Page:Santal Folk Tales.djvu/57

There was once a certain simpleton who had never seen a horse, but had heard that there was such an animal, and that men rode on his back. His curiosity was greatly excited, and he went here and there searching for a horse, so that he might ride on its back. On his way he fell in with a wag, and asked him, what horses were like, where they could be found, and whence were they produced. The wag replied, "They are very large, they are to be had at the weekly market, and they are hatched from eggs." He then asked, "What is the price of the eggs ?" The other replied, "Price ! They are cheap, one pice each." So one day he went to the market and bought four eggs which he saw exposed for sale, and brought them home with him. He then made preparations for a lengthened absence from his house, and started for the jungle, taking with him rice, a cooking pot and fire, to get the eggs hatched. Having reached the jungle, he placed the eggs to hatch in what turned out to be a tiger's den, and then went some distance off and sat down. After a short time he went to have a look at the eggs, and found one was missing. He was greatly distressed, at having as he fancied lost his ' horse, and cried out, " It has hatched, and run away somewhere. But what has happened, has happened. What can I do ? I'll look out for the next one when it hatches." He then went to cook his rice, and returning after some time missed another of the eggs. He was very much grieved over the loss of the two eggs, and mourning his misfortune, cried, "Where have the two gone, after they came out of the shell ? There still, how-ever, remain two eggs." So saying, he returned to finish his cook-ing. After a few minutes' interval, he went to have a look at the eggs, and saw that another had disappeared ; only one reniained. His grief "at" the loss of three horses, was intense. He cried out, "Oh! where shall I find them ? Three horses have' been hatched.