The Three Yakās

After they learnt letters the three spoke together: “Let us go to learn the sciences.” The three having walked along the path came to the travellers’ shed at the place where there are again three paths. The three spoke together. One said, “I will learn the science of killing a man.” One said, “I will learn the science of causing [re-]birth.” The other said, “I will learn to do magic.” In the hand of one Yakā [was] the sword; in the hand of one Yakā, the betel-cutter; in the hand of one Yakā, the axe.

Those three Yakās said, “You go on that path; I will go on this path.” Then the three Yakās go on the three paths. Before they went they said, “When any matter of sickness has happened to a person out of us three, how shall we get to know?”

Having gone on the three paths, when they came to three countries the three summoned three wives, ordinary women (nikan gāēnu). The Yakās taking human appearance, putting on good clothes like men, putting aside the teeth of Yakās (Yak-dat), taking good teeth, the women do not know that the three are Yakās.

An old thief saw it. Having seen it, on seeing that woman he told her, “In this manner, the man who is in your house in this way eats human flesh,” having seen that woman, he told that. Owing to it, that woman that day got to know that said Yakā is a Yakā. After that she prepared to kill him.

The Yakā’s wife asked, “Where is your life?”

The Yakā said, “In my stomach.”

“No, you are telling lies.”

The Yakā said, “In my breast.”

“That also is false,” she says. “Tell me the truth.”

The Yakā said, “In my neck.”

“It is not there, also,” she says.

At last the Yakā said, “My life is in [the brightness of] my sword.”

Afterwards, placing the sword near his head, he went to sleep. Then this woman having gone, collected a bon-fire (gini goḍak), and quietly taking the sword put it into the hearth. Well then, the woman having come back, when she looked that Yakā was dead.

That eldest Yakā having arisen, when he looked [saw that] the flowers and fruit had all fallen from the lime tree. The Yakā said, “Anē! Bola, there will have been some accident; I must go to look.” Well then, the eldest Yakā having tied up the lime fruits, and come to that Yakā’s country, taking them, when he looked his younger brother was dead. When he sought for that sword it was not [there].

Afterwards, when he looked at the fire heap that sword was in the heap. Well then, taking the limes and having cut them, when he was thoroughly polishing it with the limes that dead Yakā revived (lit., was born). Then the elder Yakā, calling the revived Yakā, came to his [own] house [with him].

A pestilence having stricken the second Yakā, one morning when those two looked the flowers on that planted tree had fallen. Well then, having said, “Appā! Bolan, some accident will have stricken our Yakā,” putting together those flowers also, they went away.

Having gone, and having offered the flowers to the Gods of that country, the disease was cured; and calling that Yakā also, they came to that eldest Yakā’s house.

Having come [there], that eldest Yakā said to one Yakā, “You do loading work, and having loaded cattle get your living.” To the other Yakā he said, “You trade and get your living. I will cultivate,” he said.

Well then, the three taking human appearance, all remained at the city where that eldest Yakā was. That Yakā who loaded sacks [with produce with which he went on trading journeys] was ruined by that very thing, and died.

Then [in the case of] the Yakā who traded [at a shop], an old thief stole all the goods [obtained] by his trading. Out of grief on that account that Yakā died.

That eldest Yakā, doing cultivation and having become abundantly wealthy, stayed at that very city, and abandoned the Yakā appearance.

Potter. North-western Province.