210 



journal r. a, s. (ceylon). [Vol. VII., Pt. III. 



In the work of collection it is necessary that a great deal of 

 care and discrimination should be exercised, for what is really 

 wanted and what can lead us to real truths are the genuine 

 stories of the Sinhalese — those which are quite free from foreign 

 influences and have existed among the people from time imme- 

 morial. These can only be gathered from the inhabitants of 

 villages and of the remoter parts of the Island into which western 

 civilization has not yet penetrated. In the principal towns 

 and suburbs there are now current among the Sinhalese several 

 stories taken from English books and other sources, and hence 

 too much care and caution cannot be exercised in deciding 

 whether a story is really free from such influences or not. 



In this paper I am able to give only one Sinhalese story 

 out of the collection I have made. Its aim is to shew the cun- 

 ning and avarice of women and the fertility of their resource 

 when tricks have to be resorted to for the accomplishment of an 

 object, the averting of a calamity or the getting out of a 

 difficulty. 



In order to understand the story it is necessary that the 

 reader should know what is meant by the expressions " to take 

 sil" and " to give sil" Sil is a religious observance. " To 

 take sil" is to vow or to promise and solemnly undertake to 

 follow strictly the precepts of Buddha, not to kill, not to steal, 

 not to drink &c. One desirous of taking sil attends the Pansala 

 and after bowing down in reverence to the priest recites 

 " the three saranas" as follows, the devotee repeating them after 

 him : 



Buddhan saranan gachchhdmi, 

 Dhamman saranan gachclihdmi^ 

 Sanghan saranan gacJichdhmi. 



This is done three times after which the commands or precepts 

 are recited by the priest and repeated by the devotee. In this 

 ceremony the priest is said " to give sil" and the devotee " to 

 take or receive sil " 



I must also premise before beginning the story that when a 

 priest is invited by a layman to his house for the purpose of 

 performing a religious ceremony or of partaking of meals usually 



