"To that side of the island she was brought," he said.
The whole three having been [there] a few days, the three spoke
together: "Let us go to seek our younger sister."
Having said, "It is good," while the whole three are going along
eating and eating the two packets of cakes that they brought, the
two elder ones, having seen that the two packets of cakes are coming
to be finished, said to the younger brother, "Our cakes are coming
to be finished. You go along this path, and return [after] seeking
something for us to eat," they said.
Three-cubits went; he went to seek some food, and return. When
going, he went to the house of the Kudu Hettirala [214] of that
village. Having gone he said, "Ane! Hettiralahami, the food we brought
became finished. You must give something for us to eat for the present
on the road."
When he said it, there was much paddy dust at the house of the
Hettirala's people. The Hettirala told them to give a little of
it. Then he made a large bag (olaguwak), and putting in it paddy
powder to the extent it holds, when he was coming he saw (dituwaya)
a large tree in the midst of the jungle. When coming near the tree he
saw a bats' place. When he looked there, having seen that many bats'
skins had fallen down, those also in a sufficient quantity he put
into the bag.
When he was coming [after] putting them in, he saw that both One-cubit
and Two-cubits, being without food, were sitting at the root of a
tree. When he asked, "What are you doing here?" "Until you came we
were looking out at the road," they said.
When they asked, "What is there for us to eat?" "Only paddy dust and
bats' skins," he said.
"What are we to do? Let us go, eating and eating even those,"
they said.
When they were going very far in that manner, having seen that a man
is bringing an ass to sell, said Three-cubits, "One-cubit, Two-cubits,
you must take that ass and give it to me," he said; "if not, I will
not come to look for younger sister," he said. Then, taking the ass
they gave him it.
When going still further having seen that a man is bringing two
flat winnowing trays, "One-cubit, Two-cubits, having taken those two
winnowing trays, you must give them to me," he said. Taking also the
two winnowing trays they gave him them.
When going still a little further, having seen that they are bringing
two bundles of creepers, he told them to take them also, and give him
them. Taking them also, when going on having seen that yet [another]
man was bringing a tom-tom, he told them to take that also, and give
him it. Taking that also, they gave him it.
Having seen that still a man was bringing two elephant's tusks,
he told them to take them also, and give him them. Taking them also
they gave him them.
When going still a little further, having seen that a man was taking
porcupine quills, he told them to ask for and give him a few of those
also. They asked for and gave them.
When going still a little further, having seen that there were two
red ants' nests in a tree, "Please break and give these also to me,"
he said. Those also they broke off and gave.
When they gave them, having made two wallets, and put the things in the
two wallets, tying them well and loading all on the back of the ass,
as they were going very far they met with an old mother. Having met
with her she asked, "Ane! where are you going on this path? This path
is a path going to the house of the Rakshasa. Should you go [on it]
the Rakshasa will kill and eat you," she said.
Then they say, "It is on this path itself that our younger sister
will be. Let us go on. If the Rakshasa kill us let him kill."
Having said [this], the three persons having gone on and on, when
they were going met with a great big house. The three spoke together:
"It has now become night. Having stayed at a resting-place at this
house, let us go on in the morning to-morrow," they said.
Having said, "It is good," when they went near the house the Rakshasa's
wife asked, "Who are you? Where are you going? What came you here for?"
"We are One-cubit, Two-cubits, Three-cubits. Our younger sister,
Four-cubits, having been in the island, a Rakshasa brought her away. We
are going seeking her," they said.
"Ane! My elder brothers, (ayiyandila)! Did you come seeking me?" Having
said, "It is I myself," holding her elder brothers she smelt [215]
them, and said, "Apoyi! When the Rakshasa has come now he will eat
you." Having quickly called them into the house, she told the whole of
them (seramanta) to ascend to the upper room (uda geta), and remain
[there]. Even the ass they took up. "When the Rakshasa has gone in
the morning we can talk together," she said.
Having said [this], the younger sister, having gone outside, and made
fast and tied up the stile, and come back quickly, and given her elder
brothers to eat, became as though not knowing anything [about them].
While she was there, when the Rakshasa is coming saying "Hu" three
times, the three elder brothers were frightened. The ass was more
frightened than that; it began to move about.
Then the younger sister says, "Elder brother, there! The Rakshasa is
coming! Remain without moving about until it becomes light to-morrow."
"It is good, younger sister," Three-cubits, the youngest elder
brother, said.
There! When that little time was going the Rakshasa came. Washing his
face and mouth, he sat down to eat food. Having sat down, eating and
eating food, he says, "There is a smell of human flesh; there is a
smell of human flesh."
Then the Rakshasi says, "If you eat human flesh, and in your mouth
there is human flesh, and in your hand there is human flesh, is there
not a smell of human flesh?"
"No, it is a smell of fresh human flesh."
When the Rakshasi said, "If so, it is to eat me you say that," the
Rakshasa, having eaten without speaking, rolled over at that very
place and went to sleep.
All One-cubit's party (Ekriyanala), through the fatigue of the journey,
the whole of them (seramantama) went fast asleep. When a little time
is going by, a red ant (dimiya) having come out of a red ants' nest,
and as it was going along having climbed up the ass's leg, the red
ant bit it. Then the ass, making a sound "Tok, tok," began to kick
the boards [of the floor].
Then One-cubit opened his eyes. When he was looking what was the noise,
it was the noise of the ass kicking. Then One-cubit held the legs of
the ass, for it not to make the noise.