Then the men said, "Ansca, Bola! Whence is it for thee, for a man called up for hire?"

Ayiwanda said, "If it be your tavalama, throw up five hundred dried areka-nuts, and catch them without even one’s falling on the ground." The men tried to catch them; all the dried areka-nuts fell on the ground.

Then Ayiwanda, after throwing up five hundred dried areka-nuts, thought, "If there be an authority which Gopalu Devatawa gave, may I be able to catch the whole of these five hundred dried areka-nuts without even one’s falling on the ground." Having thrown up the five hundred dried areka-nuts, Ayiwanda caught them without even one’s falling on the ground. After that, the tavalama became secured (hayi-wuna) [56] to Ayiwanda himself. The Moormen left it and went away.

Afterwards, getting ready hired labourers for Ayiwanda, he went to Puttalam. Having gone there, loading [sundried] salt fish, [57] now then, Ayiwanda, having become a very great wealthy person, set off to come to Ayiwanda’s village, taking the tavalama, together with the hired labourers. Having come, he caused the sacks to be put down under a Kon tree [58] in the field near the house of his aunt and uncle.

Ayiwanda’s mother came to the tank to pluck the leaves of a plant [59] [to cook as a vegetable]. Having come, through hearing the wooden cattle-bells of the herd of cattle she came near the tavalama. Having come [there] she says, "Ane! A son of mine was like the Hettirala. That son having gone [to be married], at the place where he was made to stay the woman killed and ate my son." Having said [this] repeatedly at the very hand of Ayiwanda, she wept.

Then Ayiwanda says, "Don’t cry. There is salt fish [here]; take [some] and cooking it eat. What are you plucking vegetables for [but to eat in curry]?" Having said [this], he gave rice and salt fish to Ayiwanda’s mother. Thus, in that way he gave them for seven or eight days.

After that, his aunt and uncle came near Ayiwanda for salt fish. Then Ayiwanda said, "I am not the Hettirala. It is I myself they call Ayiwanda. Take ye these things, so as to go."

Afterwards he dragged the tavalama and the salt fish to the house. Summoning that very bride, [60] Ayiwanda having eaten, when a little [food] is left over on the leaf [plate] he gives it to her. Ayiwanda [now] sleeps on the bed; Ayiwanda’s wife sleeps on the mat on which Ayiwanda wipes his feet, under the bed on which Ayiwanda sleeps.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

In a Tamil story taken from the New Year Supplement to the Ceylon Observer, 1885, and reproduced in The Orientalist, vol. ii, p. 22, Katirkaman, a poet who had acquired magical powers, awoke one night to find that some burglars had broken into the house and were removing the goods in it. He scratched a spell on a piece of palm-leaf, placed it under his pillow, and went to sleep again. When he awoke he found all the robbers silent and motionless in the positions they occupied when the spell affected them, some with the goods on their heads or shoulders, others with their hands on keys or door handles. When he spoke to them they apologised humbly, stated that they had mistaken the place and person they were to encounter, and promised never to attempt to rob the house again. He made them put back the goods, gave them a bath and a good meal, and stated that in future they should always have the right to eat and drink there.

NO. 195

THE GAMARALA’S SON-IN-LAW

At a city there is a Gamarala. There are two daughters of the Gamarala’s; one is given in diga [marriage] two gawwas (eight miles) distant, the other is not given. He said he would give her to him who comes to ask for her. From [the time] when he said it he did not give her.

Having brought [a man] he caused him to stay. On the following day morning the father-in-law says, "Child, there is a rice field of mine of sixty yalas twelve amunas. [61] Having ploughed the rice field in just one day, and sown paddy there, and chopped the earthen ridges in it, and on that very day blocked up the gaps [in the fence], and come back, and given to the twelve dogs twelve haunches of Sambhar deer, and given leaves to the twelve calves, and poured water on the twelve betel creepers, and come back [after] cutting the Milla stump, and warmed water, can you bathe me?" he asks.

Then the son-in-law says, "Aniccan dukkhan! Who can do these things?" he says.

Then saying, "I shall cut off [your] nose," he cuts off his nose. In that country they cannot say, "Aniccan dukkhan"; should they say it he cuts off the nose.

Well then, giving [his daughter] in this fraudulent way, in the aforesaid manner having told two or three persons [these works], in the same way he cut off [their] noses, too.

During the time which is going by in that way, there are an elder brother and a younger brother, two persons. The elder brother’s wife having died, he came in the said manner. When he asked for [the girl], the Gamarala said he will give her. Then in the aforesaid manner he cut off his nose.

Having gone away, through shame at going home he remained hidden near the well. The above-mentioned younger brother’s wife having gone [there], when she looked saw that he was hidden, and having come running back, on seeing her husband told him. He went, and when he looked saw that his brother is there.

Having seen him, when he asked, "What is it?" he says, "He cut off my nose."

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 Gamarala] said he will give her. Then he asked if he can work [62] 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 gave it.

The man, taking a plough, a yoke pole, a digging hoe, a water gourd, the articles for eating betel, and driving the cattle, went to the rice field.

Having gone [there], and tied the yoke on the unoccupied pair of bulls, and tied them exactly in the middle [of the field], and tied at both sides [of the field] the bulls which draw the load, he tore open the corners of the sacks.