At that place these two Rakshasa lads showed those two, father and son, to these two. Although this Rakshasi and Rakshasa could not bear not to eat those two, because they had sworn that day they were forbearing.

On the next day the two persons went away to another country. Having gone there they arrived near a tank. Both having descended at the bank, swam. When they were going to the middle of the tank both of them being soaked with the water died.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

NO. 197

THE MANNER IN WHICH THE GAMARALA BURIED HIS SONS

In a certain country there are a Gamarala and a Gama-Mahage (his wife), it is said. When they were there not much time (nombo kalayak), for the Mahage [there was] pregnancy longing; well then, she is not eating food.

The Gamarala asked, "What is it, Bolan? You are not eating food," he asked.

The woman said, "I have pregnancy longing." The man asked, "What can you eat?" The woman said, "Seven days (haddawasak) having warmed water (paen) give it to me." The Gamarala having warmed water gave it [on] seven days; the Gama-Mahage bathed seven days [with] the water. The Gamarala asked, "Now then, is it well, the pregnancy longing?" The woman said, "It is well."

Well, ten months having been fulfilled she bore a boy. Until the time the boy becomes able to talk they reared him.

[Then] the Gamarala said, "To look what this boy says, having taken him let us bury him." [74] The Gama-Mahage also having said "Ha," they took him to bury. Having cut the grave (lit., hole) and placed him in the grave, they covered [him with] earth (pas waehaewwa).

Then the boy said, "Ane! What did mother and father [75] bury me for? If I remained with [them]--the smith does not beat the piece of iron [after] having placed it on the anvil—​many will I beat (hammer) for them both." [76]

The Gamarala and the Mahage having said, "That one to us [is] a smith’s boy," and having well trampled still [more] earth [on him] came home.

When they were thus for no long time, for the Mahage again [there was] pregnancy longing; well then, she is not eating food. The Gamarala asked, "What is it, Bolan? You are not eating food." The woman said, "I have pregnancy longing." The Gamarala said, "What can you eat for the pregnancy longing?" The woman said, "[On] seven days from the Blue-lotus-flower pool having brought water, seven days having warmed it give me it (dilan) to drink." The Gamarala having brought the water, [on] seven days having warmed it gave it; the woman on the very seven days drank. The Gamarala asked, "Now then, is it well, the pregnancy longing?" The woman said, "It is well."

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 Gamarala said, "To look what this one says, let us bury him." The woman having said "Ha," they took him, and having cut the grave and placed him in the grave, they covered [him with] earth.

The boy said and said, "Ane! What did they bury me for? If I remained

many will I beat it."

The two persons having said, "That one is not ours [77]--a potter’s boy," and having put still [more] earth [on him] and trampled it, came home.

Having come there, when they were [there] no long time, for the woman [there was] pregnancy longing; she is without food. The Gamarala asked, "What is it, Bolan? You are not eating food." The woman said, "I have pregnancy longing." The Gamarala asked, "What can you eat?" The woman said, "Having cut a hollow well (puhu lindak) and brought the water (diya), seven days having warmed it give me it for me to bathe." The Gamarala having cut a hollow well, [on] seven days having warmed the water gave it. The woman seven days bathed [with] the water. The Gamarala said, "Now then even, is the pregnancy longing well?" The woman said, "It is well."

When she was [there] not much time she bore a boy. Having reared him until the time when the boy became able to talk, the Gamarala said, "Having taken this one let us bury him, to look what he says." The Gama-Mahage having said "Ha," they took him, and having cut the grave and placed him in the grave, covered [him with] earth.

The boy said, "Ane! If I remained [with them]--the washerman does not wash cloth for them—​many will I wash."

The two persons having said, "That one [is] not ours—​a washerman’s boy," put still [more] earth [on him] and having trampled it came home.

(On the next occasion the woman stated, in reply to her husband’s inquiry as to what food she wanted, that she required nothing. When the son was buried he said, "What [did they bury] me for? For them [78] I—​the tom-tom beater does not beat the tom-tom—​will beat many." [79] They said, "That one [is] not ours—​a tom-tom beater’s boy," and they finished the burial and returned home.

On the fifth occasion, when asked what she could eat, the woman said, "There is the mind to eat (sic) buffalo milk." When the boy was placed in the grave he said, "Ane! What did our mother and father bury me for? If I remained [with them], having arrived near a King, [after I am] exercising the sovereignty won’t our mother and father, both of them, get subsistence for themselves?" [80] The story continues:--)

Well then, the two persons having said, "This one himself [is] our child," getting him to the surface [81] they brought him home.

(On the sixth occasion the woman required cow’s milk. After she had "eaten" it (lit., them, the word for milk being a plural noun) the longing was allayed. Like the others, the boy who was born was buried when he could talk. He said, "Ane! What did our mother and father bury me for? If I remained [with them] won’t the two persons get a subsistence, I having even done cultivation and trading?")