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Note.
Note.
With regard to the exorcism of the flies, I give a relation of the similar treatment of locusts in Abyssinia, by Father Francis Alvarez, who visited that country in 1520, in the suite of a Portuguese Ambassador. The account is appended in Pory’s translation of the History of Africa , by Leo Africanus, 1600, p. 352 . An appeal having been made to Alvarez to drive away an enormous flight of locusts, “ which to our iudgement couered fower and twentie miles of lande, ” the following is his own recor
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STORIES OF THE CULTIVATING CASTE
STORIES OF THE CULTIVATING CASTE
At a certain place in Lan̥kāwa (Ceylon), there was an extensive forest. In that forest there were elephants, bears, leopards, wan̆durās, 2 and many other jungle animals. At any time whatever, at the time when any animal springs for seizing an animal that is its prey, it comes running near a rock that is in an open place in the forest. Having arrived near the rock, the animal that ran through fear goes bounding back after the animal that is chasing it. Regarding that rock, it was the custom that
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No. 76 A Legend of Kandy1
No. 76 A Legend of Kandy1
1 The Sinhalese title is, “The Jackal and the Basket-mender,”—at least this is what I take to be the meaning of Kulupottā , a word I do not know, deriving pottā from the Tamil pottu , to mend; compare Kuḷuyara , a basket-maker. ↑ 2 A large monkey of two species ( Semnopithecus ). ↑ 3 Deriving Seṇ from sema . Kandy appears to have been founded at the beginning of the fourteenth century ( Ancient Ceylon , p. 354, note). ↑ In a certain country there were a Gamarāla and a daughter of the Gamarāla
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No. 1 The Making of the Great Earth
No. 1 The Making of the Great Earth
After that, the God Great Vishnu, having returned to this world, placed a lotus seed in the water. Having placed it there, in seven days the lotus seed sprouted. Then the God Vishnu again went to the dwelling-place of Rāhu. Having gone there, he spoke to Rāhu, the Asura Chief: “The lotus plant has now sprouted.” Afterwards Rāhu arose, and came with the God Vishnu to this world. Having made ready to descend into the water, he asked Great Vishnu, “What thing am I to bring up from the bottom of the
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No. 2 The Sun, the Moon, and Great Paddy
No. 2 The Sun, the Moon, and Great Paddy
Then that son said, “Mother, hold a pot.” After that, the mother brought it and held it. The son struck down his finger nail in it. Then the pot was filled and overflowed. Afterwards the mother, having eaten the rice and curry, gave authority to those three persons, to the elder brother, to the younger brother, and to the sister older than both of them. Firstly, having called the elder sister she said, “Thou shalt be cooked even in hell.” That elder sister herself now having become Great Paddy,
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No. 77 The Gamarāla’s Daughter
No. 77 The Gamarāla’s Daughter
The crow said, “Being without a light, what art thou lamenting for?” The girl said, “A King was coming and coming to our house. Our stepmother having placed some finger-nails on the threshold, they pricked the King’s foot, and having gone to the city he does not come now. On account of that I am lamenting.” Then the crow said, “What are you lamenting for on that account! Having shot (with bow and arrow) a crow that is flying [in the air] above, and extracted its fat, should you take it to the ci
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No. 3 The Story of Senasurā1
No. 3 The Story of Senasurā1
In that very country there is an astrologer ( naekatrāla ). Having gone to him, he informed the astrologer of the evil influence that there was from Senasurā [and how he had outwitted him]. Then the astrologer said, “Until the time when you die the evil influence of Senasurā over you will not be laid aside.” The man said, “Can you tell me the place where Senasurā is [and what I must say to him]?” The astrologer replied, “Senasurā having taken a man’s disguise and come to your house, will talk wi
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No. 78 The Gamarāla’s Girl
No. 78 The Gamarāla’s Girl
So the girl asked, “What, father, are you crying for to-day also?” Then the Gamarāla says, “Anē! Daughter, the King is coming to-morrow to summon you in marriage, and return. Owing to it, the King said to me, ‘Having built inner sheds and outer sheds, having milked milk from oxen and caused it to curdle, and having expressed oil from sand, place them [ready].’ Now, then, how shall I do those things? It is through being unable that I am weeping.” Then the girl says, “Father, no matter for that. S
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No. 4 The Glass Princess
No. 4 The Glass Princess
The Prince who did not go, but stayed at home, knew that there was a pool on the way, and that there was also a Cobra which had charge of that pool. The Prince was well aware that if the people who went to the marriage came there, and being thirsty drank the water, that Cobra would ask for a human offering. How was that? A deity came to the Prince in a dream and told him. Having learnt this, the Prince went, and at the time when they were coming hid himself near the pool, and remained there. The
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No. 79 How Gourds were put in Small-Mouthed Pots
No. 79 How Gourds were put in Small-Mouthed Pots
Having waited until the time when he was going, what does this girl do? Having made up her hair-knot on the top of her head, tying it there, tying on a bosom necklace ( mālayak ) like the Heṭṭiyās, she went to the sewing-shop. Learning sewing for the whole of the six months, she sewed a good hat, putting a dirty cloth at the bottom [inside it], and above it having fastened [precious] stones; it was at the sewing-shop. At that time, as that King, the six months having been spent, was coming home
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No. 80 The Royal Prince and the Carpenter’s Son
No. 80 The Royal Prince and the Carpenter’s Son
The Carpenter’s son said, “You go, and, taking the stone, come back running, without having looked back. The Cobra will come running; then I will cut it down.” The Prince said, “I cannot; you go and bring it.” Thereafter, the Carpenter’s son having gone, at the time when he was coming back [after] taking the stone, the Cobra came after him, crying and crying out. The Prince, taking [the stone] and having waited, cut it down. Instantly, both of them having mounted on the back of the horse, began
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No. 5 The Frog Prince
No. 5 The Frog Prince
On the next day he went to the house of the Rākshasī. She was not at home; the Rākshasī’s daughter was there. That girl having seen the Prince coming and not knowing him, asked, “Elder brother, elder brother, where are you going?” The Prince said, “Younger sister, I am not going anywhere whatever. I came to beg at your hands the Jewelled Golden Cock which you have got.” To that she replied, “Elder brother, to-day indeed I am unable to give it. To-morrow I can. Should my mother come now she will
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No. 81 Concerning a Royal Prince and a Princess1
No. 81 Concerning a Royal Prince and a Princess1
As soon as she saw him, the Princess thought, “If I marry the Prince it is good.” The Prince also thought, “If I marry this Princess it is good.” Except that the two thought to themselves of each other, there was no means of talking together. Because of it, the Princess, plucking a blue-lotus flower in the pool, placed it on her head after having smelt (kissed) it; and again, having crushed it, threw it down, and trampled on it. The Princess did thus for the Prince to perceive that when he marri
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No. 6 The Millet Trader
No. 6 The Millet Trader
Afterwards the woman said, “Now then, are we not cutting the child’s hair to-morrow? Now, what will you give on account of it?” The millet trader said, “What have I got to give? When coming for millet I only brought four tuttu.” 2 Then the woman, saying, “Be off! Be off! Roḍiyā! Are you the millet trader, Bola?” drove him away. When he had gone back to the shed, she again put a gill of rice in water, and having pounded it and very rapidly cooked cakes and brought them into the house, lay down. A
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The Nobleman2 and his Five Sons. (Variant a.)
The Nobleman2 and his Five Sons. (Variant a.)
After he asked it, this one says, “Father, you have asked me if a female crow has laid eggs in a tree. Is it not so?” he asked. Thereupon, the nobleman said to the one who was able to shoot, “Come here. Without the female crow’s knowing it, and without breaking the egg, shoot thou so that it may become marked [only],—an egg out of the eggs that are in that nest,” he said. The nobleman’s son having said, “It is good,” shot in the manner he told him. Then this nobleman, having summoned the thief,
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No. 7 The Turtle Dove
No. 7 The Turtle Dove
The two Princes took the bundle of cooked rice and went away. Having gone on and on, being hungry they sat down in the shade of a great forest. For rinsing their mouths after chewing betel, before eating rice, there was no water. While they were seated there, a turtle-dove came and fell down, making a noise, “tas,” as it struck the ground. The younger brother asked, “Elder brother, what shall we do with this turtle-dove?” Then the elder brother said, “Hide it in a heap of leaves, for us to eat i
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No. 8 The Prince and the Princess
No. 8 The Prince and the Princess
So the Prince filled it and gave it, and the Prince and Princess having got married stopped many days at the Prince’s house. Then the King said to the Prince, “Because at first you said that you did not want the kingdom, that you only wanted the Princess, you shall not live at my house. Go where you want.” Then having gone to the Princess’s house, after they had been living there many days the father of the Princess said, “Taking a well of gold, I sold the Princess. You shall not live at my hous
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The Seven Princes. (Variant b.)
The Seven Princes. (Variant b.)
After that, the Prince said, “Let us go to look at that other elder brother of ours.” They came near the Prince who remained near the man who knows the crows’ language. Having come there, when they looked he, also, was learning the crows’ language better than the man who knows the crows’ language. After that, the Prince said, “Let us go near that other elder brother of ours, near the Prince who remained near the soothsayer. ” The whole of the six Princes having come, when they looked he, also, w
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The Attempt of Four Brāhmaṇa Princes to Marry. (Variant c.)
The Attempt of Four Brāhmaṇa Princes to Marry. (Variant c.)
In the Kathā Sarit Sāgara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 349, four Brāhmaṇa brothers decided to “search through the earth and acquire some magic power.” So they separated and went east, west, north, and south, after fixing upon a meeting-place. The rest of the story differs from the Sinhalese one; they met together, found a piece of bone, gave it flesh, hide, limbs, and life, so that it became a lion which killed them. In the same work, vol. i, p. 499, four men wanted to marry a Princess; one was a cleve
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No. 9 Tamarind Ṭikkā
No. 9 Tamarind Ṭikkā
As the eldest brother was going along the road on which was the tree, the woman said, “Anē! Elder brother, look at my boy’s horoscope.” He said, “I will not.” As the next brother was going she said, “Anē! Elder brother, look at my boy’s horoscope.” He said, “I will not.” Thus, in that way all the six elder brothers refused. Afterwards, when the youngest brother was going, on her saying, “Anē! Elder brother, look at my boy’s horoscope,” he said , “Hā,” and went. When he looked at it, the astrolog
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No. 10 Mātalangē Loku-Appu
No. 10 Mātalangē Loku-Appu
Having nothing to live upon, Loku-Appu now began to borrow from some tom-tom beaters. After a few months, these men, finding that he did not repay them, called on him to make him come to a settlement. Loku-Appu saw them at a distance, and guessing their errand, put a young girl into the corn store-room, and began to trim a club with his knife. When the creditors arrived he requested them to be seated. Soon afterwards he fetched up an old woman who lived in the house, gave her a smart blow with t
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No. 83 The Story of Kaḷundāwa
No. 83 The Story of Kaḷundāwa
Then the woman said, “Where have you cattle to plough?” Having said it, she laughed. This one said, “There will be a yoke of cattle for me in the rice field.” Having gone to the field, when he looked, both the wild buffaloes had come, presenting their necks to the yoke. Well then, this one having tied the yoke began to plough. His wife having come to the rice field taking the food, when she looked, saw that this one is ploughing. Afterwards, having gone near the yoke, she said, “There will be mu
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No. 11 The White Turtle
No. 11 The White Turtle
“We eat a few fruits and crabs,” the two jackals said. “What do you eat?” “We eat dried-fish fry,” they said. Saying , “We do not want two jackals,” the two women still go on. While they were going, an elder brother and a younger brother were ploughing. They asked the two women, “Where are you going?” “We are going to a country where they give to eat and to wear,” they said. The two women asked, “What do you eat?” “We eat dry-fish fry,” they said. “Then both parties eat it,” they said. “It is go
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No. 84 How the Poor Prince became King
No. 84 How the Poor Prince became King
The Prince says, “How shall I go in that way? My parents will seek me. Because of it, having gone to the city, and asked at the hand of my parents I will come,” he said. Then the man said, “I will be of the assistance that parents are of. You come with me.” Afterwards the Prince went with the man. Having gone, they went to a city. Staying at a resting-place at the city, and doing hired work in the city, the two persons are getting their living. When they were there no long time, one day the man
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No. 12 The Black Storks’ Girl
No. 12 The Black Storks’ Girl
After a time, the girl having become big, the female Black Stork and the male Black Stork said, “Daughter, we must go for golden bracelets and golden anklets for you.” At that house there were a Parrot, a Dog, and a Cat, which were reared there. The two Storks told the girl, “Daughter, after we have gone, do not reduce the food of either the Parrot, or the Dog, or the Cat. Until we return, be careful not to put out the fire on the hearth, and not to go anywhere whatever.” After saying this, they
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No. 85 How the Gardener became King
No. 85 How the Gardener became King
After that, the Adikārama said to the gardener, “Come, and go to the palace.” The two persons having gone to the palace, and [the Minister] having decorated the gardener with the royal insignia ( ābaraṇa ), while he was on the Lion throne all the Chiefs make obeisance. 2 The Adikārama does not make obeisance. Regarding this matter the King thought he must tell him a parable. Having thought so, and having called the Adikārama, he said, “In the midst of the forest there are many kinds of trees. Ha
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No. 13 The Golden Kaekiri Fruit
No. 13 The Golden Kaekiri Fruit
The woman said, “It is in my mind to eat your daughter’s two eyes.” Afterwards the man called the girl, and said, “Daughter, a yoke of cattle are missing; let us go and seek them.” While he went with the girl, taking a cord, the dog also followed behind. Having gone into a great forest, he said, “Daughter, come here in order that I may look at your head.” 3 While he was looking and looking at it, the girl fell asleep. Then the man placed the girl against a tree, and tied her to it; and having cu
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No. 86 How the Foolish Man became King
No. 86 How the Foolish Man became King
After that, this man having given the two elephants, at the time when he was going on taking the twelve dogs he met with a company of potters, taking some pingo (carrying-stick) loads of pots. Then the man asked, “From these twelve dogs taking six, will you give me for cooking in order to eat, a small cooking pot and a large cooking pot?” The men said, “It is good.” After that, the man having given six dogs, taking a small cooking pot and a large cooking pot he went hunting with the other six do
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No. 87 The Foolish Man
No. 87 The Foolish Man
Then the man was caused to exclaim “Hobbancōḍi” 2 ; “Wellawaehun” was forgotten. From there until the time when he comes to his village, having come saying and saying “Hobbancōḍi, Hobbancōḍi,” he says to his wife, “Bolan, to-day in our girl’s quarter I ate Hobbancōḍi. The taste is very good; you cook them, too.” Thereupon the woman says, “Anē! I have not even heard of them since I was born, so how shall I cook them?” Then the man, saying and saying, “What, Bola! Strumpet! Do you say you don’t kn
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No. 14 The Four Deaf Persons
No. 14 The Four Deaf Persons
The woman said, “Marry thy father! What is it to thee whether my works are good or not good now?” and she quarrelled with her. The woman having gone to the place where her husband was watching a sweet-potato chena during the day time, on account of thieves uprooting the plants, said, “To-day my daughter having taken cooked rice to the field, and having given it and returned, quarrelled with me, saying that the plaiting of my mat was bad. I also indeed scolded her a great deal, saying, ‘What is i
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No. 88 The Story of Marirāla
No. 88 The Story of Marirāla
Beginning from that time ( taen ), until he dies everybody called him Mariyā (Barterer). North-western Province. 1 Mariyek , probably intended for māriyek , from the Tamil root māṛu , in compounds māṛi , to exchange or barter. ↑ A Brāhmaṇa having told some men to come from a certain city, and having praised the robes which the King of the city is wearing, this Brāhmaṇa made seven stanzas, and gave them to those seven men. Those very seven men having taken the seven stanzas and gone, employed ye
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No. 15 The Prince and the Yakā
No. 15 The Prince and the Yakā
The Prince said, “I do not know the fords in this country; therefore tell me of a path by which we can go to another country.” The youth replied, “There is a river here. On the other side of it there is a city, to go to which there is not a short road from here. However, there is another road further on. By it we must pass over a bridge.” “If so,” said the Prince, “having bathed here let us go.” Having seen that three Princesses who were at the city on the other side were bathing, he also was pl
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No. 16 How a Yakā and a Man fought
No. 16 How a Yakā and a Man fought
1 The word used indicates the use of guns, and not bows and arrows. ↑ 2 A Vedarāla (medical practitioner) or another man who knows the spells and magical practices which have power over demons. ↑ 3 Ārakshā baendalā. ↑ 4 Ē minihāṭa waehilā, māyan wenḍa paṭangattā. ↑ In a certain country there was a man who had cut a chena. The man, without any one joining with him, went one day and made ready to cut a fresh chena at a place where there was a large tree. Then the Yakā who dwelt in the tree b
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No. 89 The Invisible Silk Robe1
No. 89 The Invisible Silk Robe1
After that, those men having come, said to the King, “Having woven the copper [coloured] silk robe, it is finished. For you, Sir, with our [own] hands we must robe you in it,” they said. “Having got out all the clothes which there are, descended from seven ancestors in succession, you must dress. Having dressed, you must give us all those clothes,” they said to the King. The King, having heard the word, taking out all the royal vestments 6 that were of the time of his ancestors, and having adorn
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No. 90 The Foolish Youth
No. 90 The Foolish Youth
Afterwards the youth, having said “Hā,” went with the thieves to break [into] the house. Having gone there and bored a hole through the wall, the thieves said to the youth who went for plates, “Go inside the house and put out into the light both all the things which you can lift and [the things] which you cannot lift. We will take them.” After that, the youth, having crept into the house, put out all the things which the youth could lift. Having put them out, the youth could not lift the stone o
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No. 17 Concerning a Man and Two Yakās
No. 17 Concerning a Man and Two Yakās
So the man, taking the knife that was on the shelf, went near the bed to get the pine-apple. Then the Yakā, thinking he was coming to kill and eat him, said, “Lord, do not eat me. I will bring and give you each month anything you want.” So the man saying, “It is good,” sent away the Yakā. Then the Yakā met that other Yakā, and said, “When I went to set you free I also was caught. Both of us are in the same state.” After that he gave the things monthly. Then this man having become a great wealthy
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The Four Difficult Questions.
The Four Difficult Questions.
A certain King said to his Chief Minister, “Find me a man who can measure the world and show me the centre of it, and who can count me the number of the stars.” The Minister considered the matter carefully, but could think of no way of complying with the King’s orders. At last his wife said, “I can see that something is troubling you. Tell me what it is; perhaps I can assist you.” Then he told her the orders of the King, and that he did not know where to look for any one who could do what the Ki
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No. 91 The Story of the Seven Thieves
No. 91 The Story of the Seven Thieves
Again also, one day having seen that there are two clumps of sugar-cane at a house, they said, “Cutting two from that for food for us, come away,” and sent him. And this one having gone there and seen that there are equal shares of black and white sugar-canes, while he was asking, “Which sugar-cane of these shall I bring?” just as before, the owners having come and said, “What are you cutting sugar-cane for?” drove him away. While he was continuing to commit robberies in that manner for not many
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No. 19 The Faithless Princess
No. 19 The Faithless Princess
Afterwards the Princess having given gold to the goldsmith, and having got a waist-chain made, told him to make a case for it. The goldsmith made it, and gave it. Then the Princess went to the place where the cobra was, and cut off its hood; and placing the cobra in the case of the golden waist-chain, the Princess put it round her waist. Having it there, when they had eaten and drunk in the evening, and lighted the lamp in the house, both of them went into the house. Then the Princess said to th
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No. 92 The King who became a Thief
No. 92 The King who became a Thief
Afterwards, when she was there a little time [with them] the Princess bore a Prince. The Prince became considerably big. Afterwards he asked at the hand of the Princess, “Mother, where is my father?” Then the Princess said, “Son, your father is such and such a King of such and such a city. The King having wagered that he will take me in marriage, said that he will inflict on me unimposed punishments. I said, ‘Having borne a Prince to you, I will employ the Prince and [get him to] tie you to your
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No. 20 The Prince who did not go to School
No. 20 The Prince who did not go to School
The four persons having gone on and on, went near the house of a Rākshasī at a city. Sitting down there, the Prince said to one of the giants, “There! Go to that house and bring thou cooking pots and fire.” So that giant went to the house of the Rākshasī. As he arrived there, the Rākshasī was pouring water over (i.e. bathing) a child. The giant went near the Rākshasī, and said, “Anē! Give me fire and cooking pots.” The Rākshasī told him the way to the house in which she ate human flesh, and said
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No. 93 The Female Fowl Thief
No. 93 The Female Fowl Thief
Then the man scolds her: “Bola, strumpet! During the whole night thou canst go to steal fowls; why canst thou not go to bring a bundle of firewood?” Well then, the woman having said, “It is not so,” began to swear [to it]. Then the man having said, “What are these, Bola?” showed her the fowl bones. Then the woman’s breath was drawn upward 2 ; in that very way the woman’s life departed. North-western Province. 1 It is a general belief of village Sinhalese and Vaeddās that evil spirits or Yakās th
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No. 21 Nagul-Munnā
No. 21 Nagul-Munnā
There was a large mask in it. Taking it, and tying it on his face, he went to the village when it became night, and having gone to a house there, broke the neck of a calf that was tied near it, and sprang into the rice-field near by. Having made a noise by shaking the jingling bracelets, and given three cries, “Hū, Hū, Hū,” he shouted, “If you do not give a leaf-cup of rice and a young coconut at dawn, and at night a leaf-cup of rice and a young coconut, I will kill all the cattle and men that a
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No. 94 Gampolayā and Raehigamayā
No. 94 Gampolayā and Raehigamayā
He took the pingo load of betel leaves to his country. Having gone there and having untied it, when he looked it was a pingo load of [worthless] pepper leaves. [The other man], taking the pingo load of areka-nuts, went to his village. Having gone [there] and unfastened it, when he looked they were [worthless] Īriya fruits. Well then, those two persons came together at the travellers’ shed on another day. They spoke: “That day our trading did not go on properly. Now then, friend, we two being thi
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No. 22 The Kulē-bakā Flowers
No. 22 The Kulē-bakā Flowers
Having gone there, this Prince having fallen down near the feet of that old woman and made obeisance, weeping and weeping, these words are what he said, “Mother, are you in the enjoyment of health? Do not you let your face be even visible (to) scrofulous offspring. When lightning has struck you (may it) take your progeny.” 2 Having spoken and spoken with these honours he remained weeping. The woman’s child, not of small age, was there, and having said similar things to the child also, and while
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No. 95 The Story of the Two Liars
No. 95 The Story of the Two Liars
Thereupon this very person, taking those sticks and creepers, and turning to the same quarter, went in chase of him. 4 At that time the Eastern Liar had gone to sleep. Having heard the sound of the coming of the Western Liar, he arose. That person having become frightened at the sound of his (the Western Liar’s) coming, to take the packet of cooked rice seized the branch on which is the packet of cooked rice. Thereupon the tree, being completely uprooted, came into his hand. Taking also the tree
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No. 23 Kurulu-gama Appu, the Sooth-sayer
No. 23 Kurulu-gama Appu, the Sooth-sayer
The people of the party said to the Vedarāla, “Vedarāla, why are you staying looking about? Night is coming on. We must seek a little firewood and water,” they spoke together. The house persons having heard these words, said, “What is this, that you are saying ‘Vedarāla’? Does he know sooth and the like?” they asked. 2 The persons of the party said without a reason for it ( nikamaṭa ), “To a certain extent he can tell matters of sooth.” “If so, don’t be delayed on account of anything you want. W
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No. 96 The Three Heṭṭiyās
No. 96 The Three Heṭṭiyās
Having said so, the whole three having come, Big Heṭṭiyā, with the key that he had, opened the big box; Middle Heṭṭiyā, with the key that he had, opened [his]; Little Heṭṭiyā, with the key that he had, opened [his]. When they looked there was no gem. After that, the three keys being in the hands of the three persons, having said, “Who opened [the boxes]?” the three persons struck each other. [After] striking, they went near the King for a law suit. Having gone, the whole three persons said, “O L
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No. 24 How a Prince was chased by a Yaksanī, and what befel
No. 24 How a Prince was chased by a Yaksanī, and what befel
When the King went there and looked, he found that it was true, and gave orders for the twelve Queens to be killed. Then the Yaksanī told him not to kill them, but to pluck out their eyes, and send them into the midst of the forest. Having heard the words which the Yaksanī said, he acted in that very manner. So all this party of Queens went and stayed in one spot, and there all the twelve bore children. As each one was born, they divided and ate it. The youngest Queen put aside all the flesh tha
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No. 97 Concerning Two Friends
No. 97 Concerning Two Friends
The man said, “To-day, indeed, I met with a plate.” [He gave the Heṭṭiyā an account of its good properties.] Thereupon, the Heṭṭiyā, having made the man drink arrack (spirit distilled from palm-juice), and made him drunk, and allowed him to sleep on the bed, took the plate. Taking it, he put another plate into the man’s bread box. Then the man having become conscious, and gone home, told the man’s wife, “Don’t cook; we shall receive food.” Having well polished the plate, and spread a white cloth
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No. 98 Concerning Four Friends
No. 98 Concerning Four Friends
After that the King asked, “Was the dog’s broken leg so thoroughly broken that it could not place the foot on the ground?” The three persons said, “It could not place the foot on the ground even a little.” Then the King having considered, said regarding it, “Because it went by means of the three legs which belonged to you three persons, by your fault the cotton has been burnt, and [the amount of] his loss must be given to that one by you three persons.” After that, by those three persons the pri
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No. 25 The Wicked King
No. 25 The Wicked King
After that, the King said, “Take this one and put him down in the road on which five hundred carts are coming.” So the Minister having taken the Prince, and put him down in the road on which five hundred carts were coming, returned. Then the carters, having seen from afar that the Prince was there, took the Prince, and placed him in a cart, and went home with him. On the following day the King said to the Minister, “Go and look if the Prince is in the road on which the five hundred carts come, a
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No. 26 The Kitul Seeds
No. 26 The Kitul Seeds
There was once a certain King who was greatly wanting in common sense, and in his kingdom there was a Paṇḍitayā who was extremely wise. The King had a very beautiful white horse of which he was very proud. The Paṇḍitayā was respected and revered by all, but for the King little or no respect was felt, on account of his foolish conduct. He observed this, and became jealous of the Paṇḍitayā’s popularity, so he determined to destroy him. One day he sent for him. The Paṇḍitayā came and prostrated him
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No. 99 Concerning a Horse
No. 99 Concerning a Horse
At a certain city there are a King and a Queen, it is said. While they are there, one day the Queen with the female slave went to bathe at the pool in the King’s garden. Having gone there, the Queen, having taken off her garments and put them down, placed her necklace upon the garments; and having told the female slave to stay there the Queen went into the pool, and is bathing. Then the female slave went to bathe. A thievish female Grey Monkey ( Waendiriyak ) that was in the garden, took the nec
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No. 100 The Story of the Pearl Necklace
No. 100 The Story of the Pearl Necklace
Then the man thought to himself, “Should I say that I did not take this necklace, the King will behead me. Because of it, I must say that I took it.” Having thought this, he said, “I took it.” Then the King asked, “Where is it now?” The man said, “I gave it to the Treasurer ( siṭānō ) of this city.” Afterwards the King having caused the Treasurer to be brought, asked, “Did this man give thee a necklace?” Thereupon the Treasurer thought to himself, “Should I say that he did not give it to me, he
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No. 27 The Speaking Horse
No. 27 The Speaking Horse
E. G. Goonewardene, Esqre. North-western Province. 1 Sādhu Maharājani. ↑ A female Quail having laid an egg on a rock, went to eat food. Then the [overhanging] rock closed over it, and when the bird returned there was no egg. “Andō! There is no egg,” she said. Well then, she went to the Mason. The Mason said, “Sit down, O Bird.” “What is [the use of] sitting and staying? What is [the use of] betel leaf and areka nut at the corner of the bed? Cut the rock, and give me the egg, O Mason,” she said
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No. 101 The Widow Woman and Loku-Appuhāmi
No. 101 The Widow Woman and Loku-Appuhāmi
When they were going, this boy they call Loku-Appuhāmi was colouring a cudgel in a good manner. Before that, he had said to his mother, 3 “At first when the men come, when I am asking for betel and areka-nut, you remain silent, looking on. Then I shall come and beat you [with this cudgel]; then fall down as though you died. When I am calling you a second time, do you, having gone into the house and dressed well, like a good-looking young girl, bring the betel box,” he said. Well then, she did in
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No. 28 The Female Quail
No. 28 The Female Quail
The Pig said, “I will not.” From there she went to the Vaeddā. The Vaeddā said, “Sit down, O Bird.” “What is the use of sitting and staying? What is the use of betel leaf and areka nut at the corner of the bed? O Vaeddā, shoot (with bow and arrow) the Pig, the Pig who did not feed in the rice field of the Village Headman, the Village Headman who did not tie up the house-door of the Mason, the Mason who did not cut the rock, and give me the egg,” she said. The Vaeddā said, “I will not.” From ther
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No. 102 The Decoction of Eight Nelli Fruits1
No. 102 The Decoction of Eight Nelli Fruits1
While he was looking about for a little time, the yoke of buffaloes, having stayed in that chena jungle and being thirsty, came there and drank water from that pool. While they were drinking, the man went to them, and catching the yoke of buffaloes, took them to the village. Having gone [there] he ate rice, and the [action of the medicine] ceased. On the following day, the man, tying up a pingo (carrying-stick) load and going with it, gave many presents to the Vedarāla’s boy. When a little time
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No. 29 The Pied Robin
No. 29 The Pied Robin
The blind man said, “Would it be bad if you went with me?” The blind man said, “Having chewed an eel, I drink a little water.” Then the bird said, “Chi! Bullock, Chi!” and while going on again she met with a Hunchback, chopping and chopping at a bank ( nīra ) in a rice field. The Hunchback said, “Where are you going?” The Hunchback said, “Would it be bad if you went with me?” The Hunchback said, “I eat rice cakes.” Then the bird having said, “Hā. It is good,” the Hunchback said, “I put rice on t
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No. 30 The Jackal and the Hare
No. 30 The Jackal and the Hare
The man came up, and when going on from there, having seen that the Hare was dead, placed the bill-hook and betel-cutter on the path, and went to get the Hare. Then the Jackal carried the bill-hook and the betel-cutter into the bushes. As that man was coming near to take the Hare, it got up and ran away. So that man had neither the bill-hook, nor the betel-cutter, nor the Hare. He went home empty-handed. As the Jackal and Hare were looking out again, they saw a potter coming, bringing a pingo lo
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No. 103. The Prince and Princess and Two Dēvatāwās
No. 103. The Prince and Princess and Two Dēvatāwās
The Dēvatāwā having come, says, “Do not ye allow this quarrel to occur; the two persons are of equal beauty.” Afterwards the Dēvatāwā tells the Dēvatāwī, “Please bring the Princess to her city, and place her [as before],” he said. The Dēvatāwī did so. Afterwards, in the morning the Prince having arisen, not knowing this wonder that had happened, with the thought that it was done by his father the King, not eating, not drinking, he began to beg his father the King, and the Ministers, to give him
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No. 104 Concerning the Prince and the Princess who was Sold
No. 104 Concerning the Prince and the Princess who was Sold
Thereupon this Prince, having seen the torment they were causing to the dead body, said, “It is good”; and having given four hundred masuran to the four men, and further having given five hundred masuran, and caused the corpse to be buried, the Prince went away. That dead man having gone, was [re]born, and became a fish in the sea. When this Prince went from that city to another city, he saw that on account of a want of money the King was selling a Princess and two Princes of the King of the cit
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No. 31 The Leopard and the Mouse-deer
No. 31 The Leopard and the Mouse-deer
As they were going there, the Mouse-deer, having seen that the Jackal was bringing the Leopard, began to beat the young ones. When the young ones were squalling, the Mouse-deer having come out, says, “Don’t cry; the Jackal is bringing another Leopard for you.” Then she says to the Jackal, “Jackal-artificer, after I told you to bring seven yoke of Leopards, what has the Jackal-artificer come for, tying a creeper to only this one lean Leopard?” After she had asked this, the Leopard thought, “They
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No. 105 The Princess Heṭṭirāla
No. 105 The Princess Heṭṭirāla
This multitude being unable to go away, a number of years went by. The Princess’s parents having ascertained that that Prince’s Princess is living alone, without the Prince, the two came to go away with the Princess. That King and Queen (the Prince’s parents), having said that on the top of the sorrow at the loss of the Prince they cannot send away the Princess also, were much agitated. But the Princess’s parents without listening to it, joining with the Princess went to the Princess’s country.
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No. 32 The Crocodile’s Wedding
No. 32 The Crocodile’s Wedding
The Jackal having gone to the dead body of the Elephant, and eaten it even until nightfall, came to the river after night had set in. As he was saying “Friend,” the Crocodile rose to the surface, and asked, “Friend, did you get it settled to-day?” The Jackal said, “Friend, I have indeed settled the matter. They told me to come to-morrow in order to summon her to come. On that account put me on the far bank.” After that, the Crocodile, placing the Jackal on his back, went across the river, and ha
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No. 33 The Gamarāla’s Cakes
No. 33 The Gamarāla’s Cakes
The people of the house replied, “It is good,” and taking a little of the rice fried some cakes. The woman who fried them then looked into the account. “For the trouble of pounding the rice and grinding it into flour, I want ten cakes,” she said. “Also for the oil and coconuts I want ten cakes, and for going for firewood, and for the trouble of frying the cakes, I want ten cakes.” So that on the whole account for cooking the cakes it was made out that the Gamarāla must give five cakes. Next day
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No. 106 The Maehiyallē-gama Princess
No. 106 The Maehiyallē-gama Princess
The servants again having gone, said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not sit down.” Then the Princess told them to give him a chair. Afterwards the servants gave a chair. The servants again went and said at the hand of the Princess, “He did not sit down.” The Princess told them to give him a couch. Afterwards the servants gave a couch. The servants went and said at the hand of the Princess, “Then, also, he did not sit down.” Afterwards the Princess said, “Give the couch on which I recline,
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No. 34 The Kinnarā and the Parrots
No. 34 The Kinnarā and the Parrots
While they were under the net in that way, the Parrot Chief says to the other Parrots, “How has another tree grown up under this tree that we live in?” thus the Parrot Chief asked the other Parrots. “At a time when I was not here did ye give a resting-place to any one else?” Then the Parrots say, “One day when it was raining at night, a Crow having come and stayed here, went away,” they said. Then the Parrot Chief says, “I told you that very thing, ‘Don’t give a resting-place to any one whatsoev
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No. 107 The Wicked Princess
No. 107 The Wicked Princess
“No matter for that.” “My army! Come. Kill this Prince.” Then the Vaeddās came running, bringing bows and arrows. The Prince having said to the Princess, “You sit down. Look at what I do to these Vaeddās. Don’t cry. The favour of the Gods is for us,” taking his bow, fights with the army of the Vaedda King. Having said, “Shoot! Kill the Prince!” all came, and sprang [forward], and began to shoot. The Prince having given his sword into the hand of his very Princess, taking the bow began to shoot a
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No. 108 Holman Pissā
No. 108 Holman Pissā
When she was there a little time a Prince was born. Having been born, during the time while he was there, that teacher who had imposed [on the King], in much grief wrote false letters to the whole of the various cities that her father the King was very unwell, and that having seen the letter she was to come speedily; and he sent the letters. The King who had married this Princess having received the letter and looked at the letter, told the Princess. Because a King does not go to yet [another] c
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No. 35 How a Jackal settled a Lawsuit.
No. 35 How a Jackal settled a Lawsuit.
When the servant had taken the horse, and gone a considerable distance, after he looked [he found that] night was coming on. On seeing it, taking the horse and saying, “This night I cannot go,” having sought and sought for a resting-place, he met with a place where there were chekkus (mills for expressing oil). There this man found a resting-place; and having tied the horse to an oil-mill, this servant went to a village, and ate and drank, and having returned went to a shed at the side of the oi
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No. 109 Concerning a Vaeddā and a Bride
No. 109 Concerning a Vaeddā and a Bride
At that time the Vaeddā thought, “A better shooter than I is this one.” In order to inquire further, the two persons, having joined together, began to go through the midst of the forest. At the time when they were going they saw yet a man who is looking upward. These two having gone near asked, “What are you staying looking upward for?” The man said, “I see the celestial nymphs 1 dancing in the divine world.” The two persons spoke together: “In sight this person is more dexterous than we.” There
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No. 36 The Jackal and the Turtle
No. 36 The Jackal and the Turtle
Then the Jackal having taken hold of the Turtle with his mouth, and placed it in a pond containing water, when he had been treading on it [to prevent it from escaping] for a little time, the Turtle says, “Now every place is soaked. Under the sole of your foot, Sir, I have not got wet. Should you raise the sole of your foot a little it would be good,” it said. So the Jackal raised the foot a little. Then the Turtle crept to the bottom of the mud. The Jackal quickly seized the Turtle [by its leg]
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No. 110 A Story about a Vaeddā1
No. 110 A Story about a Vaeddā1
It was not long before this Vaeddā one night killed a buffalo, and [taking some of the flesh] said to the Princess, “Cook this, and give it to me.” The Princess replied, “It would be disgusting work for me to do; it is no business of mine. [She added] “What does it matter if my first husband is not good-looking? He was good to me.” Saying this, she drove this Vaeddā away, and seeking the place where the first Vaeddā whom she had married was stopping, went to him and said, “Let us go [off togethe
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No. 37 The Lion and the Turtle
No. 37 The Lion and the Turtle
Then the Turtle says, “You, Sir, frighten and eat even all. You cannot frighten and kill, nor eat, me except on land. In the water, you, Sir, cannot swim that side and this side equal to me,” the Turtle said to the Lion. After the Lion, having become angry, said, “Wilt thou come to swim that side and this side with me? If not, I will put thee under a large stone,” the Turtle having become afraid that he would kill him, having given his word to swim with the Lion that side and this side in a rive
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No. 111 The Story of the Four Giants1
No. 111 The Story of the Four Giants1
While going thus, he saw that yet [another] giant, having uprooted a Banyan-tree, is polishing his teeth [with it], and he went quite near. Thereupon, the giant asked the giant of the ash-heap, “Where are you going?” “I am going to seek a means of subsistence,” he gave answer. The two persons having conversed in this manner, while the two were going away together they saw that yet a giant, having threaded an elephant on a fish-hook, had cast it in a river, 3 and they asked him, “What are you doi
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No. 38 The Monkey and the Weaver-bird
No. 38 The Monkey and the Weaver-bird
At that time animals were able to talk. Potter. North-western Province. The first part of this story is given in the Hitōpadesa , but not the trial before the Monkey King. In a certain country there was a dead Elephant, it is said. A Jackal having gone to eat the Elephant’s carcase, and having eaten and eaten a hole into the Elephant from behind, passed inside it. While he was eating and eating the carcase of the Elephant as he remained inside it, the skin [dried and] became twisted up, and the
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No. 112 The Story about a Giant
No. 112 The Story about a Giant
When he asked, he said, “Should I receive a tusk elephant and the sword, it will do.” Afterwards he gave the tusk elephant and sword. Having waited until the time when he gives them, he went for the battle. Having gone, and having cut down that army, he came to the royal palace. Having come, he made obeisance 4 to the King [and related an account of his victory]. After that, the King having given half the kingdom to the giant, he remained [there]. Well then, beginning from that day, he remained
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No. 39 The Jackal Dēvatāwā
No. 39 The Jackal Dēvatāwā
When this man looked inside, no deity was there, but there were many maggots. So the man, taking his broken tom-tom, went home. In a few days afterwards, a rain having fallen, the Elephant’s carcase floated, and went down into the water-course. From the water-course it passed down to the stream. A flock of crows covered the carcase. As they were going eating and eating the dead body, it descended into the river, and from the river it passed down to the great sea. There the skin having rotted beg
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No. 113 Hiṭihāmi the Giant
No. 113 Hiṭihāmi the Giant
Having come, he said to his mother, “Mother, place one and a half amuṇas of paddy in water [to cause it to sprout] for sowing in the tāwalla.” Afterwards his mother made the paddy sprout. This child took the one and a half amuṇas of paddy, and sowed it that very day. In the evening he came home. On the following day he said to his mother, “Mother, give me food. I indeed sowed the tāwalla; there is still to build the watch-hut in it.” Afterwards his mother gave him food. The child ate the food, a
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No. 40 A Kaḍambāwa Man’s Journey to Puttalam
No. 40 A Kaḍambāwa Man’s Journey to Puttalam
The Kaḍambāwa men having gone to set nets, a great many hares were caught in the nets. Afterwards the men, having seized the hares, doubled up the hind legs of the hares at the joints, and the fore-legs at the joints, and threw them on the ground, in order to make a heap of them in one place afterwards. Then all the hares ran away into the jungle. After all the hares in the nets had been finished, when they looked for the dead hares there was not even one hare. Then the men were astonished at th
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No. 114 The New Speech1
No. 114 The New Speech1
Then that father-in-law having come to the rice field [after] cutting a goad, asked at the hand of that son-in-law, “Son-in-law, where is your mother-in-law?” Then the son-in-law said, “Andō! Father-in-law, is there any staying here for her! Having brought and placed here the [mat] box of cooked rice, there, Ōn̥! A man was beckoning with his hand. She will have gone on that account;” and leaving the quarter to which she went, he stretched out his hand in another direction. “She went there, Ōn̥!
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No. 41 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Hares
No. 41 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Hares
The Kaḍambāwa men having appointed a wedding-[day], and having caught a great many Mouse-deer [for eating at it], tied clappers on their necks like those on goats, and having made an enclosure put them in it, and came away. The Mouse-deer escaped into the jungle. Having gone to it on the wedding-day, when they looked there was not one Mouse-deer left. Then the men, saying, “Anē! The Mouse-deer that we reared have all gone,” came back to the village, much astonished....
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No. 42 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Mouse-deer
No. 42 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Mouse-deer
As the Kaḍambāwa men were going away with some drums one night, to attend a devil-dance, they met with a Warā 1 bush on the path, which looked like an elephant. The men became afraid, thinking, “Maybe an elephant has come onto the path.” At the shaking of the leaves of the Warā bush they said, “He is shaking his ears.” Being afraid to go past the elephant, they beat the drums until it became light, to frighten the Warā bush. When they looked after it became light, it was not an elephant; it was
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No. 115 The Master and Servant
No. 115 The Master and Servant
1 He meant the fruits, as mentioned lower down. ↑ In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. There is a daughter of those two persons. Having brought a man to the house for the girl, he stayed there. One day the father-in-law said to the son-in-law, “[After] asking for a Naekata (a lucky hour, depending on the positions of the planets), and returning, prepare to cut a little jungle [for making a chena].” After that, the son-in-law went near the Naekatrāla (astrologer) and ask
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No. 43 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Bush
No. 43 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Bush
Twelve Kaḍambāwa men having gone to cut fence sticks, and having cut and tied up twelve bundles of them, set them on end leaning against each other [before carrying them home]. Then a man said, “Are our men all right? Have all come? We must count and see.” Afterwards a man counted them. When he was counting he only counted the other men, omitting himself. “There are only eleven men; there are twelve bundles of fence sticks , ” he said. Then another man saying, “Maybe you made a mistake,” counted
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No. 116 How the Son-in-law Cut the Chena
No. 116 How the Son-in-law Cut the Chena
Then the Naekatrāla said, “Why do you become unable [to remember] because of the dog?” This son-in-law replies, “When I am going from here saying and saying, ‘Burahās, burahās,’ along the [front of the] Gamarāla’s house, that dog comes in front of me growling. Well then, I forget it.” The Naekatrāla having given into the man’s hand a cudgel, said, “Should the dog come, beat it with this;” and saying, “The day is Thursday,” sent him away. After that, the man came home in the manner the Naekatrāla
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No. 117 A Girl and a Step-mother
No. 117 A Girl and a Step-mother
Afterwards he became much pleased about it. Having become pleased he told her to stay [as his wife]. Afterwards having called the Prince, and caused him to bathe in warm water, and caused him to put on good cloths, and rubbed oil [on his hair], and combed his head, that day the two sitting down ate cooked rice. From that time, the party became rich there to a good degree. The girl’s father, and step-mother, and step-mother’s girl, having gone to the place where she is, obtained a subsistence fro
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No. 44 How the Kaḍambāwa Men counted Themselves
No. 44 How the Kaḍambāwa Men counted Themselves
When some Kaḍambāwa men, having joined together, were going away to Puttalam, it became night while they were on the road. Having got a resting-place, and cooked and eaten, while they were sleeping a tusk elephant appeared to a man in a dream. On the morning of the following day the man said to the other men, “Friends, last night I saw an evil dream.” The men asked, “What was in the dream?” The man said, “I saw a tusk elephant.” Then the men began to interpret the dream. They said, “What is the
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No. 45 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Dream
No. 45 The Kaḍambāwa Men and the Dream
After that, the man having gone near those women and boys, asked, “What is it? Who is dead?” Then those persons also said, crying and crying, “Who is dead we don’t know.” Afterwards the man having stopped the crying of both parties, when he had asked them about it, there was nothing dreadful. So the man went away, and these men and women and boys, they also went to their houses. In Indian Nights’ Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 348 , a weaver girl said to herself that it would be a good thing if
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No. 118 The Wicked Elder Brother
No. 118 The Wicked Elder Brother
At the time when the man is not at home, having cut a tunnel from the woman’s house to the widow woman’s house, and from the woman’s house to the widow woman’s house having drawn a silver chain and an iron chain, she said at the hand of the widow woman, “If there be a sorrow shake the iron chain; if there be a pleasure shake the silver chain.” 2 Having said it the woman came home. On a certain day the girl arrived at marriageable age. The widow woman shook the silver chain. Afterwards, this girl
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No. 119 Nahakoṭā’s Wedding Feast
No. 119 Nahakoṭā’s Wedding Feast
Afterwards the woman says, “Daughter, let us two go somewhere or other before that one comes.” Having said it, and cut the throat ( lit. , neck) of a cock, and hung it above the hearth, and placed a cooking-pot on the hearth, and blown the fire, and shut the house door, the woman and the girl went somewhere or other. Nahakoṭā, having spread nets, came home. While he was in the veranda, as the blood of the fowl [hanging] in that house was falling into the cooking-pot, the pot having become heated
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No. 46 The Four Tom-tom Beaters
No. 46 The Four Tom-tom Beaters
At a certain city there is a King, it is said; there are three Princes of that King. The King, while sleeping, saw in a dream that a Golden Tree sprang up, and on that Golden Tree a Silver Flower blossomed. A Silver Cock that was sitting on the Silver Flower crowed. Afterwards the King caused the three Princes to be fetched. When the eldest Prince had been brought he asked him, “Son, can you explain this dream which I have had?” The Prince asked, “What appeared in the dream, Father-King?” The Ki
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No. 120 How a Man Charmed a Thread
No. 120 How a Man Charmed a Thread
Afterwards, they having drunk and drunk and danced until it became light, in the morning the man cooked abundantly, and gave the Kaḍawara Vedās to eat, and having given them presents sent them away. North-western Province. 1 Illness caused by one of the demons called Kaḍawara Dēvatāwā. ↑ 2 Betel is presented to devil-dancers when inviting them to come for a demon ceremony. ↑ 3 A Vedā (low caste) or Vedarāla (good caste) is either a medical practitioner, or a soothsayer, or person who expels de
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No. 47 The Golden Tree
No. 47 The Golden Tree
The King told him the manner in which the things appeared in the dream. Then the Prince said, “O Lord, Your Majesty, I will interpret that dream, but I must first go in search of the explanation.” After that, the three Princes obtained leave of absence for three years. Having got it, the three persons, cooking a bundle of rice, and taking from their father permission to depart, started to go in search of the interpretation. Having gone on and on, they came to a junction of three roads. Having ar
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No. 121 How the Rice and Curry became Raw
No. 121 How the Rice and Curry became Raw
1 Rāe tissē , during the thirty [paeyas, each being twenty-four minutes] of night. ↑ 2 Egg-plant, or aubergine ( Solanum sp. ). ↑ In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. There is also a little one of the woman’s; the little one cannot talk well yet. Having waited until the time when the man goes to the watch-hut [at night], this woman every day while he is in the chena having cooked raw-rice 1 eats small beans ( māekaral ) [with it] in the house. Every day having cooked f
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No. 48 The Seven Princesses
No. 48 The Seven Princesses
After that, the Princess having pounded it, when she went out to winnow it saw that there was a heap of human bones behind the house. The Princess bearing that in mind winnowed it, and returned without speaking about them. Then she called the Princesses to come and cook it; they did not come. Afterwards the Princess having cooked, summoned those six persons to eat the rice. The six persons refused. Thereupon the Princess fed the six Princesses [by dividing the rice and giving each one her share
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No. 122 How a Woman ate Cooked Rice by Stealth
No. 122 How a Woman ate Cooked Rice by Stealth
1 Rice from which the skin has been removed without first softening it in hot water. After the cooking the grains adhere together. ↑ 2 This is considered to be a bad omen, hence the tying of the thread to put an end to such dreams; see vol. i, p. 15. I have been assured by those who have worn such threads that tying one on the arm has the desired effect in checking evil dreams. To dream of eating food is a prognostic of a future deficiency of food. ↑ In a certain country there are a man and a
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No. 49 Mr. Janel Siññā
No. 49 Mr. Janel Siññā
The Prince having unfastened the package of cooked rice, and given some to the Monkey also, and the Prince himself having eaten, took the Monkey and came back to the very city of the King. When he came there the King was not at the palace; only the Queen was there. The Queen asked, “What sort of goods have you brought?” The Prince says, “Mother, having given that thousand masuran I have brought a Monkey.” Then the Queen says, “Anē! Son, should the King and the rest of them get to know that, he w
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No. 50 The Nikini Story1
No. 50 The Nikini Story1
The Deer said, “Our elder sister on account of thirst is going to seek a little water.” Then the King said, “Wilt thou give thy elder sister to me [in marriage]?” The Deer said “Hā”; so having placed the Deer and the Deer’s elder sister on the back of the King’s elephant, they went to the palace. When a long time had passed, a longing came again to the girl, and she lay down. The King asked the Deer, “What is thy elder sister’s illness?” The Deer said, “Our elder sister has a longing.” The King
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No. 123 How a Woman Offered Cakes
No. 123 How a Woman Offered Cakes
North-western Province. In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. iii, p. 118, a man who wished to have meat to eat, induced his sons to kill a sheep and offer the flesh to the deity of a tree which stood in their field, telling them that their prosperity was due to this god. 1 A leaf cup, a reversed cone, would be set point downwards in each cleft, and the cakes be heaped upon it. ↑ In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said; the woman is associated with a paramour.
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No. 51 The Aet-kanda Lēniyā1
No. 51 The Aet-kanda Lēniyā1
The woman said, “On her asking for her robes I gave them. Taking them, she said, ‘Should he see me again it will be as [wonderful as] if he should see the young of the Aet-Kanda Lēniyā, or white where charcoal has been rubbed’ [and then she went away].” The Prince on that account rubbed and rubbed charcoal, and when he looked there was a little white [colour]. Having seen it, he told the widow woman to cook cakes. When they were cooked he took some and ate; and tying up a cloth package of them,
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No. 124 The Manner in which a Woman prepared a Flour Figure
No. 124 The Manner in which a Woman prepared a Flour Figure
North-western Province. The woman’s remark regarding the liver is an instance of the survival of a very old expression, perhaps connected with magical practices. In the translations from the Chinese Tripiṭaka published by M. Chavannes in Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues , vol. i, p. 120, a girl cried, “May I become a demoniacal and maleficent being to devour the liver of the elder brother.” In Folk-lore of the Santal Parganas (Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 419, it is stated that witches are believed to ca
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No. 125 How a Woman became a Lapwing1
No. 125 How a Woman became a Lapwing1
Thereupon the man, taking the packet of cooked rice, went to the house of the man’s elder sister. That day he remained there without coming back. That elder sister having unfastened the bag, when she looked [saw that] at the bottom of the rice there were thirty ridīs. Afterwards the elder sister called the younger brother and asked, “Younger brother, whence are these thirty ridīs at the bottom of the rice in this bag?” The younger brother said, “I told her of our house ( apē gedara ēkī 5 ) to co
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No. 52 The Wimalī Story
No. 52 The Wimalī Story
News afterwards reached the Rākshasa that she had borne a girl. On account of it the Rākshasa went to the house [and took the girl]. As he was returning carrying the girl, he saw two boys going to school, and said, “Boys, boys, say a name for my daughter.” The boys saying, “Wimalī, Wimalī” (pure or beautiful one), ran away. So the Rākshasa took the girl to his house, and shared it with her. Afterwards, when he had gone to eat human flesh, the Rākshasa heard the sound of tom-toms saying, “Wimali,
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No. 53 The Pots of Oil
No. 53 The Pots of Oil
Afterwards the owner of the oil, saying, “Never mind the spilling of the oil; you must go with me,” invited the man to accompany him, and they went together. Having arrived at the village, because he was a capable man [the owner of the oil] gave him his daughter [in marriage]. Not a very long time afterwards, the men of the village said that they must go to Puttalam to load salt and sun-dried fish, and bring them back [bartering part of them on the way home]. The man said, “Father-in-law, I also
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No. 126 The Story of the Seven Wicked Women1
No. 126 The Story of the Seven Wicked Women1
Afterwards the sister-in-law having taken the drinking kettle, when she was drinking the water the pieces of potsherds stuck in her throat. These seven persons spoke, “Should that one’s elder brothers come, indeed, we shall be unable to kill her. Before they come let us kill her.” Having spoken thus, and having put the sister-in-law and that monkey into a bag and tied it, they hung it at the ridge pole. Having hung it, after the seven persons were pounding paddy the seven strike seven blows with
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No. 54 The Mouse Maiden1
No. 54 The Mouse Maiden1
Afterwards the Prince came back, and saying, “Let us go and collect and stack [the paddy],” collected the men, and stacked it, and threshed it by trampling [it with buffaloes]. Then they went and called the women, and having got rid of the chaff in the wind, brought the paddy home. After they had brought it, the Prince went near the place where the cooking pots were stored, at which the Mouseling was hidden, and said, “Having pounded this paddy [to remove the husk], and cooked rice, let us go to
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No. 127 The Story of the Old Man1
No. 127 The Story of the Old Man1
1 Nāki mahallāe kaṭantarē. ↑ 2 Nākirālagē. ↑ 3 From my own experience in the case of a severe burn, I can say that a paste of cow-dung smeared completely over a burnt place entirely removes all pain, and the wound soon heals under it. The paste dries immediately owing to the heat of the skin, and after that no unpleasant smell remains. ↑ In a country a Prince [after] constructing a Lute plays 2 it. Throughout the extent through which the sound was heard, not a female elephant nor tusk eleph
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No. 128 The Magic Lute Player1
No. 128 The Magic Lute Player1
1 The Sinhalese title is, “The Story that tells the manner in which he played on the Lute for the Representation of the Tusk Elephant ( Ætāerinba ).” ↑ 2 The verb used throughout the story is gānawā , to rub. ↑ At a certain time there was a man; the man had a girl and a boy. At the time when they were thus, the man went alone to the sea to catch fish ( mas ). Having gone, when he was catching fish a very large wave having knocked him into the sea, the man on account of the water (current) drif
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No. 55 Sīgiris Siññō, the Giant
No. 55 Sīgiris Siññō, the Giant
Then Sīgiris Siññō, thinking, “Let me go even should I be struck by lightning,” said, “I am able to fight with the giant,” and went to that city with the Tamils. Having arrived there, these Tamils handed him over to the King under whom that giant had a post. The King asked this one, “I have a giant. Canst thou fight with the giant and win? ” Sīgiris Siññō said instantly, “A son who has killed twenty giants better than that one am I.” So the King said to his giant, “Now then, do what fighting tho
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No. 129 The Lad who Sang Songs
No. 129 The Lad who Sang Songs
Thereupon, having met with this lad, hearing the words that ought to be known at the city at which they are, they spoke, “Hahak! Hahak! 2 don’t speak.” Having stopped the talk, they said, “Who is that lad who said the verse? Say that verse again for us to hear.” Then the boy said again, Then the royal party, calling the boy near, and after that having heard of the matters that occurred, gave food to the lad from the royal house, and made him stay at the royal house. When he was [there] in that w
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No. 56 The Proud Jackal
No. 56 The Proud Jackal
Thereupon the Jackal died. Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province. In the Jātaka stories 143 (vol. i, p. 306) and 335 (vol. iii, p. 75), a Jackal who acted as a Lion’s servant induced his master to let him go out in the latter’s place, in order to kill animals. He howled and sprang at an elephant, but was crushed to death by it. In a country there are seven robbers. Among them, in the same gang, there is a fool. One day they went to commit robbery. While they were there, they got a devil-dancer’
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STORIES OF THE DURAYĀS No. 57 The Seven Robbers
STORIES OF THE DURAYĀS No. 57 The Seven Robbers
In a certain city there are a Gamarāla, a Gama-gāēni (his wife), and a son of theirs. The Gamarāla went to the chena. The Gama-gāēni lay down, and told the Gama-puta (the son) to examine her head [for insects]. While he was looking through the hair she fell asleep, and a fly settled on her head. “Aḍē! Fly, do not bite our mother’s head,” he said, “mother will scold me.” The fly having gone flying away, settled again on her head. Saying, “Now then, this fly is biting mother’s head again,” he plac
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No. 130 The Hunchback Tale
No. 130 The Hunchback Tale
1 A vegetable cultivated in village gardens and chenas, Nothosærua brachiate . ↑ 2 Ana-karaṇayen ; the verb ana-karaṇawā is usually “to order.” ↑ 3 Apparently understood by him to be intended for Kudā chawa chawa . “Hunchback, [you are] vile, vile.” ↑ 4 Idena , which ordinarily would mean “ripens.” ↑ 5 He appears to have understood this to mean, “Hunchback, [you are] clownish, clownish,” goḍayā being “clown.” ↑ 6 Perhaps to be taken as one word, Kudarūn , = Kudō + arūn , “Hunchbacks [are] f
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No. 131 The Poor Man and the Jewels
No. 131 The Poor Man and the Jewels
Ūva Province. 1 Siṭāna kenek. ↑ 2 Sarpayingen gahana sītādīka raṭakaṭa gos. The meaning is not clear; apparently, as the bodies of snakes are always cold, they were in such numbers that they chilled the air. Like pariah dogs, they enjoyed the warmth and comfort afforded by the soft ashes, and on departing left the gems out of gratitude. ↑ In a certain country a poor man, having nothing to eat, went to another country. Having gone there, and gone to a travellers’ shed, he remained lying down.
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No. 58 The Stupid Boy
No. 58 The Stupid Boy
As the boy was going, weeping and weeping, he met with a Buddhist monk. 1 There were two bundles in the Lord’s hand. He told the boy to take the couple of bundles. As the boy was carrying them he asked at the hand of the Lord, “What is there in the bundles?” “Palm-sugar packets, 2 and plantains,” he said. The Lord asked at the hand of the boy, “What is thy name?” The boy said, “My name is Aewariyakkā Mulakkā.” As he was coming along from there the boy lagged behind. So the monk spoke to the boy,
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THE DEVIL AND THE HUSBANDMAN
THE DEVIL AND THE HUSBANDMAN
I add a variant of the cultivating caste, as some incidents are new. In a certain country there is a Gamarāla, it is said. A Washerman, having come there, became friendly with the Gamarāla. Having become friendly, he takes charge of the Gamarāla’s cattle for grazing. During the time while he was grazing them the two persons chop chenas and do rice field work. Well then, the two persons having become very thoroughly friends, at the time while they were thus, the cattle grazed by the Washerman inc
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No. 132 The Learned Poor Man
No. 132 The Learned Poor Man
Having gone near that man who gave him the instructions, and told him this talk which occurred at the royal palace, and given the teacher a half share from that pay which was given, taking the other half share the man went to his village. That man who gave the instructions, not going anywhere else, remained cooking and eating at that very travellers’ shed. Thereafter, for the man who received the pay the King established the name Bēri-Nādayā. 1 Well then, when that Bēri-Nādayā was coming and goi
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No. 133 A Poor Man and a Woman
No. 133 A Poor Man and a Woman
For the next one he said, “On each side of the door-way of my house, may a horse of silver and a tusk elephant of gold be created,” and threw away a pill. In that manner they were created. For the other one he said, “A road to my house having been created, let a carriage for me to go in, and many things come into existence,” and threw away the other pill. In that very way they were created. After that, having come home he remained in happiness. After that, a woman of another house came to this h
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The Gamarāla and the Washerman. (Variant.)
The Gamarāla and the Washerman. (Variant.)
The Washerman said, “What are you telling me? Doesn’t the front half belong to the Gamarāhami? Isn’t it the Gamarāhami who must attend to the grazing?” 4 The Washerman having come to the Gamarāla’s house, quarrelled with the Gamarāla [over it]. The Gamarāla became very angry. Afterwards, the Gamarāla went to institute a lawsuit against the Washerman [on account of these matters]. That day, having entered the suit, and having come back to the village, he went to the Washerman to tell him the day
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No. 60 The Two Thieves
No. 60 The Two Thieves
The merchant told him, “Don’t you feel ashamed to say that to me when you know what size my house is?” The robber said, “Thank you for the favour,” and at the end of their smoke they went together to the merchant’s house. When the two entered, lights were put in the writing room, with two beds for them, so that they might sleep together there. While the merchant was fast asleep and snoring, the robber awoke, and took the key of the money-box and the seal from the merchant’s pocket, opened the bo
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No. 134 The Story of the Rākshasa and the Princess1
No. 134 The Story of the Rākshasa and the Princess1
Having thought it, one day when the Rākshasī was preparing to go to eat human bodies she said at the hand of the Princess, “[By the time] when I am coming, having brought and placed [ready] seven large pots of water, and brought and placed [ready] seven bundles of firewood, and boiled and pounded seven pāelas of paddy (each about three-eighths of a bushel), and plastered cow-dung on [the floors of] seven houses, and cooked, warm water for me to bathe and place thou it [ready]. If not, I will eat
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No. 135 The Way the Rākshasī Died
No. 135 The Way the Rākshasī Died
On the following day, after the Rākshasī went to seek food, these two persons having bounded through the quarter that was five gawwas in width, reached the far bank of a river. Then the Rākshasī having come [after] seeking food, when she looked these two were not [there]. After that, as the Rākshasī was coming continuing to cry aloud, these two came to this bank of the river; the Rākshasī, sitting down on the bank on that [other] side, remained crying aloud. While she was there the Rākshasī said
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No. 61 The Margōsa Tree
No. 61 The Margōsa Tree
During the time while he was there in that way, the other friend having come, asked, “Where is the tree?” Then the friend who had planted the tree says, “Either the King, or I, or the river.” 1 The words that he said meant, “Either His Majesty the King will die; if not, I shall die, because of no means of subsistence.” “Having cheated the King I get a living. When it is so, the foolish King has been caught by my trick.” Durayā. North-western Province. 1 Rājā hō, mā hō, gangā hō. “Either the King
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No. 62 The Gamarāla’s Foolish Son
No. 62 The Gamarāla’s Foolish Son
“Where? Let us look at them. I also know a little medical art,” he said. Then he showed them. When the man who was taking the bull saw them he said, “They are growing larger; they will never become well,” he said. Then the Gama-puta thought, “This woman does not matter to me.” So he said, “It would be good for you to give me that bull and take this woman.” So taking the bull he gave the woman. “This one has water in his stomach (i.e., he had drunk water); you will be careful,” the man said. Then
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No. 136 How a Rākshasa Turned Men and Bulls into Stone
No. 136 How a Rākshasa Turned Men and Bulls into Stone
The young younger sister’s seven elder brothers and younger brothers went [on a trading journey?] taking seven yokes of bulls. At the time when they were taking them, the seven yokes of bulls and the seven men he made into stone. 1 He restored that woman to consciousness again; having restored her to consciousness the Rākshasa went with her [to his] home. After he went, when the son of the elder sister of the younger sister who went with [the Rākshasa] proceeded there ( etenṭa gihāma ) [to seek]
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The Rākshasīs-eating Prākshasa.8 (Variant b.)
The Rākshasīs-eating Prākshasa.8 (Variant b.)
The Tom-tom Beater, having shaken the package of plate fragments said, “There is money by me; I cannot unfasten it. If you have money be good enough to give it.” The Gamarāla said, “I will not.” 9 Then the Tom-tom Beater said, “If so, I will say that you ate the rice-dust porridge.” Then the Gamarāla said, “Here is money,” and gave it. So the Tom-tom Beater got the drum. Taking it, at the time when they were going along the path again, a man came taking a deer-hide rope. That, also, the Tom-tom
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No. 63 The Jackal’s Judgment
No. 63 The Jackal’s Judgment
The man said, “This Crocodile was going to die. I saved it. It is now going to eat me. Is that right?” Then the Kumbuk tree says, “O Crocodile-cultivator, do not let that man go. There is no animal so wicked as that man. He stays near the tree in the shade, and having broken off the bark and the leaves he takes them away. At last he cuts down and takes the tree.” From there he goes and asks it of the Cow. “O Cow, I saved this Crocodile from death. This Crocodile is now going to eat me. Do you th
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The Rice-dust Porridge. (Variant c.)
The Rice-dust Porridge. (Variant c.)
Then the Tom-tom Beater says, “If so, I will say that the Gamarāhami ate rice-dust porridge.” Afterwards the Gamarāla,—there is a little money in his hand,—having given from it, taking the rice pestle, gave it to the Tom-tom Beater. Again, when they had gone a great distance, a man is coming taking a [wooden] rice mortar to sell. So the Tom-tom Beater again says, “Gamarāhami, Gamarāhami, take that rice mortar, and be good enough to give me it.” Then the Gamarāla says, “Anē! Bolat, come thou on w
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The Pond Heron. (Variant.)
The Pond Heron. (Variant.)
Washerman. North-western Province. In a certain country a Pond Heron stayed, it is said. At the time while the Pond Heron was there, seeking small fishes in the tanks, a great general drought befel. On account of it all the tanks dried up. The Pond Heron ate all the small fishes that stayed in them. Having eaten them, he remained hungry for two or three days, there being no more small fishes. Having been in that state, and having flown away to seek food, as he was going along he saw that a tank
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The Evidence that the Appuhāmi ate Paddy Dust. (Variant d.)
The Evidence that the Appuhāmi ate Paddy Dust. (Variant d.)
“If so, I will mention the matter of the dust eating,” he said. Thereupon the Appuhāmi having become afraid, took and gave the mask. Taking also the mask, when they are going a considerable distance, yet [another] man brought a pair of devil-dancer’s hawk’s bells to sell. The Paddā having asked the price of the bells also, and having said, “Appuhāmi, take and give me this pair of bells,” when the Appuhāmi said he would not, “If so, I shall mention the evidence that you ate the dust,” he said. Th
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The Pond Heron. (Variant.)
The Pond Heron. (Variant.)
Afterwards the small fish said “Hā.” So the Pond Heron, taking the small fish with his bill, came flying back. Having come to a great rough tree, and settled on a branch of the tree, he ate the small fish. Again he went flying to the place where the small fishes were. The small fishes asked, “Friend, one of us went with you. Where is he?” The Pond Heron replied, “Friends, he said he would not come. He stayed in the river.” Then those small fishes said, “If so, go with us, and put us down in it.”
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The Lad and the Rākshasī. (Variant a.)
The Lad and the Rākshasī. (Variant a.)
Having said and said it, when she is eating, the lad sitting in the tree says, “Of the heifer’s flesh The heifer herself [is] the eater. The Palmira tree at the doorway. Ḍān̥, ḍūn̥.” “ Naembigē mālu Naembima kannā. Dorakaḍa tal gaha. Ḍān̥, ḍūn̥. ” While he is saying it, when the Rākshasī had looked up and seen that the lad is in the tree, as she is going to climb the tree the lad threw down the chillies [grinding] stone on the Rākshasī’s body. Thereupon the Rākshasī died. After that, the lad hav
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No. 65 The Jackal and the Brāhmaṇa
No. 65 The Jackal and the Brāhmaṇa
So the Brāhmaṇa crept into the clump of wild dates and passed his hand through it, and looked through it. Then because there were no kahawaṇas, he came out into the open ground. When he looked on the path there was no Jackal. Then the Brāhmaṇa said, “There is neither the journey that I came for, nor the kahawaṇas. Aḍā! Aḍā!” So he went away. Durayā. North-western Province. In this story we find one of the lowest castes of the Chaṇḍālas making fun of the highest caste of all, a mild revenge for t
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How the Cat became an Upāsakā.6 (Variant.)
How the Cat became an Upāsakā.6 (Variant.)
The Ground Cuckoo having said, “Hā. If so, I also will come,” the four went together. At the time when they were going they met with the Hare called Tokkan the Devil-dancer. “Upāsakarālas, where are you going?” he asked. “We are going to guard the Precepts. You also come and go with us,” he said. Well then, the five went to the jungle. Having gone on and on, there was a rock cave. Having said, “Look there! Our pansala,” he told the people to creep inside. “In order that I may go and rehearse the
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The Cake Tree. (Variant b.)
The Cake Tree. (Variant b.)
At the time when she said thus, he plucked one more and gave it. Having dropped that also on the ground, she says, “Anē! Having struck my hand that also fell on the ground. I cannot catch the cakes that you are plucking and giving me. I will tell you a very easy work; you do it. Plucking as many cakes as you can, jump into my bag. Jumping in that way is easier than descending [by climbing down] the tree,” she said. When the Rākshasī told him in that manner, this foolish child, thinking, “It is a
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How the Cat performed Bell Worship. (Variant.)
How the Cat performed Bell Worship. (Variant.)
Now then, the Squirrel having set off, as the three were going away they met with a Jungle-cock. The Jungle-cock asked the Cat, “Where, O Cat-Lord, are you going?” The Jungle-cock said, “I shall come too.” To that the Cat said, “It is good.” The Jungle-cock having set off, the four persons went to a great rock cave in the jungle. Having made those three remain in the direction of the corner, the Cat stayed at the doorway. After being there [a short time], the Cat first of all said to the Rat, “O
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No. 139 The Girl, the Monk, and the Leopard
No. 139 The Girl, the Monk, and the Leopard
Out of the two persons, one took the woman, the effects one took. The person who took the woman that very day obtained the kingdom, it has been said. Thereafter, that box floated down to the place where the monk’s pupils stayed. Getting the box ashore, and tying [it as] a load ( tadak ) for a carrying pole, they took it to the pansala. The monk, taking the box, quickly placed it inside the house. The monk told the pupils to stay: “To-day I must say Bana 5 from a different treatise ( sūtra ); to-
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No. 140 The Washerman and the Leopard
No. 140 The Washerman and the Leopard
Subsequently, the man who owned this chena having gone [there], taking the bundle of clothes which that Washerman had taken and thrown down, came home. North-central Province. In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 226, an old woman who was attacked by a bear, turned round a tree to avoid it. When the bear stretched its paws round the tree in trying to reach her, she seized and held them. A man who came up was requested by her to assist her to kill the animal and share the fl
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No. 67 The Lizard and the Leopard
No. 67 The Lizard and the Leopard
The Lizard having gone to a mud hole, jumps into it, and climbs onto a post to dry the mud. Again it jumps into the mud and climbs onto the post. Thus, having acted in that manner he caused much mud to be smeared on his body. After that, having met each other, the Leopard and Lizard quarrelled again, and struck each other on the face. Then the Lizard springs on the Leopard’s back and scratches his flesh. The Leopard jumps about, but only scratches mud off the Lizard. Having fought in that way, t
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How the Jackal Cheated the Lion. (Variant.)
How the Jackal Cheated the Lion. (Variant.)
Improbable as the notion appears that an animal, other than insects or fishes, would return into the same danger shortly after escaping from it, one instance of this has come under the observation of myself and a friend, with whose approval I insert this account of the occurrence. As Mr. H. E. H. Hayes, late of the Public Works Department, Ceylon, was walking one day near the water, at the embankment of the Vilānkuḷam tank in the Northern Province, a crocodile made its appearance suddenly in the
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No. 141 The Frightened Yakā
No. 141 The Frightened Yakā
After that, the King sent a message that if they did not come he would behead the Yaksa Vedarālas. After that, the two persons, being unable to escape, went to drive out the Yakā. Having gone there, they utter and utter spells for the Yakā to go. The Yakā does not go. Anger came to the Yakā. In anger that, putting [out of consideration] his saying, “Don’t,” the two persons went and uttered spells, the Queen whom the Yakā has “possessed,” taking a rice pestle, came turning round the house after h
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STORIES OF THE ROḌIYĀS No. 69 The Roll of Cotton
STORIES OF THE ROḌIYĀS No. 69 The Roll of Cotton
Taking the box, she came near the dog that was tied up. There the dog had tied up the haunch of a bull. Having taken the haunch of the bull from there, she came near the lame man. Having got betel from there, she came near her mother at the girl’s house. Having come there she opened that box. Having opened it, after she looked [in it she found that] the box was full of silver and gold; the box had been filled. Then that other elder sister and the elder sister’s daughter saw these articles [and h
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No. 142 The Story of the Seven Yakās
No. 142 The Story of the Seven Yakās
Then because there are beards of the whole six, having said to each other, “It is for me, indeed, he said this; it is for me, indeed, he said this,” one by one, in the very order ( lit. , manner) in which they sprang up and went, the whole six Yakās, having thrown down the articles, ran off. [Because] having been in the tree that man said thus after the man’s elder brother fell down, those Yakās having said, “He will come and kill us,” it was for that indeed the Yakās became afraid. Well then, [
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No. 143 The Yakā and the Tom-tom Beater
No. 143 The Yakā and the Tom-tom Beater
North-western Province. In The Indian Antiquary , vol. i, p. 143, Mr. W. C. Benett gave an Oudh story in which Bhawan Misr, a wrestler who had obtained gifts from a demon, lost them by revealing the secret to his wife. 1 A demon who frequents cemeteries. ↑ 2 The tom-tom beaters were formerly weavers also. ↑ At a certain time there was a Gamarāla. The Gamarāla had a daughter. In the same country there was a very rich Tom-tom Beater ( Naekatiyek ). There was a son of the Tom-tom Beater’s. In ord
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No. 70 The Jackal and the Leopard
No. 70 The Jackal and the Leopard
“Where shall I make the trap?” [the Gamarāla] asked. “At the fence of the goat-fold,” he said. Afterwards he made the trap. The Sapu-flowers’ Minister was noosed in the trap. On the following day the Gamarāla came to look. Having come before the Gamarāla, also the Jackal Paṇḍitayā came near the trap. “Gamarāla, to-day indeed he has been hanged,” he said. Etana metana tō gasannē Kambul baeṭa dīpannē Kanda sewanaṭa aedapannē “Strike thou there and here a blow; Knocks upon the cheeks bestow; Drag h
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No. 71 How the Boars killed the Rākshasa
No. 71 How the Boars killed the Rākshasa
“He makes a very great roar.” “Do ye also at that time roar all together,” he said. On the following day the Rākshasa having come, and having looked in the direction of the Boars, made grimaces, inflated his sides, and made a very great roar. [The Boars did the same.] Then the Rākshasa thought, “To-day these Boars will eat me.” Thinking this he went near the Lion. Afterwards the Lion scolded him. “Anē! You also having gone, and having been unable [to do anything], have you come back?” “What am I
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No. 144 How a Tom-tom Beater got a Marriage from a Gamarāla
No. 144 How a Tom-tom Beater got a Marriage from a Gamarāla
The Gamarāla said, “Because our pollution rules ( indul ) are different I said I cannot give her,” he said. Then the Tom-tom Beater Dēvatāwā who was in the tree [said], “Give thou thy daughter to him. On the seventh day from now he will obtain the sovereignty. If thou shouldst not give [her] I will kill thee.” Tying the bundle of lights to the leg of the egret, he said, “I am going,” and let the egret go. Thereupon, having seen that the lights were burning on the leg of the egret [as it flew awa
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No. 72 The Grateful Jackal
No. 72 The Grateful Jackal
A monk, tying a Yakā [by magical spells] gets work from him. For seven years he got work. Then the time having come for the Yakā to go, the Yakā every day having gone near the monk says, “Monk, tell me a work [to do].” The monk said one day, “In Galgamuwa tank there will be seven islands. Having gone there and planed them down, come back.” After that, the Yakā having gone and planed the tank, and having very quickly come, said at the hand of the monk, “Monk, tell me a work.” Then the monk said,
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No. 145 The Gem Yaksanī
No. 145 The Gem Yaksanī
Having come [there] and walked to all places, and looked about, and come to a house in which was a widow woman, she asked, “Mother, keeping this Prince for me, will you give me a little space to stay in, until the time when the Prince becomes big?” Thereupon the old woman said, “It is good, daughter. I also am alone; because of it remain here.” The Queen, having said, “It is good,” lived there, pounding paddy [at houses] throughout the streets; and up to the time when the Prince became big staye
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The Story of the She-Goat. (Variant a.)
The Story of the She-Goat. (Variant a.)
Then the three Princesses say, “Anē! What do you weep at that for? Bring a little sand from an untrodden place.” The widow woman brought a little sand from an untrodden place. Afterwards, the youngest Princess, having uttered spells over the sand, and given it into the Prince’s hand, said, “Having gone into the Sea, when you put down this little sand, firm sand will become clear ( i.e. , will appear above the water). Having gone a little distance again, when you again put down a little sand, fir
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STORIES OF THE KINNARĀS No. 73 Concerning a Monk and a Yakā
STORIES OF THE KINNARĀS No. 73 Concerning a Monk and a Yakā
Elsewhere in the same district I heard of another man, a villager, who had mastered a Yaksanī (female Yakā), and who made her perform work for him. In appearance she was an ordinary female, and the man’s wife was unaware of her true character, as he had not informed her of it, being afraid of alarming her. The man kept the Yaksanī under control by means of a magic iron nail, which he had driven in the crown of her head. One day during his absence she went to her mistress, and told her that a tho
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No. 74 The Three Suitors
No. 74 The Three Suitors
Having said this, the girl went with the man to his village. Kinnarī. North-western Province. This is a story of Vikrama and the Vampire, one of the puzzling questions set to the King being a decision as to whom the girl belonged. In Indian Nights’ Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 237 , the girl threw herself down from the house-top. One of the suitors sprang on the funeral pile, and was burnt with her. The second watched over the grave. The third became a Fakīr, and learnt how to revive the dead.
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The Story of a Nobleman’s Son.23 (Variant b.)
The Story of a Nobleman’s Son.23 (Variant b.)
At the time when the Prince who was left in the midst of the forest was going along in the forest wilderness for seven days, as he was going along eating and eating sugar-canes, pine-apples, sweet oranges, various ripe fruits, he saw a great mountain. Having seen an aerial root of a Banyan which swung there, seizing the aerial root he went [climbing up it] to the rock, and when he looked about he saw a rock cave, and not a country furnished with villages ( gama raṭak ). Thereupon, holding the ae
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No. 147 The Loss that occurred to the Nobleman’s Daughter
No. 147 The Loss that occurred to the Nobleman’s Daughter
The man said, “Thy two parents’ mansion ( prasāda ) having broken down and fallen last night on account of the rain, and the two having died, it is the smoke, indeed, of the funeral pyre which burns the two, that is visible there,” he said. After that, the woman lost her senses, and being without goods she began to go on still, quite like a mad person. The Dēvatāwā taking as his dwelling-place the Banyan-tree near the road, thought, “Should this woman go on this path, through that depression of
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No. 75 The Crocodile and the Jackal
No. 75 The Crocodile and the Jackal
Then the Crocodile let go. After that, on that day also without drinking water he bounded off, and went away. From that day, the Jackals having become angry with the Crabs, and having seized and bitten the Crabs in the rice fields, place the Crabs’ claws on the earthen ridges in the fields. Kinnarā. North-western Province. In The Orientalist , vol. ii, p. 46 , there is a story of a Jackal and a Crocodile, in the latter part of which the first incident is given, the tree being a Veralu ( Elaeocar
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No. 148 The Raṭēmahatmayā’s Presents
No. 148 The Raṭēmahatmayā’s Presents
At a certain city there were a King and a Queen; the Queen had a Prince and a Princess. While they were thus, the King and Queen reached a very great age. Afterwards the King says to the Minister, “When the Prince has become big give him the kingship;” having said it, he gave the [temporary] kingship to the Minister. After that, the King and Queen died. After that, while the Minister and Prince and Princess, these three persons, are living thus, the Minister becomes changed towards the Prince. T
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No. 149 The Prince and the Minister
No. 149 The Prince and the Minister
The King says to the widow woman, “Give me the boy; I will give him food, drink, and clothing,” he said. The widow woman gave him the boy. After that, the King having built a house for the boy, and given him food, drink, and clothing, said, “Show yourself to me in the morning at six,” he said. The Prince on the following day went at six, and stayed [there]. After that, the Prince on the following day came at seven. Then the King says, “Why are you such a time?” he asked. The Prince says, “I went
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No. 150 The Story of King Bamba
No. 150 The Story of King Bamba
The great Nāga King, Mahakela by name, having seen this Turtle, asked, “Whence camest thou? Who art thou?” Then the Turtle gave answer, “O Lord, Your Majesty, they call me, indeed, the Minister, Pūrnaka by name, of King Bamba of Bamba City. Because there was no other man to come [to make] appearance ( daekuma ) before Your Honour ( num̆ba-wahansē ), His Majesty our King sent me.” Then the Nāga King asked, “What is the business for which he sent thee?” Then the Turtle says, “There are seven Princ
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No. 151 Concerning a Royal Princess and a Turtle
No. 151 Concerning a Royal Princess and a Turtle
Thereupon the Princess said thus: “If I am to marry the Turtle, tell the Turtle to bring a Sūriya-kāntā flower; should he bring it I will marry him,” she said. The Minister having returned [home], it having come [to him] he told it to the Turtle. “Father, I can bring and give it,” the Turtle said. Then the Minister would say a word thus [doubtingly] to the Turtle, “Turtle, when would you bring it indeed?” Thereupon the Turtle, feeling ( lit. , bringing) shame at it in its mind, having descended
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No. 152 The Story of a King and a Prince
No. 152 The Story of a King and a Prince
The woman says, “It is not a fault to sit [on the golden chair].” The Prince says, “Having given me that silver chair here, and put aside this lamp also, come to gamble, bringing a good lamp,” he said. Then the woman being unable [to effect] the punishment of the Prince, gave him the silver chair, and bringing a different lamp sat down to gamble. After that the Prince won. After he won he caused those aforesaid six Princes to be brought from the place where they were put in prison, and having bu
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No. 153 The Story of the Gourd
No. 153 The Story of the Gourd
[When it asked the Princess, she said], “Having carried upstairs gold from the house of the garland-making mother, should you tie up [as a decoration] cloths [worked] with gold, in the morning I will celebrate the wedding festival.” In the morning the Gourd went upstairs. It having gone [with the gold and hung up the cloths], the wedding festival was celebrated. The Gourd laughs at its contracting ( lit. , tying) the marriage with the young Queen. Through shame at it, grief was produced in her.
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No. 154 The Story of the Shell Snail
No. 154 The Story of the Shell Snail
Well then, while the girl in that manner for a considerable time is saying and saying thus to the Shell Snail, one day when the girl is saying so again, the snail shell having burst open a Prince was born looking like a sun or a moon. After that, the girl having thrown away the bits of shell into which the snail shell burst, bathed the Prince, and took him. Having sent milk into a finger for the Prince, he continued to drink milk from her finger. When he was there no long time a tale-bearer told
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No. 155 The Queen of the Rock House1
No. 155 The Queen of the Rock House1
Having gone and talked, she allowed the two persons to sit in another house. Having allowed them to sit in it, she made ready and gave food and drink, and having allowed those two persons to lie down, she told them to go to sleep. She also having gone lay down. What though she allowed this mother and daughter to sleep! In the mind of that younger sister of hers is that formerly wished word when making the flower offering. Owing to that circumstance she remained during that day and night without
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No. 155a The Story of the Elder Sister and Younger Brother
No. 155a The Story of the Elder Sister and Younger Brother
The King having secretly come again near the palace, remained listening. Having seen it, the Queen, taking the two Princes, got into ( etul-wunāya ) the palace. The King having come to the palace and entered it, said, “Why did you not speak for so much time?” Then the Queen says, “After our mother was summoned and came to our father, after I and a younger brother were born our mother died. Then they brought a step-mother. Because that mother disregards 4 younger brother and me, younger brother a
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No. 156 The Queen and the Beggar
No. 156 The Queen and the Beggar
“The angry tone displayed, the King is desolating; The courier bold who charmed my love, long bound, is flying. Speak not so harshly, here with frowns me eyeing; He will not long rejoice, I pride that day abating.” 5 Having given these two bars of a four-line stanza to the Ministers, 6 he said he will give many offices to persons who explain them. 7 North-western Province. 1 That is, meet me face to face; this would be an unfavourable omen. ↑ 2 Æn̆dun kuṭṭama. Kuṭṭama being a pair, the referenc
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No. 157 The Frog in the Queen’s Nose
No. 157 The Frog in the Queen’s Nose
Then the woman says to the paramour, “Thus, in that manner the gallows-bird 2 of our house by this time will be killed. Now then, you remain [here] without fear.” The paramour having said, “It is good,” stayed there. Well then, when the messenger brought that man to the palace, he said to the King: “Maharaja, Your Majesty, this man can take out the frog.” While he was there, having become ready for death, the King, having been sitting at the place where the Queen is, says to this man, “Hā, it is
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No. 158 Concerning a Bear and the Queen
No. 158 Concerning a Bear and the Queen
Then the Queen, having gone near a well, showed the reflection of the Bear that was at the bottom of the water. At that time the Bear which was on the ground sprang into the well in order to bite the Bear that was in the well. Having sprung in he died. Then the two brothers, and the Princess, and the two children went home and stayed there. North-central Province. In Le Pantcha-Tantra of the Abbé Dubois, the animals had made an agreement with a savage lion that one of them should be given to it
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No. 159 The Leopard and the Princess
No. 159 The Leopard and the Princess
The Leopard another time said, “Holding fast, fast, [how] if you should slowly slowly descend?” The Princess descended. Then the Leopard, placing the Princess on his back, went to his rock cave. While living in that manner the Princess bore a child. The Leopard and Princess stayed there very trustfully. The Leopard had much goods. The paddy store-rooms had been filled, the millet store-rooms had been filled, the menēri store-rooms had been filled, there are many cattle. When they had been living
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No. 160 The Story of the Foolish Leopard
No. 160 The Story of the Foolish Leopard
North-western Province. This story is a variant of No. 70 in vol. i. In The Orientalist , vol. iv, p. 30, Mr. W. Goonetilleke gave a nearly similar story. The fold was one in which goats and sheep were enclosed. The man carried off the leopard which was concealed among them, and on discovering his mistake threw it down into a stream as he was crossing an ēdaṇḍa, or foot-bridge made of a tree trunk. He then ran off and got hid in a corn-store, where the jackal told him to twist the tail round a p
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No. 161 The Story of the Ḍabukkā1
No. 161 The Story of the Ḍabukkā1
When they had tied the creeper, after the Jackal went in front near the tree in which that man stayed, the Leopard said, “There. It is in the hollow in that tree, indeed,” he said. The Jackal snarled. Then when the man struck the Jackal in the midst of the mouth his teeth were broken. After that, [both of them], the Jackal howling and howling, having run off and gone away, when they were out of breath a Bear came and asked “Friends, what are you panting for to that extent?” The Leopard says, “Ye
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No. 162 The Leopard and the Calf
No. 162 The Leopard and the Calf
The Leopard having been much wounded in this way, died. The Bull went near his master’s son; he unfastened the Bull. North-western Province. In Tales of the Punjab (Mrs. F. A. Steel), p. 70, a lamb escaped from several animals that wanted to eat it by telling them to wait until it grew fatter. In the end it was eaten by a jackal. In Folk-Tales from Tibet (O’Connor), p. 43, a wolf that was about to eat a young wild ass was persuaded by it to wait a few months until it became fatter. When the time
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No. 163 The Ash-Pumpkin Fruit Prince
No. 163 The Ash-Pumpkin Fruit Prince
Then the woman (girl), for the sake of causing the Python to speak, applied ( dunnā , presented) the forked pole [for raising the conical roof] on the outer side of the eaves. 3 Then the Python says, “In our country our mother said that on the other side ( lit. , hand) is the way.” Thereupon the woman, having applied the forked pole on the inner side, and raised the (conical) roof, and lowered paddy, put it on the outer side of the winnowing tray, and began to winnow it. Then the Python says, “I
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No. 164 The Kabaragoyā and the Widow
No. 164 The Kabaragoyā and the Widow
After that, this Prince, wearing royal ornaments, remained in the appearance of a Prince. Ūva Province. In Kaffir Folk-Tales (Theal), p. 38, a girl chose a crocodile as her husband. When at his request she licked his face he cast off the crocodile skin, and became a man. In a note (p. 209) the author states that he had been bewitched by his enemies. 1 A large amphibious lizard ( Hydrosaurus salvator ). ↑ 2 Lit. , by the King. ↑ In a certain country, at a house there was a very wealthy nobleman
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No. 165 The Frog Jacket
No. 165 The Frog Jacket
Having said, “If so, on such and such a day we will come to summon her to go,” they went away. On that day, at the time when the young man and his two parents came he showed them his female Frog. After that, the young man’s two parents were not satisfied, but the young man being satisfied, summoning the female Frog they went away. After a little time went by, they were to go to a [wedding] festival house. While the young man was in sorrow thinking of it, this female Frog took off her frog jacket
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No. 166 The Four-faced King and the Turtle
No. 166 The Four-faced King and the Turtle
After that, the Four-faced King says, “We do not eat this food.” Then the turtles ask, “If so, O Four-faced King, what do you eat?” Thereupon the Four-faced King said, “We eat rice and curry.” Then because the Turtle King receives the thing he wished for, having created very suitable food he gave it to the Four-faced King and the army. After that, the Turtle King and the Four-faced King having spoken [about it], appointed the [wedding] festival for the seventh day from to-day. The Four-faced Kin
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No. 167 The Story of the Cobra and the Prince
No. 167 The Story of the Cobra and the Prince
The Prince afterwards in fear stretched out his tongue. On his tongue the Nāgayā with the Nāgayā’s tongue wrote letters. “Having heard all kinds of creatures talk you will understand them. Do not tell it to anyone,” [he said]. Afterwards the Nāgayā died. He burnt up the Nāgayā. The Prince having come home, while he is [there], when the Prince’s wife is coming out from the house small red ants ( kūm̆biyō ) say, “A woman like the boards of this door, having trampled [on us] on going and coming, ki
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No. 168 The Ant Story
No. 168 The Ant Story
The King having been looking on at this quarrel, thinks, “These irrational animals are not afraid of their wives.” Thinking, “Why am I in this fear?” he came to the King’s palace [after] breaking a stick. At the very time when he was coming, the Queen said, “Tell me what it was you laughed at that day.” Thereupon, at the time when the King, holding the Queen’s hair-knot, was beating her, saying and saying, “Will you ask me again?” the Queen began to cry, saying and saying, “Anē! Lord, I will not
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No. 169 The Gamarāla and the Cock
No. 169 The Gamarāla and the Cock
In a certain country there is a King, it is said. Near the city there is also a mountain; on the mountain a [golden-coloured] Peacock lodges. A Vaeddā of that country saw that the Peacock lodges on the mountain; having seen it the Vaeddā for a long time made efforts to seize the Peacock. At that time the Peacock, getting to know that this Vaeddā is saying, “I will seize it,” went to another mountain. Having gone, during the time while it was at the mountain this Vaeddā got to know of it. Learnin
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No. 170 Concerning the Golden Peacock
No. 170 Concerning the Golden Peacock
The Vaeddā said, “I want, for five days, food-expenses and a pair of noose-posts.” So the King gave them. Then the Vaeddā, taking the articles also, went near the mountain. Having gone there, he stayed for three or four days to get to know the time when the Peacock comes and goes for food; he learnt the times when the Peacock comes and goes. [After] learning them having fixed the pair of noose-posts in the morning before it became light, he made the peahen [which he had caught and brought with h
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No. 171 The Story of the Brāhmaṇa’s Kitten
No. 171 The Story of the Brāhmaṇa’s Kitten
After that, the Brāhmaṇa having taken the kitten gave it to the Wind-cloud. Then the Wind-cloud asked, “What did you bring this kitten for?” Then the Brāhmaṇa said, “I reared this kitten since the day when it was little, to give it [in marriage] to [His Majesty of] the Sun race. The Sun, the Divine King, told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. The Rain-cloud told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. Because of it, I brought it to give it to you to marry.” Then the Wind-cloud says, “I, the Wind-cloud,
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No. 172 The Story of the Mango Bird
No. 172 The Story of the Mango Bird
After that, as the man was coming home taking the bird, there was a grass field by the path. Having struck the bird [on the ground] in the field, the man asked, “Mango Bird, was that day good, [or] is to-day good?” “Both that day was good and to-day is good Through eating the mangoes of a Mango tree, Looking if hardness in Mango root there be, ’Mid the lower lands the frolic watery, Keeping up old customs on the grassy lea.” After that, the man having taken the bird, as he was going home struck
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No. 173 How the Parrot explained the Law-suit
No. 173 How the Parrot explained the Law-suit
Well then, that woman while eating the fowl’s flesh, says, “Is it the Parrot’s flesh! This I am eating is indeed the mouth that cleared up the law-suit! This I am eating is indeed the Parrot which said that he ought to give the masuran to that man!” Saying and saying it, she ate all the flesh of the chicken. When she was saying these things that Parrot stayed at the end of the drain; keeping them in his mind he remained silent. When cooking at the house, having washed the cooking pots they throw
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No. 174 The Parrot and the Crow
No. 174 The Parrot and the Crow
Then this Parrot for the purpose of causing this Crow to be killed having settled upon the roof of the house of the man whom [the King] told to shoot and kill that Crow, spoke to him. The man saying, “A Parrot that speaks well!” went to catch it. The Parrot having stayed looking, without going away, until the time when it is caught, said at the hand of the man, “Should you come with me, I will show and give you the Crow which ate that King’s meat.” Having said “It is good,” the man went on the g
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No. 175 The Crow and the Darter
No. 175 The Crow and the Darter
1 Plotus melanogaster , diya-kāwā (Sin.). ↑ 2 Kuḍāmassan̥. ↑ In a rock cave Crows and Owls made their dwelling. At night ( rāe dawasaṭa ) the eyes of the Owls see; the Crows’ do not see. Night after night having fallen, when the Crows and Owls had eaten, [the Owls] seized and seized the Crows, and began to pluck off the feathers [and eat them]. By that act the Crows began to be destroyed. Thereafter the Crows spoke together: “Should we [continue to] make our dwelling with this party we shall
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No. 176 Concerning the Crows and the Owls
No. 176 Concerning the Crows and the Owls
North-western Province. In Le Pantcha-Tantra of the Abbé Dubois, the owls lived in a cave, the crows in a great tree some distance away. The Chief of the owls intended to cause himself to be elected King of the Birds. The crows foresaw the dangers to which this would expose them, and one of their Ministers offered to endeavour to save them, and going as a humble suppliant became an intimate friend of the owls. He afterwards went to the crows, returned with them at noon, each carrying firewood, b
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No. 177 The Female Lark
No. 177 The Female Lark
After that, the Frog came and cried out in the pool. Then the tusk elephant thought, “At the place where that Frog is crying out there will indeed be water.” Thinking “At places where there is nothing Frogs do not cry out,” it went there. When it was listening and looking, the tusk elephant fell into that pool which was like a tunnel. Well then, the tusk elephant cannot come ashore from there. The Frog, having come ashore, says to the female Lark, “Look there. Friend, I was of another assistance
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No. 178 Concerning the Friendship of the Hare and the Parrot
No. 178 Concerning the Friendship of the Hare and the Parrot
Thereupon the Parrot said, “What, friend?” The Mouse-deer says, “The sort called Hares at any place whatever are not trusted.” Then the Parrot asked, “Well then, what are you telling me to do?” Then the Mouse-deer says, “On account of it, give up your friendship with the Hare.” To that the Parrot did not consent. After that, the Mouse-deer, having gone near the Hare, said, “Friend, we having been in the midst of this forest, except that there is convenience through the water, through the food th
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The Deer, the Jackal, and the Crow. (Variant a.)
The Deer, the Jackal, and the Crow. (Variant a.)
Thereupon the Jackal says, “I cannot. This is Sunday; 4 how shall I bite hides to-day?” Having said this, the Jackal got hid and waited. The Crow, also, having seen that the Deer does not come for a long time, the Crow also came to seek the Deer. Having come, when he looked he saw that the Deer had been caught in the noose, and asked, “Friend, what is [the reason of] it?” And the Deer says, “This indeed is the Jackal’s contrivance. To-day how shall I get free?” he asked the Crow. The Crow says,
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The Rat and the Turtle that kept the Precepts. (Variant b.)
The Rat and the Turtle that kept the Precepts. (Variant b.)
“We three are keeping the Precepts.” “Would it be good for me to come, too?” he said. “You [Crows] are not trustworthy.” “It is true, friend, [regarding the others]; nevertheless there is trustworthiness in me,” he said. Thereupon they said, “Come.” The Crow came. At the time when these four are keeping the Precepts a Jackal came. Having seen these four the Jackal said, “What, friends, are you [doing] there?” “Your kind are not trustworthy,” they said. “Yes, it is true [regarding the others]; ne
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No. 180 The Foolish Bird1
No. 180 The Foolish Bird1
That indeed. Now also, those birds saying “Kuṭurun, Son, Son!” 3 call them. North-western Province. The text of the verse is:— Wēli wēli aḍu-wena turu, daruwan galē gaesuwā. Saek rajunē diwas balā, mal waessak waessā. Etakoṭa mal tibunu lesama galen ekak pirunā. “Pubborun, putē,” kiyā, ammā an̆ḍa-gaesuwā. In a variant by a Tom-tom Beater the verse is:— Blossoms of jungle tree I saw and brought, and on the rock I strew. They dried and dried until they shrank; my children then I beat and slew. Now
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No. 182 The Story of the Vīra Tree Fish-Owls1
No. 182 The Story of the Vīra Tree Fish-Owls1
While they were there, sitting upon the porch of the palace of King Aṭṭapāla, Long-Bones called out, “King Aṭṭapāla!” After that the King having come, when he asked, “What is it?” as they were sitting upon the porch Long-Bones spoke to the King, “We came to ask for a marriage.” At that time, King Aṭṭapāla asks Great-Fisher, “Is this one thy brother, or thy friend?” Thereupon Great-Fisher says, “O Lord, this is our Long-Bones; he is my eldest brother. He is a person of the royal race. Just now, a
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No. 183 The Lion and the Bull’s Trust in Him
No. 183 The Lion and the Bull’s Trust in Him
1 In Cinq Cents Contes et Apologues (Chavannes), vol. ii, p. 339, a jackal’s heart broke into seven pieces on hearing several lions roar. ↑...
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No. 184 The Lizard and the Iguana
No. 184 The Lizard and the Iguana
1 Kaṭussā. ↑ 2 The Monitor Lizard ( Varanus dracaena ). ↑ North-western Province....
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The Widow and the Mungus
The Widow and the Mungus
1 Daboia russelli , the most venomous snake in Ceylon. ↑ 2 Lit. , by the Mungus. ↑...
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No. 185a The Crab and the Frog
No. 185a The Crab and the Frog
1 A dry measure said by Clough to be about three pints wine measure. See the Additional Notes at the end of this volume. ↑ 2 Karagama Devi pal, eka mage duwa pal, hatara pata naeliyen dek, deka, deka, deka. Lit. , “the protection of Karagama Devi,” etc. The oaths of this kind most commonly heard are ammā pal , “by [my] mother,” and aes deka pal , “by [my] two eyes.” But ammappā pal , “by [my] mother and father,” and maha poḷowa pal , “by the great earth,” are not unusual. ↑ 3 Gattā nan̥ dī, ga
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STORIES OF THE POTTERS No. 187 The Three Yakās
STORIES OF THE POTTERS No. 187 The Three Yakās
The Yakā said, “In my stomach.” “No, you are telling lies.” The Yakā said, “In my breast.” “That also is false,” she says. “Tell me the truth.” The Yakā said, “In my neck.” “It is not there, also,” she says. At last the Yakā said, “My life is in [the brightness of] my sword.” Afterwards, placing the sword near his head, he went to sleep. Then this woman having gone, collected a bon-fire ( gini goḍak ), and quietly taking the sword put it into the hearth. Well then, the woman having come back, wh
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No. 188 The Time of Scholars
No. 188 The Time of Scholars
Having gone near the King, [and laid a complaint regarding it], the King [finding that both men claimed her], says, “Imprison ye the three of them in three houses.” Afterwards the King asks at the hand of Dippiṭiyā, “What is the name of thy mother?” “Our mother’s name is Sarasayu-wirī.” 2 “Secondly, how many is the number of the cakes?” “Three less than three hundred.” Having caused Diktalādī’s daughter to be brought, he asks, “What is thy mother’s name?” “Kamalolī” (Love-desiring). “How many is
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The Dexterous Thief and his Son. (Variant.)
The Dexterous Thief and his Son. (Variant.)
Thereupon the son, having gone running to the house, taking also the goods, informed his mother about this; and again having gone to the King’s house, taking a sword also, and having seen that the father having been stuck fast was dead, cutting the father’s neck with the sword he brought home only the head. On the following day, in the morning having perceived that the goods at the royal house have been stolen, and having caused soothsayers to be brought to find the thief, when [the King] asked
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No. 190 The Story of the Four-Fold Trap1
No. 190 The Story of the Four-Fold Trap1
Because one pregnant woman, only, was at the corner (or end, assē ), the woman’s neck having been caught she died. As ten months had fully gone, the infant was brought forth outside. Thereafter, at the time when the Gamarāla, and the King of the city, and the Washerman who washes the clothes are going near the Four-fold Trap, an infant was crying and crying. Afterwards the Gamarāla and the Washerman ( Radā minihā ) having gone away carrying the infant, reared it. After not much time, the King ha
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No. 191 The Foolish Prince
No. 191 The Foolish Prince
Washerman. North-western Province. 1 Apparently, he thought she would be reborn on the earth again, with her former appearance. ↑...
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No. 192 The Jackal and the Gamarāla
No. 192 The Jackal and the Gamarāla
“On my head is a box of milk-rice.” “Yesterday also, having given milk-rice to a yoke of Jackals I was foolish.” “They were Jackals of the brinjal (egg-plant) caste; owing to being in full bloom we are Jackals of the tusk elephant caste,” they said. After that, having said, “Inḍaw,” he gave them it. After they ate it, having come dragging the two Jackals and tied the yoke [on their necks], he tried to plough. Thereupon, when they were unable to draw [the plough] having beaten and beaten them he
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STORIES OF THE TOM-TOM BEATERS No. 193 The Story of Batmasurā1
STORIES OF THE TOM-TOM BEATERS No. 193 The Story of Batmasurā1
The God Īswara said, “Should I utter to him the Īswara incantation also, that one will seize me.” The Princess said, “He will not do so; utter it.” After that, the God Īswara told the Princess to call Batmasurā near. The Princess called to Batmasurā [to come] near; Batmasurā came near. Thereupon the God Īswara said to that Batmasurā, “When I have uttered the Īswara incantation to thee, thou wilt seize me, maybe.” Then Batmasurā said, “I will not seize thee; be good enough to utter it, Sir.” Afte
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No. 194 The Story of Ayiwandā
No. 194 The Story of Ayiwandā
Then Gōpalu Dēvatāwā said to Ayiwandā, “Think in your mind, ‘If there be an authority which Gōpalu Dēvatāwā gave, these hills are again to become separated.’ ” Afterwards Ayiwandā thought in that manner. The two hills again became separated. Gōpalu Dēvatāwā said to Ayiwandā, “Think in your mind, ‘If there be an authority which Gōpalu Dēvatāwā gave, that tree and this tree are both to become one.’ ” Afterwards Ayiwandā thought in that manner. The two trees became united into one. Gōpalu Dēvatāwā
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No. 195 The Gamarāla’s Son-in-law
No. 195 The Gamarāla’s Son-in-law
When he asked, “Why so?” he told him in the aforesaid manner. After that, that man says, “Elder brother, you stay [here]; I will go.” Having said [this], and given charge of his wife to the elder brother, he went. Having gone, he asked for the above-mentioned marriage. When he asked, [the Gamarāla] said he will give her. Then he asked if he can work 2 in the above-mentioned manner. He said, “I can.” “If so, go to the rice field,” he said. Having said this, and loaded the paddy [to be sown], he g
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No. 196 The Story of the Gamarāla’s Son
No. 196 The Story of the Gamarāla’s Son
After the Yakā went away the hidden treasure burst open. That lad having come and taken the things of the hidden treasure ( nin̆dānē kaḷamanā ), again went to a Gamarāla’s 2 house. Having gone, and taken lodgings at the house, while he is there they are preparing ( tānawā ) to give that Gamarāla’s girl in dīga (marriage). They will give her for the manner in which the Cinnamon-peeler’s cloth is worn, and to a person who wore the cloth [most correctly]. Well, anyone of those who were there was un
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No. 197 The Manner in which the Gamarāla buried his Sons
No. 197 The Manner in which the Gamarāla buried his Sons
Well then, ten months having been fulfilled ( lit. , filled) she bore a son. Until the time he became able to talk they reared him. [Then] the Gamarāla said, “To look what this one says, let us bury him.” The woman having said “Hā,” they took him, and having cut the grave and placed him in the grave, they covered [him with] earth. The boy said and said, “Anē! What did they bury me for? If I remained [with them]—the potter does not beat [the clay for] the pots—[for] many will I beat it.” The two
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No. 198 The Story of the Wooden Peacock
No. 198 The Story of the Wooden Peacock
When they were thus for not a long time, the Carpenter died; the Carpenter’s wife also died. Afterwards this Carpenter’s son thought to himself that he must seek for a marriage for himself. Having thought it he went rowing the wooden Peacock to a city. There is a Princess of that city. The Princess alone was at the palace when the Carpenter’s son was going. Afterwards the Carpenter’s son asked at the hand of the Princess, “Can you ( puḷuhanida ) go with me to our country?” Then the Princess said
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No. 199 The Wicked Step-mother
No. 199 The Wicked Step-mother
When the two Princes went to their uncle’s house, “What, Princes, have you come for?” the uncle asked. “Our step-mother beats and scolds us; on that account we came.” “If so, stay,” the uncle said. Afterwards, when they had been there in that way not much time, as they were going playing and playing with oranges through the midst of the city, an orange fruit fell in the King’s palace. Then the Princes asked for it at the hand of the Queen: “Step-mother, give us that orange fruit.” The Queen said
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No. 200 The Woman who ate by stealth
No. 200 The Woman who ate by stealth
Afterwards the man said, “If so, when you cook it I cannot look and look on, eyeing it, and [then] eat it. To-day I am going on a journey; you cook.” Having said [this], the man dressed himself well, and having left the house behind, and gone a considerable distance [returned and got hid]. When he was hidden, the woman, taking the large water-pot, went for water. Having seen it, the man went running, and having got on the platform in the room (at the level of the top of the side walls), remained
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No. 201 The Story of the Bitch
No. 201 The Story of the Bitch
Having gone from there, when she went to the place where the younger Princess is, she bathed her in water scented with sandal wood and placed her upon the bed. Then the Bitch became a golden ash-pumpkin. Then the Prince having come, asked at the hand of the Princess, “Whence the golden ash-pumpkin upon the bed?” The Princess said, “Our mother brought and gave it.” Then the Prince thought, “When she brought so much to the house, after we have gone to her house how much will she not give!” Having
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No. 202 The Elephant Guard
No. 202 The Elephant Guard
After that the King [said], “A ring of a greater King than I! Because it is so it is bad to destroy this ring. What dost thou say about [thy reward for] it? ” “I say nothing. The thing that is given to me I will take.” Thereupon the King said, “Are you quite satisfied [for me] to give a district from the kingdom, and goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load?” This man said “Hā.” After he said it the King gave them. Thereupon this man took charge of the guarding of the elephants. One day when
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No. 203 The Elephant-Fool
No. 203 The Elephant-Fool
The man said, “I will bring a water-pot and give you it.” “I don’t want another; give me my very water-pot,” she says. Thereupon, being unable to escape from this woman, having said, “For the debt of the elephant let the water-pot be substituted,” the man who owned the elephant went away. Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province....
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No. 204 How a Girl took Gruel
No. 204 How a Girl took Gruel
The girl having given the gruel came home. Having come there and cooked for the Prince she gave him to eat. Then the girl’s father came. After that, the girl and the Prince having married remained there. While they were [there], one day the Prince said, “I must go to our city.” Then the girl also having said that she must go, as the girl and the girl’s father and the Prince, the three persons, were going along there was a rice field. The girl’s father asked at the hand of the Prince, “Son-in-law
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No. 205 The Boy who went to learn the Sciences
No. 205 The Boy who went to learn the Sciences
1 Siwsaeṭa kalā śilpaya. ↑ 2 Sāluwak. ↑...
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No. 206 The Prince and the Ascetics
No. 206 The Prince and the Ascetics
The Prince having reflected, walked round the palace. When he looked about, having seen that a cord was tied to a tree he shook it. Then having seen that the Vaeddā comes to the palace the Prince remained hidden. The Vaeddā having come and spoken to the Princess, after the Vaeddā went away the Prince having gone to the palace went for hunting. Walking in the midst of the forest he went near a river, and when he was looking about having heard the talk of men the Prince went into a tree. Having go
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No. 207 The Turtle Prince1
No. 207 The Turtle Prince1
The following day morning the same Turtle having gone says, “I can bring and give the Fire Cock in seven days.” Then the King said, “Not to mention 5 the Turtle, should anyone [whatever] bring and give it, I will give him offices and my kingdom also.” The Turtle having come home said to the Turtle’s wife, “Bolan, having cooked for me a packet 6 of rice, bring it,” he said. Then the Turtle’s wife asked, “What is the packet of cooked rice for you for?” she asked. “It is arranged by the King for me
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No. 208 The Gem-set Ring
No. 208 The Gem-set Ring
Then the Queen asked, “Son, what is the merchandise you have brought?” The Prince said, “Mother, having given those thousand masuran that I took, I brought a Cobra.” Afterwards the Queen said, “Appā! Son, should that one remain it will bite us. Take it to a forest, and having conducted it a short distance come back.” The Prince having taken it and put it in a rock house (cave) in the forest, shut the door, and came back. At the time when he was there the Queen said, “Son, should the King come to
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No. 209 The Story of the Brāhmaṇa
No. 209 The Story of the Brāhmaṇa
The Brāhmaṇa [whom he had met], turning to go along a different path, asked at the hand of this one, “Are there still masuran in your hand?” Then this one said, “I sold a plot of ground, and brought three masuran. For even my expenses there is no other in my hand.” Having said, “If so, I will say a word without payment ( nikan ); don’t tell lies to Kings,” he went away. Thereupon this one being weakened by hunger, at the time when he was going on, a nobleman ( siṭānan kenek ) of a city near ther
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No. 210 The Story of a Siwurāla1
No. 210 The Story of a Siwurāla1
Then the man said, “No. I will cut a pāela or two of paddy and come back.” Having gone to the rice field, and that very day having cut the paddy [plants] for two pāelas of paddy (when threshed), and collected them, and heaped them at the corners of the encircling [ridges], and carried them to the threshing floor, and trampled them [by means of buffaloes] that very day, he went to the Gamarāla and said, “The paddy equal to two pāelas has been cut and trampled (threshed). Let us go at once to meas
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No. 211 How the Poor Man became Wealthy
No. 211 How the Poor Man became Wealthy
The fishermen said, “We will give it. String these fishes.” The man having said “Hā,” until it became evening strung the fishes. Afterwards the fishermen gave that man a fish. Taking it, as he was coming a considerable distance he met a widow woman. The woman said, “Where did you go?” Then the man said, “I went to this sea quarter. I am giving a dānaya to the Gods; I went to seek a fish for it.” The woman said, “I also will go,” and came with the man. At dawn the widow woman, asking [permission]
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No. 212 The Story of Mādampē-rāla
No. 212 The Story of Mādampē-rāla
Thereupon, the man began to cut the paddy. Having cut the seven amuṇas (about sixteen acres), and finished, he descended to the unripe paddy 5 and began to cut it. Having cut the unripe paddy and finished, he began to cut the young paddy. 6 That he cuts with an elephant’s-rib pin. When he is cutting the young paddy, the men having gone running to the royal palace, say, “We called and got a man who was going on the path. That man having cut down all the [ripe] paddy is cutting the young paddy,” t
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No. 213 Æwariyakkā
No. 213 Æwariyakkā
After he said this [the man] said, “Taking this elephant give me that cloth tree.” Then the boy, having given that man the cloth tree, took the elephant to a house. After he went there, having tied up the elephant he made the elephant eat (swallow) the gold [coins] which he had [got from the cloth traders]. Next morning it had voided them. Afterwards, taking [the elephant’s dung], while he was washing it [and picking out the gold coins] the house man, [learning from him that the elephant always
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No. 214 The Horikaḍayā Story
No. 214 The Horikaḍayā Story
One day when they were going thus they saw that there were a horse, and a Prince, and a Minister; afterwards the two went there. Having gone, at that Prince’s hand, “What [are you doing here]?” Horikaḍayā asked. “Because our father the King tried to kill us, on account of it we came and sprang into the chena jungle,” the Prince said. Afterwards the five live in one place. While there, Horikaḍayā said to the Prince, “Let us go to seek a marriage.” Afterwards the whole five having gone very near a
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No. 215 The Story of Bahu-Bhūtayā
No. 215 The Story of Bahu-Bhūtayā
“Alas! Alas! Daub oil my head around; Or, if you won’t, Athwart my chest observe how hairs abound.” 5 ( Anē! Anē! Mage isa waṭa tel gāpan̥ Baeri nan̥ bada 6 waṭa kehuru balan̥. ) Having sung the song, Bahu-Bhūtayā descended to dance. Because the Danḍapola Kōrāla previously taught Bahu-Bhūtayā that same song, and because the same teacher had given his sworn word [not to teach it to another person], the woman was unable to dance the same song. After having made obeisance to Bahu-Bhūtayā, she says,
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No. 216 The Story of Goḷu-Bayiyā1
No. 216 The Story of Goḷu-Bayiyā1
After that, the woman says, “Aniccan̥ dukkhan̥! The woman of that village who was asked is I. My two parents, having made a mistake, drove me away. Because of it I am going to a place where they give to eat and to drink,” she said. After that, Goḷu-Bayiyā having thought, “Because the woman is good-looking, and because she has been asked before, not having gone at all to Oṭannāpahuwa I must go [back] calling her [in marriage],” summoning the woman whom he met with while on the path he came to the
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No. 217 The Yakā of the Akaraganē Jungle
No. 217 The Yakā of the Akaraganē Jungle
(He frightened other men in the same manner, and secured pingo loads of coconuts, turmeric, chillies, salt, onions, rice, vegetables, and a bundle of clothes. Thus he had the materials that he required for making curries. The narrator gave the account of each capture in the same words as before.) Afterwards, this man having taken and put away there the pingo load of rice and vegetables,—near that forest there is a city,—having gone to the city and brought fire, [after] cooking ate. While he was
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No. 218 The Four Rākshasas
No. 218 The Four Rākshasas
“In my box, cakes,” he said. Then the Rākshasa says, “I don’t want cakes; I must eat you.” The man says, “It is I alone you eat now. [Spare me, and] I will give you cakes to eat,” he said. The Rākshasa said, “I indeed don’t eat these.” The man says, “O Rākshasa ( Rāksayeni ), it is for the name of thy Goddess, Mīdum Ammā, 1 [that thou must spare me].” He having said this name, the Rākshasa, taking a cake, went to the river; he let the man go. Then the Rākshasa, having broken the cake into bits,
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No. 219 The Story of the Rākshasa
No. 219 The Story of the Rākshasa
That youth who watched the goats said, “I can bring it.” After that, the youth went at night to that Rākshasa’s house, and having cut the parrot’s cage brought the parrot, and gave it. Then those two said, “There is a good horse at that Rākshasa’s house.” Then, “Who can bring it?” he asked. The youth who watches the goats said, “I can bring it.” After that, he went at night, and having unfastened the horse he brought it. Having brought it, he gave that also to the man who owned the goats. Then t
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No. 220 The Thief and the Rākshasas
No. 220 The Thief and the Rākshasas
Those men who are breaking [into it], having seen the man [and thought he was a demon], uttered spells still more and more; they uttered spells to the extent they learnt. Notwithstanding, this man comes on. After having seen this man who is coming, those men began to run off through fear; they ran away. This man ran behind them. Those men, looking and looking back, run; this man runs behind. Then this man says, “Don’t run; I am not a Yakā.” The men say, “That is false which he says; that is inde
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No. 221 King Gaja-Bāhu and the Crow
No. 221 King Gaja-Bāhu and the Crow
Then the King asked the Crow, “Why didst thou drop excreta in my mouth?” At the time when he was asking it there was a jewelled ring on his finger. The Crow replied, “You said, ‘There is not a greater King than I.’ I saw that there is a greater King than that; on that account I did this.” Then the King asked, “How dost thou know?” The Crow said, “I have seen the jewelled ring that is on the finger of that King; it is larger than your jewelled ring. Owing to that I know.” The King asked, “Where i
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No. 222 The Assistance which the Snake gave
No. 222 The Assistance which the Snake gave
1 The narrator explained that when the rain came the snake would twist about inside the elephant’s head, and drive it mad. ↑...
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No. 223 The Leveret, or the Story of the Seven Women
No. 223 The Leveret, or the Story of the Seven Women
Thereupon that Prince says, “How are there women for me? My two parents gave me a female Hare in marriage. I am unable to go,” he said. Thereupon the female Hare says, “You go,” she said. So the Prince went. Afterwards the female Hare went there; having taken off her hare jacket on the road, she went to the [wedding] feast. The Prince [recognised her there, went back, and found and] burned the hare jacket which she had hidden [so that she was unable to resume her hare form again]. Tom-tom Beater
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No. 224 The Greedy Palm-cat1
No. 224 The Greedy Palm-cat1
It put it in its mouth. “What if I put it in my mouth, if I didn’t swallow it!” it said. It swallowed it; then it fell down. It having fallen down and died, the female Palm-cat went away lamenting. The thief of the garden was caught. Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province. 1 Kalavaeddā ( Paradoxurus musanga ). ↑...
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No. 225 The Wax Horse1
No. 225 The Wax Horse1
The Prince having come, when he bathed in the scented water prior to going to the Princess’s chamber the poison burned him, and having gone running, when he sprang into the pool the guards seized him. Having gone [after] causing this Prince to be seized, when they gave the explanation of the affair to the King he freed the Minister, and ordered the Prince to be killed. At the time when the executioners were taking the Prince, having said “A thing of mine is [there]; I will take it and give it to
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No. 226 The Three-cornered Hatter1
No. 226 The Three-cornered Hatter1
The two parties speaking thus, the man who came driving the bull stayed near those men who cheated him. Having stayed thus, after about eight days or ten days had gone, he said, “I will do a thing for their having cheated me and taken the bull”; and making a hat which had three corners he put it on his head. While he is there [after] thus putting the three-cornered hat on his head, those three persons ask, “What is it, friend? Where did you meet with a hat of a kind which is not [elsewhere]? Thi
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The Tusk Elephant of the Divine World (Variant).
The Tusk Elephant of the Divine World (Variant).
Then the man [in order] to say, “They will be this much [across],” released the hand which remained holding the tail of the tusk elephant. So the man fell to the ground, and all the other men fell to the ground. Only the tusk elephant went to the Divine World. Cultivating Caste, North-western Province. 1 That is, the amount of the seed being first deducted, a certain share of the produce would be taken by the cultivator—sometimes one-half or one-third,—the rest going to the owner of the land, in
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No. 228 The Gamarāla who ate Black Fowls’ Flesh and Hīn-aeṭi Rice
No. 228 The Gamarāla who ate Black Fowls’ Flesh and Hīn-aeṭi Rice
Beginning from that day, the Gama-Mahagē, walking everywhere, having sought for black fowls’ flesh and Hīn-aeṭi rice, began to give the Gamarāla amply to eat. While the Gamarāla, too, is eating this tasty food, after a little time he says to the Gama-Mahagē, “Anē! Ban̥, 2 my eyesight is now less.” When he said thus, the Gama-Mahagē more and more gave him black fowls’ flesh and cooked Hīn-aeṭi rice. After a little time more went by, he informed her that by degrees the Gamarāla’s eyesight is becom
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No. 229 How the Gamarāla drove away the Lion
No. 229 How the Gamarāla drove away the Lion
Well then, when the Gamarāla came [home] they told him about this matter. Then the Gamarāla, having scolded and scolded her, began to lament, and said, “Why, O archer, can I kill the lion?” But because the King sent the message telling the person whom they said can kill the lion, to come, when the Gamarāla, having submitted to the King’s command, went to the royal house [the King] asked, “What things do you require to kill the lion?” Thereupon the Gamarāla thought, “Asking for [provisions] to ea
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No. 230 The Son who was Blind at Night
No. 230 The Son who was Blind at Night
This one having said, “It is good,” and having gone, taking a side of the chena began to clear it. This one worked more quickly than the other persons. Thereupon the father-in-law felt much affection for this person who was blind at night. During that time when he was clearing it, a porcupine having been there at the corner of a bush, he killed it unseen by anyone, and put it away and hid it. At the time when it became evening the other dependants ( pirisa ) went home. This one, his eyes not see
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No. 231 The Son and the Mother1
No. 231 The Son and the Mother1
When he asked, “Because there is darkness how shall we find our mother’s bed?” “I have been placing a mark,” the woman said. Well then, because the end of the cord was tied to the leg of this woman’s bed, both together lifting up the bed went and threw it in the river. After it became light, when she looked, perceiving that the young woman’s mother was thrown into the river, and coming to grief, and having wept, she said thus to her husband, “For committing some fault 3 we have thrown my mother
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No. 232 Concerning the Heṭṭi Man’s Son
No. 232 Concerning the Heṭṭi Man’s Son
Having done thus, this one came into the house, and taking a gun speaks to his father and says, “Should you not take and give me this horse, shooting myself I will die.” Thereupon his father having become afraid, took the horse and gave [him it]. From the day when he took and gave the horse, he did not even go to the school. Having gone away according to his own notion, he joined the war army of that country. During the time when he was thus, also, he began to work there, so as to be a great dex
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No. 233 The Fortunate Boy1
No. 233 The Fortunate Boy1
At the time when she drove him away, having gone near a Heṭṭiyā of that city he says, “Anē! Heṭṭirāla, I having agreed to take such and such a rich man’s ship, and having gone to school, at the time when I was coming I placed my books and slates in pledge at a shop; and bringing twenty-five cents and having given them as earnest money, and agreed to secure the remaining money to-morrow morning at nine, I was going home meanwhile. When I told my mother these matters, she bringing anger into her (
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No. 234 How the Daughter-in-law got the Masuran
No. 234 How the Daughter-in-law got the Masuran
Thereupon her daughter having told her that she was cheated, when she had shown her the bag of fragments of plates both of them wept; and that woman having become angry with her husband separated from him, and went to her own house. Western Province. 1 Siṭānan kenek. ↑...
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No. 235 The Monkey and the Beggar, or the Monkey Appusiññō and the Beggar Babāsiññō
No. 235 The Monkey and the Beggar, or the Monkey Appusiññō and the Beggar Babāsiññō
Thereupon Appusiññō said, “Golden pounds like that are swept up into the various corners of the house of our Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō. Because of it, what of that one!” The King thought, “Maybe this person is a richer man than I!” The Lord Mudaliyār Babāsiññō and Appusiññō stay in a hut enclosed with leaves. 4 There are deficiencies of goods for those persons, for cooking and eating; there are only the small cooking pot ( muṭṭiya ) and the large cooking pot ( appalla ) [as their goods]. On yet a
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No. 236 How the Beggar and the King gambled
No. 236 How the Beggar and the King gambled
That King having abandoned the Queen, while he was going away, Senasurā, taking the disguise of a polan̆gā 2 (snake), stayed on the path. When the King was going from there the polan̆gā said, “Having swallowed a prey I am here, unable to go. Because of it take hold of my tail, and having drawn me aside and left me, go away.” Thereupon the King having taken hold of the tail of the polan̆gā, while he was drawing it aside it bit him on the hand. Then leprosy having struck the King, the King’s eye b
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No. 237 The Story of the King
No. 237 The Story of the King
After that, the Prince, begging a little water from the Princess, drank. After he drank, “Why is there no one in this palace?” he asked. The Princess spoke, “My father the King, and mother went for bathing their heads with water. 4 I and the flower-mother alone are [here],” she said. When the Prince asked on account of it, “Will the party come now?” “They will come now quickly,” said the Princess. Then the King and the Queen, [after] doing the head-bathing, came. The King and the Queen having se
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No. 238 The King who learnt the Speech of Animals
No. 238 The King who learnt the Speech of Animals
Then the Queen said, “Having caused the animals that are in this Lan̥kāwa (Ceylon) to be brought, let us build a tank.” Then the King having said, “It is good,” caused the animals to be brought. The King having gone with the animals, showed them a place [in which] to build a tank; and telling them to build it came away. The animals, at the King’s command being unable to do anything, all together began to struggle on the mound of earth. Those which can take earth in the mouth take it in the mouth
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The Kahawana Sowing (Variant)
The Kahawana Sowing (Variant)
While he was walking there a long time, having arrived at weariness the King went to the river to bathe. In that river the water is very rapid. Because of it, at the time when the King descended into the water he began to be drawn down into the water. Thereupon, at the time when the King says, “Take hold of me,” the Minister, having said, “Yahapati,” remained looking on. After the King had been swallowed up in the river and died, the Minister, having put on the royal ornaments and gone away with
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No. 240 Concerning the Prince with his Life in his Sword
No. 240 Concerning the Prince with his Life in his Sword
At that time the Princess having said, “It is good,” the two together having bounded off, proceeded to the place where the Prince who went there stays. During the time while these persons are staying there obtaining a livelihood, the Prince’s life is in his sword. Except that his brothers know that his life is in this sword, no other person knows. The Princess one day went to the river to bathe. While bathing there, three or four hairs of her head in the Princess’s hair knot having become loosen
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No. 241 The Royal Prince and the Heṭṭirāla1
No. 241 The Royal Prince and the Heṭṭirāla1
The Prince says, “I can do anything.” Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “Don’t you do work [so as] to become tired. There are my shops; you can stay at a shop.” When he asked, “Can you [do] letter accounts?” 4 the Prince said, “I can.” When he said it, having said, “If so, go to my shop,” he started him, and having gone with the Heṭṭirāla he gave him charge of the shop. Thereupon the Prince asks, “Do you give the shop goods on credit ( nayaṭa ) and the like? How is the mode of selling the goods?” Th
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No. 242 Prince Sokkā1
No. 242 Prince Sokkā1
While the royal Prince was going he met with a gambling place. He, also, having gone there gambled. Having gambled he lost all the money he took. After that, being without money, while he was staying looking on, owing to a rich Heṭṭiyā’s being there he sold him the horse, and taking the money played [again]. That also he lost. After that, having written himself as the slave of the Heṭṭiyā, and having said, “Should I be unable to bring back the money I will do slave work,” taking the money he gam
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No. 243 The Affectionate Prince
No. 243 The Affectionate Prince
So the great man having made it ready just like that, sent a letter to this King for all who are at the royal palace to come. Thereupon the King, having looked at the letter, prepared to go there. This Prince perceived that it was a device which was adopted by the King for the purpose of killing the Princess. Having perceived it and told those parties to go before, at the time when they were going this Prince and his younger sister, both of them, mounted on a cart (carriage), and went along anot
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No. 244 The Prince who received the Turtle Shell
No. 244 The Prince who received the Turtle Shell
When he acted in this manner on very many days, the husbands of the six Princesses related this circumstance while at the royal house. [Their account of] this matter the youngest Princess who was unmarried heard. Thereafter, one day the six Princesses and their husbands also, went to the festival pool to bathe. The youngest Princess went with these. The Prince who had become the son of the flower-mother, creating a most handsome Prince’s body, and having gone after the whole of them, waited [the
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No. 245 Concerning a Prince and a Kinnara Woman
No. 245 Concerning a Prince and a Kinnara Woman
After this, although the King investigated by several methods regarding the manner in which this disgrace occurred to the Princess, he was unable to learn it. Everyone in the country got to know about this. In this way, after the King was coming to great grief, he caused notification to be made by beat of tom-toms throughout the country that to a person who should seize and give him the wicked man who caused the disgrace to the royal Princess, he will give goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s
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No. 246 The Way in which the Prince traded
No. 246 The Way in which the Prince traded
Thereupon the Prince said to the deity, “The goods which the King stole from the men I will apportion and give to them. I will assist the men who were put in prison without cause. Because of it, henceforward do not send the fire-ball and destroy the city.” When he said it the deity accepted it. After that, the Prince having sold the goods that were in the ship and the ship also, and having assisted the families whom the wicked King had injured, together with the Minister governed the country. On
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No. 247 A Princess and a Prince
No. 247 A Princess and a Prince
Thereupon the Princess said to the Prince, “I know the means to earn our living, therefore be not afraid. For [the value of] the remaining two masuran bring threads of such and such colours,” she said. The Prince having brought them, the beautiful Princess knitted a scarf [like one] she was wearing, and having put flower work, etc., [in it], and finished, gave it to the Prince, and said, “Having gone taking this scarf and sold it to a shop, please bring and give me the money,” she said. Thereupo
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No. 248 Concerning a Royal Princess and Two Thieves
No. 248 Concerning a Royal Princess and Two Thieves
On the following day both persons did accordingly. That day, also, he beat the man who looks after the cattle, in an inordinate manner. The man who remained at home, having poured water until it became night, was wearied. Having seen that these two works were difficult, both these men in the evening spoke together very softly. The Queen and Princess having become frightened at it, put all the money into an iron box, and having shut it and taken care of it, put it away. These men having heard tha
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No. 249 How the Nāgayā became the Princess
No. 249 How the Nāgayā became the Princess
At this time, because the Siṭu Princess whom the Prince was intending to take in marriage had been taken and given and settled for another person, he contracted marriage with another Princess. On the day of the festival at which he contracts 3 this marriage, on his sending to his indigent former wife a sort of cakes in which poison was mixed, when she was partaking of them she performed the act of Yama. 4 After she died, a Nāga maiden began to give milk to the infant. The Prince having gone on h
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No. 250 The Story of the Cobra’s Bite
No. 250 The Story of the Cobra’s Bite
The Prince having established in his mind the advice which the astrologer-teacher gave, drew away and shook the seat; at the time when he endeavoured to look [at the place] all the things that were there fell into the secret hole. Having seen this and arrived at fear, the Prince set off from there and began to go away. Having thus gone a considerable distance, and having halted at a place because of hunger, the Prince said to a man, “On my giving the expenses give me to eat for one meal.” Thereu
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No. 251. How they killed the Great-bellied Tambi1
No. 251. How they killed the Great-bellied Tambi1
“What is proper to be done concerning it?” the King asked. Then the goldsmith says, “In the street I saw an extremely great-bellied Tambi. If in the case of that Tambi, indeed, the tusk elephant gore the belly, no wound will occur to the two tusks,” the goldsmith said. Thereupon the King having summoned the great-bellied Tambi, caused the tusk elephant to gore him through his belly. The goldsmith and the whole of the aforesaid [persons] went away in happiness. Western Province. 1 Moorman, a Muha
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No. 252 How Mārayā was put in the Bottle
No. 252 How Mārayā was put in the Bottle
After the three years were ended Mārayā went to the Vedarāla’s house. The Vedarāla having become afraid, did a trick for this. The Vedarāla said to Mārayā, “Kill me, but before you kill me, having climbed 4 up the coconut tree at this door you must pluck a young coconut to give me,” he said. After Mārayā climbed up the coconut tree, having uttered the Vedarāla’s spell the Vedarāla thought, “May Mārayā be unable to descend from the tree.” Well then, Mārayā, ascertaining that he could not descend
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No. 253 The Woman Pre-eminent in Cunning1
No. 253 The Woman Pre-eminent in Cunning1
The Barber said, “I thought of taking in marriage such and such a Heṭṭi woman. Owing to it the Heṭṭi woman said, ‘When the Great King has gone, when the Second King has come to Ceylon, when the flower of the creeperless jasmine has blossomed, having cut twenty, having stabbed thirty, having pounded three persons into one, when two dead sticks are becoming knocked into one, come mounted on the back of two dead ones.’ Because I cannot do it I remain in grief.” Thereupon the Barber woman said, “Ind
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No. 254 Mātalānā
No. 254 Mātalānā
After that, Mātalānā having gone stealing the King’s own clothes that were given for washing at the washerman’s house, at night descended to the King’s pool, and began to wash them very hard. The washerman, ascertaining that circumstance, gave information to the King. Thereupon the King, having mounted upon the back of a horse and the army also surrounding him, went near the pool to seize Mātalānā. Mātalānā getting to know that the King is coming, the army surrounding him, came to the bank at on
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No. 255 The Five Lies quite like Truth1
No. 255 The Five Lies quite like Truth1
The dried-fish seller became a Darter, and constantly searches for his dried-fish in the water. The areka-nut seller became a Water-hen ( Gallinula phœnicura ), and every morning calls out, “Areka-nuts [amounting] to a ship [-load], areka-nuts!” (a good imitation of the cry of the bird, Kapparakaṭa puwak′, puwak′ ). And the cook became a Jackal, who still always cries for his mother, “Seek for Hokkī, seek” ( Hokkī hoyā, hoyā , the beginning of the Jackal’s howl). Next morning the Minister told t
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No. 257 The False Tale
No. 257 The False Tale
While both are spending the days with much happiness, one day in the morning he said, “Son, let us go on a journey, and having gone, come; let us go,” he said. [The boy] having said, “It is good,” with the little boy the soothsayer went away. Well then, the boy goes and goes. Both his legs ache. The boy says, “Father, I indeed cannot go; carry me,” he said. Having said, “It is a little more; come, son,” while on the road in that way the boy, being [almost] unable to go, weeping and weeping went
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The Flower-Garden Story (Variant)
The Flower-Garden Story (Variant)
“While she is cooking for us let us go to cut a stick,” the elder brother said. Afterwards the two persons having gone to the chena jungle cut the stick. After having cut it 8 the elder brother said, “You lie down 9 [for me] to cut the stick to your length.” When he was lying down the elder brother cut off his two feet and two hands. He having cut them, when he was coming away the younger brother said, “If you are going, pick up my book and place it upon my breast.” After having placed it, the e
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No. 259 The Story of Sokkā
No. 259 The Story of Sokkā
Thereupon the King asks Sokkā, “If you are a dexterous man to that degree, will you come to fight with the first dexterous fighter of my war army?” Sokkā says, “When ten or fifteen are dying by one hand of mine, what occupation is there [for me] with one! I am now ready for it.” The King says, “When for three days time is going by, on the third day you having fought in the midst of a great assembly, the person out of the two who conquers I will establish in the post of Chief of the Army ( Senā-N
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No. 260 The Giant and his Two Friends
No. 260 The Giant and his Two Friends
The Prince, bringing the wealth and having given it to the old woman, and been there two or three days, the Prince went to another district. While going thus he met with a dried areka-nut dealer. Thereupon the two persons having become friends, while they were going along they met with an arrow maker. The three persons having joined together, talk together: “Friend, what can you do?” Thereupon the dried areka-nut dealer says, “Having uttered spells over this dried areka-nut of mine, when I have
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No. 261 How they formerly Ate and Drank
No. 261 How they formerly Ate and Drank
These two persons’ mother, and the King who was their father, both of them, having remained listening to this story from the root to the top, at the last said, “These are our two sons.” Having smelt (kissed) each other, all four persons obtaining knowledge of each other after that lived in happiness, enjoying royal greatness. Western Province. 1 Naew-paṭunak. ↑ 2 Pradhā stri. ↑ 3 Oṭunna-himi-kumārayek , lit. , a Crown-Lord-Prince. ↑...
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No. 262 The Gourd Fruit Devil-Dance
No. 262 The Gourd Fruit Devil-Dance
Taking the fish she cut [it open]; then there was a Gourd fruit. Thereupon the woman says, “Aḍē! Bolan, for one curry there are three meats!” When she looked the Gourd fruit was dried up. After that, having cooked those meats (or curries) and eaten, on account of hearing a noise very slightly in that Gourd fruit, taking a bill-hook she struck the Gourd fruit. Thereupon the whole of those men being in the Gourd fruit, said, “People, people!” and came outside. Having got down outside, when they lo
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No. 263 The Ascetic and the Jackal
No. 263 The Ascetic and the Jackal
When the Jackal said thus, the ascetic, through greed for the masuran, without thinking anything having spread the robe on the ground, was looking in the direction of the sun. When he was looking thus for a little time, the Jackal having dunged into the robe, and for a little time more having falsely dug the ground, said to the ascetic, “Now then, be pleased to take the masuran.” Thereupon when the ascetic through greed for the masuran looks in the direction of the robe, because of the sun’s ray
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No. 264 Concerning the Blind-Eyed Man
No. 264 Concerning the Blind-Eyed Man
Thereupon the Heṭṭiyā met with that blind-eyed man. So the Heṭṭiyā spoke to his wife, “There is a man near that tree. Let us go near, and [after] looking let us go.” The woman said, “It is good.” Then the two persons having gone near that blind person, asked, “Who are you?” Then the blind person made many lamentations to that Heṭṭiyā: “Anē! Friend, I am a blind person. I having spoken with my wife about going to another country, while we were going in the middle of this forest wilderness, my wif
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No. 265 The Destiny Prince
No. 265 The Destiny Prince
Thereupon, the letter having gone the party’s second teacher received it. Having received it, owing to the form of the letter that person writes, “I want nothing. Because you three said you will give anything I want, I am coming to marry you three persons. What do you say about it?” He wrote and sent [this]. The letter having gone, the royal Princess, together with the other persons also, received it. When they looked at the letter, the party perceived that the letter they wrote was wrong. Perce
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The Teacher and the Bull (Variant a)
The Teacher and the Bull (Variant a)
Ūva Province....
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The Brāhmaṇa and the Scholar (Variant b)
The Brāhmaṇa and the Scholar (Variant b)
In the same work, vol. ii, p. 353, a decrepit old hermit who had magical power left his own body, and entered that of a boy of sixteen years who was brought to be burnt, after which he threw his old abandoned body into a ravine, and resumed his ascetic duties as a youth. In Dr. De Groot’s The Religious System of China , vol. iv, p. 134 ff, instances are quoted from Chinese writers, of bodies which had been reanimated by souls of others who died, and it is stated that “it is a commonplace thing i
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SINHALESE TEXTS OF STORIES
SINHALESE TEXTS OF STORIES
As a termination, ǣ usually takes the place of a in such words as kawaddǣ , 1 kawdǣ , kīyaṭadǣ , kohedǣ , kohomadǣ , mokaddǣ , mokak welādǣ , mokaṭadǣ , monawadǣ ; we have also such forms as, āwæn passē , bǣn̆dæn passē , damamuyæyi , giyæn pasu , issaræhæṭa , kapannēyæyi , nikæ hiṭapan , palāpannæyi , weyæyi , wunæyin pasu . There are numerous instances in which a noun or pronoun as the subject takes an instrumental position, always governed by wisin or wihin , by; this is a common feature in H
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No. 207 The Turtle Prince Ibi Kumārayā
No. 207 The Turtle Prince Ibi Kumārayā
1 Corrected in MS., from Mini ; apparently either word is correct. ↑...
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ADDITIONAL NOTES, AND CORRECTIONS, VOLUME I.
ADDITIONAL NOTES, AND CORRECTIONS, VOLUME I.
In the same work, vol. i, p. 489, a King caused his portrait to be painted, and sent the artist to show it to another King and his beautiful daughter, and also to paint a likeness of her and return with it. She and the King were afterwards married. In vol. ii, p. 371, a King sent an ambassador to show a portrait of his son, and ask for a Princess in marriage for him. In Folklore of the Santal Parganas , p. 251, a Raja with five daughters determined to marry them to five brothers, and the Princes
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VOLUME II.
VOLUME II.
6. At-pā de-koṭasama kaepīma. Cutting off both the hands and the feet. 7. Kana kaepīma. Cutting off the ear. 8. Nāsaya kaepīma. Cutting off the nose. 9. Kan-nāsa de-koṭasama kaepīma. Cutting off both the ears and the nose. 10. Isē sama galawā ehi kāḍi-diya waekkerīma. Removing the skin of the head and pouring vinegar there. 11. Isē boraḷu ulā sak patak men sudu-kerīma. Rubbing gravel on the head, and cleaning it like a chank or leaf (of a manuscript book). 12. Mukhaya de-kan lan̆gaṭa irā tel-red
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VOLUME III.
VOLUME III.
1 This is the intrinsic value compared with our money; the purchasing value may have been thirty times as high in the stories, in which a masurama was paid for a day’s food of rice and curry, and a country pony was bought for fifty. ↑ 2 A pound of copper was priced at 9.8 d. of our money; the present wholesale values (July 9, 1914) are—silver, 25⅞ d. per oz. (Troy); copper, £62 5 s. per ton, the ratio being 41.566. ↑ 3 Numismatic Chronicle , 1895, p. 221. ↑ 4 Apparently the same as the huṇḍuw
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Omitted Incidents.
Omitted Incidents.
1 Eli-bahinḍa , a word which when thus used is well understood to refer to a necessary natural function. ↑...
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Corrections
Corrections
The following corrections have been applied to the text:...
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