Story 224 - The Greedy Palm-cat

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AT a certain city three cultivators cut a chena.

Having cut it they spoke [about it]:

“Let us plant plantains.”

Having planted plantains, the flowers that came on the plantains began to fall when the fruits were coming to mature.

When they looked, having seen that except the fresh ones [the trees] were without ripe [fruits], they began to seek [the reason]. Having sought and sought it, they do not perceive whether some one is destroying them [or not]. Owing to it they contrived a device. What was it ? Having brought a plantain tree they set it up [? after inserting poison in the fruits that were on it].

The flowers on it having fallen, and [the fruits] having become ripe, after they were emitting a fragrant smell [a female Palm-cat came there with its kitten].

When the [young] Palm-cat looked upward the female Palm-cat says,

“Cultivator, that is not good.”

When it said it, the [young] Palm-cat says,

“What though I looked up, if I didn’t go up the tree !”

it said.

It went up the tree. Once more the female Palm-cat said again, “Don’t.”

Thereupon the [young] Palm-cat says,

“What if I went up the tree, if I didn’t take hold of it!”

it said.

Having taken hold of it, it looked at it. When the female Palm-cat said,

“What is that [you are doing] ?”

it said,

“What if I took hold of it! If I didn’t eat it is there any harm ?”

After it removed the rind, when she said,

“What is that [you are doing] ?”

it says,

“What if I removed the rind, if I didn’t eat it!”

Having set it to its nose it smelt at it. When she said,

“What is that [you are doing] ?”

it said,

“What if I put it to my nose, if I didn’t eat it!”

It put it in its mouth.

“What if I put it in my mouth, if I didn’t swallow it!”

it said.

It swallowed it; then it fell down. It having fallen down and died, the female Palm-cat went away lamenting.

The thief of the garden was caught.

Tom-tom Beater. North-western Province.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kalavaedda (Pavadoxurus musanga).