ABSTRACT
After the Bauris hire a new high-caste drama teacher, Muli befriends him by supplying him with a young Bauri woman. By using elaborate deceptions, Muli maintains an appearance of respectability for himself, his teacher, and the young woman. Muli’s activities thus highlight the contrasts between ideals and unacceptable behavior.
Muli’s narrative also provides a detailed account of ordinary activities and folk beliefs: working in a stone quarry; collecting stranded river fish and cooking them at a great feast; going outside at night in groups to scare off ghosts. In these descriptions, he gives us a vivid picture of daily life in his ward, and of his relationships with his parents and friends.
