The man having said "Ha," until it became evening strung the fishes. Afterwards the fishermen gave that man a fish. Taking it, as he was coming a considerable distance he met a widow woman. The woman said, "Where did you go?"

Then the man said, "I went to this sea quarter. I am giving a danaya to the Gods; I went to seek a fish for it."

The woman said, "I also will go," and came with the man.

At dawn the widow woman, asking [permission] from those two, cooked the dane for the Gods. One cannot stay in the city on account of the sweet [smell] of that fish having entered it.

Those Gods and their host having come at the time of the dana, all at the city apportioned the whole of the food. [121] Near these three persons there was no one. So Sakra, [observing it], creating an old man’s appearance, came.

This man called to Sakra, "Come here, you; there is not a person here for the dane."

Having spread a single-fold (tani-pota) mat, he gave the dane to Sakra. Sakra having eaten the dane went away. Those Gods and their host then also went. [122]

As this man was folding the mat which he gave to that Sakra to sit upon, under it silver and golden things had been heaped up.

The man with that silver and gold caused a city to be well built. That King’s sovereignty having been changed, this man’s son obtained the sovereignty. When he had been [there] not much time a very great scarcity of food struck the [former] King of the city, and the people. Doing work at the city of this [formerly] poor man, and having eaten, they remained there.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

NO. 212

THE STORY OF MADAMPE-RALA

At a certain city there is a person, Madampe-rala. For that Madampe-rala he brought a [bride in] marriage, it is said. That bride (mangula) was sent away (aeruna). Still he brought a bride, it is said; that bride also was sent away. In that manner, he brought seven persons. The youngest one of the whole seven having prospered, remained. The whole of those very seven persons were sisters. Those six persons were sent away, having said they would not grind millet.

While the above-mentioned youngest woman is prospering, one day the man says, "Bolan, cook for me to-morrow morning while it is still night, and give me it. It is [necessary] to go to cut jungle (wal)," he said.

The woman during the night itself cooked seven [millet] cakes, and cooked the flesh of a deer, and packed them in a box; and having cooked still seven cakes and the flesh of a deer, and given [these last to him] to eat, he finished. That Madampe-rala ate the seven cakes and the flesh of the deer, and went to cut jungle, taking the other seven cakes and the flesh of the deer.

Having gone, and having placed the things he took at the bottom of a tree, he began to cut jungle. Having cut three and a half chenas, [123] and come [to the tree] and eaten the seven cakes and the flesh of the deer which he took, and drunk a gourd (labbak) of water, he cut another three and a half chenas, and went home.

A little time having halted and been at home, he came back to the chena, and having set fire to it he began to work [again]. Having sown it and finished, bringing his wife and bags after the millet (kurahan) ripened they went to the chena, and she began to cut the millet. In the whole seven chenas she cut the millet in just one day. Having cut it and collected it at one place, together with the man she dragged [124] (carried) it home. That she cut the millet in the whole seven chenas the man was much pleased.

Having finished with the millet work, there having been a little paddy of his he cut that little, and collected it together.

Having said that he must go to his father-in-law’s village, while he is going away [after] tying five pingo (carrying-stick) loads, when going along through the middle of the King’s rice field the men who are in the field seized him.

Thereupon he says, "Don’t seize me. There being no paddy for me to cut, a little paddy of my father-in-law’s has ripened; to cut that little and return, I am going [after] tying also five pingo loads [of presents for my father-in-law]. I am unable [125] to stay to cut paddy [for you]," he said.

Thereupon, the men while giving answer asked, "Bola, any person who goes through the middle of this field goes [after] having cut paddy. [126] If thou cut [some] and went, would it be bad?"

Thereupon, the man began to cut the paddy. Having cut the seven amunas (about sixteen acres), and finished, he descended to the unripe paddy [127] and began to cut it. Having cut the unripe paddy and finished, he began to cut the young paddy. [128] That he cuts with an elephant’s-rib pin.

When he is cutting the young paddy, the men having gone running to the royal palace, say, "We called and got a man who was going on the path. That man having cut down all the [ripe] paddy is cutting the young paddy," they said.

Thereupon the King having come to the rice field and called the man, when he asked, "What are you cutting the unripe paddy for?" the man says, "When I was going to father-in-law’s village [after] tying five pingo-loads, they told me to cut paddy," he said.

The King calling the man and having gone with him [to the palace], tied ten pingo-loads more, and sent him away with men [carrying them], it is said.