Santal Folk Tales Part 10

The other members of the family also jumped to their feet, and laid hold of the intruder, and bound him hand and foot.

When the day broke a large number of people came to see the thief, and began to question him, as to who were his companions. So he related all that had occurred. Then they said, "Of a truth, this man has been the means of protecting us. Had he not acted as he did, we would have been robbed of all we have."

So they loosed his bonds, and set him free. They also allowed him to eat the rice and milk he had cooked, which having done, he went home.

NOTES

[1] Jari is the Santali name for Crotalaria Juncea, a fibre yielding plant the seeds of which when ripe, rattle in the pods when the plant is shaken.

[2] Bita is Santali for span, and Bitaram is span Ram, or span-long Ram.

[3] A small basket with a contracted opening.

[4] Covering for the head and shoulders made of leaves pinned together, worn as a protection from the rain by women, while planting rice.

[5] Said to bullocks when ploughing to cause them to turn at the end of a furrow.

[6] Ghur pank is a phrase used by ploughmen when turning their bullocks at the end of a furrow.

[7] Mount the buffalo.

[8] The spirit believed to preside over a certain cla.s.s of rice land.

[9] Semi-Hinduised aborigines, whose touch is considered polluting.

[10] Ficus religiosa, Willd. one of the hugest of India's many huge trees.

[11] The fibre yielded by Bauhinia Vahlii, W. and A. goes under that name among the Santals.

[12] Lelha in Santali means foolish.

[13] Diamonds.

[14] A mythical gem, said to be found in the heads of certain snakes.

[15] Celestial horses.

[16] Celestial Maiden.

[17] aegle Marmelos, Correa.

[18] A mythical bird which figures largely in Indian folk lore.

[19] Huti is the name given by Santals to a certain timber boring insect. Budhi is an old woman.

[20] Calotropis gigantea, R. Br.

[21] Diospyros tomentosa.

[22] Ischoemum agustifolium, Hack.

[23] Stereospermum suaveolens, D. C.

[24] Recinus communis, Linn.