This story is adapted from the ‘Vaishnavism of the Gowd Saraswat Brahmins and a Few Konkani Folklore Tales‘ by V.P. Chavan which can be purchased here
This is the second story I have come across with references to things constructed out of wax versus things made out of cow-dung. One of them is ‘Kak Mam and Gurbanjkai‘ where one has a house of मेणाचे (made of wax – मेण) and another of शाणाचे (made of cow dung – शाण).
So once upon a time, there lived a wax doll that loved music. It longed to have its own instrument to be able to sing to the world but unfortunately, it couldn’t get one. One day, it decided to set on a journey with its friend a doll made of cow-dung. On the way, they came across a lovely beach and decided to play for a while. It was high tide and as the waves surged on the beach, it engulfed both the dolls. As the waves retreated, the cow dung doll was destroyed, becoming one with the sea. The wax doll was overcome with grief. One moment it had been all play and next such terrible loss.
But brave as the wax doll was it stood firm and demanded to the sea that it restore its friend. The sea said ‘ I am overcome with your love for your friend. If I could, I would do everything to give it back to you but I am afraid that’s not an option. Ask for something else’. The wax doll couldn’t think of anything but the sea offered it a cot that was floating in its waters.
This cot, it lifted on its head and continued its journey. It came to a fence and feeling tired placed the cot by the fence and went out for a bath. When it returned the cot was not in its place anymore. Perhaps, some passerby had picked it away. The doll was very upset with the fence for not protecting its possession. It threatened it with all sorts of actions unless it got its cot back. But the fence could not return the cot and instead offered it two strong poles attached to it.
The doll carried the poles and continued its journey. Again feeling tired it stopped by an old woman’s cottage. It placed its poles by the door and went for a wash. When she returned she could smell burning sticks. It was lunchtime and the old lady had used the sticks to burn the stove to cook chapatis. True to its nature which we have witnessed so far, it argued with the old woman and got a couple of chappatis in return for its loss.
Happy with chappatis in its hand, the doll went further on. It was beginning to be night time, so it decided to seek shelter in a dilapidated house. Tired of the long journey, it went to sleep. When it opened its eyes, the chappatis were no more, the rats had sneaked it off. The doll was extremely upset with the house for not protecting its chappatis. As it argued with the house, the house decided to give it a drum that was lying in its corner.
Finally, the wax doll had what it always desired – a musical instrument! Typing the drum around its neck, it enthusiastically played it to tell the story of its journey to the entire world.