The Story of the Dabukka

THE STORY OF THE DABUKKA In a certain country there were a man's eight asses. One of them having been lost one day, while he was going seeking and looking for…

THE STORY OF THE DABUKKA

In a certain country there were a man's eight asses. One of them having been lost one day, while he was going seeking and looking for it [he saw] in the night that there was a house near a great jungle. In the house he heard a talk. After that he halted, and when he is listening to ascertain what is this talk which he hears, a woman says, "Ane! O Gods, during this night I indeed am not afraid of either an elephant, or a bear, or a leopard, or a Yaka; I am only afraid of the Dabukka," she said.

The Leopard listening very near there said [to himself], "What is the Dabukka of which she is afraid, which is greater than the elephant, and the bear, and the leopard, and the Yaka?" Having become afraid in his mind he stood on one side, and remained looking [out for it].

Then the man who being without that ass sought for it, saw the Leopard [in the semi-darkness], and having said, "Is it the ass?" went running and mounted on the back of the Leopard. Saying, "O ass of the strumpet's son, why were you hidden last night?" he began to beat the Leopard. Having thought "Ade! It is this indeed they call the Dabukka," through fear it began to run away.

As it was becoming light, that man, perceiving that it was the Leopard, jumped off its back, and having gone running crept inside a hollow in a tree.

The Leopard having gone running on and fallen, a Jackal, seeing that it was panting, asked, "Friend, what are you staying there for as though you have been frightened?"

"Friend, during the whole of yester-night the Dabukka, having mounted on my back, drove me about, beating and beating me enough to kill me."

Then the Jackal says, "Though you were afraid of it I indeed am not afraid. Show me it. Let us go for me to eat up that one," he said.

The Leopard says, "I will not go first," he said.

The Jackal said, "Pull out a creeper, and tying it at your waist tie [the other end] on my neck," he said.

When they had tied the creeper, after the Jackal went in front near the tree in which that man stayed, the Leopard said, "There. It is in the hollow in that tree, indeed," he said.

The Jackal snarled. Then when the man struck the Jackal in the midst of the mouth his teeth were broken. After that, [both of them], the Jackal howling and howling, having run off and gone away, when they were out of breath a Bear came and asked "Friends, what are you panting for to that extent?"

The Leopard says, "Yester-night the Dabukka killed me. The Jackal having gone to eat it, when he howled and snarled it broke two [of his] teeth," he said.

Then the Bear said, "What of your being unable [to kill it]! Let us go, for me to eat up that one."

The whole three went, the Bear being in front and close to it the Jackal; the Leopard went behind them. Having gone, they showed the Bear the place where the man was. The Bear having put its head inside the hollow in the tree, roared. Then the man seized the hair of its head fast with his hand. When it was drawing its head back the hair came out. Then the whole three, speaking and speaking, ran away, with their teeth chattering and their tails between their legs.

Afterwards the man having descended from the tree to the ground, came to his village with a party of men.