The story Detha has written retains all the salty earthiness of a tale that has been passed down orally from generation to generation in this environment. Who else would think to make a louse the protagonist of a tale?

Whether Indian or American, a louse is a louse. Call someone a louse, and he naturally takes it as an insult. A louse is selfish, greedy, and offensive. He gets under your skin. You cannot get him out of your hair.

The peacock, once a timid bird, began to prance around, proud of his broad, richly colored tail.

A louse is no ordinary protagonist: “A Louse’s Blessing” is a Rajasthani fable about a bad woman. Perhaps to an American reader this louse does not seem as lousy as a louse should be. But in a society where women usually prepare two hot, substantial meals each day for the family and eat last lest there not be enough, the thought of a woman spending all her days gorging on puddings and sweets is rather extreme. Girls growing up in Rajasthan are usually taught that the ideal bride is modest and selfless. Any decent woman would certainly not go tromping around the countryside arranging her own marriage, quizzing each suitor on what he could do for her. Such antics are calculated to make the listeners laugh out loud, because they are a mockery of all that is considered right and good.

Like every talented storyteller, Detha makes his tale significant by painting very familiar details that remind listeners to draw parallels between their world and the story. The louse has bells on her ankles that tinkle with each step. She wears a veil, silken robes, and a thick armlet, a costume much like anyone’s sister, aunt, or cousin. She could be any woman living in the village—if she was not a louse, that is.

Such a hilarious combination of fantasy and reality appeals to a child’s imagination. The image of a louse bedecked in silken robes and jewels makes one laugh, and while laughing one considers, with a fresh perspective, roles that normally appear mundane. By making the character a louse, the storyteller prevents the tale from becoming a direct accusation. Yet, the descriptions serve another purpose entirely: to foster an appreciation of the surrounding world.

In the first part of the tale, the louse meets one animal after the next. This storytelling device teaches children that doves coo, crows caw, that bulls have massive horns, and that goats feed on tangled brush. For children who are still learning to name things, these encounters are a challenge and a delight.