Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 490

PROFESSIONAL STORY-TELLERS
450
and admiring the marvellous. Nor is it necessary,
charm an imaginative people like the Hindus,
There are
to exhibit any particular wit or erudition.
numbers of Hindus who make it their sole profession to
wander from one place to another relating fables and stories
which are very often utterly devoid even of common sense.
to fiction
in order to
Men
hood of the shepherd caste in particular often earn a liveli-
in this manner.
Hence the saying, It is a shepherd's
tale, which
a story
is
is
frequently used by the Hindus to show that
incredible.
CHAPTEK XXVII
Hindu
Tales.
The Four Deaf Men.
Once upon a time a shepherd, who happened to be deaf,
was tending his flock near his village. Though it was past
midday, his wife had not yet brought him his breakfast.
He was afraid to leave his sheep to fetch his food lest
some accident should befall them and so, after waiting
some time longer, and being pressed by hunger, he adopted
;
the following course. There chanced to be a taliari, or
village watchman, cutting grass for his cow on the banks
of a neighbouring stream, so the shepherd went up to him,
though rather reluctantly, for men of this class, although
placed as guardians over public and private property in
the village and supposed to prevent any thefts being com-
mitted, are, generally speaking, great thieves themselves.
The shepherd, nevertheless, requested him to keep an eye
on his flock during the short time he would be absent,
and assu