North-western Province.

NO. 186

A LOUSE AND A BUG

In a certain country, at a King’s palace there is a delightful bed for reclining on. There was a female Louse which dwelt among the exceedingly white sheets spread on the bed. And that female Louse, drinking blood on the body of the King, passed the time in happiness.

At that time, one day a certain Bug walking anywhere came to the bed. At that time the White Louse said with a displeased countenance, "Emba! O meritorious Bug, because of what camest thou to this place? Before anyone gets to know about it go thou quickly from here."

At that time the Bug said, "Emba! O meritorious female, although [addressed even] to a wicked person who came to the house, speech like this is not proper. Whether of acrid taste, bitter taste, or sour taste, the fault of [requiring] food being the cause, various kinds of blood of several low men were sucked and drunk by me. By me at any time a sweet blood was not drunk. On that account, sitting down, if thou art willing, [the desire of] very sweet food being the cause, by sucking for myself thus, betimes, the blood—​any blood, be it inferior—​on the body of this King, to-day I shall dwell in happiness. Therefore, to me who, not having obtained food, came to the house, may you be pleased to give this very food. The drinking this King’s blood solitarily, by thee only, is not proper," he said.

Having heard that, the Louse said, "O meritorious Bug, I suck and drink the blood of this very King who has gone to sleep. If thou swiftly shouldst be drinking the blood with me, thou wilt drink much blood."

Having heard that, the Bug said, "O meritorious female, I will not do in that way; while thou drinkest the blood I will not drink. In the presence of this excellent King I will do it till full."

While both of them were talking in this way they approached the King’s bed. Thereupon the Bug having arrived at great greediness, bit the King.

At that time the King having arisen from the bed and gone, said, "There are bugs in the bed; wipe it down to clean it."

The servants having come there, and at the time when they looked having seen the White Louse, killed it. The Bug crept into a corner of the bed [and escaped].

Uva Province.

STORIES OF THE LOWER CASTES

STORIES OF THE POTTERS

NO. 187

THE THREE YAKAS

In a spacious great city three Yakas were born. Well then, the three Yakas spoke together: "Let us three Yakas go to the school of the Chief of the Yaka forces (Yaksa Senadipotiya), [26] to learn letters."

After they learnt letters the three spoke together: "Let us go to learn the sciences." The three having walked along the path came to the travellers' shed at the place where there are again three paths. The three spoke together. One said, "I will learn the science of killing a man." One said, "I will learn the science of causing [re-]birth." The other said, "I will learn to do magic." In the hand of one Yaka [was] the sword; in the hand of one Yaka, the betel-cutter; in the hand of one Yaka, the axe.

Those three Yakas said, "You go on that path; I will go on this path." Then the three Yakas go on the three paths. Before they went they said, "When any matter of sickness has happened to a person out of us three, how shall we get to know?"

Then one said, "I will plant a lime tree"; one said, "I will plant a flower tree"; one said, "I will make a flower pool." [27] Well then, saying that should any accident occur to the Yakas the fruit will fall from the lime tree, or the flowers on the flower tree will fade, or the water of the pool will become muddy, [28] they went on the three paths.

Having gone on the three paths, when they came to three countries the three summoned three wives, ordinary women (nikan gaenu). The Yakas taking human appearance, putting on good clothes like men, putting aside the teeth of Yakas (Yak-dat), taking good teeth, the women do not know that the three are Yakas.

After a long time, a man died in the village of the Yaka who planted the lime tree. That Yaka having taken the corpse after they buried it, and having drawn it to the surface, ate it. [29]

An old thief saw it. Having seen it, on seeing that woman he told her, "In this manner, the man who is in your house in this way eats human flesh," having seen that woman, he told that. Owing to it, that woman that day got to know that said Yaka is a Yaka. After that she prepared to kill him.

The Yaka’s wife asked, "Where is your life?"

The Yaka said, "In my stomach."