The Son who was Blind at Night
Reading edition
In an older time than this, in a certain village there was a nobleman’s family. In the nobleman’s family there was a Prince whose eyes do not see at night.
Because the nobleman-Prince is not of any assistance to his parents, the nobleman having spoken to his wife, told her that having given him suitable things, etc., she is to send off this one to any place he can go to, to obtain a livelihood. The lady (siṭu-dēvī) having tied up a packet of cooked rice and given it to her son, says, “Go in happiness, and earn your living.”
Thereupon this Prince whose eyes were blind at night, taking the packet of cooked rice and having started, goes away. Having gone thus, and at the time when it was becoming evening having eaten the packet of cooked rice, he thinks, “Should it become late at night my eyes do not see.” Having thought, “Prior to that, I must go to this village near by,” and having arisen from there very speedily, he arrived at a village.
Having gone there and come to a house, during the time while he is dwelling with them this one says, “I am going away [from] there for no special reason (nikan). I am going for the purpose of seeking a marriage for myself,” he said.
Thereupon they say, “There is a daughter to be given with our assent. We do not give that person in that manner (i.e., not merely because she is sought for). From our grandfather’s time there is a book in our house. To a person who has read and explained the book we are giving our daughter in marriage,” they said.
At that time this person who is blind at night asked for the book. The party brought and gave him the book. This person who is blind at night, taking the book into his hand, began to weep.
When they asked, “What are you weeping for?” he says, “Except that in my own mind I completely understand the difficulty of the matters that are in this book, I wept because of the extreme difficulty that there is for some one else in expounding it,” he said.
At that time the party think, “To give our daughter [in marriage] we have obtained a suitable son-in-law.” They gave her in marriage.
At the time when he is living thus for a few days, his father-in-law having spoken, says, “Don’t you be unoccupied (nikan). There is our chena; having gone to the chena with the other brothers-in-law, taking a tract of ground for yourself clear it and sow it for yourself.”
This one having said, “It is good,” and having gone, taking a side of the chena began to clear it. This one worked more quickly than the other persons. Thereupon the father-in-law felt much affection for this person who was blind at night.
During that time when he was clearing it, a porcupine having been there at the corner of a bush, he killed it unseen by anyone, and put it away and hid it. At the time when it became evening the other dependants (pirisa) went home. This one, his eyes not seeing, was in the chena, clasping the dead body of the porcupine.
During the time while he was thus, the father-in-law came to seek him. Thereupon he says to the father-in-law, “It is excellent that you came first to do a work. Was it good to go home empty-handed? When I stopped for this business you went away, didn’t you?”
Thereupon the father-in-law says, “Don’t you be displeased; we did not know that you stopped. Come, to go home.”
Then he says, “I cannot go in that way. Getting a stick and having come, hang this animal in the manner of the carrying-pole load (taḍa), in order to carry it,” he said.
While a few days are going in that manner, the work in the chena having been finished he sowed it, and fitting up a watch-hut there he is [watching it] carefully.
While he is thus, thieves having broken into the house of the King of that country came near the watch-hut to which this one goes, in order to divide the goods. When they were sitting there dividing the goods, this one opened his eyes, and becoming afraid says, “Seize them! Beat them! Tie them!”
Western Province.