The Story of the Seven Yakās

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. One day the man went to plough. The woman placed a ripe pine-apple underneath the bed.

On the very day she put it [there], seven Yakās having joined together and taken a hidden treasure, while six Yakās were dividing the articles one Yakā having come to the house of that man who went to plough, the Yakā remained sitting down under the bed at which is the pine-apple, in order to “possess” the woman.

Then that man having ploughed came home. Having come there, sitting down on the bed he said to the woman, “Haven’t you cooked yet? I have hunger [enough] to eat the Yakā.”

Then the woman said, “I am still cooking. If you cannot wait until the time [when I finish] there is [something] under the bed.”

The woman said it regarding the pine-apple. What of that! Because she did not explain and say [so] the Yakā thought, “It is regarding me, indeed, she said that;” and the Yakā having become afraid, very quickly having arisen said to the man, “Anē! Don’t eat me. Come along (lit., come, to go), for me to show you a place where there is a good hidden treasure.”

After that, the man having got up from the bed and called the man’s younger brother, the two persons went with the Yakā. Having gone, they went to the place where those six Yakās are dividing the articles.

Then the Yakā said to the two men, “Until the time when I bring and give you the articles, there (onna), go to that tree.” After that, the two men went into the tree to which the Yakā told them to go.

Having gone there, while they are looking, six Yakās who had great beards and the Yakā who came summoning the men are apportioning the articles. Then, having seen the bearded youngsters (pollō), the elder became unconscious, and fell from the tree to the ground.

Then the younger brother, being in the tree, said, “Elder brother, after you [have] jumped down seize the great-bearded youngster himself.”

Then because there are beards of the whole six, having said to each other, “It is for me, indeed, he said this; it is for me, indeed, he said this,” one by one, in the very order (lit., manner) in which they sprang up and went, the whole six Yakās, having thrown down the articles, ran off. [Because] having been in the tree that man said thus after the man’s elder brother fell down, those Yakās having said, “He will come and kill us,” it was for that indeed the Yakās became afraid.

Well then, [the Yakā] calling the men,—the elder brother and younger brother,—and together with the men the Yakā, the very three persons, having drawn (carried) all the articles—both the Yakā’s portion and the six portions of those six who ran off—to that man’s house, after they finished the Yakā went away. Those two men shared the articles.

Finished.

North-western Province.

The first part of this story is a variant of part of the tale numbered 17 in vol. i. For the latter part, compare variant (b) of the story No. 137, and the notes after it.