Folklore of the Santal Parganas, Cecil Henry Bompas [sad books to read .TXT] 📗

Raja resolved to go himself; when

he saw the shining form of his son-in-law he fell down in a faint;

the princess's husband ran and lifted up the Raja in his arms and

revived him. After this the former cowherd became only bearably bright,

and being recognized as the heir to the kingdom went to live with

his wife in the Raja palace.

 

 

 

 

(18)--The Strong Prince.

 

There was once a king who, though he had two wives, had no son. He

was very anxious to have a son and heir and went away into the

midst of the hills and jungles and there began a course of worship

and sacrifices. His prayers were heard and while he was away it was

found that both his wives were pregnant. In due time the senior Rani

gave birth to a son and sent a Brahman to the king with the welcome

news. The Brahman was a very holy man and he had to pray and bathe so

often that he made very slow progress on his journey. A day or two

later the younger Rani also gave birth to a son and she sent a low

caste Ghasi to give the news to the Raja. The Ghasi travelled straight

ahead and reached the Raja some time before the holy Brahman. On

hearing the news that the younger Rani had given birth to a son the

Raja had at once declared that this boy should be his heir. He was

therefore much put out when the Brahman arrived with the news that

the senior Rani had given birth to a son first.

 

The Raja returned home and entering the palace saw the senior Rani

sleeping with her babe beside her. The boy had sore eyes and the Raja,

declaring that the child bore no resemblance to himself said that it

was not his son and that the Rani had been unfaithful to him.

 

The Rani indignantly denied the accusation and said that if the two

brothers fought her son would prove his parentage. Accordingly the

two boys were set to wrestle with each other. The struggle was an

even one. As they swayed to and fro it happened that the elder boy

caught hold of the Raja and pulled him to the ground. This incensed

the Raja more than ever and he ordered the senior Rani to leave the

kingdom with her child. On the road by which they had to pass the

Raja stationed a _mast_ elephant in order that they might be killed,

but when in due course the elephant attacked them the boy caught

hold of it and threw it to a distance of four _kos_. After this feat

the prince and his mother journeyed to another kingdom. There they

took up their quarters near the ground where the Raja's _palwans_

wrestled. The prince went to wrestle with them and easily overcame

the most renowned _palwans_. In many ways he showed his strength. One

day he went to a mahajan's shop and the Mahajan instead of serving

him promptly kept him waiting. In indignation the boy took up the

entire building and threw it to a distance; hearing of these feats

the Raja of the country sent for him and took him into his service;

but here also he caused trouble. He insisted on being treated with

deference. Going up to the highest officials he would tell them not

to twist their moustaches at him, and knock them down. On the throne

in the palace when the Raja was absent a pair of the Raja's shoes was

placed and every one who passed by had to salaam to these. This our

hero flatly refused to do. In fact he became such a nuisance that he

was promised that he would be given his pay regularly if he would only

stay away from the palace. After this he spent his days in idleness

and by night he used to go to the shore and disport himself in the sea.

 

One night the goddess Kali came to the Raja's palace and knocked at

the gate: but no one would come to open it. Just then the prince

came back from bathing in the sea. Seeing him, Kali Ma, said that

she was so hungry that she must eat him, though she had intended

to eat the people in the palace. She, however, promised him that

though eaten he should be born again. The boy agreed to form a meal

for the goddess on these terms and was accordingly eaten. Afterwards

gaining admission to the palace Kali Ma ate up everyone in it except

the Raja's daughter. Then our hero was born again and marrying the

Raja's daughter succeeded to the kingdom, and lived happily ever after.

 

 

 

 

 

(19)--The Prince Who Became King of the Jackals.

 

Once upon a time there lived a Raja whose son formed a great friendship

with a barber. For some reason the Raja quarrelled with his son and

ordered him to leave the kingdom. Accordingly the prince departed to a

far country in company with his friend, the barber. In order to earn

a living the barber opened a school and the prince took service with

a mahajan. They were in such straits that the prince had to submit

to very hard terms, it was arranged that his wages were to be one

leaf-plate full of rice a day: and that if he threw up the service he

was to lose a piece of his skin a span long. After a short time the

prince who had been brought up in luxury found the work so hard and

the food so scanty that he resolved to leave the mahajan: but before he

went he had to submit to a piece of skin being cut off, in terms of the

agreement. The prince then went to the barber and told him how ill he

had fared. The barber vowed that he should be avenged. So he went and

offered himself as a servant to the mahajan: he was engaged and it was

agreed that whichever party first proposed to terminate the contract

should lose a piece of skin a span long. The barber worked so badly

and ate so much that one day the mahajan in a fit of rage ordered him

to leave the place and in consequence forfeited a piece of his skin.

 

Having repaid the mahajan in his own coin the prince and the

barber left those parts and journeyed to the land of the king of

the jackals. They found the king of the jackals asleep in front of

his cave. While he still slept the barber shaved all the hair off

his tail. Then the two friends hid in the cave, drawing a cart in

front of the entrance. When the jackal awoke and found that he had

been shaved he concluded that there were _bongas_ (spirits) about;

and ran away in terror. After going a short distance he met a bear

who asked where he was going in such a hurry. The king of the jackals

said that some _bongas_ had taken possession of his cave and shaved

off his hair. The bear agreed to go back with the jackal and see if

he could exorcise the spirits. Going to the cave the bear climbed on

to the cart to offer a sacrifice. As he sat there the barber caught

hold of his tail and held on to it while the prince began to stab

the bear with a knife. The bear howled and groaned but could not

get away. The king of the jackals who was looking on was delighted,

for he concluded that the _bongas_ had taken possession of the bear

who would learn who they were and how they were to be exorcised. At

last the bear broke free and ran away: the jackal ran after him and

asked him what the _bongas_ had told him: but the bear only said 'ugh'

'ugh' and ran into the jungle. Then the jackal met a tiger and telling

his story persuaded the tiger also to try his hand at exorcising the

spirits. The tiger was treated in the same way as the bear had been

and ran off without giving the jackal any information.

 

Then the king of the jackals resolved to try himself and mounted

on to the cart. But the barber stabbed him through the bamboos and

killed him. Then the prince succeeded to the kingdom of the jackals,

and not only so, but replaced the piece of skin which he had forfeited

to the mahajan by a piece of the skin of the dead jackal.

 

 

 

(20)--The Mongoose Boy.

 

Once upon a time there was a Raja who had seven wives but no

children. In hope of issue he retired to the jungle and began a course

of prayers and sacrifices. While he was so engaged a Brahman came to

him and told him to take a stick and with it knock down seven mangoes

from a neighbouring tree, and catch them before they reached the

ground: he promised that if the Ranis ate these mangoes they would

bear children. The Raja did as he was directed and took the mangoes

home and gave one to each of his wives.

 

The youngest Rani happened at the time to be sweeping out a room and so

she put her mango in a niche in the wall. Just then a neighbour sent

a mongoose, who was her servant, to ask for a light. While the Rani

was fetching a firebrand from the hearth the mongoose saw the mango

and climbing up nibbled part of it without being seen. After this the

Rani ate the mango. In due time the seven Ranis each gave birth to

a son: but the son of the youngest Rani was the most beautiful with

a face like a mongoose. The eldest Rani was jealous of the beauty

of the youngest Rani's son so one day she sent the youngest Rani to

fetch some water: and during her absence took up the mongoose boy

and putting a stone and a broom in its place took the child away and

buried it in the pit from which the potters dig their earth. When

the Raja heard that his youngest wife had given birth to nothing but

a stone and a broom he was very angry and turned her out of the palace.

 

Meanwhile a potter had found the mongoose boy still alive and had

taken him to his home. There the child grew up and became a strong

boy. One day he asked the potter to make him an earthenware horse. On

this horse he used to ride about, for directly he mounted it, it

was endowed with life. One day the mongoose boy took his earthenware

horse to water it at a tank near the palace and there his six brothers

saw it and insisted that they also should have earthenware horses to

ride. Horses were accordingly made for them but when they mounted,

the horses would not budge an inch. Enraged at this the princes

complained to their mothers. The Ranis at once suspected the identity

of the potter's boy and told their sons to kill him.

 

So one day when the young princes met him at the tank they killed

the mongoose boy and buried his body. At the place where the body

was buried there grew up a bamboo of extraordinary size and a bush

with sweet and beautiful flowers: many people tried to cut down the

big bamboo and to pluck the beautiful flowers but every arm that was

raised to do so was restrained by some unseen power. Eventually the

news of this portent reached the ears of the Raja who went to see

what was happening. When the Raja trid to pluck a flower he succeeded

at the first attempt. The Raja then cut down the bamboo and out of

it stepped the mongoose boy who told of the illtreatment which he

had received at the hands of the six Ranis and their sons. The Raja

wished him to come to the palace but he insisted that his mother

should first be sent for. This was at once done.

 

Then the Raja had a wide and deep well dug and announced that a

Puja was to be performed at the opening of the well. To the ceremony

came the six Ranis and their sons. As they all knelt at the edge of

the well doing puja the Raja had them pushed into it, so that they

were all drowned. Thus the wicked were punished and the mongoose boy

eventually succeeded to his father's kingdom.

 

 

 

 

(21)--The Prince and the Tigress.

 

Once upon a time there was a Raja who had seven sons. One day a tigress

came to the palace and asked the Raja to allow one of his sons to be

her servant and look after her cattle. The Raja consented