No. 57. — 1906.] coconut cultivation. 



40 



coconut, hazarded by the late Mr. H. Nevill of the Civil 

 Service, is that the practice of toddy-drawing after a time, 

 and its distillation into spirit, would prejudice the priestly 

 historians against the palm and its cultivation. 



The very earliest references to the coconut in the Mahd- 

 wansa are more or less legendary, the first especially, when 

 we are told in chapter XXV., page 98 : — 



" During the battle between Dutugemunu and Elala (about 

 161 B.C.) Gotha (one of the former's warriors) is said to 

 have seized a coconut tree and Mahasona (another warrior) 

 a palmyra tree — with which they slaughtered the 

 Damilas." 



The next, from the same chapter, page 140, is quoted by 

 Tennent as the very earliest mention of the coconut. It is 

 simply mentioned as being known in Rohuna to the south, 

 161 B.C.; and again, the milk of the small red coconut is 

 stated to have been used by Dutugemunu in preparing 



connection with the 35 yagas (sacrifices or religious ceremonies) may 

 every misfortune come down to this coconut. 



12. In the first place, the eminent sage brought (it) into existence. 

 The divine Prince Ganesa cut it up. The divine Iswara (Siva) gave it 

 three eyes. Hence the appearance of golden king-coconut in the 

 world. 



13. Iswara went and broke the head of Ganesa, Sakra picked up 

 this head and threw it up to a height of 3 gaw (12 miles). Then it 

 became ran-temhili in Sakra 's beautiful pleasure-garden : (hence) the 



resent calamity has been removed. 

 [The usual nonsensical language of native charmers and kapuralas 

 d kattadiyas (god-priests and demon-priests). — B. G.] 



To another Sinhalese gentleman still in our midst, we are indebted for the 

 following : " The earliest mention of coconuts occurs in a story known as 

 the ' Kuweni Hella.' It is stated there that Wijaya was afflicted with a 

 dire skin disease and was roaming about in despair when he came across 

 some fruits fallen under a tree which grew wild, which he ate, being quite 

 unaware that it was wholesome, and discovered its wholesome properties, 

 and that this fruit was the king-coconut. The date of this compilation 

 and the author are unknown. One thing is certain, that when the com- 

 pilation was made the tradition was prevalent in the Island, that at the 

 date of the Wijayan invasion coconuts grew wild on the coast of Ceylon, 

 and that neither the indigenous Yakka population nor the invading 

 Aryans of Northern India knew the use of it." 



e 43-06 



