'A Long-bow Story'
by Andrew Lang · from The Olive Fairy Book
Adapted Version
A rich man loved money more than anything. He thought about money all day long. He walked on a road. He saw a farmer walking too. The farmer was carrying a basket of vegetables.
"I want money," the rich man thought. He had an idea. He walked faster. He talked to the farmer.
"Let us tell stories," the rich man said. "If you doubt my story, pay me money. If I doubt your story, I pay money. It will be fun!"
The farmer smiled. "Okay," he said. "You tell your story first. I like stories."
The rich man began. "I saw a big kite. It was very, very strong. It picked up many big camels. It flew high into the sky."
The farmer listened carefully. "Yes, yes," he said. "Go on."
"The camels fell," the rich man said. "They fell into a princess's eye! Ouch! It hurt a lot."
"Oh no!" said the princess in the story. "Help me!"
"A maid helped," the rich man said. "She pulled the camels out one by one. She put them in her pocket. Her pocket was very big."
"I believe you!" said the farmer. "That is a good story."
Now the farmer told his story. "My father had a horse," he said. "The horse got a big bump on its back. It was a strange bump."
"Yes," said the rich man. "What happened next?"
"Wheat grew on the bump!" said the farmer. "A lot of wheat grew. It grew tall and golden. Many men helped pick the wheat. They worked all day."
"A good crop," said the rich man. He was getting nervous.
"Your father came," the farmer said. "He was very hungry. He borrowed wheat from my father. He promised to pay back. But he did not pay it back."
The rich man was mad. He wanted to deny it. But he'd pay money. He stayed quiet. His face turned red.
"The wheat is unpaid," the farmer said. "It is still owed."
The rich man counted his money. He counted fast. He thought hard. He chose. "I will pay for the wheat," he said. He knew he was tricked.
He gave money to the farmer. The farmer smiled. "Thank you," he said.
The merchant learned cleverness beats greed. Greed can make you lose what you have. It is better to be clever and fair.
Original Story
'A LONG-BOW STORY'
One day a bunniah,[1] or banker, was walking along a country road when
he overtook a farmer going in the same direction. Now the bunniah was
very grasping, like most of his class, and was lamenting that he had
had no chance of making any money that day; but at the sight of the
man in front he brightened up wonderfully.
'That is a piece of luck,' he said to himself. 'Let me see if this
farmer is not good for something'; and he hastened his steps.
After they had bid one another good day very politely, the bunniah
said to the farmer:
'I was just thinking how dull I felt, when I beheld you, but since we
are going the same way, I shall find the road quite short in such
agreeable company.'
'With all my heart,' replied the farmer; 'but what shall we talk
about? A city man like you will not care to hear about cattle and
crops.'
'Oh,' said the bunniah, 'I'll tell you what we will do. We will each
tell the other the wildest tale we can imagine, and he who first
throws doubt on the other's story shall pay him a hundred rupees.'
To this the farmer agreed, and begged the bunniah to begin, as he was
the bigger man of the two; and privately he made up his mind that,
however improbable it might be, nothing should induce him to hint that
he did not believe in the bunniah's tale. Thus politely pressed the
great man started:
'I was going along this road one day, when I met a merchant travelling
with a great train of camels laden with merchandise----'
'Very likely,' murmured the farmer; 'I've seen that kind of thing
myself.'
'No less than one hundred and one camels,' continued the bunniah, 'all
tied together by their nose strings--nose to tail--and stretching
along the road for almost half a mile----'
'Well?' said the farmer.
'Well, a kite swooped down on the foremost camel and bore him off,
struggling, into the air, and by reason of them all being tied
together the other hundred camels had to follow----'
'Amazing, the strength of that kite!' said the farmer.
'But--well--yes, doubtless; yes--well--one hundred and one camels--and
what did he do with them?'
'You doubt it?' demanded the bunniah.
'Not a bit!' said the farmer heartily.
'Well,' continued the bunniah, 'it happened that the princess of a
neighbouring kingdom was sitting in her private garden, having her
hair combed by her maid, and she was looking upward, with her head
thrown back, whilst the maid tugged away at the comb, when that
wretched kite, with its prey, went soaring overhead; and, as luck
would have it, the camels gave an extra kick just then, the kite lost
his hold, and the whole hundred and one camels dropped right into the
princess's left eye!'
'Poor thing!' said the farmer; 'it's so painful having anything in
one's eye.'
'Well,' said the bunniah, who was now warming to his task, 'the
princess shook her head, and sprang up, clapping her hand on her eye.
"Oh dear!" she cried, "I've got something in my eye, and how it does
smart!"'
'It always does,' observed the farmer, 'perfectly true. Well, what
did the poor thing do?'
'At the sound of her cries, the maid came running to her assistance.
"Let me look," said she; and with that she gave the princess's eyelid
a twitch, and out came a camel, which the maid put in her pocket--'
('Ah!' grunted the farmer)--'and then she just twisted up the corner
of her headcloth and fished a hundred more of them out of the
princess's eye, and popped them all into her pocket with the other.'
Here the bunniah gasped as one who is out of breath, but the farmer
looked at him slowly. 'Well?' said he.
'I can't think of anything more now,' replied the bunniah. 'Besides,
that is the end; what do you say to it?'
'Wonderful,' replied the farmer, 'and no doubt perfectly true!'
'Well, it is your turn,' said the bunniah. 'I am so anxious to hear
your story. I am sure it will be very interesting.'
'Yes, I think it will,' answered the farmer, and he began:
'My father was a very prosperous man. Five cows he had, and three yoke
of oxen, and half a dozen buffaloes, and goats in abundance; but of
all his possessions the thing he loved best was a mare. A well bred
mare she was--oh, a very fine mare!'
'Yes, yes,' interrupted the bunniah, 'get on!'
'I'm getting on,' said the farmer, 'don't you hurry me! Well, one day,
as ill-luck would have it, he rode that mare to market with a torn
saddle, which galled her so, that when they got home she had a sore on
her back as big as the palm of your hand.'
'Yes,' said the bunniah impatiently, 'what next?'
[Illustration: THE BUNNIAH'S STORY]
'It was June,' said the farmer, 'and you know how, in June, the air
is full of dust-storms with rain at times? Well, the poor beast got
dust in that wound, and what's more, with the dust some grains of
wheat, and, what with the dust and the heat and the wet, that wheat
sprouted and began to grow!'
'Wheat does when it gets a fair chance,' said the bunniah.
'Yes; and the next thing we knew was that there was a crop of wheat on
that horse's back as big as anything you ever saw in a hundred-acre
field, and we had to hire twenty men to reap it!'
'One generally has to hire extra hands for reaping,' said the bunniah.
'And we got four hundred maunds of wheat off that mare's back!'
continued the farmer.
'A good crop!' murmured the bunniah.
'And your father,' said the farmer, 'a poor wretch, with hardly enough
to keep body and soul together--(the bunniah snorted, but was
silent)--came to my father, and he said, putting his hands together as
humble as could be----'
The bunniah here flashed a furious glance at his companion, but bit
his lips and held his peace.
'"I haven't tasted food for a week. Oh! great master, let me have the
loan of sixteen maunds of wheat from your store, and I will repay
you."'
'"Certainly, neighbour," answered my father; "take what you need, and
repay it as you can."'
'Well?' demanded the bunniah with fury in his eye.
'Well, he took the wheat away with him,' replied the farmer; 'but he
never repaid it, and it's a debt to this day. Sometimes I wonder
whether I shall not go to law about it.'
Then the bunniah began running his thumb quickly up and down the
fingers of his right hand, and his lips moved in quick calculation.
'What is the matter?' asked the farmer.
'The wheat is the cheaper; I'll pay you for the wheat,' said the
bunniah, with the calmness of despair, as he remembered that by his
own arrangement he was bound to give the farmer a hundred rupees.
And to this day they say in those parts, when a man owes a debt: 'Give
me the money; or, if not that, give me at least the wheat.'
(This is from oral tradition.)
FOOTNOTE:
[1] Grain merchant and banker, and generally a very greedy man.
Story DNA
Moral
Greed can lead to one's own undoing, and cleverness can outsmart even the most cunning.
Plot Summary
A greedy banker, or bunniah, proposes a storytelling contest to a farmer: whoever expresses doubt about the other's wild tale must pay 100 rupees. The bunniah tells an incredibly exaggerated story about 101 camels being carried by a kite and falling into a princess's eye, which the farmer feigns belief in. The farmer then tells an equally absurd tale of wheat growing on his mare's back, yielding a massive harvest. He concludes by revealing that the bunniah's own father borrowed wheat from his father and never repaid it, trapping the bunniah, who, to avoid paying 100 rupees for doubting, reluctantly pays for the wheat, acknowledging the long-standing debt.
Themes
Emotional Arc
arrogance to frustration to defeat
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects common perceptions of bankers/merchants in some traditional societies, often seen as shrewd and avaricious. The 'long-bow story' or 'tall tale' is a universal folk tradition.
Plot Beats (15)
- A greedy bunniah, seeking profit, encounters a farmer on a road.
- The bunniah proposes a storytelling contest: whoever expresses doubt about the other's tale pays 100 rupees.
- The farmer agrees, secretly vowing not to doubt the bunniah's story.
- The bunniah tells an outrageous tale of a kite carrying 101 camels, which then fall into a princess's eye.
- The bunniah describes the maid fishing all 101 camels out of the princess's eye and putting them in her pocket.
- The farmer, though astonished, expresses complete belief in the bunniah's story.
- The farmer begins his tale about his prosperous father and a mare that developed a large sore.
- The farmer describes how dust and wheat grains entered the mare's wound, causing a massive wheat crop to grow on her back.
- The farmer recounts harvesting 400 maunds of wheat from the mare's back, requiring 20 men.
- The farmer then states that the bunniah's own father, a poor wretch, borrowed 16 maunds of wheat from his father and never repaid it.
- The bunniah, furious but unable to express doubt without losing 100 rupees, remains silent.
- The farmer concludes by saying the debt remains unpaid and he sometimes considers going to law over it.
- The bunniah quickly calculates the cost and, realizing he's trapped, chooses to pay for the wheat rather than the 100 rupees for doubting.
- The bunniah pays the farmer for the wheat, acknowledging the debt.
- The story ends with a local saying about the choice between money or wheat when a debt is owed.
Characters
The Bunniah ⚔ antagonist
Stout, prosperous-looking
Attire: Fine cotton dhoti and kurta, perhaps with a shawl, indicating wealth; possibly wears a turban
Grasping, cunning, arrogant
Image Prompt & Upload
A sinister middle-aged male merchant with sharp, cunning features and a sly grin. He has dark, slicked-back hair with streaks of grey at the temples, narrow calculating eyes, and a pointed chin with a thin goatee. He wears an ornate, dark burgundy velvet coat with gold embroidery and large brass buttons, a high-collared cream silk shirt underneath, and black leather gloves. A heavy golden chain hangs around his neck, and multiple jeweled rings adorn his fingers. His posture is upright and imposing, one hand clutching a worn leather ledger while the other rests on a wooden cane topped with a carved serpent handle. He stands with a confident, predatory stance, head slightly tilted with a knowing, menacing smirk. Dark shadows accent his angular face, giving him a villainous appearance. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature
The Farmer ★ protagonist
Strong, weathered
Attire: Simple cotton dhoti and kurta, perhaps with a headcloth for sun protection
Clever, patient, humorous
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged farmer with a kind, weathered face, crow's feet around his eyes, and a gentle smile. He has sun-tanned skin, short salt-and-pepper hair peeking from under a worn straw hat. He wears faded blue overalls over a checkered shirt, sturdy boots, and leather gloves. He stands with a slight lean on a wooden pitchfork, posture relaxed yet strong. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Princess ○ minor
Beautiful, delicate
Attire: Richly embroidered silk garments, jewelry
Startled, distressed
Image Prompt & Upload
A young girl around 10 years old with long blonde hair in soft curls, wearing an elegant pale blue silk gown with puffed sleeves and a full skirt, adorned with delicate lace and tiny pearls. She stands with a straight posture, holding a single white rose in her hands, a gentle smile on her face. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Maid ○ minor
Attentive, quick-thinking
Attire: Servant's attire, likely simple cotton
Helpful, efficient
Image Prompt & Upload
A young teenage girl with a humble expression, her hair neatly pulled back into a bun. She wears a simple, slightly worn grey dress with a clean white apron tied at the waist. She is performing a small, respectful curtsy while holding a wooden broom in one hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Country Road
A dusty road suitable for walking and travel, connecting rural areas.
Mood: Neutral, a place of chance encounters and potential business.
The bunniah and farmer meet and begin their storytelling contest.
Image Prompt & Upload
A winding country road stretches into the distance under a late afternoon sun, its dry, pale dirt surface cracked and dusty. Golden light filters through the air, casting long shadows from a line of old, gnarled oak trees lining the path. The road cuts through rolling fields of tall, dry grass and wildflowers in muted yellows and purples. In the far distance, a small, rustic farmhouse with a red barn sits atop a gentle hill, surrounded by patchwork fields. The sky is a soft gradient of warm orange and pale blue, with a few wispy clouds. The atmosphere is peaceful, warm, and slightly hazy. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Princess's Private Garden
A secluded garden where a princess relaxes while having her hair combed.
Mood: Peaceful, luxurious, and unsuspecting.
The bunniah's story describes camels falling into the princess's eye.
Image Prompt & Upload
Late afternoon golden hour in a secluded royal garden. A central marble fountain with gentle sprays catches the sunlight, surrounded by lush, meticulously pruned hedges of emerald green. Winding gravel pathways lead to hidden stone benches beneath weeping willows. Climbing roses in soft pink and ivory bloom over a weathered stone archway. Dappled light filters through ancient oak trees, casting long, serene shadows across beds of lavender and forget-me-nots. A high, ivy-covered stone wall encloses the space, with a single ornate wrought-iron gate slightly ajar. The air is still and peaceful, with a soft, warm glow illuminating the tranquil scene. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Farmer's Father's Land
A prosperous farm with cows, oxen, buffaloes, and goats.
Mood: Productive, rural, and somewhat exaggerated.
The farmer tells his tall tale about the mare growing wheat.
Image Prompt & Upload
Golden hour bathes a prosperous farm in warm amber light, casting long shadows across rolling green hills. Lush, fertile fields stretch towards a distant line of ancient oaks, bordered by weathered wooden fences and a meandering stone wall. A large thatched-roof barn with a hayloft stands central, its wooden doors slightly ajar. Nearby, a sturdy red-brick well and a simple feeding trough suggest recent activity. The air is clear, with a soft, glowing mist hovering over the grass, and the sky transitions from soft peach to a deep, clear blue. No border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
