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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Santal Folk Tales, by A. Campbell
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Santal Folk Tales
+
+Author: A. Campbell
+
+Release Date: January 24, 2011 [EBook #35060]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SANTAL FOLK TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project
+Gutenberg (This book was produced from scanned images of
+public domain material from the Google Print project.)
+
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+
+
+                           SANTAL FOLK TALES.
+
+
+                      Translated from the Santali
+                                   By
+
+                              A. CAMPBELL,
+
+
+                Free Church of Scotland Santal Mission,
+
+                         Santal Mission Press,
+
+                               Pokhuria.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                  Printed at the Santal Mission Press,
+                               Pokhuria.
+
+                                 1891.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+
+Of late years the Folk tales of India have been the subject of much
+study and research, and several interesting collections of them have
+been published. But I am not aware that as yet the folk lore of the
+Santals, has received the attention which it deserves. The Santals
+as a people, have, to a remarkable degree, succeeded in resisting the
+subtle Hinduising influences to which they have long been exposed, and
+to which such a large number of aboriginal tribes have succumbed. They
+have retained their language, institutions, tribal organization, and
+religion almost intact. Their traditions show the jealousy with which
+these have been guarded, and the suspicion and distrust with which
+contact with their Aryan neighbours was regarded. The point at which
+they have been most accessible to outward influence and example, is
+in their relations with the aboriginal tribes, who in a more or less
+degree have merged themselves in Hinduism. Hindu ideas, customs and
+beliefs, filtering through these tribes, became considerably modified
+before they reached the Santals, and were therefore less potent in
+their effects than if they had been drawn from the fountain head of
+Hinduism itself. Still, in respect to their aboriginal neighbours
+they are always on their guard, ready to repel any innovation on
+their customs or religion with which they may be threatened. In the
+folk tales of such a people we may well expect to find something,
+if not altogether new, still interesting and instructive from an
+ethnological point of view, and this expectation, I believe, would be
+abundantly gratified if they were only made accessible to those who,
+by training and study, are competent to deal with them.
+
+Santal folk-tales may be divided into two classes--those apparently
+purely Santal in their origin, and those obtained from other
+sources. Those of the first class are by far the more numerous,
+and besides showing the superstitious awe with which the Santals
+regard the creations of their own fancy, they throw a flood of
+light upon the social customs and usages of this most interesting
+people. The second class embraces a large number of the more popular
+tales current among the Hindus and semi-Hinduised aborigines. These,
+although adapted and modified by the Santals to suit their language,
+modes of thought, and social usages, may generally be detected by the
+presence of proper names, or untranslatable phrases which unmistakably
+indicate the source from which they have been derived.
+
+These tales were taken down in Santali at first hand, and are therefore
+genuine and redolent of the soil. In translating them I have allowed
+myself considerable latitude without in any way diverging so far from
+the original as to in any degree impair their value to the student
+of Indian Folk-lore.
+
+It was to be expected that in the popular tales of a simple, unpolished
+people like the Santals, expressions and allusions unfitted for ears
+polite would be found. In all such cases the changes which have been
+made are in accord with Santal thought and usage, so that the tales
+are, notwithstanding these alterations, thoroughly Santali.
+
+I have aimed at making these Santal Folk-tales, in their English dress,
+true to the forests and hills of their nativity. I am not without hope,
+that in this I have succeeded in some small degree.
+
+A number of the tales included in this volume have already appeared
+in the Indian Evangelical Review, but in this collected form they
+are more likely to prove of service to those who take an interest in
+the subject.
+
+This volume of Santal Folk-Tales is offered as a humble contribution
+to the Folk-lore of India.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+                                                 Page.
+
+    The Magic Lamp                                   1
+    The Two Brothers, Jhorea and Jhore               6
+    The Boy and his Stepmother                      15
+    The Story of Kara and Guja                      18
+    The King and his inquisitive Queen              22
+    The Story of Bitaram                            25
+    The Story of Sit and Bosont                     33
+    The Story of a Tiger                            40
+    Story of a Lizard, a Tiger, and a lame Man      42
+    The Story of a Simpleton                        45
+    A Thief and a Tiger                             49
+    The Magic Fiddle                                52
+    Gumda the Hero                                  57
+    Lipi and Lapra                                  62
+    The Story of Lelha                              65
+    The Story of Sindura Gand Garur                 89
+    The Tiger and Ulta's Mother                     93
+    The Greatest Cheat of Seven                     98
+    The Story of Two Princesses                    102
+    Seven Brothers and their Sister                106
+    The Story of Jhore                             111
+    The Girl who always found helpers              119
+    A Simple Thief                                 125
+
+
+
+
+
+
+SANTAL FOLK-TALES.
+
+THE MAGIC LAMP.
+
+
+In the capital of a certain raja, there lived a poor widow. She had
+an only son who was of comely form and handsome countenance. One
+day a merchant from a far country came to her house, and standing
+in front of the door called out, "dada, dada," (elder brother). The
+widow replied, "He is no more, he died many years ago." On hearing
+this the merchant wept bitterly, mourning the loss of his younger
+brother. He remained some days in his sister-in-law's house, at the
+end of which he said to her, "This lad and I will go in quest of the
+golden flowers, prepare food for our journey." Early next morning they
+set out taking provisions with them for the way. After they had gone
+a considerable distance, the boy being fatigued said, "Oh! uncle I can
+go no further." The merchant scolded him, and walked along as fast as
+he could. After some time the boy again said, "I am so tired I can go
+no further." His uncle turned back and beat him, and he, nerved by
+fear, walked rapidly along the road. At length they reached a hill,
+to the summit of which they climbed, and gathered a large pile of
+firewood. They had no fire with them, but the merchant ordered his
+nephew to blow with his mouth as if he were kindling the embers of
+a fire. He blew until he was exhausted, and then said, "What use is
+there in blowing when there is no fire?" The merchant replied "Blow,
+or I shall beat you." He again blew with all his might for a short
+time, and then stopping, said, "There is no fire, how can it possibly
+burn?" on which the merchant struck him. The lad then redoubled his
+efforts, and presently the pile of firewood burst into a blaze. On
+the firewood being consumed, an iron trap-door appeared underneath the
+ashes, and the merchant ordered his nephew to pull it up. He pulled,
+but finding himself unable to open it, said, "It will not open." The
+merchant told him to pull with greater force, and he, being afraid lest
+he should be again beaten, pulled with all his might, but could not
+raise it. He again said, "It will not open," whereupon the merchant
+struck him, and ordered him to try again. Applying himself with all
+his might, he at length succeeded. On the door being raised, they saw
+a lamp burning, and beside it an immense quantity of golden flowers.
+
+The merchant then said to the boy, "As you enter do not touch any of
+the gold flowers, but put out the lamp, and heap on the gold tray as
+many of the gold flowers as you can, and bring them away with you." He
+did as he was ordered, and on reaching the door again requested his
+uncle to relieve him of the gold flowers, but he refused, saying,
+"Climb up as best as you can." The boy replied, "How can I do so,
+when my hands are full?" The merchant then shut the iron trap door
+on him, and went away to a distant country.
+
+The boy being imprisoned in the dark vault, wept bitterly, and having
+no food, in a few days he became very weak. Taking the lamp in his
+hand, he sat down in a corner, and without knowing what he was doing,
+began to rub the lamp with his hand. A ring, which he wore on his
+finger, came into contact with the lamp, and immediately a fairy
+issued from it, and asked, "What is it you want with me?" He replied,
+"Open the door and let me out." The fairy opened the door, and the
+boy went home taking the lamp with him. Being hungry, he asked for
+food, but his mother replied, "There is nothing in the house that I
+can give you." He then went for his lamp, saying, "I will clean it,
+and then sell it, and with the money buy food." Taking the lamp
+in his hand he began to rub it, and his ring again touching it, a
+fairy issued from it and said "What do you wish for?" The boy said
+"Cooked rice and uncooked rice." The fairy immediately brought him
+an immense quantity of both kinds of rice.
+
+Sometime after this, certain merchants brought horses for sale, and
+the boy seeing them wished to buy one. Having no money, he remembered
+his lamp, and taking it up, pressed his ring against it, and the
+fairy instantly appeared, and asked him what he wanted. He said,
+"Bring me a horse," and immediately the fairy presented to him an
+immense number of horses.
+
+When the boy had become a young man, it so happened, that one day
+the raja's daughter was being carried to the ghat to bathe, and he
+seeing her palki with the attendants passing, went to his mother and
+said, "I am going to see the princess." She tried to dissuade him,
+but he insisted on her giving him permission, so at length she gave
+him leave. He went secretly, and saw her as she was bathing, and
+on returning home, said to his mother, "I have seen the princess,
+and I am in love with her. Go, and inform the raja that your son
+loves his daughter, and begs her hand in marriage." His mother said,
+"Do you think the raja will consider us as on an equality with him?" He
+would not, however, be gainsaid, but kept urging her daily to carry his
+message to the raja, until she being wearied with his importunity went
+to the palace, and being admitted to an audience, informed the raja
+that her son was enamoured of the princess, his daughter, and begged
+that she might be given to him in marriage. The raja made answer that
+on her son giving him a large sum of money which he named, and which
+would have been beyond the means of the raja himself, he would be
+prepared to give his daughter in marriage to her son. The young man
+had recourse to his lamp and ring, and the fairy supplied him with a
+much larger sum of money than the raja had demanded. He took it all,
+and gave it to the raja, who was astonished beyond measure at the
+sight of such immense wealth.
+
+After a reasonable time the old mother was sent to the raja to
+request him to fulfil his promise, but he, being reluctant to see
+his daughter united to one so much her inferior in station, in hope
+of being relieved from the obligation to fulfil his promise, demanded
+that a palace suited to her rank and station in life be prepared for
+her, after which he would no longer delay the nuptials. The would-be
+bridegroom applied to his never failing friends, his lamp and ring,
+and on the fairy appearing begged him to build a large castle in
+one night, and to furnish and adorn it as befitted the residence
+of a raja's daughter. The fairy complied with the request, and the
+whole city was amazed next morning at the sight of a lordly castle,
+where the evening before there had not been even a hut. The dewan
+tried to dissuade the raja, but without effect, and in due time the
+marriage was celebrated amid great rejoicings.
+
+On a certain day, some time after the marriage, the raja and his
+son-in-law went to the forest to hunt. During their absence, the
+merchant to whom reference has already been made, arrived at the castle
+gate, bearing in his hand a new lamp which he offered in exchange to
+the princess for any old lamp she might possess. She thought it a good
+opportunity to obtain a new lamp in place of her husband's old one,
+and without knowing what she did, gave the magic lamp to the merchant,
+and received a new one in return. The merchant rubbed his ring on the
+magic lamp, and the fairy obeyed the summons, and desired to know what
+he wanted. He said, "Convey the castle as it stands with the princess
+in it, to my own country," and instantly his wish was gratified.
+
+When the raja and his son-in-law returned from the chase, they were
+surprised and alarmed to find that the palace with its fair occupant
+had vanished, and had not left a trace behind. The dewan reminded
+his master that he had tried to dissuade him from rashly giving his
+daughter in marriage to an unknown person, and had foretold that
+some calamity was sure to follow. The raja being grieved and angry
+at the loss of his daughter, sent for her husband, and said to him,
+"I give you thirteen days during which to find my daughter. If you
+fail, on the morning of the fourteenth, I shall surely cause you to
+be executed." The thirteenth day arrived, and although her husband
+had sought her every where, the princess had not been found. Her
+unhappy husband resigned himself to his fate, saying, "I shall go
+and rest, to-morrow morning I shall be killed." So he climbed to
+the top of a high hill, and lay down to sleep upon a rock. At noon
+he accidentally rubbed his finger ring upon the rock on which he
+lay, and a fairy issued from it, and awaking him, demanded what
+he wanted. In reply he said, "I have lost my wife and my palace,
+if you know where they are, take me to them." The fairy immediately
+transported him to the gate of his castle in the merchant's country,
+and then left him to his own devices. Assuming the form of a dog,
+he entered the palace, and the princess at once recognized him. The
+merchant had gone out on business, and had taken the lamp with him,
+suspended by a chain round his neck. After consultation, it was
+determined that the princess should put poison in the merchant's
+food that evening. When he returned, he called for his supper, and
+the princess set before him the poisoned rice, after eating which
+he quickly died. The rightful owner repossessed himself of the magic
+lamp, and an application of the ring brought out the attendant fairy
+who demanded to know why he had been summoned. "Transport my castle
+with the princess and myself in it back to the king's country, and
+place it where it stood before," said the young man; and instantly
+the castle occupied its former position. So that before the morning
+of the fourteenth day dawned, not only had the princess been found,
+but her palace had been restored to its former place. The raja was
+delighted at receiving his daughter back again. He divided his kingdom
+with his son-in-law, giving him one-half, and they ruled the country
+peacefully and prosperously for many years.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE TWO BROTHERS, JHOREA, AND JHORE.
+
+
+There were two brothers, whose parents died, leaving them orphans
+when very young. The name of the elder was Jhorea, and of the younger
+Jhore. On the death of their parents, the two brothers went to seek
+employment, which they found in a certain village, far from where
+their home had been. The elder, Jhorea, was engaged as a farm servant,
+and the younger, Jhore, as village goat-herd.
+
+After some time, it so happened that one day the brothers had no rice
+for their dinner, and Jhorea said to his brother, "Go to the owners of
+the goats you herd, and ask them for the hire they promised you. One
+will give you a pai, another a pawa, and a third a paila, and so
+on, according to the number of animals they have in your charge;
+some will give you more and others less, bring what you get, and
+cook some for dinner." The boy went as he was ordered, and entering
+the first house he came to, said, "Give me a pai." They said: "What
+do you want with a pai?" "Never mind what I want with it, give it,"
+he replied. So they gave him a pai. Then he went to another house
+and said, "Give me a pawa." "What do you want with a pawa?" they
+said. "Never you mind, give it to me," and they gave him a pawa. He
+then went to a third house and asked for a paila. "What do you want
+with a paila?" they enquired. "Never you mind, give it to me," he
+replied. Instead of bringing rice he brought the wooden measures, and
+breaking them into small pieces, put them into the pot to cook. The
+elder brother was ploughing, and being very hungry, he kept calling
+out, "Cook the rice quickly, cook the rice quickly." His brother being
+impatient, he stirred the contents of the pot with all his might, at
+the same time exclaiming, "What can be the matter brother? it is very
+hard." The elder brother came to see what was wrong, and on looking
+into the pot saw only pieces of wood. He became very angry, and said,
+"I sent you to bring rice, why did you bring measures?" To which he
+replied, "You told me to ask a pai from one, a pawa from another,
+and a paila from a third, and I did so."
+
+The elder then said to the younger, "You go and plough, and if the
+plough catch in a root on the right hand, cut the root on the left
+hand, and if it catch in a root on the left side, cut the root on
+the right side, and in the meantime I will cook." He went and began
+to plough, and in a short time the plough caught in a root on the
+right, and not understanding the directions given to him, he struck
+the left hand bullock a blow on the leg with his axe. The bullock
+limped along a short distance. When the plough caught in a root on
+the left, he smote the bullock on the right, wounding it as he had
+done the other. Both of the bullocks then lay down, and although he
+beat them they did not get up. He therefore called to his brother,
+"These bullocks have lain down, and will not get up, what shall I
+do?" "Beat them," was the reply. Again he beat them, but with no
+better result. The elder brother then came, and found that the oxen
+had been maimed, and were unable to stand, at which he became greatly
+alarmed, and said, "Why did you maim the oxen? The owners will beat
+us to death to-day." He then gave him some parched grain to eat,
+and sent him to look after his goats. The sun being hot, the goats
+were lying in the shade chewing their cud. He sat down near them,
+and began to eat the parched grain. Seeing the goats moving their
+jaws as if eating, he said, "These goats are eating nothing, they
+are lying there mocking me," and becoming enraged, he killed them
+all with his axe. Then going to his brother, he said, "Oh! brother,
+I have killed all the goats." His brother asked, "Why did you kill
+them?" He replied, "While I was watching them and eating the parched
+grain which you gave me, I saw them chewing, and as they were eating
+nothing I knew they were mocking me, and so I killed them all." The
+elder brother became greatly alarmed, and calling to the younger to
+come, they quickly ate their dinner, and then went to where the goats
+were lying dead. From among them they chose the fattest, and carried
+it off to the jungle, where they flayed, and cut it into pieces.
+
+Jhore then said, "I shall take the stomach as my share," but his
+brother said, "No, let us take the flesh." Jhore, however, would not
+agree to that, and at length his brother said, "Well you take the
+stomach, I shall take the flesh." So each took what he fancied most,
+and they set off. After travelling a long distance, they came to a
+large tree growing on the side of the road, into which they climbed
+for safety. After they had been some time on the tree, a raja on his
+way to be married, lay down to rest in its shade, and when he and
+his attendants had fallen asleep, Jhore let the goat's stomach fall
+down on the raja. The raja having his rest thus rudely disturbed,
+sprang to his feet, and calling out, awoke his servants, who seeing
+the goat's stomach, and not knowing what had happened, thought the
+raja himself had burst. They fled in terror followed by the raja,
+and did not halt till they were many miles away from the scene of
+the raja's discomfiture.
+
+After waiting a little while, the brothers descended, and began to
+help themselves to the raja's property. Jhore said, "I shall take the
+drum." His brother said, "No, let us take the brass vessels and the
+clothes." Jhore, however, insisted, and after considerable wrangling,
+his brother said, "Well, take the drum if you will have it, I shall
+take the brass vessels and the clothes." So each took what pleased
+him best, and then they went away and hid in the jungle.
+
+While walking about in the jungle, they collected bees, wasps, and
+other stinging insects, and put them into the drum. Having filled the
+drum, they emerged from the forest at a place where a washerman was
+washing clothes. Jhore tore all his clothes into strips, and scattered
+them about. The washerman went and told the raja that two persons
+had come out from the jungle, and had destroyed all his clothes. On
+hearing this, the raja said to his servants, "Come, and let us fight
+with these two men." So arming themselves with guns, they went to the
+tank where Jhorea and Jhore were sitting, and began to shoot at them,
+but the bullets did them no harm. When their ammunition was exhausted,
+they said, "Will you still fight?" The brothers answered, "Yes, we
+will fight." So they began to fire their guns, and beat their drum,
+and the bees and wasps issued from it like a rope, and began to sting
+the raja and his soldiers, who to save themselves, lay down and rolled
+on the ground. The raja, in anguish from the stings of the bees,
+exclaimed, "I will give you my daughter, and half of my kingdom,
+if you will call off the bees." Hearing this they beat the drum,
+and calling to the bees and wasps, ordered them all to enter the drum
+again, and the raja and his people went to their homes. The brothers
+however, could not agree as to who should marry the princess. One said,
+"You marry her." The other said, "No, you marry her." The younger at
+length said to the elder, "You are the elder, you should take her,
+as it is not fitting that you should beg. If I were to marry her,
+I could no longer go about begging." So the elder brother married
+the princess, and became the raja's son-in-law.
+
+The two settled down there, and cultivated all kinds of crops. One
+day the elder brother sent his younger brother to bring a certain
+kind of grain. Taking a sickle and a rope to tie his sheaves with, he
+went to the field. Arrived there, he found that the grain was covered
+with insects. So he set fire to it, and while it was burning he kept
+calling out, "Whoever desires to feast on roasted insects, let him
+come here." When his brother knew what he had done, he reprimanded
+him severely.
+
+Some time afterwards, when the black rice was ripe, he again
+ordered him to go and reap some, so getting a sickle, and rope to
+bind his sheaves with, he went to the rice field. On looking about
+to see where he would begin, he discovered that each stalk of rice
+was covered with flies. "There is nothing here but flies. How can I
+reap this?" Saying this, he set fire to the growing rice and burnt
+it all to the ground. His brother, when he knew what had happened,
+was very much displeased and threatened to beat him.
+
+On another day he was sent to cut jari [1] to make ropes, so taking
+his sickle, he set off to the field of jari. As soon as he began
+to cut the stalks, the seeds rattled in the pods, hearing which he
+stopped and called out, "Who is calling me?" After listening awhile
+and hearing nothing he began again, and the same noise issuing from
+the plant he was cutting, he said, "These plants are remonstrating
+with me for cutting them." So being offended, he set fire to and
+burnt down the whole crop of jari.
+
+On being informed of his brother's action, Jhorea seized a stick,
+and ran after him to beat him, but could not overtake him. In the
+direction Jhore was running, there were some men flaying an ox, and
+Jhorea called to them to lay hold of his brother. They could not,
+however, accomplish this, but as he passed, they threw the stomach
+of the ox at him, which he caught in his arms and carried away with
+him. Finding a drain that was open at both ends, he crept in at one
+end, and passed out at the other, but left the ox's stomach behind
+him. His brother soon arrived at the drain, and thinking he was still
+there, tried to drive him out by pushing in a stick, the sharp point
+of which perforated the ox's stomach. On withdrawing the stick, and
+seeing the contents of the ox's stomach adhering to it, he thought he
+had pierced and killed his brother, but he having passed out at the
+other end had run swiftly home, and hid himself among the rafters of
+the house. Jhorea returned home weeping, and immediately began to make
+the preparations necessary for Jhore's funeral ceremonies. He caused
+a sumptuous feast to be got ready, and invited all his relations and
+friends. When they were all assembled, he went into the house to offer
+Jhore his portion. Presenting it, he said: "Oh! my brother Jhore, I
+offer this to you, take it, and eat it." Jhore, from among the rafters
+said, "Give it to me brother, and I shall eat it." His brother, not
+expecting an answer, was alarmed, and fled to his friends without,
+exclaiming, "Do the spirits of dead men speak? Jhore's speaks."
+
+It now being dark, Jhore descended from his perch, and taking up the
+food which had been cooked for his funeral feast, left the house
+by another door. Passing on to the high way, he kept calling out,
+"Travellers by the road, or dwellers in the jungle, if you require
+food, come here." Some thieves hearing him, said, "Come, let us go and
+ask some." So going to him they said, "Give us some too, Jhore." But
+he replied, "It is for me alone." On their asking a second time,
+he give it to them. After they had eaten it all, they said to him,
+"Come, let us go a thieving." So they went to a house, and while the
+thieves were searching for money, Jhore went and picked up small pieces
+of pottery, and tied them up in his cloth. When they met afterwards,
+seeing Jhore's bundle of what appeared like rupees, they said,
+"You were not with us, where did you get the money?" Opening his
+parcel, he shewed them the pieces of pottery, seeing which they said,
+"We will not have you as our comrade." He replied, "Then return the
+food which you ate." As they could not comply, they agreed to take
+him with them. Jhore then said, "Where shall we go now?" They replied,
+"To steal cloth." So they went to a house, and while the robbers were
+searching for cloth, Jhore began to pull the clothes from off the
+sleeping inmates. This awoke them, and starting up, they began to call
+loudly for help. The thieves made off, and Jhore with them. Seeing
+Jhore had spoiled their game, they said to him, "We will not allow
+you to go with us again." He said, "Then give me back the food you
+ate." Not being able to do so, they said, "Well, we will allow you
+to accompany us this once." Jhore then said, "What shall we steal
+now?" The thieves answered, "We shall now go to steal horses." So
+they went to a stable, and each of the thieves helped himself to a
+horse; but Jhore going behind the house, found a large tiger which he
+saddled and mounted. The thieves also mounted each on the horse he
+had stolen. As they rode along, Jhore's tiger sometimes went first,
+and sometimes the thieves' horses. When the thieves were in front,
+Jhore's tiger bit and scratched their horses, so they said to him,
+"You ride first, we shall follow." But Jhore said, "No, my horse is a
+Hindu horse, he cannot run in front, your horses are Santal horses,
+they run well and straight, so you ride ahead." When day began to
+dawn, Jhore's tiger evinced a tendency to leave the road and take to
+the jungle, but Jhore holding him in, exclaimed, "Ha! ha! my Hindu
+steed, ha! ha! my Hindu steed." When it was fully light, the tiger
+ran into the jungle, and Jhore got caught in the branch of a tree,
+and continued dangling there for some days.
+
+It so happened that one morning a demon passing that way spied Jhore
+dangling from the tree, and seizing him, put him in a bag and carried
+him away. Being thirsty, he laid the bag down, and went to a spring
+to drink. While he was absent, Jhore got out of the bag, and putting
+a stone in instead, ran away. The demon having quenched his thirst,
+returned, and lifting the bag carried it home. His daughter came to
+welcome him, and he said to her, "Jhore is in the bag, cook him,
+and we shall have a feast." He then went to invite his friends to
+share it with him. When the demon's daughter had opened the bag,
+she found the stone, and was angry, because her father had deceived
+her. In a short time her father returned, bringing a large number of
+jackals with him. He said to her, "Have you cooked Jhore?" She replied,
+"Tush! tush! you brought me a stone."
+
+The demon was highly incensed at having been outwitted, and exclaimed,
+"I will track Jhore till I find him, and this time I shall bring him
+home without laying him down." He then left, and before long found
+Jhore swinging in the same branch as before. Catching hold of him, he
+put him into a bag, the mouth of which he tied. This time he brought
+him home without once laying him down. Calling to his daughter,
+he said, "Cook Jhore, while I go to invite my friends." She untied
+the bag, and took Jhore out, and seeing his long hair, she said,
+"How is it that your hair has grown so long?" "I pounded it in the
+dhenki," he replied, "Will you pound mine, so that it may become long
+like yours," said the demon's daughter. Jhore replied, "I shall do so
+with pleasure, put your head in the dhenki, and I shall pound it." So
+she put in her head, and he pounded it so that he killed her. He then
+possessed himself of all her jewellery, and dressing in her clothes,
+cooked her body.
+
+When the demon returned, accompanied by his friends, he said,
+"Well! daughter, have you cooked Jhore?" Jhore replied, "Yes, I have
+cooked him." On hearing this, the demon and the jackals who had come
+with him, were delighted, and setting to, they devoured the body of
+the demon's daughter.
+
+After some days, the demon went to visit a friend, and Jhore divesting
+himself of the demon girl's clothes, went to where the demon had at
+first found him, and began to swing as before. Presently a tigress
+approached him and said, "Oh! brother, the hair of my cubs has
+grown very long, I wish you to shave them to-day." Jhore replied,
+"Oh! sister, boil some water, and then go to the spring to bring
+more." The tigress having boiled the water, went to the spring. While
+she was away, Jhore poured the boiling water over the two cubs,
+and scalded them to death. He made them grin by fixing the lips
+apart, and propped them up at the door of the tigress' house. On her
+return as she drew near, she saw her cubs, as she fancied, laughing,
+and said to herself. "They are delighted because their uncle has
+shaved them." Setting down her water pot, she went to look at them,
+and found them dead. Just then the demon came up, and she asked him,
+"Whom are you seeking to-day uncle?" He replied "I am seeking Jhore,
+he has caused me to eat my own daughter. Whom are you seeking?" The
+tigress replied, "I also am seeking Jhore; he has scalded my cubs
+to death."
+
+The two then went in search of Jhore. They found him in a lonely part
+of the forest preparing birdlime, and said to him, "What are you doing,
+Jhore?" He replied, "I look high up, and then I look deep down." They
+said, "Teach us to do it too." He answered, "Only I can do it." They
+asked him a second time, and received the same reply. On their begging
+him a third time to teach them, he said, "Well, I shall do it." He
+then put some of the birdlime into their eyes, and fixed their eyelids
+together, so that they could not open them. While they were washing
+their eyes, he ran away. As soon as they had rid themselves of the
+birdlime, they followed him and found him distilling oil from the
+fruit of the marking-nut tree. They said to him, "What are you doing,
+Jhore?" He replied, "I look deep down, and then high up." They said,
+"Teach us also." He replied, "Only I can do it." They asked him again,
+and he said, "Well I will do it." He then poured some of the oil he
+had distilled into their eyes. It burned them so, that they became
+stone-blind.
+
+Jhore was next seen seated in a fig-tree eating the fruit. Some cattle
+merchants, passing under the tree with a large herd of cattle, saw him
+eating the figs, and asked him what it was he was eating. He replied,
+"Beat the bullock that is going last, and you shall find it." So
+they beat the bullock till it fell down. In the meantime, the herd
+had gone on ahead, and Jhore running after them drove them to his
+own house. His brother seeing the large herd of cattle, asked to whom
+they belonged. Jhore replied, "They are Jhore's property." Jhorea then
+said, "I killed my brother Jhore, what Jhore is it?" He made answer,
+"Your brother Jhore whom you thought you had killed." Jhorea was
+delighted to find his brother alive, and said to him, "Let us live
+together after this." So they lived peacefully together ever after.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE BOY AND HIS STEPMOTHER.
+
+
+A certain boy had charge of a cow which he used to tend while
+grazing. One day the cow said to him, "How is it that you are becoming
+so emaciated?" The boy replied, "My stepmother does not give me
+sufficient food." The cow then said to him, "Do not tell any one,
+and I will give you food. Go to the jungle and get leaves with which
+to make a plate and cup." The boy did as he was ordered, and behold,
+the cow from one horn shook boiled rice into the leaf plate, and from
+the other a relish for the rice into the cup. This continued daily
+for a considerable time, until the boy became sleek and fat.
+
+The stepmother came to know of the relation which existed between
+the cow and her herd-boy, and to be revenged upon them she feigned
+illness. To her attendants she said, "I cannot possibly live." They
+asked, "What would make you live?" She replied, "If you kill the cow,
+I will recover." They said, "If killing the cow will cure you, we will
+kill it." The boy hearing that the life of the cow which supplied
+him with food was threatened, ran to her and said, "They are about
+to kill you." Hearing this the cow said, "You go and make a rope of
+rice straw, make some parts thick, and some thin, and put it in such a
+place as they can easily find it. When they are about to kill me, you
+seize hold of my tail and pull." The next day they proceeded to make
+arrangements to kill the cow, and finding the rope prepared by the boy
+the day before, they tied her with it to a stake. After she was tied
+the boy laid hold of her tail, and pulled so that the rope by which
+she was secured was made taut. A man now raised an axe, and felled
+her by a blow on the forehead. As the cow staggered the rope broke,
+and she and the boy were borne away on the wind, and alighted in an
+unexplored jungle. From the one cow other cows sprang, in number equal
+to a large herd, and from them another large herd was produced. The boy
+then drove his two herds of cows to a place where they could graze, and
+afterwards took them to the river to drink. The cows having quenched
+their thirst, lay down to rest, and the boy bathed, and afterwards
+combed and dressed his hair. During this latter operation a hair from
+his head fell into the river, and was carried away by the current.
+
+Some distance lower down, a princess with her female companions and
+attendants came to bathe. While the princess was in the water she
+noticed the hair floating down stream, and ordered some one to take it
+out, which when done they measured, and found it to be twelve cubits
+long. The princess on returning home went to the king, her father,
+and showing him the hair she had found in the river said, "I have made
+up my mind to marry the man to whom this hair belonged." The king gave
+his consent, and commanded his servants to search for the object of his
+daughter's affection. They having received the king's command went to
+a certain barber and said to him, "You dress the hair and beards of
+all the men in this part of the country, tell us where the man with
+hair twelve cubits long is to be found." The barber, after many days,
+returned unsuccessful. The king's servants after a long consultation
+as to whom they should next apply to, decided upon laying the matter
+before a tame parrot belonging to the king. Going to the parrot they
+said, "Oh parrot, can you find the man whose hair is twelve cubits
+long?" The parrot replied, "Yes, I can find him." After flying here
+and there the parrot was fortunate enough to find the boy. It was
+evening, and having driven his two herds of cattle into their pen,
+he had sat down, and was employed in dressing his long hair. His
+flute was hanging on a bush by his side.
+
+The parrot sat awhile considering how she might take him to the king's
+palace. Seeing the flute the idea was suggested to her, that by means
+of it she might contrive to lead him where she desired. So taking it up
+in her beak, she flew forward a little and alighted in a small bush. To
+regain possession of his flute the boy followed, but on his approach
+the bird flew away, and alighted on another bush a short distance
+ahead. In this way she continued to lead him by flying from bush to
+bush until at length she brought him to the king's palace. He was then
+brought before his majesty, and his hair measured, and found to be
+twelve cubits in length. The king then ordered food to be set before
+him, and after he was refreshed the betrothal ceremony was performed.
+
+As it was now late they prevailed upon him to pass the night as the
+guest of the king. Early in the morning he set out, but, as he had
+a long distance to go, the day was far advanced before he reached
+the place where his cattle were. They were angry at having been kept
+penned up to so late an hour, and as he removed the bars to let them
+out, they knocked him down, and trampled upon his hair in such a way,
+as to pull it all out leaving him bald. Nothing daunted, he collected
+his cows, and started on his return journey, but us he drove them
+along, one after another vanished, so that only a few remained when
+he reached the king's palace.
+
+On his arrival they noticed that he had lost all his hair, and on being
+questioned he related to the king all that had fallen him. His hair
+being gone the princess refused to marry him, so instead of becoming
+the king's son-in-law, he became one of his hired servants.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF KARA AND GUJA.
+
+
+There were two brothers named Kara and Guja. Guja, who was the elder
+did the work at home, and Kara was ploughman.
+
+One day the two went to the forest to dig edible roots. After they
+had been thus engaged for some hours, Kara said to Guja, "Look up
+and see the sun's position in the heavens." Looking up he said,
+"Oh brother, one is rising and another is setting." They then said,
+"The day is not yet past, let us bestir ourselves, and lose no
+time." So they dug with all their might.
+
+After digging a long time Kara looked up and became aware that it was
+night. He then exclaimed, "Oh brother, it is now night, what shall
+we do? Come let us seek some place where we can remain until the
+morning." After they had wandered awhile in the forest they spied a
+light in the distance, and on drawing near they found that a tiger had
+kindled a fire, and was warming himself. Going up to the entrance to
+the cave they called out to the tiger, "Oh uncle, give us a place to
+sleep in." He answered, "Come in." So the two went in, and being hungry
+began to roast and eat the roots they had brought with them. The tiger
+hearing them eating, enquired what it was. They replied, "Oh uncle, we
+are roasting and eating the roots which we dug up in the forest." He
+then said, "Oh my nephews, I will also try how they taste." So they
+handed him a piece of charcoal, and as he munched it he said, "Oh
+my nephews, how is it that I feel it grating between my teeth?" They
+replied, "It is an old one that you have got, uncle." He then said,
+"Give me another, and I will try it." So they gave him another piece of
+charcoal, and after he had crunched it awhile he said, "Oh my nephews,
+this is as bad as the other," to which they rejoined, "Oh uncle,
+your mouth is old, therefore what is good to us, is the reverse to
+you." The tiger did not wish to try his grinders on another piece of
+charcoal, so the brothers were left to enjoy their repast alone.
+
+After they had eaten all the roots, Guja said to Kara, "What shall
+we eat now? Come let us eat this old tiger's tail." Kara replied,
+"Do not talk in that way, brother, the tiger will devour us." "Not so,
+brother," said Guja, "I have a great desire to eat flesh." The old
+tiger understood their conversation, and being afraid tried to get
+out of the cave, but the brothers caught hold of him, and wrenched
+off his tail, which they roasted in the ashes, and then ate.
+
+The tiger after losing his tail summoned a council of all the tigers
+inhabiting that part of the forest, at which they decided to kill and
+eat the two brothers. So they went to the cave, but Kara and Guja had
+fled, and had taken refuge in a palm tree which grew on the edge of
+a large deep tank. Not finding them in the cave the tigers, headed
+by him who had lost his tail, went in quest of them, and coming to
+the tank saw them reflected in the water, and one after another they
+dived in, thinking they would be able to seize them, but of course
+they could not catch a shadow. One of the tigers, when in the act
+of yawning, looked upwards, and seeing them in the tree exclaimed,
+"There they are. There they are." They then asked the brothers how
+they had managed to climb up, to which they replied, "We stood on
+each other's shoulders." The tigers then said, "Come, let us do the
+same, and we shall soon reach them." As the tailless tiger was most
+interested in their capture, they made him stand lowest, and a tiger
+climbed up and stood on his shoulders, and another on his, and so
+on; but before they reached the brothers, Kara called out to Guja,
+"Give me your sharp battle-axe, and I shall hamstring the tailless
+tiger." The tailless tiger forgetting himself jumped to one side,
+and the whole pillar of tigers fell in a heap on the ground. They now
+began to abuse the old tailless tiger, who fearing lest they should
+tear him in pieces fled into the forest.
+
+After the tigers had left, the two brothers descended from the palm
+tree, and walked rapidly away as they dreaded that the tigers might
+yet follow them. Towards evening they came to a village, and entering
+into the house of an old woman lay down to sleep. The owner of the
+house observing them said, "Oh my children, do not sleep to-night,
+for there is a demon who visits in rotation each house in the village,
+and each time he comes carries off some one and eats him; it is my
+turn to receive a visit to-night." They said, "Do not trouble us now,
+let us sleep, as we are tired." So they slept, but kept their weather
+eye open. During the night the old woman came quietly, and began
+to bite their arms, which they had laid aside before retiring to
+rest. Hearing a sound as if some one were crunching iron between his
+teeth, the brothers called out, "Old woman, what are you eating?" She
+replied "Only a few roasted peas which I brought from the chief's
+house." About midnight the demon came, and as he was entering the
+house Kara and Guja shot at him with their bows and arrows, and he
+fell down dead. Then they cut out his claws and tongue, and placed
+them in a bag. Afterwards they threw out the body of the demon into
+the garden behind the house.
+
+Now it so happened that the king had promised to give his daughter
+and half of his kingdom to the man who should slay the demon. Early
+in the morning a Dome, who was passing, discovered the body of the
+demon, and said within himself, "I will take it to the king and claim
+the reward." So running home he broke all the furniture in his house
+and beat his old woman saying, "Get out of this. I am about to bring
+the king's daughter home as my bride." He then returned quickly,
+and taking up the body of the demon carried it to the king, and said,
+"Oh sir king, I have slain the demon." The king replied, "Very well,
+we will enquire into it." So he commanded some of his servants to
+examine the body, and on doing so they found that the claws had been
+extracted and the tongue cut out. They reported the condition of
+the body to the king, who ordered the Dome to state the weapon with
+which he killed him. The Dome replied, "I hit him with a club on the
+head." On the head being examined no mark whatever was seen, so in
+order to arrive at the truth the king ordered all the inhabitants of
+the village to be brought together to the palace. He then enquired
+of them as to who killed the demon.
+
+The old woman, in whose house Kara and Guja had passed the night,
+stepped forward and said, "Oh sir king, two strangers came to my house
+yesterday evening, and during the night they slew the demon." The
+king said, "Where are those two men?" The old woman replied, "There
+they are, the two walking together." So the king sent and brought
+them back, and questioned them as to the slaying of the demon. They
+pointed out the arrow-marks on the body, and produced his claws and
+tongue from their bag. This evidence convinced the king that they,
+and not the Dome, had slain the demon. Kara and Guja were received
+with great favour by the king, and received the promised reward.
+
+The king sentenced the Dome to be beaten and driven from the
+village. After receiving his stripes, the Dome returned home, and
+gathered the shreds of his property together. He also went in search
+of his Dome wife and children, but they mocked him saying, "You went
+to marry the king's daughter, why do you come again seeking us."
+
+Thus Kara and Guja gained a kingdom.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE KING AND HIS INQUISITIVE QUEEN.
+
+
+There was a certain king known by the name of Huntsman, on account of
+his expertness in the chase. One day when returning from the forest
+where he had been hunting he found a serpent and a lizard fighting
+on the path along which he was moving. As they were blocking the way
+he ordered them to stand aside and allow him to pass, but they gave
+no heed to what he said. King Huntsman then began to beat them with
+his staff. He killed the lizard, but the serpent fled, and so escaped.
+
+The serpent then went to Monsha, the king of the serpents, and
+complained of the treatment the lizard and himself had received at
+the hands of king Huntsman. The next day king Monsha went and met king
+Huntsman on his way home from the forest, and blocked his way so that
+he could not pass. King Huntsman being angry said, "Clear the way,
+and allow me to pass, or else I shall send an arrow into you. Why
+do you block my way?" King Monsha replied, "Why did you assault the
+lizard and the serpent, with intent to kill them both?" King Huntsman
+answered, "I ordered them to get out of my way, but they would not,
+I therefore assaulted them, and killed one. The other saved himself
+by flight." King Monsha hearing this explanation said, "Very good,
+the fault was theirs, not yours."
+
+King Huntsman then petitioned the king of the serpents to bestow upon
+him the gift of understanding the language of animals and insects. King
+Monsha acceded to his request, and gave him the gift he desired.
+
+A few days after this event King Huntsman went to the forest, and after
+hunting all day returned home in the evening Having washed his hands
+and feet, he sat down to his meal of boiled rice. When the rice was
+being served to the king a few grains fell on the ground, and a fly
+and an ant began to dispute as to who should carry them away. The fly
+said, "I will take them to my children." The ant replied, "No, I will
+take them to mine." Hearing the two talk thus, the king was amused,
+and began to smile. The queen, who was standing by, said to him,
+"Tell me what has made you laugh." On being thus addressed the king
+became greatly confused, for at the time the gift of understanding the
+language of animals and insects was bestowed upon him, King Monsha had
+forbidden him to make it known to any one. He had said, "If you tell
+this to any one, I shall eat you." Remembering this the king feared
+to answer the question put to him by the queen. He tried to deceive
+her by saying, "I did not laugh, you must have been mistaken." She
+would not, however, be thus put off, so the king was obliged to tell
+her that if he answered her question his life would be forfeited. The
+queen was inexorable, and said, "Whether you forfeit your life or
+not, you must tell me." The king then said, "Well, if it must be so,
+let us make ready to go to the bank of the Ganges. There I shall
+tell you, and when I have done so you must push me into the river,
+and then return home."
+
+The king armed himself, and the two set out for the river. When they
+had reached it, they sat down to rest under the shade of a tree. A
+flock of goats was grazing near to where they were seated, and the
+king's attention was arrested by a conversation which was being carried
+on between an old she-goat and a young he-goat. The former addressed
+the latter thus, "There is an island in the middle of the Ganges,
+and on that island there is a large quantity of good sweet grass. Get
+the grass for me, and I shall give you my daughter in marriage." The
+he-goat was not thus to be imposed upon. He angrily addressed his
+female friend as follows, "Do not think to make me like this foolish
+king, who vainly tries to please a woman. He has come here to lose
+his own life at the bidding of one. You tell me to go and bring you
+grass out of such a flood as this. I am no such fool. I do not care
+to die yet. There are many more quite as good as your daughter."
+
+The king understood what passed between them, and admitted to himself
+the truth of what the he-goat had said. After considering a short time
+he arose, and having made a rude sacrificial altar, said to the queen,
+"Kneel down, and do me obeisance, and I shall tell you what made me
+laugh." She knelt down, and the king struck off her head and burnt
+her body upon the altar. Returning home he performed her funeral
+ceremonies, after which he married another wife.
+
+He reigned prosperously for many years, and decided all disputes that
+were brought before him by animals or insects.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF BITARAM.
+
+
+In a certain village there lived seven brothers. The youngest of
+them planted a certain vegetable, and went every day to examine
+it to see how it was growing. For a long time there were only the
+stalk and leaves, but at length a flower appeared, and from it a
+fruit. This fruit he measured daily to mark its growth. It grew
+continuously until it became exactly a span long, after which it
+remained stationary. One day he said to his sisters-in-law, "Do not
+eat my fruit, for whoever does so will give birth to a child only one
+span long." He continued his daily visits to his plant as usual, and
+was pleased to note that the fruit was evidently ripening. One day,
+during his absence, one of his sisters-in-law plucked the fruit and
+ate it. On returning from the field where he had been ploughing, he
+went to look at and measure his fruit, but it was gone, it had been
+stolen. Suspecting that some one of his sisters-in-law was the thief,
+he accused each of them in turn, but they all denied having touched
+it. When he found that no one would confess to having taken it, he
+said to them, "Do not tell upon yourselves, the thief will be caught
+before long." And so it happened, for one of them gave birth to a
+baby one span long. The first time he saw his sister-in-law after
+the child was born he laughed, and said to her, "You denied having
+stolen my fruit, now you see I have found you out."
+
+When the time came that the child should receive a name, Bitaram [2]
+was given to him, because he was only a span in height. Bitaram's
+mother used to take food to the brothers to the field when they were
+ploughing, and when Bitaram was able to walk so far he accompanied
+her. One day he surprised his mother by saying, "Let me take the food
+to my father and uncles to-day." She replied, "What a fancy! You,
+child, are only a span high, how can you carry it?" But Bitaram
+insisted saying, "I can carry it well enough, and carry it I will." His
+mother being unable to resist his pertinacity said, "Then, child,
+take it, and be off." So she placed the basket on his head and he
+set out. Arrived at the field he went up a furrow, but the ground was
+so uneven that before he reached his destination, he had lost nearly
+all the rice, which had been shaken out of the basket. On his coming
+near, one of his uncles called out, "Is that you Bitaram?" He replied,
+"Yes, it is I, Bitaram." Climbing up out of the furrow, he put down
+the basket saying, "Help yourselves, and I will take the oxen and
+buffaloes to the water." So saying, he drove off the cattle to the
+river. When they had quenched their thirst he gathered them together,
+and began to drive them back again to where he had left his father and
+uncles. While following them up the sandy back of the river, he fell
+into a depression made by the hoof of a buffalo, and was soon covered
+up by the loose sand sent rolling down by the herd as they ascended.
+
+When the cattle returned without Bitaram, his father and uncles became
+alarmed for his safety, and immediately went in search of him. They
+went here and there calling out "Bitaram, where are you?" But failing
+to find him they concluded that he had been devoured by some wild
+animal, and returned sorrowfully home. Rain fell during the night,
+and washed the sand from off Bitaram, so that he was able to get up,
+and climb out. On his way home he encountered some thieves who were
+dividing their booty in a lonely part of the forest. Bitaram hearing
+them disputing called out "Kehe kere" at the pitch of his voice. The
+thieves hearing the sound, looked round on all sides to see who was
+near, but the night being dark, and they not directing their eyes near
+enough to the ground to see Bitaram, they could discern no one. Then
+they said to each other, "Let us seek safety in flight. A spirit has
+been sent to watch us." So they all made off leaving behind them the
+brass vessels they had stolen. Bitaram gathered these up, and hid
+them among some prickly bushes, and then went home.
+
+It was now past midnight, and all had retired to rest, and as Bitaram
+stood shivering with cold at the closed door, he called out, "Open
+the door and let me in." His father hearing him said, "Is that you
+Bitaram?" He replied, "Yes, open the door." They then enquired where
+he had been, and he related all that had happened to him after he had
+driven the cattle to the river. Having warmed himself at the fire, he
+told his father of his adventure with the thieves in the forest. He
+said, "I despoiled some thieves, whom I met in the jungle, of the
+brass vessels they had stolen." His father replied, "Foolish child,
+do not tell lies, you yourself are not the height of a brass lota"
+(drinking-cup). "No father," said Bitaram, "I am telling the truth,
+come and I will shew you where they are." His father and uncles went
+with him, and he pointed out to them the vessels hidden among the
+prickly bushes. They picked them all up and brought them home.
+
+Early next morning some sepoys, who were searching for the thieves,
+happened to pass that way, and seeing the stolen property lying out
+side of the house, recognized it, and apprehended Bitaram's father
+and uncles and dragged them off to prison. After this Bitaram and
+his mother were obliged to beg their bread from house to house. She
+often attributed to him the misery which had befallen them, saying,
+"Had it not been for your pertinacity, your father and uncles would
+not have been deprived of their liberty."
+
+One day, as they were following their usual avocation, they entered
+a certain house, and Bitaram said to his mother, "Ask the people of
+the house to give me a tumki. [3]" She did not at first comply, but
+he kept urging her until being irritated she said, "It was through
+your pertinacity in insisting upon being allowed to carry the food
+to your father and uncles that they are now bound and in prison, and
+yet you will not give up the bad habit." Bitaram said, "No, mother,
+do ask it for me." As he would not be silenced she begged it for him,
+and the people kindly gave it.
+
+At the next house they came to, they saw a cat walking about, and
+Bitaram said, "Oh mother, ask the people to give me the cat." As
+before, she at first refused, but he continued to press her, and she
+becoming annoyed scolded him saying, "The young gentleman insists on
+obtaining this and that. It was your pertinacity that caused your
+father and uncles to be dragged to prison in bonds." Bitaram replied,
+"Not so, mother, do ask them to give me the cat." As the only way to
+silence him she said to the people of the house, "Give my boy your cat,
+he will hold it in his arms for a few minutes, and then set it down,
+but he carried it away with him." Bitaram then begged his mother to
+make him a bag, and fill it with flour, saying, "I am going to obtain
+the release of my father and uncles." She mockingly replied, "Much you
+can do." She made him a bag, however, and filling it with flour said,
+"Be off."
+
+Bitaram then strapped the bag of flour on the cat's back as a saddle,
+and mounted. Puss, however, refused to go in the direction desired,
+and it was with great difficulty that he prevailed upon her to take
+the road. As he rode along he observed a swarm of bees on an ant
+hill, and dismounting he addressed them as follows, "Come bees, go
+in, come bees, go in." The bees swarmed into the tumki, and Bitaram
+having covered them up with a leaf continued his journey. Before he
+had gone far he came to a large tank, which belonged to the raja who
+had imprisoned his father. A number of women had come to the tank for
+water, and Bitaram taking his stand upon the embankment began to shoot
+arrows at their waterpots. After he had broken several, the women
+espied him mounted on his cat with his bow and arrows in his hand,
+and believing him to be an elf from the forest fled in terror to
+the city. Going to the raja they said "Oh raja, come and see. Some
+one is on the tank embankment. We do not know who or what he is,
+but he is only a span high." The raja then summoned his soldiers,
+and commanded them to take their bows and arrows, and go and shoot
+him whoever he was. The soldiers went within range, but although they
+shot away all their arrows, they failed to hit him. So returning to
+the raja they said, "He cannot be shot." Hearing this the raja became
+angry, and calling for his bow and arrows, went to the tank and began
+to shoot at Bitaram, but although he persevered until his right side
+ached with drawing the bow, he could not hit him.
+
+When he desisted, Bitaram called out "Are you exhausted?" The raja
+answered "Yes." Then said Bitaram "It is my turn now," and taking the
+leaf from off the mouth of the basket called to the bees, "Go into the
+battle, bees." The bees issued from the basket like a black rope, and
+stung the raja and those who were with him. No way of escape offering,
+the raja called out to Bitaram, "Call off your bees, and I will give
+you the half of my kingdom and my daughter, and I will also set at
+liberty your father and uncles." Bitaram gathered the bees into the
+basket, and after his father and uncles had been released, took them
+back to the ant hill from whence he had brought them. On his return
+he wedded the princess and received half of her father's kingdom.
+
+Bitaram and his wife lived happily together, and every thing they
+took in hand prospered, so that before long they were richer than the
+king himself. One great source of Bitaram's wealth was a cow which
+the princess had brought him as part of her dowry. Being envious of
+their good fortune, the raja and his sons resolved to kill the cow,
+and thus obtain possession of all the gold and silver. So they put
+the cow to death, but when they had cut her up they were disappointed
+as neither gold nor silver were found in her stomach.
+
+Bitaram placed his cow's hide in the sun, and when it was dry carried
+it away to sell it. Darkness coming on he climbed into a tree for
+safety, as wild beasts infested the forest through which he was
+passing. During the night some thieves came under the tree in which
+he was, and began to divide the money they had stolen. Bitaram then
+relaxed his hold of the dry hide, which made such a noise as it fell
+from branch to branch that the thieves fled terror-stricken, and
+left all their booty behind them. In the morning Bitaram descended,
+and collecting all the rupees carried them home. He then shewed the
+money to his wife, and said "Go and ask the loan of your father's
+paila, that I may measure them." So she went and brought the
+measure, which had several cracks in it. Having measured his money
+he sent back the raja's paila, but he had not noticed that one or
+two pieces were left sticking in the cracks. So they said to him,
+"Where did you get the money?" He replied "By the sale of my cow's
+hide." Hearing this they said, "Will the merchant who bought yours,
+buy any more?" He said, "Yes. I received all this money for my one
+hide, how much more may not you receive seeing you have such large
+herds of cattle! If you dispose of their hides at the same rate as
+I have done, you will secure immense wealth." So they killed all
+their cattle, but when they offered the hides for sale they found
+they had been hoaxed. They were ashamed and angry at having allowed
+themselves to be thus imposed upon by Bitaram, and in revenge they
+set fire to his house at night, but he crept into a rat's hole and
+so escaped injury. In the morning he emerged from his hiding place,
+and carefully gathering up the ashes of his house tied them up in a
+cloth, and carried them away. As he walked along he met a merchant,
+to whom he said, "What have you in your bag?" He replied "Gold-pieces
+only." The merchant then enquired of Bitaram what he had tied up in
+his cloth, to which he answered, "Gold-dust only." Bitaram then said,
+"Will you exchange?" The merchant said, "Yes." So they exchanged,
+and Bitaram returned laden with gold. Not being able to count it, he
+again sent his wife to borrow her father's paila, and having measured
+the gold-pieces returned it to him. This time a few pieces of gold
+remained in the cracks in the paila, and the raja, being informed of
+it, went and asked Bitaram where he got the gold. He replied, "I sold
+the ashes of my house which you burnt over my head, and received the
+gold in return." The raja and his sons then enquired if the merchant,
+who bought the ashes from him, would buy any more. Bitaram replied,
+"Yes, he will buy all he can get." "Do you think," said they, "he
+will buy from us?" Bitaram advised them to burn their houses, and
+like him, turn the ashes into gold. "I had only one small house,"
+he said, "and I obtained all this money. You have larger houses,
+and should therefore receive a correspondingly large amount." So
+they set fire to, and burnt their houses, and gathering up the ashes
+took them to the bazar, and there offered them for sale. After they
+had gone the whole length of the bazar, and had met with no buyers,
+some one advised them to go to where the washermen lived, saying,
+they might possibly take them. The washermen, however, refused,
+and as they could not find a purchaser, they threw away the ashes,
+and returned home determined to be revenged upon Bitaram.
+
+This time they decided upon drowning him, so one day they seized him,
+and putting him into a bag they carried him to the river. Arrived
+there they put him down, and went to some little distance to cook
+their food. In the meantime a herd boy came up and asked Bitaram why he
+was tied up in the bag. He replied, "They are taking me away to marry
+me against my will." The herd boy said, "I will go instead of you. I
+wish to be married." Bitaram replied, "Open the bag and let me out,
+and you get in, and I will tie it up again." So Bitaram was released,
+and the herd boy took his place, and was afterwards thrown into the
+river and drowned.
+
+Bitaram on escaping collected all the herd boy's cattle, and drove
+them home. When the raja and his sons returned, they found Bitaram
+with a large herd of cows and buffaloes. Going near, they enquired
+where he had got them. He replied, "At some distance below the spot
+where you threw me into the river, I found numerous herds of cattle,
+so I brought away as many as one person could drive. If you all go,
+you will be able to bring a very much larger number." So they said,
+"Very well, put us into bags, and tie us up as we did you." Bitaram
+replied, "It is impossible for me to carry you as you did me. Walk to
+the river bank, and there get into the bags, and I will push you into
+the river." They did as he suggested, and when all was in readiness,
+he pushed them into the river, and they were all drowned.
+
+Bitaram returned alone, and took possession of all that had belonged
+to them. The whole kingdom became his, and he reigned peacefully as
+long as he lived.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF SIT AND BOSONT.
+
+
+There was a certain raja who had two sons named Sit and Bosont. Their
+mother the rani had been long ill, and the raja was greatly dejected
+on her account. From the bed on which she lay, the rani could see
+two sparrows who had made their nest in a hole in the wall of the
+palace, and she had remarked the great love and tenderness which
+the hen-sparrow bore towards her young ones. One day she saw both
+sparrows sitting in front of their nest, and the sight of them set her
+a-thinking, and she came to the conclusion that the hen-sparrow was
+a model mother. The raja also had his attention attracted daily by
+the sparrows. One day, very suddenly, the hen-sparrow took ill, and
+died. The next day the cock-sparrow appeared with another mate, and
+sat in front of the nest with her, as he had done with the other. But
+the new mother took no notice of the young ones in the nest, but left
+them to die of hunger. The rani, who was greatly grieved to see such
+want of compassion, said to the raja, "This is how it is, one has no
+pity for those who belong to another. Remember what you have been a
+witness of, and should I die take care of the two children." Shortly
+after this the rani died, and the raja mourned over her, and continued
+most solicitous for the welfare of their two boys.
+
+Some months after the rani's death, the raja's subjects prayed
+him to take another wife, saying, "Without a rani your kingdom is
+incomplete." The raja refused to comply, saying, "I shall never
+take another wife." His subjects would not, however, be silenced,
+but continued to press the matter upon him with such persistency
+that eventually he had to accede to their wishes, and take to himself
+another partner. He continued, however, to love and cherish his two
+sons Sit and Bosont.
+
+Some time after their marriage the rani took a dislike to the elder
+son Sit, and was determined that he should no longer be allowed to
+remain within the precincts of the palace. So she feigned sickness,
+and the raja summoned physicians from all parts of his dominions, but
+without avail, as none of them could tell what the disease was from
+which the rani was suffering. One day when Sit and Bosont were out of
+the way, and the raja and she were alone together, she said to him,
+"Doctors and medicines will not save my life, but if you will listen
+to me, and do what I tell you, I shall completely recover." The
+raja said, "Let me hear what it is, and I shall try what effect it
+may have." The rani said, "If you will promise to do for me what I
+shall request, I will tell you, and not otherwise." The raja replied,
+"I shall certainly comply with your wishes." The rani again said,
+"Will you without doubt, do what I wish?" The raja replied, "Yes, I
+shall." After she had made him promise a third time she said, "Will you
+take oath that you will not seek to evade fulfilling my desire?" The
+raja said, "I take my oath that I shall carry out your wishes to the
+full extent of my ability." Having thus prevailed upon the raja to
+pledge his word of honour, she said, "Do not allow your eldest son,
+Sit, to remain any longer in the palace. Order him to leave, and go
+somewhere else, so that I may not see his face, and never to return."
+
+On hearing this the raja was greatly distressed. But what could he
+do? The rani had said, "If you permit him to remain, I shall die,
+and if you fulfil my wishes I shall live," and in his anxiety to save
+the life of his rani, he had bound himself by an oath before he knew
+what it was he would be required to do. After much consideration as
+to how he could best communicate the order to leave the palace to his
+son, he decided to write it on a sheet of paper and fix it, during
+his absence, to the door of his room. When the brothers returned,
+they found the paper placed there by the raja, and on reading it,
+were greatly troubled. After some time, during which Sit had been
+considering the position in which he found himself, he said to his
+brother, "You must remain, and I must go." On hearing his brother's
+words, Bosont's heart was filled with sorrow, and he replied, "Not so,
+I cannot see you go away alone. You have been guilty of no fault for
+which our parents could send you away. I cannot remain here alone. I
+will accompany you. We are children of the same mother, and we should
+not part." His brother replied, "Let us leave the house to-day. We
+can pass the night in some place close at hand." So they left their
+father's house, and concealed themselves in its vicinity. On the
+approach of evening they began to feel the pangs of hunger, and the
+younger said to the elder, "What shall we do? We have no food." After
+a minute's thought, the elder replied, "Although we have been sent
+adrift, we will take our elephants, and horses, and clothes, and
+money along with us." So when night had fallen, they entered the
+palace and brought out all that belonged to them, and at cock-crow,
+set forth on their journey. They travelled all day, and as the sun
+began to decline, they reached a dense jungle, and passing through
+it they came to a large city where they put up for the night. The
+city pleased them much, and they hired quarters in the Sarai. After
+they had gained a little acquaintance with their surroundings, Sit,
+attired in gorgeous apparel, and mounted on a splendid horse, rode
+every evening through the principal streets of the city. One evening
+the daughter of the raja of that country, from the roof of the palace,
+saw him ride past, and fell deeply in love with him. She immediately
+descended to her room, and feigning sickness, threw herself upon
+her couch. Her parents, on entering, found her weeping bitterly,
+and on enquiring the cause were informed by her attendants that she
+had been suddenly seized with a dangerous illness, the nature of which
+they did not know. The raja at once summoned the most famed physicians
+that could be found, to cure his daughter. One after another, however,
+failed to understand her complaint, and she grew worse daily. She was
+heard continually wailing, "I shall never recover; I shall die." After
+the doctors had retired baffled, she addressed her parents as follows;
+"You, who gave me life, listen to my entreaty. There is one expedient
+still, which if you will agree to put into execution, I shall recover,
+and be as well as formerly, and should you refuse to do as I say,
+and call it foolishness, then you shall never see my face again,
+I shall depart this life at once." On hearing these words, her
+parents said, "Tell us, what it is, we will surely act agreeably
+to your wishes." She replied, "Oh! father, promise me that you will
+carry them out without reserve." Her parents then promised with an
+oath, that they would do all she desired. Then she told her story,
+"Of late we have daily seen a young man in dazzling white apparel,
+riding and curveting his horse through the city; if you betroth me
+to that young prince, I shall enjoy my accustomed health again."
+
+On hearing this, her parents became greatly distressed, as they
+were averse to betrothing their daughter to a stranger of whom
+they knew nothing. After consulting together they said, "He comes
+this way in the evening, let us look out for him, and see what he is
+like." About sunset, Sit, mounted on his horse, rode in the direction
+of the palace. The raja had given orders to some of his attendants
+to arrest the man who, every evening dressed in white, rode past the
+palace. So, on his appearing, they laid hold of him and led him into
+the presence of the raja, who being pleased with his appearance, at
+once introduced him to his daughter's room. She, on beholding him,
+instantly became well, and that same evening the two were married.
+
+Bosont having charge of the property remained in the Sarai, while
+his brother went out riding. Sit not returning at his usual time,
+Bosont was alarmed and waited anxiously for his return. At length,
+being wearied, he fell asleep. During the night a gang of thieves
+entered his room, and began to carry off all his valuables. Bosont
+slept so soundly that they had time to take away everything save his
+bed-clothes. To obtain possession of these they had to lift him, on
+which he awoke and gave the alarm. The thieves beat him with their
+clubs till he was half dead; then, senseless and with a broken leg,
+they threw him into the dry bed of a river.
+
+In the morning his servants became aware of the robbery, and also
+that their master was missing. His groom found him some time after
+in the river bed, and carried him to a doctor who bound up his limb,
+and took care of him. He was soon well enough to move about, but
+doomed to halt through life.
+
+The raja of that country was very wealthy, and had ships on the
+sea. Whenever a ship left the port on its outward voyage, it was
+customary to carry a man on board, who, on the rising of a storm at
+sea, was cast over board to appease to wrath of the Spirit of the
+mighty Deep. Without such a victim on board, no ship could leave
+the harbour. Now, it so happened that one of the raja's vessels was
+about to sail to a foreign port, but no man suitable for the sacrifice
+could be obtained. At last the raja ordered them to take the lame man,
+whom he had seen limping about the city. He, not knowing the purpose
+they had in view in asking him to accompany them on their voyage,
+gladly embraced the opportunity of seeing foreign lands. No sooner
+was he on board than the ship began to move, and to obtain a better
+view he climbed up the mast, and sat on the top of it. In twelve
+days they reached a port. Bosont, however, did not decend from his
+elevated station, but continued gazing on the country lying around.
+
+The daughter of the raja of that city, while walking on the roof
+of the palace, enjoying the cool of the evening, saw Bosont seated
+on the ship's mast. She at once fell violently in love with him,
+and descending to her room, feigned sickness. Her parents called in
+the most famed physicians, but their skill was of no avail, the young
+lady's illness increased in intensity. At last, when her parents began
+to give up hope of saving her life, she said, "The doctors cannot do me
+any good, but if you will do as I direct you, I shall recover." They
+said, "Tell us what it is that we can do for you." She replied,
+"Before I can make it known to you, you must take oath that you will
+not seek to evade the performance of it." To this they agreed, and the
+princess said, "If you will betroth me to the man sitting on the top
+of the mast of the vessel in the harbour, I shall immediately regain
+my health." The raja despatched messengers to the ship, and had Bosont
+brought to the palace, and solemnized their marriage that same evening.
+
+A few days after the above occurrence, the ship was ready to set sail
+on her homeward voyage, so they took the lame man on board, his wife
+also following. After they had been a few days at sea, the vessel
+was in danger of foundering in a storm. The sailors searched for
+the victim, but he could nowhere be found. At last one of the crew
+looking up, spied him seated on the mast and climbing swiftly up,
+pushed him into the sea. His wife had brought a tumba with her, and
+seeing her husband in the sea, threw it to him. With this assistance he
+was able to swim to the vessel, and laying hold of the stern, followed
+swimming all the way to port. When the vessel was brought to anchor,
+he climbed up into it, and disguised himself as a fakir. The people of
+the city noticed him daily walking on the shore in front of the ship,
+and believed him to be in reality a fakir.
+
+One day the raja seeing Bosont's wife took a fancy to her, and caused
+her to be brought to his palace. She had apartments assigned to her
+in the best part of it, and was treated with great distinction. On the
+raja offering her marriage, she declined, saying, "Speak not to me of
+it." After several days the raja enquired, "Why do you still refuse to
+become my wife." She replied, "Ask the fakir who is always to be seen
+pacing the shore in front of a vessel lying in the harbour." The raja
+gave orders immediately to have the fakir brought to the palace. On
+his being ushered into his presence, the raja said, "What do you know
+regarding the woman, who on declining to be my wife, referred me to you
+for an explanation?" In reply Bosont related in the form of a fable,
+the history of Sit and himself, and also what befell him after they
+were parted from each other. Sit, who was now raja recognized his
+brother in the fakir before him, and falling on his neck, wept for
+joy. The two brothers continued ever after to live together.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF A TIGER.
+
+
+A certain man had charge of a number of cattle. One day he took them
+to graze near a quagmire, and leaving them there went in search of
+jungle fruits. It so happened that one of the bullocks was browsing
+on the edge of the quagmire when a tiger came creeping stealthily up,
+and sprang upon it, but somehow or other missed his mark, and fell
+into the quagmire and there stuck fast. When the herd come to drive
+his cattle home, he found the tiger fast in the mud, and called a
+large number of people to come and see him. The tiger addressed those
+who came to gaze upon him as follows, "Oh men, pull me out. I am in
+great straits." They replied, "We will not pull you out even to save
+your life. You are a ravenous animal." The tiger said, "I will not eat
+you." So they pulled him out. When he was again on dry land, he said,
+"I will devour you, for it is my nature to do so." They replied,
+"Will you really eat us?" "Yes, I will," said the tiger. "Well,"
+they rejoined, "if you will devour us, what can we do to prevent
+you? But let us first ask the opinion of some others as to whether
+it is right for you to eat us or not." So they requested the opinion
+of all the trees in the forest, and each said, "Human beings are all
+bad." On asking the Mohwa tree, it replied, "Men are not good. Behold
+every year I give them my flowers to eat, and my fruit from which
+to make oil. In the hot weather I give them shade, and on leaving,
+when they have rested, they give me a parting slash with their axes,
+therefore it is right to eat these people, as they return evil for
+good." So said all the trees.
+
+From this forest they went to another in which they found a cow to whom
+they said, "We are come to ask your opinion on a certain matter about
+which we are at variance. This tiger was up to the neck in a quagmire,
+and we pulled him out. Now he wishes to return evil for good. Is it
+right for him to do so?" The cow replied, "Yes, yes, I have heard what
+you have got to say. You human beings are not the correct thing. Behold
+me, how much I have contributed to the health and comfort of my master,
+yet he does not recognize my merit. Now that I am old, he has turned
+me out, and should I improve a little in condition, he will say, 'I
+will take this cow to the market and sell it. I will at least get a few
+pence for it.' Behold, when a man is well to do, he has many friends,
+but when he is poor, no one knows him. Verily, you are worthy to be
+devoured." The tiger then said to the men, "Well, have you heard all
+this? Are you convinced?" They said, "Hold on, let us ask one person
+more." So as they walked along they saw a jackal and called to him, "Oh
+uncle, stand still." The jackal said, "No I cannot wait, my companions,
+who are on their way to see the swinging festival, are far ahead of me,
+and I am hurrying to overtake them." They said to him, "Wait a little
+and settle this matter for us. We pulled this tiger out of a quagmire,
+and now he wishes to devour us." The jackal then said to the tiger,
+"Is this true? I cannot believe that a famed individual like yourself
+would be fool enough to jump into a quagmire. Come, shew me the place,
+and how it happened." So the tiger led him to the quagmire, and said,
+"This is the place from which I sprang, and this is how I did it,"
+and he leaped into the quagmire. The jackal turning to the men, said,
+"What are you staring at? Pelt him with stones." So they all set to
+and stoned the tiger to death.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+STORY OF A LIZARD, A TIGER, AND A LAME MAN.
+
+
+Once upon a time in a certain jungle, a lizard and a tiger were
+fighting, and a lame man, who was tending goats near by, saw them. The
+tiger being beaten by the lizard was ashamed to own it, and coming to
+the lame man said, "Tell me which of us won." The lame man being in
+great fear lest the tiger should eat him, said, "You won." On another
+occasion the lizard was compelled to flee, and took refuge in an
+ant hill. The tiger pursued him, but not being able to get him out,
+sat down to watch.
+
+The lizard seeing his opportunity, crept stealthily up to his
+inveterate enemy, and climbing up his tail, fixed his teeth into his
+haunch, and held firmly on. The tiger felt the pain of the lizard's
+bite, but could not reach him to knock him off, so he ran to the lame
+man, and said, "Release me from this lizard." When he had caused the
+lizard to let go his grip, the tiger said, "Oh lame man, which of us
+won in the encounter?" The poor man in great fear said, "You won."
+
+The same scene was enacted daily for many days. The tiger always came
+to the lame man and said, "Knock off this lizard," and after he had
+done so, would say, "Which of us won?" The lame man invariably replied,
+"You won." This had happened so often that the lame man began to feel
+annoyed at having to tell a lie every day to please the tiger. So one
+day after an ignominious flight on the part of the tiger, he being,
+as usual, requested to give his opinion as to who won, said, "The
+lizard had the best of it." On hearing this the tiger became angry,
+and said, "I shall eat you, my fine fellow, because you say the lizard
+defeated me. Tell me where you sleep." The poor lame man on hearing
+the tiger threaten him thus, trembled with fear, and was silent. But
+the tiger pressed him. He said, "Tell at once, for I shall certainly
+devour you." The lame man replied, "I sleep in the wall press." When
+night fell, the tiger set off to eat the lame man, but after searching
+in the wall press failed to find him. In the morning the lame man
+led his goats out to graze, and again met the tiger, who addressed
+him as follows, "You are a great cheat. I did not find you in the
+wall press last night." The lame man replied, "How is it you did not
+find me? I was sleeping there." "No," said the tiger, "you were not,
+you have deceived me. Now, tell me truly where you sleep." "I sleep
+on a rafter," said the lame man. About midnight the tiger went again
+in search of him to eat him, but did not find him on the rafter, so
+he returned home. In the morning the lame man as usual led his goats
+out to graze, and again encountered the tiger, who said to him, "How
+now! Where do you sleep? I could not find you last night." The lame
+man rejoined, "That is strange, I was there all the same." The tiger
+said, "You are a consummate liar. Now tell me plainly where you sleep
+at night, for I shall without doubt eat you." The lame man replied,
+"I sleep in the fire-place." Again the tiger went at night, but could
+not find him. Next morning he met the lame man, and said to him,
+"No more tricks, tell me where you sleep." He, thrown off his guard,
+said, "In the gongo." [4]
+
+The tiger then withdrew to his den to wait till night came on, and
+the lame man, cursing his indiscretion, with a heavy heart, drove his
+goats homewards. Having made his charge safe for the night, he sat down
+feeling very miserable. He refused the food that was set before him,
+and continued bewailing his hard lot. In the hope of inducing him to
+eat, they gave him some mohwa wrapped in a sal leaf. This also failed
+to tempt him to eat; but he carried it with him when he crept into the
+gongo to sleep. At night the tiger came and lifting up the gongo felt
+it heavy, and said, "Well, are you inside?" He replied, "Yes, I am." So
+the tiger carried off the gongo with the lame man in it. By the time
+the tiger had gone a considerable distance, the lame man became hungry
+and said within himself, "I shall have to die in the end, but in the
+meantime I will appease my hunger." So he opened his small parcel of
+mohwa, and the dry leaf crackled as he did so. The noise frightened the
+tiger and he said, "What is it you are opening?" The lame man replied,
+"It is yesterday's lizard." "Hold! hold!" exclaimed the tiger, "Do
+not let him out yet, let me get clear away first." The lame man said,
+"Not so, I will not wait, but will let him out at once." The tiger
+being terrified at the prospect of again meeting his mortal enemy,
+the redoubtable lizard, threw down the gongo and fled, calling out,
+"I will not eat you. You have got the lizard with you."
+
+In this way the lame man by means of the lizard saved his life.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF A SIMPLETON.
+
+
+There was once a certain simpleton who had never seen a horse, but
+had heard that there was such an animal, and that men rode on his
+back. His curiosity was greatly excited, and he went here and there
+searching for a horse, so that he might ride on its back. On his way
+he fell in with a wag, and asked him, what horses were like, where
+they could be found, and whence were they produced. The wag replied,
+"They are very large, they are to be had at the weekly market,
+and they are hatched from eggs." He then asked, "What is the price
+of the eggs?" The other replied, "Price! They are cheap, one pice
+each." So one day he went to the market and bought four eggs which he
+saw exposed for sale, and brought them home with him. He then made
+preparations for a lengthened absence from his house, and started
+for the jungle, taking with him rice, a cooking pot and fire, to
+get the eggs hatched. Having reached the jungle, he placed the eggs
+to hatch in what turned out to be a tiger's den, and then went some
+distance off and sat down. After a short time he went to have a look
+at the eggs, and found one was missing. He was greatly distressed, at
+having as he fancied lost his horse, and cried out, "It has hatched,
+and run away somewhere. But what has happened, has happened. What
+can I do? I'll look out for the next one when it hatches." He then
+went to cook his rice, and returning after some time missed another
+of the eggs. He was very much grieved over the loss of the two eggs,
+and mourning his misfortune, cried, "Where have the two gone, after
+they came out of the shell? There still, however, remain two eggs." So
+saying, he returned to finish his cooking. After a few minutes'
+interval, he went to have a look at the eggs, and saw that another had
+disappeared; only one remained. His grief at the loss of three horses,
+was intense. He cried out, "Oh! where shall I find them? Three horses
+have been hatched, and they have all run away." He then went to where
+his cooking had been performed, and quickly ate his rice, and returned
+in all haste to look at his egg. It too was gone. On seeing this,
+his sorrow and disappointment were acute. He bemoaned his ill luck
+as follows, "After all the trouble I was at to procure my eggs, they
+have all hatched, and the horses are lost. But what is, must be. I
+shall relieve my mind by taking a chew of tobacco." After putting the
+tobacco into his mouth he noticed the tiger's den, and said, "It is
+in here, the horses have gone." So he went and broke from a tree a
+long stick with which he tried to poke his horses out. For some time
+his labours met with no reward, but at last he succeeded in forcing
+the tiger out of his den. Just as he was coming out, the simpleton
+by some chance or other got astride of his back, and called out,
+"At last I have found a horse." His delight was boundless. But the
+tiger would not go in the direction of his rider's house, but kept
+going further into the jungle. The simpleton then struck him about the
+head and ears saying, "As ghur ghur, as ghur ghur;" [5] nevertheless
+the tiger plunged deeper into the jungle. At last he bolted into a
+thicket of trailing plants, where he unseated the simpleton. The tiger
+having got rid of his rider fled. Afterwards he met a jackal who said
+to him, "Where away, in such hot haste?" "Uh!" he said, "how much
+of it can I tell you! I have been greatly harassed, and distressed
+by As ghur ghur. It was with great difficulty I succeeded in giving
+him the slip, and now I am fleeing for dear life." The jackal said,
+"Come along and shew him to me, and I shall soon eat him up." The
+tiger replied, "Oh dear! no. I cannot go. If he finds me again he
+will do for me altogether." "Nonsense," said the jackal, "lead me to
+where he is, and I shall devour him." The tiger was persuaded, and
+led the way, and the jackal followed. After some little time they met
+a bear, who said, "Where are you two going?" The jackal gave answer,
+"This person has somewhere seen As ghur ghur and I am saying to him,
+'Take me to where he is, and I shall eat him,' but he will not push
+ahead." Then the bear said, "Come let us all go together, and I shall
+eat him up." The tiger said, "I will go no further." The jackal then
+said, "Listen to me, I will put you upon a plan. Let us hold on by
+each other's tails, in this way you will have no cause to fear any
+evil." This suggestion pleased them well, and they cried out, "Yes,
+let us do that. You have hit upon a first rate expedient." Then the
+bear took hold of the tiger's tail, and the jackal that of the bear,
+and in this way they pursued their journey. But just as they drew near
+the thicket in which the simpleton had been left, the tiger exclaimed,
+"Look there, he is coming towards us," and being terribly frightened,
+fled at his utmost speed dragging the bear and jackal after him tearing
+the skin from off their bodies on the rough stones and gravel. At
+length the jackal cried out, "Hold on uncle, hold on uncle, you have
+rubbed all the skin off my body." But he would not halt, but kept
+dashing on through wood and brake, dragging them after him, until the
+bear's tail broke, and the jackal was released. His body by this time
+was all raw flesh, and he was swollen into a round mass. However,
+he managed to pick himself up, and run for his life.
+
+Afterwards they met in with a pack of wild dogs who said,
+"Hulloo! what's up, that you are fleeing in such a plight?" They
+replied, "We are fleeing from As ghur ghur." "Where is he?" said they,
+"We will eat him." The tiger said, "There just in front of you, where
+you see the dark spot in the forest." So they went in the direction
+indicated, and while they were yet some distance off, they saw the
+simpleton standing in the shade of the trees. He also saw them, and
+being afraid hid himself in a hollow tree. On coming up to the tree
+in which he was, they surrounded it, and one of their number essayed
+to poke him out of his hiding place with his tail. The simpleton,
+however, taking hold of it twisted it round his hands, and pulled
+with all his might. The pain caused by his tail being pulled, caused
+the wild dog to grin. On seeing this, one of his companions said,
+"Oh! Brother, wherefore do you grin." He said, "I have got hold of
+him, and I am smiling with pleasure." The simpleton from within
+the tree continued to pull, till the tail of the wild dog broke,
+and he fell to the ground with a thud. The others on looking at him
+noticed that he had lost his tail. So they all became panic stricken,
+and fled from the place with all possible speed.
+
+The simpleton took up his residence in that part of the jungle in
+which the above occurred. He is said to be the ancestor of the Bir
+hors, or jungle Santals.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+A THIEF AND A TIGER.
+
+
+In a certain country there lived a very wealthy man whose cattle
+grazed on a wide plain. One day a tiger noticed them, and so did three
+thieves. At night the tiger came to where they were lying, and so did
+the three thieves, but the tiger arrived first. The night was pitch
+dark, and the cows getting frightened fled to their owner's premises,
+and all entered the cattle shed. When the tiger saw the cattle flee
+he ran after them, and entered the shed along with them. The thieves,
+coming to where they expected to find the cattle, and not seeing them,
+also went to the cattle shed; but the people of the house not having
+yet retired to rest, they hid themselves in the vicinity. When all
+became still, they entered the cattle shed, and began feeling for
+the largest and fattest oxen. Two of the thieves, each finding one to
+his mind, drove them away. But one man being more difficult to please
+than his neighbours continued to go from one to another groping for a
+good fat one. In this way he laid his hands on the tiger, it seemed a
+fat one, but lest there should be one still fatter, he left him for
+a little. However, as he did not find one better than the tiger he
+returned to him, and felt him all over again. He was without doubt the
+fattest in the shed, so he drove him out. On reaching the open field,
+the tiger went in the direction of the jungle, and his driver had great
+difficulty in getting him to go the road he wished. In this way,--the
+tiger going one direction, and the man pulling him another,--they
+spent the night. At cock-crow the thief became aware, that it was
+a tiger he had been contending with in the dark, and not an ox. He
+then said to the tiger, "It is you then, whom I have taken possession
+of." He then released the tiger, who fled to the jungle at full speed.
+
+The thief having been awake all night felt tired, and lying down in
+the shade of a ridge of a rice field to rest, fell asleep.
+
+The tiger as he ran encountered a jackal who exclaimed, "Ho! Ho! uncle,
+where are you off to, at such a break-neck pace?" The tiger replied,
+"I am going in this direction. A mite kept me awake all night, I
+am fleeing through fear of him." The jackal then said, "It is very
+strange, uncle, that you did not vanquish him. We eat such as he. Tell
+me where he is, and I shall soon snap him up." The tiger said, "He is
+over in the direction of those rice fields, asleep somewhere." The
+jackal then went in search of him, and soon found him asleep in
+the shade of a ridge of a rice field. He then went all round him
+reconnoitring, and when he had completed the circuit exclaimed,
+"The tiger said he was a mite, but he turns out to be of immense
+size, I cannot eat him all myself. I will gather my friends together
+to assist me, and then we shall devour him in no time." So he sat
+down with his back towards the sleeping thief, so near that his tail
+touched his neck, and began to yell as only a hungry jackal can. The
+noise awoke the sleeper, and seeing the jackal sitting so near to him,
+he quietly caught him by the tail, and springing on to his feet swung
+him round and round above his head, and then flung him from him. The
+jackal was severely stunned, but picking himself up, fled as fast as
+his legs could carry him. After he had gone some little distance he
+met a bear, who said, "Where away in such hot haste?" He made answer,
+"Uh! What can I tell you more than that that barren tiger grossly
+deceived me. He told me he was a mite, I went to see him and found he
+was a ghur pank, [6] and without doubt he ghur panked me." The bear
+then said, "Oh! I'll eat him. Tell me where he is." The jackal said,
+"You will find him over in these rice fields." So the bear went
+to find him and eat him. When still some distance off he spied him
+laying asleep, and was greatly delighted, exclaiming, "My belly will
+be swollen with eating him before long." The thief accidentally lifted
+his head, and saw the bear coming straight for him, so he jumped up
+and ran to the nearest tree into which he climbed. The bear saw him,
+and went up after him, and tried to get hold of him, but he jumped
+from one branch to another as the bear followed him. After this had
+gone on for some time, it so happened that the bear missed his footing
+and fell heavily to the ground. The thief immediately jumped on to his
+back. The bear was frightened, and getting to his feet fled as fast
+as he could; the thief clasped him tightly round the neck, saying,
+"If I let go my hold he will eat me." The bear of course ran to the
+jungle, where the thief was caught by the branches of the trees, and
+dragged off his back. He did not return to the rice fields to sleep,
+as he feared some other animal might come to eat him, but went to
+his own home.
+
+As the bear fled, he again met the jackal who asked him, "Well! did
+you eat him?" The bear replied, "You Sir, are a great cheat, you told
+me he was ghur pank. He is kara upar chap." [7] The two quarrelled
+over the matter, and the bear tried to catch the jackal to eat him,
+but he managed to escape.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE MAGIC FIDDLE
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived seven brothers and a sister. The
+brothers were married, but their wives did not do the cooking for
+the family. It was done by their sister. The wives for this reason
+bore their sister-in-law much ill will, and at length they combined
+together to oust her from the office of cook and general provider,
+so that one of themselves might obtain it. They said, "She does not
+go out to the fields to work, but remains quietly at home, and yet
+she has not the meals ready at the proper time." They then called
+upon their Bad Bonga, [8] and vowing vows unto him they secured his
+good will and assistance; then they said to the Bad Bonga, "At mid-day
+when our sister-in-law goes to bring water, cause it thus to happen,
+that on seeing her pitcher the water shall vanish, and again slowly
+re-appear. In this way she will be delayed. May the water not flow into
+her pitcher, and you keep the maiden as your own." At noon when she
+went to bring water, it suddenly dried up before her, and she began
+to weep. Then after a while the water began slowly to rise. When it
+reached her ankles she tried to fill her pitcher, but it would not
+go under the water. Being frightened she began to wail as follows;--
+
+
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my ankles,
+    Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my ankles,
+    Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip,
+    Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip."
+
+
+The water continued to rise until it reached her knee, when she began
+to wail as follows;--
+
+
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my knee,
+    Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my knee,
+    Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip,
+    Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip."
+
+
+The water continued to rise, and when it reached her waist, she wailed
+as follows;--
+
+
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my waist,
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my waist,
+    "Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip,
+    "Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip."
+
+
+The water in the tank continued to rise, and when it reached her
+breast, she wailed as follows;--
+
+
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my breast,
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my breast,
+    "Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not fill,
+    "Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not fill."
+
+
+The water still rose, and when it reached her neck she wailed as
+follows;--
+
+
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my neck,
+    "Oh! my brother, the water reaches to my neck,
+    "Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip,
+    "Still, Oh! my brother, the pitcher will not dip."
+
+
+At length the water became so deep that she felt herself to be
+drowning, then she wailed as follows;--
+
+
+    "Oh! my brother, the water measures a man's height,
+    "Oh! my brother, the water measures a man's height,
+    "Oh! my brother, the pitcher begins to fill,
+    "Oh! my brother, the pitcher begins to fill."
+
+
+The pitcher filled with water, and along with it she sank and was
+drowned. The bonga then transformed her into a bonga like himself,
+and carried her off.
+
+After a time she re-appeared as a bamboo growing on the embankment
+of the tank in which she had been drowned. When the bamboo had grown
+to an immense size, a Jugi, who was in the habit of passing that way,
+seeing it, said to himself, this will make a splendid fiddle. So one
+day he brought an axe to cut it down; but when he was about to begin,
+the bamboo exclaimed, "Do not cut at the root, cut higher up." When
+he lifted his axe to cut high up the stem, the bamboo cried out,
+"Do not cut near the top, cut at the root." When the Jugi again
+prepared himself to cut at the root as requested, the bamboo said,
+"Do not cut at the root, cut higher up;" and when he was about to
+cut higher up, it again called out to him, "Do not cut high up,
+cut at the root." The Jugi by this time was aware that a bonga was
+trying to frighten him, so becoming angry he cut down the bamboo at
+the root, and taking it away made a fiddle out of it. The instrument
+had a superior tone and delighted all who heard it. The Jugi carried
+it with him when he went a-begging, and through the influence of its
+sweet music he returned home every evening with a full wallet.
+
+He now and again visited, when on his rounds, the house of the
+bonga girl's brothers, and the strains of the fiddle affected them
+greatly. Some of them were moved even to tears, for the fiddle
+seemed to wail as one in bitter anguish. The elder brother wished
+to purchase it, and offered to support the Jugi for a whole year,
+if he would consent to part with his magical instrument. The Jugi,
+however, knew its value, and refused to sell it.
+
+It so happened that the Jugi sometime after went to the house of a
+village chief, and after playing a tune or two on his fiddle asked
+something to eat. They offered to buy his fiddle and promised a
+high price for it, but he rejected all such overtures, his fiddle
+being to him his means of livelihood. When they saw that he was not
+to be prevailed upon, they gave him food and a plentiful supply of
+liquor. Of the latter he partook so freely that he presently became
+intoxicated. While he was in this condition, they took away his fiddle,
+and substituted their own old one for it. When the Jugi recovered,
+he missed his instrument, and suspecting that it had been stolen
+requested them to return it to him. They denied having taken it,
+so he had to depart, leaving his fiddle behind him. The chief's son
+being a musician, used to play on the Jugi's fiddle, and in his hands
+the music it gave forth delighted the ears of all within hearing.
+
+When all the household were absent at their labours in the fields,
+the bonga girl emerged from the bamboo fiddle, and prepared the family
+meal. Having partaken of her own share, she placed that of the chiefs
+son under his bed, and covering it up to keep off the dust, re-entered
+the fiddle. This happening every day the other members of the household
+were under the impression that some female neighbour of theirs was in
+this manner showing her interest in the young man, so they did not
+trouble themselves to find out how it came about. The young chief,
+however, was determined to watch, and see which of his lady friends was
+so attentive to his comfort. He said in his own mind, "I will catch
+her to-day, and give her a sound beating. She is causing me to be
+ashamed before the others." So saying, he hid himself in a corner in
+a pile of firewood. In a short time the girl came out of the bamboo
+fiddle, and began to dress her hair. Having completed her toilet,
+she cooked the meal of rice as usual, and having partaken herself,
+she placed the young man's portion under his bed, as she was wont,
+and was about to enter the fiddle again, when he running out from
+his hiding place caught her in his arms. The bonga girl exclaimed,
+"Fie! Fie! you may be a Dom, or you may be a Hadi." [9] He said,
+"No. But from to-day, you and I are one." So they began lovingly
+to hold converse with each other. When the others returned home in
+the evening, they saw that she was both a human being and a bonga,
+and they rejoiced exceedingly.
+
+Through course of time the bonga girl's family became very poor,
+and her brothers on one occasion came to the chief's house on a visit.
+
+The bonga girl recognised them at once, but they did not know who
+she was. She brought them water on their arrival, and afterwards set
+cooked rice before them. Then sitting down near them, she began in
+wailing tones to upbraid them on account of the treatment she had
+been subjected to by their wives. She related all that had befallen
+her, and wound up by saying, "It is probable that you knew it all,
+and yet you did not interfere to save me."
+
+After a time she became reconciled to her sisters-in-law, and no
+longer harboured enmity in her mind against them, for the injury they
+had done her.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+GUMDA, THE HERO.
+
+
+There was once a certain fatherless lad named Gumda. His occupation
+was to tend the raja's goats. He, and his mother lived in a small house
+at the end of the street in which the raja's palace was situated. The
+raja's mahout was in the habit of taking his elephant along that
+street, and every time it passed, it rubbed itself against the wall
+of Gumda's house. One day at noon it so happened that Gumda was at
+home when the elephant was being taken to the tank to drink, and as
+usual he rubbed his side against the house as he passed. Gumda was
+incensed with the elephant for thus destroying his house, and coming
+out quickly, said to the mahout, "What although it is the raja's
+elephant! I could take hold of any person's elephant by the trunk,
+and throw it across seven seas." The elephant understood what Gumda
+had said, and he refused to go down into the water, and would not even
+drink. On being brought home he would not eat his grain, nor would he
+so much as look at water. He continued thus so long that he began to
+grow lean and weak. The mahout knew that it was Gumda's curse that had
+so affected his charge. The raja one day noticing the altered condition
+of his elephant, said to the mahout, "Why has the elephant become
+so emaciated?" The mahout replied, "Oh! raja, one day at noon Gumda
+abused him. He said, 'If you were not the raja's elephant, I would
+take you by the trunk and throw you across seven seas.' 'Every day,'
+he said, 'he rubs himself against my house.' Since then the elephant
+has refused his food and water." The raja, on hearing this, commanded
+that Gumda be brought before him. The messenger found him at home,
+and brought him into the presence of the raja who asked him, "Is it
+true, Gumda, that you said you would throw the elephant as you would
+a stone?" Gumda replied, "Yes, it is quite true that I said so. The
+elephant every time it passes along the street rubs itself against
+the wall of my house, and being angry, I said these words. Now, do
+with me whatsoever you please." The raja marvelled greatly on hearing
+Gumda's reply, and addressing him said, "Now my lad, prove your words,
+for prove them you must. If you succeed in thus throwing an elephant,
+I shall present you with a large estate." The raja appointed the tenth
+day following as that on which Gumda should wrestle with the elephant;
+and he, after receiving permission from the raja, returned home.
+
+The raja in the interval caused proclamation to be made to all his
+subjects, ordering them to be present on the day when Gumda was to
+meet the elephant in mortal combat. On the morning of the appointed
+day Gumda was found baking bread. As he did not appear punctually
+in the arena, the raja sent a messenger to bring him. On arriving
+at Gumda's house, he found him baking bread. He said to him, "Come
+along, the raja has asked for you." Gumda said, "Wait a little till I
+partake of some refreshment." He invited the messenger to be seated,
+and he also sat down as if to eat, but instead of eating the bread,
+he began to throw it at the man, and continued doing so until he had
+buried him under eight maunds of loaves. The poor fellow cried out,
+"Oh Gumda, come and release me, of a truth I am almost crushed to
+death under this heap of bread." He removed the bread from above him,
+and he immediately returned to the raja. As he was leaving the house
+he saw 12 maunds of cooked rice, evidently intended for Gumda's
+dinner. Coming into the presence of the raja he said, "Oh! raja,
+I saw in Gumda's house twelve maunds of cooked rice, and he threw a
+loaf of bread weighing eight maunds at me, which almost crushed me
+to death. It is quite possible that he may win."
+
+At length Gumda came bringing with him a sledge hammer weighing
+twelve maunds, and a shield of the same weight. The contest was to
+take place on a plain sufficiently large to accommodate an immense
+number of spectators.
+
+Then the fight began. The two combatants attacked each other so
+furiously that they raised such a cloud of dust as to completely
+conceal them from the onlookers. The elephant could not long sustain
+the unequal combat, and when he was beaten, Gumda seized him by the
+trunk, and threw him over the seas. Owing to the darkness caused by
+the clouds of dust, none of the thousands present noticed the elephant
+as he went, flying over their heads high up in the air.
+
+When the dust subsided, Gumda was found sitting alone, the elephant
+was nowhere to be seen. The raja called the victor to him, and said,
+"What have you done with the elephant?" Gumda replied "I flung him
+early in the forenoon over seven seas." Hearing his answer and not
+seeing the elephant, they all marvelled greatly.
+
+The raja then said to Gumda, "Well, you have thrown the elephant
+somewhere. You must now go in search of its bones." Gumda went home
+and said to his mother, "Make up a parcel of food for me, I am going
+to find the elephant's bones." She complied with his request and he
+set out.
+
+As he hurried along intent upon his quest, he found a man fishing with
+a Palmyra palm tree as a rod, and a full grown elephant as a bait. On
+seeing him Gumda exclaimed, "You are indeed a great hero." The man
+replied, "I am no hero, the widow's son Gumda is the great hero, for
+did not he fling the raja's elephant across seven seas?" Gumda said,
+"I am he." The fisherman said," I will go with you." Gumda replied,
+"Come along!"
+
+As Gumda and his attendant went on their way, they came to a field in
+which a number of men were hoeing, and their master, to shield them
+from the heat of the sun, stood holding over them, as an umbrella,
+a large Pepul tree. [10] Gumda seeing him said, "You are a hero
+and no mistake." The man replied, "No indeed, I am no hero. Gumda,
+the widow's son, threw the raja's elephant across seven seas. He is
+the hero." Gumda said, "I am he." "Then," said the man, "I also will
+go with you." "Follow me," said Gumda, and the three proceeded on
+their way.
+
+As they journeyed they fell in with two men, who were raising water
+from a tank for irrigating purposes by merely singing. When Gumda
+saw them, he exclaimed, "You two are heroes indeed." They answered,
+"What do you see heroic in us? There is one hero, Gumda by name, he
+threw a raja's elephant across seven seas." Gumda said, "I am he." The
+men exclaimed, "We also will follow you." Gumda said, "Follow." And
+the five men went forth to search for the elephant's bones.
+
+On and on they went until they reached the sea, which they crossed,
+and entered the primeval forest beyond. Selecting a suitable place
+they encamped, and began the search for the elephant's bones. The
+first day the fisherman was left in the camp to cook the food,
+while the others went out into the forest. Near by a certain jugi
+raja resided in a cave in a rock. He came to the camp just as the
+food was cooked, and said to the fisherman, "Give me some rice to
+eat." He declined, and the jugi raja then said, "Will you give me
+rice, or will you fight with me?" He replied, "I have prepared this
+food with difficulty and prefer fighting to giving it up." So they
+fought, and the jugi raja was victor. He laid a heavy stone on the
+breast of the cook, and then devoured all the food. There had been
+twelve maunds of rice prepared, and he left none. After a long time
+he released his victim, and then went his way. Being released the
+fisherman set about preparing more food, but before it was ready,
+his companions returned and seeing the pot still on the fire, they
+enquired why he had not made haste with his cooking. He replied,
+"I have not been idle, I have spent all the time in cooking." He did
+not tell them about the jugi raja having been at the camp.
+
+The next day another of the company remained as cook, while the
+others went out to search in the forest for the elephant's bones. The
+jugi raja again visited the camp, and the scene of the previous day
+was re-enacted. But he also did not speak of the visit of the jugi
+raja to the others when they returned. In this way the jugi raja
+encountered each in turn till only Gumda was left, and he remained
+in the camp to cook. When he had got the rice cooked, the jugi raja
+made his appearance and said, "Will you fight with me, or will you
+give up the food?" Gumda replied, "I will not give you the food. I
+have spent much time in cooking it, and when those who have gone in
+search of the elephant's bones return, what shall I set before them,
+if I give it to you now? You have played this trick every day, and
+have put my companions to much trouble, but to-day we have met." So
+they fought. Gumda overpowered the jugi raja, and killed him with the
+stone he used to put upon the breast of those whom he vanquished. He
+then espoused the jugi raja's wife, and took possession of his
+kingdom. Gumda's companions held him in great awe, because each in
+turn had been conquered by the jugi raja, but Gumda had experienced
+little difficulty in putting him to death.
+
+Gumda became raja of that country, and when he had settled his affairs,
+he sent for his mother to come and reside with him. The raja, whom
+Gumda had previously served, sought his friendship, and withdrew his
+command to Gumda to search for the elephant's bones until he found
+them. The prowess of Gumda caused him to deprecate his anger. He said,
+"If I offend him, he will kill me as he did the jugi raja, and take
+my wife and kingdom, as he did his."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+LIPI, AND LAPRA.
+
+
+Once upon a time there were seven brothers. At first they were
+very poor, but afterwards they became comparatively rich, and were
+in position to lay out a little money at usury. The affairs of the
+youngest prospered most, so that before long he became the wealthiest
+of them all.
+
+Each of the seven brothers planted fruit trees, and every day after
+they returned from their work, before they sat down to meat, they
+watered them. In process of time all the trees flowered, but the
+flowers on the eldest brother's trees withered and dropped off the day
+they appeared. The trees of the other brothers failed to ripen their
+fruit, but those of the youngest brother were laden with delicious
+fruit which ripened to perfection. Five of the brothers said to him,
+"You are very fortunate in having such a splendid crop;" but the
+eldest brother was envious of his good fortune, and resolved to be
+revenged upon him.
+
+The youngest brother brought up two puppies, whom he named Lipi and
+Lapra. They turned out good hunting dogs, and by their aid their master
+used to keep the family larder well supplied. The others were pleased
+to see so much game brought to the house. One day they said to him,
+"Take us also to where you get your large game." To this he agreed,
+and they accompanied him to his usual hunting ground. Game was
+plentiful, but they could kill nothing, although every time he shot
+an arrow he brought down his animal. Five of his brothers praised
+him for his skill, and accuracy of aim, but the eldest brother, not
+having succeeded in bagging anything himself, envied him still more,
+and was confirmed in his desire for revenge.
+
+It so happened that one day all the brothers, with the exception of the
+eldest and the youngest, went out to their work. The eldest brother
+finding himself alone with his youngest brother proposed that they
+should go together to the hill for the purpose of procuring fibre to
+make ropes. He said, "Come let us go to the hill to cut lar." [11]
+His brother replied, "Come, let us set out." He, however, wished
+to take his dogs with him, but his brother said, "Why should you
+tire them by taking them so far? Leave them behind." But he replied,
+"I shall not go, unless you allow me to take them with me. How shall
+we be able to bring home venison if they do not accompany us? They
+may kill some game on the way." As he insisted, he was permitted to
+do as he desired, and they set out for the hill.
+
+As they went on their way they came to a spring, and the elder said,
+"Tie up the two dogs here. I know all this forest, and there is no
+game to be found in it." The younger was averse to leaving his dogs
+behind him, but as his brother seemed determined he should do so,
+he tied them with a stout rope to a tree. His brother said, "See that
+you make them secure, so that they may not break loose and run away,
+and be lost."
+
+A low hill lay between them, and the high one on which the trees
+grew which yielded the lar. This they surmounted, and descending into
+the valley that divided them began the ascent, and soon reached the
+place where their work was to be. They soon cut and peeled sufficient
+lar, and sitting down twisted it into strong ropes. Just as they had
+prepared to return home, the elder brother seized the younger, and
+bound him with the ropes they had made. He then grasped his sickle
+with the intention of putting him to death. The helpless young man
+thought of his dogs, and in a loud voice wailed as follows;--
+
+
+            Come, come, Lipi and Lapra,
+            Cross the low hill
+            On to the slope of the high.
+
+
+He called them again and again. The dogs heard the voice, and
+struggled to get loose, and at length, by a great effort, they
+succeeded in breaking the ropes with which they were bound, and
+ran in the direction from which the sound proceeded. Now and again
+the cries ceased, and they stood still until they again heard them,
+when they ran as before. Having reached the valley that separated the
+two hills, they could no longer hear the wailing as before, and they
+were greatly perplexed. They ran hither and thither, hoping to catch
+it again, but not doing so they directed their course to the large
+hill, on reaching the foot of which it again became audible. They
+now recognized the voice of their master, and ran rapidly forward.
+
+When the elder brother saw the dogs approaching, he quickly aimed a
+blow with the sickle at his younger brother's head, but he, jerking
+aside, escaped. Before there was time for him to strike again, the
+dogs had arrived, and their master hounded them upon his assailant
+and they quickly tore him to pieces. They then bit through the ropes
+with which his brother had bound him, and set him at liberty. He
+then returned home accompanied by his dogs, and when they enquired of
+him where his brother was, he replied, "He left me to follow a deer,
+I cannot say what direction he took. We did not meet again." He wept
+as he related this, and they enquired, "Why do you weep?" He said,
+"My two dogs lay down on the ground, and howled, and fear possesses
+me that some wild beast has devoured my brother."
+
+The next day a party went in search of him, and found him as the dogs
+had left him. When they saw him lying torn and bloody, they said,
+"Some wild beast has done this."
+
+They brought the body home, and committed it to the flames of the
+funeral pile, and sorrowfully performed all the ceremonies usual on
+such occasions.
+
+After the death of the elder brother, they all lived together in
+peace and harmony.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF LELHA.
+
+
+I.
+
+There once lived a certain raja, who had three wives. The two elder had
+two sons each, and the younger only one, whose name was Lelha. [12]
+The four sons of the first two wives were very friendly with each
+other, being seldom separate, but they despised Lelha, and never
+permitted him to join them in any of their pastimes or sports.
+
+The raja had a plot of ground set apart for a flower garden, but
+there was nothing in it. One day a certain Jugi came to him, and said,
+"Oh! raja, if you fill your garden with all kinds of flowering plants,
+your whole city will appear enchanting." Having said this, the Jugi
+went to his home. The raja was greatly affected by what the Jugi had
+said, and was immediately seized with a fit of the sulks. There was
+an apartment in the palace set apart for the exclusive use of those
+who happened to be in that state of mind. Such an one shut himself
+up in this chamber until the fit wore off, or until he was persuaded
+to be himself again.
+
+The raja refused his evening meal, and as was his wont, when in this
+frame of mind, retired to the sulking apartment, and lay down. The
+two elder ranis having been informed of what had occurred, hasted
+to the raja, and said, "Oh! raja, why are you sulking?" He replied,
+"This morning a Jugi came to me and said, that if I planted flowering
+shrubs in my garden the whole city would appear enchanting. If any
+one will do this work for me, I will rise, if not, I shall remain
+here." The ranis then addressed him thus, "Oh! raja, rise up, and eat
+and drink." The raja replied, "Let the young men come to me, I will do
+as you desire." The two ranis then left, and calling their sons, sent
+them to their father. Coming into the presence of the raja they said,
+"Wherefore father are you sulking?" The raja replied, "If you plant
+flowers in my flower garden I shall be comforted, and shall leave
+my couch." They said, "Is it on this account you are distressed? We
+shall cause the garden to be filled with flowers in a short time." On
+receiving this assurance the raja left his bed, and partook of food,
+and was refreshed. Lelha's mother now appeared on the scene, and
+addressing the raja, said, "Wherefore, raja are you sulky?" He replied,
+"Who told you I was sulky?" She replied, "A shopkeeper gave me the
+information." Then the raja got angry, and ordered her to leave,
+but she said, "If you do not tell me why you are sulking I will not
+depart, am not I also your humble maidservant? Unless you tell me,
+I will not go, I will die here rather than leave." The raja relented,
+and related to her all the words of the Jugi. She then returned home.
+
+Her son Lelha entered the house soon after her arrival. He had been
+engaged in some field sports, and being wearied and hungry, said to
+his mother, "Give me some cooked rice." She was annoyed with him
+and said, "Although the raja is ill, your first cry is for boiled
+rice." Lelha on hearing this went to his father, and enquired what
+was wrong. But the raja flying into a rage scolded him, saying, "Go
+away Lelha. What do you want here? Never come near me again. Did not I
+build a house for your mother and you at the extreme end of the street,
+away from here? Be off, or I shall beat you." To which Lelha replied,
+"Oh! father raja, am not I also a son of yours? Let me be foolish
+or otherwise, still, I am your son, and unless you inform me of what
+has grieved you, I shall die rather than leave this." Then the raja
+told him also. He said, "It is because I do not see flowers in the
+garden." "Oh!" said Lelha, "Is that what distresses you?" He then left.
+
+The raja's four elder sons caused all manner of flowering shrubs and
+trees to be planted in the garden, and in a short time it was in a
+blaze of colour, so much so, that the whole city was as if lighted
+thereby.
+
+Just at this time, when every tree, shrub and plant was covered with
+blossom another Jugi, named Koema Jugi, came to the city and said
+to one and another, "You, the citizens of this city, are covering
+yourselves with renown, but if you attach hiras [13] and manis [14] to
+the branches, you will add renown to renown." The Jugi's words reached
+the raja, and he was so much affected by them, that he immediately
+began to sulk, and on being questioned by his two ranis, he replied,
+"Do you not remember the words of the Koema Jugi?" They said, "Yes,
+we remember. He said, 'if you place hiras and manis in this garden
+the whole country will be resplendent'." "On that account then, I am
+sulking, and if I do not see hiras and manis, I shall not partake of
+any food." At the raja's words the two ranis returned sorrowfully to
+their apartments.
+
+At that moment their four sons entered the house and asked for
+food. The ranis were annoyed, and said, "The raja, your father,
+is sulking, and you must have food and drink." On learning their
+father's state the youths were distressed on his account, and went
+to him weeping, and enquired why he was sulking. He related to them
+the words of Koema Jugi, and added, "Unless I see hiras and manis
+attached to the branches of the trees in my flower garden, I shall
+not rise from my couch." His four sons replied, "Is it for this reason
+you are grieving? We will search for, and bring them, and if we fail,
+then sulk again, and refuse your food, and die of hunger, and we will
+not prevent you, only listen to us this time and get up." The raja
+was persuaded to rise, and having partaken of food he was refreshed.
+
+
+
+
+II.
+
+The raja had planted flowering shrubs in his garden, but the Indarpuri
+Sadoms [15] ate up all the flowers as they appeared, and so he again
+began to sulk. He said, "I planted bushes, but I see no flowers. What
+reason is there for my remaining alive?" And going to the sulking
+chamber he lay down, and as usual refused to eat. Then there was
+confusion in the household, and running hither and thither. The two
+ranis went to him, but he was annoyed, and ordered them to leave,
+saying, "I will not rise, by your telling me," so they returned
+weeping, each to her own apartment.
+
+Just then their four sons returned from hunting, and demanded
+food. Their mothers were annoyed, and said, "You young gentlemen
+are hungry, and must have food, that the raja is sulking is nothing
+to you, if you are fasting." On hearing this the sons went to their
+father, and enquired, "Oh! father, wherefore are you sulking?" The
+raja replied, "Oh! my sons, I am sulking because I see no flowers in
+my garden. Unless I see flowers in my garden, I shall not remain in
+this world." His sons replied, "Give us three days, and if at the end
+of that time you see no flowers, then you may sulk." He was persuaded
+to rise, and having bathed, and partaken of food, he was refreshed.
+
+Just then Lelha arrived, and addressing the raja said, "Oh! raja,
+what ails you?" The raja on seeing Lelha was angry, and scolded him
+severely. He said, "Has Lelha come here? Drive him away at once." Lelha
+left without uttering another word.
+
+After three days the raja began again to sulk, because there were still
+no flowers to be seen in his garden. The Indarpuri Sadoms came about
+mid-night and ate up all the buds. The raja's four elder sons when
+watching could not remain awake for one hour, and so the Indarpuri
+Sadoms came nightly and devoured all the buds that should have burst
+into flower in the morning, so that not one solitary blossom was to
+be seen. For this reason the raja again began to sulk, and no one
+dared to say anything to him.
+
+At this juncture Lelha's mother went from her own house to a shop
+to buy rice. The shopkeeper refused to supply her. He said, "The
+raja is sulking, and she comes here to buy rice. I will not weigh
+it, so go." Lelha's mother went hastily home, and encountered Lelha
+returning from a stroll. Lelha asked for food. He said, "Oh! mother,
+give me cooked rice quickly." She rebuked him, and said, "The raja is
+sulking. The shopkeeper refused to give me rice, how can I give you
+food? I am a prey to grief, and here my young gentleman is hungry. Go
+to the raja."
+
+Lelha did as his mother ordered him, and went to the apartment where
+the raja was, and called several times, "Oh! father, get up." At
+length the raja asked, "Who are you? Do not irritate me. Go away at
+once." Lelha replied, "I am your humble slave and son, Lelha." His
+father said, "Wherefore have you come here? Lelha, Go home, or else
+I shall beat you. What do you want here? If you go, go at once,
+if not, I shall have you chastised." Lelha replied, "Because you,
+Oh! raja, are sulking. The shopkeeper in the bazaar refused to
+sell to my mother rice, saying, 'something is amiss with the raja,
+I cannot let you have it.'" The raja then said, "Go, and bring the
+shopkeeper here." To which Lelha replied, "Why are you sulking? If
+you do not tell me, it were better for me to die here. I cannot leave
+you. I have come here fasting, not having eaten anything to-day." The
+raja said, "Your four brothers have not been able to do anything,
+and what can I hope from telling you about it, Lelha?" Lelha replied,
+"It is still possible that I may accomplish something, but although I
+should not, yet I am a son of yours. Do tell me. If you die, I shall
+die also. We will depart this life together. I cannot return home." The
+raja then thought within himself, I will tell him, and let him go. If
+I do not do so, Lelha may die along with me. Then addressing Lelha,
+he said, "It is nothing child, only I see no flowers in my garden,
+and therefore I am sulking. Although your four brothers watched
+three nights, still I see no flowers." Lelha then said, "If my
+brothers watched three nights, see me watch one." The raja replied,
+"Very good my son, let us leave this apartment."
+
+The raja went to bathe, and Lelha going to the shopkeeper bought
+several kinds of grain, which he carried home and gave to his mother,
+saying, "Roast a seer of each, and cook some rice for me. I have
+succeeded in persuading my father to rise. He has bathed and dined,
+and is refreshed. He was sulking because he can see no flowers in
+his garden. It was with great difficulty that I prevailed upon him
+to get up." His mother said, "What does my Lord want with roasted
+grain?" Lelha replied, "Let me do with it as I chose, you prepare
+it. I will take it with me at night when I go to watch in the flower
+garden." His mother said, "Have you forgotten your brothers' threats
+to beat you?" Lelha replied, "My brothers may beat me, but no other
+person. What help is there for it?"
+
+At nightfall, Lelha, having supped, tied up in the four corners of
+his plaid four kinds of roasted grain, and entering the garden climbed
+up on a raised platform, and began his vigil.
+
+After a short time he untied one of his parcels of roasted grain,
+and began leisurely to eat it, one grain at a time. Just as he had
+consumed the last one, an Indarpuri Sadom descended from the East and
+alighted in the garden to browse upon the flowers. Lelha seeing it,
+crept noiselessly up, and laid hold of it, and at the same instant its
+rider, an Indarpuri Kuri, [16] exclaimed, "Hands off! Lelha. Hands
+off! Lelha. Touch me not." Lelha replied, to the Indarpuri Kuri,
+"Besides touching you, I will bind and detain you till morning. You
+have become bold. You have caused my father to fast; but I have
+captured you to-night. Where will you go?" "Let me go," she said,
+"I will bless you." Lelha rejoined, "You are deceiving me." The
+Indarpuri Kuri made answer, "I am not deceiving you. I shall give
+you whatever blessing you may desire. Place your hand upon my head,
+Lelha." He did so, and a lock of hair adhered to his hand, when he
+withdrew it. The Indarpuri Kuri then said, "When you desire anything,
+take that lock of hair into your hand, and say, Oh! Indarpuri Kuri,
+give me this or that, and instantly you shall receive it. Of a
+truth it shall be so. I shall never fail you." Lelha then released
+the Indarpuri Sadom, and it mounted up into the air, and he and his
+Indarpuri Rider vanished into space.
+
+By the time Lelha had eaten all the roasted grain from another
+corner of his plaid, another Indarpuri Sadom with his Indarpuri Kuri
+rider descended from the West. Lelha caught these as he had done the
+first. This Kuri was a younger sister of the other, and she gave a
+like blessing to Lelha before he released her horse.
+
+Lelha now began to eat his third parcel of roasted grain, and just as
+he had finished it he saw another Indarpuri Sadom with an Indarpuri
+Kuri rider descend from the North, and alight in the garden. Lelha
+also captured these. The rider was a younger sister of the last. She
+also gave Lelha a blessing, and was allowed to go.
+
+At cockcrow, Lelha, having eaten the last grain of his fourth parcel,
+looked up and beheld an Indarpuri Sadom with an Indarpuri Kuri rider
+descend into the garden from the North. She was the youngest of the
+sisters. Lelha crept stealthily up, and laid hold of the horse's
+mane. The Indarpuri Kuri then exclaimed, "Hands off! Lelha. Hands
+off! Lelha." Then Lelha replied, "You Lelha greatly this morning. It
+is almost dawn, where can you go to escape punishment?" Then the
+Indarpuri Kuri said, "Oh! Lelha, We are four sisters, daughters of one
+mother, I will give you a blessing." Lelha replied, "In this way three
+persons have fled. You also appear the same." The Indarpuri Kuri said,
+"We four sisters have one blessing. Place your hand upon my head, and
+release me." Lelha did so, and the Indarpuri Sadom on being liberated
+sailed off into the sky with his Indarpuri rider. Lelha tied the four
+locks of hair of the Indarpuri Kuris each in a corner of his plaid,
+as he had before done with the roasted grain. When the day fully
+dawned he returned to his home weeping, for his four brothers seeing
+the bushes laden with blossom were envious of him, and had hurled him
+headlong to the ground from off the raised platform on which he sat.
+
+On reaching home his mother said to him, "You see your brothers have
+beaten you. I warned you against going." Lelha replied, "What help
+is there for it? My brothers beat me. No one else did. I must bear
+it." His mother said, "Then, why do you let others know?"
+
+In the morning the raja said, "Last night Lelha was watching. I will
+go and take a look at the garden." He went and found a perfect sea
+of blossom, the sight of which almost overcame him.
+
+It so happened that as the raja gazed upon the fairy scene around him,
+Koema Jugi turned up, and addressing the raja said, "You are lost
+in wonder, but if you hang hiras and manis on the branches the whole
+country will be resplendent. Then your wonder and amazement will be
+increased twentyfold."
+
+
+
+
+III.
+
+The raja's garden was without an equal in the world, but the words of
+Koema Jugi had caused him to become discontented with it, and because
+there were neither hiras nor manis hanging from the branches he, as
+before, began to sulk. They reasoned with him saying, "Do not grieve
+over it. We will bring hiras and manis." So he rose, and having bathed
+partook of some refreshment.
+
+About this time Lelha's mother went to a shop to purchase food. On
+seeing her the shopkeeper said, "Something is amiss with the raja,
+and she is hungry, and comes here giving annoyance. Go away. I will
+not weigh anything for you." So she returned home empty-handed. As she
+entered the house she encountered Lelha just returned from hunting,
+who said, "Oh! mother, give me cooked rice." His mother replied,
+"Something is wrong with the raja, and here my young lord is fasting,
+and cries for food. He is greatly concerned about his own affairs."
+
+Lelha went at once to the raja, and enquired "What ails you,
+father?" The raja replied, "Is there anything ailing me? Has Lelha
+come here? I will beat him shortly." Lelha said, "Do with me what you
+please. Why are you sulking? If you do not tell me, although it should
+cost me my life, I will not leave, rather slay me here at once." The
+raja thought within himself, "He annoys me, I will tell him to get
+rid of him." So he said, "Your brothers have gone in search of hiras
+and manis, and it is because I do not see the trees in my garden
+adorned with these precious stones that I am sulking. Lelha said,
+"I will also go." His father said, "Do not go child." But Lelha was
+determined, and disregarded his father's command.
+
+Lelha went to the bazaar and purchased rice and dal, and his mother
+when she saw him bringing them home with him, said, "What is wrong? You
+are completely out of breath." Lelha replied, "My brothers have gone
+to search for hiras and manis, and I also am busy preparing to follow
+them." She tried to dissuade him saying, "Although the mean fellows
+beat you, still you will not keep away from them." Lelha quickly
+replied, "What help is there for it, mother? Let my brothers beat
+me or not, what is that to me? I must bear it all." So his mother
+prepared food, and Lelha, having partaken of it, set out.
+
+He went to the stable, and saddled the lame horse, as his brothers
+had taken away the good ones, and mounting rode to the outskirts
+of the city. He then dismounted, and turned the lame horse loose,
+and went into the raja's flower garden, and said, "Oh! Indarpuri
+Kuri, give me a horse instantly. My brothers have left me behind,
+and gone I know not where. Give me such a horse as will enable me
+to reach them at once." Immediately a horse was at his side, and
+in a few seconds he was in sight of his brothers. He then alighted
+from his horse, and said "Oh! Indarpuri Kuri, I return your horse,"
+and instantly it disappeared, and he overtook his brothers on foot.
+
+When his brothers saw him, they said, "He has overtaken us." Some of
+them said, "Catch him and beat him," others said, "No, let him alone,
+he will do our cooking. We can go in search of hiras and manis,
+and leave him to guard our camp. Come let us push on, we have now
+got a good guard for our camp." This pleased all, and they said,
+"It is now evening, let us pitch our camp for the night." They did
+so, and Lelha soon had supper ready, of which having partaken they
+all retired to rest.
+
+In the morning Lelha again acted as cook, and while it was yet early
+set breakfast before his brothers, and they having eaten, mounted
+their horses, and went in search of hiras and manis. They were now
+a month's journey distant from their own home, and the raja of the
+country in which they were, had just opened a new bazaar. It was a
+large and beautiful bazaar, and an Indarpuri Kuri had a stall it. This
+Indarpuri Kuri had given out, that whoever would go and come twelve
+kos seven times within an hour should be her husband.
+
+The four sons of the raja, who had come in search of hiras and manis
+hearing this said, "Some one from amongst us four brothers must marry
+this girl. Let us exercise our horses, it is possible that some one
+of them may do the distance in the specified time." They had left
+home in search of hiras and manis, and now were scheming to secure
+the Indarpuri Kuri as the wife of one of them. So they returned
+to camp, and sitting down began to discuss the subject. They said,
+"If our horses are well exercised, no doubt, but that they will be
+able to run the distance in the time. Therefore, let us diligently
+train our horses, so that they may be able to accomplish the task."
+
+While they were thus engaged, Lelha said, "What is it, brothers,
+that you are discussing?" His brothers rebuked him, saying, "Why are
+you eavesdropping? We will beat you." They did not, however, beat him,
+as they feared he would return home, and leave them without a cook. So
+he cooked the supper and set it before them, and when they had eaten,
+they retired to rest.
+
+In the morning Lelha again prepared the food, and his four brothers
+having breakfasted, mounted and rode off to the bazaar, and there
+exercised their horses. After they had left Lelha collected all the
+brass vessels, and what other property there was, and carefully hid
+them away. Then he called to the Indarpuri Kuri, "Oh! Indarpuri Kuri,
+give me a horse," and instantly, just such a horse as he desired
+stood beside him. He mounted and galloping away soon overtook his
+brothers. He saluted them, but they did not recognize him. He said
+to them, "Wherefore, brothers, have you brought your horses to
+a standstill? Make them race." They replied, "We were waiting for
+you. We are tired. It is your turn now." Lelha immediately switched
+up his horse, and away it flew at such a pace, that it could scarcely
+be seen. That day his horse ran twelve kos there and back three times
+within an hour. At the end of the race soldiers tried to lay hold
+of Lelha's horse, but he called out, "Do not touch him. He will not
+allow you to lay a finger on me." The soldiers said, "The raja has
+given orders, that the horse that ran three, or five, or seven times
+is to be brought before him." Lelha replied, "Go, and tell the raja,
+that the horse bites, so we could not stop him. The raja will not
+be displeased with you." He then rode away to the camp, and having
+returned the horse to the Indarpuri Kuri he began to prepare the
+evening meal, which was ready by the time his four brothers arrived.
+
+After supper they began to talk over the events of the day, wondering
+who owned the horse that had run so well. Lelha drew near, and said,
+"What is it, brothers, that you are talking about?" Some said, "Beat
+him, what has he got to do listening?" Others said, "Do not beat him,
+he cooks for us." So the matter ended, and all lay down for the night.
+
+In the morning Lelha again prepared the food, and his brothers having
+breakfasted, mounted their horses, and rode off to the bazaar, where
+they raced as usual. After they had gone, Lelha gathered all their
+property together, and hid it as he had done on the day previous. Then,
+mounting an Indarpuri Sadom, he followed his brothers, and on coming
+up with them saluted them, but they did not recognize him as their
+brother. Then a conversation similar to that of the previous day
+passed between Lelha and his brothers. This time Lelha's horse ran
+the distance, there and back, five times within the hour. The raja's
+soldiers again attempted to stop Lelha's horse, but he told them that
+it was in the habit of biting, so they allowed him to pass, and he
+galloped off to the camp, and returning the horse to the Indarpuri
+Kuri began to prepare the evening meal. When his brothers arrived
+Lelha set food before them, and they ate and drank. After they had
+supped they sat and talked about the wonderful horse, and its feat
+that day. Lelha again enquired what they were talking about, but they
+rebuked him saying, "Do not listen. It is not necessary for you to
+know what we are speaking about." They all then retired for the night.
+
+Early next morning Lelha set about preparing breakfast, and his
+brothers, having partaken of it, set out for the bazaar. After their
+departure Lelha gathered everything together, and hid them as before,
+and then called upon Indarpuri Kuri for a horse. The horse came, and
+Lelha mounted and galloped after his brothers. On overtaking them he
+saluted, and then said, "Wherefore, brothers, do you stand still? Race
+your horses." They replied, "It is your turn now. We have run, and our
+horses are tired." Lelha then started his horse, and it ran twelve kos
+there, and twelve kos back, seven times within the hour. The raja's
+soldiers again attempted to capture Lelha's horse, but he prevented
+them, and so returned to the camp. When he had returned the horse
+to the Indarpuri Kuri he resumed his office of cook, and had supper
+ready by the time his brothers returned. They sat down together, and
+began to discuss the wonderful performance of the horse which had that
+day done the distance seven times in one hour. Lelha again enquired,
+"What is it that you are talking about, brothers?" Some one said,
+"Beat him. He has no right to be listening," but another said,
+"Do not beat him, he cooks our food." When the four brothers were
+tired talking Lelha set supper before them, and having supped, they
+lay down to sleep.
+
+Next morning Lelha cooked the breakfast as usual, and his brothers
+having partaken of it, mounted their horses, and rode off to the
+bazaar. After they had left Lelha put everything out of sight, as
+usual. Then he desired the Indarpuri Kuri to give him a horse, and
+having mounted, he followed his brothers, and on coming near saluted
+them as before, but again they failed to recognize him.
+
+
+
+
+IV.
+
+On the seventh day Lelha again followed his brothers to the
+bazaar. He begged the Indarpuri Kuri to give him a horse that
+would do the distance there and back seven times within the hour,
+and at the end would fall down dead, and also to have another horse
+ready for him to mount. The Indarpuri Kuri gave him his desire and
+he rode off to the bazaar, and again saluted his brothers, and at
+the same time pushed his horse close up to them. They called out,
+"Keep your horse back, he will crush us." Lelha then enquired why
+they were standing still. They replied, "We were waiting for you." So
+Lelha put his horse to the gallop, and did the distance there and
+back seven times within an hour. On his return the last time the
+soldiers attempted to lay hold of the horse, but Lelha said, "Let
+him alone, I will go myself." At the same instant his horse fell,
+and he leapt from it, and having returned it to the Indarpuri Kuri,
+he mounted the other, and rode from the race course to the bazaar,
+and was united in wedlock to the Indarpuri Kuri.
+
+After the marriage he informed his bride that he was in search of
+hiras and manis for his father's flower garden. She informed him,
+that lying on the breast of her elder sister, who had been sleeping
+for twelve years, was a large quantity of hiras. "To obtain them you
+must first," she said, "buy two bundles of grass, two goats, and a
+pair of shoes, and make two ropes each two hundred cubits long. My
+sister is guarded by an elephant, a tiger, and a dog. On entering you
+will first encounter the elephant, and you must throw him a bundle of
+grass. A little farther on you will meet the tiger, you must give him
+a goat. Then you will see the dog, and you must throw him a shoe. When
+you are returning you must do the same. Throw a shoe to the dog, a goat
+to the tiger, and a sheaf of grass to the elephant. You must lose no
+time in possessing yourself of the hiras you will find on my sister's
+breast. If you delay, her army may take you prisoner." She also said,
+"My sister's house is situated on an island in a large lake, and you
+can only reach it by hiring a boat. The door of her house is a large
+heavy stone, which you must remove before gaining an entrance. On the
+island there is a Sinjo tree, [17] with branches on the North side,
+and on the South. On the branches of the South side there are the
+young of hiras and manis, but on those of the North side there is
+nothing. On the South side there are five branches, and within the
+fruit there are manis. Do not forget this. The large hira, which
+glitters on my sister's breast, is the mother hira." Just as she
+concluded the foregoing instructions the cock crew, and she added,
+"See that you remember all I have told you."
+
+Then Lelha left his bride to return to his brothers. As he went he
+remembered that they would be sure to abuse him for having been
+absent, so he collected a large number of shells, and stringing
+them together, hung them round his neck, and went dancing to the
+camp. When his brothers saw him, in the dress of a merryandrew they
+rebuked him severely.
+
+
+
+
+V.
+
+Lelha's excuse for his absence was as follows. He said, "You,
+my brothers, always leave me here alone in the camp. Yesterday
+several shepherds came, and forcibly carried me away. They kept me
+awake all night. They tied these shells round my neck and made me
+dance. They also made me drive cattle round and round. I had no rest
+all night. They also shewed me hiras and manis."
+
+Lelha's brothers eagerly enquired, "Where did you see the hiras and
+manis? Come, show us the place at once." Lelha replied, "We must first
+buy food for the hiras and manis." So they went to the bazaar to buy
+food for the hiras and manis. Lelha first bought two goats, and his
+brothers abused him, and said, "Will hiras and manis eat these?" Some
+one of them said, "Slap him." Another said, "Do not slap him, they
+may perhaps eat them." Then he bought a pair of shoes, at which again
+they reviled him. Then he bought two ropes, when they again reviled
+him. Lastly he purchased two bundles of grass, and having provided
+these necessary articles, they went and hired a boat. The horses of
+the four brothers were dead, so they had to proceed on foot to where
+the boat lay.
+
+After sailing for some time they reached an island, and landed. They
+quickly found the house of the Indarpuri Kuri. It was closed by a large
+stone lying over the entrance. Lelha ordered his brothers to remove
+it, but they were displeased and said, "How do you expect to find
+hiras and manis under this stone." Lelha said, "Truly, my brothers,
+they are under the stone." He pressed them to attempt the removal
+of the stone, so they, and others to the number of fifty tried their
+strength but the stone seemed immovable. Then Lelha said, "Stand by,
+and allow me to try." So putting to his hand, he easily removed it,
+and revealed the entrance to the mansion of the Indarpuri Kuri. His
+brothers were so astounded at the strength he displayed that they
+lost the power of speech.
+
+Lelha then said to his brothers, "Take one of these ropes, and bind it
+round me, and lower me down, and when you feel me shaking the rope,
+then quickly pull me up. I go to find hiras." His brothers quickly
+bound the rope round his body, and he, taking the goats, the pair of
+shoes, and the bundles of grass, descended.
+
+A short distance from where he reached the ground, he found a door,
+which was guarded by an elephant bound by the foot to a stake. To
+him he threw a bundle of grass and passed on. At the next door he
+found a tiger, likewise chained, and as he approached, it opened its
+jaws as if to devour him. To it, he gave a goat, and was allowed to
+pass. At the third door was a dog. He threw a shoe to it, and when
+the dog was engaged biting it, he passed through. Then he saw the hira
+sparkling upon the bosom of the sleeping Indarpuri Kuri. Going near,
+he snatched it up, and fled. The dog, however, barred his exit but
+he threw the other shoe to it, and passed on. The tiger had devoured
+the goat he had given to it, and was now alert. To it he gave the
+other goat, and hurried on. The elephant then opposed him, but the
+remaining bundle of grass was sufficient to divert his attention,
+and he passed through the last door. Then violently shaking the rope
+his brothers speedily hauled him up.
+
+Then they went to their boat, and rowed to another part of the island,
+where the Sinjo tree grew. They all climbed the tree, but Lelha plucked
+the five fruits on the branch to the South, while his brothers plucked
+a large number from the North side.
+
+They then returned to their boat and rowed back to the place from
+which they had started. From there they went to the house of Lelha's
+bride. When she heard of their arrival she ordered refreshments to be
+prepared for them. Her servants also all came, and gave Lelha and his
+brothers oil, and sent them to bathe. On their return from bathing,
+their feet were washed by servants, and they were then taken into
+the house.
+
+After they were seated Lelha's brothers began to whisper to each
+other, saying, "We do not know of what caste these people are, to
+whose house he has brought us to eat food. He will cause us to lose
+caste." Lelha heard what they were saying, and in explanation said,
+"Not so, brothers. This is my wife's house." They replied, "It is all
+right then." So they ate and drank heartily, and afterwards prepared
+to return home.
+
+
+
+
+VI.
+
+The journey was to be by boat. Lelha sent his brothers on ahead in one
+boat, and he and his wife followed in another. There was a distance
+of two or three kos between the boats.
+
+Lelha's brothers as they sailed along came to a certain ghat at which
+a raja was bathing. He was raja of the country through which they
+were passing. He demanded from Lelha's brothers to know what they had
+in their boat. They replied, "We have hiras and manis with us." Then
+the raja said, "Shew them to me. You may be thieves." They replied,
+"No, they are inside these Sinjo fruits." The raja said, "Break one, I
+wish to see what they are like." So the brothers broke one, but nothing
+was found in it. Then the raja called his soldiers, and ordered them
+to bind the four brothers. So the soldiers seized and bound them, and
+carried them off to prison. Just then Lelha's boat arrived. He was in
+time to see his brothers pass within the prison doors. Having seen the
+four brothers in safe custody the raja returned to the bathing ghat,
+and seeing Lelha he demanded to know what he had in his boat. Lelha
+answered, "We have hiras and manis as our cargo." The raja then said,
+"Shew them to me, I would fain look upon them." Lelha said, "You wish
+to see hiras and manis without any trouble to yourself. If I show
+you them, what will you give me in return? There are hiras and manis
+in this Sinjo fruit." The raja replied, "Those who came before you
+deceived me. I have no doubt, but that you will do so also." Lelha
+said, "What will you give me? Make an offer, and I shall shew you
+them at once." The raja replied, "I have one daughter, her I will
+give to you, and along with her an estate, if there are hiras and
+manis in that Sinjo fruit, and if there are none in it, I will keep
+you prisoner all your lifetime." Lelha immediately broke one of the
+Sinjo fruits, and five hiras and manis rolled out. When the raja saw
+it he was confounded, but what could he do? According to his promise,
+he gave him his daughter and an estate.
+
+The marriage ceremony being over, Lelha was invited to partake of the
+raja's hospitality, but he refused, saying, "If you set my brothers
+at liberty I shall eat, but not unless you do so." So the brothers
+were released, and taken to the bath. After they had bathed, their
+feet were washed, and they were led into the palace to the feast.
+
+The brothers, after they were seated, began to whisper to each other,
+saying, "Whose house is this? Of what caste are the people? Does he
+wish to make us lose our caste?" But Lelha reassured them by saying,
+"Not so, my brothers. I have espoused the raja's daughter." Hearing
+this they were relieved, and all enjoyed the marriage feast.
+
+
+
+
+VII.
+
+Then they made preparations to continue their journey. Lelha again
+sent his four brothers first, and he followed with his two wives.
+
+After a sail of a few hours they entered the territory of another
+raja, and came upon his bathing ghat. The raja was bathing there at
+the time, and the boat passing, he enquired what her cargo was. The
+brothers answered, "We have hiras and manis on board." The raja said,
+"I would see them." They replied, "They are in the boat following
+us." The raja was displeased with their answer, and ordered them to
+be seized as vagrants.
+
+Lelha's boat came alongside the bathing ghat just as his four brothers
+were led off to prison, and the raja seeing it, asked Lelha what
+cargo he carried. Lelha replied, "Our cargo is hiras and manis." The
+raja begged Lelha to shew them to him, but he refused saying, "What
+will you give for a sight of them? Promise something, and you can
+see them." The raja said, "Of a truth, if you can shew me hiras and
+manis I will give you my daughter. I have one, a virgin, her I will
+give you, and I will also confer upon you an estate."
+
+Then Lelha, seizing a Sinjo fruit, broke it, and out rolled five
+hiras and manis, which when the raja saw he marvelled greatly. He
+honourably fulfilled his engagement, and Lelha's marriage with his
+daughter was celebrated forthwith.
+
+The wedding over Lelha was conducted to the bath, and afterwards
+invited to a banquet; but he declined saying, "So long as you detain
+my brothers in confinement, I cannot partake of your hospitality." So
+they were brought to the palace, and their feet bathed, and then
+ushered into the banqueting room. After they were seated they began
+to whisper to each other, "What caste do these people belong to,
+with whom he expects us to eat? Does he intend to make us break our
+caste?" Lelha hearing them, said, "Not so, my brothers. This is my
+father-in-law's house." Thus were their doubts removed, and they ate
+and drank with much pleasure.
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+The journey homewards was resumed in the morning, the boats in the
+same order as previously.
+
+Lelha's four brothers were envious of his good fortune, and on the way
+they talked about him, and decided that he must be put to death. They
+said, "How can we put him out of the way? If we do not make away with
+him, on our return home, he will be sure to secure the succession to
+our father's kingdom." Having come to this conclusion the next thing
+was, how could it be accomplished, for Lelha was far more powerful than
+they were. It was only by stratagem that they could hope to accomplish
+their purpose, so they said, "We will invite him to a feast and when
+he stands with a foot on either boat, before stepping into ours,
+we will push the boats apart and he will fall into the river and
+be drowned. We must get his wives to join in the plot, for without
+their aid we cannot carry it into execution." During the day they
+found means to communicate with Lelha's wives. They said to them,
+"We will make a feast on our boat. Make him come on board first,
+and when he has a foot on each boat you push yours back, and we
+will do the same to ours, and he will fall into the water, and be
+drowned. We are the sons of a raja, and our country is very large. We
+will take you with us and make you ranis." Lelha's wives pretended to
+agree to their proposal; but they afterwards told him all. They said,
+"Do as they wish, but you will not be drowned. We will remain faithful
+to you, and you will reach home before us."
+
+So the four brothers prepared a sumptuous feast, and the boats were
+brought close to each other to enable Lelha and his wives to go on
+board. One of Lelha's wives tied a knot on his waist cloth, as a
+token that they would remain true to him. He then preceded them in
+going into the other boat, and just as he had a foot on each gunwale,
+the boats were pushed asunder, and Lelha fell into the water. Having
+thus got rid, as they thought, of Lelha, the brothers made all possible
+speed homewards.
+
+
+
+
+IX.
+
+At the bottom of the river a bell sprang into existence, and Lelha was
+found lying asleep in it. Then he awoke and sat up, and loosening the
+knot which his wife had tied on his waist cloth, said, "Oh! Indarpuri
+Kuri, give me at once food and drink, tobacco and fire," and on
+the instant his wants were supplied. So he ate and drank, and was
+refreshed. Then he prepared his pipe, and when he had lit it he said,
+"Oh! Indarpuri Kuri, give me a fully equipped horse that will carry
+me home before the tobacco in this pipe is consumed." The last word
+had scarcely escaped his lips when a horse stood beside him. It was
+a fierce animal, of a blue colour, and no fly could alight on its
+skin. It was fully equipped, and impatient to start. Lelha, still
+smoking his pipe, mounted, and his steed at one bound cleared the
+river, although it was seven or eight kos broad, and flying like the
+wind, landed him at home before the tobacco in his pipe was consumed.
+
+The hiras and manis were in the possession of Lelha's wives. His
+brothers wheedled them into giving them up, saying they will be safer
+with us.
+
+Lelha went to his mother's house and said to her, "Tell no one of my
+being here." He had alighted from his horse on the outskirts of the
+city, and returned it to the Indarpuri Kuri.
+
+A period of ten days elapsed before Lelha's brothers and his wives
+arrived. The latter declined to accompany the former at once to the
+raja's palace. They said, "Let your mothers come, and conduct us,
+as is usual when a bride enters her husband's house." The two elder
+ranis then came, and the four sons went to the raja's flower garden
+and hung the hiras and manis on the branches of the trees, and the
+whole countryside was instantly lighted up by the sheen of the precious
+stones. The saying of the Koema Jugi was fulfilled to the letter.
+
+Lelha also sent his mother to welcome his wives, but when the elder
+ranis saw her coming, they reviled her and drove her away. They would
+not permit her to come near. She returned home weeping. "You told me,"
+she said, "to go and welcome your wives, and I have been abused. When
+will you learn wisdom?" Lelha ran into the house, and brought a ring,
+and giving it to his mother, said, "Take this ring, and place it
+in the lap of one of them." She took the ring, and gave it to one
+of Lelha's wives, and immediately they all rose, and followed her
+laughing, to their new home.
+
+The elder ranis went and informed their sons of what had happened,
+but they said, "They are Lelha's wives. What can we do?"
+
+
+
+
+X.
+
+The Indarpuri Kuri whom Lelha had robbed of her hira now awoke, and
+at once missed her precious jewel. She knew that Lelha had stolen it
+from her, and summoning her army to her standard marched upon Lelha's
+father's capital, to which she laid siege, and before many hours had
+elapsed, the raja was a prisoner in her hands.
+
+This Indarpuri Kuri said to him, "Will you give up the hiras and manis,
+or will you fight?" The raja sent the following message to his four
+sons, "Will you fight to retain possession of the hiras and manis,
+or will you deliver them up?" They were afraid, so they gave answer,
+"We will not. Lelha knows all about the hiras and manis. We do not."
+
+The raja then sent and called Lelha, and enquired, "Will you shew
+fight, Lelha, or will you give up the hiras and manis?" Lelha replied,
+"I will fight. I will not part with the hiras and manis. I obtained
+them only after much painful toil, so I cannot deliver them up. Ask
+them to agree to delay hostilities for a short time, but inform them
+that Lelha will fight."
+
+Lelha hurried to the further end of the garden, and taking the hair of
+the first Indarpuri Kuri in his hand said, "Oh! Indarpuri Kuri. Give me
+an army four times stronger than the one brought against me, so that
+I may make short work of my enemies." Immediately an army of 44,000
+men stood in military array, awaiting his orders. The two armies
+joined battle, and Lelha discomfited the host of the Indarpuri Kuri,
+and she herself became his prize. She became his wife, and returned no
+more to her cavernous home in the solitary island. Lelha thus became
+the husband of four wives.
+
+Then the raja called his five sons together and said, "In my estimation
+Lelha is the one best qualified to became raja of this kingdom. I
+therefore resign all power and authority into his hands." Lelha
+replied, "Yes, father, you have judged righteously. My brothers have
+caused me much distress. First, they pushed off the raised platform
+in your flower garden, but of that I did not inform you. Then they
+caused me, who was the finder of the hiras and manis, to fall into
+the river. You saw how they refused to fight, and threw all the
+responsibility upon me. They have used me spitefully. They have tried
+to make a cat's paw of me."
+
+So Lelha was raja of all the country, and his brothers were his
+servants. One was in charge of Lelha's pipe and tobacco, another
+ploughed his fields, and the other two had like menial offices assigned
+to them.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF SINDURA GAND GARUR.
+
+
+In a certain village there lived a mother and her son. The boy tended
+goats in the forest. One day he found a spot of ground, where he
+thought rice would grow well. So he went home, and asked his mother
+to give him some seed to sow there. She said, "If you sow rice there
+it will all be destroyed. The elephants, or the wild jungle cattle,
+will eat it." But he begged so hard that at length she gave him some
+seed rice, which he sowed on the small plot of ground in the jungle. It
+sprang up and grew luxuriantly. Every day he drove his goats there,
+and spent the long hours in driving the birds and insects away from
+his little farm.
+
+When the rice had grown to a good height the raja's son with his
+companion came and set up a mark near by at which they shot with
+their bows and arrows. The orphan boy was asked to join them, which he
+did, and so accurate was his aim, that he hit the mark every time he
+shot. The raja's son and his companion were astonished to see such good
+shooting, and they said, "The fatherless boy hits the mark every time."
+
+The boy ran home to his mother weeping, and said, "Oh! mother, where is
+my father?" To keep him from grieving, she told a lie. "Your father,"
+she said, "has gone on a visit to his relations."
+
+The next day after he had again shown great skill with the bow and
+arrow the raja's son and his companion said, "The fatherless boy hits
+the mark every time." Hearing this he again went home weeping, and
+said to his mother, "Oh! mother, where is my father?" She replied,
+"He has gone to visit his friends." Every day the boy came crying to
+his mother asking where his father was, so at last she told him. She
+said, "Your father, child, was carried away on the horns of a Gand
+Garur [18]."
+
+The boy then said to his mother, "Prepare me some flour. I will
+go in search of him." His mother tried to dissuade him, saying,
+"Where can you go in such a jungle as this?" He, however, insisted,
+and she prepared flour for him, and he set out.
+
+After travelling many hours he entered the primeval forest, and
+presently darkness came upon him. After a short time he came to
+the dwelling of Huti [19] Budhi, and requested permission to pass
+the night there. This was accorded to him, and he lay down and fell
+asleep. During the night he was awakened by the Huti Budhi eating
+his bow and arrows. He called out to her "Oh! old woman, What have
+you been nibbling at since evening?" The Huti Budhi replied, "It is
+only some roasted grain, which I brought a while ago from the house
+of the Chief."
+
+In a short time the nibbling sound was again heard, and he again
+enquired what she was eating. She returned the same answer as
+before. "Oh! my son, it is only roasted grain which the chief's people
+gave me." He did not know that all the time she was eating his bow
+and arrows.
+
+When morning dawned he requested her to give him his weapons, and
+on his attempting to string the bow it broke in his hands. The Huti
+Budhi had eaten the heart out of the wood, and had left only the
+outer shell. He left her house planning revenge.
+
+During the day he had an iron bow and iron arrows made. All was iron
+like the arrow heads. In the evening he returned to sleep at the Huti
+Budhi's house.
+
+During the night he heard the Huti Budhi trying to nibble his bow and
+arrows. So he enquired what she was doing. The answer she gave was,
+"Do you think the Huti Budhi can eat iron."
+
+When morning dawned he demanded his bow and arrows, and received
+them uninjured, but the lower part of the Huti Budhi's face was all
+swollen. She had been trying to eat the iron bow and arrows. Her
+lodger strung his bow, and having saluted her, went his way.
+
+As he journeyed he entered another unexplored forest in the midst of
+which he discovered a lake, to which all the birds and beasts resorted
+to quench their thirst. He obtained this information by an examination
+of its banks, on which he saw the footprints of the various beasts and
+birds. He now took some flour from his bag, and having moistened it
+with water made a hearty meal, and then sat down to wait for evening.
+
+As the sun went down the denizens of the forest began to come to the
+lake to drink. They came in quick succession, and as each made its
+appearance, he sang assurance to it, that he harboured no evil design
+against it.
+
+The quail led the way, and to it he sang,
+
+
+        "Oh! quail, you need not fear to drink,
+        I'll not harm you, I you assure;
+        But I will slay on this lake's brink,
+        Cruel Sindura Gand Garur.
+
+
+He sang in a similar strain to each bird as it came, naming it by
+its name.
+
+At length the Gand Garur alighted on the edge of the lake to drink,
+and he at once drew his bow, and sent an arrow to its heart, for he
+had seen the dried and shrivelled corpse of his father still adhering
+to its horns. The Gand Garur being dead, he detached what remained of
+his parent's body from its horns, and taking it in his arms pressed
+it to his bosom and wept bitterly.
+
+
+
+As he wept, Bidi and Bidhati descended from the sky and asked him
+the reason of his sorrow. So he told them all. They spoke words
+of comfort to him, and said, "Dip your gamcha cloth in the lake,
+and cover the corpse with it. And don't you cry, rather bathe and
+cook some food. And do not cook for one only, but prepare portions
+for two. And when the food is ready, you partake of one portion,
+and set the other aside. Then tap your father on the back and say,
+'Rise father, here is your food.'" He did as his kind friends bade
+him, and the dead came to life again. The father sat up and said,
+"Oh! my son, what a lengthened sleep I have had." The son replied,
+"A sleep? you must be demented, you were pierced through by the horns
+of the Gand Garur, and your dried carcase was adhering to them. See
+I have killed it. It is lying here. Bidi and Bidhati instructed me
+how to proceed, and I have brought you to life again.
+
+So they returned joyfully home singing the praises of Bidi and Bidhati.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE TIGER AND ULTA'S MOTHER.
+
+
+A tiger cub was in the habit of playing under the shade of a certain
+tree, in which was a crane's nest with a young one in it. The parent
+cranes brought frogs and lizards to their young one, and what it could
+not eat it used to throw down to the young tiger, and in this way the
+two became greatly attached to each other. After a time the tigress
+died, and left the cub alone in the world. The young crane felt much
+pity for its afflicted friend, and could not bear the thought of
+itself being in a better position. So one day it said to the tiger,
+"Let us kill my mother." The tiger replied, "Just as you please. I
+cannot say do it, nor can I say do not do it." When the mother crane
+came to give its young one food, the latter set upon her and killed
+her. The friendship between the two increased so that they could
+not be separated from each other. Day and night they spent in each
+other's society.
+
+After a time the two said, "Come let us make a garden, and plant in it
+turmeric." So they prepared a piece of ground, and the crane brought
+roots of turmeric from a distance. They then discussed the matter as to
+which part of the crop each would take. The crane said to the tiger,
+"You, my brother, choose first." The tiger said, "If I must speak
+first, I will take the leaves." Then, said the crane, "I will take
+the roots." Having settled this point to their satisfaction, they
+began to plant. The tiger dug holes, and the crane put in the roots,
+and covered them over with earth.
+
+A year passed, and they again said to each other, "Which of us will
+take the roots, and which the leaves?" The tiger said, "I will take
+the leaves." The crane replied, "I will take the roots." So they began
+to dig up the plants, and cutting the leaves from the roots, placed
+each by themselves. The tiger collected an immense bulk of leaves,
+and the crane a large heap of roots. This done each surveyed the
+other's portion. That of the crane was of a beautiful, reddish tinge,
+and excited the envy of the tiger, who said to the crane, "Give me half
+of yours, and I will give you half of mine." The crane refused, saying,
+"I will not share with you. Why did you at first chose the leaves? I
+gave you your choice." The tiger insisted, but the crane was obdurate,
+and before long they were quarrelling as if they had been lifelong
+enemies. The crane seeing it was being worsted in the wrangle, flew in
+the face of the tiger, and pecked its eyes, so that it became blind. It
+then flew away, and left the tiger lamenting its sad fate. Having lost
+its sight it could not find its way about, so remained there weeping.
+
+One day, hearing the voice of a man near by, the tiger called out,
+"Oh! man, are you a doctor?" The man stupefied with fear stared at
+the tiger, and gave no reply. The tiger again said, "Oh! man, why
+do you not reply to my question? Although you are a human being,
+have you no pity?" The man then said, "Oh! renowned hero, what did
+you ask me? I am terror stricken, so did not reply. You may devour
+me." The tiger replied, "If I had wished to kill you, I could have
+done so, but I mean you no harm." The tiger again asked the man if he
+possessed a knowledge of medicine, but he replied, "I do not." The
+tiger then asked, "Is there one amongst you who does know?" The
+man replied, "Yes." The tiger enquired, "Who is he?" The man said,
+"There is a certain widow with two sons, the name of one of whom is
+Ulta, who possesses a knowledge of medicine, she will be able to cure
+you." Having given the tiger this information the man went away.
+
+The tiger went to the house of Ulta's mother, and hid himself behind
+a hedge. He said within himself, "When I hear any one call Ulta then I
+will go forward." Shortly after the tiger arrived Ulta's mother called
+Ulta, "Ulta, come to your supper." Then the tiger ran hastily forward,
+and cried, "Oh! Ulta's mother, Oh! Ulta's mother." But she was afraid,
+and exclaimed, "This tiger has done for us to-day." The tiger said
+to the woman, "Do you know medicine?" She replied, "Yes, Wait till
+I bring it." So hastily running out she said to her neighbours,
+"A tiger has come to my house. He is blind, and wishes me to cure
+his blindness." The neighbours said to her, "Give him some of the
+juice of the Akauna [20] tree. It will increase his blindness." So
+she quickly brought Akauna juice, and giving it to the tiger, said,
+"Go to some dense jungle and apply it to your eyes. Do not apply it
+here, or it will have no effect. Take it away. We are about to sit
+down to supper, and then my children will go to sleep. The medicine
+will cause you pain at first, but it will effect a complete cure."
+
+The tiger hurried away to the jungle, and poured the akauna juice
+into his eyes. The pain it caused was as if his eyeballs were being
+torn out. He tossed himself about in agony, and at last struck his
+head against a tree. In a short time, his blindness was gone. He
+could see everything plainly, and was delighted beyond expression.
+
+One day several traders were passing along a pathway through the jungle
+in which the tiger hunted. He was lying concealed watching for prey,
+and when the traders were passing he jumped out upon them. Seeing
+the tiger they fled, and left behind them their silver, and gold,
+and brass vessels. The tiger collected all and carried them to Ulta's
+mother's house, and presenting them to her said, "All this I give to
+you, for through you I have again seen the earth. Had it not been for
+you, who knows whether I should ever have been cured or not." Ulta's
+mother was delighted with the generosity of the tiger. He had made
+her rich at once. But she was anxious to get rid of him, and said "Go
+away. May you always find a living somewhere." So the tiger returned
+to the jungle again.
+
+Sometime afterwards the tiger was minded to take a wife, and sought
+his old friend Ulta's mother. On arriving at her house he called out,
+"Oh! Ulta's mother, where are you? Are you in your house?" She replied,
+"Who are you?" The tiger answered, "It is I, the forest hero. You
+cured my blindness." So Ulta's mother came out of her house, and said,
+"Wherefore, Sir, have you come here?" "I wish you," replied the tiger,
+"to find a bride for me." Ulta's mother said, "Come to-morrow and I
+will tell you. Do not stay to-day." So the tiger left.
+
+Ulta's mother then went to her neighbours and said, "The tiger has put
+me in a great difficulty. He wishes me to find a bride for him." They
+said to her, "Is he not blind?" She replied, "No. He sees now, and it
+is that, which distresses me. What can I do?" They said, "Get a bag,
+and order him to go into it, and then tie up the mouth tightly, and
+tell him to remain still. Say to him, If you move, or make a noise,
+I will not seek a bride for you. And when you have him tied securely
+in the bag, call us." The next day the tiger appeared, and Ulta's
+mother told him to get into the bag, and allow her to tie it. So he
+went in, and she tied the bag's mouth, and said, "You must not move,
+lie still, or I shall not be your go-between." Having secured him,
+Ulta's mother called her neighbours, who came armed with clubs,
+and began to beat the helpless animal. He called out, "Oh! Ulta's
+mother, what are you doing?" She said, "Keep quiet. They are beating
+the marriage drums. Lie still a little longer." The tiger remained
+motionless, while they continued to beat him. At length they said,
+"He must be dead now, let us throw him out." So they carried him to
+a river, and having thrown him in, returned home.
+
+The current bore the tiger far down the river, but at length he
+stranded in a cove. A short time afterwards a tigress came down to
+the river to drink and seeing the bag, and thinking it might contain
+something edible she seized it and dragged it up on to the bank. The
+tigress then cut the bag open with her teeth, and the tiger sprang out,
+exclaiming, "Of a truth she has given me a bride. Ulta's mother has
+done me a good turn, and I shall remember her as long as I live." The
+tiger and the tigress being of one mind on the subject agreed never
+to separate.
+
+One day the two tigers said "Come let us go and pay a visit to Ulta's
+mother, who has proved so helpful to us. As we cannot go empty handed,
+let us rob some one to get money to take with us." So they went and
+lay in wait near a path which passed through the forest in which they
+lived. Presently a party of merchants came up, and the tigers with
+a loud roar sprang from their ambush on to the road. The merchants
+seeing them, fled, and left behind them all their property in money
+and cloth. Those they carried to Ulta's mother. When she saw the
+tigers approaching her throat became dry through terror.
+
+Before entering the court-yard they called out to Ulta's mother
+announcing their approach. Ulta's mother addressed the tiger thus,
+"Why do you come here frightening one in this way?" The tiger replied,
+"There is no fear. It is I who am afraid of you. Why should you
+dread my coming? It was you who found this partner for me. Do you
+not yet know me?" Ulta's mother replied, "What can you do Sir? Do
+you not remember that we give and receive gifts on the Karam festival
+day? On the days for giving and receiving, we give and receive. Now,
+that you are happily wedded, may you live in peace and comfort;
+but do not come here again."
+
+The tiger then gave Ulta's mother a large amount of money and much
+cloth, after which the two tigers took their leave, and Ulta's mother
+entered her house loaded with rupees and clothing.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE GREATEST CHEAT OF SEVEN.
+
+
+A great cheat married the cheating sister of seven cheats. One day
+his father-in-law and seven brothers-in-law came on a visit to his
+house. After conversing with them for a little, he invited them to
+accompany him to the river to bathe. He carried a fishing rod with
+him, and on arriving at the river cast his line into a pool, saying,
+"Now, fish, if you do not instantly repair to my house, I shall not
+be able to speak well of you." This he said to deceive the others,
+as before leaving home he had given a fish to his wife telling her
+to prepare it for dinner. When seated at table he said to his guests,
+"the fish we are now eating is the one I, in your presence, ordered to
+proceed from the river to my house this forenoon." They were greatly
+astonished at the wonderful properties possessed by the fishing rod,
+and expressed a desire to purchase it, and offered to pay five rupees
+for it. He accepted their offer, and they carried the wonderful
+fishing rod home with them.
+
+Next day they arranged to go a-fishing. They cast the line into a
+pool as they had seen the cheat do, and said, "Now fish, if you do
+not repair at once to our home we shall not be able to speak well
+of you." Having bathed they returned home, and asked to see the
+fish. Their wives said, "What fish? You gave us no fish. We have
+seen no fish. Where did you throw it down?" They now knew that their
+sister's husband was a cheat, so they decided to go and charge him
+with having deceived them.
+
+The cheat had notice of their coming, and quickly taking his dog with
+him went to hunt. He caught a hare and bringing it home gave it to
+his wife, and said, "When we reach the end of the street on our way
+home from hunting, you make the dog stand near the house with the
+dead hare in his mouth."
+
+He invited his visitors to accompany him for an hour's hunting,
+saying, "Come, let us go and kill a hare for dinner." So they went
+to the jungle, and presently started a hare. The cheat threw a stone
+at his dog, and frightened it so that it ran home. He called after
+it, "If you do not catch and take that hare home, it will not be
+well for you." He then said to his friends, "Come, let us return,
+we will find the dog there with the hare before us." They replied,
+"We doubt it much." "There is no mistake about it," he said, "We are
+certain to find both dog and hare." On reaching home they found the
+dog standing waiting for them with a hare in his mouth.
+
+His brothers-in-law were astonished beyond measure at the sagacity
+of the dog, and they said, "Sell this dog to us, we will pay a good
+price for it." He demanded ten rupees, which they gladly paid. So
+they returned home, and said nothing to him about his having cheated
+them in the matter of the fishing rod.
+
+One day, taking the dog with them, they went to hunt. It caught five
+hares, and its masters were greatly delighted with its performance.
+
+After this the cheat's house was accidentally burnt, and he gathering
+the ashes together, set out for the bazaar, there to sell them. On the
+way he fell in with a party of merchants who had a large bag full of
+silver with them. They enquired what his bag contained, to which he
+replied, "Gold." They agreed to pass the night in the same encampment,
+so having partaken of their evening meal, they lay down to sleep. At
+midnight the merchants rose, and exchanged the bags, and then lay
+down again. The cheat saw them, and chuckled within himself. In the
+morning the merchants made haste to leave, as they feared the cheat
+might find out the theft of his bag. The cheat asked them before they
+left to help him to lift his bag on to his bullock's back, saying,
+"It was to receive assistance from you that I encamped here last
+night." So having helped him to load his bullock they hurried away
+lest they should be caught. The cheat carried his treasure home,
+but being unable to count so much money borrowed a measure from his
+father-in-law, and found he had four maunds of silver.
+
+On returning the measure he sent along with it five seers of silver,
+saying, "For the ashes of my house I received four maunds of silver,
+if you reduce your houses to ashes and sell them, you will obtain very
+much more." So they foolishly burnt their houses, and collecting the
+ashes went to the bazaar to dispose of them. The merchants to whom
+they offered them directed them to go to the washermen, saying, "They
+will possibly buy." But they also refused, and they were compelled
+to return home without having effected a sale. They vowed vengeance
+on the cheat, and set out to find him.
+
+When they reached his house the cheat was on the point of starting
+on a journey. After mutual salutations he said, "I have just killed
+my second wife. I go to receive eight maunds of silver for her
+corpse. Dead bodies bring high prices." They said to him, "How about
+the ashes? We could not sell them." He replied, "You did not go far
+enough from home. Had you gone to a distance you would have made a
+good bargain."
+
+The cheat's youngest wife having died he washed the body, and anointed
+it with oil. He then put it in a large bag, and loaded it on the back
+of a bullock, and set out. On the way he came to a field of wheat, into
+which he drove the animal, and then hid himself near by. The owner of
+the field finding the bullock eating his wheat, beat it unmercifully
+with a cudgel. The cheat then came from his hiding place, and said,
+"Have you not done wrong in beating my bullock? If you have killed my
+wife, where will you flee to? I fell behind, and for that reason my
+ox got into your field. My wife, whom I have newly married, is weak
+and unable to go on foot, so I put her into a bag to carry her home
+on my bullock."
+
+Having opened the bag the wife was found dead, and her assailant
+stood self convicted of her murder. He gave her husband six maunds
+of rupees as hush money, so the cheat burnt the corpse and returned
+home laden with spoil.
+
+The cheat next sent for his brothers-in-law, and shewing them the
+money, said, "I killed my second wife, and got all this money by
+selling the corpse." They enquired, "Who are the people who buy dead
+bodies?" He replied, "They reside in the Rakas country."
+
+Then the seven brothers killed each his youngest wife, and carried
+the bodies to a distant country to dispose of them. When the
+people of that country knew the object for which they had come they
+said to them, "What sort of men are you hawking corpses about the
+towns and villages? You must be the worst, or else most stupid of
+men." Hearing this the brothers were dismayed, and began to take in
+the situation. They perceived that the cheat had again deceived them,
+and they retraced their steps homewards bitterly lamenting their
+folly. On reaching their village they cremated the remains of their
+wives, and from that day had no more dealings with the cheat.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF TWO PRINCESSES.
+
+
+A certain raja had two daughters, who were in the habit of amusing
+themselves out side of the palace walls. One day they saw a crow
+flying towards them with a ripe Terel [21] fruit in his beak. They then
+said to each other, "What fruit is it? It looks nice and sweet." The
+crow let the fruit fall in front of them. They ran and picked it
+up, and ate it. It tasted deliciously sweet. Then they said, "From
+whence did the crow bring such a good fruit?" Then they remembered
+the direction from which they had seen it coming, and said, "If we
+go this way we shall find it." So they went, but it was only after
+they had travelled a great distance from home that they found the
+Terel tree with the ripe luscious fruit.
+
+The elder of the two girls climbed up into the tree, and shook down
+a large quantity of the fruit. They then feasted to their heart's
+content. Presently they began to feel thirsty, and the elder said to
+the younger, "You remain here while I go to drink, and I will also
+bring you water in a leaf cup." Having said this she went away to
+the tank, and her sister remained under the Terel tree. The day was
+extremely hot, and they were very thirsty.
+
+The elder having quenched her thirst was returning carrying water for
+her sister in a cup made of the leaves of a Terel tree, when a bhut
+came flying along, and fell into the cup of water. Presently she became
+aware that there was a hole in the bottom of her cup through which
+all the water had run out. What could she do now? There was no help
+for it but to return to the tank, make another leaf cup, and filling
+it with water return to her sister. As she was returning with the cup
+full of water the bhut again came flying up, and entering the water
+passed through the leaf, making a hole by which all the water escaped.
+
+Again she made a leaf cup, and having filled it with water was
+returning when the bhut again came, and destroyed her cup, and caused
+her to lose the water. In this way she was detained till very late.
+
+A raja who happened to be in the vicinity saw a beautiful girl carrying
+water in a leaf cup, and a bhut come and make a hole in the cup, so
+that it soon became empty. Having seen this several times repeated,
+he drew near, and feasted his eyes on her beauty. Then he carried
+her away to his palace, where they were joined in wedlock, and the
+princess, now the rani, cooked the food for herself and her husband.
+
+The younger princess remained near the Terel tree, and although she
+had given up hope of again meeting her sister, still she continued
+to wait. At length a herd of Hanuman monkeys came to feed upon the
+Terel fruit. When the girl saw them coming she was terrified and crept
+into the hollow of the tree. The monkeys with the exception of an old
+frail one, climbed into the tree and began to eat the fruit. The old
+monkey remained below and picked up the fruit shells which the others
+threw down.
+
+The old monkey having noticed the girl hiding in the hollow of the
+tree called to the others, "Throw me down some. If you do not I shall
+not share the Setke chopot I have found." The monkeys in the tree
+said, "Do not give him any. He is deceiving us. When his hunger is
+satisfied he will run and leave us." So no fruit was thrown down to
+him, and he was forced to be content with the shells. The monkeys in
+the tree having fared sumptuously, left. The old monkey waited till
+they were out of sight, and then entered the hollow of the tree,
+where the girl was, and ate her up. He then went to the tank to
+drink, and afterwards went in the direction of the raja's garden,
+on reaching which he lay down and died. One of the gardeners finding
+him dead threw him on the dunghill.
+
+From the place where the monkey decayed a gourd sprang, and grew, and
+bore a fruit which ripened. One day a jugi, when on his rounds begging,
+saw this fruit and plucking it took it away with him. Out of the shell
+he made a banjo, which when played upon emitted wonderful music. The
+words which seemed to proceed from the banjo were as follows:
+
+
+    Ripe terels, ripe terels, Oh! Sister mine.
+    Went in search of water, Oh! Sister mine.
+    Raja and Rani they became.
+    Seven hundred monkeys old,
+    Ate me up, ate me up. Oh! Sister mine.
+
+
+The jugi was greatly pleased with the music of his new banjo, and
+determined to take it with him when he went a begging. So one day
+he set out with his banjo the music of which so pleased the people
+that they gave him large gifts of money and clothes. In course of
+time he arrived at the palace where the elder sister was now rani,
+and, being admitted, began to play on his banjo. The instrument again
+produced most wonderful music. It seemed to wail as follows:
+
+
+    Ripe terels, ripe terels, Oh! Sister mine.
+    Went in search of water, Oh! Sister mine.
+    Raja and Rani they became.
+    Seven hundred monkeys old,
+    Ate me up, ate me up. Oh! Sister mine.
+
+
+Having listened to the music the rani said, "It is wonderfully
+sweet," and she fancied she heard her sister's voice in every
+note. She thought it possible that it was she who sang in the banjo,
+and she desired to obtain possession of it. So she invited the jugi
+to pass the night in the palace, saying, I would hear more of this
+entrancing music." The jugi listened to the words of the rani and
+agreed to remain till morning. So the rani made much of him with the
+intention of at length obtaining possession of his banjo. She caused
+a goat to be killed, and she cooked a splendid supper for the jugi,
+who finding the food so toothsome ate heartily. Wine was not withheld,
+and the jugi being in a festive frame of mind drank deeply, so that he
+soon lay as one dead. The rani took the banjo, and placed another in
+its stead. She then threw filth over the unconscious jugi and retired
+to her own apartment.
+
+The jugi on awaking before sunrise found himself in a pitiable
+plight. He felt so thoroughly disgusted with himself that, hastily
+picking up his staff, cloth, and banjo, he fled with the utmost
+possible speed from the palace. When dawn broke he saw that the banjo
+he had was not his own, and although he felt keenly its loss he was
+too much ashamed of the condition he had been in to go back to seek it.
+
+The rani hid the jugi's banjo in her own room, because she knew her
+sister to be in it. Whenever the raja and rani went out to walk the
+girl left the banjo and having bathed and dressed her hair, cooked
+the family meal, and then returned to the banjo. This happened so
+often that at last, it came to the knowledge of the raja that a fairy
+lived in the banjo, and when the way was clear used to come out and
+prepare food for the rani and himself. So he determined to lie in wait
+for the fairy cook. He then sent the rani somewhere on an errand,
+and hid himself in a corner of the room from whence he could see
+the banjo. In a short time the princess emerged from the banjo, and
+began to dress her hair, and anoint herself with oil, after which she
+cooked rice. She divided the food into three portions, one of which
+she ate. As she was about to re-enter the banjo the raja sprang out
+and caught hold of her. She exclaimed, "Chi! Chi! you may be a Hadi,
+or you may be a Dom." The raja replied, "Chi! Chi! whether I be a Dom,
+or a Hadi, from to-day you and I are one."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+SEVEN BROTHERS AND THEIR SISTER.
+
+
+In a certain village there lived seven brothers and a sister. Their
+family was wealthy. Their father was dead. The brothers agreed to dig
+a tank so that whatever happened their name would continue. So they
+began the work, but although they dug deep they found no water. Then
+they said to each other, "Why is there no water?" While they were
+speaking thus among themselves a jugi gosae on his rounds, came to
+the tank in the hope of finding water, but he was disappointed. The
+seven brothers on seeing the jugi gosae went and sat down near him,
+and said, "We have been working for many days, and have dug so deep,
+still we have not reached water. You, who are a jugi gosae, tell us
+why water does not come." He replied, "Unless you give a gift you
+will never get water." They enquired, "What should we give." The jugi
+gosae replied, "Not gold, or silver, or an elephant, or a horse, but
+you have a sister?" They said, "Yes, we have one sister." He replied,
+"Then make a gift of her to the spirit of the tank." The girl was
+betrothed, and her family had received the amount that had been fixed
+as her price. The brothers argued thus, "We have laboured so long
+to make a name for ourselves, but have not found water, so where is
+our name? If we do not sacrifice our sister we shall never obtain the
+fulfilment of our wishes, let us all agree to it." So they all said,
+"Agreed," but the youngest did not fully approve of their design.
+
+In the evening they said to their mother, "Let our sister wash her
+clothes, dress her hair, and put on all her ornaments to-morrow when
+she brings us our breakfast to the tank." They did not, however,
+enlighten their mother as to why they desired their sister to be so
+careful with her toilet.
+
+The following day the mother addressed her daughter as follows,
+"Oh! my daughter, your brothers yesterday said to me, let the
+daughter, when she brings us our breakfast come with clean clothes,
+her hair dressed and all her ornaments on. So as it is nearly time,
+go and dress, and put on all your ornaments, and take your brothers'
+breakfast to where they are working." She complied with her mother's
+order, and set out for the tank, dressed in her best with all her
+ornaments on, carrying boiled rice in a new basket.
+
+When she arrived at the tank her brothers said to her, "Oh! daughter,
+set down the basket under yonder tree." She did so, and the brothers
+came to where she was. They then said to her, "Go bring us water from
+the tank to drink." She took her water-pot under her arm, and went
+into the tank, but did not at once find water. Presently, however, she
+saw the sheen of water in the centre, and went to fill her pitcher,
+but she could not do so, as the water rose so rapidly. The tank was
+soon full to the brim, and the girl was drowned.
+
+The brothers having seen their sister perish, went home. Their
+mother enquired, "Oh! my sons, where is the daughter?" They replied,
+"We have given her to the tank. A certain jugi gosae said to us,
+'Unless you offer up your sister you will never get water'." On
+hearing this she loudly wailed the loss of her daughter. Her sons
+strove to mitigate her grief by saying, "Look mother, we undertook
+the excavation of the tank to perpetuate our name, and to gain the
+fruit of a meritorious work. And unless there be water in the tank
+for men and cattle to drink, where is the perpetuation of our name? By
+our offering up the daughter the tank is full to overflowing. So the
+cattle can now quench their thirst, and travellers, when they encamp
+near by and drink the water, will say, 'The excavators of this tank
+deserve the thanks of all. We, and others who pass by are recipients
+of their bounty. Their merit is indeed great'." In this way with many
+such like arguments they sought to allay their mother's grief.
+
+Right in the centre of the tank, where the girl was drowned, there
+sprang up an Upel flower the purple, sheen of which filled the beholder
+with delight.
+
+It has already been stated that the girl had been betrothed, and that
+her family had received the money for her. The day appointed for the
+marriage arrived, and the bridegroom's party with drums, elephants and
+horses, set out for the bride's house. On arrival they were informed
+that she had left her home, and that all efforts to trace her had
+proved fruitless. So they returned home greatly disappointed. It so
+happened that their way lay past the tank in which the girl had been
+sacrificed, and the bridegroom, from his palki, saw the Upel flower
+in the centre. As he wished to possess himself of it, he ordered his
+bearers to set down the palki, and stepping out prepared to swim out
+to pluck the flower. His companions tried to dissuade him, but as he
+insisted he was permitted to enter the water. He swam to within a short
+distance of the flower, but as he stretched out his hand to pluck it,
+the Upel flower, moving away, said, "Chi! Chi! Chi! Chi! You may be
+either a Dom or a Hadi, do not touch me." The bridegroom replied,
+"Not so. Are not we two one?" He made another effort to seize the
+flower, but it again moved away, saying, "Chi! Chi! Chi! Chi! you
+may be a Dom or a Hadi, so do not touch me." To which he replied,
+"Not so. You and I are one." He swam after it again, but the flower
+eluded his grasp, and said, "Chi! Chi! Chi! Chi! You may be a Dom,
+or you may be a Hadi, so do not touch me." He said, "Not so. You and
+I are bride and bridegroom for ever." Then the Upel flower allowed
+itself to be plucked, and the bridegroom returned to his company
+bearing it with him.
+
+He entered his palki and the cortege started. They had not proceeded
+far before the bearers were convinced that the palki was increasing
+in weight. They said, "How is it that it is now so heavy? A short
+time ago it was light." So they pushed aside the panel, and beheld
+the bride and bridegroom sitting side by side. The marriage party on
+hearing the glad news rejoiced exceedingly. They beat drums, shouted,
+danced, and fired off guns. Thus they proceeded on their homeward way.
+
+When the bridegroom's family heard the noise, they said, one to the
+other "Sister, they have arrived." Then they went forth to meet the
+bridegroom, and brought them in with great rejoicing. The bride was
+she who had been the Upel flower, and was exceedingly beautiful. In
+form she was both human and divine. The village people, as well as
+the marriage guests, when they saw her, exclaimed, "What a beautiful
+bride! She is the fairest bride that we have seen. She has no
+peer." Thus they all praised her beauty.
+
+It so happened that in the meantime the mother and brothers of the
+girl had become poor. They were reduced to such straits as to be
+compelled to sell firewood for a living. So one day the brothers
+went to the bridegroom's village with firewood for sale. They offered
+it to one and another, but no one would buy. At last some one said,
+"Take it to the house in which the marriage party is assembled. They
+may require it." So the brothers went there, and asked, "Will you buy
+firewood?" They replied, "Yes. We will take it." Some one informed the
+bride, that some men from somewhere had brought firewood for sale. So
+she went out, and at once recognised her brothers, and said to them,
+"Put down your loads," and when they had done so she placed beds
+for them to sit on, and brought them water; but they did not know
+that she was their sister, as she was so greatly changed. Then she
+gave them vessels of oil, and said, "Go bathe, for you will dine
+here to-day." So they took the oil, and went to bathe, but they
+were so hungry that they drank the oil on the way. So they bathed,
+and returned to the house. She then brought them water to wash their
+hands, and they sat down in a row to eat. The bride gave her youngest
+brother food on a brass plate, because he had not approved of what
+had been done to her, but to the others she gave it on leaf plates.
+
+They had only eaten one handful of rice when the girl placed herself
+in front of them, and putting a hand upon her head, began to weep
+bitterly. She exclaimed, "Oh! my brothers, you had no pity upon me. You
+threw me away as an offering to the tank. You saw me lost, and then
+went home." When the brothers heard this they felt as if their breasts
+were torn open. If they looked up to heaven, heaven was high. Then
+they saw an axe which they seized, and with it they struck the ground
+with all their might. It opened like the mouth of a large tiger,
+and the brothers plunged in. The girl caught the youngest brother by
+the hair to pull him up, but it came away in her hand, and they all
+disappeared into the bowels of the earth, which closed over them.
+
+The girl held the hair in her hand and wept over it. She then planted
+it, and from it sprang the hair like Bachkom [22] grass, and from
+that time Bachkom grass grows in the jungles.
+
+The sister had pity on her youngest brother because he did not join
+heartily with the others in causing her death. So she tried to rescue
+him from the fate which was about to overtake him, but in this she
+failed, and he suffered for the sins of his brothers.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE STORY OF JHORE.
+
+
+There was a lad named Jhore, who herded goats, and every day while
+with his flock he saw a tiger and a lizard fight. The lizard always
+vanquished the tiger, and the latter after each encounter came to Jhore
+and said, "Which of us won?" Jhore through fear every time replied,
+"You won," and the tiger went away pleased.
+
+One day Jhore said to his mother, give me some roasted matkom in a
+leaf, and put me into a bag and I will tell you something. So she
+wrapped up some matkom in a leaf, and Jhore crept into the bag and
+she tied its mouth. Then she said, "What is it, my son, which you
+wish to tell me?" Jhore replied, "Every day when I am tending my
+goats I see a tiger and a lizard fight, and the tiger is vanquished
+by the lizard. The tiger then comes to me and asks, 'which of us
+won?' Through fear I say, you won, then the tiger goes away satisfied."
+
+While Jhore was relating the foregoing to his mother the tiger was
+listening at the door, and as he finished his story it rushed in, and
+seizing the bag carried it off to a dense unexplored forest, on a hill
+in the middle of which he placed it. Jhore was very uncomfortable,
+and was considering how he could best free himself from the bag. As
+he was hungry he was reminded of the matkom he had with him wrapped
+in a leaf, so he began to open it, and the dried leaf crackled. The
+tiger hearing the noise, asked what produced it. Jhore replied,
+"It is yesterday's lizard." The tidings of the presence of his
+mortal enemy so terrified the tiger that he exclaimed, "Stop, stop,
+Jhore. Do not release him. Let me first escape." After the tiger left
+Jhore rolled down the hill side, and away into a still denser forest,
+in an open spot of which he came to a stop. The fastening of the bag
+was loosed by this time, and Jhore crawled out. All round this open
+glade in which our hero found himself was dense forest never trodden
+by the foot of man, and tenanted by a herd of wild buffaloes. Jhore
+took up his residence there, and subsisted on the roasted matkom as
+long as it lasted.
+
+Jhore in his explorations found a number of buffaloe calves left
+behind by their mothers who had gone to graze. He tended these daily,
+cleaning the place where they lived, and taking them to the water,
+where he washed them. In this way a bond of friendship was established
+between him and the wild buffaloe calves.
+
+Before the buffaloe cows left for their grazing grounds in the
+mornings the calves said, "You stay away till so late at night that,
+we are almost famished before you return. Leave some milk with us,
+so that when hungry we may drink it." So they left a supply of milk
+with them, which they gave to Jhore. He took such care of his charges
+that he soon became a great favourite with them.
+
+Matters went on thus for many days till at last the buffaloe cows
+said among themselves, "We must watch for, and catch whoever it is
+who keeps our calves so clean." So a very powerful wild buffaloe
+was appointed to lie in wait, but he missed seeing Jhore when he led
+the calves to the water and bathed them, and cleaned and swept out
+their stall. The next day another took his place, but he succeeded
+no better. The calves were taken to the water, bathed, brought back,
+and their stall cleaned and swept as usual without his seeing who
+did it. When the others returned in the evening he informed them
+that he had failed to solve the mystery. So they said, "What shall
+we do now? How shall we catch him? Who will watch to-morrow?" A old
+buffaloe cow replied, "I will accept the responsibility." Hearing
+her speak thus the others said, "What a good elephant and a good
+horse could not do, will ten asses accomplish?" By this they meant,
+that two of the strongest of their number having failed, this weak
+old cow could not possibly succeed. However, she persisted, and in
+the morning the others went to graze leaving her behind.
+
+In a short time she saw Jhore emerge from the dunghill, in which he
+resided, and loose the calves, and take them to the water. When he
+brought them back he cleaned and swept their stall, and then re-entered
+the dunghill. In the evening the others enquired, "Well, did you see
+him?" The old buffaloe cow replied, "Yes, I saw him, but I will not
+tell you, for you will kill him." They pressed her, but she refused,
+saying, "You will kill him." They said, "Why should we kill him who
+takes so much care of our young ones?" The old buffaloe cow led them
+to the dunghill, and said, "He is in here." So they called to him to
+come out, which he did, and when they saw him they were all greatly
+pleased, so much so that they there and then hired him to continue
+to do the work he had been doing so well. They arranged also to give
+him a regular daily supply of milk, so he was duly installed by the
+herd of wild buffaloes as care-taker of their calves.
+
+Long after this, he one day took his calves to the river and after
+he had bathed them he said to the buffaloe calves, "Wait for me till
+I also bathe." They replied, "Bathe, we will graze close by." He
+having performed his ablutions sat down on the river bank to comb and
+dress his hair, which was twelve cubits long. In combing his tangled
+tresses a quantity was wrenched out, this he wrapped up in a leaf and
+threw into the stream. It was carried by the current a great distance
+down to where a raja's daughter and her companions were bathing. The
+raja's daughter saw the leaf floating towards her, and ordered one
+of her attendants to bring it to her. When the leaf was opened it
+was found to contain hair twelve cubits in length. Immediately after
+measuring the hair the raja's daughter complained of fever, and hasted
+home to her couch. The raja being informed of his daughter's illness
+sent for the most skilled physicians, who prescribed all the remedies
+their pharmacopoeia contained, but failed to afford the sufferer any
+relief. The grief of the raja was therefore intense.
+
+Then his daughter said to him, "Oh! father, I have one word to say
+to you. If you do as I wish, I shall recover." The raja replied,
+"Tell me what it is, I shall do my best to please you." So she said,
+"If you find me one with hair twelve cubits long and bring him to me,
+I shall rally at once." The raja said, "It is well."
+
+The raja caused diligent search to be made for the person with
+hair twelve cubits long. He said to a certain jugi, "You traverse
+the country far and near, find me the man with hair twelve cubits
+long." The jugi enquired everywhere, but could obtain no intelligence
+concerning him.
+
+They then made up a parcel of flour and gave it to a crow, whom
+they sent to try and find him. The crow flew caw cawing all over
+the district, but returned at last and reported failure, saying,
+"there is not such a man in the world."
+
+After this they again made up a small parcel of flour, and giving
+it to a tame paroquet, said, "Find a man with hair twelve cubits
+long." The paroquet, having received his orders, flew away screeching,
+and mounting high up into the sky, directed his course straight for
+the unexplored forest. In the meantime the dunghill in which Jhore
+resided had become a palace.
+
+The paroquet alighted on a tree near Jhore's palace, and began to
+whistle. On hearing the unusual sound Jhore came out and saw the
+paroquet who was speaking and whistling. The paroquet also eyed him
+narrowly, and was delighted to see his hair trailing on the ground. By
+this he knew that he had found the object of his search, and with a
+scream of delight, he flew away to communicate the tidings to the raja.
+
+The raja was overjoyed with his messenger's report, and ordered the
+bariat to set out immediately. In a short time they were on their
+way accompanied by elephants, horses, drums, and fifes. On reaching
+Jhore's palace they were about to enter for the purpose of seizing
+him, when he exclaimed, "Do not pass my threshold." They replied,
+"We will carry you away with us." He said, "Do not come near." "We will
+certainly carry you away," they replied. Jhore then ran into his house,
+and seizing his flute mounted to the roof, and began to play. As the
+notes of the flute resounded through the forest it seemed to say,
+
+
+            A staff of Pader [23] wood
+            A flute of Erandom [24]
+            Return, return, return,
+            Oh! wild buffaloe cows.
+
+
+The sound of the flute startled the wild buffaloes, and they said
+one to another, "Sister. What has happened to Jhore?" Then he played
+again the same as before;
+
+
+            A staff of Pader wood
+            A flute of Erandom
+            Return, return, return,
+            Oh! wild buffaloe cows.
+
+
+As the echoes of Jhore's flute died away in the forest glades the wild
+buffaloes sprang forward, and rushed to his assistance. On arrival they
+found the house and courtyard full of people, and large numbers outside
+who could not gain admittance. They immediately charged them with
+all their force, goring many to death, and scattering the remainder,
+who flung away their drums and fifes, and fled as for dear life.
+
+When the raja heard of their discomfiture he sent again for the
+paroquet, and giving a small parcel of flour to him said, "Stay some
+time with him until you gain his confidence, and watch your chance
+to bring away his flute." Having received his orders he flew off
+to Jhore's palace, and having gained access to where the flute was,
+when Jhore was out of the way he brought it away, and gave it to the
+raja. The raja was delighted at the sight of the flute, and again
+ordered the bariat to go to fetch Jhore. A still more imposing array
+than the former started with elephants, horses, drums, fifes, and
+palkis, and in due course arrived at Jhore's residence. On seeing them
+Jhore called out, "Do not approach, or you will rue it presently." They
+replied, "You beat us off the first time, therefore you now crow, but
+you will not now be able to balk us, we shall take you with us." Again
+he warned them to stay where they were, saying, "Do not come near me,
+or you will rue it presently." They replied, "We will take you with
+us this time, we will not leave you behind." Jhore then ran into his
+house, and searched for his flute, but as it had been carried away
+by the paroquet he could not find it, so seizing another he mounted
+to the roof, and began to play. The flute seemed to say;
+
+
+            A staff of Pader wood
+            A flute of Erandom
+            Return, return, return,
+            Oh! wild buffaloe cows.
+
+
+The sound startled the wild buffaloes who said one to another
+"Sister. What is it Jhore says?" Again the music of the flute reached
+their ears, and the entire herd rushed off to Jhore's rescue. They
+charged the crowd in and around the palace of their favourite with
+such determination that in a few minutes many lay gored to death,
+and those who were so fortunate as to escape threw down drums,
+fifes, and palkis, and fled pell mell from the place. The raja,
+being informed of the catastrophe that had befallen the bariat,
+again called the paroquet, and after he had given him careful
+instructions as to how he should proceed, dismissed him. He said,
+"This time you must stay many days with him, and secure his entire
+confidence and friendship. Then you must bring away all his flutes,
+do not leave him one." So the paroquet flew swiftly, and alighted on
+a tree near to Jhore's house, and began to whistle. Jhore seeing it
+was a paroquet brought it food, and induced it to come down, and allow
+him to take it in his hand. The two, it is said, lived together many
+days, and greatly enjoyed each other's society. The paroquet when he
+had informed himself as to where all Jhore's flutes were kept, one
+day tied them all up in a bundle, and carried them to the raja. The
+sight of the flutes revived the drooping spirits of his Majesty. He
+gave orders a third time for the bariat to go and bring Jhore, so they
+started with greater pomp and show than before. Elephants, horses, and
+an immense number of men with drums and fifes, and palkis formed the
+procession. On their arrival Jhore came out of his palace and said to
+them, "Do not come near, or you will rue it." They replied, "This time
+we will have you. We will take you with us." Again Jhore warning them
+said, "Come no nearer. If you do, you will see something as good as a
+show. Do you not remember how you fared the other day?" But they said,
+"We will carry you away with us." Jhore ran inside to get his flute,
+so that he might call the wild buffaloes to his assistance; but no
+flute was to be found. Without the help of his powerful friends he
+could offer no resistance, so they seized him, and bore him away in
+triumph to the raja.
+
+When the raja's daughter heard of his arrival the fever suddenly
+left her, and she was once more in excellent health. She and Jhore
+were united in the bonds of marriage forthwith; but Jhore was kept
+a close prisoner in the palace.
+
+In course of time a son blessed the union, and when the child was
+able to walk Jhore's wife said to him, "Where is the large herd of
+buffaloes which you boast so much about? If they were here "Sonny"
+would have milk and curds daily." Jhore plucking up courage, replied,
+"If you do not believe me order a stockade to be constructed thirty-two
+miles long and thirty-two miles broad, and you shall soon behold my
+buffaloes." So they made a pen thirty-two miles long and thirty-two
+miles broad. Then Jhore said, "Give me my old flute, and you all remain
+within doors." So they brought him his flute, and he went up on to the
+roof of the palace, and played. The music seemed to call as follows:
+
+
+        A staff of Pader wood
+        A flute of Erandom
+        Return, return, return,
+        Oh! wild buffaloe cows.
+
+
+The sound startled the wild buffaloes in their forest home, and they
+said one to another, "Sister. What does Jhore say?" Again the music
+seemed to say,
+
+
+        A staff of Pader wood
+        A flute of Erandom
+        Return, return, return,
+        Oh! wild buffaloe cows.
+
+
+At Jhore's second call the herd of wild buffaloes dashed off at
+their utmost speed, and never halted till they reached the raja's
+palace. They came in such numbers that the pen could not contain them
+all, many remained outside.
+
+Those that entered the pen are the domesticated buffaloes of to-day,
+and those who were without are the wild buffaloes still found in the
+forests of India.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE GIRL WHO ALWAYS FOUND HELPERS.
+
+
+There were once upon a time, six brothers and a sister. The brothers
+were married. They were merchants, and their business often took them
+to a distance from home. On such occasions the wives were left alone
+with their sister-in-law. For some reason or other they hated the girl,
+and took every opportunity to harass and worry her.
+
+One day when the brothers were away on a journey they said to her,
+"Oh! girl, go to the forest and bring a load of firewood without
+tying it." What could the girl do? She must obey her sisters-in-law,
+or else they would beat her, and give her no food. So she went to the
+forest with a heavy heart, bewailing her unhappy lot in the following
+plaintive song,
+
+
+        Woe is me! For I must bring
+        Unbound a fagot on my head.
+
+        Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
+        While business you far hence hath led.
+
+
+Seeing her grief a Jambro snake asked, "Why daughter, do you cry?" She
+replied, "My brothers have gone away on business, and my sisters-in-law
+persecute me. They have sent me to bring a bundle of firewood on
+my head without tying it." The Jambro took pity on her and said,
+"Gather firewood." Then the Jambro stretched himself full length upon
+the ground and said to the girl, "Lay the sticks on me." When she
+had done so the serpent twined itself round the fagot like a rope,
+and said, "Now lift it on to your head, but when you reach home,
+lay your burden down gently."
+
+When her sisters-in-law knew that she had done what they considered
+impossible, they were still more angry with her, and ordered her to
+go to the forest and get milk from a tigress. They gave her a small
+earthen vessel, saying, "Go, bring us the milk of a tigress." What
+could the girl do? She went to the forest with a heavy heart, bewailing
+her unhappy lot in the following plaintive song,
+
+
+        Woe is me! For I must bring
+        A brimful cup of tigress' milk
+        Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
+        While you far hence by trade are lured.
+
+
+She went to the tiger's den, but only found two cubs, who seeing
+her sitting weeping at the entrance said, "What are you seeking?" She
+replied, "My sisters-in-law have sent me to bring some of your mother's
+milk." The cubs took pity on her and hid her in the cave. They
+said to her, "Our mother will devour you, so you must not shew
+yourself." In a short time the tigress returned, and entering the
+den said, "I smell a human being. Where is he?" The cubs replied,
+"There is no one here." The cubs milked a little of their mother's
+milk into the girl's vessel, and when the way was clear they gave it
+to her, and sent her home.
+
+Her sisters-in-law were greatly disappointed when she brought home
+the milk, they had expected that the tiger would have devoured her,
+on that she would return home empty handed, and so give them the
+opportunity of abusing her for not carrying out their order.
+
+Another day when the brothers were absent they called her, and said,
+"Go to the forest and bring us some bear's milk." What could the girl
+do? If she did not do as she was bidden her sisters-in-law would beat
+her, and give her nothing to eat. So taking the vessel in her hand,
+she went to the forest, bewailing her unhappy lot in the following
+plaintive strains;
+
+
+        Woe is me! For I must bring
+        A brimful cup of she bear's milk
+        Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
+        While you far hence by trade are lured.
+
+
+Going to the bear's den she sat down and wept. The she-bear was not
+in the den, only two cubs were there, who, when they saw the girl,
+took pity upon her, and asked why she wept. She replied, "My brothers
+have gone away on business, and my sisters-in-law, who hate me, have
+sent me to procure bear's milk in order to harass and annoy me." The
+bear cubs then said, "Our mother will eat you, if she finds you,
+so we will hide you, and you must keep quiet while she is here." The
+she-bear on entering the cave said, "I smell a human being." The cubs
+replied, "There is no one here." The young ones succeeded in obtaining
+a small quantity of their mother's milk in the girl's earthen vessel,
+and after the mother bear had left, the cubs dismissed her with their
+best wishes for her welfare.
+
+Her sisters-in-law were extremely annoyed when she presented the bear's
+milk to them. They had expected that the bear would have torn her to
+pieces, or that she would have returned empty handed, and thus give
+them another chance to abuse and reproach her.
+
+The girl's sisters-in-law again took advantage of their husbands'
+absence to send her to bring water from the spring in a water-pot with
+a hole in it. They said, "Go bring water in this water-pot." What
+could the girl do? She placed it on her head, and went towards the
+spring bewailing her unhappy lot in the following plaintive song,
+
+
+        Woe is me! For I must bring
+        Spring water in a leaking jar
+        Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
+        While business you far hence hath lured.
+
+
+She seated herself near the well, and exclaimed, "How can I carry
+water in this pot?" At that moment a frog raised his head above the
+reeds, and said, "Why do you sit here lamenting?" The girl replied,
+"My sisters-in-law, who hate me, have ordered me to bring water in this
+pot which has a large hole in the bottom. How is it possible for me
+to obey their order?" The frog replied, "Do not worry yourself over
+it, I will help you." So he pressed himself tightly over the hole,
+and she filled her pot, and carried it home on her head.
+
+Her sisters-in-law, when they saw her place the water-pot on the
+ground, full to the brim, were intensely mortified. They had looked
+for her returning with an empty pitcher, thus affording them an
+ostensible reason for maliciously upbraiding her.
+
+Another time they scattered a large basketful of Mustard seed on
+the ground, and ordered her to pick up every seed. They said to her,
+"You must gather it all into the basket again." What could she do? If
+she failed they would beat her, entreat her spitefully, and deprive
+her of food. As she gazed upon the seeds scattered all around her,
+she bewailed her unhappy condition as follows:
+
+
+        Woe is me! I must refill
+        This basket with these scattered seeds
+        Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
+        While business you far hence hath lured.
+
+
+The plaintive murmur of her song had scarcely died away when a
+large flock of pigeons alighted near her. They said, "Why do you
+weep?" She replied, "My sisters-in-law, who hate me, have scattered
+all this mustard seed on the ground, and have ordered me to pick it
+all up. One solitary seed must not be left." The pigeons said, "Do
+not vex yourself, we will soon pick it up for you." As the pigeons
+were very numerous they soon collected it all into the basket. They
+did not leave one seed on the ground.
+
+When she called her sisters-in-law to come and see how efficiently the
+work had been done, they were furious at being again balked by her,
+and vowed vengeance.
+
+Once again, when the brothers were from home, her sisters-in-law
+ordered her to go to the jungle, and bring a bale of leaves with
+which to make the family cups and plates. They said to her, "Go to
+the jungle and bring a large bale of leaves, but do so without in
+anyway tying them." What could the girl do? She had been ordered to
+perform an impossibility. If she refused, or failed to do it, her
+sisters-in-law would beat her, and deprive her of food. So she went to
+the forest bewailing her unhappy lot in the following plaintive song;
+
+
+        Woe is me! For I must bring
+        Of forest leaves an unbound bale
+        Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
+        While business you far hence hath lured.
+
+
+As she was sitting in the forest weeping a Horhorang serpent drew
+near and said, "Wherefore daughter do you grieve?" She replied,
+"My sisters-in-law hate me and have ordered me to bring leaves
+without tying them into a bundle. I cannot do this, and I fear their
+resentment, so I cannot help weeping." The Horhorang said, "Vex not
+yourself. Go and pluck your leaves and bring them here." She did so,
+and the Horhorang twined himself round them binding them into a sheaf,
+which the girl placed upon her head, and carried home.
+
+When her sisters-in-law saw the leaves, and had looked to see that
+none had fallen by the way they were greatly chagrined. They had
+expected an opportunity to reproach her with disobedience, and a
+reason for punishing her.
+
+Although her sisters-in-law had imposed so many impossibilities upon
+her, yet they had been unable to defeat her. Just at the proper time
+some one had appeared to help her.
+
+They had seen a bunch of flowers on the top of a high tree, and one
+day when their husbands were away, they said to her, "Climb up into
+the tree and pluck the flowers, we wish to dress our hair with them on
+the occasion of your marriage." No sooner had she clambered up into
+the tree than her sisters-in-law placed thorny bushes all round in
+such a manner as to prevent her coming down again. They then went home.
+
+A few days afterwards, the brothers, when returning from a distant
+market to which they had gone rested for a little under this tree. A
+tear drop fell on the hand of one of them. Looking at it he said,
+"Look brothers, this tear drop resembles those of the daughter." Then
+they looked and saw her high up in the tree. They quickly brought
+her down, and she related how in time past she had been persecuted
+by her sisters-in-law whenever they were absent. The brothers were
+wroth with their wives for having used her so cruelly.
+
+The brothers put their sister into a bag, and carried her home on a
+bullock's back. When the wives came out to welcome them, they asked,
+"Where is the daughter?" They gave no reply.
+
+Afterwards the brothers dug a deep well, and on the pretence of
+propitiating the water spirit induced their wives to stand round the
+well with offerings of rice, &c., in their hands. At a given signal
+each hurled his wife head foremost into the well. They then placed
+a cart over the opening.
+
+In return for the persecution she had endured at their hands, the
+girl used to go to the well and looking in, say, "You treated me
+cruelly once, but now, boo sisters boo."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+A SIMPLE THIEF.
+
+
+Once upon a time a man had some money given to him, and was told to
+go and buy a foal with it. So he set out to search for one. After
+a time he came to a village, and going to a house asked the people
+if they had a foal to sell, as he wished to buy one. They replied,
+"There are no foals here, but we have mare's eggs. If you will take
+them we will give them to you." He said, "I will not take eggs, I
+want a foal." He went to every house in the village asking if they
+had a foal to sell, but none was to be had; but at each they offered
+to sell to him mare's eggs.
+
+He then thought within himself, wherever I have gone they have told me
+that they have not got a foal, but that they can let me have eggs. This
+being so, why should I give myself any further trouble? I will buy
+an egg. So he was given a large gourd, and told it was a mare's
+egg. Having got, as he thought a mare's egg, he joyfully started
+to return to his home. The man who sold him the gourd informed him,
+that a foal was certain to be hatched on the way. He was still far
+from home when the sun set, so he entered a village, and passed the
+night there. In the morning he set out betimes, and about breakfast
+time he came to a tank, on the embankment of which he laid down his
+gourd. He then went into the water to clean his teeth, after which he
+began to wash his face. While he was thus engaged a jackal came and
+pushed the gourd down the embankment. The noise frightening the animal
+it ran away, but the man having caught a glimpse of it called out,
+"My foal has hatched, and is galloping off." He pursued the jackal,
+which being terror stricken fled to the jungle, and took refuge in
+his burrow. The man was pleased to see the creature enter his hole,
+and he said, "He will soon come out again, and then I shall mount him,
+and gallop him home." Having said this, he placed himself in such a
+position that when the jackal came out he could sit down on its back.
+
+He continued standing thus until nightfall, but even then he had no
+intention of relinquishing his chance of capturing his foal. Late at
+night some thieves came that way, and seeing him alone in the jungle
+asked him what he did there. He replied, "I was sent by my friends to
+buy a foal, but as I could not get one, I bought a mare's egg. I was
+informed that the egg would hatch on my way home. I spent last night
+in a village on the way side, and resumed my homeward journey in the
+morning. On arriving at a tank I laid down my egg on the embankment,
+and went down into the water, and having cleaned my teeth was washing
+my hands and face, when the egg hatched and the foal immediately ran
+away. I followed it, and saw it enter this hole, and I am waiting
+till it comes out, when I shall mount, and canter it home."
+
+The thieves said, "Leave it alone. Let it remain there. Will you kill
+yourself for this foal? Come with us, and we will give you a strong,
+beautiful horse. This one has through fear of you riding on his back
+gone into this hole. Why should you wait for him? He will stay where
+he is. Come with us, and we will supply you with a good one presently."
+
+After a little time spent in considering the offer the thieves had
+made him, he decided to accompany them. The thieves were pleased
+to receive him into their gang, and at once they proceeded towards
+a certain village. Having arrived there they went to a rich man's
+house, and dug a hole through the wall. They then said to our hero
+of the mare's egg, "You creep in." He raised no objection, but went
+willingly. They said to him, "Bring out all the heavy articles you
+can find, they are sure to be the most valuable." When inside he
+lifted up all he found to test the weight, but nothing seemed to be
+sufficiently heavy to be worth stealing. He said, "everything is light,
+what can I take out to them?" At length he came across a millstone,
+which he pushed through the hole in the wall to his confederates out
+side. Judging from its weight he expected they would be delighted to
+receive it, but they said, "Not this, Not this. Bring something worth
+stealing." So he went back, and finding a drum hanging from the roof he
+took it down, and began to beat it. When the thieves heard the sound
+of the drum they decamped, saying, "This fool is certain to betray
+us to-night." When he brought out the drum to make it over to them,
+they were nowhere to be seen, so he re-entered the house and placed
+the drum again where he had found it.
+
+He then saw some milk near the fireplace, and being hungry he
+determined to cook some food. So helping himself to some rice he began
+to prepare it by boiling it in the milk. When it was nearly cooked,
+one of the household turned over in his sleep, saying, "I will eat. I
+will eat." So he filled a ladle with the boiling rice and milk, and
+poured it into the sleeper's mouth. The hot food scalded him terribly,
+and he sprang up howling with the pain.
+
+The other members of the family also jumped to their feet, and laid
+hold of the intruder, and bound him hand and foot.
+
+When the day broke a large number of people came to see the thief,
+and began to question him, as to who were his companions. So he
+related all that had occurred. Then they said, "Of a truth, this
+man has been the means of protecting us. Had he not acted as he did,
+we would have been robbed of all we have."
+
+So they loosed his bonds, and set him free. They also allowed him to
+eat the rice and milk he had cooked, which having done, he went home.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+NOTES
+
+
+[1] Jari is the Santali name for Crotalaria Juncea, a fibre yielding
+plant the seeds of which when ripe, rattle in the pods when the plant
+is shaken.
+
+[2] Bita is Santali for span, and Bitaram is span Ram, or span-long
+Ram.
+
+[3] A small basket with a contracted opening.
+
+[4] Covering for the head and shoulders made of leaves pinned together,
+worn as a protection from the rain by women, while planting rice.
+
+[5] Said to bullocks when ploughing to cause them to turn at the end
+of a furrow.
+
+[6] Ghur pank is a phrase used by ploughmen when turning their bullocks
+at the end of a furrow.
+
+[7] Mount the buffalo.
+
+[8] The spirit believed to preside over a certain class of rice land.
+
+[9] Semi-Hinduised aborigines, whose touch is considered polluting.
+
+[10] Ficus religiosa, Willd. one of the hugest of India's many
+huge trees.
+
+[11] The fibre yielded by Bauhinia Vahlii, W. and A. goes under that
+name among the Santals.
+
+[12] Lelha in Santali means foolish.
+
+[13] Diamonds.
+
+[14] A mythical gem, said to be found in the heads of certain snakes.
+
+[15] Celestial horses.
+
+[16] Celestial Maiden.
+
+[17] AEgle Marmelos, Correa.
+
+[18] A mythical bird which figures largely in Indian folk lore.
+
+[19] Huti is the name given by Santals to a certain timber boring
+insect. Budhi is an old woman.
+
+[20] Calotropis gigantea, R. Br.
+
+[21] Diospyros tomentosa.
+
+[22] Ischoemum agustifolium, Hack.
+
+[23] Stereospermum suaveolens, D. C.
+
+[24] Recinus communis, Linn.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Santal Folk Tales, by A. Campbell
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