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Sunday Parable by Sunanda Mahendra

'Now that you want to be a rich man, I want these oil cakes (kevum) to help you. On your way, if you feel hungry, eat one or two, but try to earn a little money and buy some more from somewhere and sell them as well.

In this manner I am sure you can earn lots of money and become a rich man,' said Kapuruhami to his mate Sandunhami as the latter was making arrangements to leave the village.

"I see a really good friend in you and thank you. See you once again soon," Sandunhami said. It was a scorching day and Sandunhami felt tired as he went on his journey in search of riches. A hot wind blew across the way and the climate was not suitable for long distance travelling. So he decided to sit under a goraka tree. Then all of a sudden he felt like eating an oil cake as he was so hungry.

"I think I should eat one of this", said Sandunhami rather loudly to himself remembering his friend's words. This human sound was heard by the tree spirit or the tree god, the rukdevata, who dwelt in the goraka tree.

The tree spirit thought, "This is surely a mighty giant. It looks as if .he wants to eat the goraka tree, and if he does that I will fall down from my tree abode." Then the tree spirit descended half way from the tree and spoke to Sandunhami.

"Dear traveller, are you going to eat this goraka tree?" Then said Sandunhami after a thoughtful moment. "Yes, I am going to do so."

"Please don't do that. If you promise me that you are not going to eat the tree, I will reward you well."

"What are you going to reward me with?" asked an amazed Sandunhami.

"Look, this is a silver plate," said the tree spirit handing a glittering silver plate.

"So what am I going to do with it?" asked Sandunhami.

"What you have got to do is simple. Take this home with you and lay a white cloth on your dining table.

Then place this silver plate and remember to utter the magic words "bring me food". The food will come instantly in a few seconds. And you may have any type of food to your heart's content. However much you eat, the table will never become empty with delicious food. If there is any problem see me again."

Having handed over the silver plate the tree spirit disappeared. Sandunhami on his way sold the oil cakes given to him by his friend Kapuruhami and walked off towards home. On his way home, he met one of his friends, a cunning trader. Seeing the happy face of Sandunhami, the trader said:

"You look very happy, and I have not seen you for some time. I should like to invite you to my house and rest for a while in a relaxed conversation."

While enjoying the hospitality of the trader with intoxicating toddy, Sandunhami told him all about the encounter of the tree spirit and the silver plate. Sandunhami had a bellyful of food and a sound sleep.

Meanwhile, the trader took the silver plate leaving an identical one behind him. Sandunhami, having got up from his sleep, left the home of the trader. When he reached home, he told his wife about the tree spirit and the magic silver plate. As told by the tree spirit, he laid a white cloth on the table and uttered the magic words. But unfortunately the food did not come. So he was angry with the tree spirit.

"Tomorrow morning I am going to teach him a good lesson."

"You have cheated me so. I am going to eat the tree now," said Sandunhami to the tree spirit.

"Oh don't do it. I am going to give you a grand present this time." The tree spirit came with a gold bangle and said, "this gold bangle will make you a rich man. You may sell this gold bangle for any amount of money but the bangle will come back to you as soon as you utter the magic words 'come back my bangle'. Take it with you and be a rich man, and if you have any problem come back to me."

This time too the trader met Sandunhami and invited him home for food and a drink. Sandunhami accepted the invitation, as he was feeling tired. Then after a few minutes when Sandunhami got intoxicated, he revealed the case of the tree spirit and the gold bangle.

The trader gave Sandunhami more drinks and helped him to rest in sleep. When Sandunhami was fast asleep, the trader removed the gold bangle and kept an identical one, near Sandunhami. Sandunhami left the trader's house and reached his place.

He told his wife what happened this time and wanted to test the power of the gold bangle before his wife. But to his dismay nothing came out. Sandunhami was angry "I am definitely going to cut that tree," said Sandunhami and went once again to the goraka tree and said, "Listen to me you tree spirit, you have cheated me and I am going to eat this tree."

"Oh please don't do that, there is something wrong somewhere. Please check it soon."This time I am going to give you the best gift on earth. See that you get the best results out of it. I have not cheated you, you will get all your previous gifts in no time if you care to use your intelligence," saying so, the tree spirit brought a long wooden club , a bastampolla, and said, "Use this properly, if you want to strike some object, just say 'touch O club', then the club will walk on its own and strike any object you wish to be struck, and if you want to stop the strikes just say "stop oh club" that will do.

Then as usual on his way the trader came to see Sandunhami, who was walking with a club in his hand. Sandunhami instinctively felt that the trader was up to his normal mischief. But he spoke to him nicely. He wanted to test the power of the magic club given by the tree spirit. So he said "touch oh club" when the trader invited him for food and drinks. No sooner than said, the club went on striking the trader's bald head as hard as possible until blood smeared out. In great pain the trader cried.

"Please don't hit me. Forgive me, and help me. Oh my friend, stop this. I will return all your gifts." Then Sandunhami said "stop oh club". The striking was over, the wooden club came back to Sandunhami's hand, and the trader brought his stolen items, the silver plate and the gold bangle and handed them over to Sandunhami. He went home with the valuable items and brought out wealth sufficient to live for a long time.

A broad smile appeared on the face of his wife "Oh what great gifts these are" she said, allowing the husband to test the power of each item. "I must go and meet my friend Kapuruhami who gave a bundle of oil cakes (kevum) and helped me to earn all these," said Sandunhami.

And how long he lived with his wife and how much of wealth they got is a thing that I cannot say for certain.

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