Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
Long after this, he one day took his calves to the river and after
he had bathed them he said to the buffaloe calves, "Wait for me till
I also bathe." They replied, "Bathe, we will graze close by." He
having performed his ablutions sat down on the river bank to comb and
dress his hair, which was twelve cubits long. In combing his tangled
tresses a quantity was wrenched out, this he wrapped up in a leaf and
threw into the stream. It was carried by the current a great distance
down to where a raja's daughter and her companions were bathing. The
raja's daughter saw the leaf floating towards her, and ordered one
of her attendants to bring it to her. When the leaf was opened it
was found to contain hair twelve cubits in length. Immediately after
measuring the hair the raja's daughter complained of fever, and hasted
home to her couch. The raja being informed of his daughter's illness
sent for the most skilled physicians, who prescribed all the remedies
their pharmacopoeia contained, but failed to afford the sufferer any
relief. The grief of the raja was therefore intense.
Then his daughter said to him, "Oh! father, I have one word to say
to you. If you do as I wish, I shall recover." The raja replied,
"Tell me what it is, I shall do my best to please you." So she said,
"If you find me one with hair twelve cubits long and bring him to me,
I shall rally at once." The raja said, "It is well."
The raja caused diligent search to be made for the person with
hair twelve cubits long. He said to a certain jugi, "You traverse
the country far and near, find me the man with hair twelve cubits
long." The jugi enquired everywhere, but could obtain no intelligence
concerning him.
They then made up a parcel of flour and gave it to a crow, whom
they sent to try and find him. The crow flew caw cawing all over
the district, but returned at last and reported failure, saying,
"there is not such a man in the world."
After this they again made up a small parcel of flour, and giving
it to a tame paroquet, said, "Find a man with hair twelve cubits
long." The paroquet, having received his orders, flew away screeching,
and mounting high up into the sky, directed his course straight for
the unexplored forest. In the meantime the dunghill in which Jhore
resided had become a palace.
The paroquet alighted on a tree near Jhore's palace, and began to
whistle. On hearing the unusual sound Jhore came out and saw the
paroquet who was speaking and whistling. The paroquet also eyed him
narrowly, and was delighted to see his hair trailing on the ground. By
this he knew that he had found the object of his search, and with a
scream of delight, he flew away to communicate the tidings to the raja.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account