Page:Folk-lore of the Telugus.djvu/56

 XXI.

CASTLE-BUILDING. At Tirupati lived a Brahman in poor circumstances, who received on a certain day a pot of flour as a present from a certain merchant. He took it, and, being very tired, seated himself on the verandah of a house and soliloquized thus, "If I sell this pot of flour, I shall get half a rupee for it, with which I can purchase a kid. This, in a short time, will produce a flock. I will then sell them, and buy cows, buffaloes, etc., and thus in a few years I shall be the master of three thousand head of cattle. I will then purchase a mansion, which I will furnish elegantly, and marry a beautiful damsel who will crown my happiness by giving birth to a son. My wife will be particularly fond of me, but I shall not allow her too much freedom, and shall sometimes send her away with a kick when she comes to caress me." Thus thinking, he thrust out his leg like one really going to kick, struck the