Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/447

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Title of Story.—Goso the Teacher.

Dramatis Personæ.—Goso the teacher.—Scholars.—Gazelle.—South wind.—Mud wall.—Rat.—Cat.—Rope.—Knife.—Fire.—Water.—Ox.—Tick.

Abstract of Story.—(1) a teacher, Goso, teaching children to read under calabash-tree, was hit by a calabash, which a gazelle threw from tree, and he died. When scholars had buried Goso, they searched for he who had thrown calabash, wishing to kill him.—(2) Scholars said it was south wind that blew down calabash, and it struck teacher; so they beat south wind, which asked what it had done; they said, "It was you, south wind, who threw down the calabash, and it struck our teacher Goso; you should not do it;" south wind said, "If I were the chief, should I be stopped by a mud wall?"—(3) They took mud wall and beat it; it asked what it had done; they said, "You, mud wall, stop the south wind," etc.; wall said, "If I were the chief, should I be bored through by the rat?"—(4) They took rat and beat it; it asked what it had done; they said, "You, the rat, bore through the mud wall which stops the south wind," etc.; rat said, "If I were the chief, should I be eaten by the cat?"—(5) They beat cat, who asked what it had done; they said, "You are the cat which eats the rat which bores through the mud wall," etc. ; cat said, "If I were the chief, should I be tied by a rope?"—(6) They beat rope, which asked what it had done; they said, "You are the rope which ties the cat, and the cat eats the rat, &c.; rope said, "If I were the chief, should I be cut by a knife?"—(7) They took knife and beat it, and it asked what it had done; they said, "You are the knife which cuts the rope, and the rope ties the cat," etc.; knife said, "If I were the chief, should I be consumed by the fire?"—(8) They beat fire; it asked what it had done; they said, "You are the fire which consumes the knife, and the knife cuts the rope," etc.; fire said, "If I were the chief, should I be put out by water?"—(9) They beat water; it asked what it had done; they said, "You are the water which puts out the fire, and the fire consumes the knife," etc.; water said, "If I were the chief, should I be drunk by the ox?"—(10) They beat ox; it asked what it had done; they said, "You are the ox which drinks the water, and the water puts out the fire," etc.; ox said, "If I, the ox, were the chief, should I be stuck to by a tick?"—(11) They beat tick; it asked what it had done; they said "You are the tick which sticks to the ox, and the ox drinks the water," etc.; tick said, "If I were the chief, should I be eaten by the gazelle?"—(12) They found and beat gazelle, which asked what it had done; they said, "You are the gazelle which eats the tick, and the tick sticks to the ox, and the ox drinks the water, and the water puts out the fire, and the fire consumes the knife, and the knife cuts the rope, and the rope ties the cat, and the cat eats the rat, and the rat bores through the mud wall, and the mud wall stops the