Shepherd’s Three Wives and the Wicked Barber / भेड़हर के तीन टा कनियाँ

March 2, 2017: Session 3
Maithili Folklore Story 17_03_02_03

Documented by Coralynn V. Davis and Carlos Gomez
Transcription by Nidhi Anand and Translation by Neeraj Kumar
Translation edits by Coralynn V. Davis

Teller: Arhulia Devi
Location: Patwara, Rajanagar
Date: 03/02/17

View the transcription in Maithili.

एकटा भेड़हर रहै। ऊ अपनो भेड़ि चराबय आ लोकोकेँ भेड़ि चराबय। भेड़ जे होइत छै भेड़, भेड़ चराबय, चराबय।

There once was a shepherd. He would herd his own as well as others’ sheep. The sheep, you know. So he would herd the sheep.

ओकरा एकेटा माय रहै, बेटा रहै, दूइए माय पुते रहै। 

He had only his mother. He was the son. They were only mother and son.

तँ अपनो भेड़ चराबय आ टोलो परसँ लोककेँ बादमे लऽ कऽ रहै सुतल पड़ल चरबैत रहै। 

He would herd his own and others’ sheep from his locality, later, in between sleeping and resting.

राजा शिकार खेलैत रहथिन। शिकार खेलैत रहथिन तँ एकटा नाग उगलय, जागि नय जाय छै शिकारमे पिटय छै बोन झाकुरकेँ तऽ नाग जगलय। 

A king was hunting there. While he was hunting, a cobra appeared. (You know, a cobra would often awaken and emerge from their nest, which is usually hidden under wood and shrubs; so the cobra came out.)

ओइ नागकेँ कि ने राजा रेबारलक, और लोक सब जे राजा संगहि रहय से रेबारलकय।

The king and the people who accompanied him made the cobra slither away.

नाग जाइत जाइत ओ भेड़हरबाकेँ कम्बल जे बिछौने रहय कम्बलमे घुसि गेल।

Slithering and slithering, the cobra snuck under a quilt laid out there by the shepherd.

उ भेड़हर कानऽ लागल। कहलकय तू कानऽ नहि, हमरा नुका धरऽ यदि ई सब चलि जेतय तऽ तू कहियक  नै आ तब तू जे माँगबऽ से हम देबऽ हमरा नुका द लै कने, बचा दै। 

That shepherd started crying. The cobra said, “Hey, don’t cry. Hide me here. And don’t tell them when they are leaving. Whatever you ask from me, I will give it. Hide me for a bit; save me.”

ओइ कम्बल तरमे घुसकि गेल आ एना कऽ धऽ आ बैठि रहल , कम्बलसँ हटि कऽ, ओकरा डर होय साँपकेँ, बैठि रहल। 

It snuck inside the quilt and remained there. And he sat at a short distance from the quilt, fearing the snake. He sat there.

कहलकय कि जे यै अथी, रे, रे, रे, इधर साँप गेलय है, देखली है, देखली है ,देखली है बड़का नाग गेलय दौड़ल।

They asked him, “Hey, did you see the snake slithering by here? Have you seen it, have you seen it, have you seen it?  A huge cobra has come this way.”

कहलकय सरकार नै देखलिए हम सूतल छलिए यै,नै देखलिए । भेड़ि बड हेरान करय यै।  ओम्हर चलि गेलिए, नै देखलिए, कि जाने गेलिए। 

He said, “No, sir. I was sleeping. I didn’t see it. The sheep caus a lot of trouble. I had gone over there. I didn’t see it. I don’t know.”

लोक सब ताकि हारि कऽ चलि गेल। चलि गेल, तँ कहलकय रौ चलि गेलय। 

Having failed in their search, the people left. They departed. The cobra asked, “Hey, did they leave?”

हँ सरकार चलि गेलय।

“Yes, sir. They left.”

कहलकय तू माँग जे मंगबैं से। 

The cobra then offered, “Ask for what you want.”

कहलकय सरकार हम कि माँगब। हमरा कनियाँ नै अछि। कोई नै बियाह करै यै किछो नै अछि। माय अछि रोटी पका कऽ दइ यै। माय जरिया मरि जैत तहिया कोई नै से हमरा कनियाँ दियऽ। कनियाँ देब अहाँ?

He said, “Sir, what should I ask for? I don’t have a wife. Nobody has married me, I have no one. I have a mother who makes bread for me. If mother dies, then I have no one. So please bring me a wife. Will you provide me with a wife?”

कहलकय हँ देबौ। किछ कहलियौ नै, जे मंगबैं से देबौ। कै गो कनियाँ लेबैं? 

The cobra said, “Yes, I will provide. I told you whatever you ask for I will give you. How many wives you want?”

तो हमरा तीन गो कनियाँ चाही। 

“I wish to have three wives.”

कि करभी तीन गो कनियाँ?

“What would you do with three wives?” 

एगो हमरा संगहि रहत। एगो हमरा माय संगहि रहतय। एगो भनसा भात करतय। तीन टा कनियाँ हमरा। 

“One will live with me. Another will live with my mother. And one will cook meals. I (need) three wives.”

तऽ कहलकय कि तऽ अच्छा भऽ जेतौ। तऽ सत कहियय तऽ सत नाग नागिनकेँ दैल छी तऽ इंद्रासनकेँ परीव तीन गो आबि जैत। 

The cobra said, “Fine. you will get them.” (So to tell you the truth, when given by the cobra and his wife, the three would come from Indrasan [ abode of Lord Indra].)

ओ इंद्रासनकेँ परीव आबि गेलय। 

They arrived at Indrasan.

आब ओ इंद्रा कहलकय, ले तीनू कनियाँ आ जो। आ कहलकय जे अहाँ सब ई भनसा भात सब किछ करतौ जे कहबी से सब किछ करतौ जे तू नै जनैत हेबी से ई जनै छै जो। 

Now Indra told him, “Take three wives and leave. They will cook meals and do everything. Whatever you  ask them to do they will, and whatever you don’t know they will know.”

कहलकय जाऊ अहूँ हमर वचन निमाहब, रहबय। ई बर भेल अहाँकेँ, मृत्यु भुवनमे जाऊ। 

He said to them, “Go, and fulfill your promise; stay there. He is your husband. Go to the mortal world now.”

ई आयल। आयल जे गाम पर तऽ लोक सब ओकरा मायकेँ कहय गै कहय छलय हमर बेटाकेँ बियाह नै हैत आ तीन टा मौगी नेने चलि अबय यै। तीन गो कनियाँ हौ तोरा बेटाकेँ। 

He returned home. As he reached his village, people told his mother, “Hey, you used to say, ‘My son won’t be able to get married,’ but here he comes with three women. Your son has three wives.”

हय के हमरा बेटाकेँ…

What? Who has married my son?…”

गय बड सुन्दर, लोक सब भजरल आबय। 

“Hey, they are very beautiful…” People flocked there.

ई आयल अंगना ढूकि गेल। माय देखलकय, ठीके बौआ ई के सब छै? 

He came and entered his home. His mother saw. OK.  “Son, who are they all?”

तऽ पुतोहू छियौ माय परिछन कर ने। चारुकेँ अरिछन, तीन टा तऽ कनिये रहय।

“Mother, they are your daughters-in-law. Perform.¹” Parichhan was performed on all four. On the three wives themselves.

चारुकेँ अरिछन परिछन कऽ कऽ अरिपन पुरहर चाक चुक देलक, आइ माइ आयल गीतहारि, गीत-नाद गौलक उमौन  चुमौन केलक।

Parichhan was performed for all four of them. The ritual auspicious aripan painting² was made on the ground, earthen purhar-pati bowls of various shapes made during marriages³ were decorated. Old and young ladies and mothers came, sang songs, and performed the chumaun⁴ blessing for them.

आब हजमा औतय लहछू करय लै। हजमोकेँ कहलक। हजमा आयल। हजमा जे एना कऽ लहछू करय लगलय, घोघ तरसँ जे हाथ निकाललकय से अंगुरी जे देखलकय से हजमाकेँ दाँति लागि गेलय, सुंदरताई पर जे एतेक सुन्दर एकर अंगुरी छै, एकर मुँह केहन हेतय? 

Now the barber will come for the lahchhu nail-touching ritual⁵. They told the barber, as well. The barber came. As he began to touch the fingernails, having pulled her hand out, seeing her fingers, the barber’s jaw locked. His jaw locked upon seeing the beauty. “Whose fingers can be so beautiful, what must her face itself look like?”

लोक सब दाँति छोड़ेलक हजमाकेँ। लहछू कि करत हजमा। दाँति ताँति छोड़ेलक पानि तानि पियौलक। हजमाकेँ पानि तानि झोंकलक ।

People then helped release the locked jaw of the barber. How could the barber do the nail-touch ritual now? Huh! His locked jaw was released by people, who made him drink some water. Water was sprinkled on him.

हजमा ओतऽ सँ भागि गेल राजा ओई ठाम। ओई गाममे जे राजा रहय ततऽ।

The barber ran away from there to the king’s place. To the place where the king was in that village.

कहलकय रौ सुनय छियय फलना भेड़हर  कहाँ दन बियाह कऽ कऽ लेलकय। 

“Hey, I hear that that shepherd has perhaps gotten married.” 

सरकार कि कहू सैह कहय लै तऽ हम एलौं हैं। हमरा तऽ दाँति पर दाँति लागि गेल छलै कि कहू सरकार। 

“Sir, what can I say? I have come to tell you that very thing. My jaw became locked in the process. How can I explain this to you, sir?”

राजा के रहैन सात गो रानी। अहाँकेँ सात गो रानी के, भेड़हरवा घरवाली के जे तरवामे सूरैत अछि से अहाँ सातों रानी के जी ओमे नै सूरैत हैत। तत्ते सुन्दर छै सरकार कि कहू। 

The king had seven queens. “Even your seven queens’ faces don’t have the glow that the shepherd’s wife’s soul has. It’s that beautiful, sir. How to explain?”

बुद्धि हमर आ बल सरकार के, आ दू सरकार आ ई एक हम। 

“My idea and the King’s power; and two for the king, and one for myself.”

बुझलिए ने? कि बुझलिए ? 

Did you understand or not? Did you get it?

दू टा कनियाँ अहाँ लेब। बुद्धि रचि दै छी हम आ बल तऽ अहाँकेँ रहत, जोड़गरी तऽ अहाँ ने देखेबय ओकरासँ छीनबय। 

“You will take two wives. I am the mastermind, and the power rests with you. The might will be shown by you; no, we will snatch them from him.”

तऽ कहलकय सरकार बुद्धि हमर बल अहाँकेँ, आ दू सरकार एक हम। अहाँ दू टा कनियाँ लेब एगो हम लेब। 

Then he said, “Sir, the idea is my own, while the power rests with you. And two for the king, one for me. You will take two wives and I will have one.”

कहलकय जे केना हेतय? 

He replied, “How can this transpire?”

कहलकय हेतय नै सरकार एक रत्तीमे हेतय।  

“It will happen, sir; it will happen in a bit.”

भेड़हरवा के कहियौ कि एक बीघामे जोता दियौ आ एक सेर सरसों छिटा दियौ। 

“Tell the shepherd to plow a bigha⁶ of land and have a kilo of mustard seed spread in it.”

आ ओकरा कहियौ ओइमे सँ बिछ कऽ एक सेर सरसों लाओत। कतौ बाहटसँ नै ओइजांग बिछ कऽ लाबय लै सरसों आ जोखबय आ घटतय यदि तऽ लऽ लेबय कनियाँ।

“And tell him to pick up and bring one kilo of that mustard seed. Wherever he gets that from… and I will measure the weight. If less, then I will take his wife.”

कहलकय राजा हाँ ठीक। ई बात तऽ ठीके सरसों तऽ ओइमे सँ बिछले नै हेतय ढेलामे सँ। कियो किछ करय यै तऽ सरसों तऽ नै बिछल हेतय। 

The king said, “Yes, right. That’s fine. He won’t be able to pick the mustard seed from the lumps of plowed soil. Whatever someone is able to do, they wouldn’t be able to gather mustard seeds from there.”

ओ कनियो दूरमे जे धऽ देतय तैयो नै बिछल हेतय सबटा। एहनो चिक्कनमे जे छिट दियौ तऽ बूझाइयै ओहो पूरा नै भऽ सकय। 

Even if it is thrown nearby, he won’t be able to gather it all. Even if sprinkled on this smooth surface, then it seems like he wouldn’t be able to finish gathering it up in time.

कि केलक तऽ एक बीघा खेत के जोति देलक। एक बीघा के बीस कठ्ठा के कहय छै एक बीघा, जोति देलक आ ओइमे सरसों छिट देलक। 

So what he did was that he plowed one bigha of land. One bigha is equivalent to 20 katthas, so he plowed it and sprinkled it with mustard seed. 

कहलकय रे भेड़हरवा  ओ भरि रातिमे तोरा बिछ के लाबय के छौ। दिनमे नै भरि रातिमे तोरा बिछ के लाबय के छौ। 

“Hey, shepherd, you have to gather that in the course of a single night and bring it. Not during the day, during the whole night you have to gather and bring it.”

कनियाँ लग गेल कानऽ लागल जे कनियाँ देलक आ नै अनबैं तऽ तीनू कनियाँ के लऽ लेबौ आ तोरा खाल खींच कऽ भूसा भरि देबौ आ सिंह द्वारि पर टांगि देबौ। कानत रहै। 

He went to his wife and began crying, saying that he was bestowed a wife, “and now if I don’t bring the mustard seed, the king will take back all three wives, and will stuff my hide, skinned from my body, and will hang it from the giant entry gate at the king’s palace⁷.”  He was crying.

पूछलकय जे कि भेल अहाँ कियै कानय छी? 

The wives asked, “Why are you crying?”

तऽ हम जे कनय छी से एना एना बात। 

“Such and such a thing has happened, so I am crying.”

अहि लै, अहाँ खाउ पीयू सुतू।

“Just for that?! Eat, drink and go to sleep.”

तत्ते चिड़ैय चटक इंद्रासन सन सन मतलब तत्ते चिड़ैय कि मतलब गोट गोट कऽ बिछ कऽ… दुनू प्राणी बिछय लै, तीनू प्राणी बिछय लै ओइमे गेल रहै लोकक देखावटी आ सबटा बिछ कऽ दऽ देलकय।

“So many birds as exist in the abode of  Lord Indra, the many birds there… what I mean is that each and every grain was picked… Both of them went to pick, three of them had gone there to pick, just to give the impression that they were actually picking, and all was picked out and delivered.”

राजा देखलक। कहलकय रौ तऽ आब केना हेतौ? 

The king saw this and said, “Hey, now how is this possible?”

कहलकय सरकार आब केना हेतय? भरिए रातिमे कहियौ पोखरि कोरा देत। खूँटा खूटेस दियौ आ एते दूरमे कहियौ पोखरि कोरा देत। फूल फुलवारी बाग बगीचा लगा देत। कमल फुलाइत, हंस ओइमे कुहकैत, हेतय, केदली के फूल गोलछथि, हेतय। 

“Sir, how can this be possible now? Tell him that he should dig an entire pond in just a single night. Give him a pail and such and tell him to dig the pond this big. He should also create a garden with flowers, with lotus plants in it, swans calling, and water hyacinth flowers floating in it.”

कहलकय कि जे, हँ रे ठीके नै हेतय। 

“Hey, yes, so it will be, right.” 

फेर केलक। तत्ते दांति दतिनकेँ कनियाँकेँ कहऽ आयल। फेर कानऽ लागल। फेर कनियाँ कहलकय  नै कानु अहाँ। 

He did it again. He came to tell his wife. Again, he started crying. The wife told him, “Don’t cry.”

ऊ सब दांति दतिनकेँ  मतलब सबटा इनार पोखरिकेँ कोरा कऽ घाटकेँ सरिया कऽ चिक्कन कऽ कऽ, वैहे सब तत्ते तरह तरहकेँ फूल नेने एलय। रातिमे रोपि कऽ , दू टा हंस आनिकेँ ओइ पानिमे धऽ देलक। कमल आनिकेँ धऽ देलक।  …एकदम सबटा चाह चाह चाह चाह।

They…, meaning that he dug all the wells and ponds, leveled and arranged the side plains. They brought a variety of flowers, planting them in the night. They brought two swans and left them in the water, bringing the lotus there. … Wow, wow, wow, wow!

कहलकय, यै फूल के कहय छै कि बैरसी के केदली फूल, से फूल केना हेतय ? 

“This very flower is called water hyacinth flower, so how will this flower be procured?”

कहलकय हमर सखी सब नहायत हेतय नदीमे आ नूआकेँ मोटा खोलि खोलि राखि देने हेतय आ नंगटे नहायत हेतय। अहाँ जाऊ आ नूआ हसोइत कऽ लऽ लेब आ ऊ सब जे अहाँकेँ हल्ला करत अहाँ भागल चलि आएब घूरि कऽ नै ताकब।

“My friends have been taking baths in the river, have put aside their unwrapped sarees and have been bathing in the nude. Go and snatch their sarees, and when they shout, come back running without looking back.”

ऊ सब तत्ते हँसत अहाँकेँ देखि कऽ जे फूल बरिस कऽ ढेरी भऽ जैत। 

“They will laugh so hard upon seeing you that the flowers will be showered to form a great quantity.” 

गेल जे की नै तऽ इ तऽ फलनीकेँ बर छै, फलनीकेँ बर छियय। एक देखलक, दू देखलक। इ कि केलक एनी ओनी तकलक सबटा नूआ हसोइत कऽ भागल। 

When he went there, they started saying, “Hey, he is this particular woman’s husband, that particular woman’s husband.” He saw one, and then saw another. And what he did was he grabbed all of the sarees and took off with them.

यौ यौ पाहुन, यौ पाहुन यौ कपड़ा दिय ने, यौ कपड़ा दिय ने। 

“Hello, hello dear guest, hello dear guest, please give back our clothes, hey there, please give back my clothes!”

उ पानिमे तत्ते ओकरा ओ नोचै, ओकरा ओ नोचै। तत्ते हँसै तत्ते हँसै जे एतऽ फूलकेँ केदली बरिस… सखी सब। ओतऽ जे हँसल इंद्रासन सबटा फूल झरि कऽ एतऽ ढेरी भऽ गेलय। 

In that water, one would tease another, and they laughed so much that water hyacinth flowers began shedding… all friends. There, as the Indrasan laughed, the flowers shed and formed a great quantity.

आब राजा कहलकय, आब कि हेतय रौ? आब केना? कनियाँ नै भेलौ। भोरे देखलक तऽ सब चीज सजल। गामक लोक देखलकय। 

Now the king said, “Hey, what will happen next?” How, now? He didn’t have a wife.” In the morning, they saw, everything was arranged. The villagers saw it.

कहलकय अजीब सना भेड़हरबा करैत छै। लोकोकेँ आँखि पर गड़ल रहय। 

The shepherd was acting strange. He was hitting people’s eyes.

तकर बाद कि केलक कहलकय सरकार अहाँकेँ माय बाप नय ने अछि, मरि गेल अछि। कहियौ ओतय जा कऽ भेट को अबय लै। ओतऽ तो नै कैल हेतय आ आयल हेतय। 

What the barber did afterward was that he told the king, “Sir, your parents are no longer living; they have died.” He asked the shepherd to meet with them and return. He won’t be able to go there or come back.”

कहलकय ठीक कहय छैं। 

“You are right.”

कहलकय रौ भेड़हरबा इमहर आ, बजौलकय। 

“Hey, shepherd. Come here,” the king called him.

कि कहय छी सरकार? 

“What are you saying, sir?” 

रौ हमर माय बाप मरि गेल अछि, कनी जो देख आही।

“Hey, my parents have died. Go to meet them and return.”

फेर ओतऽ सँ कनैत ई आयल। कनियाँ कहलकय कि भेल तऽ एना एना कहलक अइ बेर तऽ गेले छी। केना हम जाऊ ओकरा माय बाप,कतऽ भेटतय ओकरा माय बाप। 

Again, he came from there crying. His wife asked, “What has happened?” to which he replied, “This time I am doomed. How can I visit his parents, where would they be found?” 

कहलकय अहाँ जाऊ, कहबय हमरा तीन गो कनियाँ अछि। दस मन दाना दै लै चाउर दालि। हमर कनियाँ खैत कथी सरकार हम चलि जैब तऽ। जाऊ मांगि लियऽ गऽ। हमर कनियाँ खैत, माय खैत जाऊ।

She said, “Go and tell him, ‘I have three wives.’ Ask for 10 mon⁸ of grain, rice and pulse. ‘What would my wife eat if I myself were to go, sir?’ So please go and make the request. ‘My wife will need to eat, mother will need to eat.’ Please go.”      

कहलकय सरकार हमरा अन्न पानि दियऽ। हम तऽ चलि जैब। हमर  माय आ कनियाँ कथी खैत? 

He said, “Sir, please give me grain and all. I would go. But  then what would my mother and wife eat?”

कहलकय हँ देबौ। सब किछु देलकय राजा। 

The King said, “Fine, I will give it.” The king gave him all that.

कहलकय कनियाँ बना बना दियऽ लगलय खाइ लै घरमे आ घरमे कहलकय अहाँ सुतल रहू। घरेमे बाहर भीतर करै आ ऊ कनियाँ सब घरेमे माय ओ तऽ तेहने रहै बेकल ओकरा घरेमे से कतौ लोककेँ निकलऽ नै दय। 

The wife began providing him cooked meals and told him to keep sleeping inside the house. He would keep to his house limits, in and out. And his wives at home, even his mother, who was so impatient, would not let people go out. 

आ कहलकय कि जे, हय भेड़हरबा कतऽ गेलौ? बेटा कतऽ गेलौ बुढ़िया? राजा भेजलखिन हँ अपना माय बापकेँ देखय लै। माय बापकेँ कतऽ देखतय यै?

He asked, “Hey, where has the shepherd gone? Where has your son gone, old lady?” “The king has sent him to visit his parents.” “Where could he possibly find them?”

कि जाने गेलिए बाबू कतऽ गेलय। माय कानऽ लगलय। घरमे रखने, एते टटा ढ़ाढ़ी, यैह यैह मोंछ, यैह यैह नौह उंगरी सब भऽ गेलय। 

“How would I know, sir, where has he gone?” His mother began crying. He stayed in the house. His beard this long, his mustache this big, his fingernails this long. All this happened.

जब तीन महीना पूरलय तँ कहल राजा से कहलकय रौ आब तँ तीन महीना…

After three months had passed, the king asked, “Hey, now three months…”

तीन महीना कहि देबय जे हम तीन महीनामे जेबय। तीन महीना जे पूरलय तँ ओहि हजमाकेँ पठौलकय, 

“Tell him I will visit in three months.” Since three months had already passed, the king had sent that barber. 

रे फलना छी रौ? एलही रौ? 

“Hey, you there? Have you come back?”  

घरसँ बाहर भेलय हँ हँ एलियय एलियय।

He came out from the house, “Yes, yes, I have arrived, I have returned.”

कनियाँ कहलकय बाहर रहू ने अहाँ कहबय अखने एलय है। आ ऊ कनिये सिखा देलकय जे अहाँ ई बात सब कहबय से कनियाँ सिखा देलकय।  

His wife said, “Stay outside, tell him that you have just now arrived.” And his wife only instructed him to say that much.

कहलकय कि यौ राजा साहेब बजबय छौ चलही ने, गेल। 

The barber said, “Hey, the king is calling for you, so come.” Off he went.

रौ बड़ी बड़ी नौह छौ। 

“Hey, your fingernails have become very long.”

हँ सरकार कि कहू,  एलियय तँ अखने तुरंते सरकार अबिते छी, खेबो नै केलियय किछ। 

“Yes, sir, what to say? I have only just returned, sir. I haven’t even eaten anything yet.”

तँ कह हमरा माय बापकेँ भेट भेलखुन? 

“So tell me, did you find my parents?”

बड आनंदीमे छथिन्ह अहाँकेँ माय बाबू। देखय छियय हमर देह दशा कते नीक,  खाय लै तऽ कोनो चीजकेँ कमी नै। खाली हजमाकेँ तकलीफ सरकार। हमर तऽ नौह कि देखय छी आ हमर ई ढ़ाढ़ी आ झोंटा, भेल तो अछि अहाँ माय बापकेँ। कनैत छलाह जे कनी हजामकेँ हमरा बेटाकेँ कहियैं पठा दय लै, देखय छैं हमर दशा, हजामकेँ पठा दय लै। से सरकार हजामकेँ कहलैन हैं पठा दय लै आर कोनो चीजकेँ कमी नै छैन। बड नीक, खूब खाय लै दय छलीह देखय छी देह दशा।

“Your parents are doing very well. You see my health and physique have become so good; I had no dearth of things to eat. Only the barber was not there, sir. Forget about my own nails, this beard, and my hair; this is much more of an issue in the case of your parents. They were crying, ‘Tell my son to send a barber.’ Don’t you see our condition? ‘So ask him to send the barber.’ So, sir, they have asked you to send the barber, and they don’t lack for anything. Very well, they gave me a great deal to eat, you see how good my health is.”

राजा कहलकय, हजमा तोरा जायकेँ छौ। 

The king said, “Barber, you must go.”

राजा सब तऽ बुड़बक रहय पहिले। 

The kings were all stupid back then.

तोरा जायकेँ छौ। 

“You must go.”

आब ई आयल कहय लै भेड़हरकेँ जे केना के गेलही। 

Now he came to ask the shepherd, “How did you get there?”

कहलकय धुर्र बुड़बक केना के गेलियय। जड़ना किन ला आ तरमे जड़ना थोड़े दऽ दही आ ओइ परमे तरमे कही खूब कऽ मटिया तेल पटा देतय आ तइ परमे तू सुति रही आ ऊपरसँ कही लकड़ी फेर तोरा बोझि देतौ कनियाँ, धिया पुता आ तइ परसँ फेर किरासन चारि भागि छिट दियहि। घी होइ तँ थोड़े घी धऽ दियहि, आगि लगा दय लै कहियहि। आगि जे लगौतौ चारू भागिसँ एके बेर लगबय लै। आगि जे लगौतौ कि एके बेर उठतौ ओइमे से धुआँ ओहि धुआँमे…

He said, “Huh! You dumb fellow. How did I get there?  Buy and bring some firewood, lay some of that at the base, and have it drizzled with a lot of kerosene. And there above,  lie on top of that, and ask that some firewood be spread on top of your body. Your wife and kids can put a lot of firewood on top of you, and again drizzle kerosene all over it. If there is clarified butter, ask them to put that on, as well, and ask them to light the fire. Instruct them to light it from all angles at once. Once it catches the fire, the smoke will rise from that, and in that smoke…”    

तऽ पकबय नै ने रौ? 

“Hey, but won’t I get burned?”

एको रती नय पकभी। एकदम शीतल लगभी। बड नीक लगतौ। 

“You won’t get burned one bit. You will feel completely cool. You will feel great.” 

हजमा सैहै केलक। ओइ पर सुतल। ओइमे सबटा किरासन तिरासन छिट कऽ आगि लगा देलकय। घी ती ढारि देलकय आ चारू भागिसँ धिया पुताकेँ कहलकय एके बेर लगबिहैं। कोई एक भागि लगैतय तऽ ने एक भागि दऽ कऽ भागबो करैत कहुना कऽ ओइमेसँ । एके बेर चारू भागिसँ धेलकय, ओइमे छरपटा कऽ जाबे ओइमेसँ निकालय निकालय ताबे उ जरि कऽ खाक भऽ गेल। 

The barber did just this. He lay down on that. And had it lit once kerosene had been drizzled all over it. Clarified butter was poured on it, and he asked his children to light the fire from all sides at once. Had the fire been absent from even one side then he would have been able to escape. The fire caught all the four sides at once, and even if he might have thought to escape, by then he had been burnt to ashes.  

तँ दोसर पर जे गलती लोक करय छै दोसर पर जे दोहि छै तकर परिणाम अपने भेटय छै। दोसरकेँ मदद कऽ दियय अपराध नै करी।

That’s why when people do wrong to others, exploit others, they get the same in return. So, help others, but don’t commit a crime.