In a certain country there were a Gamarāla and a Gama-Mahagē, it is said. There was a paramour for this Gama-Mahagē, it is said. Because the Gamarāla was at home the paramour was unable for many days to come to look at the Gama-Mahagē.

Because of it, the Gama-Mahagē having thought she must make her husband’s eyes blind, went on the whole of the days to the bottom of a spacious tree in which it was believed that there is a Dēvatāwā, and cried, “O Deity, make my man’s eyes blind.”

Having seen that in this way incessantly (nokaḍawama) the Gama-Mahagē in the evening having abandoned all house work goes into the jungle, the Gamarāla wanted to ascertain what she goes here for. The Gamarāla also in order to stop this going of the Gama-Mahagē settled in the afternoon that there will be a great quantity of work [for her] to do. The Gamarāla, who saw that nevertheless, whatever extent of work there should be, having quickly finished all the possible extent she goes into the jungle, on the following day in the evening having been reminded of the preceding reflections, remained hidden in a hollow in the tree there.

And the Gama-Mahagē, just as on other days, in the evening having finished the work and having come, cried, “O Dēvatāwā who is in this tree, make my man’s eyes blind.” Having cleared the root of the tree and offered flowers, she also lighted a lamp.

The Gamarāla who was looking at all these, having been struck with astonishment, after the Gama-Mahagē went away descended from the tree and went home.

On the following day, also, in the evening the Gamarāla, catching a pigeon and having gone [with it], remained hidden in the hollow of the very same tree. At the time when he is staying in this way, the Gama-Mahagē having come, and having offered oil, flowers, etc., just as before, when she cried out [to the deity] to blind her man’s eyes, the Gamarāla from the hollow of the tree, having changed his voice, spoke, “Bola!”

Thereupon the Gama-Mahagē, having thought, “It is this Deity spoke,” said, “O Lord.”

At that time the Gamarāla said thus, “If [I am] to make thy man’s eyes blind, give [him] black fowls’ flesh1 and cooked rice of Hīn-aeṭi rice.” Having said [this], he allowed the pigeon which he had caught to fly away.

Thereupon the Gama-Mahagē having thought, “This Deity is going in the appearance of a pigeon,” having turned and turned to the direction in which the pigeon is going and going, began to worship it. And the Gamarāla after that having slowly descended from the tree, went away.

Beginning from that day, the Gama-Mahagē, walking everywhere, having sought for black fowls’ flesh and Hīn-aeṭi rice, began to give the Gamarāla amply to eat. While the Gamarāla, too, is eating this tasty food, after a little time he says to the Gama-Mahagē, “Anē! Ban̥,2 my eyesight is now less.” When he said thus, the Gama-Mahagē more and more gave him black fowls’ flesh and cooked Hīn-aeṭi rice.

After a little time more went by, he informed her that by degrees the Gamarāla’s eyesight is becoming less. At this time the Gama-Mahagē’s paramour began to come without any fear. The Gamarāla, groping and groping like a blind man, when he is walking in the house saw well that the paramour has come.

Having said, “Ban̥, at the time when you are not [here], dogs having come into the house overturn the pots,” the Gamarāla asked for a large cudgel. Keeping the cudgel in this manner while he was lying down, when the paramour came having seized his two hands and beaten him with the cudgel, he killed him outright.

While he was thus, when the Gama-Mahagē came he said, “Look there, Ban̥. Some dogs having come from somewhere or other, came running and jumping into this. Having thrown them down with the cudgel, I beat them. What became of them I don’t know.”

Having heard this matter, at the time when the Gama-Mahagē looked she saw that the paramour was killed, and having become much troubled about it because there was also fear that blame would come to her from the Government, lifting up the corpse and having gone and caused it to lean against a plantain-tree in her father’s garden, she set it there.

Her father having gone during the night-time to safeguard the plantain enclosure, and having seen that a man is [there], beat him with his cudgel. Although the blows he struck were not too hard, having seen that the man fell and was killed, the plantain enclosure person, having become afraid, lifting up the corpse and having gone [with it], pressed the head part in the angle of the shop of a trader in salt, and went away.

The salt dealer having thought, “A thief is entering the house,” struck a blow with a cudgel. But having come near and looked, and seen that the man is dead, at the time when it became light he informed the Government. He said that the man could not die at his blow, and that some person or other had put him there.3

Because on account of the dead man there was not any person to lament, having employed women for hire he caused them to lament. At this time one woman lamented: “First, it is my misfortune; next to that, father’s misfortune; and after that the salt dealer’s misfortune.”4 At the time when they asked, “What is that?” when she related the whole account for her punishment they ordered her to be killed.

Western Province.

In a certain country the wife of a Gamarāla had a paramour. Having given this paramour to eat and drink, because she wants him to stay there talking and associated [with her] the Gama-Mahan̆gē every day at daybreak tells the Gamarāla to go to the chena, and at night tells him to go to lie down at the watch hut; even having come to eat cooked rice, she does not allow him to stay at home a little time.

The Gamarāla, having felt doubtful that perhaps there may be a paramour for the Gama-Mahan̆gē, one day at night quite unexpectedly went home and tapped at the door.

Then, because the paramour was inside the house, the Gama-Mahan̆gē practised a trick in this manner. During the day time the Gamarāla had put in the open space in front of the house a large log of firewood that was [formerly] at a grave. “A Yakā having been in this log of firewood, and having caused me to be brought to fear, go and put down that log of firewood afar. Until you come I cannot open the door,” the Gama-Mahan̆gē said.

The Gamarāla having been deceived by it, lifting up the log of firewood in order to go and put it away, went off [with it]. Then the paramour who was in the house having opened the door, she sent him out. When the Gamarāla came back (āpuwāma) anybody was not there.

After this, one day when the Gamarāla came at the time when the door had been opened, because the paramour was in the house the Gama-Mahan̆gē told the paramour to creep out by the corner of the roof [over the top of the wall], to the quarter at the back of the house, and go away.

But having crept a little [way], because he remained looking back the Gama-Mahan̆gē says, “You are laughing. Should he even cut my body there will be no blood [of yours shed]. Creep quickly. If not, there will be great destruction for us both.” But because he does not speak, when she came near and looked she saw that the paramour having stuck fast was dead. Because his mouth was opened, this woman thought, “At that also he is laughing.”

Well then, when the Gamarāla came into the house the Gama-Mahan̆gē said, “Look here. A thief having come and having prepared to steal the goods that are in the house, is dead on the path on which he crept from here when I was coming. It is a good work,” she said. The Gamarāla, taking this for the truth, buried the man.

After this the Gama-Mahan̆gē met with another paramour. The man said to the Gama-Mahan̆gē, “We must kill the Gamarāla. The mode of killing [shall be] thus:—Because it troubles men when a lion that is in the midst of such and such a forest in this country is roaring, to-morrow during the day the King will cause a proclamation tom-tom to be beaten [to notify] that he will give goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load to a person who killed1 the lion, or to a person who drove it away. You having caused the proclamation tom-tom to halt, say that our Gamarāla can kill the lion,” the paramour taught the Gama-Mahan̆gē.

In this said manner, the Gama-Mahan̆gē on the following day having stopped the proclamation tom-tom, said, “Our Gamarāla can kill the lion.”

Well then, when the Gamarāla came [home] they told him about this matter. Then the Gamarāla, having scolded and scolded her, began to lament, and said, “Why, O archer, can I kill the lion?” But because the King sent the message telling the person whom they said can kill the lion, to come, when the Gamarāla, having submitted to the King’s command, went to the royal house [the King] asked, “What things do you require to kill the lion?”

Thereupon the Gamarāla thought, “Asking for [provisions] to eat and drink for three months, and causing a large strong iron cage to be made, I must go into the midst of the forest, and having entered the cage, continuing to eat and drink I must remain in it doing nothing.” Having thought it, asking the King for the things and having gone into the midst of the forest, he got into the iron cage, and continuing to eat and drink stayed in it doing nothing.

While he was staying in this manner, one day the lion having scented the iron cage looked at it. Then the Gamarāla with a lance that was in his hand stabbed [at it, for the blade] to go along the nose. The Gamarāla did thus through fear; but the lion having become afraid, not staying in the midst of that forest went to another forest.

After that, the Gamarāla [informed the King that he had driven it away, and] taking the goods [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load, went home and dwelt in happiness.

Western Province.

In an older time than this, in a certain village there was a nobleman’s family. In the nobleman’s family there was a Prince whose eyes do not see at night.

Because the nobleman-Prince is not of any assistance to his parents, the nobleman having spoken to his wife, told her that having given him suitable things, etc., she is to send off this one to any place he can go to, to obtain a livelihood. The lady (siṭu-dēvī) having tied up a packet of cooked rice and given it to her son, says, “Go in happiness, and earn your living.”

Thereupon this Prince whose eyes were blind at night, taking the packet of cooked rice and having started, goes away. Having gone thus, and at the time when it was becoming evening having eaten the packet of cooked rice, he thinks, “Should it become late at night my eyes do not see.” Having thought, “Prior to that, I must go to this village near by,” and having arisen from there very speedily, he arrived at a village.

Having gone there and come to a house, during the time while he is dwelling with them this one says, “I am going away [from] there for no special reason (nikan). I am going for the purpose of seeking a marriage for myself,” he said.

Thereupon they say, “There is a daughter to be given with our assent. We do not give that person in that manner (i.e., not merely because she is sought for). From our grandfather’s time there is a book in our house. To a person who has read and explained the book we are giving our daughter in marriage,” they said.

At that time this person who is blind at night asked for the book. The party brought and gave him the book. This person who is blind at night, taking the book into his hand, began to weep.

When they asked, “What are you weeping for?” he says, “Except that in my own mind I completely understand the difficulty of the matters that are in this book, I wept because of the extreme difficulty that there is for some one else in expounding it,” he said.

At that time the party think, “To give our daughter [in marriage] we have obtained a suitable son-in-law.” They gave her in marriage.

At the time when he is living thus for a few days, his father-in-law having spoken, says, “Don’t you be unoccupied (nikan). There is our chena; having gone to the chena with the other brothers-in-law, taking a tract of ground for yourself clear it and sow it for yourself.”

This one having said, “It is good,” and having gone, taking a side of the chena began to clear it. This one worked more quickly than the other persons. Thereupon the father-in-law felt much affection for this person who was blind at night.

During that time when he was clearing it, a porcupine having been there at the corner of a bush, he killed it unseen by anyone, and put it away and hid it. At the time when it became evening the other dependants (pirisa) went home. This one, his eyes not seeing, was in the chena, clasping the dead body of the porcupine.

During the time while he was thus, the father-in-law came to seek him. Thereupon he says to the father-in-law, “It is excellent that you came first to do a work. Was it good to go home empty-handed? When I stopped for this business you went away, didn’t you?”

Thereupon the father-in-law says, “Don’t you be displeased; we did not know that you stopped. Come, to go home.”

Then he says, “I cannot go in that way. Getting a stick and having come, hang this animal in the manner of the carrying-pole load (taḍa), in order to carry it,” he said.

Thereupon, tying the carrying-pole, and placing the father-in-law in front,1 he came to the house. That his eyes do not see, this one did not inform the father-in-law.

While a few days are going in that manner, the work in the chena having been finished he sowed it, and fitting up a watch-hut there he is [watching it] carefully.

While he is thus, thieves having broken into the house of the King of that country came near the watch-hut to which this one goes, in order to divide the goods. When they were sitting there dividing the goods, this one opened his eyes, and becoming afraid says, “Seize them! Beat them! Tie them!”

At once the thieves, leaving the goods and having become afraid, jumped up and ran away. When this one, collecting the heap of goods and having arrived at the house, informed the father-in-law, the father-in-law gave the King notice of it. The King having become much pleased, caused this one to be brought, and having given him various things appointed him to the office of Treasurer2 of that city.

Western Province.

In a certain country a widow woman lived with her only son, it is said. At the time when her son arrived at a young man’s age, this woman for the purpose of bringing and giving him a [bride in] marriage, having descended to the road, set off to go to a village not distant from it. While this woman was going thus, in order to quench her weariness she went to a travellers’ shed that was at the side of the path.

After a little time, yet [another] woman having arrived at this very travellers’ shed, when these two were conversing one of those persons asked [the other] on account of what circumstances she went along by that road. At that time the woman who had come first to the travellers’ shed gave answer thus, that is, “My husband having died I have only one son. Because of it, in order to seek a marriage for that son I set out and came in this manner,” she said.

Thereupon the other woman says, “My husband also having died, I have only one daughter. I came on the search for a suitable husband for that daughter,” she said.

After that, these two persons ascertaining that they were people belonging to the [good] castes, agreed to marry the son and daughter of these two persons. [After] promising in this manner, having given in marriage the other woman’s daughter to the son of the first-mentioned woman, because the daughter’s mother is living alone they summoned the whole four persons to one house, and resided there.

When they are coming and dwelling in that manner a very little time, the young man said to his mother that his wife was not good. A very little time having gone thus, the young woman says to her husband, “I cannot reside here with your mother. Because of it [please] kill her. If it be not so, having gone away with my mother we shall live alone,” she said.

Although even many times he did not give heed to the word of his wife, because the young man was unwilling to kill his mother, in the end, at the time when his wife set off to go away, he said, “It is good; I will kill mother. You must tell me the way to kill her.”

Thereupon his wife said thus, “In the night time, when thy mother is sleeping, taking completely2 the bed and having gone [with it], let us throw it in the river,” she said.

In the night time, at the time when all are sleeping, the young woman having tied a cord to the leg of the bed on which her mother-in-law is sleeping, went to sleep, placing an end of the cord in her hand.

The young man having seen this circumstance, after his wife went to sleep unfastened the end of the cord that was tied to the leg of his mother’s bed, and tied it to the leg of the bed of his wife’s mother. While it was thus, suddenly this young woman arose, and spoke to her husband: “Now the time is good,” she said.

When he asked, “Because there is darkness how shall we find our mother’s bed?” “I have been placing a mark,” the woman said. Well then, because the end of the cord was tied to the leg of this woman’s bed, both together lifting up the bed went and threw it in the river.

After it became light, when she looked, perceiving that the young woman’s mother was thrown into the river, and coming to grief, and having wept, she said thus to her husband, “For committing some fault3 we have thrown my mother into the river. Well, let us kill your mother, too,” she said again.

The husband being not satisfied with this, because the request of his wife was stronger than that [disinclination], said, “It is good; let us kill her.”

When her husband further asked, “By what method shall we kill mother?” she said, “When thy mother is asleep, lifting up the bed completely and having gone [with it], and having placed a pile of sticks at a new grave, let us burn her.” The husband approved of her word.

On the following day, subsequently to its becoming light, when the woman whom the two persons were lifting up was asleep, having gone [after] lifting up the bed completely, they placed this woman together with the bed on the middle of the pile of firewood which they had gathered together previously. But to set fire to the heap of firewood they did not remember to take fire. Because of it, and because to bring fire each person was afraid to go alone, both set off and went.

During the time while they were going thus, when strong dew was falling like rain the woman who was asleep on the pile of firewood having opened her eyes, said, “Am I not at this grave mound?” She also having looked far and near,4 thought, “It is indeed a work, this, of my son and daughter-in-law;” and having descended from the pile of firewood, lifting up a new corpse that was at the grave, and having gone and placed it upon that bed that was on the pile of firewood, she plucked off her cloth, and having clothed the corpse she entered the jungle quite unclothed.

The son and daughter-in-law having come, remained looking about. Then her son and daughter-in-law procuring fire,5 and having come to the new grave, both persons made the fire burn at the two ends of the pile of firewood, and went away.

The woman, who had looked very well at this business, because she was unclothed could not come near villages. Having entered a forest wilderness that was near there, when going a considerable distance she saw a rock house (cave). Having gone to this rock house, when she looked [in it] she saw that a great number of clothes, and ornaments, and kinds of food and drink were in this rock house, and having thought, “For these there will be owners,” she remained quite afraid to seize them.

At that time a gang of thieves who owned the goods, hundreds of thousands in number, that were in this rock house, having come and looked in the direction of the rock house, saw that an unclothed Yaksanī had entered there. Having become afraid at it, the whole of them bounded off, and having gone running arrived near a Yakadurā,6 and said thus, “Friend, one Yaksanī having entered is now staying at the rock house in which are the goods that we collected and placed [there] during the whole eight years in which we now have been committing robberies. Because of it, should you by any means of success whatever drive away the Yaksanī for us, we will give a half from the goods,” they said to the Yakadurā.

Thereupon the Yakadurā being pleased, when he went to the neighbourhood of the rock house with the thieves, the thieves, through fear to go, halted. The Yakadurā having gone quite alone to the rock house, when he asked the woman who was unclothed, “Art thou a human daughter7 or a Yaksanī?” she gave answer, “I am a human daughter.”

At that time the Yakadurā said, “If so, I cannot believe thy word. Of a Yaksanī, indeed, there is no tongue; of a human being there is the tongue. Because of it, please extend the tongue [for me] to look at it, having rubbed my tongue on thy tongue,” the Yakadurā said.

Thereupon this woman thought thus, “If so, these men having thought I am a Yaksanī, are afraid of me. Because of it, having frightened them a little more I must get these goods,” she thought.

Having thought thus, and having come near the Yakadurā, at the time when he extended the tongue she bit his tongue. Thereupon, when the Yakadurā began to run away, blood pouring and pouring from his mouth, the thieves, having become more frightened at it, ran away; and having said, “If she did so to the Yakadurā who went possessing protective spells and diagrams, [after] uttering spells over limes, and uttering spells over threads coloured with turmeric, how will she do to us?” they did not go after that to even that district.

Well then, that woman, putting on clothes that were in the rock house, and having eaten and drunk to the possible extent [after] making up the goods into bundles as much as possible, came to look for her son. When the daughter-in-law and son saw her coming while afar, having arrived at astonishment at it, they asked, “How have you who were put on the pile of firewood and burnt, come again? Whence are these goods?”

Thereupon the woman says, “Why, Bola, don’t you know that after their life, when they have burnt men they receive goods?” she asked.

Then her daughter-in-law, having thought that she will be able to bring goods, said, “Anē! Please burn me also in that way.”

Having said, “It is good,” the mother-in-law, having gone taking her daughter-in-law, and having put her on the pile of firewood, set fire [to it].

At that time, “Apoyi! I indeed cannot stay,” she cried when she began to burn.

Thereupon her mother-in-law cries out, “Hā! Hā! Don’t cry out. Should you cry out you will not receive the goods. While you were burning me did I also cry out? Anē! Because you are stronger than I, [after] making a great many articles into bundles come back,” she said. In this manner having told and told her, and having burnt the daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law went home.

After a few days had gone, her son asks, “Mother, you by this time came bringing the goods. This giantess8 has not [come] yet; what is that for?” he asked.

She said, “No, son; she is staying to bring a great many goods.”

Having waited, one day the son having thoroughly tied the mother to kill her, on account of the manner in which he accepted the daughter-in-law’s word, she said, “Why, Bola, fool! Dead men having arisen from the dead, will there be a country also to which they come?9 I came in this manner,” and having told her whole story, and employed her son, they went taking a great many carts, and brought to the village the whole of the goods that were in the above-mentioned rock house.

After that, this son contracted another marriage. Having seen his wealthiness, the King of that country gave him a post as Treasurer.10

Western Province.

This is also a folk-tale called “The Wicked Daughter-in-law,” in the North-western Province, the parents of the young man being a Gamarāla and Gama-Mahagē. The wife wished to kill her mother-in-law because the latter and her own mother were quarrelling. She and her husband threw the first bed into a forest pool (eba). The incident of the return of the robbers to the cave where they had hidden their plunder is omitted; the Mahagē simply put on a number of silver and gold articles and carried home a bundle of others, including necklaces and corals. She told her daughter-in-law that there were many more at the burial ground, and the latter went to fetch them. When she arrived there she saw a fresh corpse, and became so much afraid that she fainted, and fell down and died.