Reading Notes: Middle Eastern and Indian, Reading B
1. Santal Folklore: A Fox and His Wife by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
A fox lived with his wife and five kids in a hole, where every evening the husband and wife would set out to a bazaar to find scraps of food discarded by the people in the bazaar. Every night, the husband would ask the wife how much wit she has, where she would reply "Only so much as would fill a small vegetable basket." The wife would ask the husband the same question, where he says "As much as would load twelve buffaloes."
One night as they were making their way from the bazaar, they ran into a tiger. The fox was so terrified that he could not think of a word. However, Mrs. Fox addressed the tiger respectfully, calling him "uncle" and telling him that the pair were having a dispute that she would like the tiger to settle. The tiger was flattered at her tone and replied back saying he will decide their dispute for them.
She told the tiger that their was dispute was they wanted to divide their five children, but they could not decide who would get the extra child as it did not split evenly. She flattered the tiger even more by saying calling the tiger a god who has appeared before them to help the two settle the dispute. At this, the tiger figured that if he planned things right, he would not only be able to eat Fox and Mrs. Fox but their five children as well.
The foxes invited the tiger back to their home, where as they arrived Mr. Fox hurried into the house stating he would bring out the children. Some time had passed however, and he still had not come out, so Mrs. Fox said she would go in and help bring the children out as well. As she entered the hole, the tiger noticed she was going in backwards. He asked her why to which she responded, "Oh, uncle, how could i turn my back on so great a personage as you?" Once the two parent foxes were safely inside the hole, however, they told the tiger to go away as they have settled their dispute. The tiger then realized that he was tricked, and tried to squeeze himself into the hole to reach them but the hole was too small. Feeling defeated, he went away, and so that is how Mrs. Fox's wit had saved this fox family.
Bibliography:
Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
A fox lived with his wife and five kids in a hole, where every evening the husband and wife would set out to a bazaar to find scraps of food discarded by the people in the bazaar. Every night, the husband would ask the wife how much wit she has, where she would reply "Only so much as would fill a small vegetable basket." The wife would ask the husband the same question, where he says "As much as would load twelve buffaloes."
One night as they were making their way from the bazaar, they ran into a tiger. The fox was so terrified that he could not think of a word. However, Mrs. Fox addressed the tiger respectfully, calling him "uncle" and telling him that the pair were having a dispute that she would like the tiger to settle. The tiger was flattered at her tone and replied back saying he will decide their dispute for them.
She told the tiger that their was dispute was they wanted to divide their five children, but they could not decide who would get the extra child as it did not split evenly. She flattered the tiger even more by saying calling the tiger a god who has appeared before them to help the two settle the dispute. At this, the tiger figured that if he planned things right, he would not only be able to eat Fox and Mrs. Fox but their five children as well.
The foxes invited the tiger back to their home, where as they arrived Mr. Fox hurried into the house stating he would bring out the children. Some time had passed however, and he still had not come out, so Mrs. Fox said she would go in and help bring the children out as well. As she entered the hole, the tiger noticed she was going in backwards. He asked her why to which she responded, "Oh, uncle, how could i turn my back on so great a personage as you?" Once the two parent foxes were safely inside the hole, however, they told the tiger to go away as they have settled their dispute. The tiger then realized that he was tricked, and tried to squeeze himself into the hole to reach them but the hole was too small. Feeling defeated, he went away, and so that is how Mrs. Fox's wit had saved this fox family.
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| Pair of Red Foxes. Souce: Pixnio. |
Bibliography:
Folklore of the Santal Parganas by Cecil Henry Bompas (1909).
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