Story 128 - The Magic Lute Player

^[1]

IN a country a Prince [after] constructing a Lute plays^[2] it. Throughout the extent through which the sound was heard, not a female elephant nor tusk elephant stays away; it comes to look. In that manner he caused many elephants to be brought [up to him] in the jungles.

A Princess of another city was minded to look at this Prince.

Because it was so she said,

“I will (would) give five hundred masuran to a person who brought and gave him; having given them I will marry that person.”

Yet [another] Prince asked,

“I will bring and give him; will you marry me ?”

When he asked, the Princess says, " Cause him to be brought; I will [then] marry you.”

Thereupon this Prince having also taken a great quantity of white cloths, proceeded to that city. Having gone there, and having halted (natara-wela) in a jungle, cutting sticks he constructed a white tusk elephant with [them and] the white cloths; having made it this Prince is under the tusk elephant.

Certain men (minissu wagayak) having seen this white tusk elephant, say to the Prince who having played the Lute causes the tusk elephant to be brought,

“O Prince, there is a good white tusk elephant in that forest,”

they said.

Afterwards this Prince took the Lute and played it as on other days; this tusk elephant did not come.

Having said [to himself],

“ What is [the reason of] it, Bola ? To-day this tusk elephant did not come !”

and having gone a considerable distance he played it. Then this tusk elephant went a little further off (epitata). The Prince at that time went near and played it; then this elephant went still a little further. In that manner this Prince having placed and placed the Lute at the end (asse) of the tusk elephant’s tail, plays it; still also this tusk elephant goes on. In that way these very two went to this Princess’s city.

Thereupon this Princess became much pleased, and having given five hundred masuran to this Prince got married to this Prince. The Prince who played the Lute she caused to remain as the Minister.

North-western Province.

 

Note:

Although there appears to be no Indian folk-tale of a musician who could attract the wild animals like the Finnish hero, the notion is found in that country, and one of the reliefs at the Ramaswami temple in Kumbakonam represents various wild animals listening to Krishna’s flute playing. Colossal figures of animals are sometimes taken in processions; they are formed on a framework of bamboos or sticks; in one figure of an elephant the spaces in the frame were filled with leafy twigs.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Sinhalese title is, “The Story that tells the manner in which he played on the Lute for the Representation of the Tusk Elephant (Æaerinba)”

[2]:

The verb used throughout the story is ganaiva, to rub.