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.

June 18. Story of the Day: Louse and Crow

This is another story that appears in Indian Folk Tales by E. M. Gordon, who collected stories from the district of Bilaspur in the state of Chhattisgarh in central India.

As often happens with the cumulative tales, the author did not fill out the complete chain in the later part of the story, just writing "etc. etc." I haven taken the liberty of filling out the chain each time.

This is classified as ATU 2028. The Devouring Animal that was Cut Open. The resemblances between this story from India and the Norwegian story of The Greedy Cat are remarkable: each story has distinctive features, but the plot and the style of accumulation are very much the same.

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THE LOUSE AND THE CROW

Once a louse and a crow made a covenant of friendship.

The louse said to the crow, "Go, friend, and bring me some fire."

So the crow brought his friend, the louse, some fire.

Then said the louse, "Now friend, I will broil and eat you."

The crow replied, "If I strike you once with my beak you will disappear: how then can you talk of eating me?"

But the louse broiled and ate his friend, the crow.

Passing on, the louse came across a loaf of bread which a man was cooking on the fire. Then said the louse to the loaf of bread, "I will eat you, my friend."

But the bread replied that the louse would be scorched in the fire, and how could he eat the bread? But the louse ate the bread also.

Passing on, the louse met a she-goat. To the goat he said, "I am about to feast on you."

The goat replied that if she would trample on the louse he would be reduced to nothing. The louse replied that he had eaten the crow and the loaf of bread, and he could eat the goat also. And he quickly finished the goat.

Passing on, the louse met a cow. To the cow he said, "I am about to eat you, O cow."

But the cow replied, "If I trample you underfoot you will be reduced to nothing."

The louse said, "If I have eaten the crow and the bread and the goat, what then can hinder me from eating you?" So he ate the cow also.

Passing on, the louse met a buffalo. To the buffalo the louse said, " I will eat you also."

(water buffalo)

But the buffalo replied, "I have but to tread on you and you will be nowhere."

Then the louse ate the buffalo also.

The louse next met five strong sepoys. To the sepoys the louse said, "I am about to eat you five men."

(from Armies of India, 1911)

The sepoys replied, "You will lose yourself in the head of but one of us, and here you speak of feasting on us five warriors."

But true to his word the louse ate the five sepoys.

Next the louse met a wedding procession in which there were one lakh of people. Addressing them, the louse said that he would eat them.

The men replied that the louse would be lost in the head of but one man, and how then could he speak of eating a lakh of people?

But the louse replied that he had eaten first the crow, then the loaf, then the goat, and the cow, and the buffalo, and the five sepoys, and he would certainly eat the lakh of people in the procession; and he quickly devoured the whole number.

Next the louse came upon an elephant, and to the elephant the louse said, "I will eat you in no time."

The elephant replied that he could blow away the louse with but one puff of breath from his trunk.

The louse then related how he had eaten the crow, the loaf, then the goat, and the cow, and the buffalo, and the five sepoys, the lakh of people in the procession, and accordingly he ate the elephant also.

Now the louse, being thirsty, came across a huge tank of water. Said the louse to the tank, "I am about to drink in all of your water."

The tank replied that the louse would be washed away with but one wave from the waters of the tank, and how then could he talk of drinking in the waters of the tank?

The louse again proceeded to narrate how he had eaten the crow, the loaf, the goat, and the cow, and the buffalo, and the five sepoys, the lakh of people in the procession, and the elephant also, and the louse then drank in all the waters of the tank.

Now it so happened that some women came as usual to fill the vessels of water at the tank, and to their great astonishment they found that the waters had disappeared.

While they were looking around, one of the women, who had but one eye, spied on the bank of the tank a small, shining object, which proved to be the louse. Said the woman, "This surely is the creature which has drunk the waters of our tank."

Just then a strong sepoy came along to have a drink at the tank. The women showed him the louse which had taken up all the water. This strong warrior immediately drew his sharp sword and with one stroke he cut in two the greedy louse.

Immediately the crow appeared, and the loaf, and the goat, the cow, the buffalo, the five men, the one lakh of people, the elephant also, and the waters of the tank.

Each of these went to their respective places, and the women, after thanking the brave sepoy who had befriended them, filled their water-pots as usual and went to their homes.


CHAIN: crow - bread - goat - cow - buffalo - sepoys - wedding party - elephant - water

Gordon. Ir, Bir, Dau and I

This is another story that appears in Indian Folk Tales by E. M. Gordon, who collected stories from the district of Bilaspur in the state of Chhattisgarh in central India. I have included only the English; see the original at Hathi.

I do not have a tale type for this formula story.

THE STORY OF IR, BIR, DAU, AND I

(bamboo by Dinesh Valke)

Ir said come let's cut bamboos, Bir said come let's cut bamboos, Dau said come let's cut bamboos, I said come let's cut bamboos.

Ir cut one bamboo, Bir cut two bamboos, Dau cut three bamboos, I cut small bamboo.

Ir said come make a gulel (pellet bow), Bir said come make a gulel, Dau said come make a gulel, I said come make a gulel.

Ir made one gulel, Bir made two gulels, Dau made three gulels, I made a small gulel.

Ir said come kill a bird, Bir said come kill a bird, Dau said come kill a bird, I said come kill a bird.

Ir killed one bird, Bir killed two birds, Dau killed three birds, I killed a litia (a small black bird) .

Ir said come gather fuel (lit. cow-dung cake), Bir said come gather fuel, Dau said come gather fuel, I said come gather fuel.

Ir gathered one fuel-cake, Bir gathered two fuel- cakes, Dau gathered three fuel-cakes, I gathered a small cake.

Ir said come broil the bird, Bir said come broil the bird, Dau said come broil the bird, I said come broil the bird.

Ir broiled one bird, Bir broiled two birds, Dau broiled three birds, I broiled a small bird : it was burnt and so much remained (here a gesture is made with the finger to indicate a small quantity).

Ir said come fetch a stool, Bir said come fetch a stool, Dau said come fetch a stool, I said come fetch a stool.

Ir he brought one stool, Bir he brought two stools, Dau he brought three stools, I sat just so.

Ir said come eat the bird, Bir said come eat the bird, Dau said come eat the bird, I said come eat the birdie.

Ir ate one bird, Bir ate two birds, Dau ate three birds, I ate the litia.

Ir said come buy a horse, Bir said come buy a horse, Dau said come buy a horse, I said come buy a horse.

Ir he bought one horse, Bir he bought two horses, Dau he bought three horses, I bought a she-ass.

Ir said come race my horse, Bir said come race my horse, Dau said come race my horse, I said come race my ass.

Ir galloped one horse, Bir galloped two horses, Dau galloped three horses, I galloped the ass.

Ir said come now to water, Bir said come now to water, Dau said come now to water, I said come now to water.

Ir went to one pond, Bir went to another (lit. two) pond, Dau went to a third pond, I went to ass-pond — in which my ass became entangled.

Ir's horse cried hon, hon, hon, hon; Bir's horse cried hon, hon, hon, hon; Dau's horse cried hon, hon, hon, hon; my ass cried chipon, chipon.

Ir said come let's eat mangoes, Bir said come let's eat mangoes, Dau said come let's eat mangoes, I said come let's eat mangoes.

Ir ate one mango, Bir ate two mangoes, Dau ate three mangoes, I ate small mango, then came the gardener.

Ir was beaten one stripe, Bir was beaten two stripes, Dau was beaten three stripes, I came off scot-free.


NOTES

This child's play-song was taken down verbatim from the lips of a girl twelve years of age, who had learned it from an old man, a beggar, who would make her repeat this song in order to help them in begging as they went from village to village together.

Gordon. The Little Blackbird

From Indian Folk Tales by E. M. Gordon.

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

I have filled in the "etc." with the very impressive chain.

THE LITTLE BLACKBIRD

There was once a little blackbird (the litia) who was the proud owner of three kauries, or shells. This bird used to come to a king and say, "O king, I have three kauries, O king."

(cowry shell money)

The king was so much annoyed by the continual chirping of the little bird that he ordered his servants to take the three kauries from the bird and to drive it away.

But the bird would not leave the king, and so it began to say, "My wealth has made you rich, O king. My wealth has made you rich, O king."

The king then ordered that the three kauries should be returned to the little blackbird. The bird then took the three kauries, and went to the seller of parched gram (a coarse pea), and with the three kauries she bought three grains of parched gram.

Taking these the bird flew off and sat on a new cart which a carpenter was making, and there she started eating the gram. Having eaten two grains, she was about to eat the third, when it dropped from her beak and fell into a joint of the new cart, where she could not reach it.

In great distress she appealed to the carpenter to take to pieces his cart that she might get at the grain she had lost.

"You silly little thing," said the carpenter. "Do you suppose I am going to take to pieces my new cart to get at a single grain which you have dropped into the joint of the woodwork?"

The little blackbird then went to the king, and said to him that she had lost her grain, and asked him to order the carpenter to open his cart that she might get at her grain.

"You silly little thing," said the king. "Do you suppose I am going to order the carpenter to open his cart that you may get one small grain?"

The little blackbird then went to the queen, and begged of her to persuade the king to order the carpenter to open the cart to let her get at the grain. But the queen also said, "Get away, you silly thing."

Then the little blackbird went to a deer and said, "Come, O deer, graze in the queen's garden, for she will not persuade the king, and the king will not order the carpenter, and the carpenter will not open the cart, and I cannot get at my grain."

But the deer would give to heed to the bird, and called her "You silly little thing."

Then said the bird, "I will go to the lathi (the strong, stout stick)."

To the lathi she went and said, "Come, stout stick, strike the deer, for the deer will not graze in the queen's garden, and the queen will not persuade the king, and the king will not command the carpenter, and the carpenter will not open his cart, and I cannot get at my grain."

But the stick also would give no ear to the cry of the little blackbird, so she went at once to the fire; and she begged the fire to burn the stick, for the deer would not eat the queen's garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, the king would not command the carpenter, the carpenter would not break up his cart, and she could not get at her grain.

But the fire also made light of the little bird's prayer. So she went next to the lake, and implored the lake to quench the fire, for the fire would not burn the stick, and the stick would not strike the deer, and the deer would not destroy the garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, and the king refused to command the carpenter, who also refused to open his cart, so that the bird could not get at her grain.

But the lake refused to help the bird.

She then went to a place where there were thousands of rats, and to the rats she presented her prayer that they should come and fill the lake with their diggings, for the lake would not quench the fire, for the fire would not burn the stick, and the stick would not strike the deer, and the deer would not destroy the garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, and the king refused to command the carpenter, who also refused to open his cart, so that the bird could not get at her grain.

But the rats also gave no attention to the wishes of the small blackbird.

Then the bird went to a cat, and of the cat she implored that she should attack the rats, for the rats would not fill in the lake, and the lake would not quench the fire, for the fire would not burn the stick, and the stick would not strike the deer, and the deer would not destroy the garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, and the king refused to command the carpenter, who also refused to open his cart, so that the bird could not get at her grain.

But the cat also was deaf to the prayers of the small blackbird.

Then she went to the elephant, and of the elephant she implored that he would crush the cat, for the cat would not kill the rats, for the rats would not fill in the lake, and the lake would not quench the fire, for the fire would not burn the stick, and the stick would not strike the deer, and the deer would not destroy the garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, and the king refused to command the carpenter, who also refused to open his cart, so that the bird could not get at her grain.

But the elephant treated her as did all the others.

Then she went to an ant, and begged the wee ant to crawl into the elephant's ear, for the elephant would not crush the cat, for the cat would not kill the rats, for the rats would not fill in the lake, and the lake would not quench the fire, for the fire would not burn the stick, and the stick would not strike the deer, and the deer would not destroy the garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, and the king refused to command the carpenter, who also refused to open his cart, so that the bird could not get at her grain.

But the ant also gave no heed to her prayer.

Then at last she came to the crow, the most greedy of all creatures, and of the crow she begged that he should eat the ant, for the ant would not crawl into the elephant's ear, for the elephant would not crush the cat, for the cat would not kill the rats, for the rats would not fill in the lake, and the lake would not quench the fire, for the fire would not burn the stick, and the stick would not strike the deer, and the deer would not destroy the garden, and the queen would not persuade the king, and the king refused to command the carpenter, who also refused to open his cart, so that the bird could not get at her grain.

From sheer greed the crow consented to eat the ant,

but the ant, seeing the crow about to eat it, went to crawl into the ear of the elephant,

and the elephant, fearing the harm which the ant could do him, went to crush the cat,

but the cat slipped away, and was about the destroy the rats,

and they at once began to fill in the lake,

and the lake, becoming alarmed, was about to quench the fire,

when the fire began to burn the stick,

and the stick began to beat the deer,

so that the deer was about to destroy the queen's garden,

when the queen began to persuade the king,

and the king commanded the carpenter,

and the carpenter opened his new cart,

and the little blackbird found her grain, and happily taking it up she flew away, and quietly enjoyed her repast, and lived very happily ever after.