Once upon a time, they say, there lived a husband and wife who had three sons. The first two are beautiful, slender, and the third is a freak-monster: without a body, without arms, without legs - just a head. The head ate and talked. Her name was Rataulanduhamivulana.
One day the two eldest sons decided to go seek happiness. They asked their parents for permission, and they let them go. But the youngest son also began to ask along with his brothers:
“We don’t want to take you with us,” the elders said. “How can you walk without legs?” You'll only get in our way.
“Take me,” Faralahi begged, “I won’t be a burden to you.”
In the end the brothers agreed. They wrapped Faralahi in a lamba, tied it to a bamboo stick and carried it away. When they reached the high road, the younger brother said:
“Leave me here, but don’t forget to ask the next village on your way back where to find me.”
The older brothers left Faralahi and went further south.
After some time, a merchant appeared on the road with a large herd of bulls. Rataulanduhamivulana shouted:
— Trouble is coming from the north! Trouble is coming from the south! Trouble is coming from the east! Trouble is coming from the west!
The merchant was frightened when he saw the talking head and began to ask:
“I’ll give you half the bulls, just tell me how I can get home alive and see my wife and children.”
“On the way there is a river waiting for you, on the bank of the river there is a tree,” said Rataulanduhamivulana. “When you pass by this place, kill the bull.” Hang your head on a tree and let the blood flow into the river; it is needed by those who live in water. If you do not make this sacrifice, the water itself will take the bulls. Don't cross the river until you do what I said.
They say that since then, betsimisaraks, having killed a bull, hang their heads.
Then a rich man appeared on the road and with him many slaves. Faralahi shouted again:
— Trouble is coming from the north! Trouble is coming from the south! Trouble is coming from the east! Trouble is coming from the west!
In his entire life, the rich man had never seen such a miracle—out of fear, he did not know what to think.
- I will give you half of the slaves. Just tell me how to get away from trouble? - he begged.
Rataulanduhamivulana agreed and said:
— After walking a little forward, you will see a stone standing upright on the edge of the road. When you get level with him, tear off a piece of the lamba and cover it.
Having divided the slaves, the rich man went further and did what Faralahi ordered.
They say that since then the Betzimisaraka have had the custom of placing pieces of cloth on standing stones.
Then another rich man appeared on the road; he wanted to buy bulls and was carrying a lot of money with him. Rataulanduhamivulana shouted again:
— Trouble is coming from the north! Trouble is coming from the south! Trouble is coming from the east! Trouble is coming from the west!
The rich man, frightened, approached him and began to ask:
- Help me return home safe and sound. I'll give you half of my money. Then Faralahi said to him:
- A little ahead, next to the road you will see
graves. When you pass by them, take the fat and lubricate the stones that stand at the heads. These are the graves of Zanaharie. The rich man divided the money and did as Rataulanduhamivulana told him.
This is why the Betzimisaraks have been greasing the stones at the heads of their graves since ancient times. Faralahi said to the slaves:
“Go and build a house for all of us, and next to it make a pen for the bulls.”
The slaves left; On the way they saw a beautiful city and built a house and a paddock there. Some time passed; Faralahi became famous for his wealth. The rumor about him even reached Andriamanitra's daughter, and she came to ask him to become her husband.
“Just remember what I tell you,” she added, “we will never drink tuaka.” If you take even a drop into your mouth, we will lose each other.
Since then they did not drink tuaka and lived richly and happily for many years.
Meanwhile, the older brothers returned. They asked about Faralahi in the village near which he had once been left, and they were told in which city he lived. They came to this city and appeared to their brother. Rataulanduhamivulana threw a feast on the mountain, but the brothers were so ashamed that they barely swallowed some rice. The next morning they said to Faralahi:
- Brother, we are returning to father and mother. Would you like to give them something? Maybe you have some errand for us?
Faralahi replied:
- Tell your father and mother that I live richly and happily. Let them not worry about me and let them come and visit us. I don’t have legs, I can’t come to them myself.
And Faralakha’s wife added:
“Take these two piastres to your father and mother and quickly return with them.”
The older brothers left. Having reached their native village, they told their parents:
- This is the money we earned. Little Faralahi died during our travels, and we buried him along the road.
When father and mother heard this news, they were very upset; They put on mourning lamps and began to mourn their son.
Rataulanduhamivulana waited a long time for his parents; without waiting, he sent a man to them to find out how they lived and to invite them to come to him. The man came to them, but the parents did not believe him: they thought that their son had died and been buried by his older brothers.
Again, a lot of time passed, but father and mother still did not come. Then Faralahi sent a slave to them. The slave came and said:
“Your son sent me to find out whether you are alive or not.” Twice he called you to his place, but received no answer. He is worried about you and is very angry. He speaks these words to you: “If you are alive, I conjure you, come to me.” But the parents again did not believe that their son was alive.
Then Rataulanduhamivulana said to his wife:
“I don’t know what the brothers said to their father and mother.” I called them so many times, but they still don’t come. What should we do? We can't go to them together. Who will take care of the birds and the cattle while we are gone? Who will look after the slaves? We'll have to take turns. I’ll go first, and you stay and look after the house, your parents don’t know you anyway.
The wife agreed.
“Don’t stay there too long,” she asked. “If you can, bring your father, mother and brothers with you.”
Faralahi left. When he found himself in his native village, his parents cried with joy: after all, they thought that Faralahi was dead, and suddenly they saw him alive! All the relatives rejoiced with them and made a big feast. There were many tuaki wazaha at the feast. Everyone was having fun and drinking. When father took
horn and began to surround the guests, Faralahi said that he never drinks tuaka. But the guests forced him to drink with them. Faralahi drank and became more and more drunk. The next morning he wanted to go home, but he felt very bad. In vain his parents looked for fanafudi to cure him; he grew worse and worse, and a few days later he died. And his wife, the daughter of Andriamanitra, returned to her father. That is why the Betzimisaraka love the Tuaku so much: after all, among them there is no longer the daughter of Andriamanitra, who forbids them to drink.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru