The Song of Ceylon (1934) - full transcript

In ancient times,

all the low pads of this land

were covered

with dark and monstrous forests,

through which no man

might pass without peril.

In those days, the primitives

did prostrate themselves by night

to the honour and service of the devil.

These rites they celebrated

until the coming of a great god

whom they call Buddha

And to whom

the salvation of souls belongs.

Him they believed once

to have come upon the earth,

whence he departed from the top

of the highest mountain on the island,

called in the Chingulay language,

Hamalell.

But by the Portuguese and

the European nations, Adam's Peak.

It is sharp like a sugar loaf.

On the top, a flat stone with

a print of a foot like a man's on it

but far bigger, being about 2ft long.

it is the footprint of the Buddha.

The people of this land

count it meritorious

to go and worship this impression

and generally about Meir new year,

which is in March,

they, men, women and children,

go up this vast and high mountain

to worship.

Up this vast and high mountain

to worship.

Our Buddha, who acquired nirvana,

who came into the world

like other Buddhas,

from whom is derived

the food of life.

Who is celebrated

for his 32 great manly beauties.

And for the 82 signs

connected with them.

And for the light which shines

a fathom round his body.

And for the beams of light

that dart from the top of his head.

Who is the preceptor of three worlds.

Who is acquainted

with the past, present and future.

Who during four asankya kalpas

so conducted himself

as to be an example

of the 30 great qualities.

Who subdued Mara and his attendants

and became Buddha.

In the eighth year from that event,

he rose into the air,

spread beams of light of six

different colours round his person

and stamped the impression

of his foot,

bearing the noble marks,

chakralakshana,

and the 108 auspicious tokens

on the rock, Samantakuta Parvathi,

which is celebrated for the cold

and lovely waters of its rivers,

for its mountain torrents

and for its flowery groves

spreading in the air

their sweet-scented pollen,

which is the crown

of the Virgin Island,

rich in mines

of all kinds of precious stone...

...like a maid decked with jewels.

At sunrise, a great shadow

is cast from this mountain

for a space of 70 miles,

formed, as it seems,

of strange vapours.

For it lieth not on the land

but a little above it

so that the hills and the valleys

appear veiled beneath.

It belongeth only to the women

to fetch both wood and water.

Their priests are debarred from laying

their hands to any manner of work.

Nor may they eat but one meal a day,

which meal they must make

with the people,

who willingly give out of their store

for the merit they gain thereby.

But husbandry is the great employment

of the country.

In this the best men labour.

Nor is it held any disgrace

for men of the greatest quality

to do any work either at home

or in the field,

if it be for themselves.

But to work for hire with them

is reckoned for a great shame

and very few are here to be found

that will work so.

They are very active and nimble

in their limbs and very ingenious.

For except ironwork or other things

they have need of,

they make and do themselves,

in so much that they all build

their own houses.

Rice is the choice

and flour of all their corn,

at reaping they are excellent, good,

just after the English manner.

As they join together in tilling,

so in their harvest, also.

For all fall in together in reaping

one man's field and so to the next,

until every man's crops are down.

The women beat the rice

out of the husk,

which they do with an ebony pestle

in a wooden mortar.

In those villages where dancers

have their dwelling,

the children must come each day

to the house of their dancing master,

there to practice themselves

in their art.

Or if they be not exercised

from childhood in this manner,

their limbs have no skill

in the postures of their dance.

New clearings,

new roads, new buildings,

new communications, new

developments of natural resources.

Dear sir, in reply...

Dear sirs, with reference to...

£22.17 and sixpence.

£7.09 and a penny.

To acknowledge receipt...

40 rupees, 75 cent.

55 rupees, two cent.

We beg to inform you that

the consignment to which you refer...

$78.30.

FOB London. Sailing

25th instant. Yours faithfully...

- Yours faithfully...

- Yours faithfully...

For Australia.

Calling Toulon, Naples, Port Said,

Suez, Aden, Colombo.

The uses of a coconut palm

are many and various.

It produces food, drink,

medicine and oil,

soap, candles, vinegar

and tooth powder,

beds, carpets, brooms, furniture,

lamps, cups and spoons,

baskets, canvas,

fishing nets, fences, boats, ropes.

Kopra. The market was steady

at yesterday's higher prices.

Ceylon FMS to five ports quoted

£10, seven shillings and sixpence.

It's about those blueprints

for the new factory.

Oh, yes.

I was going to send them along.

There are one or two alterations.

I'll do them when I get them.

- I'm in a hurry.

- I understand.

Dambulla Valley, 42.6.

East India and Ceylon, 23.

Pettah, six per set preference,

28 and six.

Nuwara Eliya, 83, one and a half.

...16, four and a half.

Seven and a half, six and a half.

East by south.

The half east, sir.

Yesterday's commodity prices.

Tea.

The week's offering of Ceylon grains

amounting to 22,100 packages

came up for auction.

Competition was generally good

and prices regular.

Common and low-medium

broken Orange Pekoes

were farthing to a halfpenny higher

in some instances,

while broken Pekoes

also shared a similar rise.

Good medium sorts and fannings

continued firm

and where quality was good

realised higher prices.

Clean, common broken Pekoe

quoted 11-pence farthing

to one shilling per pound.

Found in the Virgin Island,

rich in mines of all kinds

of precious stone,

like a maid decked with jewels.

Arrived Colombo October 9th,

bound Rangoon.

Malo to arrive Colombo, 10th,

bound London.

And became Buddha.

Who is celebrated

for his great manly beauties

and for the 82 signs

connected with them.

Stamped the impression

of his foot,

bearing the noble marks,

chakralakshana.

For the light which shines

a fathom round his body.

For the beams of light

that dart from the top of his head.

From whom is derived

the food of life.