Collectanea. 225
battle." Then the general of the birds came and saluted the Rooster. They came (closer ?) to fight. He took a string-blind and a fowl's egg, and flew to (sought) the Elephant, and broke the egg on her head. Then the Hawk said, — " The Elephant's head is broken ! The Elephant's head is broken ! " The Elephant touched her head with her trunk, and said, — " Oh dear, my head is broken." Then he (Hawk) threw the string-blind on her, and said, — " Her bowels are coming out ! Her bowels are coming out ! " When the beasts of the forest came and saw (this) they all ran away, and the Rooster went off home. Then he said, — " You,
Hawk, I shall give you a present for fighting so well. When- ever my wife gives birth you come (keep on coming) and take one. That is my present (or obligation) to you."
39. The Ungrateful Boy and the Dove. (M.)
As for this (boy) he and his father lived (were there) without any luck, even up to the time when ^^ the father died. The father had no property. (He had) nothing but a coat of bast. So the boy ran away, and went on and on in the forest. Thus it was when a Dove came and perched (near), and said, — " If now you children ^^ of Adam were done a good turn, would you return an evil one?" Then the boy said, — "(As) God (is my witness),
1 should not do (so) to you." Then she said, — " Very well. You will see I shall give you riches. If I give you riches, I give you wives, I make (you) a large town which has no equal (its likeness), (but)i^ if I come I shall say, 'O Wearer of the coat of bast, O Wearer of the trousers of bast, O Poor One (son of poverty),' " she said, "(I shall say it) even until it (comes to) ten times." He said, — "Very well, I agree." So, as she was about to leave, she gave him a town, she gave him slaves, she gave him horses, she gave him wives, everything she gave him, all the dwellers in the town she gave him. When she had given him (these) she flew away. As for the women of the town, two were
" Har. The usual meaning is until or as soon as, but both are inappropriate here.
^^ Plural, although evidently addressed to the boy.
^^The "but" is awkward. The condition is evidently that he must listen quietly to her insults for ten days.
P
