Bal-Basant / बाल-बसंत

September 12, 2016: Session A7
Maithili Folklore 16_09_12_a_7

Documented by Coralynn V. Davis and Carlos Gomez
Transcription and Translation by Pranav Prakash

Teller: Abha Das
Location: Ranti
Date: 9/12/16

View the transcription in Maithili.

एकटा औरत रहथिन । उ बहुत, मने, गरीब रहथिन ।

There once was a woman. She was very, you know, poor.

तऽ ओकरा गामक लोग सब अपन, से हुन्का बियाह कॅ देल्केन ।

So, the people of her own village arranged her wedding.

सब, मने, कोइ ने रहैन – माँ, बाप, भाए – मने, कोए कतौ नै रहैन अपन ओए लेडी के ।

She had no one – no mother, no father, no brother. This lady had no family anywhere.

त बियाह कॅ देल्केन, तऽ सासुर जखैन एली, तऽ अपन, मने, हुन्कर घर-बला हड़-बड़द सब, नैऽ, लोक जाय्य खेती-किसानी करैछै, से करथिन ।

After her wedding took place, she went to her husband’s home. Her husband, like most people in the village, farmed for a living. 

तऽ ओ लेडीज नै सब दिन कऽ हुन्कर घर-बला सॉस कहथिन कि, “आहाँ मने खेते में” − दिन भर तऽ खेतै में काम करैछै, ओ अथि सब, किसान सब − “तऽ हुन्का आहाँ खाना दॅ आबियौगऽ ।”

Since her husband worked in the field, her mother-in-law used to tell her everyday, “Go to the field…and give this food to him.”

लेकिन हुन्कर साँस जे रहथिन, ओए लेडीज़ के, से बहुत बदमाश रहथिन, बहुर बदमाश । हँ ।

Her mother-in-law, was a wicked woman; she was very bad, you see.

उ नऽ से अपन सब चीज बना कॅ दॅथिन ज, “हमरा बेटा कॅ आहाँ पहुँचा आऊगॅ ।”

After cooking everything for her son, she commanded her daughter-in-law, “Deliver this to my son.”

त हुन्का होएन कि जे, “हमर बेटा से एकरा कहीं खुआ ने दे ।” मने, अपना हिस्सा में सॅ ।

She would think, “It’s possible my son will give this food to his wife to eat.” That is, he may share his portion of food with his wife.

आ इओ अपन पुतहु के भर पेट खाओ लॅ ने दथिन उ लेडी । बहुत बदमाश रहथिन ।

She never gave enough food to her daughter-in-law, who was unable to fully satisfy her hunger. She was really evil. 

तऽ इन्का आब हिन्का पेट में बच्चा रहैन । गर्भबती रहथिन ।

Now her daughter-in-law had a baby in her womb. She was pregnant.

तऽ हिन्का नीक-नीक चीज मन होएन खाए के ।

Thus, she had a craving for tasty food.

तऽ एक दिन अपन घरबला के कहल्खिन कि से, “आए हमर खीर खाए के मन होए यऽ ।”

One day she told her husband, “I feel like eating khir [rice pudding] today.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “ठीक छै, कोनो बात नै, हम माँ के कहै छीयै, माँ खीर बनैते नै हमरा लॅ, तऽ हमरा हिस्सा लॅ के जे आहाँ ऐब, मने, हमर खाना, तऽ हम आहाँ के अपना हिस्सा में सॅ खुआ देब आहाँ के भेर पेट ओहिठाँ ।

He replied, “Okay, no problem. I will ask my mother to cook khir for me. When you will bring my share of food, then, I will let you eat from my share and satisfy your craving fully.”

तऽ कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।”

She replied, “Okay.”

ओने अपन साएँठ कॅ, से अपन देल्खिन खाना, अपन बेटा लॅ ।

His mother prepared and packed the meal and gave it to her daughter-in-law to give to her son.

तऽ ओ सॉस बुझल्खिन कि जे, “कहीँ नीक चीज आए खीर देलियै, कहीँ हमर बेटा एकरा नै खुआ दै ।” हँ ।

Then she thought, “Since I have cooked tasty food, khir, for my son, he may give his wife some of his meal to eat.” See?

तऽ ओ की केल्के अपना जीभ पर हुन्का कालिख सॅ लीख देल्कै औरत के । हँ ।

So, what she did was that she smeared some soot on the tongue of her daughter-in-law.

जीभ निकाल कॅ । कहल्के, “जीभ निकालू ।”

By extending her tongue. “Stick out your tongue,” she ordered.

जीभ निकालल्खिन नऽ, तऽ ओए ओरत के जीभ पर अपन किछु ओहिना, मने, चिह्न जेकाँ दॅ देल्खिन । अ कहल्खिन, “जाऊँ, आहाँ, खाना लॅ कॅ ।”

When her daughter-in-law stuck out her tongue, she drew some sort of mark on her tongue. Then she told her, “Go now, deliver this food to him.” 

तऽ ओ गेले जखन नऽ ओत्तॅ, खेत पर, तऽ घर-बला अपन बैसल्कै हाथ पैर धो कॅ ।

When she arrived to the field, her husband washed his hands and feet and sat down to eat.

त कहल्खिन की जे, “खाऊ खाना ।”

“Have some food,” he offered. 

तऽ कहल्खिन, “हम केना खा सकै छीयै आहाँ संगै ? 

But she replied, “How can I eat with you?

हमरा मॅन तऽ बड्ड होइयऽ इ खाए के खीर, से लेकिन हम केना खाउ ?

I am craving khir, but how can I eat now?

हम जे खाएब, तऽ इ जीभ पर के मिटा जेत्तै । जखनै कॅर लागबै, तऽ मिटा जेतै ।

If I eat it, then this sign on my tongue will fade out. As soon as I take a mouthful, this sign will dissolve.

अ इ सॉस हमरा चिह्न फाएड़ के पठा देलैथ हँ ।”

And my mother-in-law marked this today before she sent me here.”

[…showed her mouth ?]

[…no, she she…kind of put a sign…eh…with…em…with what…she put a sign on her tongue so that she would know…]

मने, कोनो चीज के चिह्न लोग नै दॅ जाएछै से…सिंबल अपन…तऽ कालिख से उ डाएर फाएर देने रहथिन । 

That is, a mark that is drawn by people…like a symbol…she drew a mark with soot.

त उ कहल्खिन, “हम जे जीभ लारबै, खीर खेबै अ कुल्ला करबै, अ जी अथि करबै, तऽ इ मेटा जेतै, तऽ हम जे घर जाएब, तऽ आहाँ के माए हमरा बड्ड बात कहती, अ…मारबौ करती कहीँ, तऽ तै दुआरे हम नै खैब, से अहीँ खाए लिअ ।” 

She continued, “If I were to spread my tongue, eat khir, and rinse my mouth; if I did all this, then this mark would dissolve. Your mother would scold me badly. She might even beat me. That’s why I will not eat it. You eat it.” 

तऽ कहल्खिन कि, “नै, नै, से केना हैत, अहूँ के बऊआ ऐच्छ पेट में, तऽ आहाँ के मॅन लागल ऐच्छ ऐ खीर लै । अ माए दैत कि नै दैत । जखन ओहिनै बदमाश ऐच्छ हमर माए, तऽ दैत कि नै दैत आहाँ कै खाए लॅ । तऽ आहाँ खा लू से ।” 

He replied, “No, how can I eat alone? There is a child in your womb. That’s why you have a craving for khir. My mother might or might not give you any khir to eat. She is such a wicked woman, she might or might not give you khir to eat. So, you should eat it now.” 

त कहल्खिन, “अच्छा, ठीक छै, तऽ आहाँ हमरा नै एतै छोएड़ दिय । पुरिया बना कॅ एकरा हम राएख देबै कतौ, अ माँ के जखन हम इ जी देखा देबैन, त हम ऐब कॅ फेर ओ खा लेब अपन ।” 

She responded, “Okay, sure, then leave some khir for me. I will pack it and hide it somewhere. After mother checks my tongue and after I have shown my tongue to her, then I will return and eat it.”

तऽ कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।” 

He replied, “Okay, good.”

तऽ ओ घर-बला अपन खा लेल्खिन, अ घर-बाली लॅ एत्तै अपन छोड़ देल्खिन जे खा लैत अपन । 

So, he ate some portion of the meal and he left some for his wife so that she could eat it later. 

उ जे अबैत रहथिन घास भुस्सा लॅ कॅ, त ओही बीच में अपन से राएख लेल्खिन खीर के । 

While she was returning with a stack of hay and grass, she hid khir in the midst of that stack. 

एल्खिन न तऽ एकटा गाछ के ढ़ोढेड़ में उ खीर के पुड़िया राएख देल्खिन, अ कहल्खन कि, “सॉस के जी देखा देबै, तकर बाद हम फेर आएब घास लै लॅ नऽ, त हम अपन उ खा लैब खीर ।” उ बेचारी से चैल ऐल्खे । 

As she neared her home, she hid the packet of khir in the hollow of a tree. She thought, “I will show my tongue to my mother-in-law, then I will come back to collect some grass. At that point, I will eat this khir.” The poor thing left. 

तऽ अपन घर एली, तऽ सॉस कहल्खिन कि, “आहाँ बउआ खा लेलक ?” 

When she entered her home, her mother-in-law asked, “Did my son eat his meal?”

तऽ, “हँ, खा लेलखिन ।” 

She replied, “Yes, he ate it.” 

तऽ, “आहाँ के जी देखू ।” तऽ कहल्खिन ।

Then she commanded her, “Show me your tongue!” She said this.

देखा देल्खिन । तऽ कहल्खिन के, “ऐकर मतलब, नै खेलक यऽ इ हमर बेटा संगे अपन ।” तऽ ओ कहल्के कि जे, “माँ, हम घास लॅ जाऊ ?” हुन्का तऽ जी लतकल रहैन उ खीर पर । 

Her daughter-in-law showed her tongue to her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law thought, “It’s clear that she did not eat with my son.” Then she asked her mother-in-law, “Ma, may I go out to get some grass?” She was afterall craving for the khir. 

तऽ, “माँ, हम घास लॅ जाऊ ?” 

So, she asked, “Ma, may I go out to get some grass?”

तऽ कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै, जाऊ ।” 

She replied, “Okay, go.” 

उ अपन फेर अपन, घर में खाए पी लेलैथ । अपन घास लॅ चैल गेलै । 

She first ate her meal in the house. Then she went out to get some grass. 

दुटा साँप रहै । हँ । 

There were two snakes. See.

ओकर नाम रहै बाल बसंत । दुन्नु के ।

Their names were Bal and Basant. The two of them. 

उ साँप अपन…मने…साँपे के अथि में, से अपन खेलाएत रहै, अपन साँप । 

They were snakes…they were in their den, playing amongst themselves.

छोटे छोटे बच्चा जेकाँ रहै साँप ।

They were like small children, the snakes.

त ओकरा रहै चरबाहबा − महीस के चरबाहबा सब जे होय्य अपन − से सब देखल्के ओए साँप के, तऽ ओकरा पाछु पाछु जाए । 

Then there were some herders – herders who tend cattle and livestock – who saw these snakes. They started chasing the snakes. 

साँप के तऽ लोग जखनै देखैछे, तऽ ओकरा मारै पर तूल जाएछै । ओकरा कोए नै कहैछे, “भगा देही ए साँप के ।” अकसर देखबै लोग साँप कॅ मारै लॅ चाहेछै । हँ । 

When people see snakes, they want to kill them. No one says, “Let us allow the snakes to escape.” People usually want to kill snakes, you see. 

तऽ कहै कि, “एकरा माएर देही, माएर देही ।” 

So they shouted, “Kill them, kill them!” 

अ साँप भागल जाए भागल जाए, भागल जाए । हँ । 

And the snakes were running away, running away, running away, see.

अ ओ सॅ पहिले, उ साँप कि केनै रहै, उ जे देखल्कै, ढ़ोढेड़ में खीर राखल, तऽ ओ खीर खा गेल रहै । 

A while ago, what these snakes had done was that they had seen the khir in the tree’s hollow and eaten it.

साँप दुन्नु बाल बसंत, उ जे साँप रहै, से खा गेलै रहै खीर । 

The two snakes, Bal and Basant, had eaten the khir. 

तऽ ओ जे उघाएर के देखल्खिन घासबाहिनी, त कहल्खिन कि, “जा, केहन मन उकचलक ? के छलैह ? तऽ हम जे इ राएख कॅ आशा जाएन कॅ गेलौं, जे, “खीर आएब तऽ खाएब ।” 

When she, who came out to collect grass, uncovered the hollow, she remarked, “Alas, how desperate my heart was. Who has done this? I had left here with a hope that, “I will come back and eat the khir.” 

तऽ से खा लेलै हमरा । अच्छा कोनो…।”

But someone has eaten it already. Oh well…”

उ संतोषी रहै तऽ औरत, कहल्खिन, “अच्छा, जा हमर इ खीरिया पूरिया खेलै, तकरो नीक हेतै । अ हमरो भगवान नीक करोत । हमरा नै लिखला छलैह उ खाए के, त हमरा मॅन लागले रैह गेल खीर लॅ । नै खेलौं अपन ।” उ फेर घास करै लागल्खिन । 

She was a contented woman. She said, “Okay, whoever ate my khir and puri, may they prosper. May God bless me too. This food was not in my fate, that’s why my craving was not fulfilled. It’s fine that I did not get to eat.” She went back to cutting and collecting grass for her house. 

घास जे करै लगल्खिन, तऽ ओ चरबाहबा सब साँप के जे देखल्कै, पउआ के छोट छोट बच्चा के, ओ सब ओकरा मारै । कहै, “हेय्या छे साँप रो, ओकरा मार रो, मार रो ।” 

While she was collecting grass, those herders — who had seen the snakes that were as big as the feet of a wooden bed — were trying to kill the snakes. They said, “Hey, here are the snakes, kill them, kill them!” 

इ जे घास करैत रहथिन, तऽ इ कहल्खिन, “हैय्य, कथी छै रो, किया हल्ला करै जाएछँ ?” 

While cutting grasses, she asked them, “Hey, what is it? Why are you all causing a commotion?” 

अ तऽ, “देखियो नऽ, से हेय्या साँप छै ।” 

To which they responded, “Look, there are some snakes.” 

त कहल्खिन, “कहाँ छै, कहाँ छै साँप ?” 

She asked again, “Where are they? Where are the snakes?” 

त कहल्के, “हैय्या छै ।” 

They replied, “Here they are.” 

इ कि केल्खिन, ढ़ाकी जे रहैन अपन पथिया, ओ पथिया लै के, साप के, दुन्नु के झाँप देल्खिन, बच्चा दुन्नु के साँप के । 

What she did then was that she took her bamboo basket and covered both snakes with it. She hid both baby snakes underneath the basket. 

तऽ कहल्के, “हेय्य, नै छै साँप । साँप भाएग गेलौ ।” 

Then she said, “Hey, there aren’t any snakes. They slithered off.”

तऽ, “नै, देखै दे, घास जे तू रखनै छै कोएड़ कॅ, तै में देखै दॅ ।” 

They objected, “No, let us see, let us find them in the pile of grass you have collected.”

तऽ कहल्के, “हेय्य, कहै छियै नऽ, नै छै साँप, भाएग गेलै साँप ओम्हर कत्तौ अपन चैल गेलै साँप ।” 

She replied, “Hey, I’m telling you, there are no snakes. Those snakes fled away. They have gone somewhere else.”

उ सब, बच्चा सब, भाएग गेलै । 

They all — those kids — left. 

तखैन नऽ इ दुन्नु अपन साँप निकल्लै । 

Then the two snakes came out. 

तऽ इ हिन्का कहल्कैन कि जे से, “तोँ जे हमरा आए से…हम…मने…हमरा खीर भेटल…हम खीरों खेलौं…आहाँ जे हम्मर जान बचेलोँ हँ, तकर बदला में आहाँ हमरा सॅ किछ मागूँ । हम आहाँ के किछु बरदान देबै चाहेछी । तऽ हम नागराज के ऐना ऐना बेटा छी बाल-बसंत । तऽ आहाँ हमरा सॅ मागूँ ।” 

They said to her, “You have…we…er…we found your khir…we ate your khir…you who has saved our lives. In return of your help, please ask something from us. We want to give you some gifts. We, Bal and Basant, are sons of the king of snakes. So, please ask something from us.”

तऽ कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम की मागूँ आहाँ सॅ ? हमरा तऽ सब चीज ऐच्छै, मने, घर परिबार, सब चीज ऐछै, हमरा नैयहर नै ऐच्छ । 

Then she replied, “What I can ask from you? I have got everything, that is, I have a home and a family. I already have everything. But I don’t have parental home. 

कोई हमरा नेहिरा में ऐच्छै नै, बियाह दान भेल, सासुर एलों, तऽ हमरा के लॅ जैत नैयहर ।

No one from my natal family has survived. I was married and I live in my in-laws’ home. So, no one ever comes from my parents’ to take me to their home. 

हमरा लोग के देखै छियै, बेटी पूतोह नेहिरा जाए छै, तऽ हमरो, बड्ड मन होय्य नेहिरा जाए के । 

Whenever I see daughters and daughter-in-laws in other families who are able to visit their parental homes, I too yearn to return to my parents’ home. 

जे हमरो आए नेयहर रहै, तऽ हमरो भाए बाप कोए लॅ जैत । तऽ आहाँ हमरा भाए बना कॅ जे अपन नेयहर लॅ चलब, तब हम आहाँ…से यैह हमरा बरदान दियऽ, जे आहाँ हमर भाए बनब ।” 

Were I blessed with a parents’ home, my brother and father too would come and take me to my parental home. So, if you would be my brothers and take me to your parents’ home, then I too…this is a favor I want from you, that you become my brothers.” 

तऽतऽ इ कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम तऽ एकरा…मने, आब हमर जान बचैलक हँ तऽ हम केना एकरा कहबै, “नै” “”

Then they thought, “We have…that is…now she has saved our lives, how can we say ‘no’ to her?

तऽ कहल्खिन, “अच्छा, ठीक छै । हम आए जाएछी, कैल हम आएब, तऽ कहब आहाँ के ।” 

So they said, “That’s okay. We will go back to our home today. We will come again tomorrow, and then we will ask you to visit our home.”

तऽ कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।”

She replied, “Okay.”

फेर ओ…अपन…घास भुस्सा केरतै रहथिन, तऽ उ एल्खिन, तऽ कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम तऽ एना एना नाग…नाग के बेटा छी, बाल-बसंत हमर नाम ऐच्छ, तऽ आहाँ कहल्यै जे हमर नेहिरा नै ऐच्छ, तऽ आहाँ नेहिरा बनबै चाहै छी, तऽ चलू, हम आहाँ के अपन बहीन के रूप में आहाँ के हम लॅ चलब अपन ओत्तॅ नागलोक ।” 

Although she…was still stocking the grass for her home, these two snakes returned and spoke to her, “We are such and such the son of Nāg [divine snake]. Our names are Bal and Basant. Since you informed us that you don’t have a parental home, so you should come with us. Be our sister. We will take you to our place in Nāglok [the realm of the Nāg]. 

तऽ कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै, चलूँ ।” 

She replied, “Okay, let us go.”

हुन्का भेलैन, “आब नागलोक केहन होएछै ?”

She wondered, “Now, what kind of place is Nāglok?”

उ तो सो ने बुझल्खिन के बाल बसंत हमरा भाए भेल, अ नागलोक केहन हेतै ।

Although Bal and Basant were her brothers now, she did not know anything about the Nāglok.

उ नै बुझल्खिन जे साँपे हेतै ।

She did not really understand that their Nāglok is full of snakes.

तऽ गेल्खिन, तऽ अपन देखल्खिन नागलोक में सब रहै ।

She nevertheless went there. She saw all who lived in the Nāglok.

तऽ ओ अपन नैय्यहर मे…जेकाँ अपन राखै लागल्खिन हुन्का, कनि दिन उ रहल्खिन नऽ, तऽ माए हुन्का कहल्खिन, नागिन जे रहथिन, बासुकी-नाग अ बासुकी जे रहथिन, तऽ से कि कहल्खिन, “बउआ, से आहाँ नऽ, सऽ साँझ दियो सब दीन कॅ, बेटी पूतोहू साँझ दै छै । तऽ आहाँ, घर सब में साँप [साँझ] दॅ दियो ।” 

While she was in her parental home…they treated her like she was one of their own. Some days went by. Then her mother, Basuki, along with her father, Basuki-Nath, said to her, “O dear child, you should perform the sanjh ritual everyday. This is something that daughters and daughters-in-law usually perform. You too should perform the sanjh ritual in every room.”

तऽ नऽ उ जे बासुकी नाग जे अबथिन नऽ, तऽ ओ जे चौकेट जेना इ होएय्य लकड़ी के, तऽ ओ जे आबथिन नऽ, तऽ उ कि करथिन, छात्र काढ़ के एना कै चौकेठ पर अपन, बैस रहथिन अपन आराम करैलक । 

Whenever Basuki-Nath came back to his home, he would recline on the topmost part of the door that is made of wood. Whenever he would come, what he would do is spread his hood over the top of the doorway. He would rest in this position. 

हुन्का इ बुझबै नै करथिन जे उ नाग के माथा छियै, फनी छियै, से नै बुझथिन । 

However, she did not know that his head and tongue were placed above the doorway.

ओ की करथिन, दीप लेस कॅ, साँझ बत्ती सब जगह घर सब में देखा कॅ, अ ओ नऽ ओ पर दीप जड़ा देथिन अ नाग के माथा पर । नाग के माथा पर के हुन्कर चाएन जड़ल जाए । 

While performing the ritual of sanjh, she would light the candle, carry it to different rooms in the house, and finally place it on Basuki-Nath’s head that was spread over the doorway. This candle would singe his hood.  

तऽ नाग कहथिन कि, ओ बासुकी नाथ कहथिन कि अपन नागिन के, “देख्यौ, इ बउआ ककड़ा न ककड़ा लॅ आएलयऽ, इ सब दिन कॅ हमरा की करैय, तऽ उ दीप जड़ा देय्यऽ चाएन पर कॅ । 

Then the Nāg, that is, Basuki-Nath complained to his wife, “Look, I am not sure whom our dear son has brought here. But what she does every day is that she leaves the candle on my head and burns my hood. 

त हमर चाएन, मने, जड़ल जाय्य । 

My hood is burning more and more everyday. 

त एकरा हम डैस लेबै । हँ । 

I will indeed bite her.”

तऽ ओ घरबाली कहल्खिन कि, “नै, नै, आ हा, नै डस्यौ, से आहाँ के बेटा एकरा बहीन बना के आनल्कै । 

To which his wife responded, “No, no, oh no, don’t bite her! Your sons have accepted her as their sister and brought her home. 

एकरा नेहिरा नै छै, तैं बहीन बना कॅ आनल्केयऽ । 

This is now her parental home, that’s why they have brought her here.

तऽ आहाँ एकरा नै डस्यो एत्त । 

So you must not bite her here. 

इ जे अपन गाम जेत्तै, तऽ आहाँ के जे करै के हैत, से एकरा करबै । 

When she returns to her in-laws, then you can follow her there and bite her. 

लेकिन एत्तै ने करियो । लोक की कहत जे नेहिरा गेलै तऽ बहीन मएर गेलै । 

But you should not do it here. What would people say? That she visited her parental home and died there? 

आहाँ बेटे के कलंक लागे, से आहाँ छोएड़ दियो एकरा ।” 

They will blame your sons. So, you should let her go now.” 

तऽ कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै । नै, डसबै ।” 

He agreed, “Okay, I will not bite her.” 

नै डसल्खिन । लेकिन कहथिन कि, “देख्यौ, सब दिन के हमरा चाएन जड़ा दैय्य ।” 

He did not bite her. But he railed, “Look, she burns my hood everyday.” 

लेकिन ओ ओकरो केना समझैबतऽथिन जे, “ऐय पर बउआ आहाँ नै रखबै ।” 

But how could they explain their situation to her? How could they tell her, “O dear child, please don’t place the candle here”? 

त भेद खुइल जैइतै जे इ सब साँप के छीयै । 

If they were to do so, their secret—their original identity—would be revealed. 

तऽ, नै कहल्खिन । 

So, they did not say anything to her. 

इ जखन नेहिरा आबै लागैल्खिन अपन सब चीज, धन सम्पैत, माए देल्खिन, जेना बेटी के बिदागरी करैयऽ, तेना बिदा कऽ देल्खिन, बाल बसंता संगै एल्खिन । 

When she was about to return to her in-laws’ home, the Nāg family sent her off in the same way that parents bid farewell to their married daughters. They gave her many gifts. Her mother gave her ornaments. They performed the ritual of farewell, bidagari. Bal and Basant brought her to her in-laws’ place. 

तऽ माए हिन्का नै फकड़ा एकटा से सिखा देल्खिन, येह साँप के । हँ ।

Before she left for her in-laws, her mother taught her an incantation that snakes recite. See. 

“दीप दीपहाएरा जा तू धारै,

नाग बढ़त नागिन बढ़त,

पाँच बहीन बिषहाएरा बढ़त,

बाल बसंता भेय्या भोजी,

बासुकी राजा बाप बढ़त,

बासुकाइन माय बढ़त,

डाढ़ी खोढ़ी मौसी बढ़त

…आसाबरी पीसी बढ़त ।

साँझे सब दे…साँझा सब देह सुती,

राही सब देह सुती,

साँझा सब देह उती ।

होएत प्रात सोना कटोरा में दूध भात खाए,

पटोर पेढ़ी, कचोड़ रोढ़ी ।

ब्रह्मा के देल कोदार,

बिष्णु के छाटल बाट,

भाग भाग रे कीड़ा मकोड़ा,

एहि बाटे ईश्वर महादेब,

पड़ै गरूर के ठाड़ ।”

As long as you let the candles and candle-bearers thrive,

may Nāg thrive, may Nāgin thrive,

may five poisonous sisters thrive,

may brothers, Bal and Basant, and their wives thrive,

may the King Basuki thrive,

may the mother Basukayin thrive,

may grandmothers and maternal aunts thrive

may paternal aunts thrive.

may everyone…fully dressed in cotton, perform the evening rituals,

may travelers dress in cotton clothes,

may their bodies perform the evening rituals,

in the morning, may they eat rice and milk; served in a golden bowl,

sweets made of pator, breads made of rodha,

a spade gifted by Brahma,

a balance chosen by Vishnu.

Get away, get away, hey you insects and worms,

for the Lord Mahadeva will enter through this path

the seat of Garuda eagle too will be set.

“तऽ इ आहाँ सब दिन सुइन लेब । सुतऽ काल में । तऽ आहाँ के से कोनो चीज…मतलब कीड़ा-मकोड़ा नै काटत आहाँ के।”

“So, you should chant or listen to this everyday, around bedtime. If you do this, then you will have no problems…that is, no insects or worms or the like will bother you.

तऽ इ बेचारी अपन सब दिन सुइन लेलक ।

This poor woman used to listen to this incantation everyday.

कहलक, “माए सिखा देलकयऽ ।

She thought, “My mother has taught me this.

अपन नीकै बात छीयै ।

This is a good thing.

तऽ हम अपन सुइन लै छीयै ।”

Let me listen to this.”

जखन हीन्का बच्चा भेलैन, तऽ इ सोइढ़ी में रहथिन ।

When she was about to deliver her baby, she was moved to a delivery room.

मने, बेटा भेलैन, तऽ सोइढी में रहथिन । तऽ सोइढ़ी में रहथिन, तऽ इ तय्यो अपन खिस्सा सुन्थिन ।

She gave birth to a son while she was in the delivery room. Even though she was in the delivery room, she used to listen to the incantation regularly.

अ उ बासुकीनाथ जे रहथिन, उ जे कहनै रहथिन, जे, “आहाँ अपन नेहिरा जैय्थिन तऽ आहाँ एकरा डैस लेबै, चाहे जे करै के हैत, से करबै ।”

Basuki Nath, who followed her, had resolved, “When she leaves her parental home, then I will bite her. I will do anything and everything to bite her.”

तऽ कह…इ सब दिन आबथिन एकरा औइठमाँ आसपास एकर घर के नजदीक जे, “इ हमर चाएन जड़ा देनै ऐच्छ, त एकरा तऽ…।”

So, he would come to her in-laws’ home every day. He used to linger around her house every day, “She has burnt my hood, I will not spare her…”

बदला के भावना भेलै…जे हम एकरा बदला लेबै करबै, एकरा हम डैस लेबै ।”

…this will be my revenge…I have to take my revenge, I will bite her.”

त कहथिन कि जे अपन, इ तऽ सब दिन सुन्थिन जे, “इ त हमरे सभक दोहा इ करैय, मने, हमरे सबके बढ़बैय्य सब चीज, बाल-बसंता भईया बढ़ै ।

Then, after talking to himself in this way, he would listen to her incantation. He noticed, “She is chanting our incantation. She is praying for our well-being and affluence. She is praying for the prosperity of Bal and Basant.

बासुकी राजा बाप बढ़ै । 

She is praying for the well-being of her father and King Basuki.

तऽ हमरे सबके सब चीज पाइन बढ़बैय ।

She is praying for our prosperity.

तऽ एकरा हम केना डसबै ?

How can I bite her?

तऽ ठीक, कीछु नै, एकरा जब बच्चा हेतै नऽ, सोइढ़ी में इ रहत, तखैन तऽ इ नै सुनत, त तखैन हम डैस लेब ।”

So okay.. When she gives birth to her child, that is, when she is in her delivery room, then she will not be able to recite our incantation. Then I will bite her.”

सोइढ़ियो में सब दिन इ अपन सुन्थिन, अपन उ खिस्सा, छबो दिन । छठियारो भेलै, तय्यौ अपन सब दिन सुइन कॅ अपन इ कि करथिन ।

But even when she was in her delivery room, she recited her incantation. Even when the sixth-day ceremony of the newborn child took place, she chanted the incantation. 

[− सोइढ़ी की भेलै ?]

What is “soidhi”? 

सोइढ़ी-घर, मने, छह दिन जे बच्चा होएछे नऽ, तऽ लोक ओए सॅ निकलै नै छै, जेना घर सॅ । परसौती जेकरा कहैछे । 

“Soidhi-ghar refers to the delivery room where a mother gives birth to her child and where she has to stay for several days. It is also called “parsauti”.

छठियार में नै किछु छूए छै । 

Until the sixth-day ceremony of her newborn child, the mother is not allowed to touch anything. 

तऽ उ ओहो में मने, सुन्थिन, ओ अपन, खिस्सा अपन, केह कऽ तब सुत्थिन अपन, भगवान के नाम लॅ कॅ । 

So, he heard her recite the incantation in the delivery room as well. She would chant the incantation and pray to God before going to bed. 

तऽ कहल्खिन, “ओह, देखियो, इ जनानी सब दिन हमरे…एकरा हम केना डस्यै ? 

Then he said to himself, “Ah, this woman prays for us everyday…and I am looking for ways to bite her.

अ नै डसबै, त हमरा, मने, आक्रोश ऐच्छ एकरा प्रति से केना, मने, ई हैत ?” 

No, I shouldn’t bite her. How can I harbor resentment against her? 

तऽ, “नै, एकरा नै डसक चाही से एकरा एहन कोनो काज कॅ दिये जे सब दिन सुखी सम्पन्न रेहै ।” 

Then he decided, “No, I must not bite her. Instead, I should do something for her so that she lives a fulfilling and prosperous life ahead.” 

तो ओ कि जाए लागल्खिन नऽ तऽ कि केल्खिन अपन हुन्का कंगूरिया अंगुरी में अमृत रहैन, उ छीँठ देल्खिन हिन्का घर के आसपास । 

Before returning to his home, he slit his little finger that contained the nectar of immortality. He sprinkled the nectar around her house.

अ धन । 

And he gave her wealth.

अ कहल्खिन कि, “एकरा एतै लक्ष्मी भौ जैत, इ हमर सब दिन दुहाए केलक यऽ, हमर सभक बढ़ैबा के लॅ कॅ पाएल के, तऽ आ अपन कि कहैछै जे भाए बहिन बनैलक हमर बेटा के ।” 

And he said, “She will be blessed with much wealth. She has prayed for our wellbeing and affluence ever since my sons have accepted her as their sister.” 

तऽ ओए दिन कि केल्खिन नाँगेड़ जे रहैन बासुकी नाथ के, से अपन, तीन बेर ओइठमाँ अपन अथि कॅ देलके, मने, पटैक देलखिन आ अपन चैल गेल्खिन अपन ओइठमाँ से । 

What he did next was that he slammed his tail three times near her house, and he left for his home. 

तऽ हीन्का बहुत धन सम्पत्त भौ गेलैन हुन्का ओए जनानी कॅ ।  

That woman soon became wealthy.