Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
The old monkey having noticed the girl hiding in the hollow of the
tree called to the others, "Throw me down some. If you do not I shall
not share the Setke chopot I have found." The monkeys in the tree
said, "Do not give him any. He is deceiving us. When his hunger is
satisfied he will run and leave us." So no fruit was thrown down to
him, and he was forced to be content with the shells. The monkeys in
the tree having fared sumptuously, left. The old monkey waited till
they were out of sight, and then entered the hollow of the tree,
where the girl was, and ate her up. He then went to the tank to
drink, and afterwards went in the direction of the raja's garden,
on reaching which he lay down and died. One of the gardeners finding
him dead threw him on the dunghill.
From the place where the monkey decayed a gourd sprang, and grew, and
bore a fruit which ripened. One day a jugi, when on his rounds begging,
saw this fruit and plucking it took it away with him. Out of the shell
he made a banjo, which when played upon emitted wonderful music. The
words which seemed to proceed from the banjo were as follows:
Ripe terels, ripe terels, Oh! Sister mine.
Went in search of water, Oh! Sister mine.
Raja and Rani they became.
Seven hundred monkeys old,
Ate me up, ate me up. Oh! Sister mine.
The jugi was greatly pleased with the music of his new banjo, and
determined to take it with him when he went a begging. So one day
he set out with his banjo the music of which so pleased the people
that they gave him large gifts of money and clothes. In course of
time he arrived at the palace where the elder sister was now rani,
and, being admitted, began to play on his banjo. The instrument again
produced most wonderful music. It seemed to wail as follows:
Ripe terels, ripe terels, Oh! Sister mine.
Went in search of water, Oh! Sister mine.
Raja and Rani they became.
Seven hundred monkeys old,
Ate me up, ate me up. Oh! Sister mine.
Having listened to the music the rani said, "It is wonderfully
sweet," and she fancied she heard her sister's voice in every
note. She thought it possible that it was she who sang in the banjo,
and she desired to obtain possession of it. So she invited the jugi
to pass the night in the palace, saying, I would hear more of this
entrancing music." The jugi listened to the words of the rani and
agreed to remain till morning. So the rani made much of him with the
intention of at length obtaining possession of his banjo. She caused
a goat to be killed, and she cooked a splendid supper for the jugi,
who finding the food so toothsome ate heartily. Wine was not withheld,
and the jugi being in a festive frame of mind drank deeply, so that he
soon lay as one dead. The rani took the banjo, and placed another in
its stead. She then threw filth over the unconscious jugi and retired
to her own apartment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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