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FEDRUARY 1897.]
MISCELLANEA.
MISCELLANEA. SOME NOTES ON THE FOLKLORE OF THE
ΧΙ. TELUGUS.
At Avantt lived two merchants, Durbuddhi By C. K. SUBRAMIAH PANTULU.
and Subuddhi by name. These two men went to (Continued from p. 28.)
a foreign country, amassed much wealth there, and returned, and buried unknown to anybody
the whole of their riches under a huge tamarind At Madura lived a Brahman who had two tree very near the town, and went to their resons. After hoarding up immense riches, he at spective houses. last died. The two sons collected the money
Not long after, Durbuddhi went clandestinely together, and effected a division of it equally. I to the spot, purloined the whole treasure and Each put his share into a sealed bag, entrusted it
carried it away to his house. A few days after to an old woman, saying that they were going the incident, both of them conjointly went to the
a far off country on a pilgrimage, and told her tree and found to their sad disappointment that to return the amount safely on their return, when
the treasure was gone. Upon this Durbuddhi they would both come and ask for it. This was
accused the other of having secreted the treasure, . agreed to.
dragged him before a court of justice, and carried After traversing a short distance, the younger a complaint against him, saying that Subuddbi brother devised measures to dupe the elder. He alone bad carried off, unknown to him, the rose one night at midnight, went back to their treasure which they jointly buried under the tree, starting point unknown to his brother, visited
and requested that justice be done in the case. the old woman, and told her that while they were both wandering along, a tiger had put an end
The judge looked at him, and called upon him
to prove the truth of his accusation against to the elder brother, and that that was why he
Subuddhi. Durbuddhi said that he would prove was obliged to return alone, and requested her to
it by the tree itself under which the treasure return the money entrusted to her by both the brothers. The old woman was a little staggered,
was buried. The judge replied that he would but considering that he was not likely to cheat
investigate the affair the next day.. his brother entrusted the whole sum to him.
Meanwhile, Durbuddhi took his father along He took it and quietly went away to a far off
with him, placed him in the hollow of the tree, place.
and instructed him to answer favourably (to Then the elder brother, not finding the younger
himself) the judge's queries on the morrow. one, returned overwhelmed with sorrow to his own
The next day, the judge, according to promise, abode, went to the old woman, and said that he
came with his attendants near the tree and asked did not know what had become of his brother.
who had taken away the money. To the intense
astonishment of the bystanders (the man inside) He therefore called upon her to return the whole
the tree accused Subuddhi of having secreted the of the sum entrusted to her. The old woman told him what had happened a few days before;
money. But the judge was not a man to give in how his younger brother misrepresented the state
so easily. After a little reflection he caused some of affairs, and had walked away with the whole
straw to be brought, stuffed the hollow with it, and set fire to it. The man inside was suffocated
and fell out of the tree dead. The judge, perceiv. On hearing this, he began to dispute with the
ing the deceit that Durbuddhi had played, came old woman, and brought her before a court of
to the conclusion that it was he who had walked justice. The magistrate heard both the plaintiff
away with the money. He caused therefore all the and the defendant in the suit in full, saw how the
money to be brought and given over to Subuddhi. old woman had been duped, called the man and decided as follows:-"The money was entrusted
Durbuddhi having paid very dearly for the to the woman on the understanding that it should deceit he had played in the loss of his riches be returned when both of you came back and and his father to boot - went bome with a very demanded it. It is not fair therefore to ask sad heart. her to pay back the amount when you come and
ΧΙΙ. ask for it singly. If you are in need of money,
At Vizagapatam lived two friends, one of therefore, fetch out your brother."
whom used to perform with care the morning The man was unable to answer this argument ablutions at dawn, and proceeding to the temple, and went his own way.
remained there for a long time circumambulating
mount.
