled on his pate, splitting his head at the blow. In the next Jataka tale, a girl killed her mother by aiming a blow with a pestle at the flies that had settled on her head when she was lying down.

In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 284, there is a Kashmir story by the Rev. J. H. Knowles, in which a bear who had become friendly with a man, killed him by throwing a piece of rock at a bee which had settled on his mouth. Reference is also made to a similar story in the Journal A.S.B., vol. iii, part i, 1883.

A considerable part of the story now given is a variant of No. 10 above. I have inserted it on account of the low caste of the narrator.

When the monk repeated the boy's name on ordering him not to lag behind, he was in reality telling him to eat the plantains and sugar, the meaning of Aewariyak ka Mulak ka being, "Eat thou a first row of plantains; eat thou a packet (of the sugar)."

NO. 59

THE GAMARALA AND THE WASHERMAN

In a certain country there are a Gamarala and a Washerman. [115] Those two persons cut a chena. As they were cutting the chena a jungle-cock crowed. The Gamarala said to the Washerman, "Please catch that crowing jungle-cock, and come back."

Then the Washerman said, "Will you do the chena work until I catch the jungle-cock and come back?" he asked.

"Until you come I will do the chena work," he said.

From there that man came home, and remained there. When the chena [crop] was ripening he caught the jungle-cock, and went back.

"I shall not give thee a share of the chena," the Gamarala said.

Thereupon the Washerman instituted a lawsuit against him.

When they were going for it on the day of the trial, he borrowed a cloth from the Gamarala, and went after putting it on. When the action was being heard the Washerman said, "He will say next that this cloth is that gentleman's."

Then the Gamarala said, "It is so indeed. If not, Bola, whose is that cloth?" he asked.

The Washerman said, "There! I said so. O Lord, when coming on account of this day of the trial, was it necessary for me to ask for a cloth from that gentleman? Am I without clothes to that extent?"

After that, the judge told them to divide the chena in two, [and each take half of it]. Afterwards, having come there they divided it in two.

Again, this Washerman and the Gamarala sowed a paddy field (rice field). Of the paddy plants in the field, those things that were above the ground were for the Washerman, they said. Those which were below the ground were for the Gamarala, they said. Having cut the paddy when the crop ripened, they threshed it by trampling [with cattle], and the Washerman took the paddy. Afterwards they cut the ground; there was nothing for the Gamarala.

Again, these two persons planted onions. This time, those things that were above the ground were for the Gamarala, they said. Those that were below the ground were for the Washerman, they said. When the crop was ready, the Gamarala having cut off the onion stumps, heaps them up together; the Washerman dug up and got the onions.

After that, those two persons got a buffalo bull. The front part of that bull was for the Washerman, they said; the after part for the Gamarala, they said.

Next, the two persons got a buffalo cow. The front part was for the Gamarala; the after part for the Washerman, they said. Thereupon the calves which the buffalo cow bore belonged to the Washerman, he said. When the Gamarala asked for calves because the front part did not give birth to calves, "There is nothing for you," he said.

After that, the Gamarala, in order to build a house, cut Waewarana, Kaetakala, Milla, Kolon trees (good timber trees commonly used in building houses). The Washerman, also, saying, "I also must build a house," cut Paepol, Eramudu, Murunga trees (all of which are soft woods, quite useless for any kind of work).

When the Gamarala's wife was coming near his house, the Washerman, taking the Naekat Pota (an astrological book which deals with prognostications), read aloud from it [these sham prognostications regarding the results to the occupiers if these woods be used in house building]: "For a house of Waewarana, diarrhoea; for a house of Kaetakala, quarrel; for a house of Milla, hanging; for a house of Eramudu, purity; for a house of Paepol, land."

Then the Gamarala's wife having heard this, goes and says to the Gamarala, "You have done a foolish thing again. We shall have only sickness and trouble if we build the house with those trees. In the Naekat Pota it is so written. If we use the trees that the Washerman has cut we shall be fortunate." So the Gamarala went to the Washerman, and persuaded him to exchange trees with him. Then the Washerman built himself a good house with the Gamarala's trees. The trees which the Gamarala got were of no use to him.

Duraya. North-western Province.

The incident at the trial in the first part of this story occurs in a slightly different form in a folk-tale that I heard in Cairo. As I am not aware that it has been published I give it here, condensing the first portion (see No. 60).

The planting incidents are related by Rabelais, in Pantagruel, chapters 45 and 46. For the benefit of readers in Ceylon, I give the account:--

THE DEVIL AND THE HUSBANDMAN

This devil having arrived at the place, addressed a husbandman and asked him what he did. The poor man replied to him that he sowed that field of early wheat to assist him in living during the following year. "But really," said the devil, "this field is not thine; it is mine and belongs to me ...; however, I leave thee the field. But it is on condition we shall share the profit." "I agree to it," replied the husbandman. "I mean," said the devil, "that of the coming profit we shall make two shares. The one shall be what grows above the ground, the other what shall be covered in the earth. The choice belongs to me, for I am a devil of a noble and ancient race; thou art only a villein. I choose that which will be in the ground, thou shalt have that above. When will the reaping be?" "In the middle of July," replied the husbandman. "Now," said the devil, "I need not be present here. In other respects do thy duty. Work, villein, work."

The middle of July having come, the devil presents himself again at the place, accompanied by a squadron of little chorister devilets. Meeting there the husbandman, he said to him, "And now, villein, how hast thou been since my departure? It is requisite to make our division now?" "That is right," replied the husbandman.

Then the husbandman, with his people, began to reap the corn. The little devils similarly drew the stubble from the ground. The husbandman threshed his corn in the air, put it in sacks, and carried it to the market to sell. The devilets did the same, and at the market seated themselves near the husbandman to sell their stubble. The husbandman sold his corn very well, and with the money filled an old sock which he carried at his belt. The devils sold nothing, but on the contrary the peasants jeered at them in the midst of the market.

The market being over, said the devil to the husbandman, "Villein, thou hast cheated me this time; at another thou shalt not deceive me." "My Lord Devil," replied the husbandman, "how have I cheated you who have chosen first? True it is that in that choice you thought of cheating me, hoping that nothing would come out of the ground as my share, and to find, below, the whole of the corn that I had sown.... But you are very young at the trade."... "Leave this discourse," said the devil; "with what canst thou sow our field this following year?" "For profit," replied the husbandman, "and good economy it is expedient to sow radishes." "Now then," said the devil, "thou art an honest man; sow plenty of radishes. I shall protect them from tempests, and shall not hail at all on them. But, understand thoroughly, I keep as my share what shall be above ground; thou shalt have what is below. Work, villein, work."

The time for the reaping having come, the devil was present at the spot with a squadron of household devilets. There, meeting the husbandman and his people, he began to reap and collect the leaves of the radishes. After him the husbandman dug and drew out the large radishes, and put them into sacks. So they went all together to the market. The husbandman sold his radishes very well. The devil sold nothing. What was worse, they jeered at him publicly.

"I see well, villain," the devil then said, "that I am cheated by thee. I want to make an end of the field between thee and me."

I add a variant of the cultivating caste, as some incidents are new.

THE GAMARALA AND THE WASHERMAN. (VARIANT.)

In a certain country there is a Gamarala, it is said. A Washerman, having come there, became friendly with the Gamarala. Having become friendly, he takes charge of the Gamarala's cattle for grazing. During the time while he was grazing them the two persons chop chenas and do rice field work.

Well then, the two persons having become very thoroughly friends, at the time while they were thus, the cattle grazed by the Washerman increased by a buffalo bull and a buffalo cow. Afterwards, the Washerman having come [to the other man] said, "Now then, Gamarahami, [116] we must divide the two cattle between us." The Gamarala said, "Ha. Let us divide them." Afterwards the Washerman having gone and caught the two cattle, tied them up.

The Gamarala went there. Then the Washerman said, "Now then, the Gamarahami indeed has cattle. I myself have no cattle. Because of it, let the after portion of this buffalo cow be for me. The front portion the Gamarahami will be good enough to take." The Gamarala, having consented to that, said, "Ha. It is good." Well then, in complete agreement they shared the buffalo cow.

Again, to share the buffalo bull the Washerman said, "Gamarahami, let the front side of the buffalo bull be for me, the after side the Gamarahami will be good enough to take." Well then, the Gamarala having consented to that also, by the agreement of the two persons they divided the buffalo bull also.

During the time while they were thus, the Washerman having taken the buffalo bull ploughs for himself. The Gamarala also one day was going to take the buffalo bull to plough. Then the Washerman quarrelled with him: "The front part belongs to me; the after part belongs to you. I will not allow you to plough with my side," he said. [117] The Gamarala having become angry came home.

The buffalo cow having gone to the Gamarala's house eats by stealth. Men having come told the Gamarala, "Gamarala, your buffalo cow comes to our rice field [and eats the crop]. On that account attend well to its grazing."

Then the Gamarala said, "Don't tell me. Tell that to the Washerman."

Then the men having gone, told the Washerman, "Washerman, the buffalo cow that you are causing to graze eats by stealth [in our rice field]. Attend well to its grazing."

The Washerman said, "What are you telling me? Doesn't the front half belong to the Gamarahami? Isn't it the Gamarahami who must attend to the grazing?" [118]

The Washerman having come to the Gamarala's house, quarrelled with the Gamarala [over it]. The Gamarala became very angry.

Afterwards, the Gamarala went to institute a lawsuit against the Washerman [on account of these matters]. That day, having entered the suit, and having come back to the village, he went to the Washerman to tell him the day of the trial. Having told him, the Gamarala came home.

On the following day, the Washerman came to the Gamarala. Afterwards, the Gamarala having given the Washerman to eat and drink, and having made ready to go for the day of the trial, the Washerman said, "Gamarahami, I have no [suitable] cloth to wear when going." The Gamarala gave (that is, lent) him a cloth. The Washerman putting on the cloth, both of them went for the trial-day.

After they went, the assessors [119] having assembled heard the lawsuit. When they asked the Gamarala [regarding the matter], the Gamarala said, "The after portion of the buffalo cow belongs to the Washerman; the front portion belongs to me."

When they asked the Washerman he said, "Because the front portion of the buffalo bull belongs to me, I will not allow him to plough with the buffalo bull. Because the front portion of the buffalo cow belongs to the Gamarahami, the Gamarahami must attend to the grazing," he answered.

Then after the assessors had thus asked him they said, "What the Washerman said is true."

Thereupon the Washerman says, "That gentleman (Rahami) will now say that this cloth which I am wearing is the gentleman's, maybe!"

The Gamarala asked, "Yes, indeed. Whose is it, Bola, if that cloth is not mine?"

Then the Washerman says to the assessors, "There! Be good enough to look. Didn't that gentleman just now say that the cloth I am wearing is the gentleman's. In that manner, indeed, he has brought this lawsuit, also."

At that time the assessors said to the Gamarala, "There is not a thing for us to say regarding this [except that] he is to gain [the action] against you."

Then the Gamarala having lost, came back with the Washerman to the village.

At that time, while the Gamarala was angry with the Washerman, the Gamarala, having said that he must build a house for himself, and having gone to the jungle, cut Halmilla, Milla, Waewarana trees; these three sorts [of good timber trees].

Then the Washerman, having got news that he had cut these woods, also went to the jungle, and having said, "I also must build a house for myself," cut Paepol wood, Murunga wood, Eramudu wood; those three sorts [of soft useless woods]. After heaping them together, he wrote a book [of sham prognostications]: "For the house [built] of Halmilla, begging; for the house of Waewarana, killing; for the house of Milla, begging; for the house of Paepol, land; for the house of Eramudu, purity; for the house of Murunga, purity."

After writing these, the Washerman taking up the book while the Gama-Mahage (the Gamarala's wife) was going past for water, says them over every day for the Gama-Mahage to hear. The Gama-Mahage having heard them, said to the Gamarala, "A book of the Washerman's says thus. Because of it, come with the Washerman, and having given him our small quantity of timber speak with him to allow us to take his small quantity of timber."

Afterwards, the Gamarala having gone to the Washerman, asked at the hand of the Washerman, "Washerman, give me your small quantity of timber, and take for yourself my small quantity of timber."

Then the Washerman says, "I don't know [if I can do it], Sir (Rahamiye). I cannot [willingly], through sorrow [at the loss to me], give you my small quantity of timber, indeed; but because the gentleman says it, any way whatever is good. Be good enough to take it."

Afterwards the Gamarala brought [home] the Washerman's small quantity of timber. The Washerman brought the Gamarala's small quantity of timber. Having brought it, the Washerman with the small quantity of the Gamarala's timber thoroughly built the house for himself, the Gamarala also building the house for himself from the Washerman's timber. When only three months had gone, the Gamarala's house fell down, and the Gama-Mahage, having been underneath it, died. The house which the Washerman built from good timber remained in good condition.

North-western Province.

NO. 60

THE TWO THIEVES

Two thieves at Cairo were in love with the same girl, who promised to marry the one who showed the greatest cleverness.

The first one assisted a rich merchant in purchasing some cattle, and eventually purloined a bag of money which the merchant was carrying in the large pocket in the front of his gown, and put a similar bag in its place containing an orange or two.

The theft was discovered when the merchant was about to pay the money for the cattle. The robber assumed the rôle of the sympathising friend, and suggested that a mistake might have been made by the merchant's wife, and the wrong bag given to him. The merchant went home to inquire about it, and on his return the robber ran up to him, and embraced and kissed him, saying, "Hallo, Friend! I am very glad to see you again. I hope you have succeeded in finding your money." As he said this he put back the purse, and took the bag of oranges.

The merchant replied, "I hope God will hear what you say."

The thief said, "You are playing me a trick; put your hand in your pocket, and feel if your purse is not there."

So he put his hand in his breast pocket, and found his bag of money there. The thief explained the matter, and requested him to relate the particulars to the girl, who then decided that she would marry this thief.

I give the rest of the story in full, as it was dictated to me:--

The second thief said, "Oh! that is nothing. I can play a better trick than that. Will you be kind enough to come to-morrow morning to the Government offices to see me?" The merchant man said, "I also will come to see the trick." Then the merchant went away, and the three remained there till evening.

After dinner, the second robber went out to the café to spend the time, and there he met one of the higher class people. The robber said, "Salam," and sat down next this merchant. They both smoked hashish together, and the thief told him, "I have just arrived from outside the city. The four gates are now shut, and I cannot return. I do not know where to go to sleep."

The merchant told him, "Don't you feel ashamed to say that to me when you know what size my house is?"

The robber said, "Thank you for the favour," and at the end of their smoke they went together to the merchant's house. When the two entered, lights were put in the writing room, with two beds for them, so that they might sleep together there.

While the merchant was fast asleep and snoring, the robber awoke, and took the key of the money-box and the seal from the merchant's pocket, opened the box, counted the money, wrote a promissory note giving the amount of each kind of money, signed it with the merchant's seal, and put all back again as before, keeping the note. He then went to sleep again.

Next morning they breakfasted together, becoming very friendly, and the robber said, "Please can you lend me your horse and a clean suit of clothes, because I must go to report a person to the Government?" So the merchant gave him a clean suit and a horse, and told him, "You can change your clothes and wash here. I must go to my office." He then left.

The robber put on the clothes, and rode off to the Government office, and explained his case, and asked for a man to be sent to fetch the merchant, as he had to recover a large sum of money from him. The Chief of the Police sent a man to call him.

When the merchant came, the Chief of the Police asked him, "Why don't you pay this gentleman the money you owe him?"

He says, "Which gentleman?"

"This gentleman," said the Chief of the Police, pointing to the robber.

"This one!"

"Yes, I am the one," said the robber.

The merchant said, "Don't you feel ashamed at saying I owe you some money?"

"Of course," he replied, and then he took out the promissory note, and handed it to the Chief of the Police.

The Chief of the Police looked at it, and said, "Hallo! That is a big amount."

The merchant asked to see it, and he looked at the list, and said, "I have not got so much money in my box. If I have so much in my house it must really be yours."

The Chief of the Police sent some men to bring the box to the station, and on counting the money in it, he found it was exactly the amount written in the promissory note. The woman, and the other robber, and the merchant who was tricked on the previous day were all present and listening, and were all astonished.

The Chief of the Police said, "Well, it must be the claimant's money," and he gave it to him.

The merchant was angry, so the robber said, "I suppose you will be saying next that the horse is yours, and the suit I am wearing"; and when the merchant angrily demanded them the robber requested the Chief of the Police to lock the man up, because he was now trying to steal his horse and clothes.

Then the merchant was locked up, and the robber left the money in the box at the Police Station, and rode off to his own home, where he met the woman and the first robber. He asked them, "How do you like that trick?"

She said, "A very clever man you are," and she agreed to marry him.

After three days they both went to the merchant, and told him the whole story, and returned him the money, and the horse and clothes. And the merchant was so pleased to get them back that he gave them some money to live upon.

In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 297 ff., two thieves had one wife, who agreed that she should belong only to the one who brought her the most valuable spoil in two days. The King executed her, as being the instigator of the robberies they committed.

NO. 61

THE MARGOSA TREE