The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-01-05
y THE y
GOLDEN
SNAKESKIN.

far from the habltations of man. To
protect himself from prowling wild
beasts he had built his hut in the top
Of leafy, moss covered tree. Many
years before he had owned a large
piece of land, which yielded him his
daily bread. One fine day, however a
British merchant bought his property
as an addition to a tea plantation,
and paid the purchase money in spark
ling new rupees
What was Mahindo to do? Should
he go and live as rich man? Should
he venture into one of the black iron
snakes of the Europeans and be car
ried off, or board one of their float.
ing houses and go far, far away to
the place where the sun rises and
where the most beautiful countries Of
the earth must be? No, he dared not
do It! He had wife, a son and a
daughter whom he could not desert.
The weeks passed in half blissful,
half uneasy hesitation. For fear Of
losing the money, he finally buried it
in the forest, under tree, which he
married.
Soon afterward he was taken i'll.
Some time passed before his recovery,
but as soon as his strength permitted,
he dragged himself to the place where
he had hidden his treasure. He did
not find it, Several trees had been
felled, and the one with the mark
! on 1t lay on the ground among the
others. To his despair he did not
| know where to look for his treasure
He nearly lost his reason through
grief and rage. His son died at this
! time of trial; he also lost his wife,
| but he did not care. His soul was
| full of misery and sorrow, but it was
all on account of the lost rupees. At
last he fed from people and their
malicious Joy, and went to live at
Pedrotallagalla.
He had lived there for years with
his daughter Sarawamu. They led
miserable, joyless existence on spring
water and wild fruit. He roamed the
forest for hours at a time searching
for his lost treasure, and paid no at
tention to Sarawamu. His only
thought was his misfortune, and he
did not notice how beautiful his daugh.
ter grew, how her eyes glowed like
the tropic sun, how slender and sup
pie she was, and how her skin shone
like a warm topaz.
Others saw it, however. Laborers
from the coffee and tea plantations,
roaming about in the forest, discover
ed the beautiful girl, and without
many preliminaries, several of them
asked the father to give her to them
in marriage; but Mahindo invariably
answered, "My child will not marry
until l find the money, but then we'll
have a fine wedding.
They would curse him for a fool
and go away. Sarawamu smiled. She
did not care for any man. The life in
the woods, among bracken and rho
dodendron, pleased her. At last, how
ever, her time came. An intrepid ele-
phant hunter saw the beautiful wild
thing, and she was caught by the
sparkling eyes of the youth, as surely
as the birds by his snare. When he
spoke to her father he at once re-
|
Tiszu smiled. "Mahindo, don't be a
fool" he said. "Give me your daugh-
ter, and come with us to the valley
among the people. Leave the rupees
TO the evil spirits and let us Dive!"
But Mahindo was obdurate.
"Then the money must be found
old man. BY the head of Buddha
| IL hn1 9TH
when your own wisdom is not suffi'
cient? In, the village there is a
wizard of a good reputation, by the
name of Loano. Go to him."
Mablndo liked the idea, and depart
ed with Sarawamu for the village
Loano was a short. thickset man. with
; projecting eyes and matted beard and
, hair.
} The wizard shook some powder into
a brass dish, and soon a blue smoke
. enveloped him. He mumbled incanta
tions, took a palm leaf and an Gror
+, style, and began to dance. At las
: he fell to the ground in convulsions
0 while his hand was scratching witt
the pen on the leaf. Rising, he said
mere are lHe ulySlcIluuo Woi 10
What will you give for them?"
0 Mahindo turned pale; he had M
, money. Seeing how the wizards eye'
hung on the girl, he shouted: 81 prom
. Use you my daughter, If you will hav'
! her; but give me the leaf"
=: The wizard smiled contentedly, an'
/; handed him the leaf, saying, "Befor'
/ next moon / expect my pay-mone,
n out of your treasure, or the girl"
Outside the hut, Mahindo devoure'
the writing on the leaf.
Let him tie the skin of a COLDER
i snake about his right foot, and go u
the forest where his money us hidden
!: The spirit of the snake will steal int
;, its old home, and with light pres
!: sure lead him to the place where tn
!; treasure lies buried. If the pressur
y ceases, let him stop and begin to dig.
: From that day Mahindo spent hi
dave in hunting for a golden snake