Farmer and the devil
This tale comes to you from an ancient village in the ancient days of
our country. There lived a farmer who toiled so hard that he sometimes
rested a while, only to partake of a meal brought to him by his wife. He
was so careful and painstaking to the point that he yielded a good
harvest. At this time there lived several devils or yakkhas in the
village who brought about more disaster than good to humans. It was
quite difficult for humans to ward off devils for the latter were
harmful. As such a battle or a tug-of-war existed between the devils and
humans.
The devils would even enter the houses of the humans, especially
farmers to plunder the harvest brought from the fields. But our farmer,
the one who toiled hard was fearless. When a devil enters a house of a
human, it is said that it is difficult to drive them out.
The devils would remain and on seeing a human would dictate terms in
order to tame them. It so happened that in this particular village some
devils got undue help from the fear-struck humans.
One day, a devil entered the house of the farmer. The devil thought
that when the farmer returns home to take rest he would be in a position
to attack him in his own home and plunder whatever harvest he yielded.
So the devil entered the house of the farmer and crept under one of the
beds.
After toiling hard in the field, the farmer returned home. He in the
first instance didn’t see where his wife was. “Where are you?” He
inquired. There was no response from the wife. He repeatedly asked and
said:
“Where are you? I have come home. I’m too hungry. I feel like eating
a devil.”
Then the wife heard her husband’s voice and responded.
“I am here. I will come soon. There are some king coconuts under the
bed. You may take the sharp knife in the kitchen. Wait until I come.”
The devil who was hiding under the bed heard the words of the farmer.
He heard him say repeatedly. “I feel like eating a devil.”
“This cannot be a simple human being. This is definitely a devil
eating human. The devil on seeing the farmer pacing in the house in
search of the sharp knife, shuddered. “Oh my god. He is definitely going
to kill me. I must come out.”
While the devil stood underneath the bed, he heard the dialogue that
ensued between the farmer and his wife.
“Did you hear about a pack of devils who have entered our village?”
Asked the wife.
“From time to time we hear of such things. But who is afraid of
devils? The devil is not so dark as one sees.”
The devil who heard this wanted to come out and apologize for
entering the house of the farmer. But he remained for a few minutes
until the farmer moves off.
“Let me have a sharp knife to cut open the king coconuts.” Said the
farmer receiving a newly made knife.
All of a sudden to the surprise of the farmer and his wife, the devil
who was hiding under the bed sprang out.
“Pardon me sir,” Said the devil.
“Who are you?” Asked the farmer.
“I’m a devil who entered your house to harm you.”
“But you can’t harm me, I am a farmer.”
“Yes I know please don’t eat me great farmer.”
Then the farmer recalled what he said initially: “I feel like eating
a devil.”
“No I’m not going to eat you.” Said the farmer.
“And please don’t kill me.” Said the devil looking at the sharp knife
which the farmer held in his hand.
“No. I am not going to kill you either.”
“Please tell me how I could be of help to you?” Pleaded the devil.
The farmer who knew that the devil could be tamed, said:
“Can you promise me that you and your members of the devil clan, give
up your evil habits of harming the humans?”
“Yes certainly sir.”
“Then promise that from now onwards you and the rest of your fellows
surrender and work in our fields?”
“Yes certainly.”
“Do it instantly or I am going to kill you.” Said the farmer.
Since then the devils, who entered the farming village, gave up their
evil habits and began to help the farmer community. |