Village Folk-tales of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), vol. 1-3
by Henry Parker | 1910 | 406,533 words
This folk-tale entitled “the master and servant” is gathered from oral sources sources, tracing its origin to ancient Ceylon (Sri Lanka). These tales are often found to contain similarities from stories from Buddhism and Hinduism. This is the story nr. 115 from the collection “stories of the cultivating caste”.
Story 115 - The Master And Servant
WHILE a certain Master and Servant were going on a journey, they having become hungry the Master said,
“Ada ! Bring plantain flowers,”[1]
and gave money to the Servant.
The Servant having brought plantain flowers, for the purpose of eating them they sat down at a place.
The Master spoke to the Servant,
“Ada ! Pon’t throw away their rinds (potu); having given money also [for them] what are you throwing them away for ?”
he said.
“If so, you must eat them,” the Servant said.
Thereupon, while the Master first was eating the peel (leli) of the plantain fruits, his stomach having filled he became unable to eat the core [of the peeled fruit].
After that, the Servant ate the small quantity of the core.
Uva Province.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
He meant the fruits, as mentioned lower down.