At the time when King Gaja-Bāhu1 was lying in the shade one day in his garden, he said, “There is not a greater King than I.” He having said it, a Crow that was in the tree dropped excreta in his mouth.2

Then he gave orders for the Crow to be caught alive, and published them by beat of tom-toms on the four sides. All the men said, “We cannot.” Then a widow woman went to the King and said, “I can catch that Crow.”

The King asked, “What are the things you require for it?”

The woman said, “I want a suckling woman and an [infant] child. How about the maintenance of those two?”

The King said, “Up to the time when you catch the Crow I will give their maintenance.”

Afterwards the King caused a suckling woman and an [infant] child to be brought to her. With these two that woman went to her village, and having gone there began to give food to the crows every day. Many crows collected together there for it. She caused that child to be near the crows at the place where the crows were eating the food. During the time while it was there, that little one was playing in the midst of the party of crows, the crows surrounding it. [At last it came to understand their language.]

Afterwards she taught the child, “When the crows are quarrelling, on hearing a crow say, ‘It was thou who droppedst excreta in Gaja-Bāhu’s mouth,’ seize that very Crow [which did it].”

When the crows came to eat the food they quarrelled. At the time when they were quarrelling the child stayed in that very party of crows. Then a crow which was quarrelling said to another crow, “Wilt thou be [quiet], without quarrelling with me? It was thou who droppedst excreta in Gaja-Bāhu’s mouth.” As it was saying the words the child seized that Crow. The woman having come, caught the Crow and imprisoned it, without allowing it to go.

On the following day she took the Crow to the King. The King asked at the hand of that woman, “How didst thou recognise this Crow, so as to catch it?” The woman told him the manner in which it was caught.

Then the King asked the Crow, “Why didst thou drop excreta in my mouth?” At the time when he was asking it there was a jewelled ring on his finger.

The Crow replied, “You said, ‘There is not a greater King than I.’ I saw that there is a greater King than that; on that account I did this.”

Then the King asked, “How dost thou know?”

The Crow said, “I have seen the jewelled ring that is on the finger of that King; it is larger than your jewelled ring. Owing to that I know.”

The King asked, “Where is that ring?” Then the Crow having said, “I can show you,” calling him, went to a city.

At that city there is a very large rock house (cave). Having gone near the rock house, he told him to dig in the bottom of the house, and look. The King caused them to dig, and having dug, a jewelled ring came to light.

King Gaja-Bāhu, taking the jewelled ring and the Crow, came back to his city. Having come there he put the jewelled ring on his head, and it fell down his body to the ground. Well then, the King on account of the strange event let the Crow go, and gave employment to the widow woman.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

In a certain country the King’s elephant every day having descended into a pool, bathes. In the water a Water Snake (Diya nayā) stayed.

One day a beggar went to the pool to bathe. As soon as he came the Snake came to bite him. When it came, the man having beseeched it and made obeisance, said, “Anē! O Lord, for me to bathe you must either go to the bottom or come ashore.”

“If so, because thou madest obeisance to me I will give thee a good assistance,” the Snake said. “The King’s tusk elephant every day comes to the pool to bathe. When it is bathing I will creep up its trunk. Having gone to the city from that place, the tusk elephant will fall mad on the days when it rains.1 Then doctors having come, when they are employing medical treatment they cannot cure it. After that, you, Sir, having gone to the royal palace must say, ‘Having employed medical treatment I can cure the tusk elephant.’ Having heard it, the King will allow you to practise the medical treatment. Should you ask, ‘What is the medical treatment?’ [it is this:]—Having brought a large water-pot to the place where the tusk elephant is, and placed the elephant’s trunk in the water, and covered and closed yourself and the tusk elephant with cloths, and tapped on the forehead of the elephant, [you must say], ‘Anē! O Lord, you must descend into the water-pot; if not, to-day I shall cut my throat (lit., neck).’ Then I shall descend into the water.”

This was all done as the Snake said. The beggar tapped on the tusk elephant’s forehead, and said, “Anē! O Lord, you must descend into the water-pot; if not, to-day I shall cut my throat.” Then the Snake came down the tusk elephant’s trunk into the water-pot, as he had promised.

The beggar then took the tusk elephant to the King; it was no longer mad. The King rode on it along the four streets, and came back to the palace, and descended.

Then he asked the beggar, “How didst thou cure this sickness?”

The beggar said, “I caused a Water Snake to come down the tusk elephant’s trunk into the water-pot, and thus cured him.”

Then the King went with the beggar to look at the Snake. When he saw it in the water-pot he ascertained that the man’s statement was true. After that he gave offices to the beggar.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

At a certain city there were seven women. The seven went into the jungle for firewood. Out of them one woman met with a young female Hare (Hā paeṭikkī). The other six persons brought six bundles of firewood; the woman brought the Leveret.

There were seven Princes (sons) of the woman who brought the Leveret. Out of them, to the youngest Prince she gave the Leveret in marriage.

The above-mentioned seven Princes cut a chena. Having sown millet (kurahan) in the chena it ripened. After that, for cutting the millet the six wives of the above-mentioned six brothers having come out, said to the youngest Prince, “Tell your wife to come.”

Thereupon the Prince says, “How are there women for me? My parents gave me a female Leveret in marriage.”

Thereupon the Leveret says, “What is it to you? ṭik; I am proud, ṭik.”1 Having said it, springing into the house she stayed [there].

Having waited [there] in this way, when it was becoming night she went into the jungle, and collecting the whole of the hares of both sides (m. and f.) went to the chena, and having cut all the millet they carried the whole to the store-room. After that, having allowed all the hares (hāhō) to go, the Leveret the same night came home.

After it became light, the above-mentioned female Hare’s husband went to the chena. At the time when he looked there, ascertaining that the millet is cut and finished, he said thus, “Anē! Elder brothers’ wives, with no helper, have finished the millet. Having divided the millet there they brought it [home].”

Not a long time afterwards, while they are [there], people came for giving betel for a wedding at that village.2 Having given betel there to the seven persons they went away.

On the day for going there to the wedding they came [for them]. After that, the above-mentioned six women came out, and said, “Tell your wife to come out to go.”

Thereupon that Prince says, “How are there women for me? My two parents gave me a female Hare in marriage. I am unable to go,” he said.

Thereupon the female Hare says, “You go,” she said. So the Prince went.

Afterwards the female Hare went there; having taken off her hare jacket on the road, she went to the [wedding] feast.

The Prince [recognised her there, went back, and found and] burned the hare jacket which she had hidden [so that she was unable to resume her hare form again].

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

At a certain city three cultivators cut a chena. Having cut it they spoke [about it]: “Let us plant plantains.” Having planted plantains, the flowers that came on the plantains began to fall when the fruits were coming to mature.

When they looked, having seen that except the fresh ones [the trees] were without ripe [fruits], they began to seek [the reason]. Having sought and sought it, they do not perceive whether some one is destroying them [or not]. Owing to it they contrived a device. What was it? Having brought a plantain tree they set it up [? after inserting poison in the fruits that were on it].

The flowers on it having fallen, and [the fruits] having become ripe, after they were emitting a fragrant smell [a female Palm-cat came there with its kitten]. When the [young] Palm-cat looked upward the female Palm-cat says, “Cultivator, that is not good.”

When it said it, the [young] Palm-cat says, “What though I looked up, if I didn’t go up the tree!” it said.

It went up the tree. Once more the female Palm-cat said again, “Don’t.”

Thereupon the [young] Palm-cat says, “What if I went up the tree, if I didn’t take hold of it!” it said.

Having taken hold of it, it looked at it. When the female Palm-cat said, “What is that [you are doing]?” it said, “What if I took hold of it! If I didn’t eat it is there any harm?”

After it removed the rind, when she said, “What is that [you are doing]?” it says, “What if I removed the rind, if I didn’t eat it!”

Having set it to its nose it smelt at it. When she said, “What is that [you are doing]?” it said, “What if I put it to my nose, if I didn’t eat it!”

It put it in its mouth. “What if I put it in my mouth, if I didn’t swallow it!” it said.

It swallowed it; then it fell down. It having fallen down and died, the female Palm-cat went away lamenting.

The thief of the garden was caught.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.