Chapter VII: Part I (3)

The scholars took it again, and while they were going to another city met that Karumantaya. After he had said, "Ane! Amme! Where did you go for such a long time? Where is she now?" the scholars replied, "The Princess is now at our city; let us go there." After they had come to the school the Brahmana said, "Cut down that one also."

After they had cut him down, she said to the scholars, "Take this again." The scholars, taking it, and having gone to another city, met with the Prince. Having come in front of it, the Prince fell down weeping. The scholars said, "Do not weep. She is in our city; let us go there."

After they had come to the school, the Brahmana arose quickly, and having thrown off the Brahmana clothing, dressed herself in her Princess's robes. Having prepared warm water and made the Prince bathe, the Princess cooked ample food, and gave him to eat.

While she was doing this, the scholars having gone to the King said, "It was a Princess who was there. After we went to a city to collect donations, having met with the Princess's Prince he came back with us. Both of them are now at the school."

After that, the King, having come to the school, and having asked about those things from those two, built a house with a tiled roof, and gave it and half the village to the Princess as a present.

North-western Province.

In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 86, a Prince induced three persons who were quarrelling over the ownership of some wonderful articles left by their master, a Fakir, to run for three arrows which he discharged in three directions. While they were absent, he took three of the articles, and seating himself on a magic seat which was one of the things, was conveyed away by it.

At p. 306 ff. of the same work, a Prince and Princess eloped when the latter was about to be married to another Prince. While on their way, she remembered some jewels which she required, and he returned for them. In the meantime a robber had come up in the dark, and finding her servant asleep had ridden off with the Princess, who thought he was the Prince. When daylight came she found out her mistake, sent him to a village for food, and then rode off alone; and calling at a goldsmith's house for a drink, was detained and requested to marry him. On her agreeing, he gave her gold ear-rings and her jewels, with which she rode off, and stayed with a married couple, disguising herself as a man. An elephant selected her as King. Then she got an artist to paint her portrait, and she hung it in a thoroughfare of the city, with a guard who seized all who recognised her. These proved to be the robber, her servant, the goldsmith, and the two who befriended her, and lastly the Prince. When the Prince saw her portrait he fainted. He was first made Prime Minister, and afterwards the Princess revealed herself to him, and he became King. The robber and goldsmith were imprisoned, and the others rewarded. The resemblance to the Sinhalese story is striking.

NO. 9

TAMARIND TIKKA

In a certain city there are seven elder brothers and younger brothers, it is said. The seven have a younger sister, who cooks and gives food to all seven.

While the seven brothers were cutting and cutting the sides of an earthen ridge (nira) in the rice field, they saw seven women coming, and said to them, "Where are you going?"

The seven women replied, "We are seven elder sisters and younger sisters; and we are going to seek seven elder brothers and younger brothers."

Then the seven brothers said, "We are seven elder brothers and younger brothers. Stop with us."

The seven sisters said, "Ha."

The seven brothers having brought the seven sisters to their house, leaving them there went again to the rice field, and chopped the ridges. Those seven sisters having boiled seven pots of paddy and spread it out to dry, said to their sister-in-law, "We are going for firewood; you stay at home and look after these things."

After they had gone, that sister-in-law fell asleep. Then rain having fallen, the seven large mats (magal) on which the paddy was spread were washed away. When the seven sisters came, and saw that the mats and paddy had been washed away, they seized that woman, and having beaten her, drove her away from the house. So she went to the foot of a Tamarind tree on the roadside, and stayed there.

When a long time had passed after she went there, all those seven women bore girls. The woman under the Tamarind tree bore a boy.

As the eldest brother was going along the road on which was the tree, the woman said, "Ane! Elder brother, look at my boy's horoscope." He said, "I will not."

As the next brother was going she said, "Ane! Elder brother, look at my boy's horoscope." He said, "I will not."

Thus, in that way all the six elder brothers refused.

Afterwards, when the youngest brother was going, on her saying, "Ane! Elder brother, look at my boy's horoscope," he said, "Ha," and went.

When he looked at it, the astrologer said, "He is born such that he will bring misfortune to those seven girls. The child will be so lucky that he might obtain a kingdom."

Then the brother having returned, said to that woman, "That one has been born such that he will eat thee. Knock his head on a stone or root, and kill him."

The woman saying, "It is good. Let him eat me," reared him.

The child having become big, said at the hand of the woman, "Mother, now then, oughtn't you to bring me an assistant (i.e. a wife)?" The woman replied, "Ane! Son, who will give in marriage to us?"

Afterwards the youth went to a place where they were grinding flour, and having put a little flour under his finger nail, came back. "Mother, mother, quickly hold a basin," he said. The woman held one. Then, when he put into the basin the little flour that was under his finger nail, it filled it and ran over.

Having gone again to a place where they were expressing coconut oil, in the same way he took a little coconut under his finger nail, and came back. "Mother, mother, hold that quickly," he said. The woman held it. That also was filled and overflowed.

Again, having gone to a place where they were warming Palm-tree syrup, in the same way he took some under his finger nail, and came back. "Mother, mother, hold that quickly," he said. That also was filled and overflowed.

Afterwards the youngster said, "Mother, cook cakes with those things, and give me them." So the woman having cooked them, tied up a pingo (carrying-stick) load, and gave it to him.

The youngster, taking the pingo load, went to his eldest uncle [28]. After he asked him for his daughter's hand in marriage, the uncle said, "Be off! Be off! Who would give in marriage to Tamarind Tikka?"

From there he went to the next uncle, and asked him. That uncle spoke in the same manner. All the six elder uncles spoke in the same manner.

Then he went to the youngest uncle, and when he asked him the uncle said, "Put the packages of cakes there, then." (Intimating by this that he accepted him as a son-in-law. He alone knew of the nature of the boy's horoscope.)

Afterwards, having cooked and given Tamarind Tikka to eat, the uncle said, "My buffalo cow has died, Tamarind Tikka. Let us go and bury it, and return."

Tamarind Tikka said "Ha," and having gone to the place where the dead buffalo was lying, said, "Uncle, shall I make that get up?" The uncle said "Ha." So Tamarind Tikka went to the low bushes at the edge of the jungle, and came back cutting a white stick. Then calling out, "Into the cattle-fold, Buffalo cow! Into the cattle-fold!" he struck the buffalo. Then the buffalo cow that had been dead got up, and came running to the cattle-fold. By the calves from that buffalo cow the cattle herd was increased.

One day, while the six uncles and Tamarind Tikka were watching cattle in the field, the uncles said, "Tamarind Tikka, we will watch. You go and eat, and come back." After he had gone home, the six uncles cut all the throats [29] of his cattle. When he returned the six uncles said, "Ane! Tamarind Tikka. Some men came, and having tied us all and thrown us down in the dust, cut all the throats of your cattle. Not a thing could we do." Tamarind Tikka said, "Ha. It is good."

As he was going away, having seen people burying a corpse he waited while they were burying it, and after they had gone he dug out the grave, and raised the dead body to the surface. Then lifting up the body and taking it to a tank, he bathed it, dressed it in a cloth, tied a handkerchief round its waist, tied a handkerchief on its head, put a handkerchief over its shoulder, [30] and placing it on his shoulder went away with it.

After nightfall, having gone to a village, Tamarind Tikka set the body upright against a clump of plantain trees, and asked at a house, "Ane! You must give us a resting-place to-night."

When he said this the men in the house replied, "There will be no resting-place here. Go away, and ask at another house."

Then he said, "Ane! Don't say so. Our great-grandfather is coming there."

Women were driving cattle out of that garden. Tamarind Tikka said to them, "Ane! Our great-grandfather is coming there. His eyes cannot see anything. Don't hit him, any one."

Then a woman at the raised terrace of the shop, having knocked down a stump, when she was throwing it at the cattle the dead body was hit, and fell down. At the blow Tamarind Tikka went running there, and cried out, "Appe! Great-grandfather is dead."

The men came out of the house and said, "Tamarind Tikka, don't cry. We will give you a quart measure of money."

"I don't want either a quart measure of money or two. Our great-grandfather is dead," Tamarind Tikka said, and cried aloud.

Again the men said, "Appa! Tamarind Tikka, don't cry. We will give you three quart measures of money."

Tamarind Tikka said, "I don't want either three or four. I want our great-grandfather."

Again the men said, "Tamarind Tikka, don't cry. We will give you five quart measures of money."

Tamarind Tikka said, "I don't want either five or six. Give me my great-grandfather."

The men said, "Tamarind Tikka, don't cry. We will give you seven quart measures of money."

Then Tamarind Tikka said, "Ha. It is good. Give me them. What of that! Will our great-grandfather come to his senses again?"

Taking the seven quart measures of money, and returning to his village, Tamarind Tikka spread a mat on the raised veranda of his house, and having put the seven quart measures of money on it, was counting it. The six uncles having come, said, "Whence, Tamarind Tikka, this money?"

"O! Will people with cattle hides to sell become in want of money?" he said.

After that, the six uncles having cut the throats of all the cattle they had, and tied the skins into pingo loads, taking them to the villages asked, "Will you buy cattle hides?"

The men said, "Go away. Go away. Who will give money for cattle hides?"

Then the uncles having come to their village, becoming angry with Tamarind Tikka, spoke together, "We must kill him." So they went to him and said, "Tamarind Tikka, let us go on a journey together." He asked, "Where?" The six uncles said, "A daughter of ours has been asked in marriage. On that account we must go to-day to eat betel at the house of the people who have asked for her. Tamarind Tikka said "Ha," and went with the uncles.

Having gone very far, they came to a foot-bridge made of a tree trunk (edanda), and on seeing it the uncles spoke together, "Let us hang Tamarind Tikka under this, and go away." So they put him in a sack, and having hung it under the foot-bridge, went off.

While he was under it, as a washerman bringing a bundle of clothes was going over the bridge, Tamarind Tikka said, "Appe! The lumbago is a leetle better since I have been hanging here." Then the washerman said, "Tamarind Tikka, I also have lumbago; hang me up a little."

Tamarind Tikka said, "If so, unfasten this sack." After the washerman unfastened it, Tamarind Tikka came out, and having put him in the sack, and again tied it in the same manner under the foot-bridge, took his bundle of clothes, came to the rice field with it, and spread the clothes out to dry.

As the six uncles were returning, they cut the fastenings of the sack that hung under the bridge (thus letting it fall into the stream).

While coming along afterwards to the village, they saw Tamarind Tikka in the rice field spreading clothes out, and asked, "Whence, Tamarind Tikka, these clothes?"

Then he said, "O! Will people who have to be under foot-bridges become in want of clothes?"

The six uncles said, "Hang us there also, Tamarind Tikka," and they brought six sacks and gave them to him. So he put the six uncles into the six sacks, and hung them under the foot-bridge, and afterwards cut the fastenings of the sacks. Then the six uncles were carried away down the river, and died in the sea.

The six women (their wives) ran away; their six girls, saying, "Our fathers are going for clothes to wear. Let us go also," also ran away.

So the six uncles, and the six women, and the six girls all died. Tamarind Tikka, and his wife, and uncle, and aunt, and mother, these five remained.

North-western Province.

In the Jataka story No. 432 (vol. iii, p. 304), a similar incident to the last one is related. A woman whom her son and his wife thought they had burnt while asleep, frightened a robber when he came to the cave in which she had taken refuge, and thus got his bundle containing jewels. When she returned home next day with the jewels, and was asked by her daughter-in-law where she got them, she informed her that all who were burnt on a wooden pile at that cemetery received a similar present. So she went there, and burnt herself.

In The Story of Madana Kama Raja (Natesa Sastri), p. 97 ff., a Prince was requested to deliver letters to the departed relatives of all at the palace of the King under whom he was employed, who twice before had endeavoured to kill him by giving him apparently impossible tasks. By the aid of the magical powers of his wives, he jumped into a pit of fire with the letters, and was saved by Agni, the Fire God, who sent him back next day out of the fire, with costly jewels and a splendid dress. All the persons who were hoping to kill him decided to follow his example, and were burnt up. The Prince then became the ruler of the kingdom.

In The Indian Antiquary, vol. iii, p. 11, in a Bengal tale by G. H. Damant, six men burnt a farmer's house. He loaded two bags of the ashes on a bullock, and on the way met some men driving bullocks laden with rupees, changed two of their bags for his own, met the six men who burnt his house, and told them he got the money by selling the ashes. They burnt their houses and were beaten by people for trying to sell ashes. Then they went to the farmer's house, tied him, put him in a sack, and threw him into a river. He was saved by a man who was riding past, on his offering to cut grass for his horse without pay. He rode off on the horse, overtook the six men, and informed them that he found the horse in the river, where there were many more. They persuaded him to throw them in, tied in sacks, and all were drowned.

In the same journal, vol. iv, p. 257, the incident is given as found among the Santals. A man who was in a sack, about to be drowned, induced another, a shepherd, to take his place. The man then took possession of the shepherd's cows, and when those who thought they had killed him heard from him that there were many more in the river, they allowed themselves to be tied up and thrown in.

In vol. xviii, p. 120, in a South Indian story by Pandita Natesa Sastri, a man who had cheated some persons was carried off, tied up in a bag, to be burnt alive. While firewood was being fetched, he induced a cow-watcher to take his place, and he himself drove off the 1,001 cows of which the man had charge. When his enemies returned to his house after burning the watcher, they found him there to welcome them, the cows being all around. He informed them that on going to Kailasa, the residence of the God Siva, after being burnt, he met his father and grandfather, who stated that his allotted time on earth had not expired, and sent him back with the cows. The others decided to go also, and were tied up and burnt.

A variant of the last incident is also found in West Africa, and is given in Contes Soudanais (C. Monteil), p. 121. A sorceress captured a youth, whom she wished to destroy enclosed in three goat skins, and she set her daughter to watch the package while she dug a pit and filled it with wood, which she set on fire. The girl heard the boy apparently eating food inside, and questioned him about it. He said, "I have better than that; I have some dainties." As she wanted some she released him and was tied up in his place, while he escaped clothed in her dress. The sorceress returned, and threw the bundle into the fire. Although she heard a voice inside saying the boy had tied up the girl in it, she believed it was only a trick of his.

A similar incident is related in another story in the same volume, p. 164.

It also occurs in a folk-tale of the Southern Province which I contributed to The Orientalist (vol. ii, p. 53). As other incidents in that story resemble some in the tales given below, I give it in full here.

I may add that however improbable the marriage of seven brothers to seven sisters may appear, it has been nearly matched in recent years in England. The Daily Mail of January 20, 1908, contained the following words regarding an old lady who had just died:--"She was one of seven members of her family who married seven sons and daughters of a neighbouring farmer."

NO. 10

MATALANGE LOKU-APPU

Once upon a time there lived a man and a woman, whose son was a youth named Matalange Loku-Appu.

One day the mother went to the river to fetch water, telling her son to allow nothing whatever to enter the house in her absence. While she was away a small lizard (hikanala) ran into the house. As it approached, the boy called out to it to stop, but it took no notice of him, and climbed up into the roof, whereupon Loku-Appu set fire to the roof and burnt the house down. When his mother returned, and asked him how the house came to be burnt, he informed her that he had done it in driving the lizard out of the roof.

Afterwards the father came home, and on learning what had occurred set off into the forest with his son to cut sticks, in order to build a new house. While he cut the sticks he ordered Loku-Appu to collect them.

A river flowed through the forest, and Loku-Appu asked him where it ran. "To your house," he replied. The son, taking this literally, threw all the sticks into the river, so that it might transport them home. When the father discovered that all the sticks were lost in this way, he flew into a passion, tied the boy on a log, and set him afloat in the river, saying, "Go thou also."

At a short distance down the river there was a sweet-potato garden. The gardener saw the log and boy floating past, and rescued Loku-Appu. He inquired the boy's name, and was told it was "Uprooter-of-Creepers, Sweet-Potato-Eater." Nevertheless, he placed the boy in charge of his garden.

After two or three days, the gardener returned to inspect his garden, and found all the sweet potatoes pulled up and eaten. So he tied the boy on the log again, and set him afloat once more.

Further down the river there was a plantain garden, the owner of which saw Loku-Appu on the log, and drew him ashore. When asked his name, Loku-Appu replied, "Eater-of-the-first-Comb-of-Plantains, Crusher-of-young-Plantain-Shoots." The man gave him charge of the garden.

In a few days, the man came to see how his garden progressed, and found everything broken down and eaten. On this, he at once dismissed Loku-Appu.

Having nothing to live upon, Loku-Appu now began to borrow from some tom-tom beaters. After a few months, these men, finding that he did not repay them, called on him to make him come to a settlement. Loku-Appu saw them at a distance, and guessing their errand, put a young girl into the corn store-room, and began to trim a club with his knife.

When the creditors arrived he requested them to be seated. Soon afterwards he fetched up an old woman who lived in the house, gave her a smart blow with the club, and put her also into the corn-store.

After a few minutes, he called for betel to be brought, and the little girl came out with it. At this, the tom-tom beaters were greatly astonished, and made inquiries regarding the miracle, for such they thought it. Loku-Appu told them that the virtue lay in the club, with which all old women could be converted into young girls.

When they heard this, they became exceedingly anxious to possess the wonderful club, but Loku-Appu refused to part with it on any terms. At last, finding persuasion useless, the tom-tom beaters took it from him by force, and went straight home with it.

There they called up part of the old women of their village, and after beating them well with the club, put them into the corn store-rooms. To give the charm time to work they waited three days. Then they went to examine the old women, expecting to find them become young again; but all were dead.

Full of anger, they went to Loku-Appu to tell him that he had deceived them, and that the women were all dead. While they were still at a distance, Loku-Appu cried out, "Alas, alas! They have taken hold of the wrong end of the stick!" When they came near he explained to them the blunder they had made. As they took the stick from him by force he was not responsible for it.

This time he cut a mark on the right end of the stick to be used, telling the tom-tom beaters that if the wrong end were used the women would certainly die, while the proper end would as certainly change them into young girls.

When the tom-tom beaters returned to their village they fetched up all the rest of the old women, and after belabouring them well with the proper end of the club, put them also into the corn-stores. Yet after three days they found that the result was just the same as at first; all the women were dead.

Determined to revenge themselves on Loku-Appu, they came to his house, tied him up in a sack, and set off to the river with him, intending to drown him. On the way, they heard the beating of tom-toms, whereupon they set the sack down on the road, and went to see what it was about.

During their absence, a Muhammadan trader in cloth who was coming along the road, found the sack, and heard a voice proceeding from it: "Alas! What a trouble this is that has come upon me! How can I govern a kingdom when I cannot either read or write?"

The trader immediately untied the sack, and questioned Loku-Appu as to how he came there. Loku-Appu explained to the trader that he was about to be made a king, but not possessing the requisite amount of knowledge for such a high position he had refused the dignity; and now he was being carried off in this way to be put on the throne. "By force they are going to make me king," he said.

The trader remarked to him, "It will be a great favour if you will let them do it to me instead"; and eventually they changed places, Loku-Appu tying the trader in the sack, and he himself taking the man's clothes and bundle of cloth. Loku-Appu then hid himself.

In a short time the tom-tom beaters came back, carried away the sack with the would-be king, and threw it into the river.

As they were returning past a part of the river, they saw, to their intense surprise, Loku-Appu washing clothes in it. They came to him and said, "What is this, Loku-Appu? Where have you come from? Where did you get all this cloth?" He replied, "These are the things which I found in the river bottom when you threw me in with the sack. As they are rather muddy I am cleaning them."

The tom-tom beaters said that they would be greatly obliged if he would put them in the way of getting such treasures, so he requested them to bring sacks like that in which he had been tied.

They soon came back with the sacks, were tied up in them, and were thrown into the river by Loku-Appu.

Then Loku-Appu went to the tom-tom beaters' village, and took possession of their lands and houses.

Some of the incidents of this story are found in No. 58 also.

In The Indian Antiquary, vol. iii, p. 11, in a Bengal story, by Mr. G. H. Damant, some men who had been cheated by a farmer, called at his house regarding the matter. He offered them food, and when they sat down to the meal struck his wife with his bullock goad, and said, "Be changed into a girl, and bring in the curry." She went out, and sent back their little daughter with the food. He then sold the men the magic stick for one hundred and fifty rupees, telling them that if they beat their wives well with it they would all recover their youth. They acted accordingly, and beat them so thoroughly that the wives were all killed. Then they returned and burnt the farmer's house down, as noted at the end of the last story, where the later incidents are given.

In The Indian Antiquary, vol. xviii, p. 120, there is a South Indian story by Pandita Natesa Sastri, in which, when three persons who had been cheated by a man came to interview him regarding the frauds, they were welcomed by him. According to arrangement, he beat his wife, who was dressed as an old woman, with a pestle and put her inside the house, explaining to his guests that he had only done it to make her young again. Soon afterwards she reappeared as a young woman. He lent them the magic pestle for a week, but by its use they only killed their relatives. Then they returned in order to square up accounts with him, tied him in a bag, and carried him up a mountain, intending to burn him alive. When they went for the firewood, a cow-herd came up, learnt from him that he was about to be forcibly married to a girl, took his place, and was burnt, the impostor himself driving off the 1,001 cows which the man was watching. When the three cheated persons returned and learnt that he had been sent back from Kailasa with the cattle, as his time on earth had not expired, two of them got him to burn them in a similar way.

NO. 11

THE WHITE TURTLE

At a village there are an elder sister and a younger sister, two persons. The two are going away, it is said.

While going, they saw two bulls going along. Then the cattle asked, "Where are you going?"

"We are going to a country where they give to eat and to wear" (meaning that they were in search of husbands).

"Are we good enough for you?" [31] the cattle asked.

"What do you eat?" they asked.

"Having been put in those chenas we eat paddy and jungle vegetables."

Saying, "We don't want you," the two women go on.

As they were going, they met with two jackal-dogs. "Where are you going?" they asked the two women.

"We are going to a country where they give to eat and to wear," they said.

"Are we good enough for you?" they asked.

"What do you eat?" they asked.

"We eat a few fruits and crabs," the two jackals said. "What do you eat?"

"We eat dried-fish fry," they said. Saying, "We do not want two jackals," the two women still go on.

While they were going, an elder brother and a younger brother were ploughing. They asked the two women, "Where are you going?"

"We are going to a country where they give to eat and to wear," they said.

"Are we good enough for you?" they asked.

The two women asked, "What do you eat?"

"We eat dry-fish fry," they said.

"Then both parties eat it," they said. "It is good."

"If so, it is good. Go to our house," the men said. [32]

Afterwards those two men, having given the two keys of their houses into the hands of the elder sister and the younger sister, said, "The cooking things are in such a place; go there, and having opened the doors cook until we come."

Then the two women went to the houses, and the elder sister opened the door of the elder brother's house and cooked; and the younger sister opened the door of the younger brother's house and cooked. Afterwards the two men came home, and having eaten, stopped there [with the sisters, as their husbands].

After many days had passed, the two sisters bore two girls. The younger sister had many things at her house; the elder sister had none. On account of that, the elder sister through ill-feeling thought, "I must kill younger sister."

One day, the two sisters having cooked rice, while they were taking it to the rice field the younger sister went in front, and the elder sister went behind. On the way, they came near the river. Then the elder sister said, "Younger sister, didst thou never bathe? The skin on thy back is dirty. Take off that necklace and the clothes on thy body, and lay them down, and let us bathe and then go."

They put down the two mat boxes of cooked rice, and having descended into the river, she called, while bathing, to her sister, "Younger sister, come here for me to rub thy back." While rubbing she threw her into the middle of the river. Then she took the two boxes of cooked rice and went to the rice field. The younger sister died in the river.

After the elder sister went to the rice field, the younger brother asked at the hand of the elder sister, "Why has no one come from our house?"

Then the elder sister said, "Ando! Catch her coming! [33] Isn't she playing [illicit] games at home?" Having given the two boxes of rice to the elder brother and the younger brother, that woman returned home.

Afterwards that younger sister's girl asked, "Loku-Amma, [34] where is our mother?"

Then the woman said, "Ando! Catch her coming! When I came she was still stopping in the rice field."

After it became night, the elder brother and the younger brother having come home, the younger brother asked, "Girl, where is thy mother?"

Then the girl said, "At noon she took cooked rice to the rice field with Loku-Amma; she has not come yet."

The younger brother said, "Where? She did not go to the rice field."

Then the girl said, "At the time when I asked at the hand of Loku-Amma, 'Where is our mother?' she said, 'She is at the rice field.'"

Afterwards the elder sister, calling the elder brother and the younger brother, both of them [to be her husbands], took her sister's goods, and remained there with them. From the next day, having cooked she gave the rice into the hands of the two girls to take to the rice field.

After the girls had gone near the river for two or three days, they saw one day a White Turtle in it, and approached and tried to catch it. When the elder sister's girl went to catch it, it went to the middle of the river; when the younger sister's girl went, it came to the bank, and rubbed itself over the whole of her body.

After the elder sister's girl had gone home, she told the elder sister of it: "Mother, there is a White Turtle in the river. When that girl goes it comes to her; when I go it swims far away," she said.

That elder sister said, "Ha. It is good. I shall eat it," and lay down.

The younger sister's girl hearing it, went near the river, and said, "Mother, she must eat you, says Loku-Amma."

Then the White Turtle said, "Ha. It is good, daughter. Let her eat. After she has cooked she will give you, also, a little gravy, and a bone. Drink the gravy, and take the bone to the cattle-fold, and having said, 'If it be true that you are our mother, may you be created a Mango tree,' throw it down."

Afterwards, when those two men came home, having seen that the woman was lying down, "What are you lying down for?" they asked.

Then the woman said, "It is in my mind to eat the White Turtle that is in the river." So the men went to the river, and having caught the White Turtle, and brought it home, and cooked it, gave it to the woman. Then the woman got up and ate it.

She gave the girl a little gravy, and a bone. The girl having drunk the gravy, took the bone to the cattle-fold, and saying, "If it be true that you are our mother, may you be created a Mango tree," threw down the bone.

After that, a Mango tree being created, in a day or two grew large and bore fruit. As the two girls were going near the Mango tree they saw that there were Mangoes on it, and went close to it. When the elder sister's girl went to pluck the Mango fruits, the branches rose up; when the younger sister's girl went to pluck them, the branches bent down, and spread over her body and head. Well then, after that girl had plucked and eaten as many as she wanted, the branches rose again.

That also the elder sister's girl, having come home, told her: "Mother, there are fruits on the Mango tree at the cattle-fold. When I try to pluck them the branches rise; when that girl tries to pluck them the branches rub the ground."

The woman said, "Ha. It is good. I will split that and warm it in the fire."

After hearing that also, that girl, having gone to the Mango tree said, "Mother, having split you she must warm you in the fire, Loku-Amma says."

Then the Mango tree said, "Ha. It is good, daughter. Let her split. A splinter having fallen will remain here. Take it, and having said, 'If it be true that you are our mother, may you be created a Kaekiri creeper,' put it down at the back of the house."

Afterwards, when the elder sister's two men came, having seen that she was lying down, "What are you lying down for to-day also?" they asked.

Then the woman said, "Having split the Mango tree at the cattle-fold, it is in my mind to have a few splinters warmed for me in the fire." So the two men having gone to the cattle-fold, and having cut and split up the Mango tree, and brought a few splinters home, put them in the fire and fanned it. After that, the woman got up, and warmed herself at the fire.

Then that girl went to the place where the Mango tree was, and when she looked a splinter was there. Taking it, she came to the back of the house, and having said, "If it be true that you are our mother, may you be created a Kaekiri creeper," she put it down. In a day or two a Kaekiri creeper was created there, and bore fruits.

On going there, the younger sister's girl said, "There is fruit," and having plucked and eaten as many as she wanted, she came home. When the elder sister's girl went to pluck them there was not a single fruit.

Having returned home, the girl said regarding that also, "Mother, on the Kaekiri creeper which is at the back of the house there are many fruits when that girl goes to it; when I go, not a single one."

The woman said, "Ha. It is good. Having uprooted it I will eat it in a dry curry."

That girl after hearing that also, went near the Kaekiri creeper and said, "Mother, having uprooted you and cooked you in a dry curry, she must eat you, says Loku-Amma."

The Kaekiri creeper said, "Ha. It is good, daughter. Let her eat. At the place where I am uprooted there will be a Kaekiri root. Take it to the river, and having said, 'If it be true that you are our mother, be created a Blue-Lotus flower,' throw it into the river."

The elder sister having uprooted the Kaekiri creeper, took it home, and having cooked the curry, ate. After that, the girl went to the place where the Kaekiri creeper had been, and when she looked a Kaekiri root was there. Having taken it to the river, and said, "If it be true that you are our mother, be created a Blue-Lotus flower," she threw it into the river. Then a Blue-Lotus flower was created.

When the two girls were going together to the river to bathe, having seen that there was a Blue-Lotus flower, that younger sister's girl went and held out her hands in a cup shape. Then the flower which was in the middle of the river came into the girl's hands, and opened out while in her hands. When the elder sister's girl was holding her hands for it, it goes to the middle of the river.

That girl having come home, said of it also, "Mother, there is a Blue-Lotus flower in the river. When that girl goes it comes to her hands; when I go it moves far away."

The woman said, "Ha! It is good. That also I shall seize, and take."

The girl after having heard that also, went and said, "Mother, she must pluck you also, says Loku-Amma."

Then the Blue-Lotus flower said, "Let that woman say so, daughter. She is unable to pluck me."

Afterwards the woman having told at the hands of the two men, "Pluck the flower and come back," the two men having gone to the river tried to pluck it; they could not. When they are trying to pluck it, it goes to the middle of the river.

Afterwards, the men having told it at the hand of the King of the country, and having told the King to cause the flower to be plucked and to give them it, the King also came near the river on the back of an elephant, together with the King's servants. The elder sister, and the two girls, and the two men stayed on this side.

Then the people on this side and the people on that side try and try to take that flower; they cannot take it. That younger sister's girl having gone to one side, after looking on said, "Indeed I am able to take it, that flower." The King on the other side of the river having heard that, while he was on the back of the elephant, said, "What is it, girl, that you are saying?"

Then that girl said, "O Lord, I am greatly afraid to speak; I indeed am able to take it, the flower."

"Ha. Take it," the King said. Afterwards, when the girl was holding her hands in a cup shape, the flower that was in the middle of the river came into her hands.

Afterwards the King, taking that flower, and placing the girl on the elephant, went to the King's city.

North-western Province.

In the Jataka story No. 67 (vol. i, p. 164), a woman went to a King and begged for "wherewith to be covered," by which she meant her husband, who had been arrested. She explained that "a husband is a woman's real covering."

In Indian Fairy Tales (Stokes), p. 144, a girl who was supposed to be drowned became a pink-lotus flower which eluded capture, but came of its own accord into the hand of a Prince.

NO. 12

THE BLACK STORKS' GIRL

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. The man cuts jungle at a chena clearing; the woman is weaving a bag. After the man comes home, the woman asks, "Is the jungle cut yet?" The man says, "A couple of bushes are cut; is the bag woven?" The woman says, "A couple of rows are woven."

Continuing in that way, after the end of two or three days the man, while returning from cutting jungle, saw a Kaekiri creeper at a threshing-floor, and having come near, and seen that there was a fruit on it, plucked and ate it. A Kaekiri seed remained fixed in his beard.

After he came home, the woman, seeing it, asked, "Where did you eat Kaekiri?"

The man said, "When I was coming home there was a Kaekiri creeper at a threshing-floor on the way; on it there was a fruit. I ate it."

Then the woman said, "There will be more on that creeper. After I have woven the bag let us go there."

Afterwards, having gone with him to the threshing-floor, she saw that the Kaekiri creeper had spread completely over the floor, and that there were as many fruits as leaves. While plucking them, she bore a girl there.

Afterwards, the man having plucked Kaekiri, and filled and tied up the bag, said to the woman, "Shall I take the girl, or shall I take the bag?"

The woman told him to take the bag, leaving the girl there. So the girl was left at the threshing-floor, and the man and woman went home, taking the bag of fruit with them.

While a Black Stork (Mana) and a female Black Stork (Mani) were going about seeking food, the female Stork saw that a girl was at the threshing-floor, and having gone near it, cried out, "Ade! A thing for me! Ade! A thing for me!" When the male Stork heard this he came running to the spot. Having looked at the girl, the two Black Storks took her to their house, and reared her there.

After a time, the girl having become big, the female Black Stork and the male Black Stork said, "Daughter, we must go for golden bracelets and golden anklets for you."

At that house there were a Parrot, a Dog, and a Cat, which were reared there. The two Storks told the girl, "Daughter, after we have gone, do not reduce the food of either the Parrot, or the Dog, or the Cat. Until we return, be careful not to put out the fire on the hearth, and not to go anywhere whatever." After saying this, they went to bring the golden bracelets and golden anklets.

That girl having been careful for two or three days in the way the female Stork and male Stork told her, lessened the food of the Cat. That night the Cat extinguished the fire on the hearth.

Next morning, the girl having gone to the hearth to cook, when she looked there was no fire on the hearth. So she said to the Parrot, "Younger brother, last night I reduced the food of the Cat a little. For that, the Cat has extinguished the fire on the hearth, and now there is no fire for cooking. You go and look from which house smoke is rising, and come back."

Then the Parrot having gone flying, looked and looked. There was not any coming from any other houses; from the house of the Rakshasa, only, there was a smoke. The Parrot having come home, said, "Elder sister, I looked at the whole of the houses. There was not any; only from the house of the Rakshasa the smoke came." Afterwards the girl, having said, "If so, younger brother, you stop at home until I go and bring fire," went for the fire.

The Rakshasa was not at home; only the Rakshasa's wife was there. The girl having gone to that house, said, "Give me a little fire." Then that woman made the girl boil and dry seven large baskets of paddy (unhusked rice), and pound the paddy in those seven, and bring seven large pots of water, and bring seven bundles of firewood. Then taking a piece of coconut shell with a hole in it, she put ashes at the bottom, and having placed a fire-charcoal on them, gave it to her. While the girl was going home, the ashes fell through the hole all along the path.

Afterwards, when the Rakshasa came home, "What is this, Bolan?" he asked the woman; "there is a smell of a human body, a human body that has been here."

The woman said, "A girl came for fire. Thinking you would come, I employed that girl, and having made her boil seven baskets of paddy, and dry it, and pound it, and bring seven large pots of water, and seven bundles of firewood, when I looked you were not to be seen. Afterwards, having placed ashes in a piece of coconut shell with a hole in it, I put a fire-charcoal on them, and gave her it. By this time she will have gone home. There will be ashes along the path on which that girl went. Go, looking and looking at the ashes-path," she said.

Afterwards the Rakshasa went along the ashes-path. The Parrot having seen him coming in the rice field, said, "Elder sister, the Rakshasa is coming. Shut the door," he said. So the girl, shutting the door and bolting it, stopped in the house.

The Rakshasa having come near the house, said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the Parrot said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

Then the Rakshasa ran to catch the Parrot. He could not catch it; the Parrot went into the forest and stayed there.

Afterwards the Rakshasa having come again near the house said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the Dog, which was in the open space at the front of the house, said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

The Rakshasa having gone running after the Dog, and having caught and killed the Dog, came again near the house, and said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the Cat that was in the raised veranda said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

The Rakshasa, having gone running, killed also the Cat, and again having come near the house, said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the Gam-Murunga [35] tree said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

Afterwards the Rakshasa, having cut down and broken up the Gam-Murunga tree, again went near the house, and said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the Murunga logs said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

The Rakshasa, having set fire to the logs, and gone near the house again, said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the ashes of the burnt Murunga tree said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

The Rakshasa, having collected the ashes, and taken them to the river and placed them in it, and again having gone to the house, said, "Here are golden bracelets, O daughter. Here are golden anklets, O daughter. Open the door, my daughter."

Then the water of the river said, "No golden bracelets, O elder sister. No golden anklets, O elder sister. Open not the door, wise elder sister."

Afterwards, the Rakshasa, having gone to the river, and having drunk and drunk, could not finish the water, and at last he burst open and died.

After that, the female Black Stork and the male Black Stork brought the golden bracelets and golden anklets, and having given them to the girl, remained there.

North-western Province.

In a variant of this story, related by a Duraya in the North-western Province, the persons who abandoned the child were a Gamarala and his wife, the Gama-mahage.

On the Storks' finding it, they cried, "Ada! I have met with a gem!" Their home was in a rock-cave. When the Parrot warned the girl that the Rakshasa was coming, "having gone running, and having sprung into the cave, she shut the door. The Rakshasa says, 'Having brought bracelets for the arms, jackets for the body, cloths for the waist, O daughter, open the door, my daughter.'

"Then the Parrot said, 'It is false that there are bracelets for the arms, jackets for the body, cloths for the waist. Open not the door, my elder sister.'

"Then the Rakshasa tried to kill the Parrot. Having flown away it settled on a tree. The Rakshasa having smashed the Parrot's cage, again says, 'Having brought bracelets for the arms,'" etc.

The Cat warned the girl and was killed, then the Dog, next the Ash-plantain tree, and lastly the Katuru-Murunga tree. I now translate again.

"After that, he struck a finger-nail into the lintel, and having struck another finger-nail into the threshold, the Rakshasa went away.

"After that, the male Black Stork and female Black Stork came. Having come, they say, 'Having brought bracelets for the arms, jackets for the body, cloths for the waist, open the door, my daughter.'

"Then the Parrot says, 'It is true that there are bracelets for the arms, jackets for the body, cloths for the waist, elder sister. Open the door, my elder sister.'

"As she was coming out opening the door, her foot was pricked by a finger-nail, and the crown of her head by a finger-nail. Then becoming unconscious she fell down, the finger-nails having entered her. Both Storks together drew out the finger-nails."

She recovered, and they gave her the things they had brought, but sent her away. The rest of the story is an evident modern addition of no interest. She went to a large chena, and was taken home by a widow who was there.