No. 26, — 1883.] SINHALESE BIKD-LORE. 



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I add two common Sinhalese bird legends. 



1. — The Wood-pecker's tapping. — Once upon a time 

 there was a Korowakd (water-fowl) who sold arecanuts. 

 One day he went to his uncle's at Vellkilla in order to obtain 

 a supply. He gathered a large number and packed them 

 in bags. The Korowakd then asked some geese to carry his 

 bags to the waterside, and there he embarked with them in 

 the Kerallas (wood-pecker) boat. As the boat was over- 

 loaded it was before long capsized, and both boat and areca- 

 nuts lost. When the two birds reached the shore the water- 

 fowl abused the wood-pecker for taking his property on such a 

 good-for-nothing old boat. "But what/' said the wood- 

 pecker, " is your loss to mine ? there are plenty more 

 arecanuts, but where shall I get another boat?" Still the 

 wood-pecker is wandering about tapping the trunks of trees 

 and trying to find wood to make another boat. The water- 

 hen is still walking by the waterside crying " Kapparakata 

 puwak, puwak!" ("a vessel full of arecanuts"). That the 

 geese deformed their necks in carrying the heavy bags of 

 nuts, any one may see by looking at them. 



2. — A Story of borrowed plumes. — Long long ago the 

 Swan-king had a beautiful daughter, and when the time 

 arrived for her marriage he invited all the birds to his 

 house in order that he might choose a husband for her. 

 Now, at this time the Peacock was a very sombre-looking 

 bird, but the Pitta was exceedingly beautiful. The Peacock 

 therefore went to his friend the Pitta and told him that he 

 was about to solicit the hand of the Swan-king's daughter, 

 and entreated the loan of his beautiful feathers. The Pitta 

 consented willingly, but the Peacock was so vain of his 

 plumes, and strutted about in such an absurd fashion before 

 the Swan-king's house, that he was turned out of the 

 assembly. The Pitta requested the return of his feathers, 

 but the peacock said : " Everybody knows that this is my 

 dress ;" and the poor bird, uuable to obtain justice, has since 

 been wandering about the jungle crying " Mat kiyam, Mat 

 kiyam" (" I shall complain — I shall complain"), and he will 

 do so, it is said, until Mayitri-Buddha comes, who will doubt- 

 less strip the peacock of his dishonestly obtained finery. 



B 



