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338
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1896.
She cried out :-"O children, why are you going? Where did you come from P Where do you go to P Wood, stone, and earth-work is being busily carried on there. O children, wby are you going?"
“She, who has given us such good advice, shall not henceforwards carry the basket of areca-nuts on her head," said the brothers to each other, and gave her their blessing by lightly touching her hand with their dagger; and said to her :-"Put out rice to interest in kind and money to interest in coin and thus live happily."
So saying, they went on their way to Nellijine. While they were walking on their way they saw a bunch of stone-berries from which Channayya took one and threw it up. He held his dagger directly under it and made it to pass through the berry, which was reduced to fine powder. The men who waited for them in ambush saw this wonderful feat and said :-* If the younger brother can shew so much dexterity, how much more will the elder? All ou ability and skill would be nothing in comparison to theirs. If we obey our master's orders and attack them we shall loose our lives."
So saying, the Bakders and the Koragars and the Mugers filed away. And the brothers proceeded on their journey, and went throngh the plain of Panje. On that plain there were some cow herds grazing cows. Channayya proposed a riddle to them and said: "Look, there in your herd of cattle, a bull has brought forth a call and is licking it."
To this the cowherds answered :-"Look to the west, O you beroes, and see the fire!" " It is the sun setting, boys!" said the brothers,
To this, the cowherds answered:-" It is not that the ball has brought forth a calf and is licking it, but the bull is smelling its dung."
"Oh! they have solved our riddle, brother," said Koti.
“We must get every information about the way from these boys," said the brothers to each other. And asked of the boys the way to the house of a rich man in Palli called Payys Baidya. Thus, getting every information about the way, they proceeded and reached the house of Payya Baidya. They called out his name three times, but he was not at home, and his wife came out and asked who they were. They said that they were travellers, and asked whether Payya, the rich man of Palli, was present or not.
"He is not present; he has gone to draw toddy from the palm-trees in the forest called Sanka," replied his wife.
"At what time does he go out, and when does he return P" asked the brothers.
"He goes out in the morning and returns at noon. If you are Brahmans wearing the thread, sit down on the round pial of the cocoanut-tree bearing red fruits. If you belong to the Vakkater Tribe, sit down in the shed, built by the poor man. If you belong to our caste, sit down on the swinging-cot within the house," said the woman.
Hearing this, they approached the house and said :-"We will not enter into a house in which there are no males."
So they spread out their blanket within the shed and sat on it, and chewed betel-nut with great delight. Then Channayya became thirsty. "You, who are a member of Payya's family, please give us a cup of water," asked the brothers.
To this the woman answered :-"I will not go out of my house to a place where there are no males (belonging to my family)."
She said this merely in jest she did not mean it in earnest. So she took off her dirty dress and put on a clean one, and, taking a copper.pot in her hands, drew pure water from the
