NO. 209

THE STORY OF THE BRAHMANA

In a city a Brahmana has a small piece of ground; only that belongs to him. He sold that place for three masuran. "Now then, I shall go and earn a living. You remain [at home], getting a livelihood to the extent you can," he said to his wife.

When the Brahmana was going along a path, yet [another] Brahmana was going in front. From the Brahmana who is going in front this Brahmana asks, "Emba! Brahmana, will you say a word [of advice] to me?"

"If you will give me a masurama I will say it," he said. This one said, "I will give it."

After he gave it, he says, "When you have gone to a country don’t require honour." Having said it, the two persons go away [together].

When they had been going a considerable distance, this Brahmana asked, "Will you still say a word [of advice] to me?"

"If you will give me yet a masurama I will say it," he said. "I will give it," he said.

After he gave it, he said, "Don’t do anything without investigation." He goes on in silence.

When they had gone still a considerable distance, this one spoke, "Emba! Brahmana." "What is it?" he asked. "Will you say yet a word [of advice] to me?" he asked.

"Then will you give me still a masurama?" he said. Having said, "I will give it," he gave him one masurama.

"To one’s own wife don’t tell a secret."

The Brahmana [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 (sitanan kenek) of a city near there having died and there being no one to bury him, they gave notice by beat of tom-toms that they will give five hundred masuran to a person who can [do it].

This destitute Brahmana asked the tom-tom beater, "What is that tom-tom beating for?"

The tom-tom beater says, "A man of this country has died and there is no one to bury him. Because of it I am beating the notice tom-tom," he said.

This Brahmana thought, "'When one has gone to a country do not require honours,' he said." Having thought, "Because it is so I must bury this nobleman," this one said, "I can," and went.

Thereupon this dead nobleman’s son says to the Brahmana, "Thou having quite alone buried this dead body, come [to me]; I will give thy wages."

This one having said, "It is good," and taken away the corpse, and cut the grave, thinks, "A sooth-saying Brahmana said to-day, 'Without investigation don’t do a thing.'" Having said this he unfastened the cloth round the waist of this dead nobleman, and looked at the body. There was a belt. He unfastened it and looked [at it]; the belt was full of masuran. Having taken them he buried the corpse and came to the nobleman’s house. Well then, the nobleman’s son gave the Brahmana five hundred masuran.

This one having taken them, came near a goldsmith, and causing him to make for his wife the things that she needed, he went to the Brahmana’s village. Having gone he spoke to his wife and gave her these articles.

After he gave them this woman asks the Brahmana, "Whence did you bring these?" in order that he should say the manner in which he brought them.

This one thought, "Yet [another] Brahmana having taken one masurama from me said, 'To one’s own wife don’t tell a secret,' didn’t he?" Thinking this, not telling her the way in which he brought them, he said, "Having become thirsty when I was coming home, when I looked about there was not a place to drink at. Having drunk a great quantity of Euphorbia milk [115] because the thirst was excessive, I was lying down upon a rock. Then the rock having split, masuran were thrown out. Collecting as many as I could, I got these things made," he said to his wife.

As soon as he said it (kiwa wahama), this woman having gone running told it in this manner to a great number of women besides. Thereupon the women having come running to their houses said it to their husbands. Those persons, about twenty-five, taking cooking pots, went to drink Euphorbia milk. Out of the persons who drank it a portion died; the other persons [after] vomiting came back.