![Jackal animal](https://mahasoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_20201204_233142-1024x576.jpg)
Jackal animal plays a great role in all Indian folklore. Like in many other Indian oral narratives they occupy a prominent position in Santal folk tales as well.
They are rather small animals who often wandered into the villages from the nearby forests to steal chicken and other small animals. They were common to jungles that surrounded the Santal villages and the Santal people encountered them rather frequently.
Jackal animal
Such is their presence in Santal folklore that in his three-volume collection of ‘Santal Folk Tales’. P.O.Bodding has placed fifteen jackal stories in a separate section ‘Stories About Jackals’; where a number of animals including the jackal animals are shown to have the human ability to speak.
They are shown to even possess human characteristics and sensibilities. In the first fifteen stories (and some more in the second and third volumes) animals like the jackal, leopard, tiger, paddy bird (heron), hare, crocodile, lion, and bear speak and behave as humans.
The jackal animal which is common to all of these tales does not personify any particular trait and in turn is depicted as 6 cunning, dexterous, deceitful, malicious, and treacherous in the stories. In many others, it is portrayed as compassionate, kind, honest, helpful, and even cowardly and foolish.
Sten Konow in his preface to P. O. Bodding’s ‘Santal Folk Tales’ makes an interesting observation in saying, ‘This double conception is curious. It is possible that we have to do with two different elements, one originally Kolerian and the other originally Aryan’.
Some stories of Jackal animals
a) The Jackal animal and Husband and Wife
While returning from her father’s house a newly married wife with her husband is crossing a forest. A (spirit) bhut (bonga) is enchanted by her and taking the shape of a young man attempts to snatch her away.
![The Jackal animal and Husband and Wife](https://mahasoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_20201205_014905-1024x576.jpg)
He claims her to be his wife and tries to drag her away but the husband won’t let go. She cries out for help and a jackal going about its business hears the cry runs to her aid. Both the men appeal to the jackal to judge their case.
The jackal hears their accounts and then engages the young husband and the bhut in a challenge. He tricks the bhut (spirit) to enter into a kupi (small earthen receptacle) and traps him. In this manner, he saves the woman and restores her to her husband.
It is interesting to note that the Santal narrator uses ‘bhut’ (Aryan word) instead of the native bonga. The jackal has been portrayed as shrewd, just, and helpful in this story.
The story also describes the receptacles used to carry oil, kupi, a small earthen vessel for women, and a bamboo receptacle for men (…before the introduction of the bottle by the Saheb).
Lesson –
Use wit and presence of mind for defeating the enemy.
b) The Jackal animal and the Leopard
An altercation occurs between a leopard and some traders crossing a jungle with their loaded bullock carts. All of them decide to consult three judges – a mahua tree, a water pool, and a jackal.
The mahua tree and the water pool speak against the traders (humans) and judge in favor of the deceitful leopard. Both of them brand humans as wicked and ungrateful creatures because they use and then exploit/abuse both the tree and the water.
The jackal then tricks the leopard to enter into a sack and quickly ties him up thus helping the traders escape safely. In this story objects like the tree and water pool have also been endowed with human abilities to judge and express opinions.
Lesson-
Wit is essential to survive, never trust the word of an enemy.
It is interesting to note the opinions of the tree and the water pool. Both of them brand men as ungrateful and insensitive creatures and side with the leopard.
The Jackal animal and the Prince
This story has elements of a Fairy Tale and a Fable. Some part of the story takes place in a modern court of law. It is also a longer variation of the 4th and 5th stories.
It is a long rambling story about a Prince (zamindar’s son) who has been reduced to poverty and has to work as a cowherd. The first half of the story tells about the lad’s misfortunes and his struggle against poverty.