It is not proper to be alarmed by a mere sound, when the cause of that
sound is unknown. A poor woman obtaineth consequence for discovering
the cause of a sound.
Between the mountains Sree-parvata there is a city called Brahma-puree,
the inhabitants of which used to believe that a certain giant, whom
they called Ghautta-Karna, infested one of the adjacent hills.
The fact was thus: A thief, as he was running away with a Bell he had
stolen, was overcome and devoured by a tiger; and the Bell falling from
his hand having been picked up by some monkeys, every now and then they
used to ring it. Now the people of the town finding that a man had
been killed there, and at the same time hearing the Bell, used to
declare that the giant Ghautta-Karna being enraged, was devouring a
man, and ringing his Bell; so that the city was abandoned by all the
principal inhabitants. At length, however, a certain Poor Woman having
considered the subject, discovered that the Bell was rung by the
monkeys.
She accordingly went to the Rajah, and said:
"If, divine sir, I may expect a very great reward, I will engage to
silence this Ghautta-Karna."
The Rajah was exceedingly well pleased, and gave her some money. So
having displayed her consequence to the priesthood of the country, to
the leaders of the army, and to all the rest of the people, she
provided such fruits as she conceived the monkeys were fond of, and
went into the wood; where strewing them about, they presently quitted
the Bell, and attached themselves to the fruit. The Poor Woman, in the
meantime, took away the Bell, and repaired to the city, where she
became an object of adoration to its inhabitants. Wherefore, I say:
"It is not proper to be alarmed by a mere sound, when the cause of the
sound is unknown."