A Tale of Old Ceylon #270571

Rungan's childhood had been very happy, for did he not love to ride on his father's hip in his daily rounds? To watch the small sleek black cattle wandering among the sandy scrub and jungle; to see that the leopards had not carried off more than their fair share of sheep or goats; or to see how the tobacco was growing and if there were any dead leaves that his father could make a cheroot for their united delectation. Sometimes his father would set him upon a bag of grain or other produce, borne upon the back of a patient little bullock, for the Bazaar at Mantot five miles away while the day was just dawning; and off they would sally while the grey mists hung low over the land.