Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
Then Lelha left his bride to return to his brothers. As he went he
remembered that they would be sure to abuse him for having been
absent, so he collected a large number of shells, and stringing
them together, hung them round his neck, and went dancing to the
camp. When his brothers saw him, in the dress of a merryandrew they
rebuked him severely.
V.
Lelha's excuse for his absence was as follows. He said, "You,
my brothers, always leave me here alone in the camp. Yesterday
several shepherds came, and forcibly carried me away. They kept me
awake all night. They tied these shells round my neck and made me
dance. They also made me drive cattle round and round. I had no rest
all night. They also shewed me hiras and manis."
Lelha's brothers eagerly enquired, "Where did you see the hiras and
manis? Come, show us the place at once." Lelha replied, "We must first
buy food for the hiras and manis." So they went to the bazaar to buy
food for the hiras and manis. Lelha first bought two goats, and his
brothers abused him, and said, "Will hiras and manis eat these?" Some
one of them said, "Slap him." Another said, "Do not slap him, they
may perhaps eat them." Then he bought a pair of shoes, at which again
they reviled him. Then he bought two ropes, when they again reviled
him. Lastly he purchased two bundles of grass, and having provided
these necessary articles, they went and hired a boat. The horses of
the four brothers were dead, so they had to proceed on foot to where
the boat lay.
After sailing for some time they reached an island, and landed. They
quickly found the house of the Indarpuri Kuri. It was closed by a large
stone lying over the entrance. Lelha ordered his brothers to remove
it, but they were displeased and said, "How do you expect to find
hiras and manis under this stone." Lelha said, "Truly, my brothers,
they are under the stone." He pressed them to attempt the removal
of the stone, so they, and others to the number of fifty tried their
strength but the stone seemed immovable. Then Lelha said, "Stand by,
and allow me to try." So putting to his hand, he easily removed it,
and revealed the entrance to the mansion of the Indarpuri Kuri. His
brothers were so astounded at the strength he displayed that they
lost the power of speech.
Lelha then said to his brothers, "Take one of these ropes, and bind it
round me, and lower me down, and when you feel me shaking the rope,
then quickly pull me up. I go to find hiras." His brothers quickly
bound the rope round his body, and he, taking the goats, the pair of
shoes, and the bundles of grass, descended.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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