It was a long time ago. People did not sow rice then and ate only sago. They did not yet know fire and ate fruits and meat raw. One day, Ala Tala, who created all people, noticed this. He had just descended from heaven to earth to see how they lived.
Why don't you bake your roots and fruits? he asked.
We don’t know what “oven” means, great sir,” one of the people answered. – We eat the roots as they are.
They become much tastier if you cook them,” Ala Tala said.
What does “cook” mean, great sir? – people asked again. - How do they do it?
“They cook on fire,” Ala Tala told them.
- Fire is in the sun, great sir. said one of the people. – You live in the sky, it’s easy for you to get it from the sun. But we live on earth, how can we get to it?
“The fire is hot like the sun, that’s true,” said Ala Tala. “It burns and scorches like the sun.” But the sun is still not fire: - food is cooked on fire. Do you want to know what fire is?
– Where is it, this fire, great master? – one woman asked. - How to find him?
“He’s in my sky,” Ala Tala answered.
“So it’s still a piece of the sun,” people persisted.
“Believe me, this is not the sun,” said Ala Tala. “One of you can come with me now and take fire from the sky.” You will cook on it.
But none of the people wanted to go on a long journey.
“We don’t need any fire,” they said. “We can make do with raw sago.” We're used to it.
The curious Tamboli the horsefly heard Ala Tal's conversation with people, and he wanted to know what fire is and how to cook with it. When he heard that people did not want to follow him, he said to Ala Tala:
“Great sir, I want to fly to heaven for fire.”
“Okay,” agreed Ala Tala. “Just don’t watch me make fire.” Do you promise me this?
“I will cover my eyes with my wings, great sir.”
“Then follow me.”
And Tamboli flew to the sky after him.
“Now close your eyes,” Ala Tala ordered him. The cunning Tamboli covered both eyes with his wings, but under the wings on his back he had two more eyes. It was with these eyes that he saw how fire was made.
Ala Tala did not know that Tamboli was spying, and gave him fire: a small coal. Tamboli placed it between his wings and descended to the ground.
“Is that all you brought us?” - people asked him. - How can we cook on such a small fire?
“Wait,” Tamboli answered, “if you want, you can now make and grow fire yourself.” I'll teach you this.
And Tamboli revealed to people the secret of fire. When Ala Tala descended to earth again, he saw that people were striking fire everywhere.
-Who taught you this? he asked.
- This is Tamboli the horsefly, great sir! “It was he who taught us how to make fire,” the people told him.
Then Ala Tala called Tamboli:
- How could you teach people how to make fire? I didn't tell you to look!
“The fireflies taught me this, great sir!” Look, they fly with fire all the time,” Tamboli replied.
But Ala Tala did not believe him:
“I gave you more eyes than anyone else,” he said, “and you see with these eyes what is unlawful!” From this day forward you will only have two eyes!
And it happened as Ala Tala said: Tamboli’s eyes disappeared under his wings. That's why he only has two eyes now.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru