Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
Jhore then said, "I shall take the stomach as my share," but his
brother said, "No, let us take the flesh." Jhore, however, would not
agree to that, and at length his brother said, "Well you take the
stomach, I shall take the flesh." So each took what he fancied most,
and they set off. After travelling a long distance, they came to a
large tree growing on the side of the road, into which they climbed
for safety. After they had been some time on the tree, a raja on his
way to be married, lay down to rest in its shade, and when he and
his attendants had fallen asleep, Jhore let the goat's stomach fall
down on the raja. The raja having his rest thus rudely disturbed,
sprang to his feet, and calling out, awoke his servants, who seeing
the goat's stomach, and not knowing what had happened, thought the
raja himself had burst. They fled in terror followed by the raja,
and did not halt till they were many miles away from the scene of
the raja's discomfiture.
After waiting a little while, the brothers descended, and began to
help themselves to the raja's property. Jhore said, "I shall take the
drum." His brother said, "No, let us take the brass vessels and the
clothes." Jhore, however, insisted, and after considerable wrangling,
his brother said, "Well, take the drum if you will have it, I shall
take the brass vessels and the clothes." So each took what pleased
him best, and then they went away and hid in the jungle.
While walking about in the jungle, they collected bees, wasps, and
other stinging insects, and put them into the drum. Having filled the
drum, they emerged from the forest at a place where a washerman was
washing clothes. Jhore tore all his clothes into strips, and scattered
them about. The washerman went and told the raja that two persons
had come out from the jungle, and had destroyed all his clothes. On
hearing this, the raja said to his servants, "Come, and let us fight
with these two men." So arming themselves with guns, they went to the
tank where Jhorea and Jhore were sitting, and began to shoot at them,
but the bullets did them no harm. When their ammunition was exhausted,
they said, "Will you still fight?" The brothers answered, "Yes, we
will fight." So they began to fire their guns, and beat their drum,
and the bees and wasps issued from it like a rope, and began to sting
the raja and his soldiers, who to save themselves, lay down and rolled
on the ground. The raja, in anguish from the stings of the bees,
exclaimed, "I will give you my daughter, and half of my kingdom,
if you will call off the bees." Hearing this they beat the drum,
and calling to the bees and wasps, ordered them all to enter the drum
again, and the raja and his people went to their homes. The brothers
however, could not agree as to who should marry the princess. One said,
"You marry her." The other said, "No, you marry her." The younger at
length said to the elder, "You are the elder, you should take her,
as it is not fitting that you should beg.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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