Seven brothers and their sister lived together, with the sister handling all the cooking. The brothers' wives, feeling resentful, conspired to remove her from this role. They sought the help of a Bonga, who agreed to create obstacles for her while fetching water, ultimately leading to her drowning. Transformed into a bamboo, she was later cut down by a Jogi who made a fiddle from it. The fiddle produced enchanting music, bringing the Jogi success in his begging. The Jogi occasionally visited the brothers' home, where the music deeply affected them, evoking sorrow. The elder brother wanted to buy the fiddle, but the Jogi refused. One day, after being intoxicated at a chief's house, the Jogi was tricked into leaving his fiddle behind. The chief's son played the fiddle, unaware of its true origin. Meanwhile, the Bonga girl, still connected to the fiddle, emerged to cook meals for the chief's son, who believed a girl friend was secretly helping him. Determined to discover the identity of his benefactor, the chief's son hid and caught the Bonga girl when she revealed herself. Despite her initial resistance due to caste differences, they fell in love. Eventually, the Bonga girl’s family fell into poverty, prompting her brothers to visit the chief's house. She recognized them but they did not know her. After serving them, she lamented her past treatment and revealed her identity, expressing her hurt but taking no further revenge.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1890 · Genre: Fantasy, Folklore, Adventure