Chapter XVI: Part II (4)

In a certain city there is a King, it is said. The King thought of growing a Margosa tree without bitterness [in the fruit], so one day he made proclamation accordingly by beat of tom-toms.

While two friends of one village were coming to seek a means of subsistence they heard this sound of tom-toms. When they asked at the hand of a tom-tom beater, "What is the sound of tom-toms for?" he said, "What is it? His Majesty our King will give presents to any person who should grow and give him a Margosa tree without bitterness." One of the friends, saying, "I can [do it]," went to the royal palace.

"Canst thou grow and give me a Margosa tree without bitterness?" the King asked.

"Yes, your Majesty," he said.

"What things dost thou want for it?" the King asked.

"I want monthly a hundred-weight of sugar and a large pot of cow's butter," he said.

After that, the King asked, "Where wilt thou grow it?"

"I must grow it on the edge of a river," he said.

Having built and given him a house on the edge of the river, he gave him a hundred-weight of sugar and a large pot of butter monthly.

Seven times in succession he planted seven trees. Seven times the seven trees were washed away by the river.

During the time while he was there in that way, the other friend having come, asked, "Where is the tree?"

Then the friend who had planted the tree says, "Either the King, or I, or the river." [120]

The words that he said meant, "Either His Majesty the King will die; if not, I shall die, because of no means of subsistence."

"Having cheated the King I get a living. When it is so, the foolish King has been caught by my trick."

Duraya. North-western Province.

NO. 62

THE GAMARALA'S FOOLISH SON

While a Gamarala and a Gama-gaeni (his wife) were at a village, as there were no children to those two for a long time they went to a Dewala, and worshipped the Gods in order to obtain a child. After that they obtained a child. As that child was growing up the Gamarala and Gama-gaeni were becoming very old.

So one day the Gamarala says to the Gama-gaeni, "Before we die we must summon and give a bride to the youth." Having said this they summoned and gave him a small girl.

During the time while they were living thus, the Gamarala had an illness. After that the Gamarala died. Afterwards, while the Gama-gaeni, and the son, and the son's wife were there, one day the wife of the Gama-puta (son of the Gamarala) said, "Now then, let us go to my village, and having gone there, sowing our rice field lands let us do cultivation"; and both of them went.

While they were there, one day, as an illness settled on the Gama-puta's wife, the Vedarala (village doctor) went to see her. The Vedarala asked, "What is the illness?"

Then he said, "My wife has tumours which are growing large." The Vedarala having made a medicine which was to be rubbed [on the places], and having come to the house gave it, saying, "Rub thou this medicine on them."

When he had been rubbing it for four or five days they grew larger. The Gama-puta having seen this, said, "Ada! These tumours are becoming very severe. I cannot go for medicine every day if they go on like this. Let us go to my village." So they set off to come to the Gama-puta's village.

As they were coming, a man was driving a bull on the road. This Gamarala's son asked, "Where are you taking the bull?"

The man said, "I am taking it to my village," he said. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"We are going to my village. My wife has tumours. We are going to apply medical treatment," he said.

"Where? Let us look at them. I also know a little medical art," he said.

Then he showed them. When the man who was taking the bull saw them he said, "They are growing larger; they will never become well," he said.

Then the Gama-puta thought, "This woman does not matter to me." So he said, "It would be good for you to give me that bull and take this woman." So taking the bull he gave the woman.

"This one has water in his stomach (i.e., he had drunk water); you will be careful," the man said.

Then having taken the bull, as he was going to the village he took a large cloth and tied it round the middle of the bull. While he was there after tying it, a man came, carrying a bill-hook on his shoulder. When he saw it he asked, "What is this doing?"

"This one has water in his stomach; on that account I have tied the cloth round it," he said.

Having seen the bill-hook, "What is that?" he asked.

"This is a bill-hook," the man said.

After he asked, "What do you do with the bill-hook?" the man said, "Taking a packet of cooked rice and a water-gourd, it is for cutting the jungle," he said.

When he asked, "Will you take this bull and give me the bill-hook," the man said, "It is good," and having given the bill-hook went away taking the bull.

Then the Gama-puta, having taken the bill-hook, and gone to the village, during the time while he was there thought he would go to cut jungle. Having thought so, he took a packet of cooked rice and a water-gourd, and the bill-hook, and having placed them upon a rock he remained looking on. Seeing that the bill-hook stayed [there] without cutting the jungle, and thinking that it was because he was looking at it, he came home.

Having come and eaten rice, and having gone back afterwards, when he looked, the bill-hook having been put in the sun had become extremely hot. So the Gama-puta thinks, "The bill-hook having got fever, is it on that account it did not eat the cooked rice and did not cut the jungle?"

He went quickly for medicine. Having gone he told the Veda (village doctor). The Veda having looked [at it] told him to bury it under the frame on which the water pots were set. Afterwards, having come home, he buried it under the water-pots' frame. On the following day, after he had looked [he found that] having become thoroughly wetted by the water it was cold. Having seen that, he got into his mind [the notion], "Ada! The medical treatment is very good."

When a little time had gone, one day the Gamarala's wife had a severe illness, having got fever. The Gama-gaeni said, "Son, I have much fever. Having gone for medical advice and brought a little medicine, give me it," she said.

He said, "It is good," and speedily having cut a hole under the water-pots' frame, and put the Gama-gaeni in the hole, he covered her with earth.

Afterwards when he looked, the fever having thoroughly gone down she had become cold like a plantain tree; and saying, "Ada! Mother's fever is completely well," he went away.

Duraya. North-western Province.

In Indian Fables (Ramaswami Raju), p. 71, a variant of the last incident is given. A man with severe fever having cooled a red-hot poker in cold water, thought he could cool himself in the same way, so he sat in a tub of cold water, with a fatal result.

In Indian Nights' Entertainment, Panjab (Swynnerton), p. 83, a weaver got a smith to make a sickle that would cut corn of itself. He laid it beside the standing corn, which he ordered it to cut; but on returning he found no work done, and the sickle ill with fever, through being in the sun. The smith to whom he applied for advice recommended him to tie a string to it, and lower it into a well; this cooled it. When his mother caught fever he treated her in the same way until she died and became cold.

NO. 63

THE JACKAL'S JUDGMENT

At a village there is a tank. A Crocodile, making a burrow in the [foot of the] embankment, stayed in it. Afterwards the mud having dried and become hard, the Crocodile being unable to get out of the hole was going to die.

As a man was going past to fetch a midwife-mother to attend to his wife, the Crocodile, hearing him, said to the man, "Somehow or other manage to save me by breaking up the earth so that I may get out." The man broke up the earth, and let it out.

After that, as there was no water left in the tank, the man, placing the Crocodile on his shoulder, went to the edge of the river. Having gone there, after he had placed it in the water, the Crocodile seized the arm of that man in order to eat him.

"Why wilt thou eat me?" he asked. "Dost thou not know the help I gave thee? Yet thou art going to eat me!"

The Crocodile said, "It is true, indeed, regarding the assistance. It is because I am hungry that I am going to eat thee."

The man said, "It is good. Eat thou me. There are my witnesses, two or three persons. First ask them [regarding the justice of it], and then eat me." So they went to ask the witnesses about it.

Having met with a Kumbuk tree, [121] he said to the Kumbuk tree, "This Crocodile is going to eat me. I ask this one's opinion of it."

"What is that about?"

The man said, "This Crocodile was going to die. I saved it. It is now going to eat me. Is that right?"

Then the Kumbuk tree says, "O Crocodile-cultivator, do not let that man go. There is no animal so wicked as that man. He stays near the tree in the shade, and having broken off the bark and the leaves he takes them away. At last he cuts down and takes the tree."

From there he goes and asks it of the Cow. "O Cow, I saved this Crocodile from death. This Crocodile is now going to eat me. Do you think it right?"

The Cow says, "O Crocodile-cultivator, do not let that man go. That man is a wicked man. He takes our milk, and at last kills and eats us. Do not let him go."

After that he asks it of the Jackal. The Jackal asks, "What is it about?"

He says to the Jackal, "O Jackal-artificer, without letting this Crocodile die, I saved it. Now it is going to eat me."

The Jackal-artificer says, "I cannot give this decision, not having seen what is the meaning of it. You must show me the whole affair from the beginning."

Then the man, placing the Crocodile on his shoulder, and having gone with it and put it in the house in which the Crocodile was at first, [and closed the entrance], and made the soil hard, the Jackal says, "Now then, don't you be afraid. I am on your side."

Then the man says, "Jackal-artificer, hear this case."

"I am both the judge and the witness," the Jackal said. "Now then, taking a cudgel beat thou him until he dies. I saw thy excellence and this one's wickedness."

Duraya. North-western Province.

This is one of the best-known of folk-tales. A Malay variant is given in Mr. W. Skeat's Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest, p. 20. A tiger, being released from a cage-trap by a man, seized him in order to eat him. When appealed to, the road and tree were against him. The Mouse-deer, which in Malaya fills the place of the clever animal in folk-tales, got the tiger to return to the cage, and called the neighbours to kill it.

The tiger story is given in Old Deccan Days (Frere), p. 198 ff., and the appeal was made to a banyan tree, camel, bullock, eagle, and alligator [crocodile], which were against the man. The Jackal settled it in his favour.

In Wide-Awake Stories (Steel and Temple), p. 116--Tales of the Punjab, p. 107--the matter was referred to a pipal (or bo) tree, a road, and the Jackal, who induced the tiger to re-enter the trap, and left him there.

In Indian Fairy Tales (Stokes), p. 16, the matter was not referred to others, but the Jackal told the tiger a good way of eating the man, by getting inside a large bag and having him thrown in to it. When it was inside the bag, the Jackal, a dog who was present, and the man tied it up, and beat the tiger to death.

The Panchatantra (Dubois), as in several other instances, comes nearest to the Sinhalese story. A Brahmana carried a Crocodile in a sack from a stream to the Ganges, and was then seized by it. In reply to his appeal to the Crocodile's virtue and gratitude, he was told, "The virtue and gratitude of our days is to devour those who nourish us and who do good to us." Reference was made to a mango tree, an old cow (both of which agreed with the Crocodile), and a Jackal, who, stating that he wished to get to the bottom of the matter, induced the Crocodile to re-enter the sack, after which the Jackal broke his head with a stone.

In Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 134, a boy on his way to fetch his bride, killed a mungus that was attacking a snake, which then turned on him, to eat him, but gave him eight days' grace to get married. When he returned with his wife she remonstrated with the snake, and was referred to some trees. One had preserved a thief in its hollow interior, but he found sandalwood there, and cut it down; and now it had become a rule to do evil for good. For the future widow's protection, the snake gave her magic powder capable of reducing to ashes whatever it fell on, so she applied it to the snake, and burnt it to dust.

The tale is found in West Africa also, in a form which is very close to the South Indian and Sinhalese one. In Contes Soudanais (C. Monteil), p. 53, a child found a tired Crocodile, and carried it back to water. The Crocodile asked if he knew how goodness was rewarded. "By evil," the child said. The Crocodile was going to eat him, but referred the matter to an old horse and an old ass (both of which recommended it to do so), and lastly to a Hare, which refused to believe that the child could have carried it. When this was proved, and the Crocodile taken back, the Hare said to the child, "Doesn't thy father eat Crocodile?" "Yes." "And thy mother?" "Yes." "Hast thou not an axe?" "I have one," the child replied. "Then break the Crocodile's head and eat it," the Hare said. In many West African tales the Hare is the clever animal who outwits the others.

NO. 64

THE HERON AND THE CRAB

There is a great big mountain. On the mountain there is a rock-hole [containing water]. In it there are some small fishes. At all other places a Heron [122] eats the small fishes. In this rock-hole the Heron cannot eat the small fishes; he goes along [in the air], above the rock cave.

On account of it, the Heron puts on a false appearance. "I am indeed an ascetic," he said. "I do not kill living creatures," he said.

Thereupon the small fishes came for a talk. After they came he said, "Being in this hole ye cannot go up and down," he said. "Because it is so, I will take you and put you in a river possessing length and breadth," he said.

After that, having taken them one by one he ate them. At the time when he was taking the Crab which remained over from them, the Crab took hold of the neck of the Heron. While on the way, when the Heron was preparing to kill the Crab, the Crab getting to know of it, cut the neck of the Heron with his claws and killed it.

Duraya. North-western Province.

THE POND HERON. (VARIANT.)

At the time of a great drought the water of a pool having nearly dried up, the fishes [123] saw that they were coming near dying. A Pond Heron [124] which saw it, having very speedily come flying, spoke to the fishes: "Friends, I will go and conduct you to a pool in which there is much water," he said. They were pleased at it.

The Pond Heron holding one by his bill, and having gone and put it down at the pool in which there was water, again brought it near those that were in the pool at which the water had dried up, and let it go. The fish which he brought informed them that there was a pool in which there was water, in the way the Heron said. All the fishes that were in the dried-up pool became wishful to go.

Now then, the Pond Heron having taken them one by one, leaving aside the pool in which there was water, took them to a tree near it, and ate them. After not many days the fishes were finished; the Pond Heron ate all. Having eaten them, below the tree on which he put them there was a heap of bones to the extent of a tree in height.

Afterwards having seen that a Crab was in the dried-up pool, the Pond Heron spoke to it: "Friend, you also come to be conducted there," he said.

The Crab also spoke to the Pond Heron: "Friend, my shell is very thin," he said.

"I will take you carefully," the Pond Heron said. After he had said it the Crab became wishful to go.

The Pond Heron took hold of his shell, and the Crab took hold of the neck of the Pond Heron with his two claws. Having taken hold of him the Pond Heron flew away. Having seen that, leaving the pool on this side, he was flying to the tree, the Crab spoke to him. "The pool is here," he said.

"I am taking thee to eat," the Pond Heron said.

At that time having seized the two claws the Pond Heron killed him.

Washerman. North-western Province.

THE POND HERON. (VARIANT.)

In a certain country a Pond Heron stayed, it is said. At the time while the Pond Heron was there, seeking small fishes in the tanks, a great general drought befel. On account of it all the tanks dried up. The Pond Heron ate all the small fishes that stayed in them.

Having eaten them, he remained hungry for two or three days, there being no more small fishes. Having been in that state, and having flown away to seek food, as he was going along he saw that a tank having dried up, small fishes were there, being unable to go elsewhere.

The Pond Heron having gone there, asked the small fishes, "What, friends, are you there for?"

Then the small fishes said, "Ane! Friend, the little water that there was for us having dried up, we are without water."

After that, the Pond Heron said, "If so, friends, there is a good river for you. I will take you to it, and put you down there."

The little fishes said, "It is good, friend. If so, take us and put us down there."

The Pond Heron said, "If so, let one come [first, and see the river]," and holding it with his bill he took it to the river, and put it down.

That small fish going in the water all round the river came near the Pond Heron. Then the Pond Heron having said to the small fish, "Let us go, friend," the small fish said, "Friend, I cannot go."

The Pond Heron said, "No, friend, let us go. Can you remain, without going? Your other people are to come."

Afterwards the small fish said "Ha." So the Pond Heron, taking the small fish with his bill, came flying back. Having come to a great rough tree, and settled on a branch of the tree, he ate the small fish.

Again he went flying to the place where the small fishes were. The small fishes asked, "Friend, one of us went with you. Where is he?"

The Pond Heron replied, "Friends, he said he would not come. He stayed in the river."

Then those small fishes said, "If so, go with us, and put us down in it."

After that, the Pond Heron, taking one of them, settled on the tree at which he ate that small fish, and ate it. Again he came to the place where the other small fishes were. Then those small fishes said, "Friend, take us also, and put us in the river."

The Pond Heron again having taken a small fish and settled on that very tree, ate it. Thus, in that way having taken the small fishes until they were finished, he ate them all.

Having finished the small fishes, a Crab was omitted outside. The Pond Heron came and asked the Crab, "What, friend, are you here alone for?"

The Crab said, "Ane! Friend, the small fishes of this tank went to the quarters where they went. I alone remain."

Then the Pond Heron said, "Friend, shall I take you also to the river, and put you down in it?" The Crab said "Ha."

Afterwards the Pond Heron, holding the Crab with his bill, took it and settled on the tree on which he ate the small fishes. While he was there the Crab asked, "What, friend, have you delayed here for?"

Then the Pond Heron said, "It is here that I ate also the few small fishes that stayed in the tank. It is here I shall eat you also."

Afterwards the Crab, having stiffened his claws a little, seized the neck of the Pond Heron. Then the Pond Heron with his bill tightened his hold of the Crab. Thus, in that way holding each other, both of them died, and fell on the ground below the tree.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

The Jataka story No. 38 (vol. i, p. 96), about a Crane and a Crab, nearly agrees with the second of these tales, but the ending is like that of the first one, the Crab killing the Crane. It is also much more artificial and developed in the conversations.

It is possible that the story related by the Duraya may represent a very early form of the tale, or perhaps the original one. If the story were derived from the Jataka tale, it is very improbable that in a country where ponds are more numerous than in any other, we should find the pool of the Jataka, to which the fishes were to be taken, displaced in two of these by a river.

The story is given in Indian Fables (Ramaswami Raju), p. 88. A Crane pretended to carry the fish to a pond, and was killed by a Crab.

In Skeat's Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest, p. 18, the bird was a Pelican, which was killed by a Crab.

In the Panchatantra (Dubois), a Cormorant came to the fishes at a pool, and allayed their suspicions by putting on an appearance of piety and by alleging that he had become a religious devotee. He informed them that he foresaw a twelve years' drought, in which the pools would dry up and they would perish, and he offered to transport them to a mountain pool fed by a perennial spring. They were eaten on a rock, and the Crab strangled the bird.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 31, the animals were a Crane and a Makara, which is said by the translator to generally mean a crocodile, though in early carvings in Ceylon and India it is a fabulous animal with two short legs and a tail usually curved upon its back. The bird frightened the fish by saying that a man was coming to catch them with a net, and he offered to convey them to a lake. When the Makara was taken to the rock at which the others were killed, he cut off the Crane's head.

This story nearly agrees with that in the Hitopadesa, in which a Crab killed the bird.

NO. 65

THE JACKAL AND THE BRAHMANA

In a certain city a Jackal according to custom was eating the fowls, it is said. Now, as the Jackal was there eating the fowls, by degrees he finished all the fowls in that manner. There was still one fowl at the royal palace.

So this Jackal went to the royal palace to eat the fowl. After he had come there the Jackal tried to catch it, and while he was there striving to eat the fowl it became light. There being no means of going away because of the people, he sought a place in which to remain hidden. As he was seeking it, except that there was open ground and no jungle, when he looked there was only a clump of weeds as a hiding place.

While he was in it peeping out, a Brahmana comes near. This Jackal asked, "You Brahmana! Where art thou going?" he asked.

The Brahmana says, "I am going in search of a livelihood."

The Jackal says, "I will give thee a means of subsistence; carry me here and there," he said.

Then the Brahmana taking the Jackal slung him by his four legs. "Dost thou carry me by the legs to some place to give a livelihood to thee?" he said.

"If not, how shall I carry thee?" the Brahmana asked.

Then the Jackal says, "Having placed me in thy upper garment take me up and go," he said. "Look here! Take me and go thou along the road which leads to this jungle," he said. "Having taken me and gone on it there will be a clump of wild dates. Do thou put me down near the clump of wild dates," he said.

So the Jackal came to the open ground in the bundle. Then the Jackal told this Brahmana, after he had placed the bundle on the ground, to stay looking in the direction of the sun. Having remained looking in the direction of the sun, he told him to look in the direction of the clump of wild dates, and to take the kahawanas (coins) which were placed in it. When he had looked in the direction of the clump of wild dates, the rays of the sun having entered his eyes a yellow colour went into everything, and he thought he saw some money in it.

So the Brahmana crept into the clump of wild dates and passed his hand through it, and looked through it. Then because there were no kahawanas, he came out into the open ground.

When he looked on the path there was no Jackal. Then the Brahmana said, "There is neither the journey that I came for, nor the kahawanas. Ada! Ada!" So he went away.

Duraya. North-western Province.

In this story we find one of the lowest castes of the Chandalas making fun of the highest caste of all, a mild revenge for their treatment by the latter. As part of the joke, the Jackal is represented as addressing the Brahmana in the manner in which the latter would have spoken to a Duraya, and as being carried about by him, thus turning the tables completely, the chief duty of the Durayas being carrying loads for others.

In the Jataka story No. 113 (vol. i, p. 255) a Jackal having overslept himself in some bushes in Benares, concealed himself until a Brahmana came near. By promising him two hundred gold pieces he induced the man to carry him concealed under his robe until they reached the cremation ground. There he told him to dig up a tree in order to get the treasure, and then ran off while the man was occupied with the work.

NO. 66

THE CAT WHO GUARDED THE PRECEPTS

A Cat having seen that a sun-dried fish was in a bag of rice, at the time when he was going to it to eat it, a rosary [hanging there] fell on his neck.

After it had fallen, as he was going away with it on his neck a Jungle-hen met him, and ran off. The Cat then says, "I am guarding (that is, keeping) the Precepts (of Buddha, sil rakinawa). Tummal Kitti, [125] come here and go with me."

While he was taking her with him they met with a Ground Cuckoo. He called this one: "'Bug-bug'-singing Kaccale, [126] I am guarding the Precepts. Come here and go with me."

As they were going they met with a Hare. He called him also: "Tokka [127] the Devil-dancer, come here and go with me. I am guarding the Precepts."

Having gone to a rock cave [as a pansala or monk's residence], while they were there the Cat said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, Tummal Kitti having scratched [the ground] in the pansala has defiled it. I must kill this one," he said.

When the Hare said, "It is good," he killed her.

After the Cat had said, "It is not a fault to eat a dead one, is it?" when the Hare replied, "No, there is not any fault in it," he ate her.

Afterwards the Cat said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, this 'Bug-bug'-singing Kaccale has been drinking arrack (palm spirit) until his eyes have become red." When he said, "I must kill this one," he killed it. Then saying, "There is no fault in eating a dead one," he ate it.

Then he said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, thou having dropped dung in the pansala art defiling it." When he said, "I must kill thee," the Hare said, "Yes, killing me is virtuous and proper. I must first perform a great gallop [128] and a little gallop, two gallops. [129] After that there will be no fault if you kill me," he said.

"Yes, perform them," the Cat said.

Then the Hare having run round [the cave], "There! The small gallop," he said. Again having gone running round, and [then] having jumped over the Cat's head, while he was running away he said, "There! The great gallop," and ran off.

Duraya. North-western Province.

HOW THE CAT BECAME AN UPASAKA. [130] (VARIANT.)

At a certain time, at the house of a Gamarala, milk having been taken and placed on the shelf by him [to curdle], the Gamarala went to the chena.

There is a Cat at the house. The Cat having looked [to see] when the Gamarala was not there, went to the shelf to eat the curds by stealth. Having gone there and eaten them by stealth, as he was coming away the Gamarala came home from the chena, and the Cat, becoming afraid, sprang down.

The Gamarala's rosary was hanging on the shelf. As the Cat deceitfully was springing down, the rosary fell on the Cat's neck. Then while the rosary was on its neck it goes away. Why? Should the Gamarala get to know about its eating the curds he would thrash it inordinately.

Well then, as it was going it met with a Rat. The Rat [seeing the rosary] asked the Cat, "Upasakarala, [131] where are you going?"

"I am going to guard the Precepts," he said. "You also come and go along with me," he said.

At the time when the two were going they met with the Squirrel called the Three-lined Chief. [132] "Upasakarala, where are you going?" he asked.

"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us," he said. The Squirrel having said, "Ha. I will come," the three went along [together].

As they were going they met with the Ground Cuckoo called Bum-bum the Tom-tom Beater. "Where, Upasakarala, are you going?" he asked.

"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come," he said.

The Ground Cuckoo having said, "Ha. If so, I also will come," the four went together.

At the time when they were going they met with the Hare called Tokkan the Devil-dancer. "Upasakaralas, where are you going?" he asked.

"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us," he said.

Well then, the five went to the jungle. Having gone on and on, there was a rock cave. Having said, "Look there! Our pansala," he told the people to creep inside. "In order that I may go and rehearse the Precepts, let no single other person besides cause any disturbance," he said.

Then the Rat, being hungry during the night, was wriggling about. So the Upasaka Cat said, "Ade! While Bum-bum the Tom-tom Beater stays there quietly, while the Three-lined Chief stays there [quietly], while Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there [quietly], this one does not take [to heart] the things that were said. Being on guard over it I must put it out of the way." [133] Saying this, he ate the Rat.

At the daybreak watch the Ground Cuckoo crowed [as usual]. After it had crowed, the Cat said, "While the Three-lined Chief stays there [quietly], while Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there [quietly], because this one is making noises, and as I am on guard over it, I must put it out of the way," and seizing that one also he ate it.

As it became light in the morning, at the time when the Squirrels were singing, "Tin-Tin," the Three-lined Chief also sang, "Tin-Tin."

Then the Cat said, "While Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there quietly, and I stay here [quietly], this one having said it through arrogance, and as I am on guard over it, I must put it out of the way." Having said this he ate that one also.

Now then, the Hare called Tokkan the Devil-dancer ascertaining that he was eating it, began to cry in the morning.

"What, Tokkan the Devil-dancer, are you crying for?" he asked.

"I know thoroughly how to dance dances. Because there is no one to look at the dances I was sorry," he said.

After he had said, "If so, dance a little for me to look at it," the Hare said, "Upasakarala, open the doorway so that a little light may fall into the cave. Having seen my dance you must eat me also," the Hare said.

When he moved from the door, out of the way, for a little light to fall inside, the Hare, having jumped to the four corners of the cave, springing over the head of the Cat went away.

P. B. Madahapola, Ratemahatmaya. North-western Province.

HOW THE CAT PERFORMED BELL WORSHIP. (VARIANT.)

In a certain country a man reared a Cat, it is said. The Cat every day goes to eat by stealth in the villages. On account of it the man one day caught the Cat, and having tied a hawk's bell [134] on its neck, let it go.

After that, the Cat, without going that day into the village, went away along the path. As it was going along it met with a Rat. The Rat asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord, are you going?"

Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."

The Rat asked, "Shall I come too?"

The Cat said, "It is good."

The Rat also having set off, as the two were going away they met with a Squirrel. The Squirrel asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord, are you going?"

Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."

The Squirrel asked, "Shall I come too?"

After that, the Cat said, "It is good."

Now then, the Squirrel having set off, as the three were going away they met with a Jungle-cock. The Jungle-cock asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord, are you going?"

Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."

The Jungle-cock said, "I shall come too."

To that the Cat said, "It is good."

The Jungle-cock having set off, the four persons went to a great rock cave in the jungle. Having made those three remain in the direction of the corner, the Cat stayed at the doorway.

After being there [a short time], the Cat first of all said to the Rat, "O Rat, [135] I am hungry."

Then the Rat said, "Let it be according to the wish of the Cat-Lord." After that, the Cat, seizing the Rat, ate it.

In a little more time the Cat said to the Squirrel, "O Squirrel, [136] I am hungry."

At that time the Squirrel also said, "Let it be according to the wish of the Cat-Lord."

So the Cat having seized the Squirrel also, ate it.

In a little more time the Cat said to the Jungle-cock, "O Jungle-cock, [137] I am hungry."

At that time the Jungle-cock said falsely, "Let it be according to the wish of the Cat-Lord."

Afterwards, when the Cat was approaching very near the Jungle-cock, having sprung at the Cat's face and with his spurs having plucked out both his eyes, the Jungle-cock flew away. The Cat there and then died.

Cultivating Caste. North-western Province.

The Precepts of Buddha to which reference is made in the first two stories, are the Ata-sil, or Eight Precepts, the keeping of which by lay devotees, called Upasakas, is a necessary obligation. The first one prohibits the taking of life. The others are against theft, immorality, lying, drinking intoxicants, eating after noon, attendance at theatrical amusements, dancing, singing, etc., and personal adornment.

In the Jataka story No. 128 (vol. i, p. 281) there is an account of a Jackal who pretended to lead a saintly life, standing on one leg because the earth could not support his weight if he stood on all four, he said. He ate the rats which came to pay their respects to him, always seizing the hindmost as they left. The King of the Rats waited till the others had gone, and then sprang at the Jackal's throat and killed him. The next story, No. 129, is similar.

In No. 384 (vol. iii, p. 170) a Crow pretended to be a saint, and also stood on one leg for the same reason, saying that it fed only on wind. When the other birds left it in charge of their young ones it ate them. At last it was killed by the other birds.

In the Maha Bharata (Udyoga Parva) a Cat which pretended to be an ascetic killed the mice that placed themselves under its protection.

In the Hitopadesa a Cat which gained the confidence of the birds by its pious demeanour ate their young ones.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 67, a pious Cat killed a hare and a bird.

NO. 67

THE LIZARD AND THE LEOPARD

At a village there are a Leopard and a Lizard. [138] The Lizard and Leopard cut a chena, it is said. Afterwards both having quarrelled they divided the chena between them. In the part which the Lizard got he planted Kaekiri creepers, which became large; in the part which the Leopard got the Kaekiri died, and he abandoned it.

Then the Leopard ate the Kaekiri fruit in the Lizard's chena, and after eating rubbed himself on his hams over the fruits that were on the ground. So the Lizard gave some Kaekiri fruits to the smith, and having got a small knife made took it away. After getting it made, the Lizard ran it through some plucked Kaekiri fruits [and left it there].

Afterwards the Leopard came to eat Kaekiri. Having eaten, he rubbed himself on the plucked Kaekiri fruits. Then the knife pierced him. Over this matter the Leopard and Lizard quarrelled. Afterwards the Leopard, having eaten cattle flesh, became strong again.

One day the Leopard told the Lizard that the Gamarala had a chena. The Lizard said, "Ade! Where is it? Let me look at it." Having gone with him to it, the Leopard shows him the fruits and says, "Ade! Lizard, eat thou there. Lizard, eat thou here." The Gamarala having heard it and having gone home, began to laugh. The Gama-Mahage (his wife) asked, "What are you laughing at?" The Gamarala said, "A Leopard sitting in the chena was saying and saying to a Lizard, 'Eat thou there, Lizard. Eat thou here, Lizard.'"

Afterwards, when the Lizard was in the chena the Leopard goes to the house of the Gamarala and says, "Gamarala, see! The Lizard is eating thy chena." Then the Gamarala scolded him and said, "I heard thee telling the Lizard, 'Eat thou there, Lizard. Eat thou here, Lizard.'"

Then the Leopard went to the Lizard, and said, "Friend, take thou my piece of chena, and give me thy piece of chena." Because the Lizard was afraid he said, "It is good," and they exchanged chenas. The Lizard planted the abandoned piece in a thorough manner. The Leopard ate the fruits in the part which he got, until they were finished.

After that, the Leopard went to the Lizard again, and said, "Friend, let us exchange chenas again." The Lizard felt anger which he could not bear, but because he was afraid he said again, "It is good," to that also.

Afterwards, the Lizard went to a man, and asked him to tell him a way of succeeding, so as to fight the Leopard. The man said, "When he asks you again, say you will not. The Leopard will come and quarrel with you. Then say, 'We cannot fight in that manner. You go, and after asking your mother about a means of success, return. I will go, and after asking my mother about a means of success, will return.' Having said it and come away, and having rolled in the mud and dried it, and again rolled in the mud and dried it, by rolling in the mud and doing thus you will become big. After that go to fight. The Leopard's claws will not enter your body." All this the man told the Lizard.

Afterwards, one day the Leopard said, "Let us exchange chenas." The Lizard told him as the man said. When the Leopard went to his mother she told him to rub coconut oil over his body.

The Lizard having gone to a mud hole, jumps into it, and climbs onto a post to dry the mud. Again it jumps into the mud and climbs onto the post. Thus, having acted in that manner he caused much mud to be smeared on his body.

After that, having met each other, the Leopard and Lizard quarrelled again, and struck each other on the face. Then the Lizard springs on the Leopard's back and scratches his flesh. The Leopard jumps about, but only scratches mud off the Lizard.

Having fought in that way, the Leopard, becoming afraid, went away. The Lizard went and washed off the mud. The Leopard having gone and crawled under the corn store at a house, while sitting there says, "Bite thou me here, too, Lizard. Bite thou me here, too, Lizard." [139] While he was there saying it he saw a boy [near him]. Then the Leopard says, "Ade! Do not tell any one, or I will kill thee." Because of it, the boy being afraid did not tell any one.

Afterwards the Leopard, thinking, "The boy will tell it," came while the boy [140] was asleep on the bed [in the veranda], and having crept under the bed, lifted it on his back and went off with it, in order to eat him. When the boy awoke and saw that the Leopard was going along carrying him, he caught hold of a branch and hung by it. After the Leopard, having gone a long distance, looked back the boy was not there.

Then the Leopard came running back to seek him. Having seen that the boy was on a branch, the Leopard asked, "Art thou descending to the ground, boy? I shall eat thee."

The boy said, "Ade! Bola, art thou saying Bana? [141] I have no means of stretching out my hands to descend," he said.

"What is in thy hands?" he asked.

"In this hand I have small Lizard's eggs; in this other hand I have large Lizard's eggs," he said. "A sort of Lizards as big as Talipat trunks and Coconut trunks will be coming."

Then the Leopard, saying, "Stay thou there, boy, until I have run a little far," bounded off and ran away.

Duraya. North-western Province.

In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 117 ff., the latter part of this tale was given by Miss J. A. Goonetilleke, containing the fight of the animals and the incidents that follow it. The animals were a "Bloodsucker" Lizard and a "tiger," a word often used in Ceylon where "leopard" is intended to be understood. There are no tigers in Ceylon.

An incident like that in the chena, in which the knife wounded the Leopard, is found in Old Deccan Days (Frere), p. 177. In it a barber tied a knife to a cucumber, and it wounded a Jackal who began to eat the fruit.

In Wide-Awake Stories (Steel and Temple), p. 240--Tales of the Punjab, p. 227--a woman who was being carried off by robbers while on her bed, seized a branch and climbed up a tree when they paused under a Banyan tree. The same incident is given in The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 40.

With regard to the fear of the lizard which the leopard is described in the Sinhalese story as exhibiting, I am able to state that it is not much exaggerated. Many years ago, on returning to my bungalow one day, at a tank in a wild part of the jungle, I found that a lizard of the species mentioned in this tale--a Katussa or "Bloodsucker"--had entered my bedroom. I brought up a tame, full-grown leopard which I then had, and introduced it to the lizard, as a new experience for it. At first it was inclined to play with the lizard, but on pretending to seize it with its mouth it felt the spikes on the lizard's back, and immediately showed the greatest fear of it. The attempts which it made to escape when the lizard came in its direction were quite ridiculous, and it became so terrified that I was obliged to take it away to the security of its den, a large packing-case under a tree to which it was tethered, leaving the lizard the complete master of the situation, though probably nearly equally alarmed.

NO. 68

THE LION AND THE JACKAL

While an old Lion was in a rock cave, after a Jackal went there the Lion says, "Ane! Bola, I have been thinking of eating fresh pig's flesh." When he said, "When I ran and sprang at some Boars now I couldn't catch one," the Jackal said, "If it come near this cave can't you seize it, Sir?"

"In that way I can still do it. But will a Boar come near me? The thing you are saying would be a wonder."

The Jackal says, "Somehow or other I will bring a Boar."

The jackal having walked about in the jungle, and having seen a Boar, says, "How many days have I now been seeking thee!" After he had said, "Why should I be of assistance to thee?" the Boar says, "Uwah! Why is there so much need of it by me? Thou wilt not be of any assistance to me."

The Jackal said, "Our King is there, having now become old. Is it true or not, Cultivator, that as he told me to seek a person to give the sovereignty to, I have been going about seeking thee? If not, am I telling lies? Come along and go there with me."

Having gone near the Lion, taking him with him, the Jackal says, "Now then, having gone near the King and made obeisance, take the sovereignty." As the Boar was approaching in great fear the Lion sprang at him. After he had seized him, the Boar, pushing off his paws, bounded away.

Then the Jackal says, "Did a thunderbolt strike you, Sir? Why didn't you hold the Boar?"

The Lion says, "Ane! Bola, did I fail? Are you saying it falsely? When will such a Boar come near me again?"

As the King was sorrowful the Jackal says, "Are you mad, Sir, that you doubt my powers? I will bring that one again now."

The Jackal having gone on the path on which the Boar went, and having seen the Boar says, "What is the matter with thee? Ade! Did a thunderbolt strike thee, that thou camest bounding away?"

The Boar says, "What did I come away for? Truly, I was running away. If I had stayed there it would be seen why!"

Then the Jackal says, "If thou hadst stopped he wouldn't eat thee. Art thou a person afraid to have the sovereignty bestowed on thee? What was it? Except that he merely looked at thee he did not attempt to eat thee, Cultivator. If he had done so wouldst thou be thus? [142] No. Did he attempt the crime of eating thee?" [At last the Boar agreed to return to the Lion.]

Afterwards, when they went near the Lion together, the Jackal says, "Friend, go without fear, and tell him to hand over the sovereignty." In that manner the Boar went near the Lion.

Having sprung with great force on the neck of the Boar, and broken the neck, and broken the bone of the head, as he was going to eat the brains the Jackal said, "Don't."

When the Lion asked, "Why not, Bola?" the Jackal says, "Though you, Sir, exercise the sovereignty your wisdom is less than ours. Do kings eat and drink in that manner?" After he had said, "Blood has fallen on your body, Sir. Having gone to the river, bathing and drying your body there, and having returned, be good enough to eat sitting down," the Lion went to bathe.

After he had caused him to go, the Jackal ate the Boar's brains, and remained there silently. The Lion having come back, and taken the skull in his paws, sought for the brain in order to eat it. When he said, "There is no brain," the Jackal said, "Sir, don't you know so much? Having once escaped death and gone away, would he again be caught for killing if he had had brains? That one had no brains," he said.

Duraya. North-western Province.

HOW THE JACKAL CHEATED THE LION. (VARIANT.)

In a more ancient time than this, a Lion King dwelt in a certain forest. A Jackal who lived in that very forest, establishing a friendly state with the Lion began to reside near him. Should I state the mutual trust of them both [it was this]--the Lion knew that although by the aid of the Jackal's means of success (that is, advice and stratagems), the Lion was seizing and eating the flesh of other animals, he did not get from the Jackal any other assistance that ought to be given.

When a little time had passed in that way, it was evident that the Jackal's body was becoming very fat. The Lion saw it, and assuming a false illness remained lying down at the time when the Jackal came. Having seen it, the Jackal made obeisance to the Lion, and asked, "What, O Lord, are you lying down for? Has some ailment befallen Your Majesty? Are you not going to hunt to-day?"

Then the Lion said, "My friend Jackal, a headache having afflicted me to-day, I am in a very serious state. From this time onward, having hunted, and eaten only the small amount of the brains of the animals, I will give thee all the rest of the flesh. Do thou subsist on it. For the reason that I am not well enough to go to hunt this day, thou and I, both of us, must remain hungry. Art thou unable to go hunting [alone] this day only?" he asked.

Thereupon the Jackal said to the Lion, "O Lord, is that which should be done a difficult thing? Your Majesty will stay thus. I will go, and will return calling some animal or other [to come] near Your Majesty." Having instructed him to spring up and seize it as soon as it comes, the Jackal went to seek animals.

While going for this purpose [it saw that] a Goat was tied in a field. Having told many falsehoods to the Goat it returned, inviting it [to come] near the Lion. Then the Lion sprang to seize it. Thereupon the Goat, having become afraid, ran away. The Jackal went [after it], and causing it to turn back again, returned [with it].

Then the Lion, having killed the Goat, went to bathe in order [to purify himself, so as] to eat the small quantity of brains. In the meantime the Jackal removed the brains, and having eaten them replaced the skin.

The Lion having returned after bathing, when he came to split open the skin in order to eat the brains, saw that there were no brains. Having seen it, the Lion asked the Jackal, "Where are my brains?"