'The woman is right,' Babehami said angrily to Babun. You cannot bring this woman to the house.'

'I will take no other woman. I have watched her there about the compound. She is fair and gentle. She is unlike the other women of this village (here he looked round at Nanchohami), in whose mouths are always foul words.'

Babehami tried to hide his anger. He knew his brother-in-law to be obstinate as well as good-humoured and simple.

'No doubt the woman is fair. But if you desire her, is she not free to all to take? Does she not wander, like a man, in the jungle? They say that even kings have desired Rodiya women. If you desire her, it is not hard to take her. But there need be no talk of marriage, or bringing her to the house.'

'This morning I took her with me into the jungle, but it is not enough; the desire is still with me. I have thought about it. It is time that I took a wife to cook my food and bear me children. I want no other than this. can leave your compound, and build myself a new house, and take her to live with me.'

I

Babehami's anger began to break out again. 'Are you a fool? Will you take this beggar woman to be your wife? Is not her father

always about my door crying for a handful of kurakkan? Fool! I tell you my brother's children in Kotegoda will bring you land, paddy land, and cocoanuts. There is no

difference between one woman and another.'

I

'I tell you I want no Kotegoda woman. will take the daughter of Silindu. I want no strange woman or strange village. I can build myself a house here, and clear chenas, as my father did and his father.'

How

Is it for this I took you into my house? Two years you have eaten my food. much of my kurakkan have you taken ?' 'I have taken nothing from you. I have worked two years in the chena, and the crop came to you, not to me. Is not the grain now your barn from the chena cleared by me?' Babehami was too quiet and cunning often to give way to anger, but this time he was carried away by the defiance of his brother-inlaw, whom he regarded as a fool. He gesticulated wildly :

in

'Out of my house, dog; out of my house. You shall bring no woman to my compound. Go and lie with the pariahs in their own filth?' Babun got up and stood over Babehami. 'I am going,' he said quietly, 'and I will take Punchi Menika as my wife.'

The abuse of the headman and his wife

followed him out of the compound. He walked slowly over to Silindu's hut. He found Silindu squatting under a ragged mustard-tree which stood in the compound, and he squatted down by his side. He did not like Silindu; he had always an uncomfortable feeling in the presence of this wild man, who never spoke to any one unless he was spoken to; and he felt it difficult to begin now upon the subject which had brought him to the compound. Silindu paid no attention to him. Babun sat there unable to begin, listening to the sounds of the women in the hut. At last he said:

'Silindu, I have come to speak to you about your daughter Punchi Menika.'

Silindu remained quite still he apparently had not heard. Babun touched him on the

arm.

'I am talking of your daughter, Silindu, Punchi Menika.'

Silindu turned and looked at him.

The girl is in the house. What have you to do with her?'

'I want you to listen to me, Silindu, for there is much to say. I have watched the girl from the headman's compound, and a charm has come upon me. I cannot eat or sleep for thinking of her. So I said to my sister and my sister's husband, "It is time for me to take

a wife, and now I will bring this girl into the compound." But they were very angry, for they want to marry me to a woman of Kotegoda, because of the land which she would bring as dowry. To-night they abused me, and there was a quarrel. I have left their compound. Now I will make myself a house in the old compound where my father lived, and I will take the girl there as my wife.'

Silindu had become more and more attentive as he listened to Babun. The words seemed to distress him he shifted about, fidgeted with his hands, scratched himself all over his body. When Babun stopped, he took some time before he said:

'The girl is too young to be given to a man.' Babun laughed. 'The girl has attained her age. She is older than many a woman who has a husband.'

'The girl is too young. I cannot give her

to you, or evil will come of it.'

Babun's patience began to be exhausted. His good humour had been undisturbed during the scene in the headman's compound, but this new obstacle began to rouse him. His voice

rose:

'I cannot live without the girl. I have quarrelled with my sister and the headman over her; I have left the compound for her.

I ask no dowry. Why should you refuse her to me?'

'They call us veddas in the village, while you are of the headman's house. Does the leopard of the jungle mate with the dog of the village?

'That is nothing to me. The wild buffalo seeks the cows in the village herds. The girl is very gentle, and my mind is made up. the girl wishes to come to me.'

Also

The loud voices of the two men had reached the women in the house. They had come out, and stood listening behind the men. At the last words of Babun, Silindu cried out as if he had been struck :

Aiyo! aiyo! they take even my daughter from me. Is there money in the house? No. Is there rice? No. Is there kurakkan, or chillies, or jaggery,' or salt even? The house is empty. But there is always something for the thief to find. They creep in while I am away in the jungle; they see the little ones whom I have fed, the little ones who laughed and called me "Appochchi "2 when I brought them fruits and honeycomb from the jungle. They creep in like the hooded snake, and steal them away from me. from me. Aiyo! aiyo! The little

ones laugh to go.'

1 Native sugar made from the kitul palm.

2 Father.