A certain Bunniah or merchant married a woman of his own caste, and
set out to a distant city. On the way he fell ill with a headache,
so she sat by the wayside and pressed his head. While doing so a man
passed by, and asked for a little fire to light his cheelum for a
smoke, but she replied: "I cannot leave my husband, for I am holding
his head while he sleeps."
"Put some clothes under his head, and he will sleep," advised the
stranger. This she did, but, while giving the fire to the man, he
seized her, and, placing her upon his horse, rode away. When the
Bunniah awoke, it was to find himself all alone but for his faithful
dog Kulloo.
"Master," said Kulloo, "let us become Fakirs, and beg from door to
door." So they set out to beg, and one day came to the house of the
robber who had stolen the Bunniah's wife; and she, not recognising
her husband or his dog, gave them money and food. But the dog knew
her, and that evening he spoke to his master, and asked him if he
too had seen his wife. The Bunniah had not; and, guided by Kulloo,
he set out to find her.
When they arrived at the robber's house, and made themselves known,
the woman was greatly vexed, for the robber was rich, and gave her a
very comfortable home; but she pretended to be friendly and invited
her husband to dine there that night, telling him that, afterwards,
when he had the chance, he could kill the robber.
When the Bunniah had gone, she and the robber arranged a trap for
him. It was a hole in the floor, very large and deep, with spikes
fixed in the sides of it, so that anybody who fell in might die. Over
the hole they set a large brass thalee or plate, so that, while the
Bunniah leaned heavily upon it to eat his food, both it and he would
fall into the hole.
All happened as they anticipated; and when the poor Bunniah found
himself in a deep hole, full of spikes, he thought his last hour had
come. But faithful Kulloo came to his rescue, and, taking out the
spikes with his teeth, soon set his master free.
The Bunniah then lost no time in seeking the robber, and found him
lying fast asleep; so he killed him, and cut off his head, then,
taking his wife with him, left the place.
Kulloo followed closely, and licked up each drop of blood which fell
from the robber's head, lest it might leave a trace of the deed,
and get his master into trouble. He was a wise dog, and knew the
woman was wicked, so she hated him, and made up her mind that she
would neither eat nor drink until he was dead.
The Bunniah enquired why she would not touch any food, and she told him
she would only do so if he killed Kulloo. This the man refused to do;
but, after a while, he consented. Poor Kulloo, when he knew his last
hour had come, besought his master to bury him carefully, and to see
that his head, which the Bunniah meant to cut off, was buried with him,
for a time was yet to come when he would again save his master's life.
After Kulloo was dead and buried the wicked woman was happy, and ate
and drank as before; but, after a few days, she went and gave notice
at the Court that the Bunniah was a cruel robber, who had killed
her husband, and stolen her away. The police seized him, and he was
taken up for murder; but, just as the Judge was about to pronounce
the sentence of death upon him, he remembered faithful Kulloo; and
at the same moment the dog appeared!
All were surprised when he stood before the Judge, and asked leave
to speak. He then told the whole story of the robber and the wicked
woman; and thus, for a second time, saved his master's life, but,
having said his say, poor Kulloo disappeared and was never seen again.