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DECEMBER, 1924 )
FOLK-TALES FROM THE DECCAN
271
FOLK-TALES FROM THE DECCAN.
By J. S. MOOTHIAH.
1. Luami and the Drummer. ONCE upon a time lived Luami, who was ill-treated by her parents-in-law, so she determined to commit suicide by throwing herself into a well. So she adorned herself with all her jewels, and taking her bindd (lôta, brass water-pot) went towards the jungle. On the way she met a madala-kadu (drummer, 'tom-tom 'beater) hurrying after his master as he was late. He was, however, much struck with the beauty and the jewellery of Luami and stopped to speak to her.
“Where are you going, Luami, such a long way for water?" "I am tired of my troubles and I am going to kill myself." “Why are you so troubled ?"
"My father and mother-in-law so trouble me that I am going to extricate myself from troubles."
Then said the drummer :-"I will show you an easy way to die : follow me." So they went together to a place where was neither man nor beast, where the drummer halted and said: "Do as I do and then you can die by your own hands." So he put his madala ('tom-tom ') on the ground, stood on it and tied a noose to a tree-branch round his neck. But the madala gave way and the drummer was left hanging to the tree.
It was now quite dark and the girl had sense and was not frightened : so she made ready to sleep where she was for the night. At midnight some thieves arrived, and placed all the property they had plundered under the tree from which the drummer was hanging. Then they suddenly saw his body and ran off in great fear, leaving their booty behind. The girl saw her opportunity and filled her bindd to overflowing with the stolen goods.
When the sun had risen next morning she started back for her mother-in-law's house, who received her and her money in the bindd with great joy, and Luami lived thereafter in great happiness.
2. The Meaning of Dharmam. Once upon a time a Brahman lad lived with his mother, making their living by begging. When the boy grew up he observed that his mother gave away half the proceeds of her begging in charity. He did not understand this and asked his mother the reason. She replied that it was dharmam.
"But what does dharmam mean, mother"?
"That I don't know. If you want to know, go to the jungle and ask a Sannyasi or Sådhu (& sage)."
So the young Brahman went to the jungle and sat down to rest after his first day's journey. While he was resting a Raja came up and asked him what he was doing.
"I have come to find out the meaning of Dharmam." "Where are you going to find it?" "I must find a Sannyasi in the jungle who will tell me."
“When you find him," said the Raja, ask him also why the band (dam) of my lake does not stand firm."
1 This is more common ooourrence in real life than is perhaps realised. There were at the Andaman Islande soveral prisoners who were girl-wives, that, to avoid ill-treatment in their husbands' hours, had thrown thomselves into well with their babies. The babies died but the girls were rescued alive They had thus committed murder under British law-R.O.T.
