AustLit

A young village man, Muttu, works hard in the fields and painting scenes on the temple walls until one day he sees an unusual crane. He follows it into the forest where it turns into a beautiful woman who says her name is Kundalini. Muttu secretly meets with Kundalini in the forest until his mother and other villagers become suspicious. The two run away and try to live in a village but this is difficult for Kundalini especially as people accuse her of being a rakshasini (demon) as she can change her own form as well as others into animals and birds. Muttu tries to live in the forest but longs for the fields and the temples. They finally agree to part.

When Pina, a poor goldsmith dies his wife, Heeni and daughters, Big Menike and Little Menike, have to work hard in the fields to survive.When Pina is reborn as a golden goose he leaves a golden feather for them saying that he will come back with a feather from time to time. The next time Pina returns Heeni plucks out all his feathers and throws him in a barrel. However, much to Heeni's disgust, the plucked feathers are white not gold. The daughters look after the goose until it is well enough to fly off. They never see it again thanks to Heeni's greed.

Nonchi Nona, the fire seller in a small village, lived alone until she befriended a kitten. She fed the kitten fish and rice and talked to it in the evenings. Nonchi Nona was no longer lonely. However, the kitten is befriended by some children and elects to go with them rather than stay at Nonchi Nona's house. The children's uncle, who is the head man of the village, gives her ten rupees in exchange for the kitten but Nonchi Nona is left, once more, alone.

Arnolis and his wife, Caroline agree to look after Arnolis' elderly father at his sister's request. They feel that this will earn them merit and they will go to heaven in their next life. At first they are considerate but eventually neglect the old man and make him drink out of a coconut shell instead of a cup. When their young son starts to collect coconut shells he explains it is for them when they are old. This makes them realise what sort of an example they are setting for their son and they quickly change their ways.

A young village boy, Piyadasa, with a desire to become a great dancer, makes a pilgrimage to Kataragama. He has a number of adventures and lucky escapes before his mother and his sister find him there.

Leela's mother disapproves of her friendship with Kuda so accuses Kuda's mother of having the evil eye. Eventually, because of the resultant hostility of the villagers, Kuda and his mother are forced to leave and seek work in a bigger town. In the meantime Leela's mother decides it is time for her daughter to attend school in the neighbouring town, aware that this is where Kuda and his mother have moved to.