Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
When her sisters-in-law knew that she had done what they considered
impossible, they were still more angry with her, and ordered her to
go to the forest and get milk from a tigress. They gave her a small
earthen vessel, saying, "Go, bring us the milk of a tigress." What
could the girl do? She went to the forest with a heavy heart, bewailing
her unhappy lot in the following plaintive song,
Woe is me! For I must bring
A brimful cup of tigress' milk
Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
While you far hence by trade are lured.
She went to the tiger's den, but only found two cubs, who seeing
her sitting weeping at the entrance said, "What are you seeking?" She
replied, "My sisters-in-law have sent me to bring some of your mother's
milk." The cubs took pity on her and hid her in the cave. They
said to her, "Our mother will devour you, so you must not shew
yourself." In a short time the tigress returned, and entering the
den said, "I smell a human being. Where is he?" The cubs replied,
"There is no one here." The cubs milked a little of their mother's
milk into the girl's vessel, and when the way was clear they gave it
to her, and sent her home.
Her sisters-in-law were greatly disappointed when she brought home
the milk, they had expected that the tiger would have devoured her,
on that she would return home empty handed, and so give them the
opportunity of abusing her for not carrying out their order.
Another day when the brothers were absent they called her, and said,
"Go to the forest and bring us some bear's milk." What could the girl
do? If she did not do as she was bidden her sisters-in-law would beat
her, and give her nothing to eat. So taking the vessel in her hand,
she went to the forest, bewailing her unhappy lot in the following
plaintive strains;
Woe is me! For I must bring
A brimful cup of she bear's milk
Oh! brothers dear, I weeping sing
While you far hence by trade are lured.
Going to the bear's den she sat down and wept. The she-bear was not
in the den, only two cubs were there, who, when they saw the girl,
took pity upon her, and asked why she wept. She replied, "My brothers
have gone away on business, and my sisters-in-law, who hate me, have
sent me to procure bear's milk in order to harass and annoy me." The
bear cubs then said, "Our mother will eat you, if she finds you,
so we will hide you, and you must keep quiet while she is here." The
she-bear on entering the cave said, "I smell a human being." The cubs
replied, "There is no one here." The young ones succeeded in obtaining
a small quantity of their mother's milk in the girl's earthen vessel,
and after the mother bear had left, the cubs dismissed her with their
best wishes for her welfare.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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