Note 81 — Chapter XXX · MATILALL AT BENARES: HOME AGAIN.
G. D. (George Devereux) Oswell translation
According to a not uncommon custom of ending stories in Bengal, the author ends his story with the first lines of a song, which in full is:—
Thus my story endeth, The Natiya thorn withereth: Why, oh Natiya thorn, dost wither? Why does thy cow on me browse? Why, O cow, dost thou browse? Why does thy neat herd not tend me? Why, O neat herd does not tend the cow? Why does thy daughter-in-law not give me rice? Why, O daughter-in-law, dost not give rice? Why does my child cry? Why, O child, dost thou cry? Why, O ant, dost thou bite? Koot, koot, koot.