Fables and Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest

[1] A Water-Snail was coming up-stream from the lower reaches, when a King-crow heard it. Said the King-crow to himself, "Who can it be coming up-stream, that exclaims so loudly at the rapids? One might say it was a man, but that there is nothing to be seen."

So the King-crow settled on a tree to watch, but as he could see nothing from his perch on the tree he flew down to the ground, and walked along by the water-side. And when he thought to see some man exclaiming, he caught sight of the Water-snail.

"Hullo, you there," said he, "where do you come from?"

"I come from the eddy below the rapids," said the Water-snail, "and I only want to get as far as the head-waters of this river."

Said the King-crow, "Wait a bit. Suppose you go down to the river-mouth as quickly as you can and we will have a wager on it." (Now rivers are the Water-snail's domain, in which he has many comrades.)

"What is to be the stake?" asked the Water-snail.

"If I am beaten I will be your slave, and look after your aroids [2] and wild calladiums" [3] (on which the Water-snails feed).

Then the King-crow asked, "And what will you stake?"

The Water-snail replied, "If I am beaten, the river shall be handed over to you and you shall be King of the River."

But the Water-snail begged for a delay of twice seven days, saying that he felt knocked up after ascending the rapids. And the delay was granted accordingly.

Meanwhile however the Water-snail hunted up a great number of his friends and instructed them to conceal themselves in each of the higher reaches of the river, and to reply immediately when the King-crow challenged them.

The day arrived, and the King-crow flew off, and in each of the higher reaches the Water-snail's friends replied to the challenge. And at the river-mouth the Water-snail replied in person. So the King-crow was defeated and has ever since remained the slave of the Water-snail. [4]

[1] This story is an old friend in a new dress. It was told me on the Tembeling River by a Malay of Pahang. The King-crow (also called the Racquet-tailed Drongo) is the "Chenchawi" of the Malays, and the Water-snail is "Siput." [1] Birah.

[2] Kemahang.

[3] Birah is a name given to various wild aroids.

Kemahang seems to be a Dioscorea.

[4] It is a common Malay belief that many species of shell-fish (e.g. when the tide is coming up) make audible sounds, which the Malays usually describe as 'whistling.' A similar superstition appears to have once been current in England, witness the portrayal of "The Whistling Oyster" on the signboards of old inns.