Reading Notes: Santal Folklore, Part A
This unit of stories sparked my interest because of the animals that are involved in most of them.
Santal: The Monkey and the Girl
Story source: Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
This story is centered around a monkey and a girl. Once upon a time there was a village that had a large river. Near this river, an abundance of crops would grow every year. There was a monkey who wished and tried to eat the crops but the children of the village drove him away. The monkey decided he was going to make a plan in order to get the crops. The monkey went into the field with a garland of flowers and when the children tried to chase him away, he began to drop the flowers and the children became amused and did not drive him away. The children and the monkey became friends because of the flowers. One of the girls was very fascinated by the monkey and promised to marry him. This spread around the village and the girls parents soon found out about this promise. They were very angry and went out and shot the monkey. Instead of throwing the monkey's body away, they decided to burn it. While they were burning the monkey, the little girl pointed up at the sky and made a distraction for everyone to look up. Just in that moment, she threw a hand full of sand into the air and blinded everyone temporarily. The little girl then leapt up onto where the monkey was being burned and died alongside the monkey. Her family was very angry but said that she must of had the monkey's soul so they accepted the fact and went home.
Santal: The Tiger's Bride
Story source: Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
A woman went out into the grass in order to cut thatching grass. She cut a large quantity of thatching grass. She ended up cutting a bundle that was too large for her to pick up and carry on the top of her head. She began calling for someone to help her and no one came at her calls. The woman became frustrated and began to yell for more help by promising that she would give her daughter in marriage to anyone that came to help her. A tiger appeared and ask what she was wanting. The tiger took the large load of grass onto her head and made her promise that she would give him her daughter in marriage. The woman returned home with the help of the tiger. A couple of days later the tiger came to marry the woman's daughter. After the wedding, the daughter and the tiger headed to the tigers home. Once they reached the home which is actually a cave the daughter was ordered to prepare food for a feast while the tiger went out and got his friends. The daughter killed a cat and began cooking it, but soon ran home to her mothers house and climbed a tree and sang "You married me to a ti-ti-tiger: You threw me to a bear: Take back the necklace you fave me, Take back the bracelet and the diamonds and the coral." When the tiger returned to the cave, he called for his wife to come out and she did not. He went in to find that she was not there and had to go out and tell his friends the feast was not going to happen. Angry, his friends beat him until he ran away and was not seen again. The bride remained in the tree singing the same song.
Santal: The Monkey and the Girl
Story source: Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
This story is centered around a monkey and a girl. Once upon a time there was a village that had a large river. Near this river, an abundance of crops would grow every year. There was a monkey who wished and tried to eat the crops but the children of the village drove him away. The monkey decided he was going to make a plan in order to get the crops. The monkey went into the field with a garland of flowers and when the children tried to chase him away, he began to drop the flowers and the children became amused and did not drive him away. The children and the monkey became friends because of the flowers. One of the girls was very fascinated by the monkey and promised to marry him. This spread around the village and the girls parents soon found out about this promise. They were very angry and went out and shot the monkey. Instead of throwing the monkey's body away, they decided to burn it. While they were burning the monkey, the little girl pointed up at the sky and made a distraction for everyone to look up. Just in that moment, she threw a hand full of sand into the air and blinded everyone temporarily. The little girl then leapt up onto where the monkey was being burned and died alongside the monkey. Her family was very angry but said that she must of had the monkey's soul so they accepted the fact and went home.
Story source: Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
A woman went out into the grass in order to cut thatching grass. She cut a large quantity of thatching grass. She ended up cutting a bundle that was too large for her to pick up and carry on the top of her head. She began calling for someone to help her and no one came at her calls. The woman became frustrated and began to yell for more help by promising that she would give her daughter in marriage to anyone that came to help her. A tiger appeared and ask what she was wanting. The tiger took the large load of grass onto her head and made her promise that she would give him her daughter in marriage. The woman returned home with the help of the tiger. A couple of days later the tiger came to marry the woman's daughter. After the wedding, the daughter and the tiger headed to the tigers home. Once they reached the home which is actually a cave the daughter was ordered to prepare food for a feast while the tiger went out and got his friends. The daughter killed a cat and began cooking it, but soon ran home to her mothers house and climbed a tree and sang "You married me to a ti-ti-tiger: You threw me to a bear: Take back the necklace you fave me, Take back the bracelet and the diamonds and the coral." When the tiger returned to the cave, he called for his wife to come out and she did not. He went in to find that she was not there and had to go out and tell his friends the feast was not going to happen. Angry, his friends beat him until he ran away and was not seen again. The bride remained in the tree singing the same song.
Comments
Post a Comment