ACCOUNTING FOR THE FISH

official source: Sarkar's Short Stories Part 1

cross-references: none

this version: is the printed Sarkar's Short Stories Part 1, 1st edition, version 
	(spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most 
	up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

      One day a brahmin received a gift of thirty-two anabas fish from one of his disciples. In the evening, the overjoyed brahmin set off with his fish. Just as he was passing under the coconut tree, Jungle Ghost looked down from her perch. She was unable to control her greed and asked in her peculiar nasal voice, "Brahmin, what are you going to do with all those fish?" The brahmin was so terrified that his soul almost left his body. Without thinking, he ran for his life. He rushed into his yard like a mad man gasping desperately for air, stumbled, fell flat on his face near the gutter and, clenched his teeth, and became senseless. When he regained consciousness he immediately reached into his bag to check the contents and exclaimed, "I don't be lieve it! It can't be possible! Before there were thirty two fish, and now there are only sixteen. Jungle Ghost must have taken the rest."

      The brahmin went inside his house and said to his wife, "My dear, it's been such a long time since we ate anabas fish. Why don't you make a nice curry out of these?"

      His wife started to drool as soon as she saw the fish. She could hardly speak because every time she opened her mouth saliva would pour out and soak her sari. She quickly pulled herself together said, "My dear, we need some rice. Please go and get some from your disciple's house. In the meantime I'll cook the fish."

      Night had already fallen when the brahmin set off with his bag. Jungle Ghost spotted him from her coconut tree and felt sorry for him. She knew there was a large jar full of rice in the brahmin's house. His wife had tricked him into leaving as part of her evil plan to eat all the fish secretly. Jungle Ghost was actually very kind.

      "Brahmin, are you going to get some rice?" asked Jungle Ghost. The brahmin stood dumbfounded under the coconut tree. "Fool, why is your mouth open?" said Jungle Ghost. "Open up your bag!"

      Jungle Ghost poured ten thousand kilos of the best Nunia rice from her bamboo tray into the brahmin's bag. The brahmin returned home. He tried to open his front door, but it was locked. So he knocked: knock... knock... knock.

      At that moment his wife had just finished frying the fish and was about to eat them. When she heard her husband knocking at the door, she became greatly irritated. She stuffed fifteen anabas fish into her mouth as quickly as she could, and swal lowed them whole. Unfortunately there wasn't time to eat the last fish; she didn't want her husband to become suspicious.

	The brahmin entered and said, "Take this my dear, the best Nunia rice of Siliguri. Let me see how much of it you can eat. Such good food is rarely eaten by V.I.P.'s, let alone people like us. The queen mother, Phultushi1, called this rice the food of Indra."

      A little later, the brahmin's wife served her husband rice and anabas fish curry. "My dear," he inquired as he started his meal, "I gave you sixteen fish, yet you've only put one on my plate. What happened?"

      "I suppose I'd better tell you the whole story." said his wife. "When I was cutting the fish four of them slithered out of my hand, dug a hole and escaped underground. Then the cat ran off with four more in it's mouth. Another four of them slipped out of my hand, jumped into the drain, and swam jubilantly to freedom. I had prepared the other four and just as I put them into the frying pan three of them leapt up and, in a single jump, landed on top of that palm tree. They're up there now doing gymnastics. Only one fish was left in the pan. Now, since you are the man of the house, tell me, how could I possibly eat it instead of you? What does it matter if this unfortunate tongue of mine doesn't get to taste the fish?" The brahmin listened in astonishment. What else could he do? His wife continued,

      "If I am the daughter of honest parents,
	Then I have given you the full account of the sixteen fish.
	If you are the son of honest parents,
	Then eat the head and tail and leave me the rest."

	The brahmin had no alternative. He left the fish's torso on the plate and got up.



1. Queen Phultushi was the wife and general of the king of North Bengal, Shyamal Barman. She bravely resisted an invasion and thus protected the liberty of the North Bengal people. The place where she crushed the enemy soldiers is now known as Phalakata. That motherly and liberal-natured lady attempted to remove the differences between subject and king, and drew everyone near her by the touch of her affection. She proclaimed, "The subjects are my children. Therefore they are all of royal birth." She also introduced the sweet form of address which is still in vogue today, `Baba he'. She was the daughter of King Karneshwar Roy who ruled over the feudal kingdom of Konkana' (it's present name is Kakina).