92 
C. Swynnerton —Folktales from the Upper Pcmjdb. [No. 2, 
you came, and in the measure you’ll go.” Saying which he clapt the whole 
handful, plums and beetle together, into his mouth and devoured them. 
XVIII. The Patha'n and the Ass. 
A Pathan was one day sitting in a ferry-boat which was moored to 
the bank of the Indus. His talwar or sword lay by his side. Presently 
down came a countryman driving a donkey and requesting to be ferried 
across the river. The donkey, however, having come to the boat refused 
to enter, utterly regardless of entreaties, threats and blows. Suddenly the 
Pathan sprang from his seat, seized his tulwar, and at a blow smote off the 
donkey’s bead. “ To a Pathan,” cried he, “ this stubborn pride is permissi¬ 
ble ; but to an ass—never !” 
The people of Bauer, though noted for their bravery, are considered 
by their neighbours as the most stupid of mankind, not even excepting 
weavers. This fact is illustrated by the following anecdotes: 
XIX. The Baner Man and the Mill. 
A Baneri came down to the Indus where he saw a water-mill at 
work. Said he to himself, “ People say that God is known by His wonder¬ 
ful ways. Now here is a wonderful thing with wonderful ways though it 
has neither hands nor feet. It must be God.” So be went forward and 
kissed the walls, but he merely cut his face with the sharp stones. 
XX. One Baneri asked another, 
“ If the Indus were set on fire where would the fishes go ?” “ They 
would get on the trees” said the other. Then said the first, “ Are fishes 
like buffaloes to climb up trees?”* 
XXI. The Widow op Baner. 
There was a widow of Baner who had two sons. They had cut the 
harvest of their little ancestral field, and their two bullocks were treading: 
out the grain, when suddenly the sky became overcast, and a storm of rain 
swept by. The poor silly woman instantly caught a certain familiar insect, 
a friend to man, and, running a needle and thread through it, hung it up 
to a neighbouring ber tree, as a charm to drive away the unwelcome 
shower. At the same time she addressed God in the following: words: 
“ O God, my boys are but children, and in this thing are innocent. But 
thou art a white-bearded man. Didst thou not see that this rain was not 
wanted for thrashing out my wheat ?” 
XXII. The Baner man and the boat. 
A countryman who had spent the whole of his life in the fastnesses 
* This tale was not a mere invention of the story-teller. It is frequently told in 
ridicule of the dense stupidity of the Baneris. 
