Sherani Folktales

Thumbling & the Thieves

It is said that a certain Sherani woman prayed to Allah for a son "equal to a nail when sitting and equal to a fist when standing." Her request was granted. When he grew up, he took food to his father, who sat down to eat it, while the boy went on with the ploughing. As he was so small he was over­whelmed by the dung of the bull which he was driving. Mean-time two robbers reached the place. They took up the dung, and found the boy in it ; he asked them who they were and where they were going. They answered that they were thieves.

The boy accompanied them, and after a short time they all reached a village. The thieves asked the boy to go into the village and to apply his ear to a certain house to find out whether the householder was sleeping or not. The boy went, and leav­ing an ear in the house returned to the thieves, who asked what news he brought. He replied that he had left one of his ears in the house. Again they told him to go and see whether the villager was sleeping or not. He went and left his second ear also, telling the thieves that his ears would bring a true report after a while. The thieves then entered the village, found the householder in a sound sleep, and began to take away his things, telling the boy to grind the corn. The boy cooked bhat (a loaf) from it, and clapped this (still hot) in the mouth of the house-holder's son, who after a little struggle expired his last breath. The master of the house then got up, and seized the boy, who was standing by. The master and boy then found the thieves hidden in the branches of a certain tree. The thieves were caught, and the stolen property was recovered.

Source: Sir Lucas King., Sherani Folktales

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