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An Indian Fable

HERE once lived which he thought would suit his purpose, in India a weaver, and began to cut it down. Now a spirit named Man - lived in the tree, and no sooner had the thara; and weaver struck a few strokes than the one day, spirit called out, "Hallo, there! Stop! whilst he was you are cutting down my house!" weaving, his "What can I do?" said the weaver. "I loom fell to must get wood for my loom, or I cannot pieces. He support my family; so be quick and find could not go another dwelling, for I must cut this one on with his down." work without making a new loom; so, taking his axe, he set out to get some wood. He soon found a large tree "You shall have any boon you can ask," cried the spirit; "but you must not destroy this tree." "I'll go home and ask my wife and a (179) friend about the matter," said the weaver, you. The profit of one loom will be "and then I'll come back and tell you enough for our household expenses, and what gift I will take to let your house with the profit from the other you can gain consequence amongst your neighbors, alone." "Agreed," said the spirit; and the and that will bring you honor." weaver returned home. He soon found a The weaver was delighted with his friend of his, a barber, and to him he told wife's advice, and thought her the wisest his adventure, and how the spirit living woman that had ever lived. So off he in the tree had promised to grant him any went to the tree, and said to the spirit boon he could. "Now, what do you think who lived there: "You promised to grant would be best for me to ask?" said he. me any boon I asked for if I spared your "Ask to be made a king," cried the tree. Give me, then, another head, and barber; "and I'll be your prime minister, and we will enjoy ourselves gloriously!" "That's a capital idea!" exclaimed the weaver. "I'll just go and consult my wife out it." another pair of arms." "Certainly," said the spirit, and the weaver suddenly found himself equipped with two heads and four arms; and over. joyed at the happy prospect he thought The barber objected to this course, re- was in store for him, he set out to return minding him of the proverb about the to his village. folly of those who ask counsel of women; But he had quite forgotten that a man but the weaver persisted in his intention, with two heads and four arms might saying that though that might be true of cause some surprise amongst those most women, his wife was superior to all acquaintances who had only known him when he possessed no more than the usual So away he went, and told his wife all number. No sooner had he entered the that had occurred, and how the barber village, than all who saw him were seized had advised him to ask to be made a king. with terror; and, taking him for some others. "Now, husband," said his wife, "what demon, cried out: "A goblin, a goblin!" can a barber know about anything? You Some ran away as fast as their legs could should never listen to barbers. Have you carry them, whilst others, more courage. never heard the proverb which says none ous, pelted him with stones and battered but a fool would take a barber for his him with sticks, till they quickly knocked adviser? Why, if you were a king you would have endless trouble." "That is very true, wife,' replied the weaver. "What would you advise me to ask for?" the life out of both his heads. And so ended the poor weaver's hopes of wealth and advantage over his fellows.

India is a land of fables and jugglery.

One can witness performances that are "The best thing for you to do," said his very wonderful. One of these is the wife, "is to get the means of doing more famous egg dance. This is performed by work. You can only keep one loom going, a girl, who, simply dressed in a corset and weave one piece of cloth at a time. and a short skirt, fixes upon her head a Now, if you had another head on your willow wheel of moderate size. Around shoulders, and another pair of arms to this wheel, at equal distances from each work with, you could keep two looms other, are fastened pieces of thread, each going at once, one before, and one behind of which has at the end of it a slip-noose, which is kept open by a glass bead. Sup-one to distinguish her features, and the plied with this wheel, the girl steps for- revolving eggs have the appearance of a ward toward the spectators, carrying on white halo round her head. her left arm a basket of eggs, which she While this is going on, should the girl passes round for inspection to prove that fail to keep the most accurate time, of they are real and not imitations. The music then strikes up, and the girl begins to dance round very quickly.

As soon as she has danced a minute or two she seizes an egg, puts it in one of the slipnooses, and throws it from her very quickly, so as to draw the knot tight; the swift way in which at the same time she spins round making the thread, with the egg at the end of it, shoot straight out from the centre of the wheel. The eggs in the basket, one after another, - 5