November 10. Story of the Day: The Kitul Seeds

From Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon by H. Parker, volume 1, 26. You can read about Kitul (Kithul) plants at Wikipedia.

This is ATU 1430 Air Castles.

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THE KITUL SEEDS

A certain  man and his son, who was a grown-up youth, were walking along a path one day, when they came to a place where many seeds had fallen from a Kitul Palm tree.

(Kitul Palm)

The man drew his son's attention to them, and said, "We must gather these Kitul seeds, and plant them. When the plants from them grow up we shall have a large number of Kitul trees, from which we will take the toddy (juice), and make jaggery (a kind of brown sugar). By selling this we shall make money, which we will save till we shall have enough to buy a nice pony."

"Yes," said the boy, " and I will jump on his back like this, and ride him," and as he said it he gave a bound.

"What!" said the father, " would you break my pony's back like that!" and so saying, he gave him a blow on the side of the head which knocked him down senseless.


NOTES

E. G. Goonewardene, Esquite. North-western Province.

There is another story of this type in the tale No. 53, below.

In the Jataka story No. 4 (vol. i, p. 19), there is a tale of a young man who acquired a fortune and became Lord Treasurer by means of a dead mouse which he picked up and sold for a farthing, subsequently increasing his money by careful investments.

In the Katha Sarit Sagara, vol. i, p. 33, a nearly identical mouse story is given.

In Indian Fairy Tales (Stokes), p. 31, there is a different one. A man who was to receive four pice for carrying a jar of ghi, settled that he would buy a hen with the money, sell her eggs, get a goat, and then a cow, the milk of which he would sell. Afterwards he would marry a wife, and when they had children he would refuse some cooked rice which they would offer him. At this point he shook his head as he refused it, and the jar fell and was broken.

In Indian Nights' Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 23, a man who was carrying a jar of butter on his head, and who expected to get three halfpence for the job, was going to buy a hen, then a sheep, a cow, a milch buffalo, and a mare, and then to get married. As he patted his future children on the head the pot fell and was broken.

In The Arabian Nights (Lady Burton's ed., i, p. 296) there is a well-known variant in which the fortune was to be made out of a tray of glass-ware.

November 9. Story of the Day: Bedbug.

This song comes from Negro Folk Rhymes by Thomas Talley.

It's a fun list of bugs, not exactly a chain tale, but definitely a fun list!

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BEDBUG

De June-bug's got de golden wing,
De Lightning-bug de flame;
De Bedbug's got no wing at all,
But he gits dar jes de same.

De Punkin-bug's got a punkin smell,
De Squash-bug smells de wust;
But de puffume of dat ole Bedbug,
It's enough to make you bust.

Wen dat Bedbug come down to my house,
I wants my walkin' cane.
Go git a pot an' scald 'im hot!
Good-by, Miss Lize Jane!

(bedbug)

November 8. Story of the Day: The Cat and the Mouse

This story comes from Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane.

This is classified as ATU 2023. Little Ant Marries.

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THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

(photo by G. Stanley)

Once upon a time there was a cat that wanted to get married. So she stood on a corner, and every one who passed by said: "Little Cat, what's the matter?"

"What's the matter? I want to marry."

A dog passed by and said: "Do you want me?"

"When I see how you can sing."

The dog said: "Bow, wow!"

"Fy! What horrid singing! I don't want you."

A pig passed. "Do you want me, Little Cat?"

"When I see how you sing."

"Uh! uh!"

"Fy! You are horrid! Go away! I don't want you."

A calf passed and said: "Little Cat, will you take me?"

"When I see how you sing."

"Uhm!"

"Go away, for you are horrid! What do you want of me?"

A mouse passed by: "Little Cat, what are you doing?"

"I am going to get married."

"Will you take me?"

"And how can you sing?"

"Ziu, ziu!"

The cat accepted him, and said: "Let us go and be married, for you please me." So they were married.

One day the cat went to buy some pastry, and left the mouse at home. "Don't stir out, for I am going to buy some pastry."

The mouse went into the kitchen, saw the pot on the fire, and crept into it, for he wanted to eat the beans. But he did not; for the pot began to boil, and the mouse stayed there.

The cat came back and began to cry; but the mouse did not appear. So the cat put the pastry in the pot for dinner.

When it was ready, the cat ate and put some on a plate for the mouse, also. When she took out the pastry she saw the mouse stuck fast in it.

"Ah! my little mouse! ah! my little mouse!" so she went and sat behind the door, lamenting the mouse.

"What is the matter," said the door, "that you are scratching yourself so and tearing out your hair?"

The cat said: "What is the matter? My mouse is dead, and so I tear my hair."

The door answered: "And I, as door, will slam."

In the door was a window, which said: "What's the matter, door, that you are slamming?"

"The mouse died, the cat is tearing her hair, and I am slamming."

The window answered: "And I, as window, will open and shut."

In the window was a tree, that said: "Window, why do you open and shut?"

The window answered: "The mouse died, the cat tears her hair, the door slams, and I open and shut."

The tree answered and said: "And I, as tree, will throw myself down."

A bird happened to alight in this tree, and said: "Tree, why did you throw yourself down?"

 The tree replied: "The mouse died, the cat tears her hair, the door slams, the window opens and shuts, and I, as tree, threw myself down."

"And I, as bird, will pull out my feathers."

The bird went and alighted on a fountain, which said: "Bird, why are you plucking out your feathers so?"

The bird answered as the others had done, and the fountain said: "And I, as fountain, will dry up."

A cuckoo went to drink at the fountain, and asked: "Fountain, why have you dried up?"

And the fountain told him all that had happened. "And I, as cuckoo, will put my tail in the fire."

A monk of St. Nicholas passed by, and said: "Cuckoo, why is your tail in the fire?" When the monk heard the answer he said: "And I, as monk of St. Nicholas, will go and say mass without my robes."

Then came the queen, who, when she heard what the matter was, said: "And I, as queen, will go and sift the meal."

At last the king came by, and asked: "O Queen! why are you sifting the meal?"

When the queen had told him everything, he said: "And I, as king, am going to take my coffee."


NOTES

Sicily (Pitrè, No. 134).

And thus the story abruptly ends. In one of Pitrè's variants a sausage takes the place of the mouse; in another, a tortoise.

In the version from Pomigliano d'Arco (Imbriani, p. 244), an old woman, who finds a coin in sweeping a church, hesitates in regard to what she will spend it for, as in the stories above mentioned. She finally concludes to buy some paint for her face. After she has put it on, she stations herself at the window. A donkey passes, and asks what she wants. She answers that she wishes to marry. "Will you take me?" asks the donkey. "Let me hear what kind of a voice you have." "Ingò! Ingò! Ingò!" "Away! away! you would frighten me in the night!" Then a goat comes along, with the same result. Then follows a cat, and all the animals in the world; but none pleases the old woman. At last a little mouse passes by, and says: "Old Aunt, what are you doing there?" "I want to marry." "Will you take me?" "Let me hear your voice." "Zivuzì! zivuzì! zivuzì! zivuzì!" "Come up, for you please me." So the mouse went up to the old woman, and stayed with her. One day the old woman went to mass, and left the pot near the fire and told the mouse to be careful not to fall in it. When she came home she could not find the mouse anywhere. At last she went to take the soup from the pot, and there she found the mouse dead. She began to lament, and the ashes on the hearth began to scatter, and the window asked what was the matter. The ashes answered: "Ah! you know nothing. Friend Mouse is in the pot; the old woman is weeping, weeping; and I, the ashes, have wished to scatter." Then the window opens and shuts, the stairs fall down, the bird plucks out its feathers, the laurel shakes off its leaves, the servant girl who goes to the well breaks her pitcher, the mistress who was making bread throws the flour over the balcony, and finally the master comes home, and after he hears the story, exclaims: "And I, who am master, will break the bones of both of you!" And therewith he takes a stick and gives the servant and her mistress a sound beating. [In addition to the versions mentioned in the text, Imbriani (Pomiglianesi, pp. 250, 252) gives two versions from Lecco.]

There is a curious class of versions of the above story, in which the principal actors are a mouse and a sausage, reminding one of the Grimm story of "The Little Mouse, the Little Bird, and the Sausage." In the Venetian version (Bernoni, Punt. III. p. 81), the beginning is as follows: Once upon a time there was a mouse and a sausage, and one day the mouse said to the sausage: "I am going to mass; meanwhile get ready the dinner." "Yes, yes," answered the sausage. Then the mouse went to mass, and when he returned he found everything ready. The next day the sausage went to mass and the mouse prepared the dinner. He put on the pot, threw in the rice, and then went to taste if it was well salted. But he fell in and died. The sausage returned home, knocked at the door,—for there was no bell,—and no one answered. She called: "Mouse! mouse!" But he does not answer. Then the sausage went to a smith and had the door broken in, and called again: "Mouse, where are you?" And the mouse did not answer. "Now I will pour out the rice, and meanwhile he will come." So she went and poured out the rice, and found the mouse dead in the pot. "Ah! poor mouse! Oh! my mouse! What shall I do now? Oh! poor me!" And she began to utter a loud lamentation. Then the table began to go around the room, the sideboard to throw down the plates, the door to lock and unlock itself, the fountain to dry up, the mistress to drag herself along the ground, and the master threw himself from the balcony and broke his neck. "And all this arose from the death of this mouse."

The version from the Marches (Gianandrea, p. 11) resembles the above very closely; the conclusion is as follows: "The mouse, the master of this castle, is dead; the sausage weeps, the broom sweeps, the door opens and shuts, the cart runs, the tree throws off its leaves, the bird plucks out its feathers, the servant breaks her pitcher," etc.

The version from Milan (Nov. fior. p. 552) resembles the one from Venice. Instead of the mouse and the sausage we have the big mouse and the little mouse. In the version from Leghorn (Papanti, p. 19) called "Vezzino and Lady Sausage," [Vezzino e Madonna Salciccia. Vezzino is the dim. of vezzo, delight, pastime] the actors are Lady Sausage and her son Vezzino, who falls into the pot on the fire while his mother is at mass. The rest of the story does not differ materially from the above versions.

November 6. Story of the Day: Bremen Town-Musicians

From Household Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, translated by Margaret Hunt.

This is ATU 130 Bremen Town Musicians. With the accumulation of helpers, it also resembles ATU 210 Rooster, Hen, Duck, Pin, and Needle.

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BREMEN TOWN-MUSICIANS

(illustration by Walter Crane)

A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn-sacks to the mill indefatigably for many a long year; but his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. Then his master began to consider how he might best save his keep; but the donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen. "There," he thought, "I can surely be town-musician." When he had walked some distance, he found a hound lying on the road, gasping like one who had run till he was tired. "What are you gasping so for, you big fellow?" asked the donkey.

"Ah," replied the hound, "as I am old, and daily grow weaker, and no longer can hunt, my master wanted to kill me, so I took to flight; but now how am I to earn my bread?"

"I tell you what," said the donkey, "I am going to Bremen, and shall be town-musician there; go with me and engage yourself also as a musician. I will play the lute, and you shall beat the kettledrum."

The hound agreed, and on they went.

Before long they came to a cat, sitting on the path, with a face like three rainy days! "Now then, old shaver, what has gone askew with you?" asked the donkey.

"Who can be merry when his neck is in danger?" answered the cat. "Because I am now getting old, and my teeth are worn to stumps, and I prefer to sit by the fire and spin, rather than hunt about after mice, my mistress wanted to drown me, so I ran away. But now good advice is scarce. Where am I to go?"

"Go with us to Bremen. You understand night-music, you can be a town-musician."

The cat thought well of it, and went with them. After this the three fugitives came to a farm-yard, where the cock was sitting upon the gate, crowing with all his might. "Your crow goes through and through one," said the donkey. "What is the matter?"

"I have been foretelling fine weather, because it is the day on which Our Lady washes the Christ-child's little shirts, and wants to dry them," said the cock; "but guests are coming for Sunday, so the housewife has no pity, and has told the cook that she intends to eat me in the soup to-morrow, and this evening I am to have my head cut off. Now I am crowing at full pitch while I can."

"Ah, but red-comb," said the donkey, "you had better come away with us. We are going to Bremen; you can find something better than death everywhere: you have a good voice, and if we make music together it must have some quality!"

The cock agreed to this plan, and all four went on together. They could not, however, reach the city of Bremen in one day, and in the evening they came to a forest where they meant to pass the night. The donkey and the hound laid themselves down under a large tree, the cat and the cock settled themselves in the branches; but the cock flew right to the top, where he was most safe. Before he went to sleep he looked round on all four sides, and thought he saw in the distance a little spark burning; so he called out to his companions that there must be a house not far off, for he saw a light. The donkey said, "If so, we had better get up and go on, for the shelter here is bad." The hound thought that a few bones with some meat on would do him good too!

So they made their way to the place where the light was, and soon saw it shine brighter and grow larger, until they came to a well-lighted robber's house. The donkey, as the biggest, went to the window and looked in.

"What do you see, my grey-horse?" asked the cock. "What do I see?" answered the donkey; "a table covered with good things to eat and drink, and robbers sitting at it enjoying themselves."

"That would be the sort of thing for us," said the cock. "Yes, yes; ah, how I wish we were there!" said the donkey.

Then the animals took counsel together how they should manage to drive away the robbers, and at last they thought of a plan. The donkey was to place himself with his fore-feet upon the window-ledge, the hound was to jump on the donkey's back, the cat was to climb upon the dog, and lastly the cock was to fly up and perch upon the head of the cat.

When this was done, at a given signal, they began to perform their music together: the donkey brayed, the hound barked, the cat mewed, and the cock crowed; then they burst through the window into the room, so that the glass clattered! At this horrible din, the robbers sprang up, thinking no otherwise than that a ghost had come in, and fled in a great fright out into the forest. The four companions now sat down at the table, well content with what was left, and ate as if they were going to fast for a month.

As soon as the four minstrels had done, they put out the light, and each sought for himself a sleeping-place according to his nature and to what suited him. The donkey laid himself down upon some straw in the yard, the hound behind the door, the cat upon the hearth near the warm ashes, and the cock perched himself upon a beam of the roof; and being tired from their long walk, they soon went to sleep.

When it was past midnight, and the robbers saw from afar that the light was no longer burning in their house, and all appeared quiet, the captain said, "We ought not to have let ourselves be frightened out of our wits;" and ordered one of them to go and examine the house.

The messenger finding all still, went into the kitchen to light a candle, and, taking the glistening fiery eyes of the cat for live coals, he held a lucifer-match to them to light it. But the cat did not understand the joke, and flew in his face, spitting and scratching. He was dreadfully frightened, and ran to the back-door, but the dog, who lay there sprang up and bit his leg; and as he ran across the yard by the straw-heap, the donkey gave him a smart kick with its hind foot. The cock, too, who had been awakened by the noise, and had become lively, cried down from the beam, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Then the robber ran back as fast as he could to his captain, and said, "Ah, there is a horrible witch sitting in the house, who spat on me and scratched my face with her long claws; and by the door stands a man with a knife, who stabbed me in the leg; and in the yard there lies a black monster, who beat me with a wooden club; and above, upon the roof, sits the judge, who called out, 'Bring the rogue here to me!' so I got away as well as I could."

After this the robbers did not trust themselves in the house again; but it suited the four musicians of Bremen so well that they did not care to leave it any more. And the mouth of him who last told this story is still warm.

November 4. Story of the Day: The Jackal and the Cat

From Indian Fairy Tales by Maive Stokes. This story is told as a note to the story of The Cat Which Could Not Be Killed.

This is classified as ATU 2028. The Devouring Animal.

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THE JACKAL AND THE CAT

(jackal)

There was a jackal which ate anything it came across, whether it were dead or alive.

One day he met a tiger and said to him, “I will eat you. I will not let you go.”

“Very good,” said the tiger, “eat me.”

So the jackal ate him up.

He went a little further and met a leopard; he said to the leopard, “I will eat you.”

“Very good,” said the leopard.

So he ate the leopard. He went a little further and met a tiny mouse.

“Mouse,” he said, “I have eaten a tiger and a leopard, and now I will eat you.”

“Very good,” said the mouse.

He ate the mouse.

He went a little further and met a cat. “I will eat you,” said the jackal.

The cat answered, “What will it profit you to eat me, who am so small? A little further on you will see a dead buffalo: eat that.”

So the jackal left the cat and went to eat the buffalo. He walked on and on, but could find no buffalo; and the cat, meanwhile ran away.

The jackal was very angry, and set off to seek the cat, but could not find her. He was furious.

NOTES

Told us by Gangiyá, a hill-man from near Simla.

November 3. Story of the Day: Sparrow's Revenge

This story comes from The Talking Thrush and Other Tales from India by William Crooke and W. H. D. Rouse, with illustrations by W. H. Robinson.

It is classified as ATU 210 Rooster, Hen, Duck, Pin, and Needle.

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THE SPARROW'S REVENGE

Once there was a pair of Sparrows that were very fond of each other, and lived in a nest together as happy as the day was long. The hen laid eggs and sat upon them, and the cock went about picking up food for them both, and when he had got food enough, he sat on a twig close by the nest, and twittered for joy.

But it happened one day that a boy saw Cock Sparrow pecking at some seeds, and he picked up a stone and threw it at him, and killed him. So no food came home that morning, and Hen Sparrow grew anxious, and at last set out to find him.

In a little while she found his dead body lying in a ditch. She ruffled up her feathers and began to cry. "Who can have killed him?" she said; "my poor kind husband, who never did harm to any one."

Then a Raven flew down from a tree, where he had been sitting, and told her how a cruel boy had thrown a stone at him and killed him for sport. He saw it, said the Raven, as he was sitting on the tree.

Now Hen Sparrow determined to have her revenge. She was so much troubled that she left her eggs to hatch themselves, or to addle if they would; and gathering some straw, she plaited it into a beautiful straw carriage, with two old cotton-reels for wheels, and sticks for the shafts.

Then she went to the hole of a Rat who was a friend of hers, and called down the hole, "Mr. Rat! Mr. Rat!"

"Yes, Mrs. Sparrow," said the Rat, coming out of the hole and making a polite bow.

"Some one has thrown a stone at my husband and killed him. Will you help me to get my revenge?"

"Why," said the Rat, "how can I help you?"

"By pulling me along in my carriage," said Mrs. Sparrow.

"Oh yes," said the Rat; "that I will." So he went down into his hole again, and washed his face, and combed his whiskers, and came up all spick and span.

Mrs. Sparrow tied the shafts of the straw carriage to the Rat, and Mrs. Sparrow got in, and off they went.

On the road they met a Scorpion. Said the Scorpion, "Whither away, Mrs. Sparrow and Mr. Rat?"

Said the Hen Sparrow, "My friend Mr. Rat is pulling me along in my carriage of straw to punish a cruel boy who threw a stone at my husband and killed him."

"Quite right too," said the Scorpion. "May I come and help you? I have a beautiful sting in my tail."

"Oh, please do! come and get in," said the Sparrow.

In got the Scorpion, and away they went. By-and-by they saw a Snake.

"Good day, and God bless you," says the Snake. "Where are you going, may a mere reptile ask?"

"Mr. Scorpion and I are going to punish a cruel boy who threw a stone and killed my husband."

"Shall I come and help you?" asked the Snake. "I have fine teeth in my head to bite with."

"The more the merrier," replied Mrs. Sparrow. So in he got. They had not gone far before who should meet them but a Wolf.

"Hullo," says the Wolf gruffly; "where are you off to, I should like to know?"

"Mr. Rat is kind enough to draw me in my carriage, and we are all going to punish a cruel boy who threw a stone and killed my poor husband."

"May I come too?" growled the Wolf. "I can bite." He opened his big jaws and snarled.

"Oh, how kind you are!" said Mrs. Sparrow. "Do come! jump in, jump in!"

The poor Rat looked aghast at such a load to pull; but he was a gentlemanly Rat, and so, having offered to pull the carriage, he said nothing.

So the big Wolf got in, and nearly sat on the Scorpion's tail; if he had, he wouldn't have sat long, I think. However, the Scorpion got out of the way, and on they went all four, the poor Rat pulling with all his might, but rather slow at that.

In due time they arrived at the cruel boy's house. His mother was cooking the dinner, and his father was fast asleep in a chair. There was a river close by the house, and the Wolf went down to the river, and hid himself there; the Snake crawled among the peats, and the Scorpion began to climb up into the chair where the man was sleeping.

Then Mrs. Hen Sparrow flew in at the door and twittered, "Little boy! Little boy! There's a fish biting at your night-line!"

Up jumped the boy, and out he ran, to look at the night-line.

But as he was stooping down and looking at the line to see if any fish were hooked, the Wolf pounced upon him, and bit him in the throat, and he died.

Then the cruel boy's mother went out to get some peats, and as she put her hand in amongst them, the Snake bit her, and she gave a shriek and fell down and died.

The shriek awoke her husband sleeping in his chair, and he began to get up, but by this time the Scorpion had climbed up the leg of the chair, so he stung the man, and the man died too.

Thus there was an end of the cruel boy who killed a harmless Sparrow for sport; and though his father and mother had done nothing, yet they ought not to have had a son so cruel, or, at least, they might have brought him up better.

Anyhow, die they did, all three; and Mrs. Hen Sparrow was so delighted that she forgot all about her dead husband, and forgot her eggs which were getting addled, and went about chirruping until she found another husband, and made another nest, and (I am sorry to say) lived happily ever after.


NOTES

Told by Shin Sahái, teacher of the village school of Dayarhi Chakeri, Etah District. Another version of the Podnâ and the Podnî, N.I.N.Q. iii. 83. Compare the Valiant Blackbird, No. 28 below.

Hen Sparrow tells her husband to go into the jungle and fetch firewood to cook khîr (rice milk)—A Chamâr kills him—Hen makes carriage of straw, yokes two rats to it, and drives off to take vengeance—Meets a Wolf—"Where are you going?"—"To take vengeance on the Chamâr who killed my husband"—"May I help?"—"It will be kind"—Meets a Snake, who salutes her with, "Râm! Râm! Whither away?"—Replies as before, and same thing happens—So with a Scorpion—They arrive at the house of the Chamâr—Wolf hides near the river—Snake under pile of cow-dung fuel—Scorpion under the lamp—The Sparrow flies up to the eaves and twitters—Out comes Chamâr—Says she, "A friend awaits you near the river." To the river he goes—Wolf seizes him—His wife goes to the heap for fuel—Snake bites her—She calls to her son, "Bring the lamp"—Scorpion stings him—They all die—Hen Sparrow gets another mate, and lives happily ever after.

It is part of the Faithful Animal cycle (Temple, "Wide-awake Stories," 412; Clouston, "Popular Tales and Fictions," i. 223 seqq.). This form of tale, in which the weaker animal gets the better of its more powerful oppressor, is common in Indian folk-lore. Compare No. 1 of this collection.

November 2. Story of the Day: Hunting of the Wren

This story comes from the Journal of the Folk-Song Society. Additional versions, plus the music, online at Hathi.

This is Roud 236. It's not exactly a chain tale, but it is fun!

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THE HUNTING OF THE WREN

(pxhere)

I fun' a bird's nest, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
I fun' a bird's nest, says Richard to Robin,
I fun' a bird's nest, says Billy Baloo,
I fun' a bird's nest, says every one.

What will we do wi' ut? says Robin-a-bob-bing,
What will we do wi' ut? says Richard to Robin,
What will we do wi' ut? says Billy Baloo,
What will we do wi' ut? says every one.

We'll tak' ut to keepers, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
We'll tak' ut to keepers, says Richard to Robin,
We'll tak' ut to keepers, says Billy Baloo,
We'll tak' ut to keepers, says every one.

What shall we get for it? says Robin-a-bob-bing,
What shall we get for it? says Richard to Robin,
What shall we get for it? says Billy Baloo,
What shall we get for it? says every one.

Three ha-pence a piece, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
Three ha-pence a piece, says Richard to Robin,
Three ha-pence a piece, says Billy Baloo,
Three ha-pence a piece, says every one.

What shall we do wi' ut? says Robin-a-bob-bing,
What shall we do wi' ut? says Richard to Robin,
What shall we do wi' ut? says Billy Baloo,
What shall we do wi' ut? says every one.

We'll go and get drunk, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
We'll go and get drunk, says Richard to Robin,
We'll go and get drunk, says Billy Baloo,
We'll go and get drunk, says every one.

How shall we get home? says Robin-a-bob-bing,
How shall we get home? says Richard to Robin,
How shall we get home? says Billy Baloo,
How shall we get home? says every one.

We'll hire a cab, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
We'll hire a cab, says Richard to Robin,
We'll hire a cab, says Billy Baloo,
We'll hire a cab, says every one.

How shall we get in? says Robin-a-bob-bing,
How shall we get in? says Richard to Robin,
How shall we get in? says Billy Baloo,
How shall we get in? says every one.

We'll tumble in, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
We'll tumble in, says Richard to Robin,
We'll tumble in, says Billy Baloo,
We'll tumble in, says every one.

How shall we get out? says Robin-a-bob-bing,
How shall we get out? says Richard to Robin,
How shall we get out? says Billy Baloo,
How shall we get out? says every one.

Same way we got in, says Robin-a-bob-bing,
Same way we got in, says Richard to Robin,
Same way we got in, says Billy Baloo,
Same way we got in, says every one.


NOTES

2. Sung by Mr. Walter H. Birch, who learnt it from a Yorkshireman.

The second version was given to me by my brother-in-law, who heard it sun at Downton College by a fellow-student from Yorkshire. Cecil J. Sharp

November 1. Story of the Day: Oh! come out, nanny-goat!

This comes from an old booklet by George Alexander Kohut: Some Passover rhymes and their parallels.

This is an example of ATU 2030. The Old Woman and her Pig.

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

OH! COME OUT, NANNY GOAT

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Oh! come out, nanny-goat,

Oh! come out of that cabbage field!

We must go and fetch the wolf!

The wolf won't eat nanny-goat,

Nanny-goat won't come out of the cabbage field.

Oh! come out, nanny-goat,

Oh! come out of that cabbage field!

We must go and fetch the dog!

The dog won't bite the wolf,

The wolf won't eat nanny-goat,

Nanny-goat won't come out of the cabbage field.

Oh! come out, nanny-goat,

Oh! come out of that cabbage field!

We must go and fetch the stick!

The stick won't beat the dog,

The dog won't bite the wolf,

The wolf won't eat nanny-goat,

Nanny-goat won't come out of the cabbage field.

Oh! come out, nanny-goat,

Oh! come out of that cabbage field!

We must go and fetch the farmer!

The farmer takes the stick,

The stick beats the dog,

The dog bites the wolf,

The wolf eats the nanny-goat.

NOTES

There are a number of parallels to Had Gadya in Oriental and Occidental folklore. Perhaps the most striking one is the old French ballad, published in the periodical Romania, in 1872, by the late Gaston Paris, entitled "Le Chanson du Chevreau" reprinted in A. Sabatier's "Chansons hebraico-provencales," in 1874, which is held to be the prototype of our legend by certain folklorists. Besides this ancient analogue, there are two more modern nursery rhymes, still quite popular in France, one of which we herewith reproduce in English translation.

October 31. Story of the Day: Yekele

From Steve Bellovin's website: Apples Will Not Fall. See his notes below, and further information on the homepage of his site.

This is an example of ATU 2030. The Old Woman and her Pig.

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

YEKELE

(pxhere)

The Most High sent down Yekele to the world,
To the world a Yekele,
For Yekele to harvest the pears,
For Yekele to harvest the pears.

Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The Most High sent down a dog to the world,
A dog to the world,
For the dog to bite Yekele,
For the dog to bite Yekele.

The dog will not bite Yekele;
Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The Most High sent down a stick to the world,
A stick to the world,For the stick to hit the dog,
For the stick to hit the dog.

The stick will not hit the dog;
The dog will not bite Yekele;
Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The Most High sent down fire to the world,
Fire to the world,
For the fire to burn the stick,
For the fire to burn the stick.

The fire will not burn the stick;
The stick will not hit the dog;
The dog will not bite Yekele;
Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The most high sent down water to the world,
Water to the world,
For the water to put out the fire,
For the water to put out the fire.

The water will not put out the fire
The fire will not burn the stick;
The stick will not hit the dog;
The dog will not bite Yekele;
Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The Most High sent down an ox to the world,
An ox to the world,
For the ox to drink the water,
For the ox to drink the water.

The ox will not drink the water;
The water will not put out the fire
The fire will not burn the stick;
The stick will not hit the dog;
The dog will not bite Yekele;
Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The Most High sent down a butcher to the world,
A butcher to the world,
For the butcher to slaughter the ox,
For the butcher to slaughter the ox.

The butcher will not slaughter the ox;
The ox will not drink the water;
The water will not put out the fire
The fire will not burn the stick;
The stick will not hit the dog;
The dog will not bite Yekele;
Yekele will not harvest the pears;
The pears will not fall, the pears will not fall!

The Most High sent down the Angel of Death to the world,
The Angel of Death to the world,
For the Angel of Death to take the butcher,
For the Angel of Death to take the butcher.
The butcher now will slaughter the ox,
The ox now will drink the water,
The water now will put out the fire,
The fire now will burn the stick,
The stick now will hit the dog,
The dog now will bite Yekele,
Yekele now will harvest the pears:
The pears now will fall; the pears now will fall!

~  ~  ~

Der Oybershter's hinuntergeshicht die melech hamoves auf die weld,
Die melech hamoves auf die weld
Die melech hamoves zol die shochet nemen
Die melech hamoves zol die shochet nemen
Die shochet vill shoen exele koilen
Die exele vil shoen wasser trenken
Die wasser a vill shoen die fire lushen
Die fire vil shoen shtekele brennen
Die shtekelem vill shoen hintele shmisen
Die hintele vill shoen Yekelem bisen
Yekelem vill shoen perelech risen
Perelech vil shoen fallen;  perelech vil shoen fallen


NOTES

For at least fifty years and probably longer my family has sung a Yiddish variation of the Passover "Chad Gadya" song we call "Yekele".  There is no goat in ours, only a small boy ("Yekele") whom God has sent to pick the pears that will not fall from the tree themselves.  The boy refuses, and for encouragement God sends a dog to bite the boy, then a stick to hit the dog, a fire to burn the stick, water to quench the fire, etc.

In the last stanza the Melech Hamoves (Angel of Death) is sent and suddenly everyone turns to do his duty, but the pears, of course, have already fallen.  It's a wonderful story with a moral, sung to a minor key melody very different from "Chad Gadya"

Relatives as far back as my late great-grandfather have always claimed that it is a private family song.  How can this be? Doesn't anyone else, particularly of eastern European origin, know this version?


HThisere is a transliteration of the song as I remember it from seders of many years ago. 

October 30. Story of the Day: A Man of Words

This version of the traditional rhyme comes from Negro Folk Rhymes by Thomas Talley.

This is Roud 19103: A Man of Words. You can compare a traditional British version from Lang's Nursery Rhymes, and also a children's game.

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

A MAN OF WORDS

A man o' words an' not o' deeds,
Is lak a gyarden full o' weeds.

De weeds 'gin to grow
Lak a gyarden full o' snow.

De snow 'gin to fly
Lak a eagle in de sky.

De sky 'gin to roar
Lak a hammer on yō' door.

De door 'gin to crack
Lak a hick'ry on yō' back.

Yō' back 'gin to smart
Lak a knife in yō' heart.

Yō' heart 'gin to fail
Lak a boat widout a sail.

De boat 'gin to sink
Lak a bottle full o' ink.

Dat ink, it won't write
Neider black nor white.

Dat man o' words an' not o' deeds,
Is lak a gyarden full o' weeds.

(photo by Mike Mozart)

October 29. Story of the Day: The Pea that made a Fortune.

This story comes from Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith.

This is an example of ATU 2034C. Lending and Repaying.

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

THE PEA THAT MADE A FORTUNE

One day an old lady was traveling on the road and she picked up a green pea and she planted it. And after it grew, her goat ate it off.

She cried upon the goat and told it that she wanted the peas. The goat said that he didn't have anything to give her, but she could take one of his horns. She took the horn and went to the river-side to wash it. The river took it away from her.

She cried upon the river, and the river said it didn't have anything to give her but a fish. She went further. She met a man who was very hungry. She gave the man the fish.

After the man ate it, she cried upon the man. The man gave her a moreen [piece of cloth]. She went a little further and saw a cow-boy. She gave him the moreen.

After he had worn it out, she cried upon him for it. He said he didn't have anything to give her but his whip. She went a little further and saw a man driving cows. She gave the whip to the man.

After the man had lashed it out, she cried upon him, so he gave her a cow; and from the cow she made heir riches.

(Gut River, Jamaica)

NOTES. Told by Etheline Samuels, Claremont, St. Ann.

CHAIN: pea - horn - fish - cloth - whip - cow

October 28. Story of the Day: Keys of Canterbury,

This version of the song comes from The Nursery Rhyme Book edited by Andrew Lang.

It is classified as Roud 573: Keys of Canterbury.

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

THE KEYS OF CANTERBURY


(Tin Whistle Duet)

Oh, madam, I will give you the keys of Canterbury,
To set all the bells ringing when we shall be merry,
If you will but walk abroad with me,
If you will but walk with me.

Sir, I'll not accept of the keys of Canterbury,
To set all the bells ringing when we shall be merry;
Neither will I walk abroad with thee,
Neither will I talk with thee!

Oh, madam, I will give you a fine carved comb,
To comb out your ringlets when I am from home,
If you will but walk abroad with me,
If you will but walk with me.

Sir, I'll not accept a fine carved comb,
To comb out my ringlets when you are from home,
Neither will I walk abroad with thee,
Neither will I talk with thee!

Oh, madam, I will give you a pair of shoes of cork,
One made in London, the other made in York,
If you will but walk abroad with me,
If you will but walk with me.

Sir, I'll not accept a pair of shoes of cork,
One made in London, the other made in York,
Neither will I walk abroad with thee,
Neither will I talk with thee!

Madam, I will give you a sweet silver bell,
To ring up your maidens when you are not well,
If you will but walk abroad with me,
If you will but walk with me.

Sir, I'll not accept a sweet silver bell,
To ring up my maidens when I am not well,
Neither will I walk abroad with thee,
Neither will I talk with thee!

Oh, my man John, what can the matter be?
I love the lady and the lady loves not me!
Neither will she walk abroad with me,
Neither will she talk with me.

Oh, master dear, do not despair,
The lady she shall be, shall be your only dear;
And she will walk and talk with thee,
And she will walk with thee!

Oh, madam, I will give you the keys of my chest,
To count my gold and silver when I am gone to rest,
If you will but walk abroad with me,
If you will but talk with me.

Oh, sir, I will accept of the keys of your chest,
To count your gold and silver when you are gone to rest,
And I will walk abroad with thee,
And I will talk with thee!

October 27. Story of the Day: Sneezes

This story comes from The Nursery Rhymes of England by James Orchard Halliwell.

It is an example of ATU 2012 Days of the Week.

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

SNEEZES

If you sneeze on Monday, you sneeze for danger;
Sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger;
Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter;
Sneeze on a Thursday, something better;
Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow;
Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart to-morrow.

Compare the variations in Northall's English Folk-Rhymes; there is a version from Lancashire which includes Sunday:

Sneeze on a Sunday, your safety seek:
The devil will have you the whole of the week.

(Little Sammy Sneeze)

October 26. Story of the Day: Cold May Night

I read this story in Folktales Told around the World by Richard M. Dorson (pp. 6-9), who took the story from Folktales of Ireland by Sean O'Sullivan, and his source in turn is Micheal O Coileain, aged 70, as recorded in 1946. For ancient testimony about this story, see The Adventures of Leithin by Douglas Hyde in the Celtic Review 10 (online at Hathi).

The story is set on the island off Achill, which is the largest of the "Irish Isles" off the Mayo coast; you can read more at Wikipedia. Old May night refers to the night of May 11, which is to say it is the old May 1 (Beltane) in the new style calendar following 1750.

The story is classified as ATU 1927.

The version below is a paraphrase of the story in my own words. I have emphasized the formulaic/cumulative features of the story in my version. I took the detail of the salmon's blood from the ATU summary (in other respects, I followed this story, which is quite different from the ATU summary with the crow-eagle framework).

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

The Cold May Night
(retold by Laura Gibbs)

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There are cold nights, and colder nights, and the coldest night of all happened long, long ago on Old May Night. Who remembers the coldest night? Only the oldest animals can remember the coldest night. The Old Crow of Achill Island is one of them. But he was younger then, and stronger. Now the cold bothers him. 

One cold night not so long ago the Old Crow of the Island sought shelter in an eagle's nest that he found high atop the tallest tree. The Eagle was away hunting, and there was a hungry chick awaiting her return. The Crow killed the chick and took its place, settling himself down deep into the nest.

Not long after, the Eagle returned with food for her chick. In the dark, she did not notice that it was the Crow instead of her chick who took the food and ate it hungrily. She then settled down into the nest herself, complaining that she had never felt a colder night. 

The Crow kept quiet. 

Yet as the Eagle went on and on and on and on about the cold, the Crow could not contain himself and grumbled, "I've known colder."

"What are you talking about? You hatched only a few weeks ago!"

"Oh, there was a colder night. It was on Old May Night," the Crow replied.

"How would a young chick like yourself know anything about that?" retorted the Eagle.

They argued until dawn. Finally the Crow said to the Eagle, "If you don't believe me, go ask the Blackbird of the Forge."

So the Eagle flew off to question the Blackbird of the Forge. "Listen," said the Eagle, "I cannot remember a colder night than last night, but my chick tells me that there was an Old May Night that was colder still. He's only a few weeks old himself, so I can hardly believe him, but he told me to come ask you. And here I am."

The Blackbird of the Forge thought for a moment and then replied, "Last night was the coldest night that I have ever known, and I have been alive a very long time. Do you see this iron rod which is my perch? Every seven years, I rub my beak against the rod. It used to be many inches thick, but now it is so thin that if I rub my beak on it just one more time, it will break; that is how long I have perched here, and I have never known a colder night than last night. But if you don't believe me, go ask the Bull in the Field."

The Eagle thanked the Blackbird of the Forge and flew off to question the Bull in the Field. "Listen," said the Eagle, "I cannot remember a colder night than last night, but my chick tells me that there was an Old May Night that was colder still. He's only a few weeks old himself, so I can hardly believe him, but he told me to go ask the Blackbird of the Forge. The Blackbird does not remember a colder night than last night, but she told me to come ask you. And here I am."

The Bull of the Field thought for a moment and then replied, "Last night was the coldest night that I have ever known, and I have been alive a very long time. Do you see the fence which surrounds this field? It is made up of my horns. Every  year, I shed my horns, and when I shed my two horns this year, the fence around the field will be complete; that is how long I have dwelled here, and I have never known a colder night than last night. But if you don't believe me, go ask the Blind Salmon of the Waterfall."

The Eagle thanked the Bull in the Field and flew off to question the Blind Salmon of the Waterfall. "Listen," said the Eagle, "I cannot remember a colder night than last night, but my chick tells me that there was an Old May Night that was colder still. He's only a few weeks old himself, so I can hardly believe him, but he told me to go ask the Blackbird of the Forge. The Blackbird does not remember a colder night than last night, but she told me to go ask the Bull in the Field. The Bull does not remember a colder night than last night, but he told me to come ask you. And here I am."

The Blind Salmon of the Waterfall thought for a moment and then replied, "Yes, there was a night that was colder than last night. It was on Old May Night, many years ago. I was leaping about just trying to keep warm when the water froze right under me and I landed on the ice. Around dawn, the Old Crow flew by, and he saw me there on the ice. He swooped down and started pecking out my eye. Luckily for me, the blood coming out of my eye warmed the ice beneath me, and I was able to escape back into the water. That's how I became blind in that eye, and that's also how I know it must have been the Old Crow of the Island, and not your chick, who spent last night in your nest."

"No!" screamed the Eagle. She rushed back to her nest, but it was empty. Her chick was gone. So was the Old Crow.

And there has never been a night as cold again as that Old May Night of long ago.

(U.S. Forest Service)

October 25. Story of the Day: The Paila and the Paili

This story comes from Indian Folk Tales by E. M. Gordon.

The classification is TMI Z39.8. Small grain-measure runs away.

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THE PAILA AND THE PAILI

Once upon a time a Paila, a large grain-measure, had a quarrel with the Paili, a small grain-measure, and the Paila beat the Paili so that the Paili ran away from her husband in a temper.

When the Paili was on the roadside she met a crow seated in a nim-tree. The crow said to the Paili, "Where are you going to, O Paili?"

The Paili replied that her husband, the Paila, had beaten her, and she was running away from him.

Said the crow, "Well, come and stay with me; do not go away in anger."

The Paili replied, "What will you give me to eat and what to drink, what to wear and what to spread?"

The crow replied, "I will place one wing under you and the other above, and the food left over by others I will bring you to eat."

But the Paili said she would not stay, and so saying she went on her way.

On the side of a tank the Paili met a Bagula (a crane or heron), and the Bagula also begged her to remain with him.

(crane)

The Paili said to him, "What will you give to eat, what to drink, what to wear, and what to spread?"

Said the Bagula, "I will place one wing below you and the other above, and I will feed you with fishes."

But the Paili would not stay with the Bagula, and went on her way.

Next the Paili came to a place where a Raja was holding his Darbar. Then the Raja asked of her, "Where are you going to, O Paili?"

The Paili replied, "The Paila beat me, so I am going away in a temper."

But the Raja begged of her to remain with him. The Paili asked him what she would get to eat and what to drink, what to wear and what to spread. The Raja said,  I will place one cushion below you and one above, and whatsoever you desire you may have to eat."

But the Paili refused to stay with the Raja.

As she went on her way she met a dog coming from the river after having had a bath. The dog said, '' Where are you going to, O Paili?" and the Paili replied that the Paila had beaten her and she was going away from him in a temper.

Then the dog also asked the Paili to stay with him, and the Paili said, "What will you give me to eat and what to drink, what to wear and what to spread?"

The dog replied that in the Raja's store there was a quantity of gur (raw sugar), and they would eat from that as much as they pleased. Then the Paili consented to stay with the dog. And they both lived in the Raja's storehouse.

One day the Raja sent his daughter to bring gur from his store. So the daughter, taking the scales and weights, went to the store to fetch the gur. First she threw the scales into the store, and was about to follow herself, but the scales struck the dog on the head, and Paili jumped out, saying —

On the nim-tree I left the crow,
On the tank I left the bagula,
Oh now my wounded dog,
The weights have crushed your head.

Lim bharahbar kauwa chharev, 
Tal bharabhar bagula, 
Hai re mor bucha kukur, 
Paseri mur kucha.

October 24. Story of the Day: Brahmana's Kitten

This story comes from Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon by H. Parker, volume 2: 171.

It's an example of ATU 2031. Stronger and Strongest.

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THE STORY OF THE BRAHMANA'S KITTEN

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In a certain country a Brahmana reared a kitten, it is said. He said that he reared the kitten in order to give it [in marriage] to the greatest person of all in this world. After the kitten became big he took it to give to the Sun, the Divine King. Having taken it there he gave it to the Sun, the Divine King. 

The Sun, the Divine King, asked, "What is the reason why you brought this kitten?" 

Then the Brahmana said, "Rearing this kitten since the day when it was little, I have brought it to give to the greatest person of all in this world." 

Then the Sun, the Divine King, said, "Although I fall as sun-heat (awwa) like fire, into the world, there is a greater person than I. Mr. Rain-cloud having come, when he has spread his car for himself I am unable to do anything. The gentleman is greater than I. Because of it, having taken it, give it to the gentleman." 

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Rain-cloud. Then the Rain-cloud asked, "What is the reason why you brought this kitten?" 

Then the Brahmana said, "I reared this kitten since the day when it was little, to give it [in marriage] to the Sun, the Divine King. When I brought and gave it to the Sun, the Divine King, he said, 'There is a greater person than I. Give it to Mr. Rain-cloud.' Because of it, I brought this kitten to give it to you to marry." 

Then the Rain-cloud says, "I, the Rain-cloud, having come, what of my car's spreading out and remaining! The Wind-cloud having come, and smashed and torn me into bits, throws me down. He is greater than I. Because of it give it to him." 

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Wind-cloud. Then the Wind-cloud asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?" 

Then the Brahmana said, "I reared this kitten since the day when it was little, to give it [in marriage] to [His Majesty of] the Sun race. The Sun, the Divine King, told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. The Rain-cloud told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. Because of it, I brought it to give it to you to marry." 

Then the Wind-cloud says, "I, the Wind-cloud, having gone, what of my going throwing down the Rain-cloud and smashing the trees! I am unable to do anything to the Ground-Ant-hill. However much wind blows, the Ant-hill does not even shake. Because of it he is greater than I. Take it and give it to him." 

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Ground-Ant-hill. Then the Ground-Ant-hill asked, "What have you brought this kitten for?" 

Then the Brahmana says, "I reared this kitten to give it [in marriage] to His Majesty the Sun. When I brought it near the Sun, the Divine King, he told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. The Rain-cloud told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. The Wind-cloud said, 'There is a greater than I, the Ground-Ant-hill. Give it to him.' Because of it I brought it to give it to you." 

Then the Ground-Ant-hill said, "The Sun, the Divine King, can do nothing to me, the Rain-cloud can do nothing to me, the Wind-cloud can do nothing to me, but there is a greater person than I, the Bull (gon-madaya). He having come and gored me, smashes me and throws me down. Because of that give it to the Bull." 

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Bull. Then the Bull asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?" 

The Brahmana says, "To give this kitten [in marriage] to His Majesty the Sun, I reared it since the day when it was little. When I brought it there, the Sun, the Divine King, told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. When I brought it near the Rain-cloud he told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. When I brought it there he told me to give it to the Ground-Ant-hill. When I brought it there he said, 'The Bull is greater than I; give it to him.' Because of it I brought it to give it to you."

Then the Bull says, "There is a greater person than I, the Leopard. It is true that I trample on the Ant-hill, and gore it and throw it down; but the Leopard chases me, and tears me, and eats my flesh, therefore he is greater than I. Because of it give it to him." 

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Leopard. Then the Leopard asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?" 

The Brahmana says, "This kitten reared I to give [in marriage] to His Majesty the Sun. Well then, having walked from there in this and this manner, the Bull told me to give it to you. On account of that I brought it to give it to you." 

Then the Leopard says, "The Cat is greater than I; my Preceptor is the Cat. He taught me to climb up trees, but I have not yet learnt how to descend. Because of it give it to the Cat." 

After that, the Brahmana having taken the kitten gave it to the Cat. Then the Cat asked, "What did you bring this kitten for?" 

The Brahmana says, "For you I did not rear this kitten. Having reared it to give [it in marriage] to the most powerful person of all in the world, I took it to give to the Sun, the Divine King. Then he told me to give it to the Rain-cloud. When I took it near him he told me to give it to the Wind-cloud. When I took it near him he told me to give it to the Ground-Ant-hill. When I took it near him he said, 'There is a greater person than I, the Bull.' When I took it near him he told me to give it to the Leopard. When I took it near him the Leopard said, 'Because the Cat is my Preceptor give it to the Cat.' Therefore I brought this kitten to give it to you." 

After that, the Cat having said, "It is good," marrying the kitten it remained there. 

NOTES

North-western Province. 

The leopard often climbs up trees, but cannot descend more than a few feet down the trunk; from any considerable height it always jumps down. My tame leopard would climb down backwards for about six feet only.

In the Literary Supplement to The Examiner of Ceylon for 1875. it was stated that the cheetah (leopard) applied to the cat to teach him the art of climbing, but the cat forgot to show him how to descend. From that time the cheetah never spares the cat if he can catch him, but out of veneration for his old teacher he places the body on some elevation and worships it [that is, makes obeisance to it], instead of eating it. (Quoted by Mr. J. P. Lewis in The Orientalist, vol. ii, p. 149). 

In the short tales at the end of The Adventures of Raja Rasalu. (Panjab, Swynnerton), p. 179, the tiger was taught by the cat. When he thought he had learnt everything the cat knew, the tiger sprang at it, intending to eat it; but the cat climbed up a tree, and the tiger was unable to follow it. The story is repeated in Indian Nights' Entertainment, p. 350. 

In the Katha Sarit Sagara (Tawney), vol. ii, p. 56, an ambitious Candala girl who determined to marry a universal monarch saw the supreme King bow down to a hermit. She followed the latter, but when he prostrated himself at a temple of Siva she attached herself to that God. A dog behaved in such a manner at the shrine that she followed the dog, which entered a Candala's house and rolled at the feet of a young Candala; the girl therefore was married to him. 

In the same work, vol. ii, p. 72, a hermit transformed a young mouse into a girl, and reared her. When she had grown up he offered her to the Sun, saying he wished to marry her to some mighty one. He was referred in turn to the Cloud and the Mountains, but the Himalaya said that the Mice were stronger than he and dug holes in him. She was then transformed into a mouse once more, and married a forest mouse. 

This latter form of the tale is given in The Fables of Pilpay, in which it was the girl who wished to be married to a powerful and invincible husband. 

In Folklore of the Santal Parganas (collected by Rev. Dr. Bodding), p. 168, the parents of a beautiful girl of a semi-aboriginal caste determined to marry her to the greatest person in the world. They took her in turn to the Sun, the Cloud, the Wind, the Mountain, and the Ground Rat. When they applied to the rat it informed them that their own people were more powerful than the rats, as they dug out and ate them; so in the end the girl was married to a man of their own caste.

October 23. Story of the Day: Vessel of Butter

This story comes from Indian Nights by Charles Swynnerton. This is just one incident in "The Story of Lull, The Idiot."

This is an example of ATU 1430 Air Castles.

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

THE VESSEL OF BUTTER

Lull was loitering about the street, when a passing soldier laid hold of his arm and said, ' Here, lad, carry this vessel of butter for me, and if you are smart I'll give you three halfpence.'

This quite delighted Lull, who was as strong as a horse, and taking up the vessel, with an 'All right, I'll carry it,' he swung it on to his shoulders.

The vessel was a large jar of earthenware, and the butter was in a liquid state, like oil. As Lull strode along the road, followed by the soldier, his busy brain began to build up castles in the air.

'How lucky am I!' said he to himself:

This fellow is going to give me three ha'pence, and what shall I do with it? I know. I'll go into the market and buy a hen with it, and I'll take it home and feed it; and the hen will lay eggs, and I shall have a fine brood of chickens.

(chickens in India)

And I'll sell them all for what they will fetch, and when I have sold them I'll buy a sheep.

After a bit the sheep will have young ones, and when I have also sold them, I'll buy a cow.

And when my cow has young ones I'll buy a milch buffalo; and when my milch buffalo has young ones, I'll sell her and I'll buy a mare to ride on.

And when I am riding my mare the people will all stare at me, and say, " Oh, Lull! Lull!" and the girls will nudge each other, and say, " Look at Lull on his beautiful mare!"

And when I have a mare of my own, I shall not be long making a match with some fine girl with a pot of money; and I'll get married, and I shall have four or five nice little children.

And when my children look up to me and cry, "Papa, papa !" I'll say to one, " O you little dear!" and to another, " O you little darling!"

And with my hand I'll pat them on the head, one by one, just like this...

Suiting the action to the word, Lull, in total oblivion of the jar of butter, lowered his hand, and made several passes in the air as if patting his children's heads; but as he did so, down fell the unlucky jar, which was broken into a thousand pieces, and all the precious butter ran about the street.

October 22. Story of the Day: Valiant Blackbird

This story comes from The Talking Thrush and Other Tales from India by William Crooke and W. H. D. Rouse, with illustrations by W. H. Robinson.

This is classified as TMI Z52. Bird avenges caged mate. The story was originally published in North Indian Notes and Queries; for comparison, here is that version: The Valiant Weaver Bird.

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

THE VALIANT BLACKBIRD

(two blackbirds)

A blackbird and his mate lived together on a tree. The Blackbird used to sing very sweetly, and one day the King heard him in passing by, and sent a Fowler to catch him. But the Fowler made a mistake; he did not catch Mr. Blackbird, who sang so sweetly, but Mrs. Blackbird, who could hardly sing at all. However, he did not know the difference, to look at her, nor did the King when he got the bird; but a cage was made for Mrs. Blackbird, and there she was kept imprisoned.

When Mr. Blackbird heard that his dear spouse was stolen, he was very angry indeed. He determined to get her back, by hook or by crook. So he got a long sharp thorn, and tied it at his waist by a thread; and on his head he put the half of a walnut-shell for a helmet, and the skin of a dead frog served for body-armour. Then he made a little kettle-drum out of the other half of the walnut-shell; and he beat his drum, and proclaimed war upon the King.

As he walked along the road, beating his drum, he met a Cat.

"Whither away, Mr. Blackbird?" said the Cat.

"To fight against the King," said Mr. Blackbird.

"All right," said the Cat, "I'll come with you: he drowned my kitten."

"Jump into my ear, then," says Mr. Blackbird. The Cat jumped into the Blackbird's ear, and curled up, and went to sleep: and the Blackbird marched along, beating his drum.

Some way further on, he met some Ants.

"Whither away, Mr. Blackbird?" said the Ants.

"To fight against the King," said Mr. Blackbird.

"All right," said the Ants, "we'll come too; he poured hot water down our hole."

"Jump into my ear," said Mr. Blackbird. In they jumped, and away went Blackbird, beating upon his drum.

Next he met a Rope and a Club. They asked him, whither away? and when they heard that he was going to fight against the King, they jumped into his ear also, and away he went.

Not far from the King's palace, Blackbird had to cross over a River.

"Whither away, friend Blackbird?" asked the River.

Quoth the Blackbird, "To fight against the King."

"Then I'll come with you," said the River.

"Jump into my ear," says the Blackbird.

Blackbird's ears were pretty full by this time, but he found room somewhere for the River, and away he went.

Blackbird marched along until he came to the palace of the King. He knocked at the door, thump, thump.

"Who's there?" said the Porter.

"General Blackbird, come to make war upon the King, and get back his wife."

The Porter laughed so at the sight of General Blackbird, with his thorn, and his frogskin, and his drum, that he nearly fell off his chair. Then he escorted Blackbird into the King's presence.

"What do you want?" said the King.

"I want my wife," said the Blackbird, beating upon his drum, rub-a-dub-dub, rub-a-dub-dub.

"You shan't have her," said the King.

"Then," said the Blackbird, "you must take the consequences." Rub-a-dub-dub went the drum.

"Seize this insolent bird," said the King, "and shut him up in the henhouse. I don't think there will be much left of him in the morning."

The servants shut up Blackbird in the henhouse. When all the world was asleep, Blackbird said—

"Come out, Pussy, from my ear,
There are fowls in plenty here;
Scratch them, make their feathers fly,
Wring their necks until they die."

Out came Pussy-cat in an instant. What a confusion there was in the henhouse. Cluck-cluck-cluck went the hens, flying all over the place; but no use: Pussy got them all, and scratched out their feathers, and wrung their necks. Then she went back into Blackbird's ear, and Blackbird went to sleep.

When morning came, the King said to his men, "Go, fetch the carcass of that insolent bird, and give the Chickens an extra bushel of corn." But when they entered the henhouse, Blackbird was singing away merrily on the roost, and all the fowls lay around in heaps with their necks wrung.

They told the King, and an angry King was he. "To-night," said he, "you must shut up Blackbird in the stable." So Blackbird was shut up in the stable, among the wild Horses.

At midnight, when all the world was asleep, Blackbird said—

"Come out, Rope, and come out, Stick,
Tie the Horses lest they kick;
Beat the Horses on the head,
Beat them till they fall down dead."

Out came Club and Rope from Blackbird's ear; the Rope tied the horses, and the Club beat them, till they died. Then the Rope and the Club went back into the Blackbird's ear, and Blackbird went to sleep.

Next morning the King said, "No doubt my wild Horses have settled the business of that Blackbird once for all. Just go and fetch out his corpse."

The servants went to the wild Horses' stable. There was Blackbird, sitting on the manger, and drumming away on his walnut-shell; and all round lay the dead bodies of the Horses, beaten to death.

If the King was angry before, he was furious now. His horses had cost a great deal of money; and to be tricked by a Blackbird is a poor joke.

"All right," said the King, "I'll make sure work of it to-night. He shall be put with the Elephants."

When night came the Blackbird was shut up in the Elephants' shed. No sooner was all the world quiet, than Blackbird began to sing—

"Come from out my ear, you Ants,
Come and sting the Elephants;
Sting their trunk, and sting their head,
Sting them till they fall down dead."

Out came a swarm of Ants from the Blackbird's ear. They crawled up inside the Elephants' trunks, they burrowed into the Elephants' brains, and stung them so sharply that the Elephants all went mad, and died.

Next morning, as before, the King sent for the Blackbird's carcass; and, instead of finding his carcass, the servants found the Blackbird rub-a-dub-dubbing on his drum, and the dead Elephants piled all round him.

This time the King was fairly desperate. "I can't think how he does it," said he, "but I must find out. Tie him to-night to my bed, and we'll see."

So that night Blackbird was tied to the King's bed. In the middle of the night, the King (who had purposely kept awake) heard him sing,

"Come out, River, from my ear,
Flow about the bedroom here;
Pour yourself upon the bed,
Drown the King till he is dead."

Out came the River, pour-pour-pouring out of the Blackbird's ear. It flooded the room, it floated the King's bed, the King began to get wet.

"In Heaven's name, General Blackbird," said the King, "take your wife, and begone."

So Blackbird received his wife again, and they lived happily ever after.


NOTES

28.—The Valiant Blackbird
Told by Wazíran, a Mohammedan servant of Mirzápur, and
recorded by Mirza Muhammad Beg.
A Podna (weaver bird) and his mate lived in a tree—The Raja catches the wife—Podna builds carts of reeds, yokes pairs of frogs, makes kettle-drum, armed with piece of reed, sets out drumming—Meets a Cat—"Where are you going?" "Sarkande ki to gári, do mendak jote jaen, Raja mári Podni, ham bair bisahne jaen" ("My carriage is of reed with two frogs yoked thereto; the King has seized my Podni; I go to take my revenge"). "May I go with you?" "Get into my car"—Meets in same way Ants, Rope and Club, River—Drives into King's courtyard and demands Podni—King orders him to be shut in henhouse—"Nikal billi, teri bári. Kán chhor, kanpati mári" ("Come out, Cat, your turn now: come out of my ear and hit them on the head")—Cat comes out and kills fowls—Next night shut in stable—"Niklo rassi, aur sonte tumhari bari. Kan chhor, kanpati mari"—Rope ties horses and Club kills them—Next night shut in with elephants—"Niklo chiunti tumhári bári. Kán chhor, kanpati mári"—Ants run up trunks and sting their brains—Next night tied to the Raja's bed—"Niklo darya teri bári. Kán chhor, kanpati mári"—River begins to drown King and bed—"For God's sake, take your wife and go."

Here, as in other tales of this collection, we have the incident of the Helping Animals, for which see Tawney, "Katha Sarit Ságara," ii. 103, 596; Crooke, "Popular Religion and Folk-lore of Northern India," ii. 202. See N.I.N.Q., iii. § 173.