Part 12

“There is a very simple stratagem, which I have often seen employed,” replied Father Raven, “which is as follows: a piece of green cloth must first be spread upon a table and well sprinkled with water, and the Lady must bend her ear over this so that the Spiders can see it. It will appear to them to be a green field, wet with the spring rains, and they will imagine it is time to come out; and then, if they still display any reluctance to emerge, it is only necessary to beat a drum to simulate thunder. Thunderstorms, as you know, only occur in the spring, and the Spiders on hearing this noise will feel convinced that spring has really come, and will emerge without any further hesitation. The moment they come out on the table they must be wrapped up in the cloth with the greatest expedition and carried away and killed, for if this is not done, they will always be ready at the slightest alarm to climb back into the ear by the threads which they have left suspended behind them.”

Mother Raven thanked Father Raven for his information, and she then said:

“But you yourself are not looking at all well this morning, what is the matter with you?”

“Well,” said he, “I am sorry to say I over-ate myself yesterday. The people of the house kept praying to the gods, and were all day long occupied in making offerings of rice and flour. Most of these offerings were thrown out into the garden, and I was able to eat as much as I wanted. In fact, I ate a great deal too much, and I fear that I am going to die. If I do, you must faithfully promise to remain in mourning for me, in accordance with Tibetan custom, for three years, three months and three days.”

Mother Raven, on hearing this, was greatly affected, and solemnly vowed to carry out the wishes of her husband, and poor old Father Raven, getting into the nest, shortly after breathed his last.

As soon as he was dead Mother Raven remarked to herself that she had a great deal too much to do in looking after her family and household duties to think for a moment of following so absurd a custom as mourning for a dead bird for any period at all. So she pushed old Father Raven’s body out of the nest with her bill and let it fall to the ground below, while she herself flew off to find food for the young ravens, which had just been hatched out.

Meanwhile the Boy, who had listened attentively to the colloquy of the Ravens overhead, went straight off to hunt for the house where the Lady was suffering from pains in her ear, and he decided in his own mind to make this another opportunity for displaying his magical powers. He soon arrived at the house in question, and found the whole family in great grief, and the poor mistress of the house suffering torments with the pain in her ear. Going to the house he asked what was the matter, and on hearing the cause of their sorrow he at once announced that he was possessed of very wonderful magic powers, and was prepared to effect a cure. The people of the house who had seen him on the previous day, when he had found the turquoise, were inclined to believe him, and asked him what they should do to procure relief for their mistress.

“All that is necessary,” replied he, “is a square piece of green cloth, some clean water in a jug and a couple of drums.”

When these things had been made ready he spread the piece of green cloth on the table and sprinkled some water over it, and he then told the Lady of the house to lean across the table so that her painful ear should come above the patch of green cloth. No sooner had she done so than the Spiders inside, seeing the green expanse with water still lying upon it, thought that the spring had come and began moving about, and the old Mother Spider at once let herself down by a thread to see if it was really spring.

The people of the house were greatly astonished at seeing the Spider emerge, but the Boy ordered them not to touch her; and having satisfied herself that there was really water on the cloth, she climbed again up her thread, and went back into the Lady’s ear to impart the good news to her family. The Boy now ordered the drums to be beaten, and on hearing this sound the whole of the spider family, thinking that the noise was thunder, and that spring had undoubtedly arrived, hastily emerged from the Lady’s ear and let themselves down, one after another, on to the green cloth. As soon as they were all, to the number of seven, arrived upon the table, the Boy snatched up the piece of cloth, and wrapping up the spiders inside it, he carried them all outside and destroyed them.

The Lady of the house was now completely cured and overwhelmed the Boy with gifts and compliments, and he left the house carrying with him a large sum of gold, in addition to that which he had received the day before. He now bent his steps towards his Mother’s house, and as he was going along the road to his home he suddenly came face to face with the old Beggar who had previously insulted him, and whom he had had beaten and turned out when he was looking for the turquoise. The old man, who was of a very jealous and vindictive temper, was very much incensed against the Boy, and had determined to avenge himself upon him. As the Boy came down the road the old Beggar suddenly emerged from behind a clump of bushes, holding a sword in his right hand and a fly in the hollow of his left fist.

“Now,” said he, “I believe you to be an impostor. You have twice made pretence to magical powers, which in reality you do not possess, and I am about to put you to a final test. If you can tell me what I hold in my left hand I shall let you go free; but if you fail to do so, I shall immediately kill you with this sword.”

The poor Boy was greatly alarmed at hearing these words, and having no weapon himself he was completely at the old man’s mercy. So at a loss to know what to say, he replied:

“Well, then, you can kill me if you like, for I am as much in your power as though I were a fly which you hold in your left hand and which you can crush at your pleasure.”

The old man was so much astonished at hearing this reply, which he looked upon as a proof of the Boy’s supernatural powers, that he forthwith became one of his most ardent admirers; and as he had seen where the Boy’s horse, dog, and other belongings had disappeared to on the occasion when they had all followed the fox, he was able to lead the boy to a distant valley, where he found his horse and dog together. Here having recovered his sword and his gun, his clothing and other possessions, he mounted upon his horse and followed by his dog he returned to his Mother’s house a very much richer Boy than when he had left it.

THE HOME-BRED BOY.

HOW HE DEFEATED THE ENEMY.

On his return to his home the home-bred Boy found that he was now famous far and wide for his supposed magical powers, and he was constantly consulted by people of all classes, who wanted his assistance in their various affairs.

It happened not long afterwards that a war broke out with a neighbouring country, and the King sent for the Boy, and asked him whether he would be able to give any assistance in the campaign against the enemy. The Boy was rather alarmed at this request of the King’s, for he did not in the least know how he should set about defeating the foe, but he allowed no sign of hesitation to appear in his manner, and he answered boldly that he was prepared to undertake the job; whereupon the King presented him with a magnificent charger and begged him to do his best.

Now as it happened, the Boy was in reality a very bad rider, and did not at all fancy the idea of riding about on a spirited horse, but for very shame he could not refuse the King’s gift. So early next morning, when he mounted his horse with the intention of riding out and reconnoitring the enemy’s camp, in order to see what could be done, he made his servant tie his feet together with a rope under the horse’s belly, so that he should not fall off if it ran away or played any pranks with him. Having ridden for some distance he reached the top of a hill, whence he could obtain a clear view of the enemy’s camp, and as he was sitting on his horse watching the scene below a trumpet suddenly sounded. The noise of the trumpet frightened the horse, which, after giving one or two preliminary plunges, dashed off down the hill at full gallop straight towards the enemy’s camp.

The poor Boy was much terrified at this untoward event, and did all he could to stop his horse by pulling the bridle and speaking to it, but with no avail. Just before reaching the camp the horse carried him under a dead tree, and the Boy, raising his arms, seized one of the branches with both hands in the hope of checking the horse’s mad career; but the rotten bough broke in his grasp, and the horse continued its gallop right into the camp, with the Boy holding in his hands a huge branch of the tree.

Hither and thither rushed the horse amongst the tents of the enemy, trampling the frightened soldiers underfoot, whilst the Boy in his struggles to maintain his balance, swept his great branch to and fro with equally disastrous effect. During his gallop his hair had become loosened, and was now flying wildly in the air, and his shouts and adjurations to his horse increased the terror of his appearance. The enemy’s soldiers had never seen such a terrific-looking object before, and one and all came to the conclusion that he must undoubtedly be a demon that was attacking them, and that he would soon compass their entire destruction. So instead of opposing him they tried to soothe and conciliate him, offering him silken scarfs and other presents as he galloped to and fro. But he made no reply to them, and continued to shout fiercely at his horse.

These shouts were taken by the soldiers to be threats of vengeance against themselves, [11] and, finally, the General and all the principal officers, coming out in a body with scarfs, begged him to make peace and to allow them to go away quietly. The Boy, who heard what they said, was quite willing to agree, but was totally unable to control his horse, so he shouted to them that he accepted their submission on condition that they were able to stop his horse. So running on either side of him, they seized the bridle and soon brought the animal to a standstill, when the Boy formally accepted their surrender, and dictated to them terms of peace; and they on their part were only too thankful to have escaped from such a danger, and gladly consented to withdraw at once to their own country.

When the King heard what had happened, he sent for the Boy and thanked him very heartily for his services; and as a reward for what he had done, he raised him to the highest rank, and presented him with lands and gold, and the young Man and his Mother lived happily ever afterwards.

SOME VERSES FROM TIBETAN LOVE-SONGS.

A woman sings to a man whose affection for her is waning:

“As a great mountain, with its cooling streams, Nourishes the little fields far down below, Do you, my lover, with a stream of love, Nourish the heart of her who loves you so.”

The man replies to the woman:

“When autumn chills destroy the honeyed flowers, The bees must do without their favourite food; So when my passion cools, and dies my love, You should submit to this my changéd mood.”

A man sings to a woman:

“Up every rocky cliff some path exists, If one can find a guide to show the way; So to your heart some avenue must lead, Teach me, forthwith, that path of love, I pray.”

The woman replies:

“Were I inclined to grant this fruit [12] to you, The gift were thine at once—to-day, to-morrow. But oh! I fear that lurking at your back, Are demons red [13] to bring me endless sorrow.”

LOVE SONG.

Could I but win the maiden For whom my heart doth pine, I’d prize her as a jewel From depths of ocean brine.

I’d guard her fragrant body, Like white turquoise so rare. My wanderings all behind me, I’d know no earthly care.

As luscious fruit well ripened, Hangs tempting on the tree; So is thy beauty, maiden, Temptation sore to me.

From longing for thy beauty, How can I sleep at night? By day I seek thee vainly, My heart is tired quite.

NOTES

[1] Compare, for example, “Tibetan Tales derived from Indian Sources,” translated from the Tibetan of the Kah Gyur into German by F. Anton von Schiefner. Done into English from the German by R. W. S. Ralston.

[2] But I am preserving such of these as appear to me to possess any scientific interest.

[3] Such a locality is described in the Tibetan language by a single word—a monosyllable.

[4] The Kyang is the wild ass of Tibet.

[5] This story is also told of a Sheep and a Goat, instead of a Sheep and a Lamb. See accompanying illustration.

[6] Known as “La” in the Tibetan tongue. It is difficult to find an equivalent word in the English language, but the Princess describes its meaning. See also the story of “Room Bacha and Baki,” where the same superstition occurs.

[7] This is in accordance with Tibetan custom, whereby a scarf is invariably presented upon all occasions of ceremony.

[8] Another version of the story says cakes of dried yaks’ dung instead of sticks—see accompanying illustration.

[9] The Monkey’s actual words, I regret to say, cannot be reported verbatim.

[10] In Tibetan “chu-ba,” the outer garment, like a dressing-gown, worn by all Tibetans.

[11] There is a play on the words of the Tibetan original here which explains this point, but which is incapable of adequate translation into English.

[12] I.e., her heart. She compares her heart ripe with love to a ripe fruit.

[13] Presumably she means the man’s passions. She compares them to the terrific demons (red is the angry colour) of Tibetan Lamaist mythology.