Story 190 - The Story of the Four-Fold Trap

^[1]

IN a certain country there was a Gamarala. The Gamarala having tried for seven years caught a White Rat-snake. A Devatawa having come by dream told the Gamarala that when he had eaten the Rat-snake’s head he would obtain the kingship. Having told the Gamarala’s wife to cook the White Rat-snake the Gamarala went to wash his head (to purify himself).^[2]

After that, a Tom-tom Beater (Naekatiyek), weaving a cloth, came to the Gamarala’s house [with it]. The Gama-Mahage (the Gamarala’s wife) through stinginess [unwilling] to give meat, gave the Tom-tom Beater rice and that White Rat-snake’s head, not knowing [its property].

The Gamarala having come [after] washing his head, asked the Gama-Mahage for the White Rat-snake’s head. Then the woman said,

“I gave it to eat, to the Tom-tom Beater (Berawaya) who came [after] weaving the cloth.”

Thereupon the Gamarala said,

“Thou gavest it to thy manl Why ? When seven years have gone by from this time he will obtain the sovereignty.”

After the seven years went by, it was commanded to give the kingship to the Tom-tom Beater. But the people of the city said they could not give him the kingship, because he was a Tom-tom Beater. Because, through the act of his eating the White Rat-snake’s head they were unable to avoid giving (nodi) him the kingship, they said,

“Let us give him the sovereignty for one paeya (twenty-four minutes). A strong man having shot an arrow aloft, let us give the kingship until it falls to the ground.”

Having promised this he shot it.

For thirty years that arrow did not fall to the ground; Sakra held it. After thirty years had gone, the arrow afterwards fell to the ground. The kingship of that King Mota-Tissa having been changed that day, again a Prince of the royal line, suitable for the city, obtained the kingship.

After that, on account of the Tom-tom Beaters who were in this Lankawa (Ceylon) claiming,

“We, too, are of the royal line,”

the King and the other people, also, having become angry, say,

“Can anyone, indeed, construct a Four-fold Trap ?”

they asked. A smith who knows various expedients (upa-waeda), having said,

“I can,”

constructed a Four-fold Trap.

Inside the Four-fold Trap having placed cakes and milk-rice, the King said,

“To the Tom-tom Beaters who are in Ceylon the King will give an eating (feast).”

He sent letters to the Tom-tom Beaters to come. They call that one with one mouth (entrance) like the Habaka (a snare-trap) the Four-fold Trap (Hatara-maha Lula).

Well then, after all the Tom-tom Beaters came, the King says,

“All of you go at one time into that house,”^[3]

he said. After that, all the Tom-tom Beaters at one time entered the house. Afterwards the King struck off (gaesuwaya) the Four-fold Trap. Well then, all the Tom-tom Beaters died.

Because one pregnant woman, only, was at the comer (Or end, asse), the woman’s neck having been caught she died. As ten months had fully gone, the infant was brought forth outside. Thereafter, at the time when the Gamarala, and the King of the city, and the Washerman who washes the clothes are going near the Four-fold Trap, an infant was crying and crying. Afterwards the Gamarala and the Washerman (Rada miniha) having gone away carrying the infant, reared it.

After not much time, the King having died another Prince obtained the kingship. For the purpose of making [his accession to] the sovereignty public to the world, he told them to beat on the double kettle-drum. Although all the people of the country beat on the double kettle-drum the sound did not spread.

The King asked,

“Who must beat it for the sound of this to spread ?”

Then the people say,

“Should a Tom-tom Beater beat, indeed, the sound of this will spread.”

Thereupon the King asks,

“Are there not Tom-tom Beaters in this city ?”

Then the people say,

“In the time of such and such a King, having constructed the Four-fold Trap he killed all the Tom-tom Beaters.”

The King asked,

“Because of what circumstance did he kill them in that way ?”

Well then, these people [said],

“Previously one of them called Mota-Tissa was a King. Well then, because of their arrogance, the King who next obtained the sovereignty, having prepared a Four-fold Trap, killed them all.”

They told the King all the matters that occurred.

After that, the King made public that he will give gold [amounting] to a tusk elephant’s load to a person who should find and give him a Tom-tom Beater.

Then the Gamarala [and Washerman] having spoken to the King:—“We will give a Tom-tom Beater,” gave him that youth whom they had reared. Well then, the King having caused the youth to dress well, having decorated a tusk elephant, and placed the youth on the back of the tusk elephant, caused the proclamation tom-tom to be beaten by means of the youth.

The youth does not know anything whatever of beating. The Gamarala and the Washerman who reared the youth taught him,

“Beat thou the tom-tom (bere) thus: ‘Thy mother [was] Tangi, thy father [was] Tongi; Tangi and Tongi.’”

¹ When the youth beat in that manner the proclamation by beat of tom-toms (anda-bera) was published in the city.

¹ Toge amma tangi, toge appa tongi ; tangittongit.

Well then, because there was not much weaving (6o wimak) by him (owing to his household work), the King says,

“Out of this city, by any method thou wan test, take any woman thou wantest,”

he said to the youth.

Subsequently, the Gamarala and that Washerman said to the youth,

“Because the Smiths who constructed the Four-fold Trap killed thy family, on account of it go thou and bring a Smith (caste) woman.”

After that, the youth, having brought a Smith (caste) woman, married her.

The King having given many offices to the youth, he lived in happiness at the city.

Washerman. North-western Province.

 

Note:

In A. von Schiefner’s Tibetan Tales derived from Indian Sources (Ralston), p. 129, the widow of a son of the King of Videha, who had a son called Bahvannapana, was given in marriage by the King of Pancala, her father, to his Purohita or spiritual adviser. The Purohita one day heard a Brahmaria predict when he heard a cock crow near the house, that the person who ate its flesh would become King. He therefore killed the cock, told his wife to cook it at once, and went to the palace on business. During his absence Bahvannapana returned hungry from school, saw the bird in the pan, cut off its head, and ate it. When the Purohita came back he heard of this, and ate up the rest of the fowl. On consulting the Brahmana about it he was informed that he who ate the head would become King, and that one who killed him and ate his head in turn would also become King, so he determined to kill the boy. His mother perceived this and sent the boy away to Videha, and he lay down to sleep in a park there. The King had just died, apparently without an heir, and the funeral ceremonies could not be performed until a new King was chosen. The Ministers, officials, Brahmanas, etc., went in search of a suitable heir, saw the boy, aroused him, ascertained that he was the true heir to the throne, and proclaimed him King.

Messrs. H. B. Andris and Co., of Kandy, have been good enough to inform me that the Hatara-maha Lula is a large four-sided trap, made for catching large animals, such as deer and wild pigs. It has four entrances and four nooses. They state that the Habaka mentioned on p. 49 is a similar but smaller trap, with one noose, used for catching hares, mouse-deer, wild cats, etc.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Hatara-maha Lula. I am doubtful regarding the meaning of maha ; it appears to be derived from Skt. ma, to measure or be contained. According to Clough, lula is a snare or wicker fish-toasket, perhaps from the Skt. lu, to cut or destroy. See final note.

[2]:

This would include the bathing of the whole body.

[3]:

The word ge, house, is used in the villages for “room.” In this case the “house” was the trap.