Bellows for the Bullock (Passages for Explanation)

 

Passage 1

 True to their trade, all of them instantly sensed that the peasant was a simpleton and could be conned easily. They said to the peasant, “Why don’t you sell the bullock?” The peasant thought that there was nothing wrong if he could make twenty or thirty odd rupees. Reflecting for a few moments on what should be a good bargain he said, “One hundred twenty five rupees!” The sons of the thug said that it was too inflated a price.

The reference and the context:

These lines have been taken from the Haryanavi folk tale “Bellows for the Bullock.” The passage shows the first stage in the duping and cheating of the peasant. It also shows the skill and proficiency of the thugs in their trade as they start on a course of cheating the simple peasant without any consultation among themselves. It also shows that human tendency of profit making may blind even a wise person.

Explanation:

All the thugs were well trained in their trade so they immediately understood that the peasant was a simple fellow. It is always easy to cheat such people. They started getting him into their trap by playing on the human tendency of the farmer of making a profit. They suggested him to sell the bullock. The peasant fell into the trap. He thought of a price which would be high enough to allow him to come down significantly in the usual bargain during business transactions and still make a profit. So he said that he would sell his bullock for one hundred twenty five rupees which was naturally considered to be highly inflated by the thugs.

 

 Passage  2

There was a small forest near Thugs’ dhaani. In the privacy of the forest, the peasant got into his wife’s dress and decked himself. The effects were so startling that anybody would take him to be a hoor. In this outfit he reached the courtyard of the Thugs. Finding a woman in their home the oldy and his sons became very happy. None of the sons was married. Who would consign their daughter to the home of Thugs?

The reference and the context:

This passage has been taken from the Haryanavi folk tale “Bellows for the Bullock.” In this passage is delineated the first disguise of the peasant in seeking his revenge. It shows the peasant’s resourcefulness and his correct understanding of the thug family’s mental condition. The peasant adopts a tit for tat policy: if he was deceived he would also deceive.

 Explanation:

The peasant uses the privacy offered by the forest to donning the dress of his wife. He knew his presence as a woman like a hoor will have the desired effect in thugs’ home. Finding a beautiful woman in their home they all become very happy as expected. None of the sons could get a wife because people were naturally averse to the idea of giving their daughters to a family of thugs.