Mahadenamuttha was an old man who lived a long time ago. He had snowy hair and a long white beard which added to his look of a wise man. He was called Mahadenamuttha because everyone thought he was very wise. But in reality he was foolish. People brought their problems to him thinking he was very wise. But Mahadenamuttha’s solutions were often very foolish.
He had five pupils or golayas who thought he was the wisest and greatest teacher in the world. They wrote all his instructions on ola leaves and carried them wherever they went. Their names were Pol ba muna, Indi katu pancha, Rabbada aiya, Puwak badilla and Kotu Kithaiya.
As he got older Mahadenamuttha experienced difficulty in walking. He used a haramitiya or walking walking stick but movement was difficult. It saddened his pupils to see their master like this.
One day they had a discussion to see what they could do to help Mahadenamuttha. Puwak badilla suggested that they carry Mahadenamuttha in a dolawa (palanquin).
Indikatu pancha pointed out that the dolawa would be too heavy for them to carry especially if Mahadenamuttha was in it. They thought hard about a way for Mahadenamuttha to travel easily. Llets buy a horse “said Pol ba muna.The others were very enthusiastic about buying a horse.
Rabbada Aiya suddenly posed a question which dampened their happy spirits.” Horses cost much money and how will we find so much money” he asked.
These pupils of Mahadenamuttha were so foolish that they thought horses laid eggs. Thus, Kotu kithaiya suggested that they buy a horse egg and hatch it. The others agreed. They thought it would be cheaper than buying a horse.
But they did not know where to get one.
One fine, sunny day the five foolish men set off to buy a horse egg. They saw a man walking towards them. Once he got near the golayas stopped him and asked where they could buy a horse egg. The man was very surprised. ‘ A horse egg? He asked again. The five foolish men told him about Mahadenamuttha’s difficulty in walking. They also told him that as they hadn’t the money to buy a horse they were looking for an egg to hatch and get a horse.
The man realised how foolish the golayas were and decided to play a trick on them. ‘ I know the very place. You can get a good egg there” he said.
The man led the golayas to a pumpkin farm and told them to wait at a distance while he spoke with the farmer.
The man took the farmer aside and told him about the five foolish mens’ mission. They put their heads together and came up with a trick to fool the golayas.
The man came up to the golayas and gave them a very ripe pumpkin.”This is the best horse egg that the farmer has” said the man. It will hatch soon and you will have a baby horse. Give me what money you have to pay the farmer. They gave him all the money they had and set off for home.
Pol ba muna carried the pumpkin on his head. He suddenly stumbled against the root of a tree and the pumpkin fell to the ground with a loud noise. The noise scared a rabbit who was sleeping in a bush near where the pumpkin fell and it bolted. It ran for dear life not even looking back.
The golayas shouted “ the baby horse is running away” and gave chase but they could not get anywhere near the fleeing rabbit.
Deeply saddened because they had lost their baby horse and the little money they had collected the golayas went home and told Mahadenamuttha the whole sad story.
Mahadenamuttha was not sad or angry at what had happened.
“Just think” he told the golayas. “See how fast the baby horse has run. If at that young age he is so fast can you imagine how fast he will be as a fully grown horse? And if I mount such a fast horse I will be sure to fall and break my bones. So, it is very good thing that the baby horse bolted. I am happy it bolted.”