Funday Times

A Sri Lankan folk tale
The great one who knows all
Retold by J. B. Disanayaka
Once upon a time there was an old man. People thought he knew everything. So he was called, in Sinhala, ‘Maha Daenamutta’ – The Great One who knows all. When people had a problem, they went to Maha Daenamutta who solved it for them and they were all happy.

He had five pupils, very loyal and faithful. Each of them was given a funny name. It described some part of his body that caught everybody’s eye.
One of them had a face – muna- as round as a split half of a coconut – ‘pol baeya’. So he was called ‘Pol Bae Muna’; the Split-Half Coconut Faced One.
One of them had a body as thin as a stick – kotu. So he was called Kotu Kittayya : the Stick-like Fellow.

One of them had a body as skinny as a sewing needle – idi katu. So he was called Idi Katu Paencha : the Sewing Needle-like Lad.
One of them had a belly as round and red as a ripe arecanut – rabbada. So he was called Rabbada Aiya : The Ripe Arecanut-like Brother.

One of them had a belly – bada as oval as an arecanut – puvak. So he was called Puvak Badilla : the Arecanut Bellied One.
One day, Maha Daenamutta and his pupils had to go on a journey to a village on the other side of a big river. When they reached the river, it was sun-set. Maha Daenamutta spoke to his pupils: “We must not cross the river in the dark because the river might swallow us. Let’s wait till the river falls asleep”.

“That’s good”, replied the pupils. “But bow can we find out if the river is asleep or not?” “It is simple”, said Maha Daenamutta. “We will make a torch out of a dried coconut leaf, light it and hold it to the water. If the river is awake, it will make a big sound”.

Pol Bae Muna lit a torch, walked slowly up to the river, and placed the torch on water, as quietly as possible, so that the river will not be disturbed. However, as the fire of the torch touched the water, it made such a big sound – swisssh – that Pol Bae Muna ran away leaving the torch behind! “The river is still awake”, he shouted.

“We will not cross the river tonight”, said Maha Daenamutta and they passed the night on the bank of the river. The next morning they crossed the river – all six of them, the teacher and the five pupils. Maha Daenamutta was, however, not sure whether the river had swallowed any one of them. “Let us count and see if we are all here – all six of us”, suggested Maha Daenamutta.

He started to count. “I am here”, he said pointing at himself. Then pointing at the others, one by on, he said “one – two – three – four – five”. Then he shouted, “Oh my God, there are only five of us. One has been swallowed by the river!” “Let me count”, said Idi Katu Paencha and began by saying, “I am here”, and pointing at the others, one by one, said, “one – two – three- four – five”. He also shouted, “Oh my god, there are only five of us. One has been swallowed by the river!”

In the same way, the others also counted and found that their counting ended with five – one less than the number that crossed the river. They all began to weep. A man who passed by heard these men weeping. “Why are you crying?”, he asked. The men told him that while they were crossing, the river has swallowed one of them.

“Let me see how you counted”, said the passer-by and he was shown how they counted. The passer-by thought how foolish these men were. “Well, you are right, the river has indeed swallowed one of you but I can bring him back with my magical powers”. “Please”, all them pleaded. “Bring our lost friend back”.

The passer-by said. “Then do as I tell you. All of you turn around and as I hit each of you with this club from behind please shout loud, “I am one”, “I am two” and so on. They agreed. The passer-by hit Maha Daenamutta and he shouted, “I am one”. Then he hit Pol Bae Muna and he shouted “I am two!” He kept on hitting in this way until the last one shouted, “I am six”. How happy they were to get their lost friend back.

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