VII.
VÂYÂLVALLAN KAIYÂLVALLAN.
MR. MIGHTY-OF-HIS-MOUTH AND MR. MIGHTY-OF-HIS-HANDS.
In two adjoining villages there lived two famous men. The one was called Mr. Mighty-of-his-mouth[1]—one that could accomplish wonders with words alone. The other was called Mr. Mighty-of-his-hands[2]—one who could make no use of that glib instrument the tongue, but was able to bear burdens, cut wood, and perform other physical labour.
It so happened that they agreed to live together in the house of the Mr. Mighty-of-his-mouth, to try and see which of them was the superior. They accordingly kept company for several months, till the great feast of the nine nights (navarâtrî) came on. On the first day of the feast Mr. Mighty-of-his-hands wanted to sacrifice a goat to the goddess Kâlî. So he said to Mr. Mighty-of-his-mouth,
“My dear friend, we both are mighty in our way, and so it would be shameful for us to buy the goat,
