This is classified as TMI Z52. Bird avenges caged mate. For another version, see this blog post: Podna Podni - The Fight of the Weaver Bird.
This is a well-known folktale! Here is the cover of a modern children's version:
The Valiant Weaver Bird
A Podna, or weaver bird, and his mate, the Podni, once lived happily in a tree, but one day the King came by and had the Podni caught and put in a cage. The Podna was greatly angered, and set about making preparations to release his wife. So he set about building a cart for himself, which he made out of thin stalks of reed (sarkanda), and be constructed a kettle-drum, which he placed in the cart to which he yoked a pair of frogs. Then he took his seat, armed with a piece of reed, with which he began to beat his drum and proclaimed war with the king.
On the way he met a cat. She asked, "Where are you going, Mr. Podna?"
He answered, "My carriage is of reed with two frogs yoked thereto. The king has seized my Podni; I go to take revenge."
Sarleandé ki to gári, domendak joté jáen,
Rája mári Podni, ham bair bisáhne jáen.
"Will you take me with you? I may be of some use."
"Shish! shish! get into my ear," was the answer.
Hus! hus! meré kán men ghus.
So the cat jumped into the ear of the Podna.
Further on he met some ants, and when they asked him where he was going, he made the same reply, and when they offered to join him, he said, "Shish! shish! get into my ear."
Hus! hus! meré kán men ghus.
Further on he met a rope and a club. They too got into the ear of the Podna. And so when he came to a river, the river too went into the ear of the Podna.
At last the Podna arrived at the King’s palace and desired the servants to announce him. But they all laughed and told the King, who ordered that the Podna should be admitted into his presence.
So the Podna drove his carriage into the courtyard and demanded that the Podni should be surrendered at once.
"I like the Podni," said the King, "and I refuse to surrender her. "
"Then, beware of the consequences," replied the Podna.
"Seize this insolent bird," said the King, "and confine him in the fowl-house, where the chickens will kick him to death."
The servants seized the Podna and shut him up in the fowl-house.
During the night the Podna said, "Come out, cat, it is your turn. Come out of my ear and hit them on the head."
Nikal billi, teri bári.
Kán chhor, kanpati máré.
So the cat came out of the Podna's ear and killed all the fowls in an instant. Next morning the King said to his servants, "Go down and bring up the carcass of this insolent Podna, who must have been killed by the fowls during the night."
But when they went in they found the Podna safe and sound and all the fowls dead.
So they informed the King, who said, "Confine him in the stable, where the horses will kick him to death."
So he was shut up in the stable, and during the night be called to the rope and stick with the same words: "Come out, rope and stick, it is your turn. Come out of my ear and hit them on the head."
Niklo rassi aur sonte tumhári bári,
Kán chhor, kanpati máré.
Out came the rope and club: the rope tied up all the horses and the club beat them till they died.
In the morning the King again sent for the remains of the Podna, but the servants found him safe and well and all the horses dead. Then the King fell into a terrible rage and ordered the Podna to be confined in the elephant house, thinking that the elephants would trample him to death.
But in the night the Podna called the ants as before. "Come out, ants, it is your turn. Come out of my ear and hit them on the head."
Niklo chiúnti tumhári bári,
Kán chhor, kanpati máré.
The ants went out and entered the trunks of the elephants, and getting into their brains, killed them all.
In the morning the King said, "The Podna must be dead. Go and see if any part of his body or cart can be found." The servants went and found the Podna safe and well and all the elephants dead.
When he heard this the King was greatly grieved. "Well," said he, "I want to know how he manages to do this. Tie him tonight to the leg of my bed and I will see what happens."
So the Podna was tied to the King’s bed, and during the night the Podna ordered out the river. "Come out, river, it is your turn. Come out of my ear and hit them on the head."
Niklo darya tumhári bári,
Kán chhor, kanpati máré.
Out came the river, and the King and his bed began to float in the water.
"For God’s sake, Mr. Podna," said the King, "take your Podni and depart in peace."
So the Podni was restored to the Podna, and they went home lived and happily ever after.
NOTES
A folktale told by Waziran, a Muhammadan woman, and recorded by Mirza Mahmud Beg. We have here the faithful animal, for whom Temple: Wideawake Stories, p. 4l2:and see the instances collected by Clouston: Popular Tales and Fictions, Vol. I, p. 223, sqq.
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