The Royal Prince and the Heṭṭirāla1

The Royal Prince and the Heṭṭirāla1

In a certain country both the royal Prince and the Minister-Prince were joined together by much friendship, it is said. Thus, having been in that way, one day the royal Prince having talked with the Minister-Prince, says, “Friend, we two having come to a foreign country, let us do trading.”

The Minister-Prince also having said, “It is good,” the two persons taking as much money as each can carry for the purpose of trading, set off to go to a foreign country.

During the time when they are going thus, the two having met with a junction of two roads, the two persons say, “We two having separated at these roads let us go to two districts.” So speaking, having separated they went to two districts.

Out of them, the royal Prince having arrived at the place where a courtesan woman is gambling, and having staked with the courtesan woman this money he brought, gambled. The courtesan woman won the whole of the money. Well then, the royal Prince having staked the clothes he was wearing, when he gambled the Prince lost them also.

So speaking, staking each against the other they gambled. Thereupon the Prince lost. Having shaved the Prince’s head, taking him for the state of labourer, while he was drawing water and washing pots, when the Heṭṭirāla of that village was going by that street he saw the Prince who was washing and washing pots, and great sorrow having been produced for the Heṭṭirāla, he spoke to the courtesan woman, and says, “The labourer who is washing these pots is of very white colour. It is not worth [while] taking this work from him. If you will give me him I can give him a suitable means of livelihood.”

Then the Heṭṭirāla says, “It is good. Taking the money from me give me him.”

The Heṭṭirāla gave the money; and taking the Prince and having arrived at his house the Heṭṭirāla having spoken to the Prince, asks, “What can you do?”

The Prince says, “I can do anything.”

Thereupon the Prince asks, “Do you give the shop goods on credit (nayaṭa) and the like? How is the mode of selling the goods?”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “Yes, give them on credit. When giving them on credit don’t merely give them; [after] writing the name give them.”

Thereupon the Prince having said, “It is good,” and taking charge, from that time spoke to men who are going on the road. When the men came he asked, “Where are you going? Where is your village? What is your name?” Afterwards he says, “It is good. Taking anything you want, go.” Having said and said it, and having brought in that manner all the men going on the road, in a week’s time he finished the goods that were in the shop. During the time when he was giving the goods in that way, should anyone come and having given money ask for goods, taking the money he gave goods for the money.

When he finished the goods in that manner, the Heṭṭirāla, not knowing [about it], having become much pleased, said, “You are very good, having looked with this promptitude at the account of the money for which you sold the goods. Bringing goods afresh will be good, will it not?”

When he was preparing to look at the accounts, having brought the book in which he wrote the men’s names, and a little money, [the Prince] placed them [before him]. The Heṭṭirāla asked, “What is this?”

Then the Prince says, “Why, what is it you are asking? Have I blundered? In the book, indeed, the names will be correct; having indeed written the names I gave the goods. I did not give goods to even a person without having written the name.”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “Anē! You are a great fool; you are not a person who can do trading.” Having said [this], the Heṭṭirāla, calling the Prince, went home again.

Having gone [there], when three or four days were going the Heṭṭirāla’s wife began to scold the Heṭṭirāla, “For what reason are we causing this one to stay, and undergoing expense by giving him to eat and to wear?” When she shouted to the Heṭṭirāla, “If this thief is sitting unemployed, this very day having beaten him I shall drive him away,” the Heṭṭirāla asks the Prince, “Child, there are many cattle of mine; can you look after the cattle?”

At that time the Prince says, “It is good; I can look after cattle.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having gone, calling the Prince, to the district where the cattle are, and having shown him the cattle, says, “All these cattle are mine. You must look after them, taking care of them very well. Do not send them into outside gardens. You must tie the fastening (baemma) well.”

Thereupon the Prince says, “It is good, Heṭṭi-elder-brother. Don’t be afraid. Having well tied the fastening I shall look after the cattle.”

Having started off the Heṭṭirāla and sent him away, the Prince placed each one of the cattle at each tree, and having tied the fastenings and tightened them to the degree that they were unable to take breath, was looking in the direction of the cattle. While he was there some cattle died, some were drawing the breath (i.e., gasping for breath). At that time, the time of eating cooked rice went by.

The Heṭṭirāla, having remained looking for the Prince’s coming at the time of eating cooked rice during the day, when the time went by thought, “He is a great fool, isn’t he? Having sent the cattle into the gardens of others they have been seized, maybe.” As he did not come at noon to eat cooked rice, he said, “I must go to look”; and having come there, when he looked some had died at the very bottom of the trees to which they were tied, some are drawing and drawing breath.

The Heṭṭirāla asks the Prince, “Why, fool, what a thing this is you did! Do you look after cattle in this way?” Having said [this], he scolded him.

Thereupon the Prince says, “What is the Heṭṭi-elder-brother saying? The Heṭṭi-elder-brother said at first, ‘Having tied the fastenings well, look after them, not letting (nen̆dī) them go into the gardens of others.’ I tied the fastenings well, and stayed looking at them. What is it you are saying? Have I tied them badly? If there is a fault in the tying, tell me.”

Well then, the Heṭṭirāla being without a reply to say, [thought], “Because I told this fool to tie the fastenings well, he, thinking foolishly, in observance of the order killed my few cattle. I was foolish; this fool will not have the ability to do this work;” and he went, calling the Prince again, to the Heṭṭirāla’s house.

When he is there three or four days, in the very [same] manner as at first the Heṭṭirāla’s wife began to scold the Heṭṭirāla:—“Having come calling this thief again, is he simply sitting down? Even for a day there will not be [the means] here to give this one to eat, sitting down unemployed. This very day I will drive him from the house.” Having said various things she scolded the Heṭṭirāla.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having spoken to the Prince asks, “Can you plough rice fields?”

At that time the Prince says, “It is good. I am able to do that work.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “It is good. If so get ready to go to-morrow morning.”

Having given the Prince a plough also, and having arisen at daybreak, the Heṭṭirāla set off to go on a journey. Calling the Prince on the journey on which he is going, and having gone and shown the Prince the Heṭṭirāla’s fields, he says, “Look there. From the place where that egret is perched plough to that side until the time when I have gone on this journey and come back.”

Taking over the charge, and having started off the Heṭṭirāla and sent him away, he tied the yoke of bulls in the plough. When he went driving them to the place where the egret is, the egret having gone flying perched at another place. Driving the yoke of bulls he went there also. The egret having gone flying from there also, perched at another place. Driving the yoke of bulls he went there also. From there also the egret having gone flying, perched at another place. Thereupon the Prince, driving the yoke of bulls and having gone to the root of the tree, taking a large stick and beating and beating the yoke of bulls, says, “Why, bulls (gonnunē)! Go to the place where the egret is. Should you two not go to the place where the egret is I shall not succeed in escaping from the Heṭṭirāla; to-day there is not any work [done], and I myself did not eat.” Saying and saying [this], he began to beat the yoke of bulls. While he was there beating and beating them it became night.

The Heṭṭirāla, also, having made that journey, came to the house. Having come there the Heṭṭirāla asks, he asks from the house people, “Hasn’t the fool himself who went to the rice field come?”

Thereupon the house people say, “After he went with the Heṭṭi-elder-brother in the morning, he did not come back.”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “Apoyi! As that fool himself came not there will be some accident or other!”

Quickly having gone running to the rice field, when he looked, at no place in the rice field had [the ground] been ploughed, and he does not see the yoke of bulls or the man. When the Heṭṭirāla looks on that and this side, the Prince whom the Heṭṭirāla came to seek having seen him, breaking a large cudgel he began to beat the yoke of bulls more and more, as though he did not see him.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla, having heard this noise when he looked, having heard it and gone running, asks, “Why, fool! What is this you are doing?”

The Prince says, “Go away, go aside. From the morning itself I drove and drove this yoke of bulls [so as] to go to the place where the egret is. They did not go yet. You are good, the way the bulls have been trained!” Having said [this], the Prince began to scold the Heṭṭirāla.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “Yes, the way that yoke of bulls has been trained is indeed not good. Because the bulls will not go up trees those bulls are not good. Afterwards taking a yoke of bulls that go up trees you can plough. Let us go now, to go home.” Having said [this], he came calling the Prince.

The Heṭṭirāla’s wife asks, “Even to-day did that fool do even that work?”

The Heṭṭirāla says, “To-day indeed don’t speak to that fool. He has been very angry. Because he was angry I came calling him, without speaking anything.”

Thereupon the woman having been silent that day, on the next day began to scold the Heṭṭirāla and the Prince. The Heṭṭirāla having thought, “Should I remain causing this fool to stay he will cause much loss to me. Having gone, taking him, and having spoken to my son-in-law, I must put him in a ship and send him away.” Having thought thus, and having spoken to the Heṭṭirāla’s wife, he says, “Don’t you scold; I am sending him away soon.” Thereupon the woman remained without making any talk.

Then the Heṭṭirāla says, “Taking him I must go to-morrow or the next day; having prepared a suitable thing (food) for it give me it.” Thereupon the woman having gone, and very well prepared a food box to give to her daughter and son-in-law, and for these two persons to eat for food on the road a package of cooked rice, gave him them.

The Heṭṭirāla tied them well, and taking also a suit (coat and cloth, kuṭṭamak) of the Heṭṭirāla’s new clothes to wear when they got near the son-in-law’s house, and having tied them in one bundle, and called the Prince, he says, “We two must go on a journey and return. Can you go?”

When he asked the Prince, the Prince says, “It is good; I can go.”

The Heṭṭirāla having said, “If so, take these two bundles,” gave him the two packages. Just as he is taking the two bundles in his hand, the Prince asks, “What are these?”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “One bundle is my clothes; one is things for us for the road, to eat.”

The Prince taking them, when he was starting to go on the journey the Heṭṭirāla’s wife gave him yet a package. The Prince asks, “What is this?”

Thereupon the woman says, “For our son-in-law there is need of snakes’ eggs; in that packet there are snakes’ eggs. Having gone, give that packet into either son-in-law’s hand or daughter’s hand.” The Prince, taking the packet, put it away.

The Heṭṭirāla, dressing well, mounted upon the back of a horse, and calling the Prince went off. When he had gone a considerable distance, the Prince alone ate the package which she prepared and gave him to eat for the road. Taking the food which was in the packet that she told him to give to the son-in-law, having said they were snakes’ eggs, he ate of them to the possible extent; and having thrown the remaining ones there and here, and seen an ant-hill on the path when coming, he broke a stick, and taking it, prodding and prodding [the ground] round the ant-hill he began to cry out. The Heṭṭirāla having turned back, when he looked the Prince says, “The snakes that were in this packet, look! they entered this ant-hill!” Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla, ascertaining that he is telling lies, having said, “It is good; if so, you come on,” calling him, goes on.

At that time, the time for eating cooked rice at noon having arrived, the Heṭṭirāla, stopping the horse, said, “Bola, I am now hungry. Take out even the packet which you brought to eat for the road.”

Thereupon to the Heṭṭirāla the Prince says, “Heṭṭi-elder-brother, what is this you say? Because you said, ‘They are for the road, to eat,’ I threw them away for the road to eat, and came. For eating for the road, what shall we eat?”

Well then, much anger having gone to the Heṭṭirāla, because there was not a thing to do he said, “If so, come, to go.”

As they were going, the Heṭṭirāla, having hunger which he was unable to bear, says to the Prince, “Bola, can you climb this tree, and pluck a young coconut for me and give it?” Thereupon the Prince says, “I can.”

Having climbed the tree, and gone round the stems of the branches of the tree, holding two stems firmly, with his two feet he began to kick down the clusters of [ripe] coconuts into the jungle, and the clusters of young coconuts into the jungle. Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having descended from the horse’s back, began to shout, “Hā! Hā! Don’t pluck them, don’t pluck them!” At that time the person who owned the place having come, prepared to beat him.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla says, “It is I who sent him up the tree to make him pluck a young coconut. He is a great fool; don’t beat him.”

The man, treating with respect the Heṭṭirāla’s saying, said, “It is good. If so, having eaten as many young coconuts as possible, go ye”; and the man went away.

Thereupon the Prince having eaten young coconut with the Heṭṭirāla, when they set off to go the Heṭṭirāla says, “Having struck [thy hand] on my head, swear thou in such a way that thou wilt not go [in future] by even a foot-bridge (ēdanḍa) in which a coconut trunk is laid, putting [out of consideration] going up a coconut tree.”

Thereupon the Prince having struck on the Heṭṭirāla’s head, swears, “I will not go up a coconut tree, and I will not go by a foot-bridge in which a coconut trunk is placed.” Having sworn this, they began to go.

When going they met with a bridge in which a great many coconut trunks were placed. The Heṭṭirāla having gone to the other side, spoke to the Prince, [telling him to follow]. Thereupon the Prince says, “Anē! I cannot come. Having struck on the head of the Heṭṭi-elder-brother and sworn, how can I come?”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla having descended from the back of the horse, came [across]; and lifting up the Prince and having gone [over], placed him on the other side. Through that disturbance the cloth that was on the Heṭṭirāla’s head fell on the ground. The Heṭṭirāla did not see it. The Prince having seen that the cloth fell, took it with his foot, and having thrown it into the bush went on.

When going a considerable distance, ascertaining that the cloth on the Heṭṭirāla’s head was not [there], he asks the Prince, “My cloth fell on the ground; didn’t you see it?”

Thereupon the Prince says, “The thing which the Heṭṭi-elder-brother has thrown away when coming, why should I bring? I threw it into the bush with my foot.”

Then the Heṭṭirāla says, “Since you threw away the cloth and came, beginning from this time when anything has fallen from us don’t leave it and come.”

The Prince says, “It is good. If so, beginning from this time, without throwing it away I will bring it.”

Beginning from there, taking the horse-dung and earth from the staling-place he went along putting and putting them in the Heṭṭirāla’s clothes box. Having gone there, when they came near the house of the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter, [the Heṭṭirāla] having spoken to the Prince asking for the bundle of clothes, he unfastened it. When he looked, he saw that the horse-dung and mud were in the bundle of clothes, and much anger having gone to the Heṭṭirāla, he said, “Ǣ! Enemy, what is this?”

Thereupon the Prince says, “What, Heṭṭi-elder-brother, are you saying? At first you said, ‘Don’t throw away anything that falls from us.’ What is this thing you are saying now?”

Then the Heṭṭirāla thought to himself the word he said at the beginning was wrong; bearing it because of it, he says, “With these clothes on my back I cannot go to the house of son-in-law’s people. My clothes are very dirty. I shall come when it has become night. Thou having gone immediately (daemmama) say that I am coming.” Having said [this], and told the Prince the road going to the house, he started him.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter having become much afraid, asked, “What is the medicine?”

The Prince says, “Don’t be afraid; it is not a difficult medicine [to prepare]. Taking both coconut oil of seven years and the dust of Mā-Vī (the largest kind of paddy), and having ground them together, when you have made ball-cakes (aggalā), and placed them [ready], it will do; that indeed is the medicine. Don’t give him any other thing to eat.”

Thereupon, the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter very quickly having ground up coconut oil and Mā-Vī dust, and made ball-cakes, placed them [ready]. When, after a very long time, the Heṭṭirāla came, quickly having given him to wash his face, hands, and feet, as soon as he had finished she gave him that ball-cake to eat.

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla thinks, “My daughter and son-in-law having become very poor, are now without a thing also to eat”; but through shame to ask he remained without speaking. Well, then, at the time for eating rice at night, although the whole of the [other] persons ate cooked rice and finished, she did not give cooked rice to the Heṭṭirāla. Having made ready [the necessary things,—mat and pillow]—to sleep, only, she gave them.

The Heṭṭirāla lay down. Having been in hunger during the daytime and night, when he had eaten the ball-cakes he began [to experience the purgative effect of the oil]. After he had [been affected] four or five times, being without water to wash his hands and feet, having spoken to the Prince he asks, “Bola, the water is finished; there is not a means to wash my hands and feet. Didn’t you see a place where there is water?”

Thereupon the Prince says, “I saw it. There is a sort of water-pot.” Having gone to the place where there are pots of palm juice, and filled a cooking pot, he brought the palm juice, and saying it was water gave it.

Thereupon the whole of his body having been smeared with the palm juice, he says, “Bola, this is not water; it is a sort of palm juice. Seek something to wipe this, and give me it.”

Then the Prince having torn in two the pillow that was [there] for placing the head upon, gave him the cotton to wipe off the palm juice. When the Heṭṭirāla was wiping off the palm juice with the cotton, the palm juice and cotton having held together, it became more difficult than it was. Thereupon having become very angry with the Prince, and having looked to that and this hand, finding a little water and slightly washing himself he came to the bed, and made ready to go to sleep. Again [the purgative affected him violently, and he was compelled to utilise a cooking-pot which the Prince brought him]. When he was removing it in the early morning, unobserved by the people at the house, [the Prince] having gone running says to the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter, “Look there. Last night it was very difficult for your father. Having become angry that you did not pay attention to him he is going away.”

Thereupon the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter having gone, embraced the Heṭṭirāla. When she embraced him, the Heṭṭirāla and the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter were [befouled by the contents of the vessel].

The Heṭṭirāla having become very angry said, “He having done me much injury until this time, now he smeared this on my body, didn’t he?” Being unable to bear it, and having told his son-in-law all these matters in secret, “Taking him, we will go away and put him in a distant country,” he said.

The son-in-law having said, “It is good,” and having spoken to the Prince, says, “We two are to go on a journey. The three [of us] having gone together, let us return.” So saying, on the following day after that, the Heṭṭirāla, and the Prince, and the Heṭṭirāla’s son-in-law, the three persons together, went to the wharf (naew-toṭṭa).

Thereupon the Prince thought, “Now then, it is not good; I must spring off and go.” Having thought [this], when he said to the two persons, “I must go aside [for necessary reasons],” the two said, “If so, having gone, come back.”

Having gone running from there to the place where the Heṭṭirāla’s daughter is, he says, “They told me to ask for the money which he gave yesterday to be put away, and to go back quickly.” Having said it, asking for [and getting] the money from the Heṭṭiyā’s daughter, he bounded off and ran, and in much time arrived at his city.

The Heṭṭirāla and the Heṭṭirāla’s son-in-law having remained looking till the Prince comes, said, “Let that fool go to any place he wants.” When they went home, ascertaining that he went [after] taking the money also, [they searched until] they became much fatigued, but did not succeed in finding him.

The Minister-Prince, who having joined with the royal Prince went away, [after] trading very well and gaining profit, again arrived in happiness at the city. Having seen the royal Prince, while the two are [there], having discussed each other’s happiness and sorrow, and binding their friendship in the very first manner, when the royal Prince’s father the King died, the royal Prince was appointed to the sovereignty, and gave the post of Chief Minister to the Minister-Prince.

Western Province.

(By Saddhunanda Sthavira of Ratmalāna Wihāra.)

In Folk-Tales of Kashmir (Knowles), 2nd ed., p. 149, a young man who went to gamble lost everything he possessed, and was himself made a prisoner until he was rescued by his wife.

Regarding some of the Heṭṭirāla’s experiences, see the story of the Moghul and his servant, of which a condensed account is appended to the tale numbered 195 in this volume.

In “The Story of Hokkā,” given by Mr. W. Goonetilleke in The Orientalist, vol. i, p. 131 ff., there is the incident of the tying up of the cattle. The order of the Gamarāla was that the man was to look after them, but the Sinhalese word balāpiya means also “look at,” and the servant acted accordingly after tying up the cattle, the result being that they were too weak to stand when the Gamarāla went to inspect them.