September 22. Story of the Day: Chief Kasuju

This is another story from The King of the Snakes and other Folklore Stories from Uganda by Rosetta Baskerville (Mrs. George Baskerville).

This story belongs to type ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE STORY OF THE CHIEF KASUJU

Once upon a time a man called Lunzilunzi went into the forest to cut firewood, and he came back with a log and stood it up against a banana-tree, which was a silly thing to do, for a banana-tree is a weak thing, and the log was very heavy.

(banana tree)

A child was sitting in the garden, and near by was a sheep, tethered to a stake in the ground, but Lunzilunzi noticed none of these things; he was very tired, and he went into his house to sleep.

Just then some hunters with their dogs came out of the jungle. The dogs frightened the sheep and it jumped away, the rope snapped and the sheep fell against the log, and the log fell on the child and killed it. There was a great noise, everyone talking at once and giving his version of what had happened, and Lunzilunzi came out of his house very angry indeed.

Then the neighbours came up, and there was a great discussion as to who was to blame for the child's death. Some said it was Lunzilunzi's fault, and some said the owner of the sheep was to blame, and some said the hunters with their dogs frightened the sheep and made it fall against the log, which killed the child.

They could not come to any conclusion, so they decided to go to Mengo and let the King's Council settle the case and punish the man who was to blame. So they all set out for Mengo, where the King lives, and on the way they rested in a garden during the heat of the day, and there they found a little boy eating cooked marrows, which are called "ensuju," and the boy asked where they were going, and why they were all so excited. They told him the whole story, and how they were going to the King's Council to have it settled, and the boy said: "I know what I should do if I were the judge; I should settle it very quickly."

They all laughed at the little boy, and they went on their journey, leaving him in the garden eating his "ensuju."

When they arrived at the King's Council and all the chiefs were assembled, they told the story again, but no one could decide who was to blame.

First they said: "Lunzilunzi is to blame." But he said: "My lords, if no one had touched the log it would not have killed the child."

So they said: "The sheep is to blame." But the owner of the sheep said: "My lords, if the dogs had not frightened the sheep it would not have butted the log, which fell on the child and killed it."

So they said: "The dogs are to blame." But the hunter said: "My lords, if the log had not been there the sheep would not have butted it and the child would not have been killed."

So they were back at the beginning again.

Then Lunzilunzi said: "On our way here we rested in a garden, and there we found a little boy eating 'ensuju,' and he said he knew how to decide this case."

So the King sent messengers, and they brought the little boy into the Council Hall.

Then the Katikiro asked him who he was and where he came from, and they told him why the King had sent for him.

The little boy knelt down and held up his left hand and counted his points on the fingers of it with his right hand, beginning with the little finger, and said:

"The law says, a life for a life. The log has killed the child, therefore burn the log.

"The sheep has caused the burning of the log, therefore kill the sheep; and the dogs caused the death of the sheep, therefore kill the dogs.

"The case is finished."

The chiefs were very pleased with the wisdom of the little boy, and the King made him a chief and gave him the title of Kasuju, which means "a little marrow," and said he should decide all the cases between the King's children, and his children should have the chieftainship after him for ever.

And now, in Uganda, if there is any quarrel between the princes or princesses it is not taken to the King's Council to be settled, but the Chief Kasuju hears the case, and his word is law.

August 17. Story of the Day: Right and Might

This is a story from Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India by Katherine Neville Fleeson.

It is another example of ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

RIGHT AND MIGHT

While a deer was eating wild fruit, he heard an owl call, “Haak, haak,” [spear] and a cricket cry, “Wat,” [surrounded] and, frightened, he fled.

(sambar deer)

In his flight he ran through the trees up into the mountains and into streams. In one of the streams the deer stepped upon a small fish and crushed it almost to death.

Then the fish complained to the court, and the deer, owl, cricket and fish had a lawsuit. In the trial came out this evidence:

As the deer fled, he ran into some dry grass, and the seed fell into the eye of a wild chicken, and the pain of the seed in the eye of the chicken caused it to fly up against a nest of red ants.

Alarmed, the red ants flew out to do battle, and in their haste, bit a mongoose.

The mongoose ran into a vine of wild fruit and shook several pieces of it on the head of a hermit, who sat thinking under a tree.

“Why didst thou, O fruit, fall on my head?” cried the hermit.

The fruit answered: “We did not wish to fall; a mongoose ran against our vine and threw us down.”

And the hermit asked, “O mongoose, why didst thou throw the fruit?”

The mongoose answered: “I did not wish to throw down the fruit, but the red ants bit me and I ran against the vine.”

The hermit asked, “O ants, why did ye bite the mongoose?”

The red ants replied: “The hen flew against our nest and angered us.”

The hermit asked, “O hen, why didst thou fly against the red ants’ nest?”

And the hen replied: “The seed fell into my eyes and hurt me.”

And the hermit asked, “O seed, why didst thou fall into the hen’s eyes?”

And the seed replied: “The deer shook me down.”

The hermit said unto the deer, “O deer, why didst thou shake down the seed?”

The deer answered: “I did not wish to do it, but the owl called, frightening me and I ran.”

“O owl,” asked the hermit, “why didst thou frighten the deer?”

The owl replied: “I called but as I am accustomed to call—the cricket, too, called.”

Having heard the evidence, the judge said, “The cricket must replace the crushed parts of the fish and make it well,” as he, the cricket, had called and frightened the deer.

The cricket was smaller and weaker than the owl or the deer, therefore had to bear the penalty.

August 11. Story of the Day: A Frog

This story comes from The Mikirs by Edward Stack. The Mikhirs, also known as the Karbi people, live mostly in Assam in northwestern India. You can read more about them at Wikipedia.

This is classified as ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents. It's also an aetiological story, explaining why the frog has spots!

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

STORY OF A FROG

(frog in India)

One day a big black ant went to carry a meal of rice to his uncle. A frog sat down in the road and blocked it.

The ant said, "Please make way for me, frog; I want to carry this rice to my uncle."

The frog answered, "You can get by if you creep under me. Everyone has to pass under me who goes this way."

The ant said, "My uncle's rice is tied up in a bundle of leaves; how can I possibly creep under you?"

But the frog would not give way, so the ant would not go.

In this manner things went on till noon. Then the ant said, "Oh, my uncle will be hungry for his rice and angry with me because he does not get it!" And he crept under the frog.

Then the frog sat down flat on the top of the ant. Thereupon the ant gave the frog a sharp bite in the loins.

Then the frog, becoming angry, jumped on the ladder of a big old squirrel, and broke it.

The old squirrel, becoming angry, cut in two the stem of a gourd.

The gourd, becoming angry, fell plump on the back of a wild boar.

The wild boar, becoming angry, rooted up a plantain-tree.

The plantain-tree, becoming angry, fell upon a sparrow's t nest and broke it.

The sparrow, becoming angry, flew into the ear of a deaf elephant.

The deaf elephant, becoming angry, rooted up a rock.

The rock, becoming angry, rolled down and killed the Raja's son.

Then the Raja held a court to try the case. "Who is it that killed my son?"

"Oh, the rock rolled down and killed him," they said.

So they summoned the rock. "O rock, rock! why did you roll down and slay my son?"

The rock answered, "Oh, Lord God King! how was I to help rolling down and killing him? The deaf elephant uprooted me on a sudden from my place, and then gave me a push. As for me, I have no hands or legs; how then could I withstand him? Your son being in the way where I was rolling down, I rolled upon him and killed him."

Then the Raja said, "Oh, then that deaf elephant was the cause of all this trouble," and summoned the elephant. "O elephant, elephant! what did you root up the rock for?"

The elephant answered, "Oh! how could I help uprooting it, Lord God? The sparrow flew into my ear, and I lost all control of myself, and so I tore up the rock."

Then the Raja said, "Oh, then that sparrow was the cause of it all," and summoned the sparrow. "O sparrow, sparrow! why did you fly into the elephant's ear?"

The sparrow answered, "Oh, Lord, how could I help it? The plantain stalk fell upon my nest and smashed it, and being very disturbed in mind, I flew into the elephant's ear."

Then the Raja said, " Oh! then that plantain-tree was the cause of the trouble," and called the plantain. "O plantain, plantain! what did you tumble on the sparrow's nest and smash it for?"

The plantain answered, "Oh, how could I help it, Lord God? The wild boar tore me up out of the ground, and I had no root left at all. How was I to go on standing in my place? I have neither hands nor feet."

"Oh! then that pig was the cause of it all," the Raja said, and summoned the pig. "O pig, pig! what did you tear up the plantain for?"

The pig answered, "How could I help it? As I was feeding quietly by myself, the gourd fell plump on my back. I was in great pain, and therefore tore up the plantain tree."

Then the king said, "Oh, the gourd caused all this trouble," and summoned the gourd. "O gourd, gourd! what did you tumble on the wild boar's back for?"

"How was I to help it, Lord God? The squirrel cut through my stem. I have neither hands nor feet, nothing but a stalk; if that is cut through, I cannot but fall. So I was obliged to tumble on the wild boar's back."

Then the Raja said, "Oh, that squirrel caused all the mischief," and summoned the squirrel. "O squirrel, squirrel! what did you cut through the stem of the gourd for?"

The squirrel answered, "Oh, how could I help it, Lord God? The frog jumped on my ladder and broke it. Then I had no road to get out, and I had to cut the stalk of the gourd."

The Raja said, "Oh, then that frog caused the mischief," and summoned the frog. "O frog, frog! what did you jump on the squirrel's ladder and break it for?"

The frog answered, "How was I to help it? A big black ant bit me sharply in the loins, and with the pain of the bite, not knowing what I was doing, I jumped on the squirrel's ladder and broke it."

Again the Raja said, "Oh, it was the ant that caused all the trouble," and summoned the ant. "O ant, ant! what did you bite the frog in the loins for?"

The ant said, "How could I help biting him? In the morning I was carrying my uncle's rice along the road. The frog sat down and blocked the way. I said, 'Please make room for me to pass.' 'Creep under me,' said he. I crept under him, and he sat down tight on the top of me. That was why I bit his loins."

Then said the king, "You are both of you guilty."

They tied the ant fast with a hair from a man's head; so now his waist is very small.

The frog they beat severely with a stinging nettle, so now he is spotty all over.

July 18. Story of the Day: Munia and Dove

A Lushai folktale from The Lakhers by N. E. Parry. The Lushai people, also known as the Mizo, live in northeastern India, and also in neighboring regions in Burma and Bangladesh. You can read more about them at Wikipedia.

This is classified as ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents. It is also an aetiological story that explains a "why" the munia's crop is backwards. There are many species of munia birds, and I have not been able to find one that has a backwards crop, so perhaps someone who knows more about birds can enlighten me about that! You can read more about munia birds (Lonchura family) at Wikipedia.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

RITA NATA VACHHU 

The Munia-Bird and the Dove

(munia bird)

Long, long ago, Munia and Dove made each other beaks.

Dove, having finished Munia's beak first and made it very beautifully and ornamented it with brass, said to Munia, "Now you must make me a beak."

Munia set to work and made Dove a beak and covered it with beeswax.

Dove said, "This is a very bad beak; it is much too soft."

Munia said, "Well, if you do not like the beak, you need not have it."

At this Dove grew very angry and said, "I made you a beautiful brass beak, and now you will not take the trouble to make me a proper beak," and the two birds fell a fighting in the tree top.

In the course of the fight a small twig was broken and fell onto a jungle fowl. The jungle fowl started to run and scratched up a large ant. The ant ran off and bit a wild boar in the testicles. The wild boar rushed away and knocked over a wild plantain tree. As the plantain fell, a bat who lived in its leaves flew out and flew into an elephant's ear. The elephant became angry and stamped on a white ants' nest. The white ants came out and ate the ladder leading up to a widow's house. The widow's daughter came out to draw water and stepped on to the ladder. The ladder broke, the widow's daughter fell to the ground, and the widow in a rage shouted out, "Ladder, why did you break?"

The ladder replied, "Because the white ants ate me."

So the widow said, "White Ants, why did you eat the ladder?"

And the white ants replied, "Because the elephant stamped on us."

So the widow said, "Elephant, why did you stamp on the white ants?"

And the elephant replied, "Because the bat flew into my ear."

So the widow said, "Bat, why did you fly into the elephant's ear?"

And the bat replied, "Because the wild plantain tree I lived in fell down."

So the widow said, "Plantain, why did you fall down?"

And the plantain replied, "I was knocked down by the wild boar."

So the widow said, "Wild boar, why did you knock down the plantain?"

And the wild boar replied, "Because the ant bit me in the testicles."

So the widow said, "Ant, why did you bite the wild boar in the testicles?"

And the ant replied, "Because the jungle fowl scratched me up."

So the widow said, "Jungle fowl, why did you scratch up the ant?"

And the jungle fowl replied, "Because a twig fell onto me."

So the widow said, "Twig, why did you fall on to the jungle fowl?"

And the twig replied, "Because Munia and Dove knocked me down while fighting about the beaks they had made each other."

So the widow said, "Munia and Dove, why did you knock down the twig?"

Dove replied, "I made Munia a beautiful brass beak, and he only made me one out of beeswax, and I do not want it."

So the widow said, "Munia, you are a very wicked bird. Why did you not make Dove a proper beak ? Henceforth you shall wear your crop at the back of your neck."

And this is why Munia's crop is to this day at the back of his neck.

Hutton/Shaw. Dao-Sharpening

From William Shaw's Notes on the Thadou Kukis, edited by J. H. Hutton.

This is classified as ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents.

THE DAO-SHARPENING

(crawfish)

The dao-sharpener was sharpening his dao when the crawfish came and prodded his anus. Mr. Dao-Sharpener sliced off the tip of a bamboo end. The tip of bamboo pricked the cheek of a jungle-fowl. The jungle-fowl, scuttling off, scratched out a red ant, which ran and bit Mr. Wild Boar in the testicles. The wild boar dashing about kicked down the wild plantain tree which was the bat's home. The bat flew out and fluttered into Mr. Elephant's ear. The elephant dashed off and knocked over the widow's house. 

"Mr. Elephant," said she, "why have you knocked down my house?" 

Said the elephant, "The bat flew into my ear." 

"Bat, why did you fly into Mr. Elephant's ear?" 

"Mr. Wild Boar threw down the wild plantain tree I live in." 

"Mr. Boar, why did you do that?" 

"The red ant bit my testicles." 

"Red Ant, why did you bite the boar's testicles?" 

"The jungle-fowl scratched me up." 

"Jungle-Fowl, why did you scratch up the ant?" 

"The bamboo tip pricked my cheek." 

"Bamboo Tip, why did you prick the jungle-fowl's cheek?" 

"Mr. Dao-Sharpener sliced me off." 

"Mr. Dao-Sharpener, why did you slice off the bamboo tip?" 

"The crawfish prodded my posterior." 

"Crawfish, why did you prod the dao-sharpener?" 

The crawfish did not know what to answer. He said, "You can do nothing by toasting me at a fire. If you put me in a deep pool, I shall turn very red, and the boy will be charmed to see it." He jumped into the pool. "The pool I live in is very deep," said he, and in the pool he stayed. 

NOTES

One cannot help suspecting condensation here and the loss of some such incident as that of Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit and the briar patch.

Lewin. Consequences

This story is included in Progressive colloquial exercises in the Lushai dialect by Thomas Herbert Lewin.

This is classified as ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents.

CONSEQUENCES

A man was sharpening his dao (by the river side) and the father of (all) prawns bit him in the hand.

(prawn)

The man became angry and (with one stroke of his dao) cut down a clump of big bamboos.

A fruit fell from the bamboos and struck a bird on the nape of the neck.

The bird (in his pain) scratched up an ant's nest with his feet.

The ant (irritated) bit a wild boar in the eye, and the boar (rushing off with one toss of his head) bore down a plantain tree where a bat dwelt under a leaf.

The bat (terrified) sought refuge in the ear of an elephant, and the elephant (driven out of his senses by this unwonted intrusion) kicked down the house of an old woman (who lived hard by).

The old woman was so frightened that she rushed out and fell into the well.

Why did this old woman thus fall into the well? "Because the elephant kicked down my house."

Why did the elephant kick down the house of another person?

"So indeed I did, but a bat entered into my ear (and I knew not what I was doing)."

Why did the hat go into the ear of another? "Even so (said the elephant) the bat went into my ear."

"The wild boar (said the bat) swept down my dwelling place."

Why did the boar sweep down the dwelling place of another?"

The ants bit me in the eye (said the boar)."

Why did the ants bite the eye of another?

"The bird scratched us up (replied the ants)."

Why did you scratch up the ant's nest?

"A fruit fell on my neck."

Why did the fruit fall on the neck of another?

"Tbe bamboos swept me down."

Why did tbe bamboos fall down?

"The dao-sharpener cut us down."

Why did the dao-sharpener cut down the bamboos?

"A prawn bit me in the hand."

Why did the prawn bite another's hand ?

"I did so, whether or no," said the prawn-father.


NOTES

This little story finds a parallel in our own English nursery tale of, how "then the cat began to kill the rat, the rat began to gnaw the rope, the rope began to hang the butcher, the butcher began to kill the ox, the ox began to drink the water, the water began to quench the fire, the fire began to burn the stick, the stick began to beat the pig," and thus enabled the old woman to get home before nightfall.

The above Dzo story was told me by Chaman, a boy of about 14, in the village of the Lushai chief Rutton Poia. During the narration we were surrounded by a circle of children who listened with great delight, although they must have heard the tale often before. Like Squire Hardcastle's story of 'grouse in the gun-room' however the story had not lost flavour by age or repetition—but the climax was reached when I afterwards read out from my note book what had been related, and the shouts of laughter brought the chief out of bis house to see what was the matter.

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.

June 2. Story of the Day: The Pugu's Case

This is a story from the Philippines, found in Fansler's Filipino Popular Tales.
It is classified as ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents. So, this is the first story from the Philippines that I have included in the project (there will be more!), and this is also the first example of this particular tale type (and there will be more!).

Want more? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE PUGU'S CASE

“Why, horse,” said the pugu (a small bird), “did you touch my eggs, so that now they are broken?”

“Because,” said the horse, “the cock crowed, and I was startled.”

“Why, cock,” said the pugu, “did you crow, so that the horse was startled and broke my eggs?”

“Because,” said the cock, “I saw the turtle carrying his house; that made me crow.”

“Why, turtle,” said the pugu, “did you carry your house with you, so that the cock crowed, and the horse was startled and broke my eggs?”

“Because,” said the turtle, “the firefly (alipatpat) was carrying fire, and I was afraid that he would burn my house.”

(Philippine Forest Turtle)

“Why, firefly,” said the pugu, “did you bring fire, so that the turtle was frightened and carried his house, and the cock crowed when he saw him, and the horse was startled and broke my eggs?”

“Because,” said the firefly, “the mosquito will sting me if I have no light.”

“Why, mosquito,” said the pugu, “did you try to sting the firefly, so that he had to carry fire, so that the turtle was frightened and carried his house, so that the cock laughed at the turtle, so that the horse was startled and broke my eggs?”

“Because,” said the mosquito, “Juan put up his mosquito-net, and there was nobody for me to sting except the firefly.”

“Why, Juan,” said the pugu, “did you put up your mosquito-net? The mosquito could not sting you, and tried to harm the firefly; the firefly brought fire; the turtle was frightened, and carried his house with him; the cock crowed when he saw the turtle; the horse was startled when he heard the cock, and broke my eggs.”

“Because,” said Juan, “I did not care to lose any blood.”


NOTES

Narrated by Bienvenido Tan of Manila, who got the story from Pampanga.


See Fansler's book for a detailed discussion about different variations he found of this story.


CHAIN: bird/eggs - horse - cock - turtle/house - firefly/fire - mosquito/net - Juan

ATU 2042. Chain of Accidents

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At this site:
Fansler. The Pugu's Case
Fleeson. Right and Might
Malto. The Tus Bird and the Kash Grass
Stack. Story of a Frog
Lewin. Consequences
Hutton/Shaw. Dao-Sharpening
Baskerville. Chief Kasuju

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ATU 2042. Chain of accidents. This miscellaneous type consists of various chain tales in which a minor incident (insect sting, snakebite) causes a series of other events leading to someone's death (loss of valuable property).

ATU 2042A Trial among the animals. This miscellaneous type consists of various chain tales in which an animal is injured by another animal (accidentally or on purpose). The injury causes a series of accidents in which other animals are injured. At the end, a high-ranking animal (person) investigates the matter and discovers all that has happened.

Z49.6.1. Birds fight and cause series of accidents to other animals and people.

Z49.6.2. Bite (prick) causes series of accidents.

additional information
India: Thompson-Balys.
Lushai Shakespear Folk-Lore XX 389 [PDF]

Z49.6.3. Man sharpening his doa is bitten by a prawn. He cuts down a big bamboo; a fruit falls from bamboo and strikes a bird on the nape of the nake; the bird scratches up an ant's nest with his feet; the ant bites a wild boar in the eye; and the boar bears down upon a plantain tree where a bat dwells under a leaf; the bat seeks refused in the ear of an elephant, and the elephant kicks down the house of an old woman. She rushes out and falls into a well.

Z49.6 Trial among the animals. Deer steps on kitten: cat investigates. Deer has been frightened by bird, this bird by another bird... by crab's pointed claw, crab by mouse in his hold. Cat eats mouse. (Frog croaks because turtle carries his house on his head; turtle carries house because firefly is bringing fire; firefly brings fire because mosquito tries to bite him, etc.)

additional information:
Indonesian, Malaya: Dixon 202 (online at Internet Archive) - also Skeat: Who Killed the Otter's Babies (online) and see Fleeson-Laos: Might and Right (online)
India: NQ II No. 480 (online at Hathi: story is not a good match)