Malto. Tus Bird and Kash Grass

From Malto Folklore by Silas Malto, D. P. Singh, Mildred Archer.

This would be classified as ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents.

THE TUS BIRD AND THE KASH GRASS

(kash grass)

A tus bird had its nest in some kash grass by the riverside. One day a piece of grass stuck in its rump and hurt it, so it went to the king and complained about the grass.

The king summoned the grass and said, 'Grass, why did you prick the tus bird?'

The grass replied that nowadays no cows ever came to graze it and so it had grown very tall with sharp points and it could not help pricking the tus bird.

Then the king called the cow and said, 'Cow, why do you not eat the kash grass by the riverside? Then the grass will not grow long and will not prick the tus bird.'

The cow answered that nowadays its cowherd never took it down to the river to graze and so it could not eat the kash grass.

Then the king called the cowherd and said, 'Cowherd, why do you not take your cows down to the river to eat the kash grass? Then the grass will not grow long and will not prick the tus bird.'

The cowherd replied that his master half-starved him and he had not the strength to take his cows all that way to eat kash grass hy the riverside.

Then the king called the master and said, 'Master, why don't you give your cowherd enough to eat ? Then he could take his cows to eat the kash grass by the riverside and the grass would not grow long and prick the tus bird.'

The master answered that the potter did not give him enough pots to cook food for all his servants.

Then the king called the potter and said, ‘Potter, why don't you make more pots? Then the master could cook more food and his cowherd would have the strength to take his cows down to the river to eat the kash grass. Then the grass would not grow long and prick the tus bird.'

The potter replied that as fast as he made his pots the rats broke them.

Then the king called the rat and said, 'Rat, why do you break the potter's pots ? If you left his pots alone he could make enough for the master and the master could cook enough food for his cowherd. Then the cowherd would have the strength to take his cows to the riverside to eat the kash grass. Then the grass would not grow long and prick the tus bird.'

The rat said that the cats had stopped killing his people and now there were so many of them that they could not help breaking the pots.

So the king called the cat and said, 'Why do you not kill the rats? If you would kill them, the potter could make enough pots for the master. Then the master could cook enough food for his cowherd and the cowherd would have the strength to take his cows to graze the kash grass by the riverside. Then the grass would not grow long and prick the tus bird.'

The cat said that the rats were such dirty creatures that his people could not eat them.

On hearing this, the king ordered the rats to bathe every day.

The rats obeyed his order and at once the cats began to kill the rats, the rats ceased breaking the pots, the potter made more pots for the master, the master cooked more food for his cowherd, and the cowherd had the strength to take his cows to graze on the kash grass by the riverside. Then the grass did not grow long and did not prick the tus bird.