In the Wanni country, in the north-western quarter of the Island of
Lanka (Ceylon), there is a village called Andara-waewa. In that village
a giant was born. His parents, cherishing him, reared the child.
While the child is at the age for playing seated, he eats about two
quarts of cooked rice [daily]. At the walking age he eats about three
quarts of cooked rice. While seven years of age he eats about four
quarts of cooked rice.
Having gone with children who walked about for amusement, having caught
hares and mouse-deer, and struck them on the ground, killing them, he
brings them [home]. After he has brought them, his two parents ask,
"Whence, son, are these?" Then the child says, "Mother, having gone
running I seized them."
Thus, having been living in that manner, at the age of about twelve
years he said to his mother, "Mother, give me food [to enable me]
to go to cut a chena." So his mother gave him food.
The child having eaten the food, and gone to the jungle taking two
bill-hooks, cut the chena that very day. Having cut it, and come home,
he said to his mother, "Mother, I cut a chena. I don't know the time
for setting fire to it. Because of it, tell father to set fire to
the chena."
After that, his mother said, "Our son cut a chena. Set fire to it;
son does not know the time for setting fire [to it]." After that,
the man went and set fire to the chena.
This giant-child having gone, cut the fence [sticks] for the chena
in one day; on the next day he went, and sowed it till he finished
it. The sowing account was a paela (a quarter of an amuna of 5.7
bushels) of millet. [126]
On the next day he said to his mother, "Mother, I cut a chena indeed;
for the purpose of going and doing the work at a tawalla [127] also,
give me food." Afterwards his mother gave him food. Having eaten
the food, the child went to the tawalla, and put up earthen ridges
over the ground for [making a field large enough for sowing in it]
one and a half amunas (8.55 bushels) of paddy. [128] Having put them
up he came home.
Having gone on the following day, he made [the soil into] mud [129] [by
causing cattle to trample it]. Having made [it into] mud he came home.
Having come, he said to his mother, "Mother, place one and a half
amunas of paddy in water [to cause it to sprout] for sowing in the
tawalla." Afterwards his mother made the paddy sprout. This child took
the one and a half amunas of paddy, and sowed it that very day. In
the evening he came home.
On the following day he said to his mother, "Mother, give me food. I
indeed sowed the tawalla; there is still to build the watch-hut in
it." Afterwards his mother gave him food. The child ate the food,
and went to the tawalla. Having gone there, and that very day having
made the fence, and that very day having built the watch-hut, he came
home. Having eaten food, he went back to the watch-hut, and with his
own foot he sprinkles water over the amuna and a half of paddy. [130]
At that time the King caused a Mallawa [131] giant to be brought to
Kandy. Many men wrestled with the Mallawa giant and fell. After that,
the King said to the Ministers, "Go and find a thoroughly strong
giant, and come back." Afterwards the Ministers spread the news:
"Is there a giant able to wrestle with the Mallawa giant?"
Then certain men said, "At the village called Andara-waewa there is
a man called Hitihami, who eats the cooked rice from seven [quarts]
of rice. That man is good for wrestling with the Mallawa giant."
After they said it, the Ministers went to Andara-waewa to seek the
giant Hitihami. When they went there, the boy Hitihami was not at
home; only the giant's mother was there. They asked at the hand of
his mother, "Where is now Hitihami?" Then his mother said, "My son
went to the watch-hut at the tawalla."
After that, the Ministers went to the tawalla to seek him. As they
were going there they saw Hitihami sprinkling water for the tawalla
with his foot. Thereupon the Ministers went to the place where
Hitihami was sprinkling water. Having gone, the Ministers asked,
"Is it you they call Hitihami of Andara-waewa?"
Then Hitihami said, "Yes, it is I myself. What matter have you come
about?" he asked.
Then the Ministers said, "It has been arranged by the King [that you
are] to go for the Mallawa wrestling. Because of it, get ready [132]
for you to go."
After that, Hitihami having come home with the Ministers, asked at
the hand of his mother, "Mother, haven't you cooked yet?"
His mother said, "Son, I have not yet cooked. I have only boiled five
quarts of meneri."
Then Hitihami having [drunk] the milk taken from seven buffalo cows
in the large cooking-pot, and having eaten those five quarts of
boiled meneri, [after] washing his [right] hand and taking his betel
bag also, said to the Ministers, "Let us go;" and Hitihami and the
Ministers went.
At the time when they are going, there are a great many pumpkins at a
chena on the path. Having seen them, Hitihami, plucking four pumpkins
also and continuing to eat them, went to Kandy.
The Ministers who went with him said to the King, "Hitihami of
Andara-waewa has come."
The King told Hitihami to come near, and said, "Can you wrestle with
the Mallawa one?"
Then Hitihami replied, "Putting one Mallawa person [out of
consideration], should seven come I am not afraid." After that,
the King told him to go for the wrestling with the Mallawa one.
As soon as Hitihami went, he seized the Mallawa one. Then the
bones of the Mallawa one were broken. The King said, "A! Kill not
my Mallawa one!" So Hitihami let go. The Mallawa one having died,
fell on the ground.
After that, the King was displeased with Hitihami. Having become
displeased he said to the Ministers, "You must put Hitihami on the
other bank of the river (Mahawaeli-ganga)." The Ministers put Hitihami
on the other bank.
As Hitihami was coming away to his village, sixty persons having come
together for a paddy kayiya, [133] were at the foot of a tree. Hitihami
having gone there, asked, "What are you come together there for?"