A rope merchant in India, from a photograph taken in about 1870. Gunadhya’s tale is about the way that commercial enterprise and competition bring something out of nothing — the gambler’s dream, he says, but one which only hard work and initiative will make a reality. ‘Without a coin in the world I acquired this prosperity. How can the mind help being amazed at pictures without walls?’
Part 1 of 2
‘MY name is Mouse.
‘My father died before I was born, and my mother (whose little all was taken from her by greedy relatives) had to do menial work to support us. But she made sure I learnt my letters, and as soon as I was old enough she sent to me a merchant named Vishakhila, who was known for investing small sums in promising young traders of good family.
‘I entered his shop to find him tearing a strip off a slow-witted youth. “Have you lost it all?” he cried. “Some boys could have made a profit from — from that dead mouse.” He pointed to a corner.
‘Something made me say, “Master, give me that mouse as an advance on my fortune.” Vishakhila stopped, and burst out laughing. So I took the mouse and sold it as cat food in exchange for two handfuls of gram flour.’
Part Two
The ‘magical mouse’ in Klaipeda, Lithuania, is a modern myth, a sculpture in brass (not gold, understandably). It is said that if one whispers a wish into its ear, the wish will come true. See Klaipeda Tourism and Culture Information Centre. Gunadhya and his merchant friend would not have approved of such promises of easy fortune.
‘THOSE two handfuls of gram flour I sold at the roadside with a pitcher of water to a team of woodcutters, in exchange for two logs. The two logs I sold for rather more gram flour, and bought rather more logs. After three days of this there was a tremendous rainstorm which forced the woodcutters to stop work, and in the dearth I made a fine profit from my logs, enough to start a little shop.
‘My shop has done very well, and now I am very wealthy, but I have never forgotten Vishakhila. In fact, I sent him a present: a mouse made of gold. Vishakhila was so pleased with it that he gave me his daughter in marriage. Now everyone knows my story, and they all call me Mouse.’
