The Calf’s Boon to the Brahman’s Daughter / बछिया के वरदान

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

Teller: Radha Devi Singh
Location: Ranti
Date: 03/05/17

March 5, 2017: Session 5
Maithili Folklore Story 17_03_05_05

View the transcription in Maithili.

एकटा ब्राह्मण रहैथ।

There once was a Brahmin.

हुन्कर एकटा…हुन्का एकटा मने बेटी रहैन।

He had one…had one…that is…daughter.

तऽ हुन्कर कन्या कॅ खतम भौ गेल्खिन।

Then his wife passed away.

खतम भो गेलखिन, तऽ फेर ओ दोसर बियाह केलैथ।

Since she passed away, he married a second time.

दोसर बियाह में तहू में एकटा बेटी भेलैन।

He had a daughter from his second wife.

तऽ पहिल कन्या के जे बेटी रहैन, तेकरा सोतेली माय बहुत दुख देय।

The daughter to whom the first wife gave birth received a lot of grief from her stepmother.

तऽ ओ अपन बाप कॅ कहल्के कि, ब्राह्मण कॅ, जे, “बाबू, से हमरा एकटा से पाड़ाँ कीन दैथ।” मतलब, महीस बला पाड़ाँ। महीस कॅ बच्चा। से कीन देए लॅ।

She spoke to her father, the Brahmin, “Dad, please buy a calf for me.” That is, a buffalo calf. A buffalo’s calf . [She asked him to] buy that calf for her.

तऽ उ ओकरा कीन देल्कै।

So, he bought it for her.

तऽ उ अपन, उ पाड़ा कॅ अपन चराबै, ओए पाछु अपन मन ओकरा बहलायल रहैछे।

She would graze the calf. Her mind found comfort in taking care of it.

उ पाड़ाँ से ओकर बहुत दर्द बुझैत छलै।

That calf was very aware of her miseries.

तऽ माय जे रहै नऽ, से अपन बेटी कॅ देय खूब नीक चीज सब खायेल। खूब नेबा तेबा, पकबान। अ एकरा देय घास फूस खाय ल। चौकर के रोटी खाय ल। एकरा बहूत झूठन मूठन एकरा देए खाए ल।

The stepmother, who was [living] there, used to give very delicious food to her own daughter. Abundant dry fruits and delicacies. But she served grass and husk to  her [stepdaughter]. The stepdaughter was given bread made of bran to eat. She was given discarded and leftover food to eat.

इ बहूत अथि भो गेल, उदास रहे छलै।

She became very, you know…. She lived in misery.

तऽ उ पाड़ी जे रहै से बजलै। एकरा कहल्के, “तू किया उदास रहेछ?”

So, the she-calf¹ spoke to her. She asked her, “Why are you in despair?”

तऽ कहल्के जे, “हमर माय के व्यबहार देखेछीही हमरा संगै कत्तै खराब कॅ रहल ऐच्छ। अपन बेटी के एत्तै नीक जेकाँ रखनै ऐच्छ, हमरा केना।”

She replied, “Look at the conduct of my stepmother, how terribly rude she is to me. She takes care of her daughter so well, and how she treats me.”

तऽ ओ कहल्के कि जे, “ठीक छै। आब कैल स, तोरा जे देत्तो खाए ल, से तू सबटा नैने आभियैं, हमरा तू खुआ देभैं। अ तोरा हम अपन पेट में पीसा लेबौ, त हमर पेट में बहुत नीक नीक चीज सब ऐच्छ, से तू खा लंबै।”

To which it replied, “Okay. From tomorrow onwards, whatever she gives you to eat, you should bring all of that to me and let me eat it. Then I will let you sit in my stomach. My belly has a lot of good, delicious food. You can eat all of it.”

तऽ ओ सेहै करै। उ पाड़ा के खुआ देय, पाड़ी के। अ ओकर पेट में बैस जाए।

So, she did just that. She would give the calf her food to eat. Then she would sit in its belly.

ओए में खूब ओकरा रसगुल्ला, लड्डू, खाज़ा रंग-बिरंग के चीज़ सब ओकरा ओकर पेट में भेटै, ओ खा लिअ।

She would find in its belly a lot of rasagulla, laddu, khaza and such colorful sweets to eat, and she would eat it.

तऽ धीरे धीरे, इ खूब मोटाए लागल।

As time passed by, she became very plump.

आ ओकर बेटी जे रहै, अपन बेटी जे रहै, ओ ब्राह्मणी के, से एकदम दुब्बर हुए लग्लै।

And her own daughter—her own daughter, that of the Brahmin stepmother—began to appear very lean.

तऽ ओकरा भेलै कि जे, “अरेबा, एकरा जे हम दै छीयै चोकर अ अथि सब खाए लॅ, तऽ इ मोटा गेलै, हमर बेटी दुबरा गेलै।”

She wondered, “Oh my, I give her bran and such to eat, but she is growing chubbier while my own daughter is growing thinner.” 

तऽ ओ तखैन की करै लागल जे एकरे दिय लगलै नीक नीक फूद खाए लॅ, ओकरे दिय लागले चोर…हँ हँ…गोकर चाकर खाए ल।

What she did then was that she began offering good, delicious meals to her stepdaughter and the rubbish food…bran and chaff, and such—to her own daughter.

उ और एकदम भो गेलै दुब्बल।

Her own daughter became very thin.

तखैन उ अपन बेटी के कहल्के कि जे, “इ जे जाएछो पाड़ाँ लॅ के, पाड़ी लॅ के, चरबै लॅ, इ की करैछो, तू से देखिये।”

Then she said to her own daughter, “When she goes to graze her calf, her she-calf, follow her to find out what she is doing.”

तऽ ओ बहीन ओकर पीछू लैग जाए, चुपके चुपके से। ओकरा नै देखाय।

So, her sister began following her, secretly. She was not visible [to the stepsister].

तऽ उ देखै जे, “अरेबा, इ त सबटा ओकरा खुआ देल्केय अपन खेनाय, एकर पेट में बैस कॅ इ खाए लागलै।”

She witnessed, “Oh my, she is making it eat all of her food, and then she sits in its belly to eat.”

इ माय क ऐब कॅ गॅप कहल्कै।

She came back and related this story to her mother.

तऽ माय कहल्के कि, उ ब्राह्मण कॅ कहल्के जे, “आहाँ एकटा हमरा से शर्त, शर्त करू।”

To which her mother responed… She went to the Brahmin and said to him, “You must promise me one thing, you must promise me.”

कहल्खिन, “की शर्त?”

He replied, “What promise?”

“नै, आहाँ करू नऽ एक शर्त।”

“No, you must commit to keeping one promise.”

तऽ ओ ब्राह्मण कहल्खिन जे, “ठीक छै, एक से, दो शर्त, तेसर शर्त, आहाँ कहल नै करी तऽ अस्सी कोस नर्क में खसी।”

So, the Brahmin pledged, “Okay, one, two or three promises, if I don’t do what you say, then may I fall eighty kosa distance into the hell.”

तऽ कहल्खिन जे, “इ जे, इ जे पाड़ीं छै एकरा, ओकरा आहाँ मरबा दियौ। तखैन हम अन्न जल करब, नै त हम अपन प्राण त्याग लेब।”

Then she said, “Have this one, this she-calf, executed. Otherwise, I will stop taking food and water and I will give up my life.”

उ ब्राह्मण तऽ हुन्का जुबान दै चुकर छल्खिन।

The Brahmin had already pledged to keep his promise.

तऽ ओ आब कैल ओकरा मैर देतै, तऽ आए जे अपन लॅ के गेली पाड़ीं कॅ चरबै लॅ इ लड़की बहुत कनै छलै, “तऽ कैल तऽ आहाँ कॅ मैर देत, तऽ हम केना रहब? ”

Knowing that it would be killed the next day, when the stepdaughter went to graze her she-calf, she began weeping bitterly. “Tomorrow they will kill you. How will I survive [without you]?”

तऽ ओ कहल्के कि जे, “ठीक छै। हमरा माएर देत नऽ, तऽ हमर मौस सब खैत घर मॅ। लेकिन – मीट खाएत हमर – लेकिन आहाँ नै खाएब। आहाँ करब की, सातटा मैट के बरतन में, से आहाँ हमर मीट के राएख देबै। छु पा के राएख देबै। सात दिन के बाद, आहाँ के जे जे इच्छा रहै, से से उ मन में कॅ क एकटा एकटा के आहाँ फोरब।”

But it replied, “Don’t worry. After killing me, they will carry my body to their house. However, when they eat my meat, don’t partake in it. What you should do is to put my meat in seven earthen pots. Then hide these pots. After seven days have passed, whatever wishes you would like fulfilled, you should express them, one at a time, in your mind and break the pots one after the other.”

ठीकै परात भेने ओकरा माएर देल्के।

Indeed, the she-calf was killed the next day.

उ बहूत कानल।

The stepdaughter cried a lot.

तेकर बाद उ चुपके चुपके से चुरा कॅ सातटा बरतन में से उ रखलक ओकरा।

Then she stealthily took some of the meat and distributed it in seven pots.

अ सातवाँ दिन अपन उ – तखन इ सब अपन खुशी भौ गेल जे आब त एकरा फेर दुःख देबै – सात दिन जेखन बीतलै, तऽ ओ एकटा कॅ अथि कॅ माएट के बरतन मीट बला जे रहै, से फोड़लक।

On the seventh day she…They all were happy that they could again exploit the stepdaughter. After seven days had passed, the stepdaughter broke one of earthen pots that contained the meat.

त कहल्के कि जे, “हमरा खूब बहुत जमीन-जथा भौ जाए।” तऽ ओकरा बहूत जमीन-जथा भौ गेलै।

She prayed, “May I get many plots of land and property.” And she received many plots of land and property.

फेर दोसर फोड़लक, तऽ कहल्के, “हमरा तऽ खूब सुंदर एकटा महल भौ जाए।” तऽ खूब सुंदर महल भौ गेलै।

Then she broke the second pot, and she prayed, “May I get a very beautiful palace.” Then she got a very beautiful palace.

फेर तेसर फोड़लक जे, “हमरा खूब एत्तै लाएन-ताएन लैग जाए। बिजली पानी पंखा भो जाए।” से भौ गेलै।

Next she broke the third one, “May I get abundant electricity and household amenities. May I get electricity, water, fans!” She got all of them.

तखैन फोड़लक तऽ कहल्के जे, “हमरा नौकर चाकर खूब भौ जाए।” तऽ से भौ गेलै।

Then she broke [another one] entreating, “May I get many servants and caretakers.” So, she got all of them.

ओकर बाद फेर फोड़लक, तऽ कहल्के जे, “एत्तै कुआँ तालाब से सब खूब भौ जाए।”

After that, she broke one more, praying, “May I have  many wells and ponds here.”

तकर बाद फेर छठ्ठम फोड़लक, तऽ कहल्के, “हमरा खूब सुंदर स्वामी भौ जाए।” तऽ खूब सुंदर स्वामी ओत्तै ठाड़ भो गेलै।

Then she broke the sixth one, beseeching, “May I get a very handsome husband.” Then a very handsome husband stood in front of her.

तकर बाद फोड़लक, “एकटा हमरा खूब सुंदर एकटा बच्चा भौ जाए।” तऽ ओकरा एकटा खूब सुंदर बच्चा भो गेलै।

After that she broke [another’, “May I have a very beautiful child.” Then she got a very beautiful child.

तऽ ओ अपन माय बाप के घर छोड़ कॅ ओत्तै रहल लागल।

Then she—after leaving behind the home of her mother and father—began living there.

लेकिन एकर सौतेली माय के तऽ चैन न पड़ै ओकरा जब एत्तै दुःख नै देतै तऽ एकरा चैन नै पड़ै।

But her stepmother was restless. Unless she was hurting her stepdaughter, she could not find peace.

एक दिन अपन सुत्तल रहै ओ अपन स्वामी संगै। तऽ इ गेलै राएत कॅ, अपन बेटी कॅ ओए जगह पर दॅ देल्कै अ ओहीठाँ में जे कुआँ जे रहै ओकर इनार तैइ में ओकरा से धकेल देल्के। माएर देल्कै। उ बड़की बेटी के, तेकरा, जेकर माय नै रहै, तेकरा। माएर देल्कै।

One day, while the stepdaughter was sleeping with her husband, her stepmother came, made her own daughter lie down in the place of the stepdaughter, and pushed her stepdaughter into a well nearby. She killed her [stepdaughter]. She killed the elder daughter whose mother had passed away. She killed her.

तऽ ओ बच्चा जे रहै, से बच्चा ओ राएत कॅ कानै लगै।

Then that child—who remained there—would cry in the night.

माय तऽ ओकर माय कऽ माएर देल्के तऽ।

That child’s mother—his mother—had been killed.

तो ओ राएत कॅ कानै लगै अ ओइ इनार में से निकलै अ कहै कि, 

“बड़ बड़ लछमी दिया 

राजा रानी सुत्तल बाड़े, 

बबुआ रोए गोरथरिया।”

So, in the night, when it would cry, she would come out of the well and chant, 

“Burn, burn, O Lakshmi’s lamp,

while the king and queen are sleeping,

for the child is crying inconsolably.”

त लाएन बड़ जाए। बिजली सब बड़ जाए। बच्चा चुप भौ जाए।

It would light up everything. The electricity would light up everything. And the child would stop crying. 

बच्चा कॅ ओ लॅ ले, अपन दूध पिया दे, ओकरा मालिस तालिस कॅ दे, फेर सुता दे। एनाहे एनाहे करै।

She would take the child, breastfeed him, massage him with baby oil, and then put him to sleep. She would follow this routine.

एक दिन उ बॅर जे रहै, उ लड़का जे रहै, से देखल्के कि जे, “के सब दिन ऐय में से निकलेछे, अ अबैछे? इ बच्चा एत्तैक कनैत रहैछे, तऽ इ बच्चा कॅ चुप कॅ देयछै। अ फेर इ बच्चा के भोर भनै देखैछिये तऽ केकरो नै।”

One day the husband—the boy—wondered, “Who emerges every day from here and visits? This baby cries so much, and she comes and calms the baby. But when morning arrives, I don’t see anyone around here.”

तऽ ओए दिन इ चुपके से देखैत रहै। इ जहाँ के ओकर अपन तैयार तैयार कॅ देल्के, दूध-तूध पिया देल्के अ फेर जखन उ जाए लाग्लै इनार में, तऽ ओकर बाँह में पकैड़ लेल्कै जे, “आहाँ के छी?”

One day, he secretly watched her. After she readied everything for the child, she breastfed him and when she was about to leave and return into the well, then he grasped her by the arms and demanded, “Who are you?”

तऽ उ कहल्के तखैन उ कहल्कै जे, “हम कोए नै, हम अहीं के स्त्री छी, से एना एना हमर माय से केलकय।”

So she replied, then she said, “I am no stranger. I am your wife. This is what my stepmother did to me.”

तखैन उ केलक की जे उ जे सुत्तल रहै ओकर सौतेली बेटी, तेकरा तलबार से मुड़ी काएट कॅ ओही इनार में दॅ देल्के।

Then what he did was that he went to the stepmother’s own daughter, who was sleeping there. He cut her head off with his sword and dumped it into the well.

इनार कॅ बंद कॅ देल्कै।

He sealed the well.

अपन इ दुनु गोटा खूब सुखी से तखन रहै लाग्लै।

Afterwards, the two of them began living in great prosperity.