In a certain village a man and a Rakshasa, having become friends,
dwell. While they are there this friend went to the Rakshasa
jungle. When going, the Rakshasa seized him to eat. Then the man says,
"Don't eat me; I will give thee demon offerings." The Rakshasa,
having said, "It is good," allowed him to go home.
After that, that man having brought a youth gave him to the Rakshasa
to eat. In that manner every day he brought and gave a youth until
the time when the youths of the village were finished. All the youths
having been finished there was not a youth for this man to give. While
he was thus the man died.
After he died, the Huniyan Yaka [163] began to come to the house
[visiting the widow in the disguise of a man]. When he was coming,
the woman's father having seen him went into the house to seize
him. Having gone [there], when he looked there was not a Yaka. After
that, the man having gone away went to sleep. Then the Huniyan Yaka
having gone to that man's village, said, "Don't come to look at me."
The man said afterwards to his daughter, "Daughter, ask for wealth
at the hand of that man." After that, the woman says to the Yaka,
"Bring and give me wealth." Thereupon the Yaka says, "I will bring
and give it."
Having gone to the place where that man is sleeping, says the Yaka,
"Come thou, to go [with me] for me to give thee wealth." He went
with the man near the hidden treasure. Having gone, he opened the
door of the hidden treasure. "Take for thyself the treasure thou
wantest," he said. Then the man took a golden necklace, two cloths,
four gem-lamps, four cat's-eye stones (wayirodiya gal), and twelve
pearls. Taking those, the man came home.
When he was coming home, [four] other men having seen that he brought
the wealth, the men went to break [into] the hidden treasure. After
they went there, the four men having uttered spells, and put "life"
[164] (i.e., magical life or power) into four stones, buried them
at the four corners, in such a manner that no one could come [within
the square formed by them]. After that, half the men break into the
hidden treasure. (The others were repeating protective spells to keep
away evil spirits.)
The Huniyan Yaka ascertained about the breaking. Having ascertained
it he came near the hidden treasure, but as the four stones are there
he cannot seize the men.
Having come, he created for himself the Cobra appearance; those four
persons gave fowls' eggs to the Cobra. Again, he created the Elephant
appearance; to the Elephant they gave a plantain stump. Again, a Hen
with Chickens began to come near the hidden treasure; to the Chickens
and to the Hen the men gave millet (kurahan). After having eaten they
went away. [165]
The Huniyan Yaka, [being unable to approach the place on account of the
charmed stones, and the feeding of the animals], went to that woman's
house. He went to the place where the woman's father is sleeping. The
Yaka says, "Quickly go near the hidden treasure." Without hearing
it the man slept. Then having come yet [another] time he struck
the man. The man having arisen began to run naked near that hidden
treasure.
Those men who are breaking [into it], having seen the man [and thought
he was a demon], uttered spells still more and more; they uttered
spells to the extent they learnt. Notwithstanding, this man comes
on. After having seen this man who is coming, those men began to run
off through fear; they ran away.
This man ran behind them. Those men, looking and looking back, run;
this man runs behind. Then this man says, "Don't run; I am not a
Yaka." The men say, "That is false which he says; that is indeed a
Yaka." While running, one man stumbled and fell.
Then that man who was coming behind went to the place where the man
fell. After that, that man says, "Where are you going?"
That man who had fallen says, "We having come to break [into] a hidden
treasure, a Yaka came as we were running on the path. Then, indeed,
I fell here." Those other men bounded off and went away.
After that, these two men lament, "What is it that has happened to
us? In this forest wilderness what are we to do?" they said.
Having heard that lamenting, that Rakshasa came and said, "What are
ye lamenting for?" Having come, he seized both of them. After he
seized them he did not let either of them go. The men said, "Don't
eat us. We two have two sons; we will give them to thee." Afterwards
he let both of them go, and the men came to the village.
After that, taking a youth they gave him to the Rakshasa. After that,
they went and gave the other youth. Then that Rakshasa says to that
man, "I must eat thee also; for to-morrow there is no corpse for me."
Then the man says, "I must go home and come back," he said. The
Rakshasa said, "Thou wilt not come." "I will come back," he said. Then
the Rakshasa allowed him to go home.
When he went home, the man having amply cooked, ate. After he ate, the
man charmed his body (by repeating spells, etc.). Thereafter having
gone to the jungle he called out to the Rakshasa. When the Rakshasa
came, after he seized the man he ate him. After that, the Rakshasa
remains there. A sleepiness came. After he went to sleep, the Rakshasa,
having split in two, died. By the power of the [charmed] oil which
that man rubbed [on his body], the Rakshasa having been split, died.
The Rakshasa having gone, was [re]-born in the body of a Yaksani. The
Yaksani says to the Yaka, "I am thirsty." Then the Yaka (her husband)
having gone, brought and gave her water. The Yaksani again says to
the Yaka, "I must sleep." The Yaka told her to go into the house and
sleep. Then [while she was asleep], the Yaksani's bosom having been
split, she died.
That Rakshasa who was in her body at that time, splitting the bosom
came outside. Having come he says to the Yaka (his apparent father),
"You cannot remain in this jungle."