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| Sunday, 21 March 2004 |
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Of cabbages kings & things : "I am the Greatest" crowed the king by Padma Edirisinghe "Hatara Korale Vitti" is a book of lore woven around by-gone events of the Four Korales that comprise it. The Hatara Korale area that approximates to a good portion of today's Sabaragamuwa district comprised four Korales ie, the Beligal korale, the Kini goda korale, the Aluth Kuru korale and the Galboda korale. This strange story I came across in this book that further substantiates the fact that village names in any country including our own continue to be the oldest capsules of history and strange and fantastic legend, instructional too. To begin from the beginning long ago there lived in this paradisal island of ours a provincial king. "Paradisal" by the way, is here not used in a cynical sense. In fact Marignolli, an Italian friar and a 14th C traveller exults, "And from Ceylan (Ceylon) to Paradise is a distance of 40 Italian leagues. The sounds of the waters falling from the fountains of Paradise are heard here. (The bomb sounds came much later). To come back from the tourist friar to our king, he was conceited enough or weak enough to love to be always reminded of his greatness. For this he adopted a ruse. About once a month he held an open Court to which all his subjects were summoned. The proceedings began with the king putting the million - dollar question, "Is there anyone greater than me in the whole world?' No one. My Lord. No one" those assembled would answer in a chorus for who wants to be executed? Many were not at all amused by all this since they had to travel far on foot to take part in this nonsense leaving behind their paddy fields and chenas but through fear of decapitation they all attended the monthly, ceremony to confirm their king's inimitable greatness. Grandiose shows only torment the already harassed. One day while the question and answer session was in progress a crow flying overhead did the dirty on the king's head just as the king put his query. As the black and white substance streaked down the royal face making it look comical the women tittered and the men guffawed though not loud enough for royal ears. Immediately the Court was adjourned but not before the infuriated king gave orders to find the particular crow and impale him. The finder of the crow, His Majesty announced would be given an award of 1000 Kahavanu. (Please don't ask me the exchange rate of kahavanu. I simply don't know but can surmise that a huge amount of cash was involved). Now finding the IRC crow posed a big problem since crows or any bird or animal for that matter unlike humans do not carry identification marks unless in the rare case of a lame or blind bird or beast. To put it more explicitly crows do not have birthmarks or moles or operation marks on them nor do they wear red T shirts or striped sarongs or grey slacks when last seen. When last seen the poor bird was as naked as God made him. But the Ana Bera Karaya, the only agent of mass communication in those distant days went on doing his ordained duty and beating his drum promising the 1000 kahavanu for anyone who found this crow. At this time lived a grandmother and a grandson in a house by a huge tree. Every evening the canopy of this tree was converted into an assembly of the local crows. No human knew what they discussed, but they went on making a merry din up there. The grandson though intelligent was always upto mischief and had a bad habit of roaming all over the village with his friends. The old woman though uneducated knew the evil effects of youth loitering that could get them into bad company as what happened centuries later in the same Island. Now getting a bright idea she told the boy," "Son, why don't you spend your evening usefully? See you can sit under that tree and learn the crow language. It might be useful." "The boy thought it an interesting idea and so he sat there for about a month and soon mastered it. One evening a crow came and roosted on the highest branch. "I am the greatest crow in this land" he announced. How come, the others asked. Even crows do not like superiority thrust on them suddenly." "Because I did the dirty on the king's head" explained the first crow. The boy repeated the conversation to his grandmother who instantly felt that here was a pot of gold in hand. She requested the lad to watch the tree next evening too and he did and the crow again made his way for the highest bough and asked imitating the king, "Is there anyone greater than me in the whole world? "No one, my lord. None" answered the others now brain washed. Yes. That is because I did the dirty on the king's head". The resourceful woman had got down the king's men to her house already. They now tracked him. The IRC crow was finally caught and impaled. The village where he was impaled came to be called Kaudulla, a village that exists to this day, among the crags and ravines and mountains and silvery waterfalls of Hatara korale or the Four Korales. There are two morals to this folk tale, one is the hollowness of swollen heads and the other, the need to be careful in your speech without going on to spill beans indiscriminately. You will only court danger. So do watch the big trap. |
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