The Legend of Ula and his wife

Excerpt from the article “Notes on the Kasia Hills, and People” by Lt. Henry Yule, the Bengal Engineers (Sir Henry Yule, the Geographer): Published in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol. XIV Part II – July to December, 1844

The Kasias have also their maid of Arc, or black Agnes. She was the wife of Ula. Ula was a great warrior at the court of Raja of Linkardyem, and the Raja married his sister.

Now in those days there were but twelve households in Cherra, and the Raja of Linkardyem, making war on the Raja of Cherra, drove him with his people to the woods, where they eat leather, and rind of certain fruits. But the Raja of Linkardyem was a savage, and abused his wife, the sister of brave Ula. For he placed her on a frame of bamboos, and lighted a fire beneath; and so, being roasted, she died. So Ula was wroth, and he went to the Raja of Cherra, and said, “Make me a great man, and I will avenge thee on thine enemy.” So he of Cherra agreed; and Ula having cut off the head of the Raja of Linkardyem, brought it to him of Cherra, and so became the first counselor of the Raja. One day as Ula was going forth on his avocations, with others of the village, he said to his wife, “Clothe thyself with my arms and garments.” Meantime the new Rajah of Linkardyem came against Cherra with a mighty host of four thousand men. Now the village of Cherra was well grit with palisades and ditches, and the wife of Ula went forth to the barriers in her husband’s arms and clothing, and the other women doing likewise went with her, and when the army of Linkardyem beheld the arms and the shield, they shouted in terror “Ula, Ula !” and turned their backs in flight; for great was their fear of Ula. And the wives of Cherra, and the men who remained, went forth with the wife of Ula, and chased the Linkardyemians, and smote them sorely

From these twelve households come the twelve tribes which now exist in Cherra. My informant was of the house of Ula. I tell these tales as they were told.