10. Munachar And Manachar
A long time ago Munachar and Manachar went out to pick rasp berries, and as many as Munachar would pick Manachar would eat. Munachar said he must go look for a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate his raspberries, every one; and he came to the rod.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the rod.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the rod, "until you get an ax to cut me."
He came to the ax.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the ax.
"It is my own news. I am seeking an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the ax, "until you get a stone to grind me."
He came to the stone.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the stone.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the stone, "until you get water to wet me."
He came to the water.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the water.
"It is my own news. I am seeking water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the water, "until you get a deer to swim me."
He came to the deer.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the deer.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the deer, "until you get a hound to hunt me."
He came to the hound.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the hound.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the hound, "until you get a bit of butter to be rubbed on my feet."
He came to the butter.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the butter.
"It is my own news. I am seeking butter, butter to go in the claw of a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the butter, "until you get a mouse to scrape me."
He came to the mouse.
"What news today, Munachar?"
said the mouse.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a mouse, a mouse to scrape butter, butter to go in the claw of a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the mouse, "until you get a cat to catch me."
He came to the cat.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the cat.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a cat, a cat to catch a mouse, a mouse to scrape butter, butter to go in the claw of a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will not get me," said the cat, "until you get me some milk from the cow."
He came to the cow.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the cow.
"It is my own news. I am seeking milk, milk to give a cat, a cat to catch a mouse, a mouse to scrape butter, butter to go in the claw of a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will get no milk from me," said the cow, "until you bring me a wisp of hay from the farmer."
He came to the farmer.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the farmer.
"It is my own news. I am seeking hay for a cow, a cow to give milk for a cat, a cat to catch a mouse, a mouse to scrape butter, butter to go in the claw of a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will get no hay from me," said the farmer, "until you bring me a cake from the baker."
He came to the baker.
"What news today, Munachar?" said the baker.
"It is my own news. I am seeking a cake for a farmer, a farmer to give hay for a cow, a cow to give milk for a cat, a cat to catch a mouse, a mouse to scrape butter, butter to go in the claw of a hound, a hound to hunt a deer, a deer to swim water, water to wet a stone, a stone to grind an ax, an ax to cut a rod, a rod to lay on Manachar, who ate my raspberries, every one."
"You will get no cake from me," said the baker, "until you bring me the water to make it."
"How can I bring in water?" said Munachar; "there is no vessel but a sieve."
Munachar took the sieve and went over to the river, but as often as he would stoop and fill the sieve with water, the moment he raised it, the water would run out of it again; and, indeed, if he had been there from that day till this, he never could have filled it.
A crow came flying over his head and cried:
"Daub! daub! little silly, little silly."
"You are right, O crow," said Munachar; "it is good advice you give."
So he took the red clay that was by the river, and he rubbed it on the bottom of the sieve, and then the sieve held the water, and he brought the water to the baker; the baker gave him a cake, and he took the cake to the farmer; the farmer gave him a wisp of hay, and he took the hay to the cow; the cow gave him some milk, and he took the milk to the cat.
Then the cat caught the mouse, the mouse scraped the butter, the butter went into the claw of the hound, the hound hunted the deer, the deer swam the water, the water wet the stone, the stone ground the ax, the ax cut the rod; and when he had it ready to lay on Manachar, he found that Manachar had BURST.