Chapter XI: Part 11

In the Kathakoça (Tawney), p. 132, an ascetic informed a merchant that the bad luck of his two daughters would bring about his destruction, and advised him to set them afloat in the Ganges in a wooden box, and cause a ceremony to be performed for averting calamity. The ascetic performed the ceremony for him, and sent his pupils to bring the box. The King of that city got the box ashore, took the girls, and put two apes in their place. When the ascetic opened the box at his monastery he was killed by the apes and became a Rakshasa.

In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., pp. 398, 399, 410, the incident occurs of newly-born infants being placed in boxes, set afloat in a river, and rescued by a person lower down. [239] At p. 445, a girl who had been married to a King was set afloat in a box, and rescued by a washerman.

In Sagas from the Far East, p. 120, there is a Kalmuk variant in which a man who desired to take the wealth of an old couple, got inside a statue of Buddha, and instructed them to give their daughter to the man who knocked at their gate in the morning. The man himself came and knocked, and married her, and he and his new wife left with all their gold and precious stones. A Khan's son who was out hunting, taking a tiger with him, fired an arrow into a mound of sand; it struck something hard which proved to be a box which the man had placed there, containing the girl and jewels. The tiger was put in her place, and when the man carried off and opened the box in an inner room of his house it killed and ate him, and walked away next morning when the door was opened. The Prince married the girl.

In the Sinhalese history, the Mahavansa, p. 147 (Dr. Geiger's translation), it is stated that in order to appease the sea-gods who had caused the sea to overflow the land on the western coast of Ceylon in the first half of the second century B.C., the King of Kaelaniya "with all speed caused his pious and beautiful daughter named Devi to be placed in a golden vessel whereon was written 'a king's daughter,' and to be launched upon that same sea." She was brought ashore at the extreme south-east of Ceylon, and married by the King of Ruhuna or Southern Ceylon.

The original Indian story of the child who was consigned to the water in a basket or box appears to be that which is given in the Maha Bharata (Vana Parva). According to it, an unmarried Princess, Kunti, who bore a supernatural son to the deity Suriya, the Sun, placed the infant in a water-tight wicker basket, and set it afloat in the adjoining river, from which it passed down to the Ganges, and then drifted down that river until it arrived near Campa, the capital of the Anga kingdom. The basket was brought ashore and opened by a car-driver who had gone to the river bank with his wife. These two, being childless, adopted the infant, who afterwards became famous as Karna, the leading Kuru warrior in the great battle against the Pandava Princes and their allies.

The story extends backward to the legend or history of Sargon I, of Akkad (about 2,650 B.C. according to the revised chronology), who stated in an inscription that his mother, a Princess, launched him on the Euphrates in a basket of rushes made water-tight with bitumen. He was rescued and reared by a cultivator, who placed him in charge of his garden. Through the affection of the Goddess Istar he acquired the sovereignty.

NO. 140

THE WASHERMAN AND THE LEOPARD

On a certain day, a man having gone to a chena which he had cut, and in which he had sown grain, as he was walking along at the edge of the fence, on this side of the corner of the stick fence a tail was visible, it is said.

Having gone near very quietly, when he looked, a leopard lying at the edge of the fence, having let its tail come inside the chena, was asleep, it is said.

Thereupon, this man on this side of the fence seized the leopard's tail which it had put there. After he seized it he cannot kill it, he cannot let go; should he let go, the leopard will kill the man.

When the man was staying [there] thinking, "How is the expedient for this?" he saw a Washerman going along, taking a bundle of clothes. So this man called him, saying, "Washerman-uncle, come here."

Then the Washerman having come, asked, "What is it?"

He said, "Kill the leopard."

Then the Washerman said thus, "Ane! His face is like our uncle's. Ane! I indeed cannot kill him."

The man who was holding the leopard, said, "If so, I will kill him; you hold the tail."

Then the Washerman having said, "It is good," took hold of the tail. At the time when he was holding it, this man said, "[You] who have become uncle and have become nephew, stay there," and came home.

Thereafter, at the time when that Washerman was letting go the leopard's tail, the leopard killed and ate that Washerman, and went away.

Subsequently, the man who owned this chena having gone [there], taking the bundle of clothes which that Washerman had taken and thrown down, came home.

North-central Province.

In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 226, an old woman who was attacked by a bear, turned round a tree to avoid it. When the bear stretched its paws round the tree in trying to reach her, she seized and held them. A man who came up was requested by her to assist her to kill the animal and share the flesh. He accordingly also seized the paws; when he had got well hold the old woman let go and escaped, the man being afterwards mauled by the bear.

NO. 141

THE FRIGHTENED YAKA

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said; there is also a boy of those two persons. In front of the house there is also a Murunga tree. A Yaka having come, remained seven years in the Murunga tree in order to "possess" the woman.

While they were in that manner, one day the man and the boy went on a journey somewhere or other. The woman that day having [previously] put away the bill-hook, brought it to the doorway, and while preparing to cut a vegetable, said, "This bill-hook is indeed good [enough] to cut a Yaka."

The Yaka who stayed in the Murunga tree at the doorway, having heard what the woman said, became afraid, and having waited until the time when the woman goes into the house [after] cutting the vegetable, the Yaka slowly descended from the Murunga tree.

When he was going away, the woman's husband and boy, having gone on the journey, are coming back. The Yaka met them. Then the Yaka asked at the hand of those two, "Where did you go? I stayed seven years in the Murunga tree at the doorway of your house, to 'possess' your wife. To-day your wife, sharpening a bill-hook, came to the doorway, and looking in my direction said, 'This bill-hook is indeed good for cutting a Yaka.' Because of it, I am here, going away. Don't you go; that wicked woman will cut you. Come, and go with me; I will give you a means of subsistence. I, having now gone in front, will 'possess' such and such a woman of such and such a village. You two having said that you are Yaksa Vedaralas, [240] and having come [there], when you have told me to go I will go. Then the men having said that you are [really] Yaksa Vedaralas, will give you many things. When you have driven me from that woman, again I will 'possess' still [another] woman. Thus, in that manner, until the time when the articles are sufficient for you, I will 'possess' women. When they have become sufficient do not come [to drive me out]."

Having said [this], the Yaka went in front and "possessed" the woman. After that, the man and the boy went and drove out the Yaka. From that day, news spread in the villages that the two persons were Yaksa Vedaralas. From that place the two persons obtained articles.

The Yaka having gone, "possessed" yet a woman also. Having driven him from there, too, these two persons got articles. The Yaka "possessed" still [another] woman also. Thus, in that manner, until the very time when the things were sufficient for the two persons, the Yaka "possessed" women.

After the articles became sufficient for the two persons, one day the Yaka said to the two, "The articles are sufficient for you, are they not?" The two persons said, "They are sufficient."

Then the Yaka said, "If so, I shall 'possess' the Queen of such and such a King. From there I shall not go. Don't you come to drive me away." Having said it, the Yaka went to that city, and "possessed" the Queen.

The two Yaksa Vedaralas came to their village, taking the articles they had obtained. Then a message came from the King for the Yaksa Vedaralas to go. The two persons not having gone, remained [at home], because of the Yaka's having said that he would not go.

After that, the King sent a message that if they did not come he would behead the Yaksa Vedaralas. After that, the two persons, being unable to escape, went to drive out the Yaka.

Having gone there, they utter and utter spells for the Yaka to go. The Yaka does not go. Anger came to the Yaka. In anger that, putting [out of consideration] his saying, "Don't," the two persons went and uttered spells, the Queen whom the Yaka has "possessed," taking a rice pestle, came turning round the house after him in three circles to kill the Vedarala. [241] When she was raising the rice pestle to strike the Vedarala, the man's boy said, "Look there, Yaka! Our mother!"

Then, because he had been afraid [of her] formerly, when the boy said it, the Yaka, saying, "Where, Bola?" and also rolling the Queen over on the path, face upwards, and saying "Hu," went away. The Queen came to her senses.

The King gave the two persons many articles. The Yaka did not again come to "possess" women. That man and boy having come to their village, and become very wealthy, remained without a deficiency of anything.

North-western Province.

In The Indian Antiquary, vol. xvi, p. 217 (Folklore in Southern India, p. 214), in a Tamil story related by Natesa Sastri, a Brahmana was turned by Siva into a Brahma-Rakshasa for refusing to impart his knowledge of music to others, and he resided in a Pipal or Bo tree. A poor Brahmana of Sengalinirpattu (Chingleput, land of the blue lotus) assisted him to escape from the wretched music of a piper by removing into another tree, and out of gratitude the demon "possessed" the Princess of Maisur, in order that the Brahmana might obtain wealth by driving him out. Afterwards, when the demon "possessed" the Princess of Travancore, intending to remain, the Brahmana frightened him away by a threat that he would bring back the piper.

In Folk-Tales of Hindustan (Shaik Chilli), p. 6, a beggar's wife beat him with a stick for coming home foodless, threw his turban into a tree and struck at it time after time, hitting the tree at each blow. The blows and her abuse frightened away from the tree the ghost or Bhut of a Brahmana of the family who had committed suicide. The ghost and the man travelled along together as friends in misfortune. By their arrangement the man drove the ghost from the Minister's daughter, but refused to officiate when it "possessed" the Sultan's daughter, until ordered to be executed. When the ghost threatened to kill him he told it he had terrible news, his wife would be there in a few minutes. The ghost left at once, and the man married the Princess and succeeded to the throne.

In Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 298, a man's termagant wife was thrown into a well, and there married a demon, but in fear of her he soon hid as a man, in a mosque. Becoming friendly with the former husband, who recognised him, he promised to marry the man to the King's daughter, whom he thereupon "possessed." When the man drove him out she was given in marriage to him, together with half the kingdom. The demon, after warning him not to interfere, then "possessed" the Minister's daughter. After at first refusing to act, the man frightened him away by saying his former wife was coming.

In The Enchanted Parrot (Rev. B. H. Wortham), a variant is given in the stories XLVI and XLVII. The woman terrified everyone around, and a goblin who lived in a tree near her house ran away. The husband also left, became friendly with him, and was advised to go and cure the King's daughter. He cured her, married her, and received half the kingdom. Then the goblin carried off this Princess. The man went in search of her, and frightened away the goblin by whispering that his wife was coming.

NO. 142

THE STORY OF THE SEVEN YAKAS

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. One day the man went to plough. The woman placed a ripe pine-apple underneath the bed.

On the very day she put it [there], seven Yakas having joined together and taken a hidden treasure, while six Yakas were dividing the articles one Yaka having come to the house of that man who went to plough, the Yaka remained sitting down under the bed at which is the pine-apple, in order to "possess" the woman.

Then that man having ploughed came home. Having come there, sitting down on the bed he said to the woman, "Haven't you cooked yet? I have hunger [enough] to eat the Yaka."

Then the woman said, "I am still cooking. If you cannot wait until the time [when I finish] there is [something] under the bed."

The woman said it regarding the pine-apple. What of that! Because she did not explain and say [so] the Yaka thought, "It is regarding me, indeed, she said that;" and the Yaka having become afraid, very quickly having arisen said to the man, "Ane! Don't eat me. Come along (lit., come, to go), for me to show you a place where there is a good hidden treasure."

After that, the man having got up from the bed and called the man's younger brother, the two persons went with the Yaka. Having gone, they went to the place where those six Yakas are dividing the articles.

Then the Yaka said to the two men, "Until the time when I bring and give you the articles, there (onna), go to that tree." After that, the two men went into the tree to which the Yaka told them to go.

Having gone there, while they are looking, six Yakas who had great beards and the Yaka who came summoning the men are apportioning the articles. Then, having seen the bearded youngsters (pollo), the elder became unconscious, and fell from the tree to the ground.

Then the younger brother, being in the tree, said, "Elder brother, after you [have] jumped down seize the great-bearded youngster himself."

Then because there are beards of the whole six, having said to each other, "It is for me, indeed, he said this; it is for me, indeed, he said this," one by one, in the very order (lit., manner) in which they sprang up and went, the whole six Yakas, having thrown down the articles, ran off. [Because] having been in the tree that man said thus after the man's elder brother fell down, those Yakas having said, "He will come and kill us," it was for that indeed the Yakas became afraid.

Well then, [the Yaka] calling the men,--the elder brother and younger brother,--and together with the men the Yaka, the very three persons, having drawn (carried) all the articles--both the Yaka's portion and the six portions of those six who ran off--to that man's house, after they finished the Yaka went away. Those two men shared the articles.

Finished.

North-western Province.

The first part of this story is a variant of part of the tale numbered 17 in vol. i. For the latter part, compare variant (b) of the story No. 137, and the notes after it.

NO. 143

THE YAKA AND THE TOM-TOM BEATER

In a country, at the time when a Tom-tom Beater was going to a devil-dance (kankariya), it became dark. While he was going along to the village in the dark, when he was near the village having the devil-dance, to the extent of two miles (haetaepma) from it, he met with [an adventure] in this manner.

In the adjoining village, a man having died they took his dead body to the burning ground; and having raised a heap of firewood, and upon it having placed the corpse and set fire to it, at the time when his relatives went away in the evening Maha Son Yakshaya [242] came, and remained upon the burning funeral pyre. He said thus to the Tom-tom Beater, it is said, "Where art thou going?"

When he asked it [he replied], "I am going to a devil-dance."

At the time when [the Yaka] said, "Standing there, beat the [airs of] devil-dances, and the new ones that thou knowest," he unfastened the tom-tom, and tying it (i.e., slinging it from his neck), he beat various dances.

The Yakshaya being pleased at it, said thus, "Do thou look every day in the house in which are the looms. [243] Don't tell anyone [about] the things that I give," he said.

Beginning from that day, having gone into the house in which are the looms, at the time when he looked, raw-rice, and pulse (mun), and ash-plantains, and betel, and areka-nuts, and various things were there. Every day those said things were there.

At the time when he is bringing them, his wife said, "Whence are these?" Every day she plagued him, and being unable to escape from it he told the woman.

On the following day after the day on which he told her, at the time when he looked he had filled the looms with excrement.

North-western Province.

In The Indian Antiquary, vol. i, p. 143, Mr. W. C. Benett gave an Oudh story in which Bhawan Misr, a wrestler who had obtained gifts from a demon, lost them by revealing the secret to his wife.

NO. 144

HOW A TOM-TOM BEATER GOT A MARRIAGE FROM A GAMARALA

At a certain time there was a Gamarala. The Gamarala had a daughter. In the same country there was a very rich Tom-tom Beater (Naekatiyek). There was a son of the Tom-tom Beater's. In order to make search for a marriage for him he tramped through many countries. From those countries he did not obtain one.

After that, he went to yet a country on the other side of a river. Having gone there, when he looked about there was a Gamarala at a village [who had a marriageable daughter]. When he asked for the daughter [in marriage], he said he would not give her. Thereupon, thinking and thinking of a scheme he acted accordingly, that is, in this manner.

He caught an egret. He made a bundle of lights, and taking these he went again to the village at which the Gamarala stayed. Having gone [there], at the time when he looked about [he saw that] there was a large betel creeper on a tree in front of the doorway of the Gamarala's house.

After that, having come at night and gone up the tree, and hidden himself so that he would not be seen, [after] lighting the bundle of lights he called the Gamarala: "Village Headman! Village Headman!"

Then the Gamarala having come running, looked upward, and seeing that the bundle of lights were burning the Gamarala became afraid.

Thereupon the Tom-tom Beater says, "I, indeed, the Devatawa of this village, am speaking. Wilt thou hearken to what I am saying?" he asked.

The Gamarala, being afraid, said, "I will hearken."

Then the Tom-tom Beater called the Devatawa, [said],

"They say that thou wilt not give thy daughter to the boy of the Tom-tom Beater of such and such a village. Why?"

The Gamarala said, "Because our pollution rules (indul) are different I said I cannot give her," he said.

Then the Tom-tom Beater Devatawa who was in the tree [said], "Give thou thy daughter to him. On the seventh day from now he will obtain the sovereignty. If thou shouldst not give [her] I will kill thee." Tying the bundle of lights to the leg of the egret, he said, "I am going," and let the egret go.

Thereupon, having seen that the lights were burning on the leg of the egret [as it flew away], the Gamarala thought that the Devatawa said it.

Then the Tom-tom Beater, being invisible to everybody, descended from the tree, and went to his village.

Two or three days afterwards, he came with the wedding party to the Gamarala's house, for the purpose of taking away the daughter. Thereupon, having eaten the [wedding] feast, on the morning of the following day, because the giving of the Gamarala's daughter was demeaning he put her in a sack, and having tied it as a bundle for carrying under a pole, [the Gamarala] gave her, placing [the pole] on the shoulders of two persons, and telling them to go. Then, lifting up the load, the party went away. Having gone thus, it having become night they stayed near a tree.

At yet [another] city, the King of the city, having seized a bear that ate human flesh, and put it in a sack, and tied it as a bundle for carrying under a pole, gave it to two persons, and told them to take it and throw it into the river.

At that time that party also came to the place where that [other] party were staying. Thereupon, without speaking they placed the two bundles in one spot. In the very same way again, without speaking they were sleeping in one place.

On the morning of the following day, at dawn, the wedding party having arisen went to the village, taking the bundle in which the bear was tied.

The people who remained here unfastened the bag in order to put the bear into the river. At that time [they saw that] a Princess was there. So the party having gone taking the Princess gave her to the King. Then the King married that Queen.

The wedding party who went taking the bear bundle having gone to the house, that very day, in order that the faults (dosa) of the bride and bridegroom might go, drove away any evil influence of the planets (baliyak).

At that time, having put the sack and the bridegroom into a house they shut and tied the door. Having tied it they conducted the service [against the evil influence of the planets] in the open.

Thereupon the bridegroom who was inside the house unfastened the sack in order to take out the bride. Then the bear having come out began to bite the man. The bridegroom said, "Don't bite me! Don't bite me!" When he was saying it, the men who were sending away the evil planetary influences said, "Ayibo! Ayibo!" [244] The two who were in the house remained without speaking any words [after that].

Thereupon it became light. These people having gone [there] opened the door. Then the bear that ate men having sprung outside and bitten the [would-be] mother-in-law, went into the midst of the forest. The bridegroom, the bear having bitten him, died.

North-central Province.

In a variant of No. 59 in vol. i., the Gamarala inquired regarding the naekata at his daughter's reaching marriageable age. The man replied, "Through this little lass (paenci) seven men will die. Ane! O Gamarahami, because of this little lass don't make this country desolate," and advised killing her. When this man was carrying her away tied in a sack, intending in reality to marry her to his son, some people who had a savage bear in a similar sack found the bundle left on the roadside temporarily, and made an exchange. The son was killed by the bear while the father danced outside, beating a tom-tom (udaekkiya).

NO. 145

THE GEM YAKSANI

There were a King and a Queen of a single city. The two one day went for sport in the gardens. Then, sitting on a branch there was a little bird.

At that time the Queen asked the King, "Is that little bird which is there the male or the female?" The King said, "The male."

Then the Queen, having said, "It is not male; it is female," made a wager. What was the wager, indeed? "Let us catch it and look. Should it be the cock I will not stay with you; I will go away somewhere or other. Should it be the hen you must give me the sovereignty," she said. Thereupon the King said, "It is good."

Having caught the bird they looked; when they looked the animal was the male.

Then the Queen said, "I am going now," and she set off.

The King said, "We said it for fun, didn't we? Are you going in that way for that little matter?"

The Queen would not [stay], "I must really go," she said.

Thereupon the King having said, "Are you going for that? We made monkey fun. [245] Owing to it where are you to go?" said much in the way of advice. Without hearkening to it the Queen went. What was [the real reason of] it? [It was] because the royal talk was Large.

When the Queen was going, the [completion of the] ten months of her pregnancy was near; as she was going in a forest she bore a child. Carrying the infant, as she was going along a path there was a river in which the water had dried up. While she was going along the river the Prince began to cry. For the sake of stopping the crying she picked up a stone which was on the ground in the river; and having said, "Look here, son," she stopped the crying, and taking that little stone [with her] came to another city.

Having come [there] and walked to all places, and looked about, and come to a house in which was a widow woman, she asked, "Mother, keeping this Prince for me, will you give me a little space to stay in, until the time when the Prince becomes big?"

Thereupon the old woman said, "It is good, daughter. I also am alone; because of it remain here."

The Queen, having said, "It is good," lived there, pounding paddy [at houses] throughout the streets; and up to the time when the Prince became big stayed there getting a living. By that time, seven years of the Prince's age had passed.

While remaining [there] in this manner, one day the Prince said, "Mother, I am hungry," and cried. When he was crying, the stone which his mother had brought that day from the river in order to stop the Prince's [crying], had been thrown away into the open ground in front of the house (midula).

This woman, having shown him the stone, said falsely, "Look there. Take that stone which is there, and having given it at the bazaar, and eaten rice cakes, come back."

Then the Prince, having gone running, taking that stone, begged throughout the whole of the bazaar, "Ane! Take this stone and give me rice cakes."

The men said to that Prince, "Who gives rice cakes for quartz stones, Bola?" and scolded him at each place to which he went.

After that, the Prince, having asked at every place without [obtaining any cakes], went to the King's palace also, at the time when the King was walking at the Audience Hall, and said, "Ane! Take this stone, and give me rice cakes; I am hungry."

Thereupon the King, having heard the sweet speech of this young Prince, becoming pleased, said, "Where, Bola, is the stone? Bring it here for me to look at it."

The Prince took the stone, and gave it into the King's hand. The King taking the stone in his hand, when he looked at it, it was a gem-stone. Then the King asked, "Bola, whence [came] this stone to thee?"

"This stone was in the open ground at the front of the house. Mother said to me, 'Take it, and having eaten rice cakes, come back.'"

Then the King said, "I will give thee rice cakes. Go and tell thy mother to come."

The Prince having gone running home, said, "Mother, a man said that you are to come, [so that he may] give rice cakes to me. The man, taking the stone, too, put it away."

The Queen, walking with the Prince, said, "Which is the house?"

Having said, "There, that house," the Prince stretched out his hand towards the royal palace.

With the thoughts, "I shall be worn away with fear, I shall be worn away. Ane! The thing that this foolish boy has done! Having said that he gave him a quartz stone, the King, in order to appoint [the punishment for] his fault, told me to come here," she reached the royal palace.

Thereupon the King having seen her, becoming much pleased, asked, "Whence didst thou obtain this stone?"

Then the Queen began to tell him everything,--the way in which she made the bet with that King, the way in which she came away, the way in which she bore [a child], the way in which while coming, she stopped the [crying of the] Prince by picking up this stone from the river.

Then the King said, "This is a gem-stone. Putting me [out of consideration], having appointed any person you like, he cannot state the value of this. I have not got even wealth [sufficient] to give for this. Because of it, having given to thee the wealth, too, thou hast not a place to put it in. Therefore stay ye in my palace itself until the Prince, having become big, marries a Princess."

Having made ready and given them a good room, and given them the royal victuals, he made the two remain there.

While they are staying there, having prepared two bracelets for the King's Queen, because there was not a stone more to [match] that stone for fixing in the two bracelets, he asked the Queen who gave the stone, "Canst thou find and bring a stone more, like this stone?"

The Queen said, "I cannot go. If there be still [any] in the river, or what, I do not know."

Then the Queen's Prince said to the King, "I can."

The King asked, "Do you know the path to go on?"

The Prince said, "I will ask mother, and go."

Then the King said, "What is necessary for you?"

The Prince [said], "From those that are in your stable be good enough to give me a horse which goes on hard journeys."

Then the King gave the Prince the horse with the best qualities of all, a sword, and a bundle of cooked rice. The Prince would be about fifteen years of age.

The Prince, having mounted on the horse, asked his mother, "Mother, on which hand is the river in which you picked up the stone?"

The Queen said, "It is this hand," and stretched out her hand. Then driving the horse to that hand he began to go.

Having gone away, and stopped at a river near that [gem] river, when he looked about, at a great rough tree [what was] like a large fire was visible. Then this Prince, in order to look at the conflagration, went near the tree. Having gone [there], when he looked a Devata-daughter endowed with much beauty [246] was there.

Then this Prince asked the Devata-daughter, "Who art thou?"

The woman said, "I am a Yaksani." Then the Yaksani asked the Prince, "Who art thou?"

The Prince said, "I am a royal Prince."

Then this Prince became mentally inclined towards the very beautiful Yaksani; the Yaksani also became mentally inclined towards the Prince.

The Yaksani asked the Prince, "Where are you going, Sir?"

The Prince said, "I came to seek a gem-stone."

Then the Yaksani said, "We indeed remain in charge of this gem river. Should the Devatawa Unnaehae come he will kill you. It is I indeed they call the Gem Goddess. I can give gems. [After] marrying me and placing me on the horse, if you should not go twelve yojanas [247] before half a paeya (of twenty-four minutes) has gone, the Gem Devata Unnaehae [248] will come and behead both of us, and burn us."

The Prince being pleased at it (that is, her proposal), said, "It is good", and placing the Princess on the back of the horse, asked, "Where are the gems?"

The Devata-daughter said, "I will give them; I have them."

Then he drove away the horse twelve yojanas before half a paeya [had passed]. Having driven it, when he went to the city the King asked the Prince, "Have you brought the gems?"

That Yaksani had previously [249] said at the hand of the Prince that when the King asks, "Have you brought the gems?" he is to say, "I have brought [them]." Because of it, the Prince said, "I have brought the gems."

Then the King said, "Where? Let me look at them."

At that time the Devata-daughter said, "They will be outside," and threw down in the open space in front of the palace a gobbet [250] of saliva. When the King looked it was as though a rain of gems had rained.

After that, the King, picking up the gems, went to the palace, and remained lying down without eating and drinking. The Minister having come, asked, "O Lord, what is the matter?"

Then the King said, "The Prince who gave the gem has brought the Gem Princess. If I haven't the Princess what are these Gods for? What is this sovereignty for?"

The Minister said, "Don't you, Sir, be troubled about it; I will tell you a stratagem for it."

The King asked, "What is the stratagem?"

The Minister said, "The stratagem indeed is in this manner:--You, Sir, be good enough to say to the Prince, 'Dear Prince, our mother and father died. Those persons are staying in the God-world. Canst thou [go there and after] looking [at their condition] come back?' Then the Prince through not understanding will say, 'I can.' Then, having summoned all them of the city and having cut an underground tunnel about a mile (haetaekma) deep (that is, in length), when you have told him to go by that way to the God-world, he will go. Then having put a stone on [the entrance to] it, and brought tusk elephants, and made them trample on it, you can take the Gem Princess."

The King having become pleased at the word, caused the Prince to be brought, and asked, "Dear Prince, canst thou go to the God-world in three weeks' [time, to inquire after our father and mother], and come back?" The Prince said, "I can."

Then the King having collected together the men of the city, and said falsely that he is cutting a path to go to the God-world, began to cause a tunnel to be cut, in order to kill the Prince.

Thereupon the Prince said to the Gem Princess, "In this manner the King asked me: 'Can you go to the God-world and come back?' I said, 'I can.'"

Then, owing to the wisdom of the Gem Princess she perceived that he is making the plan (suttare) to kill this Prince, and said, "Why, through foolishness did you, Sir, say you can? Since you said you can, [you must do as follows]:--Under the gem river an elder sister of ours is rearing rats. Having gone, and given her this ring of mine, be good enough to say, 'In such and such a city your younger sister is living. She said [you are] to send there two or three thousand rats.' Then she will send the rats. You [then] be good enough to come back, Sir."

The Prince went, and having given her the ring, and told her in that very manner, the elder sister of the Gem Princess then said, "It is good; I will send them. You, Sir, be good enough to go." Then he came back.

That day night, having started them off, she sent three thousand rats. The rats having come before the light fell, went to the room in which was the Gem Princess. At the time when they went, she gave food and drink to the rats, and said, "Before a week has gone they will cut the tunnel which the King is cutting, a mile deep. Because of it, you must cut [a path from here leading] into that tunnel at a mile from this room in which we are staying."

So they cut and finished both tunnels on one day. Regarding the tunnel which the rats cut, the King was unable to learn even a little bit. Without making the tunnel which the rats cut break into and become part of [251] the King's tunnel, they turned it a little across [towards it at the end].

After that, having cut the [other] tunnel and finished it, and given the Prince a horse, and given him a sword, the King said, "Look here. We have cleared the path to go to the God-world. Having gone, come back."

Then the Prince said, "It is good." Having said it, and gone near the Gem Princess, at the time when he was saying, "I will go, and come," [252] the Princess said, "Say to the King that you will come in a week; and go," she said.

Then the Prince having told the King, "I shall come in a week," went. Having driven the horse into that tunnel which the King cut, and gone along the tunnel, and come to the other tunnel [excavated by the rats], during the daytime he stays in the tunnel. At night, having come near the Gem Princess, and eaten rice, and been sleeping, again as the light falls he goes to the tunnel and remains [there].

At the time when the Prince sprang into that tunnel, men threw stones into the tunnel, and heaped them up. They do not know the fact that that Prince is staying in the tunnel which the rats cut.

After that, the King came, and spoke to the Princess, "Now then, let us two be married."

Then the Princess said, "I will not. My husband has said that he will come in a week. Because of it, until he comes I will not marry any one whatever. If he come not I will marry," she said.

The King having heard that word [said], "It is good. After a week has gone I will marry [you]." Thinking, "The Prince having been put into the tunnel, and stones trampled down [over it], when will he come again? That Princess, the Prince not [being here], in perplexity at his death is talking nonsense," he went away.

What does the Princess do? Having taken gem-stones to the extent of many millions (in value), she caused to be sewn a diadem-wreath (otunu malawak), and a dress. Having sewn them, at early dawn (rae pandara) of the day following the week, having dressed this Prince, she said, "As the light is falling, having waited behind the King's palace be good enough to come as though returning," and sent him [there].

Thereupon, the Prince in that manner at the time when the King arises in the morning, presented himself for the King's cognizance (indiriyata). Then the King,--after becoming afraid concerning the return of the Prince whom he had put in the tunnel in which he had placed stones, and having employed tusk elephants had trampled them down,--asked, "Prince, whence camest thou?"

Thereupon the Prince said, "O Lord, Your Majesty, your father the King and mother the Queen, also, are staying in happiness in the God-world. I went there. Having said my dress was bad (nakayi) they gave me, for wearing, a dress which, those persons having worn it, had become old," he said.

When the King looked in the direction of his dress [he thought that] except that in the God-world [there might be] such a dress, it is of the kind which is not in this world. Because of it, it seemed to the King to be true.

The Prince said, "The party said that you also, Sir, are to go. They tried not to permit me, also, to come back. Having said, 'I will come back,' for the purpose of what I am saying to you I returned.

"When I went in the tunnel and looked about yet [another] path [leading] there had been cleared. Having gone on that path, when I looked the God-world was quite near."

After that, the King, having collected the citizens, began to remove the earth at that tunnel which he cut to kill the Prince.

Having heard of it, that Prince in order that the tunnel which the rats had cut should be closed, told the rats, and again made them push back the earth.

Having pushed it back, while he is staying [there], on the following day the King alone went, and having said, "[After] looking [at the God-world] I shall return," went off.

When he is descending into the hole to go, what does this Prince do? Having thrown down those stones that had been taken out, and blocked up the tunnel so as not to allow the King to return, the King died in the tunnel.

After that, this Prince, having seized and beheaded the Minister who had told [the King] the stratagem for the purpose of killing him, summoned the whole of the citizens, and said to the people, "For the offence which the King committed against me I put the King into the tunnel, and killed him. From to-day the King of this city is I myself."

[Thereafter] exercising the sovereignty, marrying the Gem Princess, and establishing that King's Queen as a female servant, he remained there.

Siwurala (ex-monk). North-central Province.

In Sagas from the Far East, p. 97, in a Kalmuk story a painter who was jealous of a wood-carver presented to the Khan a pretended note from his dead father, requesting that the carver might be sent to the kingdom of the Gods, and stating that the painter would show the way. The painter explained that the carver must be burnt in a pyre, with much drum beating, and rise to heaven on a horse through the clouds of smoke. The carver escaped by a tunnel which his wife excavated to the centre of the pyre, getting into it while the timber by which he was surrounded was burning. After a month he gave the Khan a letter from his father in heaven, ordering him to reward the carver richly, and to send the painter to decorate the temple which had been built. The painter was thus killed in the way he designed for the carver's death.

There is a variant in the Sierra Leone country, given in Cunnie Rabbit, etc. (Cronise and Ward), p. 254. As advised by a messenger, a King who wished to kill his son told him that he should be King, and that in order to be crowned he must be tied in a mat, thrown into a deep pool, and left there three days. When the party halted on the way and left the bundle on the path for a time, the youth got a child to unfasten the package, and inserted a large stone which was afterwards duly thrown into the water. After three days the youth made his appearance wearing a crown and riding a horse. He was acclaimed as King, and he stated that he had been ordered to send his father's messenger to be crowned in the same way. He was seized, tied up, and drowned.

NO. 146

THE NA, MI, AND BLUE-LOTUS FLOWERS' PRINCESSES

In a certain country there is a King, and the King has three children, males. On the second poya day (the full-moon day), at the time when the moon has risen, having caused these three Princes to be brought, he asked, "Son, what is this moon good for?"

The big son said, "This moon is good for [enabling] poor people to go on journeys; it is good for trampling stacks (threshing by means of buffaloes)." The King accepted this word.

He asked at the hand of the next (ekkama) son; that son replied in that very manner.

He asked at the hand of the next son. That son said, "It is good for [enabling] the Mi-flower [253] Princess, and the Na-flower [254] Princess, and the Blue-Lotus-flower Princess to perambulate on the carriage which they keep."

Thereupon anger went to the King. Having caused the executioner to be brought, he started off the youngest Prince and the two elder Princes and the executioner, these four persons. He told him to behead the Prince.

At the time when these four were going in the midst of the jungle, there was a Banyan-tree; the four persons sat down in the shade under the Banyan-tree. The youngest Prince having collected a heap of sand and having been [hidden] [255] in it, both the elder Princes and the executioner, these three persons, [not seeing him], set out to come away. Having come a considerable distance [the executioner], killing a lizard (katussa) and smearing the blood on the sword, came and told the King, "I beheaded him." The King took it for the fact.

The Prince having arisen, when he looked about, his two elder brothers were not [there], and the executioner was not [there]. Because there was not a place to go to he went to sleep again under that very Banyan-tree.

Having arisen in the morning, when he looked there was no water, no food. Having climbed up the tree, he saw that water was pouring down at the margin of a rocky hill. He descended from the Banyan-tree, and went along looking constantly at the hill. Taking a little water [at it], and washing his face, at the time when he was going up the hill a bee came, and turned (flew) round his head; then he struck at the bee. A second time having come it turned round his head; a second time he struck at it. Having come even the third time, when it was turning round his head he thought, "I must look for [the hive of] this."

On the hill there were rocks. Having come [and found the hive], sitting down at them he drew out the comb. Having drawn it out, when he looked in the hive (miya) there was an ash-pumpkin [flower]. He took out the ash-pumpkin [flower], and when he looked in it there was a Princess. [256] Having gone away, taking the Princess also, after sitting down under a Na-tree and looking and looking around, eating and eating the honey he gave to the Princess also. This Princess in a day or two became big.

Beneath that very Na-tree they stayed for three days. While one day sitting below the same Na-tree, when he looked upward in the Na-tree there was a large flower, a kind of ash-pumpkin [flower], in the Na-tree. He went up the tree for that flower also, and plucking the flower descended. After having thrown away the petals, when he looked [inside] there was a Princess. He gave honey to the Princess, and they remained under the same Na-tree.

After four days they set out from beneath the Na-tree. In a day or two these two Princesses were [as big as though their age was] twelve years. Having gone along in the jungle, they came out at a certain country, and went to the house of a widow-Mahage (an old woman of good connections), and stayed there. The widow-Mahage eats by pounding paddy at the King's house and being given the rice-dust. She gave [some] to these three persons also; the two Princesses and the Prince were unable to eat it, they said.

At that time the widow-Mahage having gone near the King says, "O King, Your Majesty, at the place where I live, two Princesses and a Prince having come thus, are staying."

Thereupon the King says, "Widow-Mahage, wilt thou tell the Prince to come to my palace?" he said. The Mahage having come, told him.

At the time when she is telling him, the Princesses say, "Should he tell you any work, don't say, 'Ha' (yes), and don't say, 'I cannot,' [257] and don't say, 'I can.' Having said, 'After having considered I will tell you,' come back," the Princesses say.

To the Mi-flower Princess the chariot of the Gods is visible beyond a kalpa; to the Na-flower Princess the chariot of the Gods is visible beyond two kalpas.

[When he went to the palace], "Prince," the King says to the Prince, "in the morning and in the evening I want seven handkerchiefs of Blue-lotus flowers."

He did not say "Ha"; he did not say "I cannot." After having said, "I will consider and tell you," he came back to the place where he is living at the widow's house.

This Prince having come, says to the two Princesses, "The King says to me, 'In the morning and in the evening I want seven and seven handkerchiefs of [Blue-lotus] flowers. Can you [bring them]?' Thereupon I said, 'After having considered I will tell you.'"

The Princesses say, "Prince, when you have gone to pluck the flowers you would die while in the pool, [but we will save you]. In the pool there is a great Crocodile. Because the King is not clever [enough] to kill you and write (that is, contract) a marriage to us two, it is good to do thus," they said.

Thereupon, the Prince having gone the second time near the King, this Prince says, "I can."

After he came home taking seven handkerchiefs, both the Princesses, having called the Prince and having combed and tied up his hair (lit., head), uttered spells on his right over a handful of sand, and after giving it, say, "Having gone near the pool, throw down the handful of sand on the right. At that time the human-flesh-eating Crocodile having come will go ashore." Having given [the spells over] a handful on the left also, they said, "Plucking seven handkerchiefs of flowers, come out, and quickly on the left throw down this handful of sand, [or] the Crocodile will come." [He acted accordingly.]

At the time when he was coming [after] plucking the flowers, a large Blue-lotus flower having been there he plucked that flower, and having come back, gave it [to the Princesses] at the house. Then having gone to the royal palace, taking also the seven handkerchiefs of flowers, [he gave them to the King].

Quickly having come back, taking the [Blue-lotus] flower at the house into his hand, and having cast away the petals, when he looked there was a Princess.

At that time the widow-Mahage having gone to the royal house, says, "I don't know if this Prince is a magician; [258] I don't know if he is a person possessed of supernatural powers; [259] I cannot find out what he is. Now he is there, and three Princesses are there."

Then the King thinks, "How [am I] to take these very three beautiful Princesses?" he thinks. Again he thinks, "Should I send this Prince to the Naga world I can take them; without it, indeed, I cannot."

At that time the King says to the widow-Mahage, "Say thou to the Prince that I say he is to come." She accepted that word; having come she told the Prince.

At the time when she is saying it, the Blue-lotus-flower Princess says to the Prince, "Prince, should he tell you any work, don't say, 'Ha'; don't say, 'I cannot'; don't say, 'I can.' Having gone to the royal palace, when he has said it come back, saying, 'After I have considered I will tell you.'"

Having gone and returned, he says to these three Princesses, "The King says thus to me, 'How is it? Canst thou go to the Naga world?' he says. Thereupon I said, 'Having considered I will tell you.' Having said [this] I came back."

Then these three Princesses say, "Prince, when [he thinks] you have died the King will come summoning us three to go [to become his wives]." These Princesses say to the Prince, "You go [to the King]. Having gone, say, 'I can.'"