Folklore : A Tale of Salt-eating grasshopper


Folklore: A Tale of Salt-eating grasshopper
Kishor Subba Limbu
Source: Weather Limbu

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Once upon a time, there was a man named Dandaghare. There was another Bansghare in the same village. Dandaghare was the village headman. The Bansghare was very greedy. He used to go to the Dandaghare every day to ask for salt. Not a single day.not two days. It's been weeks, months, and possibly a year. Dandaghare used to travel 4-5 days to bring salt from Dharan. One day, the Dandaghare made a plan to teach a lesson to Bansghare. As usual, when it was time to eat, Bansghare came to Dandaghaare to ask for salt. Dandaghare called Bansghare and said, "Look, Bansghare!" It is not possible to meet a household's daily salt requirements by begging on a daily basis. "Now, instead of begging, why not plant salt in your own field?" "You can eat the yield salt and sell the excess salt production." Bansghre decided to plant salt in his field on the advice of the Dandaghare, and he asked for the planting procedure for slat planting. 

The next day, Bansghare borrowed some salt from Dandaghare; Bansghare and his son dug the field together and planted the salt, packing it in the leaves and marking it with a small stick as Dandaghare taught. On the other hand, Dandaghare watched from the hill from time to time to see when the Bansghare would finish the salt planting. In the evening, Bansghare and his family fell into deep sleep because of the hard work in the field. On the other hand, Dandaghare reached Bansghare's field. He had gathered live grasshoppers during the day. 

Dhandaghare took out the planted salt, following the marked stick, and packed the grasshopper in the leaves, replacing the salt. The next morning, Bansghare went to see sprouts of salt in the field. As soon as he reached the field, he looked at making a hole and opening the leaf packet. When he opened the packet, a live grasshopper jumped up. Oh my God,... planting salt in the field and devising a solution to the salt's plight The grasshopper is eating the planted slat—this is not fair—then Bansghare runs towards Dandaghare and tells him everything. He asked for advice on what to do next. Dandaghare advised making a bow and arrow to kill the grasshopper and not speaking anymore while killing the grasshopper. 

Then Bansghare and his son made a bow and arrow, and the whole family went to kill the grasshopper in the field. Bansghare cut a pinch of salted leaves and opened them. A grasshopper came out and perched on his chest. He remembered that the Dandaghare said not to speak anymore. Bansghare signals his son by whistling, and he slowly whispers and points to his chest without saying anything.The son will go a little closer without making any noise, aim at the well, and stretch the bow and arrow to hit the grasshopper. The grasshopper jumped, but the Bansghare was killed by the arrow.

(Source: Mausam Limbu, Pachkhapan Municipality-6, Sankhuwasabha, Nepal)

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