Part 2 — The Wimalī Story

At a certain city there are a man and a woman, it is said. That woman was about to have a child. She cooked cakes to eat. While she was eating, a crow came, and stayed there looking on. “She will throw me a piece of cake, at least,” it thought. The woman did not give it even a bit of the cakes.

Afterwards the crow went to the house of the Rākshasa, and breaking off a mango fruit came to that house, and ate it in front of the woman who ate the cakes. While the crow was eating, the woman thought, “It will throw down a piece of it, at least.” The crow did not give her any of it; it ate the whole and flew away.

After the man of the house came, the woman said, “The crow brought a mango fruit, and turned it round and round, and ate the whole of it. [Somehow or other you must get me a mango.]”

After that, the man went to the house of the Rākshasa, and having ascended the mango tree, tried to pluck a mango fruit. As he was plucking it the Rākshasa came home. Seeing the man in the tree, he asked, “Who is that in the tree?”

“Anē! I am in the tree,” said the man.

“What are you plucking mangoes for?” he asked.

“For our house-girl to eat. [She is about to have a child, and has asked for one,]” he said.

“Well then, pluck one and descend,” the Rākshasa said.

So the man plucked one, and came down. After he had descended the Rākshasa said, “Should she bear a son he is for thee; should she bear a daughter, she is for me.”

The man said “Hā,” and taking the mango fruit went home.

News afterwards reached the Rākshasa that she had borne a girl. On account of it the Rākshasa went to the house [and took the girl]. As he was returning carrying the girl, he saw two boys going to school, and said, “Boys, boys, say a name for my daughter.”

The boys saying, “Wimalī, Wimalī” (pure or beautiful one), ran away.

So the Rākshasa took the girl to his house, and shared it with her.

Afterwards, when he had gone to eat human flesh, the Rākshasa heard the sound of tom-toms saying, “Wimali,” [and thought they were calling the girl]. So he came home, and asked Wimalī, “Have you been out?”

“No, I have not been out. I have just got up,” Wimalī said.

Next day he went again to eat human flesh. After he had gone he heard the sound of tom-toms saying, “Wimali.” The Rākshasa came home, and asked Wimalī again, “Have you been out?”

“No, I have just put on my cloth,” Wimalī said.

The Rākshasa having gone to eat human flesh on the following day, again heard the sound of tom-toms saying, “Wimali.” He came home and asked Wimalī, “Have you been out?”

“No, I have only just combed my hair,” Wimalī said.

After that, news reached the King that a girl called Wimalī was at the Rākshasa’s house. Having learnt this, the King came to take away Wimalī. When he arrived there [the Rākshasa was out, so] he formed a figure of Wimalī out of rice flour, and after placing that figure in the Rākshasa’s house, took Wimalī to the city.

The Rākshasa came to the house and [finding that she was not there] said, “Wimalī will not stay at home.” Then he tried to eat her figure, and ate a great part of the flour figure. After he had eaten this [his mouth was choked with the flour, so] he said, “May a mouth be created on the top of my head.” When he had said this [the mouth was created, and] the Rākshasa’s head being split in two by it, he died.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.