Told by WAZÍRAN, a Mohammedan servant of Mirzápur, and
recorded by MIRZA MUHAMMAD BEG.
A Podna (weaver bird) and his mate lived in a tree--The Raja catches the
wife--Podna builds carts of reeds, yokes pairs of frogs, makes
kettle-drum, armed with piece of reed, sets out drumming--Meets a
Cat--"Where are you going?" "Sarkande ki to gári, do mendak jote jaen,
Raja mári Podni, ham bair bisahne jaen" ("My carriage is of reed with
two frogs yoked thereto; the King has seized my Podni; I go to take my
revenge"). "May I go with you?" "Get into my car"--Meets in same way
Ants, Rope and Club, River--Drives into King's courtyard and demands
Podni--King orders him to be shut in henhouse--"Nikal billi, teri bári.
Kán chhor, kanpati mári" ("Come out, Cat, your turn now: come out of my
ear and hit them on the head")--Cat comes out and kills fowls--Next
night shut in stable--"Niklo rassi, aur sonte tumhari bari. Kan chhor,
kanpati mari"--Rope ties horses and Club kills them--Next night shut in
with elephants--"Niklo chiunti tumhári bári. Kán chhor, kanpati
mári"--Ants run up trunks and sting their brains--Next night tied to the
Raja's bed--"Niklo darya teri bári. Kán chhor, kanpati mári"--River
begins to drown King and bed--"For God's sake, take your wife and go."
Here, as in other tales of this collection, we have the incident of the
Helping Animals, for which see Tawney, "Katha Sarit Ságara," ii. 103,
596; Crooke, "Popular Religion and Folk-lore of Northern India," ii.
202. See _N.I.N.Q._, iii. § 173.