Chapter X: Part 10

Having arisen in the morning, when she looked the Prince having died the Princess began to lament. The old woman also falsely lamented. The two persons having been lamenting and lamenting a little time, the old woman, calling the Princess, went to obtain shelter at another place. Having gone there, and handed over the Princess to the King of that country, taking the presents also, the old woman went home.

At that time the King told the Princess to take that Prince in marriage. Thereupon the Princess said, "My Prince is now dead only two or three days. Because of it I want time for a month." Having found an upper-story house very near there, he sent the Princess to stay in the upper-story house in that street.

Having seen that the flowers of the flower trees of the younger brothers of that Prince had faded, [his brothers] began to seek him. Seeking him, they went to the place where the Prince is dead. Having gone, these six persons together said, "Where is the sword?" and began to seek it. When seeking it, the sword having been in a heap of ashes they took it. Thereafter having taken the sword to the river, they cleaned it; at that time life was [re-]established for that Prince. Then the Prince having arisen spoke to those Princes, and having said, "Now then, go you to each of the places where you were," he did that cultivation work, and remained obtaining a livelihood [thus].

This one got news that that old woman having taken the Princess and given her to the King, received for herself presents and distinctions. At that time sorrow having gone to the Prince he went to seek the Princess. When [he was] going walking in the street in which is the Princess, the Princess saw that this one is going. The Prince did not see her.

At that time the Princess began to write a letter. Having written the letter, the Princess remained in expectation of the time when the Prince is coming. The Prince, through news that she is in that very street, came back. At that time the Princess, having seen that the Prince is coming, taking the letter dropped it [so as] to fall in front of him. The Prince having taken the letter, when he looked at it and read it there was written, "That old woman who stayed near us having deceived us and having brought and given me to the King, received for herself presents and distinctions. The King said to me that he must marry and give me to the King's Prince. Thereupon I said, 'My Prince is not dead a month now.' Because of it, asking for time for a month, I am staying in another house," there was written. "I said so through the thought that I shall obtain my Prince again. In three days more we are going to the church (palliya) to marry. Because of it, having got a horse carriage should you come on that day to the church we can escape and go off," there was written.

Thereupon the Prince on the day she told him having got a horse carriage also, went near the church in the disguise of a horse-keeper, and halting the carriage, remained [there].

On the wedding day the King, the Prince, the Princess, the whole of the party, went in a horse carriage. The Princess saw that that Prince is staying like the horse-keeper, holding the horse. But when the Princess looking [at him] went into the church, the horse-keeper [Prince] having remained standing, becoming sleepy reclined a little. Then the Prince went to sleep.

That Princess having got married and come, and having ascended into the carriage which the Prince brought, not knowing that the Prince was asleep struck the horse, and making it bound went off as though she flew. The other people who were there, not observing the quarter to which the Princess went, went away. The King and the married Prince after that sought her; they did not meet with her. The sleeping horse-keeper Prince having ascertained that the carriage was not [there], weeping and weeping began to go along the path on which that Princess went.

When the Princess was going in the midst of a forest wilderness, Vaeddas having been there came and watched in order to seize her. Having watched, they said to the Princess, "If thou come not with us we will shoot and kill thee."

Thereupon the Princess asked, "I can come with one of you. How shall I come with four or five persons?"

The Vaeddas asked the Princess, "If so, how is it [to be]?"

Thereupon the Princess says, "You having been set in line, all at one discharge shoot. Having shot, I will join the person whose arrow should fall far, who came [after] picking up the arrow, and will come [with him]," she said.

At that time the whole of the party having been fixed in line shot [for the arrows] to go very far. Having shot, all ran for the purpose of bringing the arrows. Thereupon the Princess having struck the horse, driving it off went away without being perceived. The Vaeddas having got the arrows and come, went away without the Princess.

When she was going to that side from the forest wilderness in which are the Vaeddas, the Princess thought that should she go by the carriage she will be unable to escape. So she descended from the carriage to the ground, and having unloosed the horse drove it into the jungle. She rolled the carriage over into the jungle.

The Princess having thrown away the Princess's dress, dressing like a Hettiya went away. In this manner she went to another kingdom. In that country, establishing shops, there was a rich Hettiya. She approached near him. At that time the shopkeeper Hettiya having become much pleased with the [apparent] Hettiya, told him to remain there. Well then, the shopkeeper Hettiya asked, "Who art thou?"

Thereupon the Princess said, "I am a Hettirala of a country; I came to establish a shop."

The shopkeeper having heard that word, said, "If so, let us two trade in partnership." Having said [this] he handed over a shop to the Princess resembling a Hettiya. He gave for it suitable servants.

At that time this Princess says, "I having come to a new country, when establishing a shop have the thought to give a dana (free donation of food), and secondly to establish the shop."

Thereupon the shopkeeper Hettirala having become pleased, and having said, "Let us two pay the amount that the cost comes to," they gave the dana.

Then that horse-keeper Prince having come, approached there. The Hettirala having seen the horse-keeper gave him alms. The [Princess] Hettirala after the man ate the food put him in a house and told the servants to shut the door.

During that night having given the dana and having finished, "Whence are you?" the new Hettirala asked the horse-keeper.

At that time the horse-keeper said to that Hettirala, "Ane! Hettirala, I indeed am a royal Prince. The Princess whom I had married, driving off in the horse-carriage came here. I also having become hungry when coming here [saw that] there was an alms-house. Because of it I came here," he said.

The Hettirala, having cast off those clothes and put on clothes in the manner of a Princess, came and asked, "Am I the Princess?"

Having said, "You indeed are my Princess," holding her hand he began to weep. The clothes that she wore like the Hettirala that Prince put on. After that, having gone near the shopkeeper Hettirala, they told him completely the things that occurred to these people. This Hettirala having become pleased at it told them to stay at that very shop. The two persons trading at the shop and having become very wealthy, remained at that very city.

Western Province.

NO. 241

THE ROYAL PRINCE AND THE HETTIRALA [235]

In a certain country both the royal Prince and the Minister-Prince were joined together by much friendship, it is said. Thus, having been in that way, one day the royal Prince having talked with the Minister-Prince, says, "Friend, we two having come to a foreign country, let us do trading."

The Minister-Prince also having said, "It is good," the two persons taking as much money as each can carry for the purpose of trading, set off to go to a foreign country.

During the time when they are going thus, the two having met with a junction of two roads, the two persons say, "We two having separated at these roads let us go to two districts." So speaking, having separated they went to two districts.

Out of them, the royal Prince having arrived at the place where a courtesan woman is gambling, and having staked with the courtesan woman this money he brought, gambled. The courtesan woman won the whole of the money. Well then, the royal Prince having staked the clothes he was wearing, when he gambled the Prince lost them also.

Well then, the Prince says, "It is good. [236] If so, you and I having staked ourselves let us gamble."

So speaking, staking each against the other they gambled. Thereupon the Prince lost. Having shaved the Prince's head, taking him for the state of labourer, while he was drawing water and washing pots, when the Hettirala of that village was going by that street he saw the Prince who was washing and washing pots, and great sorrow having been produced for the Hettirala, he spoke to the courtesan woman, and says, "The labourer who is washing these pots is of very white colour. It is not worth [while] taking this work from him. If you will give me him I can give him a suitable means of livelihood."

Thereupon the courtesan woman says, "Yes, if there is sorrow for you concerning him; although I can give him I cannot give him without payment (nikan). Why? He has let me in [237] for a thousand masuran. If the Hetti-elder-brother give that money I can give him; if not so, I cannot give him," the courtesan woman said.

Then the Hettirala says, "It is good. Taking the money from me give me him."

The Hettirala gave the money; and taking the Prince and having arrived at his house the Hettirala having spoken to the Prince, asks, "What can you do?"

The Prince says, "I can do anything."

Thereupon the Hettirala says, "Don't you do work [so as] to become tired. There are my shops; you can stay at a shop." When he asked, "Can you [do] letter accounts?" [238] the Prince said, "I can." When he said it, having said, "If so, go to my shop," he started him, and having gone with the Hettirala he gave him charge of the shop.

Thereupon the Prince asks, "Do you give the shop goods on credit (nayata) and the like? How is the mode of selling the goods?"

The Hettirala says, "Yes, give them on credit. When giving them on credit don't merely give them; [after] writing the name give them."

Thereupon the Prince having said, "It is good," and taking charge, from that time spoke to men who are going on the road. When the men came he asked, "Where are you going? Where is your village? What is your name?" Afterwards he says, "It is good. Taking anything you want, go." Having said and said it, and having brought in that manner all the men going on the road, in a week's time he finished the goods that were in the shop. During the time when he was giving the goods in that way, should anyone come and having given money ask for goods, taking the money he gave goods for the money.

When he finished the goods in that manner, the Hettirala, not knowing [about it], having become much pleased, said, "You are very good, having looked with this promptitude at the account of the money for which you sold the goods. Bringing goods afresh will be good, will it not?"

When he was preparing to look at the accounts, having brought the book in which he wrote the men's names, and a little money, [the Prince] placed them [before him]. The Hettirala asked, "What is this?"

Then the Prince says, "Why, what is it you are asking? Have I blundered? In the book, indeed, the names will be correct; having indeed written the names I gave the goods. I did not give goods to even a person without having written the name."

The Hettirala says, "Ane! You are a great fool; you are not a person who can do trading." Having said [this], the Hettirala, calling the Prince, went home again.

Having gone [there], when three or four days were going the Hettirala's wife began to scold the Hettirala, "For what reason are we causing this one to stay, and undergoing expense by giving him to eat and to wear?" When she shouted to the Hettirala, "If this thief is sitting unemployed, this very day having beaten him I shall drive him away," the Hettirala asks the Prince, "Child, there are many cattle of mine; can you look after the cattle?"

At that time the Prince says, "It is good; I can look after cattle."

Thereupon the Hettirala having gone, calling the Prince, to the district where the cattle are, and having shown him the cattle, says, "All these cattle are mine. You must look after them, taking care of them very well. Do not send them into outside gardens. You must tie the fastening (baemma) well."

Thereupon the Prince says, "It is good, Hetti-elder-brother. Don't be afraid. Having well tied the fastening I shall look after the cattle."

Having started off the Hettirala and sent him away, the Prince placed each one of the cattle at each tree, and having tied the fastenings and tightened them to the degree that they were unable to take breath, was looking in the direction of the cattle. While he was there some cattle died, some were drawing the breath (i.e., gasping for breath). At that time, the time of eating cooked rice went by.

The Hettirala, having remained looking for the Prince's coming at the time of eating cooked rice during the day, when the time went by thought, "He is a great fool, isn't he? Having sent the cattle into the gardens of others they have been seized, maybe." As he did not come at noon to eat cooked rice, he said, "I must go to look"; and having come there, when he looked some had died at the very bottom of the trees to which they were tied, some are drawing and drawing breath.

The Hettirala asks the Prince, "Why, fool, what a thing this is you did! Do you look after cattle in this way?" Having said [this], he scolded him.

Thereupon the Prince says, "What is the Hetti-elder-brother saying? The Hetti-elder-brother said at first, 'Having tied the fastenings well, look after them, not letting (nendi) them go into the gardens of others.' I tied the fastenings well, and stayed looking at them. What is it you are saying? Have I tied them badly? If there is a fault in the tying, tell me."

Well then, the Hettirala being without a reply to say, [thought], "Because I told this fool to tie the fastenings well, he, thinking foolishly, in observance of the order killed my few cattle. I was foolish; this fool will not have the ability to do this work;" and he went, calling the Prince again, to the Hettirala's house.

When he is there three or four days, in the very [same] manner as at first the Hettirala's wife began to scold the Hettirala:--"Having come calling this thief again, is he simply sitting down? Even for a day there will not be [the means] here to give this one to eat, sitting down unemployed. This very day I will drive him from the house." Having said various things she scolded the Hettirala.

Thereupon the Hettirala having spoken to the Prince asks, "Can you plough rice fields?"

At that time the Prince says, "It is good. I am able to do that work."

Thereupon the Hettirala says, "It is good. If so get ready to go to-morrow morning."

Having given the Prince a plough also, and having arisen at daybreak, the Hettirala set off to go on a journey. Calling the Prince on the journey on which he is going, and having gone and shown the Prince the Hettirala's fields, he says, "Look there. From the place where that egret is perched plough to that side until the time when I have gone on this journey and come back."

Well then, this Prince says to the Hettirala, "It is good, Hetti-elder-brother. Let Him go on the journey He is going. [239] I will plough to the place where the egret is."

Taking over the charge, and having started off the Hettirala and sent him away, he tied the yoke of bulls in the plough. When he went driving them to the place where the egret is, the egret having gone flying perched at another place. Driving the yoke of bulls he went there also. The egret having gone flying from there also, perched at another place. Driving the yoke of bulls he went there also. From there also the egret having gone flying, perched at another place. Thereupon the Prince, driving the yoke of bulls and having gone to the root of the tree, taking a large stick and beating and beating the yoke of bulls, says, "Why, bulls (gonnune)! Go to the place where the egret is. Should you two not go to the place where the egret is I shall not succeed in escaping from the Hettirala; to-day there is not any work [done], and I myself did not eat." Saying and saying [this], he began to beat the yoke of bulls. While he was there beating and beating them it became night.

The Hettirala, also, having made that journey, came to the house. Having come there the Hettirala asks, he asks from the house people, "Hasn't the fool himself who went to the rice field come?"

Thereupon the house people say, "After he went with the Hetti-elder-brother in the morning, he did not come back."

The Hettirala says, "Apoyi! As that fool himself came not there will be some accident or other!"

Quickly having gone running to the rice field, when he looked, at no place in the rice field had [the ground] been ploughed, and he does not see the yoke of bulls or the man. When the Hettirala looks on that and this side, the Prince whom the Hettirala came to seek having seen him, breaking a large cudgel he began to beat the yoke of bulls more and more, as though he did not see him.

Thereupon the Hettirala, having heard this noise when he looked, having heard it and gone running, asks, "Why, fool! What is this you are doing?"

The Prince says, "Go away, go aside. From the morning itself I drove and drove this yoke of bulls [so as] to go to the place where the egret is. They did not go yet. You are good, the way the bulls have been trained!" Having said [this], the Prince began to scold the Hettirala.

Thereupon the Hettirala says, "Yes, the way that yoke of bulls has been trained is indeed not good. Because the bulls will not go up trees those bulls are not good. Afterwards taking a yoke of bulls that go up trees you can plough. Let us go now, to go home." Having said [this], he came calling the Prince.

The Hettirala's wife asks, "Even to-day did that fool do even that work?"

The Hettirala says, "To-day indeed don't speak to that fool. He has been very angry. Because he was angry I came calling him, without speaking anything."

Thereupon the woman having been silent that day, on the next day began to scold the Hettirala and the Prince. The Hettirala having thought, "Should I remain causing this fool to stay he will cause much loss to me. Having gone, taking him, and having spoken to my son-in-law, I must put him in a ship and send him away." Having thought thus, and having spoken to the Hettirala's wife, he says, "Don't you scold; I am sending him away soon." Thereupon the woman remained without making any talk.

Then the Hettirala says, "Taking him I must go to-morrow or the next day; having prepared a suitable thing (food) for it give me it." Thereupon the woman having gone, and very well prepared a food box to give to her daughter and son-in-law, and for these two persons to eat for food on the road a package of cooked rice, gave him them.

The Hettirala tied them well, and taking also a suit (coat and cloth, kuttamak) of the Hettirala's new clothes to wear when they got near the son-in-law's house, and having tied them in one bundle, and called the Prince, he says, "We two must go on a journey and return. Can you go?"

When he asked the Prince, the Prince says, "It is good; I can go."

The Hettirala having said, "If so, take these two bundles," gave him the two packages. Just as he is taking the two bundles in his hand, the Prince asks, "What are these?"

Thereupon the Hettirala says, "One bundle is my clothes; one is things for us for the road, to eat."

The Prince taking them, when he was starting to go on the journey the Hettirala's wife gave him yet a package. The Prince asks, "What is this?"

Thereupon the woman says, "For our son-in-law there is need of snakes' eggs; in that packet there are snakes' eggs. Having gone, give that packet into either son-in-law's hand or daughter's hand." The Prince, taking the packet, put it away.

The Hettirala, dressing well, mounted upon the back of a horse, and calling the Prince went off. When he had gone a considerable distance, the Prince alone ate the package which she prepared and gave him to eat for the road. Taking the food which was in the packet that she told him to give to the son-in-law, having said they were snakes' eggs, he ate of them to the possible extent; and having thrown the remaining ones there and here, and seen an ant-hill on the path when coming, he broke a stick, and taking it, prodding and prodding [the ground] round the ant-hill he began to cry out. The Hettirala having turned back, when he looked the Prince says, "The snakes that were in this packet, look! they entered this ant-hill!" Thereupon the Hettirala, ascertaining that he is telling lies, having said, "It is good; if so, you come on," calling him, goes on.

At that time, the time for eating cooked rice at noon having arrived, the Hettirala, stopping the horse, said, "Bola, I am now hungry. Take out even the packet which you brought to eat for the road."

Thereupon to the Hettirala the Prince says, "Hetti-elder-brother, what is this you say? Because you said, 'They are for the road, to eat,' I threw them away for the road to eat, and came. For eating for the road, what shall we eat?"

Well then, much anger having gone to the Hettirala, because there was not a thing to do he said, "If so, come, to go."

As they were going, the Hettirala, having hunger which he was unable to bear, says to the Prince, "Bola, can you climb this tree, and pluck a young coconut for me and give it?" Thereupon the Prince says, "I can."

Having climbed the tree, and gone round the stems of the branches of the tree, holding two stems firmly, with his two feet he began to kick down the clusters of [ripe] coconuts into the jungle, and the clusters of young coconuts into the jungle. Thereupon the Hettirala having descended from the horse's back, began to shout, "Ha! Ha! Don't pluck them, don't pluck them!" At that time the person who owned the place having come, prepared to beat him.

Thereupon the Hettirala says, "It is I who sent him up the tree to make him pluck a young coconut. He is a great fool; don't beat him."

The man, treating with respect the Hettirala's saying, said, "It is good. If so, having eaten as many young coconuts as possible, go ye"; and the man went away.

Thereupon the Prince having eaten young coconut with the Hettirala, when they set off to go the Hettirala says, "Having struck [thy hand] on my head, swear thou in such a way that thou wilt not go [in future] by even a foot-bridge (edanda) in which a coconut trunk is laid, putting [out of consideration] going up a coconut tree."

Thereupon the Prince having struck on the Hettirala's head, swears, "I will not go up a coconut tree, and I will not go by a foot-bridge in which a coconut trunk is placed." Having sworn this, they began to go.

When going they met with a bridge in which a great many coconut trunks were placed. The Hettirala having gone to the other side, spoke to the Prince, [telling him to follow]. Thereupon the Prince says, "Ane! I cannot come. Having struck on the head of the Hetti-elder-brother and sworn, how can I come?"

Thereupon the Hettirala having descended from the back of the horse, came [across]; and lifting up the Prince and having gone [over], placed him on the other side. Through that disturbance the cloth that was on the Hettirala's head fell on the ground. The Hettirala did not see it. The Prince having seen that the cloth fell, took it with his foot, and having thrown it into the bush went on.

When going a considerable distance, ascertaining that the cloth on the Hettirala's head was not [there], he asks the Prince, "My cloth fell on the ground; didn't you see it?"

Thereupon the Prince says, "The thing which the Hetti-elder-brother has thrown away when coming, why should I bring? I threw it into the bush with my foot."

Then the Hettirala says, "Since you threw away the cloth and came, beginning from this time when anything has fallen from us don't leave it and come."

The Prince says, "It is good. If so, beginning from this time, without throwing it away I will bring it."

Beginning from there, taking the horse-dung and earth from the staling-place he went along putting and putting them in the Hettirala's clothes box. Having gone there, when they came near the house of the Hettirala's daughter, [the Hettirala] having spoken to the Prince asking for the bundle of clothes, he unfastened it. When he looked, he saw that the horse-dung and mud were in the bundle of clothes, and much anger having gone to the Hettirala, he said, "Æ! Enemy, what is this?"

Thereupon the Prince says, "What, Hetti-elder-brother, are you saying? At first you said, 'Don't throw away anything that falls from us.' What is this thing you are saying now?"

Then the Hettirala thought to himself the word he said at the beginning was wrong; bearing it because of it, he says, "With these clothes on my back I cannot go to the house of son-in-law's people. My clothes are very dirty. I shall come when it has become night. Thou having gone immediately (daemmama) say that I am coming." Having said [this], and told the Prince the road going to the house, he started him.

Thereupon the Prince having gone to that house and having spoken, says, "The Hetti-elder-brother started and came in order to come with me. Thereupon he got a stomach-ache. [240] Before this also [241] he got a stomach-ache. The Hetti-elder-brother having told me the medical treatment he applies for the stomach-ache, and started me quickly, sent me to prepare the medicine," he said.

Thereupon the Hettirala's daughter having become much afraid, asked, "What is the medicine?"

The Prince says, "Don't be afraid; it is not a difficult medicine [to prepare]. Taking both coconut oil of seven years and the dust of Ma-Vi (the largest kind of paddy), and having ground them together, when you have made ball-cakes (aggala), and placed them [ready], it will do; that indeed is the medicine. Don't give him any other thing to eat."

Thereupon, the Hettirala's daughter very quickly having ground up coconut oil and Ma-Vi dust, and made ball-cakes, placed them [ready]. When, after a very long time, the Hettirala came, quickly having given him to wash his face, hands, and feet, as soon as he had finished she gave him that ball-cake to eat.

Thereupon the Hettirala thinks, "My daughter and son-in-law having become very poor, are now without a thing also to eat"; but through shame to ask he remained without speaking. Well, then, at the time for eating rice at night, although the whole of the [other] persons ate cooked rice and finished, she did not give cooked rice to the Hettirala. Having made ready [the necessary things,--mat and pillow]--to sleep, only, she gave them.

The Hettirala lay down. Having been in hunger during the daytime and night, when he had eaten the ball-cakes he began [to experience the purgative effect of the oil]. After he had [been affected] four or five times, being without water to wash his hands and feet, having spoken to the Prince he asks, "Bola, the water is finished; there is not a means to wash my hands and feet. Didn't you see a place where there is water?"

Thereupon the Prince says, "I saw it. There is a sort of water-pot." Having gone to the place where there are pots of palm juice, and filled a cooking pot, he brought the palm juice, and saying it was water gave it.

Thereupon the whole of his body having been smeared with the palm juice, he says, "Bola, this is not water; it is a sort of palm juice. Seek something to wipe this, and give me it."

Then the Prince having torn in two the pillow that was [there] for placing the head upon, gave him the cotton to wipe off the palm juice. When the Hettirala was wiping off the palm juice with the cotton, the palm juice and cotton having held together, it became more difficult than it was. Thereupon having become very angry with the Prince, and having looked to that and this hand, finding a little water and slightly washing himself he came to the bed, and made ready to go to sleep. Again [the purgative affected him violently, and he was compelled to utilise a cooking-pot which the Prince brought him]. When he was removing it in the early morning, unobserved by the people at the house, [the Prince] having gone running says to the Hettirala's daughter, "Look there. Last night it was very difficult for your father. Having become angry that you did not pay attention to him he is going away."

Thereupon the Hettirala's daughter having gone, embraced the Hettirala. When she embraced him, the Hettirala and the Hettirala's daughter were [befouled by the contents of the vessel].

The Hettirala having become very angry said, "He having done me much injury until this time, now he smeared this on my body, didn't he?" Being unable to bear it, and having told his son-in-law all these matters in secret, "Taking him, we will go away and put him in a distant country," he said.

The son-in-law having said, "It is good," and having spoken to the Prince, says, "We two are to go on a journey. The three [of us] having gone together, let us return." So saying, on the following day after that, the Hettirala, and the Prince, and the Hettirala's son-in-law, the three persons together, went to the wharf (naew-totta).

Thereupon the Prince thought, "Now then, it is not good; I must spring off and go." Having thought [this], when he said to the two persons, "I must go aside [for necessary reasons]," the two said, "If so, having gone, come back."

Having gone running from there to the place where the Hettirala's daughter is, he says, "They told me to ask for the money which he gave yesterday to be put away, and to go back quickly." Having said it, asking for [and getting] the money from the Hettiya's daughter, he bounded off and ran, and in much time arrived at his city.

The Hettirala and the Hettirala's son-in-law having remained looking till the Prince comes, said, "Let that fool go to any place he wants." When they went home, ascertaining that he went [after] taking the money also, [they searched until] they became much fatigued, but did not succeed in finding him.

The Minister-Prince, who having joined with the royal Prince went away, [after] trading very well and gaining profit, again arrived in happiness at the city. Having seen the royal Prince, while the two are [there], having discussed each other's happiness and sorrow, and binding their friendship in the very first manner, when the royal Prince's father the King died, the royal Prince was appointed to the sovereignty, and gave the post of Chief Minister to the Minister-Prince.

Western Province.

(By Saddhunanda Sthavira of Ratmalana Wihara.)

In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 149, a young man who went to gamble lost everything he possessed, and was himself made a prisoner until he was rescued by his wife.

Regarding some of the Hettirala's experiences, see the story of the Moghul and his servant, of which a condensed account is appended to the tale numbered 195 in this volume.

In "The Story of Hokka," given by Mr. W. Goonetilleke in The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 131 ff., there is the incident of the tying up of the cattle. The order of the Gamarala was that the man was to look after them, but the Sinhalese word balapiya means also "look at," and the servant acted accordingly after tying up the cattle, the result being that they were too weak to stand when the Gamarala went to inspect them.

NO. 242

PRINCE SOKKA [242]

At a certain city, a lion having been caught by the King of the city had been put in a house. While the King's Prince and the Minister's Prince were playing at ball near the house in which was the lion, the royal Prince's ball fell into the cage in which the lion is lying. Thereupon the Prince asked the lion for the ball. Then the lion said, "Should you let me go I will give the ball." Then the Prince having said, "It is good," and having cheated him, asking for [and getting] the ball remained without letting the lion go.

Having come on the following day, while those two were playing at ball, that day, also, the royal Prince's ball went and fell at the place where the lion is. The Prince that day also asked the lion for the ball.

At that time the lion says, "You shall not cheat me as on that day, indeed; to-day indeed, unless you let me go I shall not give it." Then the Prince having let the lion go, asking for [and getting] the ball, played.

The King having come, when he looked the lion was not [there]. "Where is the lion?" the King asked the party of Ministers. The party of Ministers said, "By the Prince the lion [was] sent away."

Then the King having said, "Should the disobedient Prince remain at this palace I will kill him," sorrow seized the Queen regarding it, and having given the Prince expenses, and given him also a horse, and said, "Having gone to any country you like, get a living," sent him off.

The Prince having mounted on the horse, when he was going the Minister-Prince (son of the Minister), the friend of the Prince, asked, "Where are you going?"

Then the Prince says, "Having been guilty of sending away the lion, it has occurred that I am to go away, not staying in this country."

Thereupon, the Minister-Prince, having said, "If my friend the Prince be not here my remaining is not proper," set off to go with the Prince.

Having set out, when the two had gone a little far together, [they saw that] a letter had been written, and fixed on a tree. Having taken the letter, when they looked in it there was said that should one go to the right district good will happen, should one go to the left district evil will happen. Thereupon, having looked at the letter the Minister-Prince went to the right district, the royal Prince went to the left district.

While the royal Prince was going he met with a gambling place. He, also, having gone there gambled. Having gambled he lost all the money he took. After that, being without money, while he was staying looking on, owing to a rich Hettiya's being there he sold him the horse, and taking the money played [again]. That also he lost.

After that, having written himself as the slave of the Hettiya, and having said, "Should I be unable to bring back the money I will do slave work," taking the money he gambled [again]. That also he lost.

At that time, the Hettiya, having mounted upon the horse, calling the Prince for the horsekeepership went away. The Hettiya having gone home established the name "Sokka" [243] for the Prince.

That Sokka he told to look after the horse, having well attended to it and bathed it. That Sokka not giving food and water to the horse, the horse went decrepit. Owing to it, the Hettirala having become angry, said, "Sokka, you cannot look after the horse. Because of it, work you in the flower garden."

Then Sokka says, "Hettiralahami, in our kingdom it was that very work that was mine. I am much accustomed to it." Having said this he took charge. [After] taking charge, every day uprooting and uprooting the best (lit., good good) flower trees (plants) he began to plant [them afresh].

The Hettirala having gone one day, when he looked saw that all the flower trees had died. Having said, "Sokka, thou canst not [do] this work; thou hast completely done for my flower garden," he beat him.

He said, "After that, that work is of no use for thee," and gave him charge of a plantain garden. Having handed it over he said, "Sell the plantains; having brought the money thou art to give it to me."

Then Sokka said, "It is good, Hettiralahami; I am accustomed to that work."

Well then, what does that Sokka do? Leaving aside the ripe plantains, having cut the immature plantains he takes them to the shop. No one taking them, having brought them back he throws them away. By this means, all the plantain garden went to waste.

The Hettirala having gone one day, when he looked the plantain garden had been destroyed. Thereupon, having called Sokka, and having said, "Where is the revenue obtained from this? Thou art a Yaka come to eat me," he became angry, and scolded him.

Having said, "Thou canst not do that work. Look here (Menna); from to-day attend thou to the grazing of these cattle," he gave him charge of them.

Then Sokka, having said, "It is good, Hettiralahami. In our country I do that for a livelihood; I am well accustomed to it," took charge of them. Taking charge, he went driving the cattle to the jungle.

Having gone there he looked for a bull to eat, and having killed it, cutting a haunch he came home [with it]. At that time the Hettirala having seen the haunch of flesh, asked, "What is that, Sokka?"

Then Sokka says, "As I was going a leopard was [there], seizing a deer. Then I said 'Hu.' Then the leopard sprang off and ran away. After that, because I was unable to bring it I came [after] cutting off a haunch."

Thereupon the Hettiralahami said, "Sokka, it is good," and stroked his head, and said, "Give ye abundantly to eat to Sokka."

By that method he began to bring the haunch every day, one by one. The Hettirala and the Hetti-woman on those days were very kind to Sokka.

When a few days had gone, because of the eating of the deer's meat it appeared that the cattle of the herd were finished. Then, having called Sokka, he asked, "Where are the cattle?"

Sokka says, "I could not drive the cattle to the stalls; they are in the jungle."

The Hettirala, not trusting the word he said, went into the jungle to look at the cattle. When he was going, the stench [of the dead bodies] began to strike him to the extent that he was unable to go into the jungle. Having gone in, when he looked he saw that there are the heads and legs of the cattle. "Sokka is good! I ate the meat. I must kill Sokka," he got into his mind.

The Hettirala had taken a contract to give firewood to a ship. He told Sokka to cut firewood by the yard account for the ship. Because he must give firewood once a month, having cut the firewood by the yard account he was to heap it up. At that time, Sokka, having said, "It is very good, Hettiralahami," taking that work also, went for cutting firewood.

The ship came after a month. The Hettirala went and looked, in order to give the firewood. There were only three or four yards of firewood; there was no firewood to give to the ship. When the ship person, having called the Hettirala, asked for the firewood, there being no firewood to give a great fault occurred. Having fined the Hettirala he destroyed the firewood contract.

"After Sokka came there was great loss of money; this one lost it. I must kill him," the Hettirala got into his mind.

Getting it in his mind, he said to the Hetti-woman, "I am going to the quarter in which younger sister is. Having prepared something to eat on the road please give me it." The Hetti-woman having prepared a box of sugared food, and made ready a box of clothes, and tied them as a pingo (carrying stick) load, placed [them ready].

The Hettirala having arisen at dawn in the morning and mounted on horse-back, and said, "Sokka, taking that pingo load, come thou," the Hettirala went on horse-back in front.

Sokka, while going on and on (yaddi yaddi), ate the sugared food until the box was finished. When going a little far in that manner, the whip that was in the Hettirala's hand fell down. Sokka picked it up and threw it into the jungle.

The Hettirala, having gone a little far, asked, "Where [is the whip], Bola? You met with it."

Thereupon Sokka said, "I don't know; there is no whip."

Then the Hettirala having become angry, said, "Thou must bring anything that falls, whether from me or from the horse," and he scolded him.

After that, Sokka picked up the dung which the horse dropped, and began to put it in the clothes box. In that way and this way, at noon the time for eating came.

On that road there was a travellers' shed. For the purpose of eating food at that travellers' shed they halted. Having opened the box in order to eat, when [the Hettirala] looked there was nothing of food in the box. "Where is the food that was in this?" he asked Sokka.

Sokka said, "I don't know what was [in it] when it was given to me, indeed."

The Hettirala being very hungry, and in anger with Sokka also, started to go. Having gone, when they were coming near his younger sister's village he said to Sokka, "Go thou, and tell them to be quick and cook a little food because I am fatigued."

Then Sokka having gone said to the Hettirala's younger sister and brother-in-law, "The Hettirala is coming; as he has become ill he is coming. Because of it, he does not eat anything. He said that having removed the shells from unripe pulse and prepared balls of it, you are to place them [ready]; and that having killed a fowl for me I am to eat it with cooked rice, he said. The Hettirala at night is himself accustomed to salt gruel."

Afterwards that party, having prepared them, gave them in the evening. The Hettirala because of fatigue having eaten these things and drunk a great deal of salt gruel, went to sleep. (It is necessary to draw a veil over the nocturnal difficulties of the Hettirala owing to the purgative action of his evening's repast. In the morning) the Hettirala thought to himself, "It is Sokka himself makes the whole of these traps. Because of it I must kill him."

Well then, having said, "We must go," and having opened the clothes box, when he looked horse-dung had been put [in it]. Then at the time when the Hettirala asked, "Sokka, what is this?" he said, "That day you told me to take anything that falls from the Hettirala or from the horse. Because of it I put these things away; I put them in that, without omitting one."

After that, having set off, they went away to go home. Having gone a considerable distance, when they were approaching the house he said to Sokka, "Go thou, and as there has been no food for me for two days or three days, tell grandmother to prepare something for food."

Having said "Ha," Sokka having gone running, says, "Grandmother, madness having seized him, the Hettirala is coming. No one can speak [to him]; then he beats them. You will be unable to be rid of it." He said all these words.

Then the grandmother asked, "What, Sokka, shall we do for it?"

Thereupon Sokka says, "Putting on a black cloth and a black jacket, take two handfuls of branches, and without speaking having gone in front of him, please wave them."

Having said it and come running back to the Hettirala, he said, "Hettiralahami, there is no means of doing anything in that way. Madness having seized grandmother she is dancing, [after] putting on a black cloth and a black jacket, and breaking two handfuls of branches."

When the Hettirala was asking at the hand of Sokka, "What shall I do for it?" Sokka said, "Breaking two handfuls of branches, and having gone without even speaking, please strike them on the head of grandmother."

Thereupon the Hettirala, having gone in that very way, without speaking began to beat her. The grandmother also began to beat the Hettirala. In this way constantly for half a day they beat each other. Afterwards having recovered their reason, when he learnt, while they were speaking, that it was a work of Sokka's, he thought of injuring him.

On the following day after that, he wrote a letter to the Hettirala's brother-in-law: "In some way or other please kill the person who brings this letter." Having said, "Go and give this letter, and bring a reply from brother-in-law," he gave it into Sokka's hand.

Sokka, taking the letter, went to a travellers' shed on the road. While he was there yet [another] man came there. Having broken open this letter and shown it to the man, he asked, "What things are in this letter?"

The man, having looked at the letter, said, "'The person who brings this letter has caused a loss to me of three or four thousand pounds.' Because of it, it is said [that he is] to kill him."

Thereupon Sokka, having thrown the letter away, went to a house, and asking for pen and ink and having come back, told that man and caused him to write the [following] letter:--"The person who brings this letter has been of great assistance to me. Because of it, having given to him your daughter [in marriage], give him a half share of your landed property." Having taken it and gone, he gave it.

Thereupon the Hettirala's brother-in-law having looked at the letter and having been pleased, married to him and gave him his eldest daughter; [244] and having given him a half share of his money, and told him to go again to the place where this Hettiya is, sent him away.

Well then, the Prince whom the Hettiya caught, taking his Hetti wife, went away to the district where the Minister-Prince is.

Western Province.

In the Aventures du Gourou Paramarta (Dubois), p. 312, while the Guru and his foolish disciples were on a journey, the Guru being on horseback, the branch of a tree caught his turban, and it fell down. Thinking his disciples would pick it up he said nothing at the time. As he had previously told them to do nothing without orders, however, they left it. When he afterwards asked for it and found it was not brought, he scolded them, and sent one to fetch it, at the same time giving them orders to pick up everything that fell from the horse. While the disciple was returning with the turban he accordingly collected and stored in it the horse's droppings that he found on the road, and handed over the bundle to his master. The Guru made them wash the turban, and told them when they grumbled at being reprimanded for obeying his orders, "There are articles that are worthy of being picked up, and others that are unworthy of it."

In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 81, two brothers who had run away from home came to a place where the road bifurcated, and found there an inscription on a stone, which contained a warning that one of the roads should be avoided. The adventurous elder brother went on this road and was robbed by a witch; the younger one selected the other, and after being wrecked became a King.

In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 131 ff., Mr. W. Goonetilleke gave "The Story of Hokka," in which the man who was sent in advance to announce the coming of the Gamarala, told the daughter that he could take only paddy dust. He left in anger on the following morning, and sent Hokka to let his wife know of his return. Hokka advised her to meet her husband clothed in rags and sitting on an edanda, or foot-bridge. In the dusk, Hokka, who was in front, kicked her off, calling her "Bitch," and she fell into the stream and was drowned, the Gamarala thinking it was a dog. The Gamarala had previously mutilated Hokka's elder brother, as related in No. 195, and Hokka was determined to have his revenge.

The portion omitted on p. 290 will be found at the end of the Additional Notes, by those who wish to see how the villager treats such matters.

NO. 243

THE AFFECTIONATE PRINCE

In a certain city there was a King; the King was married. If the Queen bore a Prince they rear the Prince; if she bore a Princess, at the very time when she was born, [even] should she be alive, they bury her. This order is a thing commanded by the King.

The King's Queen formerly having given birth to a first-born Prince, and having reared him and been satisfied with him, he continued to stay there. During the time while he was there the Queen bore yet a Princess.

Then the King told them to bury the Princess. The midwife having given her into the hand of a man told him to bury her. So the man in order to bury the Princess took her and went to the burial ground.

At that very time, as the elder Prince of the King, who had been for sport, was coming back, he saw that this man [after] putting this Princess into a bundle was going to the ground for new burials; and he asked the man, "What is that you are going with, [after] making it into a bundle?"

The man said, "In this bundle is your younger sister, Sir."

Then the Prince said, "Ane! Stop there for me to look at her a little." So the man stopped.

When this Prince went and looked, she was a Princess who was beautiful to the extent that through sorrow he could not look at her. Thereupon asking the man for the Princess, what does this Prince do? Having given her to another woman, having given sufficient hire for it, he said, "Having very thoroughly brought her up until she reaches maturity, not showing her to anyone, hand her over to me." The woman said. "It is good."

Well then, the Princess in not much time had reached maturity. After that, this Prince, sewing suitable robes for the Princess, came, and causing the Princess to put them on went with her to the palace at which he stayed.

Then the King, having become angry at the Prince, contrived a stratagem to kill her, that is, he wrote to a great person of the city, "My Princess is [here]. To kill the Princess make ready an eating (feast) at your house, and having put poison into the food for the Princess send a letter to all of us to come for the eating."