This story is adapted from the ‘Vaishnavism of the Gowd Saraswat Brahmins and a Few Konkani Folklore Tales’ by V.P. Chavan
This is the second story I have come across with references to things constructed out of wax versus those made out of cow-dung. One of them is ‘Kak Mam and Gurbanjakka‘ where one has a house of मेणाचे (made of wax – मेण) and another of शाणाचे (made of cow dung – शाण).
Once upon a time, there was a little wax doll who loved music. Every day, it dreamed of having its own instrument so it could sing and play for the whole world. But sadly, it didn’t have one.
One bright morning, the wax doll decided to go on an adventure with its best friend—a doll made of cow dung! Together, they walked and laughed and sang little tunes.
After a while, they reached a lovely beach. The sea sparkled, and the sand tickled their feet. They started to play by the waves, giggling as the water splashed around them.
But suddenly, the tide came rushing in! The waves grew big and strong, sweeping both dolls away. When the water went back, the cow-dung doll was gone—it had melted into the sea.
The wax doll cried and cried. “Come back, my friend!” it shouted at the ocean.
The sea’s voice rolled gently with the waves. “Little doll,” it said, “I can feel your love, but I cannot bring your friend back. Ask me for something else.”
The wax doll thought hard but couldn’t think of anything to ask for. So the sea said, “Here, take this cot floating on my waters.”
The doll lifted the cot on its head and kept walking. Soon, it came to a fence and decided to rest. It put the cot down and went for a little bath. But when it returned, the cot was gone!
“Oh no!” cried the wax doll. “Fence, why didn’t you look after my cot?”
The fence said, “I’m sorry, little doll. I couldn’t stop whoever took it. But here—take these two strong poles instead.”
The doll thanked the fence and carried the poles onward.
Later, it reached an old woman’s cottage. Feeling tired, it left the poles by the door and went to wash. When it came back, it smelled something cooking—chapatis! The old woman had used the poles as firewood for her stove!
“Those were my poles!” said the doll sadly.
The kind old woman gave it two fresh chapatis. “Here, take these instead,” she said with a smile.
The doll thanked her and went on its way. But when night came, it was sleepy and hungry, so it stopped to rest in an old broken house. It fell fast asleep.
When it woke up, the chapatis were gone—eaten by naughty rats!
“Oh no! Not again!” cried the wax doll. “House, why didn’t you protect my chapatis?”
The house creaked and said, “I’m sorry, little one. But take this old drum instead.”
The wax doll’s eyes lit up. A drum! A real instrument at last!
It tied the drum around its neck and began to play—dum, dum, dum!—singing happily about its long journey, its lost friends, and all the lessons it had learned along the way.
And from that day on, wherever it went, the wax doll played its drum and sang its story to everyone who would listen.