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August, 1887.)
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
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FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
BY PANDIT S. M. NATESA SASTRI. No. XX.-The Satchel Bearer. 3,000 rupees. He now thought that fortune ONCE upon a time, in the city of Pushpa- was really favouring him as it had favoured
pura, there lived an office-messenger Tavadu Setti. Every year he changed his trade named Tan Singh. His pay was only seven into a more and more lucrative and honourable rupees a month, out of which he spent five one. He was very careful and honest, and rupees for his maintenance and saved the rest. never forgot his original poor condition. After After five years, he counted his savings and ten years of successful trading he reached his found that they amounted to only Rs. 120. ambition of becoming a “Navakti Narayana Counting the money over and over again, Setti," for he was now a great pearl mermore than twenty times, Tan Singh could make
chant. Pearls and diamonds of the first water no more of it than Rs. 120; and so he fell into
were his only articles of commerce. What was & reverie and said to himself:
his condition now compared with that ten "Alas! after five years work I have been able years before? Then he was only a messenger to save only Rs. 120. What can this sum on seven rupees a month: now he had more procure me? Is it enough to buy me a good than a hundred messengers, to each of whom he house to live in ? No! Can I marry on it was paying a monthly salary of seven rupees ! No! I must serve another five years at least Besides, his income now was more than that of and save as much again to buy me even a a king ! small hut! And as for a fair wife, I must at Tan Singh thought that it would be a great least have five or six hundred rupees, and to sin in him if he did not enjoy his life, so he at save that I must serve for more than twenty or once bought a large establishment at Pushpathirty years! By that time I may be dead; so I pura for Rs. 60,000, and married a lady, named must think of something else to do than lead- Kamalabal, of the best Singh family of the ing so petty life as this. They say that town. His business never failed him, and his Tavudu setti began ten years ago with the wife's star,' too, favoured his trade, for he grew very small sum of ten rupees to trade in husks; richer and richer every day. Two years after and he is already & "Navakoti Narayana his marriage he had a son, his first-born, who Setti," owning big shops and half-a-dozen was very beautiful. He named him Ram ships. I have twelve times as much as he had Singh, and brought him up very tenderly. when he started in life. Why should not Three years after that he had another son, fortune favour me, too P"
whom he named Lakshmaņa Singh ; and in two With these thoughts in his head, Tan Singh years more he had a third son, the most beauresigned his post and, committing himself to tiful of them all, whom he named Krishna fortune, opened a petty bárár for the, buying Singh. Thus, after seven years of married and selling of husks like Tavada Setti. life, he was the father of three most beautiful During the next year, after very careful sons, the eldest of whom was five years of age. trading, he was able to double his capital, and Being a rich and prudent man, he left no with his Rs. 250 he changed his husk báxár stone unturned to give a proper training to his into a bazár for nuts and betel-leaves. After sons; but, true to the proverb that "the eldest his second year his capital reached Rs. 500, and is always stupid," Rám Singh was hopehe soon changed his betel-leaf bazár into a lessly dull. No amount of teaching had any sweetmeat one. Now sweetmeats in South India effect on him, and his masters were not sparing will bring in five or six times the sum laid out of the rod. The maulavi, the pandit, the on them if the trader does not give credit. Tan upadhyayar, and others came in their turn and Bingh was very careful, and before the third spared no pains. But nothing had any effect year was quite over he nad saved more than on Râm Singh, who grew up a dandy, dressing
It is a common belief, that when good or bad days There is a Tami! proverb, "Mattadu muttaund," come upon a family after taking in a new bride, it is her the first is stupid. star that has brought them.
