Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/476

412 frog and a crow came to the place, and took the boys to their home. After some time the frog and the crow asked the boys to kill the tiger who destroyed their parents. One day the boys went into the jungle and searched for the tiger, and by chance they met him under a tree. The boys addressed him,—"Oh, tiger, you are the greatest foe of ours, who destroyed our parents." The tiger replied,—"Yes, my lovely boys, I killed your parents. I will make you rich if you do not kill me." Saying so, he took them into a cave and showed them 2 golden dolais (litters). The boys rode in them, and returned to the frog and crow, who took them to their grandfather, who was much delighted with his grandsons, and gave permission to live with him happily." Being carried in litters is an honour reserved for great men in Manipur, and among some clans the giver of a feast to the whole village is accorded this honour. I do not know exactly why the tiger could not eat up the children. Probably their having been brought into the world by his act, in killing their mother, was supposed to give them some power over him. In one or two tales the murderer is killed by his victim's son.

The Bear's Water-hole.—"The Bear made a dam to collect water, and put the Monkey to watch it. Every sort of animal came crying,—"I am dry. Who has water which he does not want? I am dry." The Monkey always said,—"The water belongs to Granddaddy Bear. If you dare to drink, drink. If you dare to suck, suck it up." Then the Tiger came along, saying,—"I am dry. Who has water which he does not want? I am dry." The Monkey replied,—"It is my Granddaddy Bear's water. If you dare to drink, drink. If you dare to suck, suck it up." The Tiger drank it all, he sucked the place dry. Then the Monkey went to the Bear, and said,—"Oh Granddaddy Bear, the Tiger has drunk your water." So the Bear rushed up and began to fight with the Tiger. They fought a long time, and both died, and the Monkey took their