In a certain country a Gamarala was continually quarrelling with his
wife. In the Gamarala a disposition was manifested for ascertaining
the motives of others.
At the Gamarala's house there were twelve hens for one cock. One day,
the two old people quarrelling while the Gamarala is on the raised
veranda, the cock says to the hens, "Ane! What a fool this Gamarala
is! I am keeping in order twelve wives; my master is unable to keep
in order one wife. Should my wives make a disturbance I will beat
the whole of them well," he said.
The Gamarala having understood the motive for which the cock said it,
and shame having been produced, went into the house and beat his wife
well. After that, the woman and the Gamarala without a quarrel dwelt
excellently [together].
Although this Gamarala can ascertain the motive in the minds of others,
he does not tell it at any time to anybody. One day, the Gamarala and
his wife having gone to the cattle shed (gawa maduwa), while they were
[there] an ass asked a bull that having ploughed from morning was
brought and tied [there], "Friend, is that work very difficult?" The
friend to that remark says, "At present I have not strength to walk,"
he said.
The Gamarala having understood that talk laughed. His wife teased
him much and asked the reason why he laughed. Because of the woman's
plaguing him the Gamarala said, "I laughed because this bull grinned
at the cow."
Uva Province.
In the Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed., vol. i, p. 13), a merchant
heard an ass advise a bull to feign sickness and refuse to draw the
plough or to eat, so as to get a holiday. He made the ass pull the
plough all day in its place. The ass then said to the bull that
their master had ordered the bull to be killed if it refused to
plough again, and the merchant laughed until he fell on his back. His
wife pestered him for the reason, which he could not give on pain of
instant death. As he was about to tell her, the dog rebuked a cock
for crowing and flapping its wings when their master was going to
die. The cock replied that if their master would give his wife a good
beating with mulberry twigs he might enjoy life in peace. The merchant
accordingly beat her until she was nearly senseless, and she became
"submissive as a wife should be."