(8) The ru-i he couldn't find, he took off to Káliganj market, and sold it for three káhans[1] of kaorís. But two káhans he didn't get and one they didn't give him.
(9) With the káhan of kaorís they didn't give him he bought three earthen cooking pots. But two were broken and worthless, and the third had no bottom.
(10) With the pot which had no bottom, he cooked rice for three Bráhmans. But two didn't eat any; and the third didn't get any.
(11) And the Bráhman who didn't get any, gave him three slaps. But two didn't touch him, and the third wasn't a slap. etc.
Dr. E. Sidney Hartland has kindly supplied the following variants of this story.
The Enigma.
(From Pitré's Fiabe, Novelle e Racconti Popolari Siciliane,
Vol. III. p. 109, No. 139.)
It is told that there were three brothers, and they had six guns, three discharged (?) and three without a trigger. They went into a wood, and went by a path which came to an end, and was not a path. They carried on the shoulder three game-bags and three beautiful sacks, three without knots and without strings, and three bottomless. They called three dogs, two lame and one without sound feet. They went to the wood. They shouted: "Catch, catch! There he brings it! There he catches it!" They caught four rabbits; three escaped and one jumped from the hand. They came to an open space, and saw a house without roof and without walls; and there was a fair lady who dwelt in it neither by night nor by day. The three brothers said: "Forward, good dame! Prepare for us these four rabbits." "Yes," she said, "I have three pots, one broken and two without a bottom; I have a fine hearth, without fire and without heat; for water and wine there is the tank, which is empty in the summer and dry in the winter." "It is good, fair lady, prepare the stew with a light heart, for we will
- ↑ A gaṇḍa=4. 20 gaṇḍas=1 paṇ. 16 paṇs=one káhan=1280.
