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3. With these wrestlers compare Grimm’s “Der junge Riese,” Kinder und Hausmaerchen, vol. II. p. 23, and “Eisenhans” in Haltrich’s Siebenbuergische Maerchen, p. 77.

4. Ajít carries her house. Note by Mr. J. F. Campbell: “Compare an Irish story about Fionn and a giant who was told that the hero turned the house when the wind blew open the door.” [See, too, Campbell’s Tales of the Western Highlands, vol. III. p. 184]

5. When Karím was here I forgot to ask him how big were Ajít’s cakes, can, and mice. Mr. Campbell of Islay, who read this story in manuscript, wrote in the margin where the mice were mentioned: “The fleas in the island of Java are so big that they come out from under the bed and steal potatoes. They do many such things. Compare [with Ajít’s can] a Gaelic story about a man who found the Fenians in an island, and was offered a drink in a can so large that he could not move it.”

6. Mr. G. H. Damant, in the Indian Antiquary for September 1873, vol. II. p. 271, has a Dinájpur story called “Two gánja-eaters” which is very like our Wonderful Story. In it a gánja-eater who can eat six maunds of gánja[1] hears of another gánja-eater who can eat nine maunds; so he takes his six maunds of gánja, and sets off for his rival’s country with the intention of fighting him. On the road he is thirsty and drinks a whole pond dry, but this fails to quench his thirst. Arrived at the nine-maund gánja-eater’s house, he learns from the wife that her husband has gone to cut sugar-cane, and decides to go and meet him. He finds him in the jungle, and wishes to fight there and then; but his rival does not agree to this, saying he has eaten nothing for seven days. The other answers he has eaten nothing for nine; whereupon the nine-maund gánja-eater suggests they shall wait till they get back to his country, as in the jungle they will have no spectators. The six-maund gánja-eater consents. So the nine-maund gánja-eater takes up all the sugar-cane he has cut during the last seven days and sets off for his country with his rival. On the way they meet a fish-wife, and call her to stop and see them fight; she answers she must carry her fish without delay to market, being already late, and proposes they should stand on her arm and fight, and that then she could see them as they go along. While they are fighting on her arm, down sweeps a kite which carries off “the gánja-eaters; fish and all.” They are thrown by a storm in front of a Rájá’s daughter, who has them swept away thinking they are bits of straw.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] An intoxicating preparation of the hemp-plant (
Cannabis sativa

or
C. indica

).

GLOSSARY.

Bél, a fruit; Ægle marmelos.

Bulbul, a kind of nightingale.

Chaprásí, a messenger wearing a badge ( chaprás ).

Cooly (Tamil kúli ), a labourer in the fields; also a porter.

Dál, a kind of pulse; Phaseolus aureus, according to Wilson; Paspalum frumentaceum, according to Forbes.

Dom (the d is lingual), a low-caste Hindú.

Fakír, a Muhammadan religious mendicant.

Ghee ( ghí ), butter boiled and then set to cool.

Kází, a Muhammadan Judge.

Kotwál, the chief police officer in a town.

Líchí, a fruit; Scytalia litchi, Roxb.

Mahárájá (properly Maháráj), literally great king.

Mahárání, literally great queen.

Mainá, a kind of starling.

Maund ( man ), a measure of weight, about 87 lb.

Mohur ( muhar ), a gold coin worth 16 rupees.

Nautch ( nátya ), a union of song, dance, and instrumental music.

Pálkí, a palanquin.

Pice ( paisa ), a small copper coin.

Pilau, a dish made of either chicken or mutton, and rice.

Rájá, a king.

Rakshas, a kind of demon that eats men and beasts.

Rání, a queen.

Rohú, a kind of big fish.

Rupee ( rúpíya ), a silver coin, now worth about twenty pence.

Ryot ( ràíyat ), a cultivator.

Sarai, a walled enclosure containing small houses for the use of travellers.

Sárí, a long piece of stuff which Hindú women wind round the body as a petticoat, passing one end over the head.

Sepoy ( sipáhí ), a soldier.

Wazír, prime minister.

Yogí, a Hindú religious mendicant.