The Frightened Yakā
H. (Henry) Parker translation
In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said; there is also a boy of those two persons. In front of the house there is also a Murungā tree. A Yakā having come, remained seven years in the Murungā tree in order to “possess” the woman.
While they were in that manner, one day the man and the boy went on a journey somewhere or other. The woman that day having [previously] put away the bill-hook, brought it to the doorway, and while preparing to cut a vegetable, said, “This bill-hook is indeed good [enough] to cut a Yakā.”
The Yakā who stayed in the Murungā tree at the doorway, having heard what the woman said, became afraid, and having waited until the time when the woman goes into the house [after] cutting the vegetable, the Yakā slowly descended from the Murungā tree.
Having said [this], the Yakā went in front and “possessed” the woman. After that, the man and the boy went and drove out the Yakā. From that day, news spread in the villages that the two persons were Yaksa Vedarālas. From that place the two persons obtained articles.
The Yakā having gone, “possessed” yet a woman also. Having driven him from there, too, these two persons got articles. The Yakā “possessed” still [another] woman also. Thus, in that manner, until the very time when the things were sufficient for the two persons, the Yakā “possessed” women.
After the articles became sufficient for the two persons, one day the Yakā said to the two, “The articles are sufficient for you, are they not?” The two persons said, “They are sufficient.”
Then the Yakā said, “If so, I shall ‘possess’ the Queen of such and such a King. From there I shall not go. Don’t you come to drive me away.” Having said it, the Yakā went to that city, and “possessed” the Queen.
The two Yaksa Vedarālas came to their village, taking the articles they had obtained. Then a message came from the King for the Yaksa Vedarālas to go. The two persons not having gone, remained [at home], because of the Yakā’s having said that he would not go.
After that, the King sent a message that if they did not come he would behead the Yaksa Vedarālas. After that, the two persons, being unable to escape, went to drive out the Yakā.
Then, because he had been afraid [of her] formerly, when the boy said it, the Yakā, saying, “Where, Bola?” and also rolling the Queen over on the path, face upwards, and saying “Hū,” went away. The Queen came to her senses.
The King gave the two persons many articles. The Yakā did not again come to “possess” women. That man and boy having come to their village, and become very wealthy, remained without a deficiency of anything.
North-western Province.
In The Indian Antiquary, vol. xvi, p. 217 (Folklore in Southern India, p. 214), in a Tamil story related by Naṭēśa Sāstrī, a Brāhmaṇa was turned by Śiva into a Brahma-Rākshasa for refusing to impart his knowledge of music to others, and he resided in a Pipal or Bō tree. A poor Brāhmaṇa of Sengalinīrpaṭṭu (Chingleput, land of the blue lotus) assisted him to escape from the wretched music of a piper by removing into another tree, and out of gratitude the demon “possessed” the Princess of Maisūr, in order that the Brāhmaṇa might obtain wealth by driving him out. Afterwards, when the demon “possessed” the Princess of Travancore, intending to remain, the Brāhmaṇa frightened him away by a threat that he would bring back the piper.
In Folk-Tales of Hindustan (Shaik Chilli), p. 6, a beggar’s wife beat him with a stick for coming home foodless, threw his turban into a tree and struck at it time after time, hitting the tree at each blow. The blows and her abuse frightened away from the tree the ghost or Bhūt of a Brāhmaṇa of the family who had committed suicide. The ghost and the man travelled along together as friends in misfortune. By their arrangement the man drove the ghost from the Minister’s daughter, but refused to officiate when it “possessed” the Sultan’s daughter, until ordered to be executed. When the ghost threatened to kill him he told it he had terrible news, his wife would be there in a few minutes. The ghost left at once, and the man married the Princess and succeeded to the throne.
In Indian Nights’ Entertainment (Swynnerton), p. 298, a man’s termagant wife was thrown into a well, and there married a demon, but in fear of her he soon hid as a man, in a mosque. Becoming friendly with the former husband, who recognised him, he promised to marry the man to the King’s daughter, whom he thereupon “possessed.” When the man drove him out she was given in marriage to him, together with half the kingdom. The demon, after warning him not to interfere, then “possessed” the Minister’s daughter. After at first refusing to act, the man frightened him away by saying his former wife was coming.
In The Enchanted Parrot (Rev. B. H. Wortham), a variant is given in the stories XLVI and XLVII. The woman terrified everyone around, and a goblin who lived in a tree near her house ran away. The husband also left, became friendly with him, and was advised to go and cure the King’s daughter. He cured her, married her, and received half the kingdom. Then the goblin carried off this Princess. The man went in search of her, and frightened away the goblin by whispering that his wife was coming.