The Clever Deceiver

: MISCELLANEOUS TALES.
: Aino Folktales

A long, long time ago there was a rascal, who went to the mountains to

fetch wood. As he did not know how to amuse himself, he climbed to the

top of a very thick pine-tree. Having munched some rice he stuck it

about the branches of the tree, so as to make it look like birds' dung.

Then he went back to the village, to the house of the chief, and spoke

thus to him: "I have found a place where a beautiful peacock has its

est. Let us go there together! Being such a poor man, I feel myself

unworthy of going too near the divine bird. You, being a rich man,

should take the peacock. It will be a great treasure for you. Let us

go!"



So the chief went there with him. When the chief looked, there truly

were many traces of birds' dung near the top of the tall pine-tree. He

thought the peacock was there. So he said: "I do not know how to climb

trees. Though you are a poor man you do know how to do so. So go and get

the peacock, and I will reward you well. Go and get the divine peacock!"

So the poor man climbed the tree. When he was half way up it, he said:

"Oh! sir, your house seems to be on fire." The chief was much

frightened. Owing to his being frightened, he was about to run home.

Then the rascal spoke thus: "By this time your house is quite burnt

down. There is no use in your running there." The rich man thought he

would go anywhere to die; so he went towards the mountains. After he had

gone a short way, he thought thus: "You should go and see even the

traces of your burnt house." So he went down there. When he looked, he

found that his house was not burnt at all. He was very angry, and wanted

to kill that rascal. Then the rascal came down. The chief commanded his

servants, saying: "You fellows! this man is not only poor, but a very

badly behaved deceiver. Put him into a mat, and roll him up in it

without killing him. Then throw him into the river. Do this!" Thus spoke

the chief.



The servants put the rascal into the mat, and tied it round tight. Then

two of them carried him between them on a pole to the river-bank. They

went to the river. The rascal spoke thus: "Though I am a very bad man, I

have some very precious treasures. Do you go and fetch them. If you do

so, it can be arranged about their being given to you. Afterwards you

can throw me into the river." Hearing this, the two servants went off to

the rascal's house.



Meanwhile a blind old man came along from somewhere or other. His foot

struck against something wrapped up in a mat. Astonished at this, he

tapped it with his stick. Then the rascal said: "Blind man! If you will

do as I tell you, the gods will give you eyes, and you will be able to

see. So do so. If you will untie me and do as I tell you, I will pray to

the gods, and your eyes will be opened." The blind old man was very

glad. He untied the mat, and let the rascal out. Then the rascal saw

that, though the man was old and blind, he was dressed very much like a

god. The rascal said: "Take off your clothes and become naked, whereupon

your eyes will quickly be opened." This being so, the blind old man took

off his clothes. Then the rascal put him naked into the mat, and tied it

round tight. Then he went off with the clothes, and hid.



Shortly afterwards, the two men came, and said: "You rascal! you are

truly a deceiver. So, though you possess no treasures, you possess

plenty of deceit. So now we shall fling you into the water." The blind

old man said: "I am a blind old man. I am not that rascal. Please do

not kill me!" But he was forthwith flung into the river. Afterwards the

two men went home to their master's house.



Afterwards the rascal put on the blind old man's beautiful clothes. Then

he went to the chief's house and said: "My appearance of misbehaviour

was not real. The goddess who lives in the river was very much in love

with me. So she wanted to take and marry my spirit after I should have

been killed by being thrown into the river. So my misdeeds are all her

doing. Though I went to that goddess, I felt unworthy to become her

husband, because I am a poor man. I have arranged so that you, who are

the chief of the village, should go and have her, and I have come to

tell you so. That being so, I am in these beautiful clothes because I

come from the goddess." Thus he spoke. As the chief of the village saw

that the rascal was dressed in nothing but the best clothes, and thought

that he was speaking the truth, he said: "It will be well for me to be

tied up in a mat, and flung into the river." Therefore this was done,

just as had been done with the rascal, and he was drowned in the water.



After that, the rascal became the chief, and dwelt in the drowned

chief's house. Thus very bad men lived in ancient times also. So it is

said.--(Translated literally. Told by Ishanashte, 18th July, 1886.)



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