The barber who tamed a demon

In ancient days some barbers had the habit of travelling from one place to another as demanded by their clients. There were royal barbers who were invited by kings who reigned in distant places. Most of them walked through forests and jungles. They had to undergo lots of struggle in the process of walking through the jungles. Some had to defend themselves from fierce animals like wolves and tigers.

Then there were devils and demons known as yakshas and rakshasas.

The barber in this tale had to pass through a jungle to go to another village. People around the jungle knew about a fierce man-eating rakshasa who would jump in front of a human and ask a few questions. This barber was fearless. He did not listen to what the villagers said. He just said: “I do not think rakshasas can devour me.”

So the barber took his bag full of stuff he needed for his job, and started walking through the jungle. He didn’t feel tired. He did not feel hungry. He packed some fruits and ate them one by one. The barber too was a good singer.

He sang some songs that helped him overcome his loneliness. As he was walking through the forest the man-eating rakshasa jumped from a hiding.

“Where are you going?” The rakshasa asked.

“I am on my way to do a job.”

“What is your job?”

“I am a barber.”

“You are a human barber. Do not you know that this is my ruling area? I am a rakshasa. I eat humans.”

“But you cannot eat me.”

“Why?”

“I have control over rakshasas.”

“Tell me more about it.”

“I catch devils and demons.”

“But you can’t possibly catch me.”

“Why cannot I catch you?”

“I will not allow you to walk even an inch from here.”

The barber was bold in his talk. He said: “If you do not allow me to go to the place I want I will catch you and put you into a bag.”

The rakshasa knew that he had not met such a human previously.

“Now I am going to kill you,” said the rakshasa showing a fierce face.

“You cannot do it. I have another rakshasa much more powerful than you, with me.”

At this the rakshasas took a few steps backward, pretending that he is going to jump on the barber.

“Did you say that you have another rakshasa in your bag?” Asked the rakshasa.

“Yes I said that,” the barber said in a stern voice.

“Will you allow me to see him?”

For a moment the barber stood silent. Then he spoke. “Keep off a few steps, and hide behind a tree, until I take him out.”

The rakshasa paced a few steps and hid behind a tree. Then the barber pulled out his mirror from the bag he carried. The barber held the mirror in such a way that the rakshasa could take a look.

“Now come out of your hiding, you stupid rakshasa,” said the barber.

The fierce looking rakshasa came out of the hiding behind the tree.

“Look, this is the rakshasa I caught and put in my bag,” said the barber showing the mirror.

The rakshasa calmed down and asked: “Are you going to catch me as well?”

“No, if you are going to listen to me.”

The rakshasa who was tamed by the barber listened to him.

“From here onwards promise me that you are not going to harm any humans passing this way. If you promise me I will allow you to go off. If you do not I will have to catch and put you in my bag.

The rakshasa spoke in a mellow voice. “I promise that I am not going to harm any human who passes this way.”

“All right, I leave you to live like a protector of humans instead of a man eater.”

The barber went on his journey.