In a spacious great city three Yakas were born. Well then, the three Yakas spoke together: “Let us three Yakas go to the school of the Chief of the Yaka forces (Yaksa Senadipotiya),1 to learn letters.”

After they learnt letters the three spoke together: “Let us go to learn the sciences.” The three having walked along the path came to the travellers’ shed at the place where there are again three paths. The three spoke together. One said, “I will learn the science of killing a man.” One said, “I will learn the science of causing [re-]birth.” The other said, “I will learn to do magic.” In the hand of one Yaka [was] the sword; in the hand of one Yaka, the betel-cutter; in the hand of one Yaka, the axe.

Those three Yakas said, “You go on that path; I will go on this path.” Then the three Yakas go on the three paths. Before they went they said, “When any matter of sickness has happened to a person out of us three, how shall we get to know?”

Then one said, “I will plant a lime tree”; one said, “I will plant a flower tree”; one said, “I will make a flower pool.”2 Well then, saying that should any accident occur to the Yakas the fruit will fall from the lime tree, or the flowers on the flower tree will fade, or the water of the pool will become muddy,3 they went on the three paths.

Having gone on the three paths, when they came to three countries the three summoned three wives, ordinary women (nikan gaenu). The Yakas taking human appearance, putting on good clothes like men, putting aside the teeth of Yakas (Yak-dat), taking good teeth, the women do not know that the three are Yakas.

After a long time, a man died in the village of the Yaka who planted the lime tree. That Yaka having taken the corpse after they buried it, and having drawn it to the surface, ate it.4

An old thief saw it. Having seen it, on seeing that woman he told her, “In this manner, the man who is in your house in this way eats human flesh,” having seen that woman, he told that. Owing to it, that woman that day got to know that said Yaka is a Yaka. After that she prepared to kill him.

The Yaka’s wife asked, “Where is your life?”

The Yaka said, “In my stomach.”

“No, you are telling lies.”

The Yaka said, “In my breast.”

“That also is false,” she says. “Tell me the truth.”

The Yaka said, “In my neck.”

“It is not there, also,” she says.

At last the Yaka said, “My life is in [the brightness of] my sword.”

Afterwards, placing the sword near his head, he went to sleep. Then this woman having gone, collected a bon-fire (gini go?ak), and quietly taking the sword put it into the hearth. Well then, the woman having come back, when she looked that Yaka was dead.

That eldest Yaka having arisen, when he looked [saw that] the flowers and fruit had all fallen from the lime tree. The Yaka said, “Ane! Bola, there will have been some accident; I must go to look.” Well then, the eldest Yaka having tied up the lime fruits, and come to that Yaka’s country, taking them, when he looked his younger brother was dead. When he sought for that sword it was not [there].

Afterwards, when he looked at the fire heap that sword was in the heap. Well then, taking the limes and having cut them, when he was thoroughly polishing it with the limes that dead Yaka revived (lit., was born). Then the elder Yaka, calling the revived Yaka, came to his [own] house [with him].

A pestilence having stricken the second Yaka, one morning when those two looked the flowers on that planted tree had fallen. Well then, having said, “Appa! Bolan, some accident will have stricken our Yaka,” putting together those flowers also, they went away.

Having gone, and having offered the flowers to the Gods of that country, the disease was cured; and calling that Yaka also, they came to that eldest Yaka’s house.

Having come [there], that eldest Yaka said to one Yaka, “You do loading work, and having loaded cattle get your living.” To the other Yaka he said, “You trade and get your living. I will cultivate,” he said.

Well then, the three taking human appearance, all remained at the city where that eldest Yaka was. That Yaka who loaded sacks [with produce with which he went on trading journeys] was ruined by that very thing, and died.

Then [in the case of] the Yaka who traded [at a shop], an old thief stole all the goods [obtained] by his trading. Out of grief on that account that Yaka died.

That eldest Yaka, doing cultivation and having become abundantly wealthy, stayed at that very city, and abandoned the Yaka appearance.

Potter. North-western Province.