In a certain country there is, it is said, a [man called] Dikpitiya. A
[married woman called] Diktaladi is rearing an [adopted] child. While
it was [there] no long time, a [female] child was born; to Diktaladi
a child was born. On the boy, the [adopted] boy she reared, she put
a cloth for ploughing (that is, he grew old enough to plough). After
the [female] child grew great and big, [the parents] gave her [in
marriage] to that youth whom Diktaladi reared, [and they went to live
in another village].
The boy she reared, after no long time went by, seeking oil, honey,
flour, and cooking a bag of cakes, and giving them to that woman [his
wife, set off with her] in order to go to look at that mother-in-law
and father-in-law.
At the time when the two are going together, having seen that much
water is going in the river [which it was necessary to cross], both
of them became much afraid in mind. Thereupon, when they are staying
[there], these two persons, having seen that the one called Dikpitiya
was on the opposite bank fishing and fishing, said, "Ane! It is a
great hindrance that has occurred to us. Ane! In our hand there is
not a thing for us to eat, not a place to sit down at. Should you
take us two [across] to that side, it will be charity"; and those
two persons make obeisance to Dikpitiya.
Afterwards Dikpitiya, having left his bait creeper [30] (fishing-line),
came swimming to this side. Having come, "Where are ye two going?" he
asked.
"Ane! We are going to look at our mother-in-law and father-in-law."
Dikpitiya placed the bag of cakes on one shoulder, and placed the
woman on the [other] shoulder. Afterwards he crossed, swimming,
to that [far] side.
After having crossed to that side [he said to the woman], "What a
man that man is! The scare-crow tied in the paddy field! We two are
of one sort; let us two go [off together]."
Afterwards, unfastening the bag of cakes [they counted them, and he]
having given [some] to the woman, the inferior ones, eating and eating
the cakes both of them began to go away.
After that, [when her husband came across and claimed her], Dippitiya
having cried out, and dragged her, and obstructed her going with
feet and hands, he said, "Having snatched away my wife canst thou
strike blows? Come and go [with me]"; and they went for the trial
[regarding their rival claims to be the woman's husband].
Having gone near the King, [and laid a complaint regarding it],
the King [finding that both men claimed her], says, "Imprison ye the
three of them in three houses."
Afterwards the King asks at the hand of Dippitiya, "What is the name
of thy mother?"
"Our mother's name is Sarasayu-wiri." [31]
"Secondly, how many is the number of the cakes?"
"Three less than three hundred."
Having caused Diktaladi's daughter to be brought, he asks, "What is
thy mother's name?"
"Kamaloli" (Love-desiring).
"How many is the number of the cakes?"
"Three less than three hundred."
After that, [as both agreed regarding the number] he handed over the
wife [to him]. Both of them, making and making obeisance, went away.
Potter. North-western Province.
With the exception of the ending, this is the sixth test case which
was settled by the wise Mahosadha, in The Jataka, No. 546 (vol. vi,
p. 163); [32] but the variations show that, like some other Sinhalese
folk-tales, it is not taken over directly from the Jataka story,
which appears to be one of the latest in that collection.
There was a village, apparently of Vaeddas, called Dippitigama, in
the North-western Province [33]; and "the house of the Dippitiyas,
[34] at the village called Kotikapola" is mentioned in the story
numbered 215 in this volume, related by a Tom-tom Beater. This
latter tale apparently contains a large amount of fact, and ends
"the persons who saw these [things said] they are in the form of a
folk-tale." Thus there is a possibility that this part of the Jataka
story is derived from a Sinhalese folk-tale of which the Potter's
story gives the modern version.