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APRIL, 1885.]
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
109
bray.
her home, on reaching which he placed her on of the wife disappointed her by turning her the ground, when to his joy she was no longer mother into an ass, but no one knew of it till an old woman, but a young girl of sixteen, and she actually jumped down from the shoulders stronger than his own wife. The troublesome of her son-in-law. wife was now totally put down, and was This story is always cited as the explanation powerless against so strong a mother-in-law. of the proverb quoted above-varavara mami
She did not at all like the change, and ka!udai pôl and!-little by little the mother-inbaving to give up her habits of bullying, and law became an ass, to which is also commonly so she argued to herself thus-"This jade of a added dr rarum bódu alaiyida talaippatt! - mother-in-law became young through the fruit and as she approached the village she began to of the Kali, why should not my mother also do the same, if I instruct her and send her to
IX.-THE STORY OF APPATTA. the same temple." So she instructed her mother
अपूपेन हताः चोराः as to the story she ought to give to the goddess, and sent her there. Her old mother agreeably to
हता खड्गेन केसरी। her daughter's injunctions went to the temple,
तुरंगेण हतं सैन्यम् and on meeting with the goddess at midnight
विधिर्भाग्यानुसारिणी ॥ gave a false answer that she was being greatly In a remote village there lived a poor ill-treated by her daughter-in-law, though, in Brahman and his wife. Though several years truth, she had nothing of the kind to complain
of their wedded life had passed they unfortuof. The goddess perceived the lie through her nately had no children, and so being very eager divine powers, but apparently seeming to pity for a child, and having no hope of one by his her, gave her also a fruit. Her daughter had first wife, the poor Brahman made up his mind instructed her not to eat it till next morning to marry # second. His wife would not and till she saw her son-in-law.
permit it for some time, but finding her As soon as morning approached the poor husband resolved, she gave way, thinking within henpecked Brahman was ordered by his wife herself that she would manage somehow to do to go to the temple and fetch his mother-in-law away with the second wife. As soon as he as he had some time back fetched away his had got her consent the Brahman arranged for mother. He accordingly went, and invited his second marriage and wedded a beautifnl her to come home. She wanted him to eat Brahman girl. She went to live with him in part of the fruit, as she had been instructed, the same house with the first wife, who, thinkbat he refused, and so she swallowed it all, fullying that she would be making the world expecting to become young again on reaching suspicious if she did anything suddenly, waited home. Meanwhile her son-in-law took her on for some time. his shoulders and returned home, expecting, Isvara himself seemed to favour the new as his former experience had tanght him, to see marriage, and the second wife, a year after her his mother-in-law also become a young woman. wedding, becoming pregnant, went in the sixth Anxiety to see how the change came on over. month of her pregnancy to her mother's house came him and at half way he turned his head for her confinement. Her husband bore his and found such part of the burden on his shoul. separation from her patiently for a fortnight, ders as he could see to be like parts of an ass, | but after this the desire to see her again began but he took this to be a mere preliminary to prey upon his mind, and he was always asking stage towards youthful womanhood! Again he his first wife as to when he ought to go to turned, and again he saw the same thing several her. She seemed to sympathise fully with his times, and the more he looked the more his trouble and said :burden became like an ass, till at last when he "My dearest husband, your health is being reached home his burden jamped down bray daily injured, and I am glad that your love ing like an ass and ran away.
for her has not made it worse than it is. Thus the Kali, perceiving the evil intentions To-morrow you must start on a visit to her.
Compare the tale of Fatta, the Valiant Weaver, ante Vol. XI. p. 282 ff.Ed.
