Demon With Matted Hair " 196, part 2 · page 21 2101It was a very, very thick trunk.102He gave the prince a wax hatchet, and said, "To-morrow morning you must cut this trunk in two with this wax hatchet."103The Raja's son went back to the old woman's house.104He was very sad, and thought that now the Raja would certainly kill him. "105I had his oil crushed out by the ants," he said to himself. "106I had his demons killed by the tigers.107My bed helped me to beat his kettle-drum.108But now what can I do?109How can I cut that thick tree-trunk in two with a wax hatchet?"110At night he went on his bed to see the princess. "111To-morrow," he said to her, "your father will kill me." "112Why?" asked the princess.113"He has told me to cut a thick tree-trunk in two with a wax hatchet.114How can I ever do that?" said the Raja's son. "115Do not be afraid," said the princess; "do as I bid you, and you will cut it in two quite easily."116Then she pulled out a hair from her head, and gave it to the prince. "117To-morrow," she said, "when no one is near you, you must say to the tree-trunk, 'The Princess Labam commands you to let yourself be cut in two by this hair.'118Then stretch the hair down the edge of the wax hatchet's blade."119The prince next day did exactly as the princess had told him; and the minute the hair that was stretched down the edge of the hatchet-blade touched the tree-trunk it split into two pieces.120The king said, "Now you can marry my daughter."121Then the wedding took place.122All the Rajas and kings of the countries round were asked to come to it, and there were great rejoicings.123After a few days the prince's son said to his wife, "Let us go to my father's country."124The Princess Labam's father gave them a quantity of camels and horses and rupees and servants; and they travelled in great state to the prince's country, where they lived happily.125The prince always kept his bag, bowl, bed, and stick; only, as no one ever came to make war on him, he never needed to use the stick.126The Lambikin127Once upon a time there was a wee wee Lambikin, who frolicked about on his little tottery legs, and enjoyed himself amazingly.128Now one day he set off to visit his Granny, and was jumping with joy to think of all the good things he should get from her, when who should he meet but a Jackal, who looked at the tender young morsel and said: "Lambikin!129Lambikin!130I'll EAT YOU!"131But Lambikin only gave a little frisk and said:132"To Granny's house I go, Where I shall fatter grow, Then you can eat me so."133The Jackal thought this reasonable, and let Lambikin pass.134By-and-by he met a Vulture, and the Vulture, looking hungrily at the tender morsel before him, said: "Lambikin!135Lambikin!136I'll EAT YOU!"137But Lambikin only gave a little frisk, and said:138"To Granny's house I go, Where I shall fatter grow, Then you can eat me so."139The Vulture thought this reasonable, and let Lambikin pass.140And by-and-by he met a Tiger, and then a Wolf, and a Dog, and an Eagle, and all these, when they saw the tender little morsel, said: "Lambikin!141Lambikin!142I'll EAT YOU!"143But to all of them Lambikin replied, with a little frisk:144"To Granny's house I go, Where I shall fatter grow, Then you can eat me so."145At last he reached his Granny's house, and said, all in a great hurry, "Granny, dear, I've promised to get very fat; so, as people ought to keep their promises, please put me into the corn-bin _at once_."146So his Granny said he was a good boy, and put him into the corn-bin, and there the greedy little Lambikin stayed for seven days, and ate, and ate, and ate, until he could scarcely waddle, and his Granny said he was fat enough for anything, and must go home.147But cunning little Lambikin said that would never do, for some animal would be sure to eat him on the way back, he was so plump and tender.148"I'll tell you what you must do," said Master Lambikin, "you must make a little drumikin out of the skin of my little brother who died, and then I can sit inside and trundle along nicely, for I'm as tight as a drum myself."149So his Granny made a nice little drumikin out of his brother's skin, with the wool inside, and Lambikin curled himself up snug and warm in the middle, and trundled away gaily.150Soon he met with the Eagle, who called out:151"Drumikin!152Drumikin!153Have you seen Lambikin?"154And Mr. Lambikin, curled up in his soft warm nest, replied:155"Fallen into the fire, and so will you On little Drumikin.156Tum-pa, tum-too!"157"How very annoying!" sighed the Eagle, thinking regretfully of the tender morsel he had let slip.158Meanwhile Lambikin trundled along, laughing to himself, and singing:159"Tum-pa, tum-too; Tum-pa, tum-too!"160Every animal and bird he met asked him the same question:161"Drumikin!162Drumikin!163Have you seen Lambikin?"164And to each of them the little slyboots replied:165"Fallen into the fire, and so will you On little Drumikin.166Tum-pa, tum too; Tum-pa, tum-too; Tum-pa, tum-too!"167Then they all sighed to think of the tender little morsel they had let slip.168At last the Jackal came limping along, for all his sorry looks as sharp as a needle, and he too called out--169"Drumikin!170Drumikin!171Have you seen Lambikin?"172And Lambikin, curled up in his snug little nest, replied gaily:173"Fallen into the fire, and so will you On little Drumikin!174Tum-pa----"175But he never got any further, for the Jackal recognised his voice at once, and cried: "Hullo! you've turned yourself inside out, have you?176Just you come out of that!"1 2← previousDemon With Matted Hair " 196, part 1next →Demon With Matted Hair " 196, part 3↑ back to Indian Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7128/8/page/2/