mother is dead?" he asked. The boy said, "A fly was biting our mother's
head. I struck it with the rice pestle. Because of it she died." So
the Gamarala took the woman away and buried her.
Then he came home with the boy. Having arrived, the Gamarala told the
boy to make a pot of gruel. Having made the pot of gruel he told the
boy to take it, and they went to the jungle to cut fence sticks. The
man, cutting and cutting the fence sticks, told the boy to draw them
out, and throw them down. Then the boy, taking the fence sticks,
threw them into the river.
Taking the pot of gruel, and making a raised platform of sticks,
he placed it on it. The Gamarala said to the boy, "Now then, as you
have come here, go and drink gruel." Then the boy having gone under the
stick frame, and pierced the bottom of the pot, and made a hole through
it, placed his mouth under it, and drank a sufficient quantity. Still
the gruel comes from the pot, so the boy said to the pot of gruel,
"Father is there. Don't come out, gruel."
Having cut the fence sticks, the Gamarala came to drink gruel. There
was nothing in the gruel pot. He asked at the hand of the boy,
"Where, Ada! is the gruel?"
"The gruel went out while I was saying don't go," he said.
Then the Gamarala thought, "There is no need to keep this boy,"
and having beaten him he drove him away.
As the boy was going, weeping and weeping, he met with a Buddhist
monk. [111] There were two bundles in the Lord's hand. He told the
boy to take the couple of bundles. As the boy was carrying them he
asked at the hand of the Lord, "What is there in the bundles?"
"Palm-sugar packets, [112] and plantains," he said.
The Lord asked at the hand of the boy, "What is thy name?"
The boy said, "My name is Aewariyakka Mulakka."
As he was coming along from there the boy lagged behind. So the
monk spoke to the boy, "Aewariyakka Mulakka, Ada! Come on quickly,"
he said. Then the boy ate some packets of sugar, [113] and rows of
plantains. [114]
The monk having gone to the pansala (monk's residence), when he
looked [found that] packets of sugar and rows of plantains were
missing. "Ada! where are the other plantains and palm-sugar that were
in these?" he asked.
"Lord, I am a packet eater (Mulakka), and a first-row-of-plantains
eater (Aewariyakka)," he said. "I ate them." There and then, having
beaten the boy, he chased him away.
Then, as a washerwoman-aunt was washing clothes, she saw the boy
going along, and asked him, "Can you live at our house?" "I can,"
he said. She asked his name; Giya ("He went") he said was his name.
Having taken the washed clothes, and placed them in the house,
he asked at the hand of the mother for the [unwashed] clothes that
were in the house. She told him to come [and take them]. After the
boy had come in, the mother asked at the hand of the boy, "What is
your name?" The boy said, Awo ("He came"), and took the clothes away.
Afterwards, because both the clothes and the boy were missing,
[the washer-woman] having searched and looked for him, went home. On
account of her going late the washerman called her [and asked the
reason]. She said, "It is because of Giya" (the words might also mean,
"It is because he went"). A man who was in the house having heard it,
said, "Ada! He said Awo."
While both were saying, "Giya," "Awo," ("He went, he came"), the boy
took the clothes, and went to his village.
Duraya. North-western Province.
The fly-killing incident occurs in Indian Nights' Entertainment
(Swynnerton), p. 306, in which a Buneyr man killed an old woman by
throwing a stone at a fly that was on her face.
In the Jataka story No. 44 (vol. i, p. 116), a boy killed his father
by striking with an axe at a mosquito that had settled on his pate,
splitting his head at the blow. In the next Jataka tale, a girl
killed her mother by aiming a blow with a pestle at the flies that
had settled on her head when she was lying down.
In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 284, there is a Kashmir story by the
Rev. J. H. Knowles, in which a bear who had become friendly with a man,
killed him by throwing a piece of rock at a bee which had settled on
his mouth. Reference is also made to a similar story in the Journal
A.S.B., vol. iii, part i, 1883.
A considerable part of the story now given is a variant of No. 10
above. I have inserted it on account of the low caste of the narrator.
When the monk repeated the boy's name on ordering him not to lag
behind, he was in reality telling him to eat the plantains and sugar,
the meaning of Aewariyak ka Mulak ka being, "Eat thou a first row of
plantains; eat thou a packet (of the sugar)."
NO. 59
THE GAMARALA AND THE WASHERMAN
In a certain country there are a Gamarala and a Washerman. [115] Those
two persons cut a chena. As they were cutting the chena a jungle-cock
crowed. The Gamarala said to the Washerman, "Please catch that crowing
jungle-cock, and come back."
Then the Washerman said, "Will you do the chena work until I catch
the jungle-cock and come back?" he asked.
"Until you come I will do the chena work," he said.
From there that man came home, and remained there. When the chena
[crop] was ripening he caught the jungle-cock, and went back.
"I shall not give thee a share of the chena," the Gamarala said.
Thereupon the Washerman instituted a lawsuit against him.
When they were going for it on the day of the trial, he borrowed
a cloth from the Gamarala, and went after putting it on. When the
action was being heard the Washerman said, "He will say next that
this cloth is that gentleman's."
Then the Gamarala said, "It is so indeed. If not, Bola, whose is that
cloth?" he asked.
The Washerman said, "There! I said so. O Lord, when coming on account
of this day of the trial, was it necessary for me to ask for a cloth
from that gentleman? Am I without clothes to that extent?"
After that, the judge told them to divide the chena in two, [and each
take half of it]. Afterwards, having come there they divided it in two.
Again, this Washerman and the Gamarala sowed a paddy field (rice
field). Of the paddy plants in the field, those things that were above
the ground were for the Washerman, they said. Those which were below
the ground were for the Gamarala, they said. Having cut the paddy
when the crop ripened, they threshed it by trampling [with cattle],
and the Washerman took the paddy. Afterwards they cut the ground;
there was nothing for the Gamarala.
Again, these two persons planted onions. This time, those things
that were above the ground were for the Gamarala, they said. Those
that were below the ground were for the Washerman, they said. When
the crop was ready, the Gamarala having cut off the onion stumps,
heaps them up together; the Washerman dug up and got the onions.
After that, those two persons got a buffalo bull. The front part of
that bull was for the Washerman, they said; the after part for the
Gamarala, they said.
Next, the two persons got a buffalo cow. The front part was for the
Gamarala; the after part for the Washerman, they said. Thereupon
the calves which the buffalo cow bore belonged to the Washerman,
he said. When the Gamarala asked for calves because the front part
did not give birth to calves, "There is nothing for you," he said.
After that, the Gamarala, in order to build a house, cut Waewarana,
Kaetakala, Milla, Kolon trees (good timber trees commonly used in
building houses). The Washerman, also, saying, "I also must build
a house," cut Paepol, Eramudu, Murunga trees (all of which are soft
woods, quite useless for any kind of work).
When the Gamarala's wife was coming near his house, the Washerman,
taking the Naekat Pota (an astrological book which deals with
prognostications), read aloud from it [these sham prognostications
regarding the results to the occupiers if these woods be used in
house building]: "For a house of Waewarana, diarrhoea; for a house
of Kaetakala, quarrel; for a house of Milla, hanging; for a house of
Eramudu, purity; for a house of Paepol, land."
Then the Gamarala's wife having heard this, goes and says to the
Gamarala, "You have done a foolish thing again. We shall have only
sickness and trouble if we build the house with those trees. In the
Naekat Pota it is so written. If we use the trees that the Washerman
has cut we shall be fortunate." So the Gamarala went to the Washerman,
and persuaded him to exchange trees with him. Then the Washerman built
himself a good house with the Gamarala's trees. The trees which the
Gamarala got were of no use to him.
Duraya. North-western Province.
The incident at the trial in the first part of this story occurs in
a slightly different form in a folk-tale that I heard in Cairo. As
I am not aware that it has been published I give it here, condensing
the first portion (see No. 60).
The planting incidents are related by Rabelais, in Pantagruel, chapters
45 and 46. For the benefit of readers in Ceylon, I give the account:--
THE DEVIL AND THE HUSBANDMAN
This devil having arrived at the place, addressed a husbandman and
asked him what he did. The poor man replied to him that he sowed that
field of early wheat to assist him in living during the following
year. "But really," said the devil, "this field is not thine; it is
mine and belongs to me ...; however, I leave thee the field. But it is
on condition we shall share the profit." "I agree to it," replied the
husbandman. "I mean," said the devil, "that of the coming profit we
shall make two shares. The one shall be what grows above the ground,
the other what shall be covered in the earth. The choice belongs
to me, for I am a devil of a noble and ancient race; thou art only
a villein. I choose that which will be in the ground, thou shalt
have that above. When will the reaping be?" "In the middle of July,"
replied the husbandman. "Now," said the devil, "I need not be present
here. In other respects do thy duty. Work, villein, work."
The middle of July having come, the devil presents himself again at the
place, accompanied by a squadron of little chorister devilets. Meeting
there the husbandman, he said to him, "And now, villein, how hast
thou been since my departure? It is requisite to make our division
now?" "That is right," replied the husbandman.
Then the husbandman, with his people, began to reap the corn. The
little devils similarly drew the stubble from the ground. The
husbandman threshed his corn in the air, put it in sacks, and carried
it to the market to sell. The devilets did the same, and at the market
seated themselves near the husbandman to sell their stubble. The
husbandman sold his corn very well, and with the money filled an old
sock which he carried at his belt. The devils sold nothing, but on
the contrary the peasants jeered at them in the midst of the market.
The market being over, said the devil to the husbandman, "Villein, thou
hast cheated me this time; at another thou shalt not deceive me." "My
Lord Devil," replied the husbandman, "how have I cheated you who have
chosen first? True it is that in that choice you thought of cheating
me, hoping that nothing would come out of the ground as my share,
and to find, below, the whole of the corn that I had sown.... But
you are very young at the trade."... "Leave this discourse," said the
devil; "with what canst thou sow our field this following year?" "For
profit," replied the husbandman, "and good economy it is expedient to
sow radishes." "Now then," said the devil, "thou art an honest man;
sow plenty of radishes. I shall protect them from tempests, and shall
not hail at all on them. But, understand thoroughly, I keep as my
share what shall be above ground; thou shalt have what is below. Work,
villein, work."
The time for the reaping having come, the devil was present at
the spot with a squadron of household devilets. There, meeting the
husbandman and his people, he began to reap and collect the leaves
of the radishes. After him the husbandman dug and drew out the large
radishes, and put them into sacks. So they went all together to the
market. The husbandman sold his radishes very well. The devil sold
nothing. What was worse, they jeered at him publicly.
"I see well, villain," the devil then said, "that I am cheated by
thee. I want to make an end of the field between thee and me."
I add a variant of the cultivating caste, as some incidents are new.
THE GAMARALA AND THE WASHERMAN. (VARIANT.)
In a certain country there is a Gamarala, it is said. A Washerman,
having come there, became friendly with the Gamarala. Having become
friendly, he takes charge of the Gamarala's cattle for grazing. During
the time while he was grazing them the two persons chop chenas and
do rice field work.
Well then, the two persons having become very thoroughly friends,
at the time while they were thus, the cattle grazed by the Washerman
increased by a buffalo bull and a buffalo cow. Afterwards, the
Washerman having come [to the other man] said, "Now then, Gamarahami,
[116] we must divide the two cattle between us." The Gamarala said,
"Ha. Let us divide them." Afterwards the Washerman having gone and
caught the two cattle, tied them up.
The Gamarala went there. Then the Washerman said, "Now then, the
Gamarahami indeed has cattle. I myself have no cattle. Because of
it, let the after portion of this buffalo cow be for me. The front
portion the Gamarahami will be good enough to take." The Gamarala,
having consented to that, said, "Ha. It is good." Well then, in
complete agreement they shared the buffalo cow.
Again, to share the buffalo bull the Washerman said, "Gamarahami,
let the front side of the buffalo bull be for me, the after side
the Gamarahami will be good enough to take." Well then, the Gamarala
having consented to that also, by the agreement of the two persons
they divided the buffalo bull also.
During the time while they were thus, the Washerman having taken the
buffalo bull ploughs for himself. The Gamarala also one day was going
to take the buffalo bull to plough. Then the Washerman quarrelled
with him: "The front part belongs to me; the after part belongs to
you. I will not allow you to plough with my side," he said. [117]
The Gamarala having become angry came home.
The buffalo cow having gone to the Gamarala's house eats by
stealth. Men having come told the Gamarala, "Gamarala, your buffalo
cow comes to our rice field [and eats the crop]. On that account
attend well to its grazing."
Then the Gamarala said, "Don't tell me. Tell that to the Washerman."
Then the men having gone, told the Washerman, "Washerman, the
buffalo cow that you are causing to graze eats by stealth [in our
rice field]. Attend well to its grazing."
The Washerman said, "What are you telling me? Doesn't the front half
belong to the Gamarahami? Isn't it the Gamarahami who must attend to
the grazing?" [118]
The Washerman having come to the Gamarala's house, quarrelled with
the Gamarala [over it]. The Gamarala became very angry.
Afterwards, the Gamarala went to institute a lawsuit against the
Washerman [on account of these matters]. That day, having entered the
suit, and having come back to the village, he went to the Washerman to
tell him the day of the trial. Having told him, the Gamarala came home.
On the following day, the Washerman came to the Gamarala. Afterwards,
the Gamarala having given the Washerman to eat and drink, and having
made ready to go for the day of the trial, the Washerman said,
"Gamarahami, I have no [suitable] cloth to wear when going." The
Gamarala gave (that is, lent) him a cloth. The Washerman putting on
the cloth, both of them went for the trial-day.
After they went, the assessors [119] having assembled heard the
lawsuit. When they asked the Gamarala [regarding the matter], the
Gamarala said, "The after portion of the buffalo cow belongs to the
Washerman; the front portion belongs to me."
When they asked the Washerman he said, "Because the front portion
of the buffalo bull belongs to me, I will not allow him to plough
with the buffalo bull. Because the front portion of the buffalo cow
belongs to the Gamarahami, the Gamarahami must attend to the grazing,"
he answered.
Then after the assessors had thus asked him they said, "What the
Washerman said is true."
Thereupon the Washerman says, "That gentleman (Rahami) will now say
that this cloth which I am wearing is the gentleman's, maybe!"
The Gamarala asked, "Yes, indeed. Whose is it, Bola, if that cloth
is not mine?"
Then the Washerman says to the assessors, "There! Be good enough to
look. Didn't that gentleman just now say that the cloth I am wearing
is the gentleman's. In that manner, indeed, he has brought this
lawsuit, also."
At that time the assessors said to the Gamarala, "There is not a thing
for us to say regarding this [except that] he is to gain [the action]
against you."
Then the Gamarala having lost, came back with the Washerman to the
village.
At that time, while the Gamarala was angry with the Washerman,
the Gamarala, having said that he must build a house for himself,
and having gone to the jungle, cut Halmilla, Milla, Waewarana trees;
these three sorts [of good timber trees].
Then the Washerman, having got news that he had cut these woods,
also went to the jungle, and having said, "I also must build a house
for myself," cut Paepol wood, Murunga wood, Eramudu wood; those three
sorts [of soft useless woods]. After heaping them together, he wrote
a book [of sham prognostications]: "For the house [built] of Halmilla,
begging; for the house of Waewarana, killing; for the house of Milla,
begging; for the house of Paepol, land; for the house of Eramudu,
purity; for the house of Murunga, purity."
After writing these, the Washerman taking up the book while the
Gama-Mahage (the Gamarala's wife) was going past for water, says them
over every day for the Gama-Mahage to hear. The Gama-Mahage having
heard them, said to the Gamarala, "A book of the Washerman's says
thus. Because of it, come with the Washerman, and having given him
our small quantity of timber speak with him to allow us to take his
small quantity of timber."
Afterwards, the Gamarala having gone to the Washerman, asked at the
hand of the Washerman, "Washerman, give me your small quantity of
timber, and take for yourself my small quantity of timber."
Then the Washerman says, "I don't know [if I can do it], Sir
(Rahamiye). I cannot [willingly], through sorrow [at the loss to me],
give you my small quantity of timber, indeed; but because the gentleman
says it, any way whatever is good. Be good enough to take it."
Afterwards the Gamarala brought [home] the Washerman's small quantity
of timber. The Washerman brought the Gamarala's small quantity of
timber. Having brought it, the Washerman with the small quantity of
the Gamarala's timber thoroughly built the house for himself, the
Gamarala also building the house for himself from the Washerman's
timber. When only three months had gone, the Gamarala's house fell
down, and the Gama-Mahage, having been underneath it, died. The house
which the Washerman built from good timber remained in good condition.
North-western Province.
NO. 60
THE TWO THIEVES
Two thieves at Cairo were in love with the same girl, who promised
to marry the one who showed the greatest cleverness.
The first one assisted a rich merchant in purchasing some cattle, and
eventually purloined a bag of money which the merchant was carrying
in the large pocket in the front of his gown, and put a similar bag
in its place containing an orange or two.
The theft was discovered when the merchant was about to pay the money
for the cattle. The robber assumed the rôle of the sympathising
friend, and suggested that a mistake might have been made by the
merchant's wife, and the wrong bag given to him. The merchant went
home to inquire about it, and on his return the robber ran up to him,
and embraced and kissed him, saying, "Hallo, Friend! I am very glad
to see you again. I hope you have succeeded in finding your money." As
he said this he put back the purse, and took the bag of oranges.
The merchant replied, "I hope God will hear what you say."
The thief said, "You are playing me a trick; put your hand in your
pocket, and feel if your purse is not there."
So he put his hand in his breast pocket, and found his bag of money
there. The thief explained the matter, and requested him to relate
the particulars to the girl, who then decided that she would marry
this thief.
I give the rest of the story in full, as it was dictated to me:--
The second thief said, "Oh! that is nothing. I can play a better trick
than that. Will you be kind enough to come to-morrow morning to the
Government offices to see me?" The merchant man said, "I also will
come to see the trick." Then the merchant went away, and the three
remained there till evening.
After dinner, the second robber went out to the café to spend the time,
and there he met one of the higher class people. The robber said,
"Salam," and sat down next this merchant. They both smoked hashish
together, and the thief told him, "I have just arrived from outside
the city. The four gates are now shut, and I cannot return. I do not
know where to go to sleep."
The merchant told him, "Don't you feel ashamed to say that to me when
you know what size my house is?"
The robber said, "Thank you for the favour," and at the end of their
smoke they went together to the merchant's house. When the two entered,
lights were put in the writing room, with two beds for them, so that
they might sleep together there.
While the merchant was fast asleep and snoring, the robber awoke, and
took the key of the money-box and the seal from the merchant's pocket,
opened the box, counted the money, wrote a promissory note giving
the amount of each kind of money, signed it with the merchant's seal,
and put all back again as before, keeping the note. He then went to
sleep again.
Next morning they breakfasted together, becoming very friendly, and the
robber said, "Please can you lend me your horse and a clean suit of
clothes, because I must go to report a person to the Government?" So
the merchant gave him a clean suit and a horse, and told him, "You
can change your clothes and wash here. I must go to my office." He
then left.
The robber put on the clothes, and rode off to the Government office,
and explained his case, and asked for a man to be sent to fetch the
merchant, as he had to recover a large sum of money from him. The
Chief of the Police sent a man to call him.
When the merchant came, the Chief of the Police asked him, "Why don't
you pay this gentleman the money you owe him?"
He says, "Which gentleman?"
"This gentleman," said the Chief of the Police, pointing to the robber.
"This one!"
"Yes, I am the one," said the robber.
The merchant said, "Don't you feel ashamed at saying I owe you
some money?"
"Of course," he replied, and then he took out the promissory note,
and handed it to the Chief of the Police.
The Chief of the Police looked at it, and said, "Hallo! That is a
big amount."
The merchant asked to see it, and he looked at the list, and said,
"I have not got so much money in my box. If I have so much in my
house it must really be yours."
The Chief of the Police sent some men to bring the box to the station,
and on counting the money in it, he found it was exactly the amount
written in the promissory note. The woman, and the other robber,
and the merchant who was tricked on the previous day were all present
and listening, and were all astonished.
The Chief of the Police said, "Well, it must be the claimant's money,"
and he gave it to him.
The merchant was angry, so the robber said, "I suppose you will be
saying next that the horse is yours, and the suit I am wearing";
and when the merchant angrily demanded them the robber requested the
Chief of the Police to lock the man up, because he was now trying to
steal his horse and clothes.
Then the merchant was locked up, and the robber left the money in
the box at the Police Station, and rode off to his own home, where
he met the woman and the first robber. He asked them, "How do you
like that trick?"
She said, "A very clever man you are," and she agreed to marry him.
After three days they both went to the merchant, and told him the whole
story, and returned him the money, and the horse and clothes. And
the merchant was so pleased to get them back that he gave them some
money to live upon.
In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 297 ff., two thieves
had one wife, who agreed that she should belong only to the one who
brought her the most valuable spoil in two days. The King executed her,
as being the instigator of the robberies they committed.
NO. 61
THE MARGOSA TREE
In a certain city there is a King, it is said. The King thought of
growing a Margosa tree without bitterness [in the fruit], so one day
he made proclamation accordingly by beat of tom-toms.
While two friends of one village were coming to seek a means of
subsistence they heard this sound of tom-toms. When they asked at the
hand of a tom-tom beater, "What is the sound of tom-toms for?" he said,
"What is it? His Majesty our King will give presents to any person
who should grow and give him a Margosa tree without bitterness." One
of the friends, saying, "I can [do it]," went to the royal palace.
"Canst thou grow and give me a Margosa tree without bitterness?" the
King asked.
"Yes, your Majesty," he said.
"What things dost thou want for it?" the King asked.
"I want monthly a hundred-weight of sugar and a large pot of cow's
butter," he said.
After that, the King asked, "Where wilt thou grow it?"
"I must grow it on the edge of a river," he said.
Having built and given him a house on the edge of the river, he gave
him a hundred-weight of sugar and a large pot of butter monthly.
Seven times in succession he planted seven trees. Seven times the
seven trees were washed away by the river.
During the time while he was there in that way, the other friend
having come, asked, "Where is the tree?"
Then the friend who had planted the tree says, "Either the King,
or I, or the river." [120]
The words that he said meant, "Either His Majesty the King will die;
if not, I shall die, because of no means of subsistence."
"Having cheated the King I get a living. When it is so, the foolish
King has been caught by my trick."
Duraya. North-western Province.
NO. 62
THE GAMARALA'S FOOLISH SON
While a Gamarala and a Gama-gaeni (his wife) were at a village,
as there were no children to those two for a long time they went to
a Dewala, and worshipped the Gods in order to obtain a child. After
that they obtained a child. As that child was growing up the Gamarala
and Gama-gaeni were becoming very old.
So one day the Gamarala says to the Gama-gaeni, "Before we die we
must summon and give a bride to the youth." Having said this they
summoned and gave him a small girl.
During the time while they were living thus, the Gamarala had
an illness. After that the Gamarala died. Afterwards, while the
Gama-gaeni, and the son, and the son's wife were there, one day the
wife of the Gama-puta (son of the Gamarala) said, "Now then, let us
go to my village, and having gone there, sowing our rice field lands
let us do cultivation"; and both of them went.
While they were there, one day, as an illness settled on the
Gama-puta's wife, the Vedarala (village doctor) went to see her. The
Vedarala asked, "What is the illness?"
Then he said, "My wife has tumours which are growing large." The
Vedarala having made a medicine which was to be rubbed [on the places],
and having come to the house gave it, saying, "Rub thou this medicine
on them."
When he had been rubbing it for four or five days they grew larger. The
Gama-puta having seen this, said, "Ada! These tumours are becoming
very severe. I cannot go for medicine every day if they go on like
this. Let us go to my village." So they set off to come to the
Gama-puta's village.
As they were coming, a man was driving a bull on the road. This
Gamarala's son asked, "Where are you taking the bull?"
The man said, "I am taking it to my village," he said. "Where are
you going?" he asked.
"We are going to my village. My wife has tumours. We are going to
apply medical treatment," he said.
"Where? Let us look at them. I also know a little medical art,"
he said.
Then he showed them. When the man who was taking the bull saw them he
said, "They are growing larger; they will never become well," he said.
Then the Gama-puta thought, "This woman does not matter to me." So
he said, "It would be good for you to give me that bull and take this
woman." So taking the bull he gave the woman.
"This one has water in his stomach (i.e., he had drunk water); you
will be careful," the man said.
Then having taken the bull, as he was going to the village he took
a large cloth and tied it round the middle of the bull. While he
was there after tying it, a man came, carrying a bill-hook on his
shoulder. When he saw it he asked, "What is this doing?"
"This one has water in his stomach; on that account I have tied the
cloth round it," he said.
Having seen the bill-hook, "What is that?" he asked.
"This is a bill-hook," the man said.
After he asked, "What do you do with the bill-hook?" the man said,
"Taking a packet of cooked rice and a water-gourd, it is for cutting
the jungle," he said.
When he asked, "Will you take this bull and give me the bill-hook,"
the man said, "It is good," and having given the bill-hook went away
taking the bull.
Then the Gama-puta, having taken the bill-hook, and gone to the
village, during the time while he was there thought he would go to
cut jungle. Having thought so, he took a packet of cooked rice and a
water-gourd, and the bill-hook, and having placed them upon a rock
he remained looking on. Seeing that the bill-hook stayed [there]
without cutting the jungle, and thinking that it was because he was
looking at it, he came home.
Having come and eaten rice, and having gone back afterwards, when he
looked, the bill-hook having been put in the sun had become extremely
hot. So the Gama-puta thinks, "The bill-hook having got fever, is
it on that account it did not eat the cooked rice and did not cut
the jungle?"
He went quickly for medicine. Having gone he told the Veda (village
doctor). The Veda having looked [at it] told him to bury it under the
frame on which the water pots were set. Afterwards, having come home,
he buried it under the water-pots' frame. On the following day, after
he had looked [he found that] having become thoroughly wetted by the
water it was cold. Having seen that, he got into his mind [the notion],
"Ada! The medical treatment is very good."
When a little time had gone, one day the Gamarala's wife had a severe
illness, having got fever. The Gama-gaeni said, "Son, I have much
fever. Having gone for medical advice and brought a little medicine,
give me it," she said.
He said, "It is good," and speedily having cut a hole under the
water-pots' frame, and put the Gama-gaeni in the hole, he covered
her with earth.
Afterwards when he looked, the fever having thoroughly gone down
she had become cold like a plantain tree; and saying, "Ada! Mother's
fever is completely well," he went away.
Duraya. North-western Province.
In Indian Fables (Ramaswami Raju), p. 71, a variant of the last
incident is given. A man with severe fever having cooled a red-hot
poker in cold water, thought he could cool himself in the same way,
so he sat in a tub of cold water, with a fatal result.
In Indian Nights' Entertainment, Panjab (Swynnerton), p. 83, a weaver
got a smith to make a sickle that would cut corn of itself. He
laid it beside the standing corn, which he ordered it to cut; but
on returning he found no work done, and the sickle ill with fever,
through being in the sun. The smith to whom he applied for advice
recommended him to tie a string to it, and lower it into a well;
this cooled it. When his mother caught fever he treated her in the
same way until she died and became cold.
NO. 63
THE JACKAL'S JUDGMENT
At a village there is a tank. A Crocodile, making a burrow in the
[foot of the] embankment, stayed in it. Afterwards the mud having
dried and become hard, the Crocodile being unable to get out of the
hole was going to die.
As a man was going past to fetch a midwife-mother to attend to his
wife, the Crocodile, hearing him, said to the man, "Somehow or other
manage to save me by breaking up the earth so that I may get out." The
man broke up the earth, and let it out.
After that, as there was no water left in the tank, the man, placing
the Crocodile on his shoulder, went to the edge of the river. Having
gone there, after he had placed it in the water, the Crocodile seized
the arm of that man in order to eat him.
"Why wilt thou eat me?" he asked. "Dost thou not know the help I gave
thee? Yet thou art going to eat me!"
The Crocodile said, "It is true, indeed, regarding the assistance. It
is because I am hungry that I am going to eat thee."
The man said, "It is good. Eat thou me. There are my witnesses,
two or three persons. First ask them [regarding the justice of it],
and then eat me." So they went to ask the witnesses about it.
Having met with a Kumbuk tree, [121] he said to the Kumbuk tree,
"This Crocodile is going to eat me. I ask this one's opinion of it."
"What is that about?"
The man said, "This Crocodile was going to die. I saved it. It is
now going to eat me. Is that right?"
Then the Kumbuk tree says, "O Crocodile-cultivator, do not let that
man go. There is no animal so wicked as that man. He stays near the
tree in the shade, and having broken off the bark and the leaves he
takes them away. At last he cuts down and takes the tree."
From there he goes and asks it of the Cow. "O Cow, I saved this
Crocodile from death. This Crocodile is now going to eat me. Do you
think it right?"
The Cow says, "O Crocodile-cultivator, do not let that man go. That
man is a wicked man. He takes our milk, and at last kills and eats
us. Do not let him go."
After that he asks it of the Jackal. The Jackal asks, "What is
it about?"
He says to the Jackal, "O Jackal-artificer, without letting this
Crocodile die, I saved it. Now it is going to eat me."
The Jackal-artificer says, "I cannot give this decision, not having
seen what is the meaning of it. You must show me the whole affair
from the beginning."
Then the man, placing the Crocodile on his shoulder, and having gone
with it and put it in the house in which the Crocodile was at first,
[and closed the entrance], and made the soil hard, the Jackal says,
"Now then, don't you be afraid. I am on your side."
Then the man says, "Jackal-artificer, hear this case."
"I am both the judge and the witness," the Jackal said. "Now then,
taking a cudgel beat thou him until he dies. I saw thy excellence
and this one's wickedness."
Duraya. North-western Province.
This is one of the best-known of folk-tales. A Malay variant is given
in Mr. W. Skeat's Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest,
p. 20. A tiger, being released from a cage-trap by a man, seized
him in order to eat him. When appealed to, the road and tree were
against him. The Mouse-deer, which in Malaya fills the place of the
clever animal in folk-tales, got the tiger to return to the cage,
and called the neighbours to kill it.
The tiger story is given in Old Deccan Days (Frere), p. 198 ff.,
and the appeal was made to a banyan tree, camel, bullock, eagle,
and alligator [crocodile], which were against the man. The Jackal
settled it in his favour.
In Wide-Awake Stories (Steel and Temple), p. 116--Tales of the
Punjab, p. 107--the matter was referred to a pipal (or bo) tree,
a road, and the Jackal, who induced the tiger to re-enter the trap,
and left him there.
In Indian Fairy Tales (Stokes), p. 16, the matter was not referred to
others, but the Jackal told the tiger a good way of eating the man,
by getting inside a large bag and having him thrown in to it. When
it was inside the bag, the Jackal, a dog who was present, and the
man tied it up, and beat the tiger to death.
The Panchatantra (Dubois), as in several other instances, comes
nearest to the Sinhalese story. A Brahmana carried a Crocodile in a
sack from a stream to the Ganges, and was then seized by it. In reply
to his appeal to the Crocodile's virtue and gratitude, he was told,
"The virtue and gratitude of our days is to devour those who nourish
us and who do good to us." Reference was made to a mango tree, an old
cow (both of which agreed with the Crocodile), and a Jackal, who,
stating that he wished to get to the bottom of the matter, induced
the Crocodile to re-enter the sack, after which the Jackal broke his
head with a stone.
In Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 134, a boy on his
way to fetch his bride, killed a mungus that was attacking a snake,
which then turned on him, to eat him, but gave him eight days' grace
to get married. When he returned with his wife she remonstrated
with the snake, and was referred to some trees. One had preserved a
thief in its hollow interior, but he found sandalwood there, and cut
it down; and now it had become a rule to do evil for good. For the
future widow's protection, the snake gave her magic powder capable of
reducing to ashes whatever it fell on, so she applied it to the snake,
and burnt it to dust.
The tale is found in West Africa also, in a form which is very
close to the South Indian and Sinhalese one. In Contes Soudanais
(C. Monteil), p. 53, a child found a tired Crocodile, and carried
it back to water. The Crocodile asked if he knew how goodness was
rewarded. "By evil," the child said. The Crocodile was going to eat
him, but referred the matter to an old horse and an old ass (both of
which recommended it to do so), and lastly to a Hare, which refused
to believe that the child could have carried it. When this was proved,
and the Crocodile taken back, the Hare said to the child, "Doesn't thy
father eat Crocodile?" "Yes." "And thy mother?" "Yes." "Hast thou not
an axe?" "I have one," the child replied. "Then break the Crocodile's
head and eat it," the Hare said. In many West African tales the Hare
is the clever animal who outwits the others.
NO. 64
THE HERON AND THE CRAB
There is a great big mountain. On the mountain there is a rock-hole
[containing water]. In it there are some small fishes. At all other
places a Heron [122] eats the small fishes. In this rock-hole the
Heron cannot eat the small fishes; he goes along [in the air], above
the rock cave.
On account of it, the Heron puts on a false appearance. "I am indeed
an ascetic," he said. "I do not kill living creatures," he said.
Thereupon the small fishes came for a talk. After they came he said,
"Being in this hole ye cannot go up and down," he said. "Because it
is so, I will take you and put you in a river possessing length and
breadth," he said.
After that, having taken them one by one he ate them. At the time when
he was taking the Crab which remained over from them, the Crab took
hold of the neck of the Heron. While on the way, when the Heron was
preparing to kill the Crab, the Crab getting to know of it, cut the
neck of the Heron with his claws and killed it.
Duraya. North-western Province.
THE POND HERON. (VARIANT.)
At the time of a great drought the water of a pool having nearly
dried up, the fishes [123] saw that they were coming near dying. A
Pond Heron [124] which saw it, having very speedily come flying,
spoke to the fishes: "Friends, I will go and conduct you to a pool
in which there is much water," he said. They were pleased at it.
The Pond Heron holding one by his bill, and having gone and put it
down at the pool in which there was water, again brought it near
those that were in the pool at which the water had dried up, and let
it go. The fish which he brought informed them that there was a pool
in which there was water, in the way the Heron said. All the fishes
that were in the dried-up pool became wishful to go.
Now then, the Pond Heron having taken them one by one, leaving aside
the pool in which there was water, took them to a tree near it,
and ate them. After not many days the fishes were finished; the Pond
Heron ate all. Having eaten them, below the tree on which he put them
there was a heap of bones to the extent of a tree in height.
Afterwards having seen that a Crab was in the dried-up pool, the Pond
Heron spoke to it: "Friend, you also come to be conducted there,"
he said.
The Crab also spoke to the Pond Heron: "Friend, my shell is very thin,"
he said.
"I will take you carefully," the Pond Heron said. After he had said
it the Crab became wishful to go.
The Pond Heron took hold of his shell, and the Crab took hold of the
neck of the Pond Heron with his two claws. Having taken hold of him the
Pond Heron flew away. Having seen that, leaving the pool on this side,
he was flying to the tree, the Crab spoke to him. "The pool is here,"
he said.
"I am taking thee to eat," the Pond Heron said.
At that time having seized the two claws the Pond Heron killed him.
Washerman. North-western Province.
THE POND HERON. (VARIANT.)
In a certain country a Pond Heron stayed, it is said. At the time
while the Pond Heron was there, seeking small fishes in the tanks,
a great general drought befel. On account of it all the tanks dried
up. The Pond Heron ate all the small fishes that stayed in them.
Having eaten them, he remained hungry for two or three days, there
being no more small fishes. Having been in that state, and having
flown away to seek food, as he was going along he saw that a tank
having dried up, small fishes were there, being unable to go elsewhere.
The Pond Heron having gone there, asked the small fishes, "What,
friends, are you there for?"
Then the small fishes said, "Ane! Friend, the little water that there
was for us having dried up, we are without water."
After that, the Pond Heron said, "If so, friends, there is a good
river for you. I will take you to it, and put you down there."
The little fishes said, "It is good, friend. If so, take us and put
us down there."
The Pond Heron said, "If so, let one come [first, and see the river],"
and holding it with his bill he took it to the river, and put it down.
That small fish going in the water all round the river came near
the Pond Heron. Then the Pond Heron having said to the small fish,
"Let us go, friend," the small fish said, "Friend, I cannot go."
The Pond Heron said, "No, friend, let us go. Can you remain, without
going? Your other people are to come."
Afterwards the small fish said "Ha." So the Pond Heron, taking the
small fish with his bill, came flying back. Having come to a great
rough tree, and settled on a branch of the tree, he ate the small fish.
Again he went flying to the place where the small fishes were. The
small fishes asked, "Friend, one of us went with you. Where is he?"
The Pond Heron replied, "Friends, he said he would not come. He stayed
in the river."
Then those small fishes said, "If so, go with us, and put us down
in it."
After that, the Pond Heron, taking one of them, settled on the tree
at which he ate that small fish, and ate it. Again he came to the
place where the other small fishes were. Then those small fishes said,
"Friend, take us also, and put us in the river."
The Pond Heron again having taken a small fish and settled on that
very tree, ate it. Thus, in that way having taken the small fishes
until they were finished, he ate them all.
Having finished the small fishes, a Crab was omitted outside. The Pond
Heron came and asked the Crab, "What, friend, are you here alone for?"
The Crab said, "Ane! Friend, the small fishes of this tank went to
the quarters where they went. I alone remain."
Then the Pond Heron said, "Friend, shall I take you also to the river,
and put you down in it?" The Crab said "Ha."
Afterwards the Pond Heron, holding the Crab with his bill, took it
and settled on the tree on which he ate the small fishes. While he
was there the Crab asked, "What, friend, have you delayed here for?"
Then the Pond Heron said, "It is here that I ate also the few small
fishes that stayed in the tank. It is here I shall eat you also."
Afterwards the Crab, having stiffened his claws a little, seized the
neck of the Pond Heron. Then the Pond Heron with his bill tightened
his hold of the Crab. Thus, in that way holding each other, both of
them died, and fell on the ground below the tree.
Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.
The Jataka story No. 38 (vol. i, p. 96), about a Crane and a Crab,
nearly agrees with the second of these tales, but the ending is like
that of the first one, the Crab killing the Crane. It is also much
more artificial and developed in the conversations.
It is possible that the story related by the Duraya may represent a
very early form of the tale, or perhaps the original one. If the story
were derived from the Jataka tale, it is very improbable that in a
country where ponds are more numerous than in any other, we should
find the pool of the Jataka, to which the fishes were to be taken,
displaced in two of these by a river.
The story is given in Indian Fables (Ramaswami Raju), p. 88. A Crane
pretended to carry the fish to a pond, and was killed by a Crab.
In Skeat's Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest, p. 18,
the bird was a Pelican, which was killed by a Crab.
In the Panchatantra (Dubois), a Cormorant came to the fishes at a pool,
and allayed their suspicions by putting on an appearance of piety and
by alleging that he had become a religious devotee. He informed them
that he foresaw a twelve years' drought, in which the pools would
dry up and they would perish, and he offered to transport them to a
mountain pool fed by a perennial spring. They were eaten on a rock,
and the Crab strangled the bird.
In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 31, the animals were
a Crane and a Makara, which is said by the translator to generally
mean a crocodile, though in early carvings in Ceylon and India it
is a fabulous animal with two short legs and a tail usually curved
upon its back. The bird frightened the fish by saying that a man was
coming to catch them with a net, and he offered to convey them to a
lake. When the Makara was taken to the rock at which the others were
killed, he cut off the Crane's head.
This story nearly agrees with that in the Hitopadesa, in which a Crab
killed the bird.
NO. 65
THE JACKAL AND THE BRAHMANA
In a certain city a Jackal according to custom was eating the fowls,
it is said. Now, as the Jackal was there eating the fowls, by degrees
he finished all the fowls in that manner. There was still one fowl
at the royal palace.
So this Jackal went to the royal palace to eat the fowl. After he
had come there the Jackal tried to catch it, and while he was there
striving to eat the fowl it became light. There being no means
of going away because of the people, he sought a place in which
to remain hidden. As he was seeking it, except that there was open
ground and no jungle, when he looked there was only a clump of weeds
as a hiding place.
While he was in it peeping out, a Brahmana comes near. This Jackal
asked, "You Brahmana! Where art thou going?" he asked.
The Brahmana says, "I am going in search of a livelihood."
The Jackal says, "I will give thee a means of subsistence; carry me
here and there," he said.
Then the Brahmana taking the Jackal slung him by his four legs. "Dost
thou carry me by the legs to some place to give a livelihood to
thee?" he said.
"If not, how shall I carry thee?" the Brahmana asked.
Then the Jackal says, "Having placed me in thy upper garment take me
up and go," he said. "Look here! Take me and go thou along the road
which leads to this jungle," he said. "Having taken me and gone on
it there will be a clump of wild dates. Do thou put me down near the
clump of wild dates," he said.
So the Jackal came to the open ground in the bundle. Then the Jackal
told this Brahmana, after he had placed the bundle on the ground,
to stay looking in the direction of the sun. Having remained looking
in the direction of the sun, he told him to look in the direction
of the clump of wild dates, and to take the kahawanas (coins) which
were placed in it. When he had looked in the direction of the clump
of wild dates, the rays of the sun having entered his eyes a yellow
colour went into everything, and he thought he saw some money in it.
So the Brahmana crept into the clump of wild dates and passed his
hand through it, and looked through it. Then because there were no
kahawanas, he came out into the open ground.
When he looked on the path there was no Jackal. Then the Brahmana
said, "There is neither the journey that I came for, nor the
kahawanas. Ada! Ada!" So he went away.
Duraya. North-western Province.
In this story we find one of the lowest castes of the Chandalas making
fun of the highest caste of all, a mild revenge for their treatment
by the latter. As part of the joke, the Jackal is represented as
addressing the Brahmana in the manner in which the latter would have
spoken to a Duraya, and as being carried about by him, thus turning
the tables completely, the chief duty of the Durayas being carrying
loads for others.
In the Jataka story No. 113 (vol. i, p. 255) a Jackal having overslept
himself in some bushes in Benares, concealed himself until a Brahmana
came near. By promising him two hundred gold pieces he induced the
man to carry him concealed under his robe until they reached the
cremation ground. There he told him to dig up a tree in order to
get the treasure, and then ran off while the man was occupied with
the work.
NO. 66
THE CAT WHO GUARDED THE PRECEPTS
A Cat having seen that a sun-dried fish was in a bag of rice, at
the time when he was going to it to eat it, a rosary [hanging there]
fell on his neck.
After it had fallen, as he was going away with it on his neck a
Jungle-hen met him, and ran off. The Cat then says, "I am guarding
(that is, keeping) the Precepts (of Buddha, sil rakinawa). Tummal
Kitti, [125] come here and go with me."
While he was taking her with him they met with a Ground Cuckoo. He
called this one: "'Bug-bug'-singing Kaccale, [126] I am guarding the
Precepts. Come here and go with me."
As they were going they met with a Hare. He called him also: "Tokka
[127] the Devil-dancer, come here and go with me. I am guarding
the Precepts."
Having gone to a rock cave [as a pansala or monk's residence], while
they were there the Cat said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, Tummal Kitti
having scratched [the ground] in the pansala has defiled it. I must
kill this one," he said.
When the Hare said, "It is good," he killed her.
After the Cat had said, "It is not a fault to eat a dead one, is
it?" when the Hare replied, "No, there is not any fault in it,"
he ate her.
Afterwards the Cat said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, this
'Bug-bug'-singing Kaccale has been drinking arrack (palm spirit)
until his eyes have become red." When he said, "I must kill this one,"
he killed it. Then saying, "There is no fault in eating a dead one,"
he ate it.
Then he said, "Tokka the Devil-dancer, thou having dropped dung
in the pansala art defiling it." When he said, "I must kill thee,"
the Hare said, "Yes, killing me is virtuous and proper. I must first
perform a great gallop [128] and a little gallop, two gallops. [129]
After that there will be no fault if you kill me," he said.
"Yes, perform them," the Cat said.
Then the Hare having run round [the cave], "There! The small gallop,"
he said. Again having gone running round, and [then] having jumped
over the Cat's head, while he was running away he said, "There! The
great gallop," and ran off.
Duraya. North-western Province.
HOW THE CAT BECAME AN UPASAKA. [130] (VARIANT.)
At a certain time, at the house of a Gamarala, milk having been
taken and placed on the shelf by him [to curdle], the Gamarala went
to the chena.
There is a Cat at the house. The Cat having looked [to see] when
the Gamarala was not there, went to the shelf to eat the curds by
stealth. Having gone there and eaten them by stealth, as he was
coming away the Gamarala came home from the chena, and the Cat,
becoming afraid, sprang down.
The Gamarala's rosary was hanging on the shelf. As the Cat deceitfully
was springing down, the rosary fell on the Cat's neck. Then while the
rosary was on its neck it goes away. Why? Should the Gamarala get to
know about its eating the curds he would thrash it inordinately.
Well then, as it was going it met with a Rat. The Rat [seeing the
rosary] asked the Cat, "Upasakarala, [131] where are you going?"
"I am going to guard the Precepts," he said. "You also come and go
along with me," he said.
At the time when the two were going they met with the Squirrel called
the Three-lined Chief. [132] "Upasakarala, where are you going?" he
asked.
"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us,"
he said. The Squirrel having said, "Ha. I will come," the three went
along [together].
As they were going they met with the Ground Cuckoo called Bum-bum
the Tom-tom Beater. "Where, Upasakarala, are you going?" he asked.
"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come," he said.
The Ground Cuckoo having said, "Ha. If so, I also will come," the
four went together.
At the time when they were going they met with the Hare called Tokkan
the Devil-dancer. "Upasakaralas, where are you going?" he asked.
"We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us,"
he said.
Well then, the five went to the jungle. Having gone on and on, there
was a rock cave. Having said, "Look there! Our pansala," he told
the people to creep inside. "In order that I may go and rehearse the
Precepts, let no single other person besides cause any disturbance,"
he said.
Then the Rat, being hungry during the night, was wriggling about. So
the Upasaka Cat said, "Ade! While Bum-bum the Tom-tom Beater stays
there quietly, while the Three-lined Chief stays there [quietly],
while Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there [quietly], this one does
not take [to heart] the things that were said. Being on guard over
it I must put it out of the way." [133] Saying this, he ate the Rat.
At the daybreak watch the Ground Cuckoo crowed [as usual]. After it
had crowed, the Cat said, "While the Three-lined Chief stays there
[quietly], while Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there [quietly],
because this one is making noises, and as I am on guard over it,
I must put it out of the way," and seizing that one also he ate it.
As it became light in the morning, at the time when the Squirrels
were singing, "Tin-Tin," the Three-lined Chief also sang, "Tin-Tin."
Then the Cat said, "While Tokkan the Devil-dancer stays there quietly,
and I stay here [quietly], this one having said it through arrogance,
and as I am on guard over it, I must put it out of the way." Having
said this he ate that one also.
Now then, the Hare called Tokkan the Devil-dancer ascertaining that
he was eating it, began to cry in the morning.
"What, Tokkan the Devil-dancer, are you crying for?" he asked.
"I know thoroughly how to dance dances. Because there is no one to
look at the dances I was sorry," he said.
After he had said, "If so, dance a little for me to look at it,"
the Hare said, "Upasakarala, open the doorway so that a little light
may fall into the cave. Having seen my dance you must eat me also,"
the Hare said.
When he moved from the door, out of the way, for a little light to
fall inside, the Hare, having jumped to the four corners of the cave,
springing over the head of the Cat went away.
P. B. Madahapola, Ratemahatmaya. North-western Province.
HOW THE CAT PERFORMED BELL WORSHIP. (VARIANT.)
In a certain country a man reared a Cat, it is said. The Cat every day
goes to eat by stealth in the villages. On account of it the man one
day caught the Cat, and having tied a hawk's bell [134] on its neck,
let it go.
After that, the Cat, without going that day into the village, went
away along the path. As it was going along it met with a Rat. The
Rat asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord, are you going?"
Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."
The Rat asked, "Shall I come too?"
The Cat said, "It is good."
The Rat also having set off, as the two were going away they met
with a Squirrel. The Squirrel asked the Cat, "Where, O Cat-Lord,
are you going?"
Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."
The Squirrel asked, "Shall I come too?"
After that, the Cat said, "It is good."
Now then, the Squirrel having set off, as the three were going away
they met with a Jungle-cock. The Jungle-cock asked the Cat, "Where,
O Cat-Lord, are you going?"
Then the Cat said, "I am going for Bell Worship."
The Jungle-cock said, "I shall come too."
To that the Cat said, "It is good."
The Jungle-cock having set off, the four persons went to a great rock
cave in the jungle. Having made those three remain in the direction
of the corner, the Cat stayed at the doorway.
After being there [a short time], the Cat first of all said to the Rat,
"O Rat, [135] I am hungry."
Then the Rat said, "Let it be according to the wish of the
Cat-Lord." After that, the Cat, seizing the Rat, ate it.
In a little more time the Cat said to the Squirrel, "O Squirrel,
[136] I am hungry."
At that time the Squirrel also said, "Let it be according to the wish
of the Cat-Lord."
So the Cat having seized the Squirrel also, ate it.
In a little more time the Cat said to the Jungle-cock, "O Jungle-cock,
[137] I am hungry."
At that time the Jungle-cock said falsely, "Let it be according to
the wish of the Cat-Lord."
Afterwards, when the Cat was approaching very near the Jungle-cock,
having sprung at the Cat's face and with his spurs having plucked out
both his eyes, the Jungle-cock flew away. The Cat there and then died.
Cultivating Caste. North-western Province.
The Precepts of Buddha to which reference is made in the first two
stories, are the Ata-sil, or Eight Precepts, the keeping of which
by lay devotees, called Upasakas, is a necessary obligation. The
first one prohibits the taking of life. The others are against
theft, immorality, lying, drinking intoxicants, eating after noon,
attendance at theatrical amusements, dancing, singing, etc., and
personal adornment.
In the Jataka story No. 128 (vol. i, p. 281) there is an account of
a Jackal who pretended to lead a saintly life, standing on one leg
because the earth could not support his weight if he stood on all four,
he said. He ate the rats which came to pay their respects to him,
always seizing the hindmost as they left. The King of the Rats waited
till the others had gone, and then sprang at the Jackal's throat and
killed him. The next story, No. 129, is similar.
In No. 384 (vol. iii, p. 170) a Crow pretended to be a saint, and
also stood on one leg for the same reason, saying that it fed only
on wind. When the other birds left it in charge of their young ones
it ate them. At last it was killed by the other birds.
In the Maha Bharata (Udyoga Parva) a Cat which pretended to be an
ascetic killed the mice that placed themselves under its protection.
In the Hitopadesa a Cat which gained the confidence of the birds by
its pious demeanour ate their young ones.
In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 67, a pious Cat killed
a hare and a bird.
NO. 67
THE LIZARD AND THE LEOPARD
At a village there are a Leopard and a Lizard. [138] The Lizard and
Leopard cut a chena, it is said. Afterwards both having quarrelled
they divided the chena between them. In the part which the Lizard got
he planted Kaekiri creepers, which became large; in the part which
the Leopard got the Kaekiri died, and he abandoned it.
Then the Leopard ate the Kaekiri fruit in the Lizard's chena, and
after eating rubbed himself on his hams over the fruits that were on
the ground. So the Lizard gave some Kaekiri fruits to the smith, and
having got a small knife made took it away. After getting it made, the
Lizard ran it through some plucked Kaekiri fruits [and left it there].
Afterwards the Leopard came to eat Kaekiri. Having eaten, he rubbed
himself on the plucked Kaekiri fruits. Then the knife pierced him. Over
this matter the Leopard and Lizard quarrelled. Afterwards the Leopard,
having eaten cattle flesh, became strong again.
One day the Leopard told the Lizard that the Gamarala had a chena. The
Lizard said, "Ade! Where is it? Let me look at it." Having gone with
him to it, the Leopard shows him the fruits and says, "Ade! Lizard,
eat thou there. Lizard, eat thou here." The Gamarala having heard it
and having gone home, began to laugh. The Gama-Mahage (his wife) asked,
"What are you laughing at?" The Gamarala said, "A Leopard sitting
in the chena was saying and saying to a Lizard, 'Eat thou there,
Lizard. Eat thou here, Lizard.'"
Afterwards, when the Lizard was in the chena the Leopard goes to the
house of the Gamarala and says, "Gamarala, see! The Lizard is eating
thy chena." Then the Gamarala scolded him and said, "I heard thee
telling the Lizard, 'Eat thou there, Lizard. Eat thou here, Lizard.'"
Then the Leopard went to the Lizard, and said, "Friend, take thou my
piece of chena, and give me thy piece of chena." Because the Lizard
was afraid he said, "It is good," and they exchanged chenas. The
Lizard planted the abandoned piece in a thorough manner. The Leopard
ate the fruits in the part which he got, until they were finished.
After that, the Leopard went to the Lizard again, and said, "Friend,
let us exchange chenas again." The Lizard felt anger which he could
not bear, but because he was afraid he said again, "It is good,"
to that also.
Afterwards, the Lizard went to a man, and asked him to tell him a way
of succeeding, so as to fight the Leopard. The man said, "When he asks
you again, say you will not. The Leopard will come and quarrel with
you. Then say, 'We cannot fight in that manner. You go, and after
asking your mother about a means of success, return. I will go, and
after asking my mother about a means of success, will return.' Having
said it and come away, and having rolled in the mud and dried it,
and again rolled in the mud and dried it, by rolling in the mud and
doing thus you will become big. After that go to fight. The Leopard's
claws will not enter your body." All this the man told the Lizard.
Afterwards, one day the Leopard said, "Let us exchange chenas." The
Lizard told him as the man said. When the Leopard went to his mother
she told him to rub coconut oil over his body.
The Lizard having gone to a mud hole, jumps into it, and climbs onto
a post to dry the mud. Again it jumps into the mud and climbs onto
the post. Thus, having acted in that manner he caused much mud to be
smeared on his body.
After that, having met each other, the Leopard and Lizard quarrelled
again, and struck each other on the face. Then the Lizard springs on
the Leopard's back and scratches his flesh. The Leopard jumps about,
but only scratches mud off the Lizard.
Having fought in that way, the Leopard, becoming afraid, went
away. The Lizard went and washed off the mud. The Leopard having gone
and crawled under the corn store at a house, while sitting there says,
"Bite thou me here, too, Lizard. Bite thou me here, too, Lizard." [139]
While he was there saying it he saw a boy [near him]. Then the Leopard
says, "Ade! Do not tell any one, or I will kill thee." Because of it,
the boy being afraid did not tell any one.
Afterwards the Leopard, thinking, "The boy will tell it," came while
the boy [140] was asleep on the bed [in the veranda], and having
crept under the bed, lifted it on his back and went off with it,
in order to eat him. When the boy awoke and saw that the Leopard
was going along carrying him, he caught hold of a branch and hung by
it. After the Leopard, having gone a long distance, looked back the
boy was not there.
Then the Leopard came running back to seek him. Having seen that the
boy was on a branch, the Leopard asked, "Art thou descending to the
ground, boy? I shall eat thee."
The boy said, "Ade! Bola, art thou saying Bana? [141] I have no means
of stretching out my hands to descend," he said.
"What is in thy hands?" he asked.
"In this hand I have small Lizard's eggs; in this other hand I have
large Lizard's eggs," he said. "A sort of Lizards as big as Talipat
trunks and Coconut trunks will be coming."
Then the Leopard, saying, "Stay thou there, boy, until I have run a
little far," bounded off and ran away.
Duraya. North-western Province.
In The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 117 ff., the latter part of this
tale was given by Miss J. A. Goonetilleke, containing the fight of
the animals and the incidents that follow it. The animals were a
"Bloodsucker" Lizard and a "tiger," a word often used in Ceylon where
"leopard" is intended to be understood. There are no tigers in Ceylon.
An incident like that in the chena, in which the knife wounded the
Leopard, is found in Old Deccan Days (Frere), p. 177. In it a barber
tied a knife to a cucumber, and it wounded a Jackal who began to eat
the fruit.
In Wide-Awake Stories (Steel and Temple), p. 240--Tales of the Punjab,
p. 227--a woman who was being carried off by robbers while on her bed,
seized a branch and climbed up a tree when they paused under a Banyan
tree. The same incident is given in The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 40.
With regard to the fear of the lizard which the leopard is described
in the Sinhalese story as exhibiting, I am able to state that it is
not much exaggerated. Many years ago, on returning to my bungalow one
day, at a tank in a wild part of the jungle, I found that a lizard of
the species mentioned in this tale--a Katussa or "Bloodsucker"--had
entered my bedroom. I brought up a tame, full-grown leopard which
I then had, and introduced it to the lizard, as a new experience for
it. At first it was inclined to play with the lizard, but on pretending
to seize it with its mouth it felt the spikes on the lizard's back,
and immediately showed the greatest fear of it. The attempts which
it made to escape when the lizard came in its direction were quite
ridiculous, and it became so terrified that I was obliged to take it
away to the security of its den, a large packing-case under a tree
to which it was tethered, leaving the lizard the complete master of
the situation, though probably nearly equally alarmed.
NO. 68
THE LION AND THE JACKAL
While an old Lion was in a rock cave, after a Jackal went there the
Lion says, "Ane! Bola, I have been thinking of eating fresh pig's
flesh." When he said, "When I ran and sprang at some Boars now I
couldn't catch one," the Jackal said, "If it come near this cave
can't you seize it, Sir?"
"In that way I can still do it. But will a Boar come near me? The
thing you are saying would be a wonder."
The Jackal says, "Somehow or other I will bring a Boar."
The jackal having walked about in the jungle, and having seen a Boar,
says, "How many days have I now been seeking thee!" After he had said,
"Why should I be of assistance to thee?" the Boar says, "Uwah! Why
is there so much need of it by me? Thou wilt not be of any assistance
to me."
The Jackal said, "Our King is there, having now become old. Is it
true or not, Cultivator, that as he told me to seek a person to give
the sovereignty to, I have been going about seeking thee? If not,
am I telling lies? Come along and go there with me."
Having gone near the Lion, taking him with him, the Jackal says,
"Now then, having gone near the King and made obeisance, take the
sovereignty." As the Boar was approaching in great fear the Lion
sprang at him. After he had seized him, the Boar, pushing off his paws,
bounded away.
Then the Jackal says, "Did a thunderbolt strike you, Sir? Why didn't
you hold the Boar?"
The Lion says, "Ane! Bola, did I fail? Are you saying it falsely? When
will such a Boar come near me again?"
As the King was sorrowful the Jackal says, "Are you mad, Sir, that
you doubt my powers? I will bring that one again now."
The Jackal having gone on the path on which the Boar went, and
having seen the Boar says, "What is the matter with thee? Ade! Did
a thunderbolt strike thee, that thou camest bounding away?"
The Boar says, "What did I come away for? Truly, I was running away. If
I had stayed there it would be seen why!"
Then the Jackal says, "If thou hadst stopped he wouldn't eat thee. Art
thou a person afraid to have the sovereignty bestowed on thee? What
was it? Except that he merely looked at thee he did not attempt to
eat thee, Cultivator. If he had done so wouldst thou be thus? [142]
No. Did he attempt the crime of eating thee?" [At last the Boar agreed
to return to the Lion.]
Afterwards, when they went near the Lion together, the Jackal
says, "Friend, go without fear, and tell him to hand over the
sovereignty." In that manner the Boar went near the Lion.
Having sprung with great force on the neck of the Boar, and broken
the neck, and broken the bone of the head, as he was going to eat
the brains the Jackal said, "Don't."
When the Lion asked, "Why not, Bola?" the Jackal says, "Though you,
Sir, exercise the sovereignty your wisdom is less than ours. Do kings
eat and drink in that manner?" After he had said, "Blood has fallen
on your body, Sir. Having gone to the river, bathing and drying your
body there, and having returned, be good enough to eat sitting down,"
the Lion went to bathe.
After he had caused him to go, the Jackal ate the Boar's brains,
and remained there silently. The Lion having come back, and taken the
skull in his paws, sought for the brain in order to eat it. When he
said, "There is no brain," the Jackal said, "Sir, don't you know so
much? Having once escaped death and gone away, would he again be caught
for killing if he had had brains? That one had no brains," he said.
Duraya. North-western Province.
HOW THE JACKAL CHEATED THE LION. (VARIANT.)
In a more ancient time than this, a Lion King dwelt in a certain
forest. A Jackal who lived in that very forest, establishing a friendly
state with the Lion began to reside near him. Should I state the mutual
trust of them both [it was this]--the Lion knew that although by the
aid of the Jackal's means of success (that is, advice and stratagems),
the Lion was seizing and eating the flesh of other animals, he did
not get from the Jackal any other assistance that ought to be given.
When a little time had passed in that way, it was evident that the
Jackal's body was becoming very fat. The Lion saw it, and assuming
a false illness remained lying down at the time when the Jackal
came. Having seen it, the Jackal made obeisance to the Lion, and asked,
"What, O Lord, are you lying down for? Has some ailment befallen Your
Majesty? Are you not going to hunt to-day?"
Then the Lion said, "My friend Jackal, a headache having afflicted me
to-day, I am in a very serious state. From this time onward, having
hunted, and eaten only the small amount of the brains of the animals,
I will give thee all the rest of the flesh. Do thou subsist on it. For
the reason that I am not well enough to go to hunt this day, thou
and I, both of us, must remain hungry. Art thou unable to go hunting
[alone] this day only?" he asked.
Thereupon the Jackal said to the Lion, "O Lord, is that which should
be done a difficult thing? Your Majesty will stay thus. I will go,
and will return calling some animal or other [to come] near Your
Majesty." Having instructed him to spring up and seize it as soon as
it comes, the Jackal went to seek animals.
While going for this purpose [it saw that] a Goat was tied in a
field. Having told many falsehoods to the Goat it returned, inviting it
[to come] near the Lion. Then the Lion sprang to seize it. Thereupon
the Goat, having become afraid, ran away. The Jackal went [after it],
and causing it to turn back again, returned [with it].
Then the Lion, having killed the Goat, went to bathe in order [to
purify himself, so as] to eat the small quantity of brains. In the
meantime the Jackal removed the brains, and having eaten them replaced
the skin.
The Lion having returned after bathing, when he came to split open the
skin in order to eat the brains, saw that there were no brains. Having
seen it, the Lion asked the Jackal, "Where are my brains?"
Thereupon the Jackal said, "O Lord, if this one had any brains would
it have come twice near Your Majesty? It came twice because it had
no brains." So saying the Jackal ate the small quantity of flesh also.
Western Province.
Improbable as the notion appears that an animal, other than insects or
fishes, would return into the same danger shortly after escaping from
it, one instance of this has come under the observation of myself and
a friend, with whose approval I insert this account of the occurrence.
As Mr. H. E. H. Hayes, late of the Public Works Department, Ceylon,
was walking one day near the water, at the embankment of the Vilankulam
tank in the Northern Province, a crocodile made its appearance suddenly
in the water near him, apparently attracted by his young terrier. He
fired a charge of snipe shot at its head, and it disappeared.
He and I went to the spot on the following day. I remained on the
look-out on the top of the bank, while he was partly hidden behind a
tree nearer the water. There he tweaked or pinched the dog so as to
make it yelp a little. Then we observed a crocodile's head raised
among some weeds far out in the tank. Not many minutes afterwards
the crocodile's head appeared out of the water only a few feet away
from the dog. Mr. Hayes at once shot it with his rifle; and when he
recovered it found the shot marks of the previous day in its head.
In this case it might almost be said with truth that the animal had no
brains, since the brain of an ordinary tank crocodile is only about the
size of a large walnut. When I split the skull of one, the men who were
with me could not find the brain cavity, and thought it had no brains.
In Indian Nights' Entertainment, Panjab (Swynnerton), p. 268, a Tiger
with a broken leg takes the place of the Lion, and a Jackal brought
an Ass to eat what he represented to be the superior grass at the
place. After the Tiger had killed it and eaten part of it, he crawled
to a spring for a drink, and in his absence the Jackal ate the heart
(which the Tiger wanted itself), and gave the same explanation of
its absence. The author added a note, "the heart among the Punjabis
being the seat of reason."
In the Panchatantra (Dubois), an Ass was brought to a sick Lion King
in order that he might eat the heart and ears, as a remedy for his
illness. When he was brought back the second time by a Jackal, the
Lion killed him and ate the heart and ears.
In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), p. 85, there is a similar
story, except that after killing the Ass the Lion went to bathe,
and the Jackal then ate the heart and ears. He told the Lion that
"the creature never possessed ears or a heart, otherwise how could
he have returned when he had once escaped?"
STORIES OF THE RODIYAS
NO. 69
THE ROLL OF COTTON
In a certain country there is a city. In the city there are two
persons, an elder sister and a younger sister. There are two female
children of the two persons.
The younger sister took to spinning cotton. At that time her daughter
also came there. A roll of cotton was driven away in the wind out of
the daughter's hand. Then her mother beat the daughter. "Wherever it
should go do thou bring back the roll of cotton," she said. This girl,
weeping and weeping, follows the roll of cotton.
She came to a betel plot which a lame man had made. To this girl who
was following the roll of cotton the lame man says, "Ane! Pour water
on this betel plot and go, please," he said. Afterwards, having poured
it she went on. "The betel has been plucked," she said.
As she was going [she came to a place where] a dog was
tied. "Ane! Younger sister, tie me in the shade and go, please,"
he said. "While you are going home to-morrow there will be a haunch
of a bull tied up [for you]," he said. So having tied the dog in the
shade she went on.
Then the roll of cotton having gone on, stopped in a cane-brake. At
that time a King came there. That girl was tying hooked sticks in
order to get the roll of cotton. So the King said, "I will bring the
roll of cotton. Go thou to the royal palace and cook," he said.
The girl went and cooked. The King got the roll of cotton. The King
having gone, gave the roll of cotton to the girl.
After he had given it, both of them ate the cooked rice. After they
had eaten it the King called the girl to the house. Having called
her, he said to the girl, "Please take from these boxes any box thou
wantest," he said.
Then the girl, having looked at them, took a small sandalwood box.
Afterwards the King said, "This will provide a livelihood for the
persons who are rearing thee, also," he said.
Taking the box, she came near the dog that was tied up. There the dog
had tied up the haunch of a bull. Having taken the haunch of the bull
from there, she came near the lame man. Having got betel from there,
she came near her mother at the girl's house.
Having come there she opened that box. Having opened it, after she
looked [in it she found that] the box was full of silver and gold;
the box had been filled. Then that other elder sister and the elder
sister's daughter saw these articles [and heard how the girl obtained
them].
On the following day that mother and daughter took to spinning
cotton. Afterwards, from the mother's hand by force a roll of cotton
was carried away [by the wind]; having been carried away she beat the
daughter, and told her to bring the roll of cotton. So this daughter,
weeping and weeping, goes after the roll of cotton.
She goes near the lame man who is making the betel plot. Then the
lame man said, "Please pour water [on these plants]." Having said,
"I will not," she went by the place where the dog was. The dog said,
"Ane! Elder sister, tie me in the shade and go. As you go [home]
I will place a haunch of a bull for you," he said. Having said she
would not she went away.
The roll of cotton having gone into the very cane-brake, that also
stopped there. Then this girl was tying hooked sticks in order to
get the roll of cotton. Then the King [came there, and] said, "I will
bring the roll of cotton. Go thou to the palace and cook," he said.
The girl having gone, without any deficiency cooked rice and
vegetables. The King having taken the roll of cotton [there], both
of them went to eat the rice. Having gone and looked [at it in order]
to eat it, they could not eat it; it had the taste of water.
Having called the girl he said, "From these please take for thyself
any box thou wantest," he said.
This one having searched and searched, took in her arms a great
chest. Afterwards the King said, "Go thou; please open the box at
the place where thy mother and father are," he said.
The girl, after it became night, having summoned every one,
[143] opened the box. All [the things] in the box were cobras and
polangas. The cobras and polangas having bitten the people of the
village, destroyed them. They made all the village desolate.
Rodiya. North-western Province.
In Wide-Awake Stories (Steel and Temple), p. 178--Folk Tales of the
Punjab, p. 167--there is an account of the good luck of a kind girl
and the bad luck of an unkind girl, but the incidents are unlike
those of the Sinhalese story.
NO. 70
THE JACKAL AND THE LEOPARD
In a certain country there is a Gamarala. There is a goat-fold of the
Gamarala's. At that goat-fold one by one the goats are disappearing
during the night. Afterwards the Gamarala having gone there [to watch
for the thief] went to sleep. In the hand of the Gamarala there was
a lump of salt chillies.
Afterwards the Leopard came at night. The Leopard lifting each goat
looks at it. Having looked, afterwards having lifted up the Gamarala
[and found he was the heaviest] he took him. Carrying him away he took
him to his rock cave. Then the Gamarala quickly [entered it, and] shut
the door. The Leopard then was trying to go into the cave. Having heard
the uproar the Jackal Panditaya came. "What is this, Sapu-flowers'
Minister, you are doing?" he asked.
"In other years I brought goats [and ate them without trouble]. That
one having entered the cave has shut the door."
"You, Sir, having put your tail inside the cave be pleased to wave it,"
he said; the Jackal Panditaya said. "Do not catch hold of the tail,"
he said [to the Gamarala]. "Otherwise, having put thy foot against the
wall, and having folded it two-fold or three-fold, hold it [fast],"
he said. "Do not jam a little of the golden salt chillies under the
tail of the Sapu-flowers' Minister," he said.
Then the Gamarala having seized the tail jammed in the salt
chillies. Afterwards the Sapu-flowers' Minister pulling out his tail
bounded away. Having bounded off and gone, he sat down on a flat
rock. Afterwards the Jackal Panditaya asked, "What are you on that
flat rock for?"
"I am looking if this country is fruitful or unfruitful," [144]
he said.
Again, the Gamarala, saving his life, went to the village. The Jackal
Panditaya went to the Gamarala. "What is it, Gamarala? Couldn't you
kill him?"
"While he was outside how could I, sitting in the cave, kill him?"
"I will tell you a trick for that one," the Jackal Panditaya
said. Afterwards he said, "You must make a trap for that one," he said.
"Where shall I make the trap?" [the Gamarala] asked.
"At the fence of the goat-fold," he said.
Afterwards he made the trap. The Sapu-flowers' Minister was noosed
in the trap. On the following day the Gamarala came to look. Having
come before the Gamarala, also the Jackal Panditaya came near the
trap. "Gamarala, to-day indeed he has been hanged," he said.
Etana metana to gasanne
Kambul baeta dipanne
Kanda sewanata aedapanne
"Strike thou there and here a blow;
Knocks upon the cheeks bestow;
Drag him to the hill's shadow,"
the Jackal Panditaya said.
Hampottayi to ganne
Malu tika mata denne.
Then he said--
"'Tis the skin will be for thee,
The little flesh thou'lt give to me."
Rodiya. North-western Province.
Part of this story was given in The Orientalist, vol. iv, p. 30. A
Jackal that had followed a Leopard which was trying to get at a man
who had taken refuge in a corn store, advised it to insert its tail
through a gap in the doorway, and wave it about. When it did so,
the Jackal said in the Peraelibasa, [145] which the Leopard did not
understand, Katu anuwe potun detak, which when transposed becomes
atu kanuwe detun potak, "Two or three twists round the pillar of the
corn store." The man acted as advised, and held the tail fast. When
some men came up they killed the Leopard.
NO. 71
HOW THE BOARS KILLED THE RAKSHASA
There is a certain city. There is a very great jungle belonging to
the city. A wild Sow stays in the jungle. The Sow having come to a
house on the high ground, and pains having come to her, gave birth
to a little Boar. The men of the house having seen the little Boar,
catching it and amply giving it to eat, reared it.
[After he had grown up], one day that village Boar says, "I cannot
remain thus." Having thought, "I must go to a great jungle," he
went away.
After that, having gone to the jungle, while he was there a Rakshasa
having come to that jungle was eating the large Boars. Afterwards the
village Boar said [to the others], "I will tell you a good trick,"
he said.
"What is it?" the other large Boars in the jungle asked.
"Please dig two very large wells. At the bottom make the two wells
one," [146] he said. "The large village Boar will be [on the ground]
in the middle of the two wells," he said. He told the other large
Boars to be round the well.
The Rakshasa every day comes to a rock. The large village Boar asks
the other large Boars, "This Rakshasa having come, what will you do
as he comes?"
The other Boars say, "This Rakshasa having come makes grimaces at us."
"Then ye also make grimaces," he said.
"Again, he inflates his sides at us."
"Do ye also inflate your sides," he said.
"He makes a very great roar."
"Do ye also at that time roar all together," he said.
On the following day the Rakshasa having come, and having looked
in the direction of the Boars, made grimaces, inflated his sides,
and made a very great roar. [The Boars did the same.]
Then the Rakshasa thought, "To-day these Boars will eat me." Thinking
this he went near the Lion.
Afterwards the Lion scolded him. "Ane! You also having gone, and
having been unable [to do anything], have you come back?"
"What am I to do? All that I do the Boars are doing."
Afterwards the Rakshasa again came to the place where the Boars
were. After that, the village great Boar says to the other Boars,
"To-day the Rakshasa is coming to eat us indeed. What shall we do?" he
said to the great Boars. "[This is what we will do.] The Rakshasa
having come, when he springs at the great Boars I will jump into the
well. Having jumped in, I will come to the ground by the tunnel [and
the other well]," he said. "Before I ascend you eat the Rakshasa,"
he said.
In that way the Rakshasa came. Having come, as he was springing [at the
Boar] the Boar jumped into the well. Then the Rakshasa having jumped
[in after him] they bit him and ate him up.
Afterwards the great village Boar asked the other Boars, "Who else
is there to eat your flesh?"
Then, "Still there is a Lion King," they said. Saying, "Ada! Seeking
him there, let us all go," they all went.
The Lion King as the Boars were coming climbed up a tree. Then the
Boars at once having broken the roots of the tree, felled the tree
to the ground. The Lion ran away.
Then the Boars, saying, "Seize him, seize him!" having gone chasing
him, killed the Lion.
Rodiya. North-western Province.
This tale is given in the Jataka story No. 492 (vol. iv, p. 217). A
Boar reared by a carpenter joined the wild ones, and taught them how
to kill a Tiger that devoured them, by means of two pits. The tunnel
connecting them is omitted. The Boar did not jump into the pit;
'only the Tiger fell into one of the pits when he sprang at the
Boar. After killing the Tiger they proceeded to kill a sham ascetic
who was his abettor, in the same manner as in the Sinhalese story.
Although the Rodiyas are not often present at the services at
the Buddhist temples, they go to them occasionally, not, however,
being permitted to enter the temple enclosure, but standing outside
it. There they can hear the reading of the sacred books (bana), and
perhaps in this manner they have learnt the story of the Boars. I have
not met with it as a folk-tale elsewhere. The reference to the tunnel
connecting the two pits shows that it has independent features. This
tunnel alone explains the excavation of the two pits, one to jump
into and the other to escape by.
NO. 72
THE GRATEFUL JACKAL
In a certain village there was a boy who looked after cattle. One day,
in the morning having taken the cattle [to graze], as they were going
to water, that boy, when a python seizing a Jackal was going to eat
it, went and beat the python, saying, "Ane! This python is going to
eat the Jackal, isn't it?"
Then the python having let the Jackal go seized the boy. So the boy
cried out, "Anda! Anda! O my father! The python has seized me!" he
cried.
Then the Jackal having come running, when he looked [saw that] the
python had caught the boy, and thinking "Ada! Because of me this one
seized the boy," the Jackal looking and looking backwards, ran off
[to fetch assistance]. After he had looked [to see] if there was
any one, there was no one. The Jackal heard several people in the
distance. The Jackal went running there. When he was going near the
men, the men said, "A mad Jackal has come," they said.
Then again the Jackal came running to the place where the python
was. Again he came running to the place where the men were. Having
come [there], after the Jackal looked [he saw that] the clothes of
men who were bathing were under a tree. The Jackal having gone to
the place where the clothes were, taking a waist cloth in his mouth
ran off. Having run off, and having put down the cloth at the place
where the python, holding the boy, was staying, the Jackal ran into
the jungle.
Then those men having seen that the Jackal which had taken the cloth
in its mouth was running away, saying, "Ada! The mad Jackal taking our
cloth in its mouth is running away," followed the Jackal. When they
looked, having seen that the python had seized the boy, they said,
"Ada! The python has caught such and such a one's boy and encircled
him."
Then those men who were ploughing and ploughing having all come
running, and having beaten and thrown down the python, saved the
boy. [Afterwards] those men asked at the hand of the boy, "What did
the python seize thee for?"
Then the boy said, "As I was coming the python had seized the Jackal,
and I was sorry. At that time I tried to save the Jackal, and that
one having let the Jackal go, seized me."
Rodiya. North-western Province.
STORIES OF THE KINNARAS
NO. 73
CONCERNING A MONK AND A YAKA
A monk, tying a Yaka [by magical spells] gets work from him. For seven
years he got work. Then the time having come for the Yaka to go, the
Yaka every day having gone near the monk says, "Monk, tell me a work
[to do]."
The monk said one day, "In Galgamuwa tank there will be seven
islands. Having gone there and planed them down, come back." After
that, the Yaka having gone and planed the tank, and having very
quickly come, said at the hand of the monk, "Monk, tell me a work."
Then the monk said, "Having cut a well of seven fathoms, and having
cut a Damunu [147] tree, and removed the splinters, and put it down
to the bottom of a well, and tied a creeper noose to the Damunu stick,
you are to draw it up [from inside the well] to the ground."
Afterwards the Yaka having cut a well of seven fathoms, and cut a
Damunu tree, and removed the bark from it, and tied a creeper noose
to it, and put the Damunu stick to the bottom of the well, the Yaka
sitting on the ground holding the creeper noose tried to draw it
out. He could not draw it. When he was drawing it, because there was
slime on the Damunu stick he was unable to draw it out.
On account of the time during which the Yaka had been delayed near
the well, the monk being afraid of the Yaka, the monk went backwards
and backwards for three gawwas (twelve miles). The Yaka having pushed
against the monk for so much time, and having got a bill-hook also, on
the road he drove him (the monk) away. Having gone there [afterwards]
to kill the monk, he met with the monk. After that, the Yaka threw the
bill-hook, so that having cut the monk with it he would die. After
he had thrown it, the bill-hook was behind, [148] and the monk was
in front [of it]. On account of that, the name [of the place] there
became Kaettaepahuwa [a village twenty-one miles from Kurunaegala,
on the road to Anuradhapura].
Kinnara. North-western Province.
This story is known throughout the district to the north of
Kurunaegala. The explanation of the Damunu tree incident which was
given to me is that the monk, being unable to find enough work for
the Yaka, gave him this task as one that would provide occupation for
him for a long time. When the bark is freshly removed, the Damunu
sticks are extremely slippery. The creeper was tied at one end in
a ring which was passed over the smooth stem of the tree. When the
Yaka endeavoured to raise the tree by pulling at the creeper, the
ring slipped up the stem instead of raising the tree.
Elsewhere in the same district I heard of another man, a villager,
who had mastered a Yaksani (female Yaka), and who made her perform work
for him. In appearance she was an ordinary female, and the man's wife
was unaware of her true character, as he had not informed her of it,
being afraid of alarming her. The man kept the Yaksani under control
by means of a magic iron nail, which he had driven in the crown of
her head. One day during his absence she went to her mistress, and
told her that a thorn had run into her head while she was carrying
firewood on it, and that she was unable to draw it out. The woman
extracted the nail for her, and the Yaksani, being then free, killed
the family, and escaped.
In Folk-Lore of Southern India (Natesa Sastri), p. 272--Tales of
the Sun, p. 285--there is a story of a landowner who learnt an
incantation by means of which he summoned a Brahma-Rakshasa, who
became his servant, at the same time informing him that if he failed
to provide work the Rakshasa would kill him. Everything he could think
of was done in an incredibly short time--tank repaired and deepened,
lands all cultivated--and there being nothing more to be done the wife
gave the demon a hair of her head to straighten. He failed to do it,
but remembering that goldsmiths heated wires when about to straighten
them, he placed the hair on a fire, which burnt it up. He was afraid
to face his mistress after it, so he ran away.
Regarding the thorn in the demon's head, see No. 20.
NO. 74
THE THREE SUITORS
In a certain country dwelt a man and a woman, it is said. These two
had a son and a daughter.
When a man came one day and asked for the daughter [in marriage]
at the hand of the father, the father said, "It is good. Come on
Wednesday." The man having said "Ha," went away.
Afterwards another man came and asked for the girl at the hand of
the mother. The mother said, "It is good. Come on Wednesday." The
man having said "Ha," went away.
After that, yet a man came and asked for her at the hand of the
girl's younger brother. The younger brother said, "It is good. Come
on Wednesday." The man having said "Ha," went away.
Well then, the company of three persons having come on Wednesday and
eaten rice and betel, caused the girl to come out [of the house],
inviting her to go. Then the three persons endeavoured to call her
to go in three [different] directions. Because the girl was unable
to settle the dispute she ate a kind of poison, and lying down died
there and then. Afterwards they buried her.
After that, the man who came first went to a sooth-sayer. The man who
came next watched alone at the place where they buried her. The man who
came last having said, "It doesn't matter to me," went to his village.
The man who went to ask for sooth having inquired about it, came to the
place where they buried the girl. Having come and made incantations
in the manner prescribed by the sooth-sayer, he made her arise,
and got her [back to life]. After she had recovered she went to the
village. The man also went there.
Now then, after the three men had come together there, the man who
brought her back to life asked, "To whom do you belong?"
The girl said, "The man who watched alone at the grave is my
mother. The man who went to inquire of the sooth-sayer is my
father. The man who went to his village is my man."
Having said this, the girl went with the man to his village.
Kinnari. North-western Province.
This is a story of Vikrama and the Vampire, one of the puzzling
questions set to the King being a decision as to whom the girl
belonged.
In Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 237, the girl threw
herself down from the house-top. One of the suitors sprang on the
funeral pile, and was burnt with her. The second watched over the
grave. The third became a Fakir, and learnt how to revive the dead. He
revived both the girl and the burnt suitor. The merchant whose opinion
was required decided that the two who were burnt together were brother
and sister, the Fakir who gave them renewed life was their father,
and the man who merely sat by the grave must become her husband.
In the Jataka story No. 150 (vol. i, p. 321), there is an account of
a person who had learnt the spell for reviving the dead. In this case
it was a tiger, who killed him.
In Tota Kahani (Small), p. 139, out of three suitors for the hand of
a girl who was carried off by a fairy, one learnt the manner of her
disappearance and the place where she was, the second made a magical
flying wooden horse, on which the third rode to rescue her, killed
the fairy, and brought her back. The Parrot's decision was that the
last one had the best right to her, as he had risked his life for her.
NO. 75
THE CROCODILE AND THE JACKAL
In a river in a certain country a Crocodile stayed, it is said. While
it was living there, the Crocodile having become friendly with a Crab,
the Crocodile said to the Crab, "Friend, you call the Jackal to drink
water, so that I may seize and eat the Jackal after he has come." The
Crab said "Ha."
On the bank of that river there were Muruta [149] trees, and there
were flowers on those Muruta trees. The Crocodile said to the Crab,
"I will lie down on the high ground. You bring flowers that have
fallen below those Muruta trees and cover me." Having said [this],
the Crocodile lay down on the high ground near the water, and the
Crab having brought the Muruta flowers covered the Crocodile.
Having covered him, the Crab, calling the Jackal, came to drink
water. The Crocodile stayed as though dead. Then the Jackal having
come near the Crocodile said, "In our country, indeed, dead Crocodiles
wag their tails. This Crocodile, why doesn't he wag his tail? Maybe
he isn't dead."
Then that Crocodile which remained as though dead, wagged his
tail. After that, the Jackal, without stopping even to drink water,
bounded off, and went away.
Afterwards the Crocodile said to the Crab, "Friend, to-morrow I will
stop at the bottom of the water. You come there with the Jackal. Then
I will seize and eat him."
The Crab having said "Ha," on the following day came with the Jackal
to the place where the Crocodile was. Then the Crocodile seized the
Jackal by the foot [as he was going to drink water]. The Jackal said--
Kimbulundae raewatundae
Ketala ale dae gandae?
"Are the Crocodiles cheated quite,
Thus the Ketala yam to bite?"
Then the Crocodile let go. After that, on that day also without
drinking water he bounded off, and went away.
From that day, the Jackals having become angry with the Crabs, and
having seized and bitten the Crabs in the rice fields, place the Crabs'
claws on the earthen ridges in the fields.
Kinnara. North-western Province.
In The Orientalist, vol. ii, p. 46, there is a story of a Jackal
and a Crocodile, in the latter part of which the first incident is
given, the tree being a Veralu (Elaeocarpus serratus). The Crab is
not introduced into it.
In the Jataka story No. 57 (vol. i, p. 142) a Crocodile endeavoured
to entrap a Monkey by lying still on the top of a rock. The Monkey,
suspecting some trick, from the unusual height of the rock, addressed
the rock and inquired why it did not reply as usual. The Crocodile
then spoke.
In Indian Folk Tales (Gordon), p. 63, the God Mahadeo (Siva) took
the place of the Crocodile, in order to be revenged on the Jackal for
cheating him in the matter of the dead elephant (see No. 39, note);
and the two incidents of the shamming death and seizure of the root
are related.
In Old Deccan Days (Frere) p. 310, a Jackal escaped from an Alligator
[Crocodile] in the same manner.
NOTES
[1] See note at the end of the Introduction.
[2] Cf. Jataka, No. 206 (vol. ii, p. 106).
[3] From the Tamil kuppam, a village of small houses, perhaps +
ayam, ground.
[4] The Tamil stories of Mariyada Raman, or some of them, are known
in one district. Arabic is unknown.
[5] Folk-Tales of Kashmir, Knowles, 2nd ed., pp. 258 and 331.
[6] Agata anagata, as the early cave inscriptions say.
[7] Asurendraya.
[8] It is one of the greatest possible insults in the East to strike
a person with a broom. Even demons are supposed to be afraid of being
struck by it, and thus it is a powerful demon-scarer.
[9] A Kayiya, usually to provide help in clearing jungle, or ploughing,
or reaping, for which no pay is given, but the party are fed liberally.
[10] Ma Vi, the name of the largest variety of rice.
[11] Twenty-eight miles. According to Indian reckoning of about six
winks to a second, as given in the Maha Bharata, this would be an
orbit of about 14,500,000 miles, with a diameter of 4,620,000 miles.
[12] That is, the sun rises in the latitude of the district where the
story was related. This would be within a day or two of February 22.
[13] I cannot explain this remark.
[14] This is, where refreshing breezes blow.
[15] The deity of the planet Saturn.
[16] The narrator understood this to mean that large upright sheets
of glass were fixed round the bed.
[17] Mini Ran Kukula. The spelling in this and other instances is
according to the manuscripts, except in such words as Rakshasa and
Rakshasi, the village forms of which are Rasaya and Rasi; and Brahmana,
which is usually given as Brahmanaya.
[18] A word without any special meaning in English, often used in
addressing a person familiarly and somewhat disrespectfully.
[19] Amu (Paspalum scrobiculatum), the Tamil Varaku, a small grain
cultivated in jungle clearings.
[20] Three halfpence.
[21] Elawa gihin melawa awa, "Having gone to that world I came to
this world." This is a common saying, meaning in village talk, "What
a long and tiring journey I have had." According to the Rev. C. Alwis
it also means, "I almost died, and recovered." (The Orientalist,
vol. i, p. 62.)
[22] Light rice cakes.
[23] Old flower-seller.
[24] Moringa pterygosperma.
[25] A thing only done by a man's wife.
[26] Wangi tunak aeti, kembi dolahak aeti,
Apata waeduna duka me asapan kota kotali.
[27] Evidently a modern interpolation, as the Princess was represented
as using only a writing style.
[28] Loku mama.
[29] Lit. necks.
[30] This is the dress of a villager when visiting friends. A white
jacket is now often added.
[31] Literally, "Are we bad?"
[32] Up to this point the story follows one related by a Duraya;
the rest belongs to the cultivating caste.
[33] Literally, "Is there any coming for her?"
[34] Great Mother: The title of a mother's elder sister; her younger
sister is called Puñci-Amma, Little Mother. The letter c is pronounced
as ch in transliterations. I follow the village writers in not marking
the various forms of n; they write punci or punci.
[35] Moringa pterygosperma.
[36] Ran oncillawa.
[37] A well-to-do woman of the village. Gama-Mahage is the title of
the wife of a Gamarala, a village headman or elder.
[38] To search for insects. She would sit down for the purpose.
[39] Daboia russelli.
[40] Un mamma nasindayi,
Ranwan baena aende andandayi,
Ranwan akka samine wendayi.
[41] In these stories the Yakas are always evil spirits or demons.
[42] Piyanan-wahanse.
[43] The word used indicates the use of guns, and not bows and arrows.
[44] A Vedarala (medical practitioner) or another man who knows the
spells and magical practices which have power over demons.
[45] Araksha baendala.
[46] E minihata waehila, mayan wenda patangatta.
[47] The Sinhalese title is, "The manner in which the Youth who looked
after the Goats became King."
[48] Inferior Gods, ruled by Indra.
[49] Raja Gurunnanse, probably the Purohita Brahmana, the King's
spiritual adviser.
[50] A supernatural being who could take at will either a human form
or the shape of a cobra (naya or naga).
[51] Dohta karanawa = Dashta k., to give a poisonous bite.
[52] Panicum sp., probably miliare, an edible grass seed.
[53] Kankariya.
[54] Wes.
[55] Gigiri walalu.
[56] Silambu.
[57] Learned Brow.
[58] On account of the strangeness of this speech, I give the
Sinhalese words as they were written: Umba kaburupanjati jati umbe
muna (sic.) penendawat epa. Umbata hena waediyamin umbe jatakaya
ganin. It appears to be a Rabelaisian joke, and was considered such
by the person who narrated it.
[59] Otunne malu. This proves that the story is Indian, and perhaps
from the Panjab, there being no camels in Ceylon.
[60] The usual village spelling.
[61] Great Happiness.
[62] Equivalent to saying, "What things do you know?" Saestara,
the noun used, means sooth, knowledge of things, and science.
[63] The title "Vedarala" is applied both to native medical
practitioners and to demon expellers, who are also sooth-sayers.
[64] Twenty rupees, in a variant.
[65] Sihi buddi naetuwata mona saestara kiyamanada? This might also
be interpreted, "On account of the absence of Sihibuddi what saying of
sooth is there?" The long final i of female names is usually shortened
in conversation.
[66] A South Indian gold coin, with the figure of a boar, Varaha,
on the obverse, said by Winslow to be worth three and a half rupees.
[67] "A box in which the most valuable ornaments of the most frequent
use are kept, and which for the sake of safety is always placed at
the foot of the bed" (The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 59, footnote).
[68] Kumandaeyi mama karanne, which if not very clearly heard might
be translated, "It is Kumanda; I am doing it," or "I will do it."
[69] He might do any unusual acts of this sort without exciting much
astonishment, while apparently under the influence of "possession."
[70] Kurulu gama Appuge rissa giya. This might be translated,
"On the birds' moving, Appu's strength went."
[71] Sillu, "Hopscotch," a game omitted from my account of village
games in Ancient Ceylon. I have seen boys playing a form of Hopscotch
which may be this one. I do not understand the reference to "dragging"
the counters home after it, unless the meaning is "carrying." The
Sinhalese verb used is adinawa, which is sometimes employed with this
other meaning.
[72] Sadhu Maharajani.
[73] Gamaya.
[74] Ge-dora, which probably means only "house-door" in this case,
and not buildings, etc., in general.
[75] A creeper with long sharp thorns, punctures by which usually
cause ulcers.
[76] Polmicca kirilli.
[77] An imitation of the song of the bird, apparently.
[78] Mat ekka giyama nakeyi?
[79] "Stooping man, there is heat, heat."
[80] Kujija is a man who stoops. He may have thought it said,
"Stooping man, you are refuse."
[81] Kuti is a bend. He appears to have interpreted it as, "Stooping
man, you are bent, bent."
All these expressions are imitations of some of the notes of the
bird's song.
[82] Ge dorata.
[83] A Muhammedan trader or pedlar, called "elder brother" in an
honorary sense.
[84] Plural of Bola, regarding which see No. 5.
[85] Lit. "making."
[86] Hungak dura, "a great deal far," a common village expression.
[87] Nari-nayide; see also No. 56, and p. 28.
[88] The meaning is that no appearances can be trusted, not even those
of the earth and sky; but that sometimes untrustworthy things, even
such a dangerous thing as fire, are wrongly trusted. He was referring
to the judge's acceptance of the ridiculous statement regarding the
birth of the horse.
[89] Kokka, a word applied to several species of large waders. The name
of the Black Stork is Mana, but probably this is the bird referred to,
as in the Sinhalese variant.
[90] Aehae aeragassi.
[91] Apparently this is Kurma, turtle + marsha, mrish. The meaning
would be "Permit the Turtle" (to precede you). In The Orientalist,
vol. i, p. 87, in which this part of the story is also given, it is
stated that there is a saying, Kurmaya prativadena sinhasya maranan
yatha, "As the death of the lion by the reply [? Kurmarsha] of the
turtle."
[92] As in India, the tom-tom beaters were the weavers also in Ceylon,
until cheap imported cloth put an end to weaving. In the Folk Tales
of Bengal (Day), p. 233, the "proverbial simplicity" of weavers is
mentioned, and in several stories in Indian Nights' Entertainment
(Swynnerton) their foolishness is the chief theme. In the Jataka story
No. 59 there is an account of a foolish tom-tom beater boy also. See
also the story No. 10, in this volume.
[93] Calatropis gigantea.
[94] This is prosaic love-making!
[95] Probably in order to sell deer's flesh there.
[96] Canarium zeylanicum.
[97] Macacus pileatus.
[98] Berae.
[99] Haeliya.
[100] Called also, "The Deer and the Girl and Nikini."
[101] An expression often used in village talk, without any connexion
with its literal meaning, "O demon." "Fellow!" nearly expresses its
ordinary meaning, which is less respectful than that of the word Bola.
[102] Totra karanawa.
[103] Also written Lihiniya, "the Glider," a name applied to some hawks
and swallows, etc. The whole name is "Tusk-Elephant-Mountain Hawk,"
or Eagle. I could learn nothing of the "Tusk-Elephant Mountain." This
bird is the Rukh or Roc of the Arabian Nights.
[104] Apparently she was to swear by them, touching them at the
time. See No. 8, in which a Prince and Princess touched each other
when swearing an oath.
[105] An amuna is 5·7 bushels in the district where this story
was told.
[106] Little Mother, an expression meaning the mother's younger sister,
or the step-mother.
[107] Yabbaelli, apparently a kind of demon in the shape of a dog.
[108] Talla.
[109] The word used, nikan, "no-act," is employed in several senses;
when a thing is given nikan, it usually means "without payment." To
come or go nikan, is to come or go without any special reason or
business, and also to go empty-handed, as in a former tale.
[110] Mi Paetikki. It might be either a rat or a mouse.
[111] Unnanse namak. In the villages, namak, "a name," takes the
place of kenek, "person", in speaking of monks.
[112] Hakurun.
[113] Mulakun.
[114] Aewariyakun.
[115] Senawalaya.
[116] A contraction of Gama-ralahami. Hami is an intermediate form
between swami, "lord", and himi; Wanniyas still use the latter.
[117] The yoke of the plough is placed on the neck and fastened there,
on the Washerman's half of the animal.
[118] Because the mouth which grazes is in the Gamarala's half of
the cow.
[119] Rate wissa. The word is new to me; this appears to be the
meaning.
[120] Raja ho, ma ho, ganga ho. "Either the King, or I, or the river"
[floods] will come to an end (naeti wenawa). He meant that if the
periodical floods in the river did not come to an end, the job would
last during the King's life-time, and that if he gave it up he had
nothing else to live upon.
[121] Terminalia glabra.
[122] Kokka, a word which also means Egret, and some other large
wading birds.
[123] Lula (Ophiocephalus striatus).
[124] Kanakoka (Ardeola grayi).
[125] Triple-wreathed famous one.
[126] Probably, "He that moves about in the jungle," derived from the
Tamil words kadu, jungle--in compounds, kattu--and salam, Skt. cala,
moving, unsteady. The bird is Centrococcyx rufipennis, which utters
a booming call, and has red eyes.
[127] Tamil, tonku, to move with leaps, Skt. twang, to leap,
gallop + ka, doer.
[128] Maha tokkama.
[129] Tokkam dekak.
[130] Lay devotee.
[131] Rala is an honorific termination, nearly equivalent to our Mr.
[132] Tun-iri Mudiyanse, (Sciurus tri-striatus), a small squirrel
with three yellow dorsal lines.
[133] Lit. "Having guarded, I must place it."
[134] Mini-gedi.
[135] Miyane.
[136] Lenane.
[137] Wali-kukulane.
[138] Katussa (Calotes sp.), a small lizard with a long tail, and
spikes on the back, commonly called "Bloodsucker" in Ceylon.
[139] Perhaps this means that the Leopard found some places where
the Lizard had not yet bitten him.
[140] A variant says it was the Gamarala.
[141] "Art thou reciting the Buddhist Scriptures?" Used colloquially
with the meaning, "What nonsense you are talking."
[142] Ehema nan ehemada, "If so (would it be) so?"
[143] Seramantama.
[144] That is, as we should say, "I have come here to enjoy a view
of the scenery!"
[145] There appears to be some doubt regarding the spelling of this
compound word. I give it as I have heard it. Except in the last letter
I have followed that of the late Mr. W. Goonetilleke, the learned
Editor of The Orientalist, who in vol. i, p. 8, of that journal said
of it: "Perelibase therefore means 'the language of transposition,'
or 'the transposed language.'" In Clough's Dictionary the second
word is spelt basa. In Mr. A. M. Gunasekara's excellent Sinhalese
Grammar the spelling is peralibasa in the Index, and perali base (or
bhashawa) in the paragraph dealing with it. Professor E. Müller-Hess
has drawn my attention to the form pereli on one of the inscribed
tablets at Mihintale.
[146] That is, unite them by a tunnel.
[147] Grewia tiliaefolia (?).
[148] Kaetta pahuwuna.
[149] Lagerstroemia flos-reginae.