In a certain country, when seven elder sisters and younger sisters,
fastening on bangles (at-wael) are going along, a woman having been
near the well asked, "Where are they [178] going?"
Then the seven elder sisters and younger sisters said, "We are going
to seek for ourselves seven elder brothers and younger brothers."
Then this woman said, "There are seven elder brothers and younger
brothers of mine." Having said, "Let us go, if so, to our house," and
having gone calling the seven persons and sent them to seven houses
(rooms), she lowered [from the corn store] seven [mat] boxes of paddy,
and gave them.
The seven persons having boiled the paddy, and said, "Sister-in-law,
look after this," [179] and spread it out to dry, the seven went for
firewood. Having gone there they spoke, "Let us find a means [180]
of killing sister-in-law."
There was a Brown Monkey (rilawa); catching the monkey they brought
it home.
This younger sister having gone to sleep and a great rain having
rained, all the paddy was washed away. [181] When those seven persons
having come looked, all the paddy had been washed away.
After that, the seven persons again having lowered paddy [from the
corn-store], when they were pounding the paddy raw (lit., hard)
that younger sister awoke. Having awoke thus, she asked at the hand
of those seven, "Sister-in-law, is there cooked rice?"
Then the women said, "Is there cooked rice in our hand? It is in the
cooking pot, isn't it?" The women having previously (lit., betimes)
broken up bits of potsherds, and put them in the drinking kettle,
and put it away, are pounding paddy.
Afterwards that sister-in-law having gone and eaten the cooked rice,
and said, "Sister-in-law, give me water," these women said, "Is it
in our hand? It is in the house, in the drinking kettle; take it
and drink."
Afterwards the sister-in-law having taken the drinking kettle, when
she was drinking the water the pieces of potsherds stuck in her throat.
These seven persons spoke, "Should that one's elder brothers come,
indeed, we shall be unable to kill her. Before they come let us kill
her." Having spoken thus, and having put the sister-in-law and that
monkey into a bag and tied it, they hung it at the ridge pole. Having
hung it, after the seven persons were pounding paddy the seven strike
seven blows with the rice pestles at the bag. At the number they are
striking, that monkey, jumping and jumping, scratches that woman who
is in the bag. He having scratched her, afterwards blood descends from
the bag. Then the seven persons having said, "Now then, it is bad
[for her] to be [thus]; having released her let us put her down,"
having unfastened the bag, put down the sister-in-law at the veranda.
Then the sister-in-law's elder brothers came home. Having come there
the eldest brother asked, "Where is our younger sister?"
Then these seven women said, "We don't know. Having gone behind
Rodiyas, and her caste having [thus] fallen, there! she is weeping
and weeping in the direction of the veranda."
Afterwards the eldest elder brother having gone, "What, younger sister,
happened to you?" he asked at the hand of the younger sister.
The younger sister cannot speak, because a sharp piece of potsherd has
stuck in her throat. The whole seven elder brothers having gone, spoke
[to her]. Because she did not speak, the eldest elder brother said,
"Who can cut [and kill] this younger sister?" The whole five other
elder brothers said they could not; the young elder brother said,
"I indeed can."
Having said it, causing them to cook a bundle of rice, calling the
younger sister also, and taking the sword, and taking the bundle of
cooked rice, he went [with her] to a forest jungle (himalekata). Having
gone there he said to the younger sister, "Younger sister, [for me]
to look for lice on your head lie down." Afterwards the younger sister
lay down; well then, the elder brother began to smash the lice. Then
sleep went to the younger sister.
Afterwards the elder brother having placed the younger sister's head
very softly on the ground, and having cut a Rat-snake on the path he
was coming on, [after] smearing the blood on the sword he showed the
sword to the people who were at home.
Afterwards that younger sister having awoke, when she looked her
elder brother was not [there], in the midst of the forest. Well then,
weeping and weeping, taking also the bundle of cooked rice, having
bounded to a path she began to go.
Having gone thus,--there is a city called "The City the Rakshasa
eats"; there is an alms-hall at that city,--having gone, she arrived
there. There, having eaten that bundle of cooked rice, and having
joined herself to the people who are giving alms, she began to
give alms.
The eyes of the whole of these seven elder brothers and seven women
became blind. After that, news reached those persons that there is
an alms-hall of the city the Rakshasa eats. After that, they very
fourteen persons went near the alms-hall.
That sister-in-law also having gone in a diga [marriage], has
borne a child also. She having given food to this party, when that
sister-in-law and the sister-in-law's child were preparing (lit.,
making) to sleep, the child said to the sister-in-law, "Mother,
for me to hear it tell me a story."
Then the sister-in-law [said], "Son, what do I know? I will tell you
the things indeed that happened to me." So the son said, "It is good,
tell them."
Afterwards she told him all the matters that occurred to this
sister-in-law. Those seven elder brothers having heard the things she
says, and having said, "Ane! Our younger sister to-day is relating
our grandeur!" as soon as they gave the salutation "Sadhu!" the eyes
of the whole seven elder brothers became clear.
The eyes of the seven women did not become clear. The seven elder
brothers also stayed at the very city at which is the younger
sister. The seven women having been in much hunger they went and died.
Finished.
North-western Province.