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FEBRUARY, 1903.)
FOLKLORE IN THE CENTRAL PROVINCES.
FOLKLORE IN THE CENTRAL PROVINCES. BY M. N. VENKATASWAMI, M.X.A.S., M.F.L.S.
(Continued from Vol. XXXI. p. 454.)
No. 19. — The Prince, the Cucumber, and the Rákshashf. A CERTAIN king had seven sons, who used to tend cattle in the forest. One day they saw a great number of fish in a tank, and so they drove off the cattle to graze and at once began to catch the fish. When this was finished, one of the brothers went to see where the cattle were grazing. He did not find them, but heard a rumour that they had been carried off by a neighbouring Rakshashi.
“Never mind," said the brothers :-“ Oar father will be pleased with the seven baskets full of fish," and they carried the fish home.
On seeing them, the king asked “where are the cattle P" “We were catching fish and the Bakshashi lifted the cattle," replied the princes.
Whereupon the king, out of sheer anger, slew six of his sons, and when he was about to slay the seventh and last, the prince said, “O father, don't kill me, I will bring the cattle home."
“Very well, bring the cattle home," replied the king.
In search of the missing cattle the prince traversed many forests without success, and he thought of returning home despondingly to meet his fate, when he suddenly came upon shepherd boy, whom he questioned as to the way lending to the Rakshashi's abode.
Go this way," said the shepherd-boy, pointing out a long and straight road, “taking three cucumbers from the field, and when you come to the place where three roads meet, place the three cucumbers on the three ways. Watch which cucumber moves and that's the road you are to take."
The prince did accordingly, and the cucumber on the central road moved, and so the prince went on by that road, taking the Cucumber as his companion and eating the others.
When he was half way on the road, the Cucumber called out. Brother, brother.' “Who is the man calling me?" said the prince, looking round. “," replied the Cucumber. " What is it, brother?" said the prince.
"Well, I have something to say to you," replied the Cucumber. The Rákshashi will pat a mat on a well and ask you to sit on it. Beware! She will mix poison in some food and will ask you to eat. Beware."
A little later the Cucumber again called to the prince, Brother, brother,' and said, "the time for the Raksbashi to be delivered is at hand, and when she is about to give birth leave me on the ground, and I will drive the cattle home."
" Very well," said the prince, and moved on, and in due course reached the Rakshashi's abode, and as soon as she saw him she put a mat on the well and asked him to sit on it.
"O, don't trouble! I don't want to sit down," said the prince. She then mixed poison in some food and offered it to the prince. " O, don't trouble! I don't want to eat," said he. .
“Well, stay where you are,” said Rakshashi, who was now in labour. "As soon as I am delivered, I will come out."
