Folklore of the Santal Parganas

Preface

The Santals are a Munda tribe, a branch of that aboriginal element which probably entered India from the North East. At the present day they^ inhabit the Eastern/ outskirts of the Chutia Nagpore plateau.

Originally hunters and dwellers in ihe jungle they are still but indifferent agriculturists. Like the Mundas and Hos and other representatives of the race, they are jovial in character, fond of their rice beer, and ready to take a joke.

' Their social organization is very complete ; each village has its headman or manjhi, with his assistant the paranik ; the jogmanghi is charged with the supervision of the morals of the young men and women ; the naeke is the village priest, the godet is the village constable. Over a group of villages is the pargana or tribal chief. The Santals are divided into exogamous septs — originally twelve in number, and their social observances are complex, e. g. while some relations treat each other with the greatest reserve, between others the utmost freedom of intercourse is allowed.

Their religion is animistic, spirits [bongos) are everywhere around them : the spirits of their ancestors, the spirit of the house, the spirit dwelling in the patch of primeval forest preserved in each village. Every hill tree and rock may have its spirit. These spirits are propitiated by elaborate ceremonies and sacrifices which generally terminate in dances, and the drinking of rice beer.

The Santal Parganas is a district 4800 sq. miles in area, lying about 150 miles north of Calcutta, and was

6 PREFACE.

formed into a separate administration after the Santals had risen in rebellion in 1856. The Santals at present form about one-third of the population.

The stories and legends which are here translated have been collected by the Rev. O. Bodding, D.D. of the Scandinavian Mission to the Santals. To be perfectly sure that neither language nor ideas should in any way be influenced by contact with a European mind he arranged for most of them to be written out in Santali, principally by a Christian convert named Sagram Murmu, at present living at Mohulpahari in the Santal Parganas.

Santali is an agglutinative language of great regularity and complexity but when the Santals come in contact with races speaking an Aryan language it is apt to become corrupted with foreign idioms. The language in which these stories have been written is beautifully pure, and the purity of language may be accepted as an index that the ideas have not been affected, as is often the case, by contact with Europeans.

My translation though somewhat condensed is very literal, and the stories have perhaps thereby an added interest as shewing the way in which a very primitive people look at things. The Santals are great story tellers ; the old folk of the village gather the young people round them in the evening and tell them stories, and the men when watching the crops on the threshing floor will often sit up all night telling stories.

There is however, no doubt that at the present time the knowledge of these stories tends to die out. Under the peace which British rule brings there is more intercourse between the diflferent communities and castes, a considerable degree of assimilation takes place, and old customs and traditions tend to be obliterated.

Several collections of Indian stories have been made, e.g. Stokes, Indian Fairy Tales ; Frere, Old Deccan Days ; Day, Folk Tales of Bengal; and Knowles' Folk Tales

PREFACE 7

of Kashmir, and it will be seen that all the stories in the present collection are by no means of pure Santal origin. Incidents which form part of the common stock of Indian folklore abound, and many of the stories professedly relate to characters of various Hindu castes, others again deal with such essentially Santal beliefs as the dealings of men and bongas.

The Rev. Dr. Campbell of Gobindpore published in 1 89 1 a collection of Santal Folk Tales. He gathered his material in the District of Manbhum, and many of the stories are identical with those included in the present volume. I have added as an appendix some stories which I collected among the Hos of Singhbhum, a tribe closely related to the Santals, and which the Asiatic Society of Bengal has kindly permitted me to reprint here.

My task has been merely one of translation; it is due solely to Mr Bodding's influence with, and intimate knowledge of, the people that the stories have been committed to writing, and I have to thank him for assistance and advice throughout my work of translation.

I have roughly classified the stories: in part i are stories of a general character; part 2, stories relating to animals; in part 3, stories which are scarcely folklore but are anecdotes relating to Santal life ; in Part 4, stories relating to the dealings of bongas and men. In part 5, are some legends and traditions, and a few notes relating to tribal customs. Part 6 contains illustrations of the belief in witchcraft. I have had to omit a certain number of stories as unsuited for publication.

C. H. BOMPAS.

Part I Page

I. BAJUN AND JHORE I7

II. ANUWA AND HIS MOTHER 20

III. LEDHA AND THE LEOPARD 22

IV. THE CRUEL STEPMOTHER 26

V. KARMU AND DHARMU 32

VI. THE JEALOUS STEPMOTHER 36

VII. THE PIOUS WOMAN 37

VIII. THE WISE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW 39

IX. THE OILMAN AND HIS SONS 40

X. THE GIRL WHO FOUND HELPERS 42

XI. HOW TO GROW RICH 46

XII. THE CHANGED CALF 49

XIII. THE KOERI AND THE BARBER 51

XIV. THE PRINCE WHO ACQUIRED WISDOM 53

XV. THE MONKEY BOY 56

XVI. THE miser's SERVANT 60

XVII. KUWAR AND THE RAJAHS DAUGHTER 63

XVIII. THE LAUGHING FISH 70

XIX. HOW THE COWHERD FOUND A BRIDE 74

XX. KARA AND GUJA 79

XXI. THE MAGIC COW 81

XXn. LITA AND HIS ANIMALS 88

XXIII. THE BOY WHO FOUND HIS FATHER 97

XXIV. THE oilman's BULLOCK 100

XXV. HOW SABAI GRASS GREW 102

XXVI. THE merchant's SON AND THE RAJAH'S

DAUGHTER I06

10 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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XXVII. THE flycatcher's EGG HI

XXVIII. THE WIFE WHO WOULD NOT BE BEATEN 113

XXIX. SAHDE GOALA Il6

XXX. THE rajah's SON AND THE MERCHANT'S SON I23

XXXI. THE POOR WIDOW I27

XXXII. THE MONKEY AND THE GIRL I28

XXXIII. RAMAI AND THE ANIMALS I29

XXXIV. THE MAGIC BEDSTEAD I3I

XXXV. THE GHORMUHAS 132

XXXVI. THE BOY WHO LEARNT MAGIC I34

XXXVII. THE CHARITABLE JOGI I38

XXXVIII. CHOTE AND MOTE 139

XXXIX. THE DAYDREAMER I40

XL. THE EXTORTIONATE SENTRY I4I

XLI. THE BROKEN FRIENDSHIP I42

XLII. A STORY TOLD BY A HINDOO I44

XLIII. THE RAIBAR AND THE LEOPARD I47

XLIV. THE UNGRATEFUL SNAKE I49

XLV. THE tiger's BRIDE 154

XLVI. THE KILLING OF THE TIGER 155

XLVII. THE DREAM I57

XLVIII. THE KING OF THE BHUYANS I58

XLIX. THE FOOLISH SONS 160

L. KORA AND HIS SISTER 163

LI. A STORY ON CASTE 168

LII. TIPI AND TEPA I70

LIII. THE CHILD WITH THE EARS OF THE OX. ... I7I

LIV. THE CHILD WHO KNEW HIS FATHER I72

LV. JOGESHWAR'S MARRIAGE I73

LVI. THE STRONG MAN I76

LVII. THE rajah's ADVICE I78

LVIII. THE FOUR JOGIS l8l

LIX. THE CHARITABLE RAJAH 183

LX. A VARIANT. — THE WANDERING RAJA 185

LXI. THE TWO WIVES 187

LXII. SPANLING AND HIS UNCLES , , 189

TABLE OF CONTENTS

II Page

LXIII. THE SILENT WIFE I9I

LXIV. THE DUMB SHEPHERD I92

LXV. THE GOOD DAUGHTER-IN-LAW I94

LXVI. THE rajah's DREAM I96

LXVII. THE MONGOOSE BOY 201

LXVIII. THE STOLEN TREASURE 2o6

LXIX. DUKHU AND HIS BONGA WIFE 2o8

LXX. THE MONKEY HUSBAND 212

LXXI. LAKHAN AND THE WILD BUFFALOES 2I4

LXXII. THE BOY WITH THE STAG 2I7

LXXIII. THE SEVEN BROTHERS AND THE BONGA GIRL. 2l8

LXXIV. THE tiger's FOSTER CHILD 226

LXXV. THE CATERPILLAR BOY 227

LXXVI. THE MONKEY NURSEMAID 232

LXXVII. THE WIFE WHO COULD NOT KEEP A SECRET. 235

LXXVIII. SIT AND LAKHAN 237

LXXIX. THE RAJAH WHO WENT TO HEAVEN 24O

LXXX. SEVEN TRICKS AND SINGLE TRICK 242

LXXXI. FULJHARI RAJAH 244

LXXXII. THE CORPSE OF THE RAJAH'S SON 247

LXXXIII. THE SHAM CHILD 248

LXXXIV. THE SONS OF THE KHEROHURI-RAJAH 25I

LXXXV. THE DOG BRIDE 254

LXXXVI. WEALTH OR WISDOM 256

LXXXVII. A GOALA AND THE COW 262

LXXXVIII. THE TELLTALE WIFE 266

LXXXIX. THE BRIDEGROOM WHO SPOKE IN RIDDLES.. 268

XC. THE LAZY MAN 271

XCI. ANOTHER LAZY MAN 274

XCII. THE widow's SON 276

XCIII. THE BOY WHO WAS CHANGED INTO A DOG. . . 281

XCIV. BIRLURI AND BIRBANTA 284

XCV. THE KILLING OF THE RAKHAS 286

XCVI. THE CHILDREN OF THE VULTURES 289

XCVII. THE FERRYMAN 292

XCVIII. CATCHING A THIEF 294

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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THE GRASPING RAJAH ^95

THE PRINCE WHO WOULD NOT MARRY 298

THE PRINCE WHO FOUND TWO WIVES 300

THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE 303

THE INDUSTRIOUS BRIDE 305

THE BOY AND HIS FATE 307

THE MESSENGERS OF DEATH 3O9

THE SPEAKING CRAB 3"

THE LEOPARD OUTWITTED 312

THE WIND AND THE SUN 314

THE COLDEST SEASON 314

Part II The Jackal And The Crow 3i9

THE TIGER CUB AND THE CALF 320

THE JACKAL AND THE CHICKENS 322

THE JACKAL PUNISHED 325

THE TIGERS AND THE CAT 327

THE ELEPHANTS AND THE ANTS 328

A FOX AND HIS WIFE 329

THE JACKAL AND THE CROCODILES 33I

THE BULLFROG AND THE CRAB 334

THE HYENA OUTWITTED 335

THE CROW AND THE EGRET 336

THE JACKAL AND THE HARE 338

THE BRAVE JACKAL 339

THE JACKAL AND THE LEOPARDS 34O

Part III The Fool And His Dinner 345

THE STINGY DAUGHTER 345

THE BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS DANCE 346

THE DEAF FAMILY 347

THE FATHER-IN-LAW'S VISIT 349

RAMAI AND SOMAI 350

TABLE OF CONTENTS 13

PAGE

CXXX. THE TWO BROTHERS 35I

CXXXI. THE THREE FOOLS 352

CXXXII. THE CURE FOR LAZINESS 354

CXXXIII. THE brahmin's POWERS 356

cxxxiv. ram's wife 356

CXXXV. PALO 357

CXXXVI. THE women's SACRIFICE 359

CXXXVII. THE thief's SON 361

CXXXVIII. THE DIVORCE 363

CXXXIX. THE FATHER AND THE FATHER-IN-LAW 364

CXL. THE REPROOF 367

CXLI. enigmas 368

CXLII. THE TOO PARTICULAR WIFE 369

CXLIII. THE PAHARIA SOCIALISTS 370

CXLIV. HOW A TIGER WAS KILLED 37O

CXLV. THE GOALA'S DAUGHTER 37I

CXLVI. THE brahmin's CLOTHES 372

CXLVII. THE winning OF THE BRIDE 373

Part IV

CXLVIII. MARRIAGE WITH BONGAS 377

CXLIX. THE BONGA HEAVEN 379

CL. LAKHAN AND THE BONGA 380

CLI. THE HOUSE BONGA 380

CLII. THE SARSAGUN-MAIDEN 382

CLIII. THE SCHOOLBOY AND THE BONGA 384

CLIV. THE BONGA'S CAVE 386

CLV. THE BONGA's VICTIM 388

CLVI. BAIJAL AND THE BONGA 391

CLVII. RAMAI AND THE BONGA 393

CLVIII. THE BOUNDARY BONGA 395

CLIX. THE BONGA EXORCISED 396

Part V

CLX. THE BEGINNING OF THINGS 40I

CLXI. CHANDO AND HIS WIFE 404

14 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CLXII. THE SIKHAR RAJAH 405

CLXIII. THE ORIGIN OF TOBACCO 407

CLXIV. THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS 407

CLXV. THE NEXT WORLD 4^0

CLXVI. AFTER DEATH 41^

CLXVII. HARES AND MEN 4^2

CLXVIII. A LEGEND 4^3

CLXIX. PREGNANT WOMEN 4^4

CLXX. THE INFLUENCE OF THE MOON 415

CLXXI. ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN 416

CLXXII. THE DEAD 416

CLXXIII. A HUNTING CUSTOM 417

Part VI

CLXXIV. WITCHCRAFT 42I

CLXXV. OF DAINS AND OJHAS 422

CLXXVI. INITIATION INTO WITCHCRAFT 423

CLXXVII. WITCH CRAFT 426

CLXXVIII. WITCH STORIES 427

CLXXIX. WITCH STORIES 429

CLXXX. WITCH STORIES 43I

CLXXXI. THE TWO WITCHES 432

CLXXXII. THE SISTER-IN-LAW WHO WAS A WITCH . . . 433

CLXXXIII. RAMJIT BONGA 438

CLXXXIV. THE HERD BOY AND THE WITCHES 44O

CLXXXV. THE MAN-TIGER 442

GLOSSARY 445

Appendix

FOLKLORE OF THE KOLHAN 45I