A BURMESE FABLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1924, Page 3

A BURMESE FABLE.

“Never stop a drifting boat” is the picturesque Burmese way of hinting that the best way to avoid trouble is to mind one’s own business. The inference is not at once obvious to strangers, but somewhere among the creeks of the lower Irrawaddy one may hear a tale of which the following is a free translation :—■

Once upon a time, before the British came to the East with their strange objections to perjury, bribery, and native customs generally, there lived in a village oil the delta two men called Aluang Ivy aw and Slave C'hu. Now, Mining Kvaw was a good man, known throughout the district as Pagoda Builder; but Slave C’hu was wicked, and bated his neighbour. Aluang Kyaw’s bullocks, he said, had destroyed his paddy (rice) fields; Aluang Ivyaw’s children had .stolen liis fruit; Aiming Kyaw’s brute of a dog had killed bis chickens. To these and other evil Shwe Chu had submitted because lie was poor but, being a bad mail, he longed for

revenge. Now, it chanced thn one evening, as Aiming Kyaw and his son returned lrom fishing, they found an empty sampan being swept along by the current. It was the third night after full moon, and that should have been a warning; but, being a good man, Mating Kvaw took the drifting boat ashore, tied it up to his own bamboo stake, and vowed lie would search for the owner in the morning. Perhaps, by good fortune, it might belong to someone far up the river, and be would never Ire found. But early next morning, while Aluang Kyaw still slept, it happened that Shwe Chu walked along the river’s edge, and, behold his boat lay moored to Aluang Kyaw’s bamboo —a fact Shwe Chu pointed out to tlireemcn, two women, and five children who stood near. Then straightway he went to the Headman, and complainod that Aluang Kyaw had stolen his boat. And when Aiming Kyaw appeared to amver the accusation, there came two men (strangers to Slave Chu—so they said—giving witness simply because of their love of truth). These men swore most holy oaths that they had seen Mining Kyaw creep along the bank—the night being the third after full moon and the sky clear—and had watched him get into Slave Clm’s sampan and cut the mooring rope. Other five .witnesses told how the son of Aiming Kyaw had taken out his father's boat, and bad returned

soon after towing a second sampan, doubtless to give the appearance of having cut it adrift. Also. Aluang Kyaw and bis son bad been overheard planning the whole robbery a few days ,’arlier.

In vain did Aiming Kyaw vow that this was a plot against him, and that his own story was true: in vain did his son support him. That, said tho Headman, was just what every son would do. Ro the two were found guilty. The young man, as one who had evidently been led astray by a stronger and more wicked mind, was ordered to be beaten with bamboos; but .Mining Kyaw was thrown into prison, without even the consolation of knowing that he had originated a new proverb.