Note: As you know, this week I am narrating some Indian folktales here. Today I have a Bhil story of creation for you. Those of you who don’t know, Bhils are aboriginal people, living in the western parts of India.
Creation stories are key part of a culture, and are often quite exciting. So is the case with the Bhil story of creation. The Bhil God — Bhagwan — created the earth and on the earth he created two human beings, a male and a female. They lived as brother and sister and were very happy. They were kind and generous to other creatures. The brother went out to work, while the sister fetched water. While going to the river she would take rice with her and feed it to the fish. This went on for a long time.
The queen fish Ro, very pleased with the girl’s generosity, one day asked her, “Maiden, what reward do you desire? If you have thought of anything, tell me. I shall fulfil it.”
“I have thought of nothing,” replied the girl.
The queen fish told her, “Through water and rain the earth will soon be turned upside down. Ask your brother to make a cage, and keep pumpkin seeds with you. When it begins to rain, you and your brother should step into the cage, taking the seeds and water with you. Also do not forget to take a cock with you.”
Very soon it began to rain, slowly at first, then in torrents, as if the heaven and earth had merged together. For days, the brother and sister floated in their cage, with the seeds, water and the cock with them. At last the rain stopped, the deluge subsided, and they found their cage perched on a rock. Soon their cock crowed.
It was then they heard Bhagwan speaking, “Thus have I turned the world upside down. Has anyone survived? I can hear the crowing of the cock?”
The Bhagwan himself went to find out. When he saw the cage, he enquired, “Is anyone inside?”
The girl answered, “We are inside — my brother and I.”
Bhagwan found in the cage the two young people in their prime of life. He asked them, “I have destroyed the whole world. Who warned you of the deluge and gave you advice to make such a cage? You must explain the mystery to me?”
The girl replied, “It was the fish Ro who instructed me.”
Bhagwan called the fish and asked, “Was it you who brought the knowledge to these two?”
“Oh no, Lord Father, not I,” protested the fish.
But when Bhagwan beat the fish, she finally confessed, “Yes, Lord Father, I did it.”
Bhagwan was very angry. He said, “Had you at once confessed the truth, nothing would have happened to you.” And saying this he cut off its tongue and threw it in the water. Since then the Ro fish have remained without a tongue.
Then Bhagwan looked at the girl and the boy, and was pleased with them. The turned the girl’s face to the east, the boy’s to the west. He again made them turn amd face each other. Then he asked the boy, “Who is she?”
The boy, when he looked at the girl, was aware of a very strange feeling in his heart. He replied, “She is my wife.”
“Who is this?” Bhagwan asked the girl, and she too, conscious of a new feeling, said, “He is my husband.”
God made them man and wife. Thus this couple started the human race.
Kalampedia 