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diff --git a/36696.txt b/36696.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6516b9f --- /dev/null +++ b/36696.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10360 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Old Deccan Days, by M. Frere + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Old Deccan Days + or Hindoo Fairy Legends Current in Southern India + +Author: M. Frere + +Contributor: Sir Bartle Frere + +Release Date: July 11, 2011 [EBook #36696] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD DECCAN DAYS *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Sam W. and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + OLD + DECCAN DAYS + + OR + + HINDOO FAIRY LEGENDS + + _CURRENT IN SOUTHERN INDIA._ + + + COLLECTED FROM ORAL TRADITION, + BY M. FRERE. + + WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, + BY SIR BARTLE FRERE. + + + [Decoration] + + + PHILADELPHIA + J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. + 1870. + + + Lippincott's Press, Philadelphia. + + + + + [Illustration: VICRAM MAHARAJAH--p. 133.] + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + INTRODUCTION 5 + + THE COLLECTOR'S APOLOGY 12 + + THE NARRATOR'S NARRATIVE 15 + + 1. PUNCHKIN 27 + + 2. A FUNNY STORY 44 + + 3. BRAVE SEVENTEE BAI 51 + + 4. TRUTH'S TRIUMPH 81 + + 5. RAMA AND LUXMAN; OR, THE LEARNED OWL 98 + + 6. LITTLE SURYA BAI 113 + + 7. THE WANDERINGS OF VICRAM MAHARAJAH 129 + + 8. LESS INEQUALITY THAN MEN DEEM 161 + + 9. PANCH-PHUL RANEE 164 + + 10. HOW THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE WIND WENT OUT + TO DINNER 194 + + 11. SINGH RAJAH AND THE CUNNING LITTLE JACKALS 196 + + 12. THE JACKAL, THE BARBER AND THE BRAHMIN WHO HAD + SEVEN DAUGHTERS 199 + + 13. TIT FOR TAT 218 + + 14. THE BRAHMIN, THE TIGER AND THE SIX JUDGES 220 + + 15. THE SELFISH SPARROW AND THE HOUSELESS CROWS 225 + + 16. THE VALIANT CHATTEE-MAKER 227 + + 17. THE RAKSHAS' PALACE 236 + + 18. THE BLIND MAN, THE DEAF MAN AND THE DONKEY 248 + + 19. MUCHIE LAL 258 + + 20. CHUNDUN RAJAH 268 + + 21. SODEWA BAI 280 + + 22. CHANDRA'S VENGEANCE 291 + + 23. HOW THE THREE CLEVER MEN OUTWITTED THE DEMONS 314 + + 24. THE ALLIGATOR AND THE JACKAL 326 + + NOTES 333 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +A few words seem necessary regarding the origin of these stories, in +addition to what the Narrator says for herself in her Narrative, and +what is stated in the Collector's "Apology." + +With the exception of two or three, which will be recognized as +substantially identical with stories of Pilpay or other well-known +Hindoo fabulists, I never before heard any of these tales among the +Mahrattas, in that part of the Deccan where the Narrator and her +family have lived for the last two generations; and it is probable +that most of the stories were brought from among the Lingaets of +Southern India, the tribe, or rather sect, to which Anna de Souza +tells us her family belonged before their conversion to Christianity. + +The Lingaets form one of the most strongly marked divisions of the +Hindoo races south of the river Kistna. They are generally a +well-favored, well-to-do people, noticeable for their superior +frugality, intelligence and industry, and for the way in which they +combine and act together as a separate body apart from other Hindoos. +They have many peculiarities of costume, of social ceremony and of +religion, which strike even a casual observer; and though clearly not +aboriginal, they seem to have much ground for their claim to belong to +a more ancient race and an earlier wave of immigration than most of +the Hindoo nations with which they are now intermingled. + +The country they inhabit is tolerably familiar to most English readers +on Indian subjects, for it is the theatre of many of the events +described in the great Duke's earlier despatches, and in the writings +of Munro, of Wilkes, and of Buchanan. The extraordinary beauty of some +of the natural features of the coast scenery, and the abundance of +the architectural and other remains of powerful and highly civilized +Hindoo dynasties, have attracted the attention of tourists and +antiquaries, though not to the extent their intrinsic merit deserves. +Some knowledge of the land tenures and agriculture of the country is +accessible to readers of Indian blue-books. + +But of all that relates to the ancient history and politics of the +former Hindoo sovereigns of these regions very little is known to the +general reader, though from their power, and riches and long-sustained +civilization, as proved by the monuments these rulers have left behind +them there are few parts of India better worth the attention of the +historian and antiquary. + +Of the inner life of the people, past or present, of their social +peculiarities and popular beliefs, even less is known or procurable in +any published form. With the exception of a few graphic and +characteristic notices of shrewd observers like Munro, little +regarding them is to be found in the writings of any author likely to +come in the way of ordinary readers. + +But this is not from want of materials: a good deal has been published +in India, though, with the common fate of Indian publications, the +books containing the information are often rare in English +collections, and difficult to meet with in England, except in a few +public libraries. Of unpublished material there must be a vast amount, +collected not only by the government servants, but by missionaries, +and others residing in the country, who have peculiar opportunities +for observation, and for collecting information not readily to be +obtained by a stranger or an official. Collections of this kind are +specially desirable as regards the popular non-Brahminical +superstitions of the lower orders. + +Few, even of those who have lived many years in India and made some +inquiry regarding the external religion of its inhabitants, are aware +how little the popular belief of the lower classes has in common with +the Hindooism of the Brahmins, and how much it differs in different +provinces, and in different races and classes in the same province. + +In the immediate vicinity of Poona, where Brahminism seems so +orthodox and powerful, a very little observation will satisfy the +inquirer that the favorite objects of popular worship do not always +belong to the regular Hindoo Pantheon. No orthodox Hindoo deity is so +popular in the Poona Deccan as the deified sage Vithoba and his +earlier expounders, both sage and followers being purely local +divinities. Wherever a few of the pastoral tribes are settled, there +Byroba, the god of the herdsmen, or Kundoba, the deified hero of the +shepherds, supersedes all other popular idols. Byroba the Terrible, +and other remnants of Fetish or of Snake-worship, everywhere divide +the homage of the lower castes with the recognized Hindoo divinities, +while outside almost every village the circle of large stones sacred +to Vetal, the demon-god of the outcast helot races, which reminds the +traveler of the Druid circles of the northern nations, has for ages +held, and still holds, its ground against all Brahminical innovations. + +Some of these local or tribal divinities, when their worshipers are +very numerous or powerful, have been adopted into the Hindoo Olympus +as incarnations or manifestations of this or that orthodox divinity, +and one or two have been provided with elaborate written legends +connecting them with some known Puranic character or event; but, in +general, the true history of the local deity, if it survives at all, +is to be found only in popular tradition; and it thus becomes a matter +of some ethnological and historical importance to secure all such +fleeting remnants of ancient superstition before they are forgotten as +civilization advances. + +Some information of this kind is to be gleaned even from the present +series of legends, though the object of the collector being simply +amusement, and not antiquarian research, any light which is thrown on +the popular superstitions of the country is only incidental. + +Of the superhuman personages who appear in them, the "Rakshas" is the +most prominent. This being has many features in common with the +demoniacal Ogre of other lands. The giant bulk and terrible teeth of +his usual form are the universal attributes of his congener. His habit +of feasting on dead bodies will remind the reader of the Arabian +Ghoul, while the simplicity and stupidity which qualify the +supernatural powers of the Rakshas, and usually enable the +quick-witted mortal to gain the victory over him, will recall many +humorous passages in which giants figure in our own Norse and Teutonic +legends. + +The English reader must bear in mind that in India beings of this or +of very similar nature are not mere traditions of the past, but that +they form an important part of the existing practical belief of the +lower orders. Grown men will sometimes refuse every inducement to pass +at night near the supposed haunt of a Rakshas, and I have heard the +cries of a belated traveler calling for help attributed to a Rakshas +luring his prey. + +Nor is darkness always an element in this superstition: I have known a +bold and experienced tracker of game gravely assert that some figures +which he had been for some time keenly scanning on the bare summit of +a distant hill were beings of this order, and he was very indignant at +the laugh which his observation provoked from his less-experienced +European disciple. "If your telescope could see as far as my old +eyes," the veteran said, "or if you knew the movements of all the +animals of this hunting-ground as well as I do, you would see that +those must be demons and nothing else. No men nor animals at this time +of day would collect on an open space and move about in that way. +Besides, that large rock close by them is a noted place for demons; +every child in the village knows that." + +I have heard another man of the same class, when asked why he looked +so intently at a human footstep in the forest pathway, gravely +observed that the footmark looked as if the foot which made it had +been walking heel-foremost, and must therefore have been made by a +Rakshas, "for they always walked so when in human form." + +Another expressed particular dread of a human face, the eyes of which +were placed at an exaggerated angle to each other, like those of a +Chinese or Malay, "because that position of the eyes was the only way +in which you could recognize a Rakshas in human shape." + +In the more advanced and populous parts of the country the Rakshas +seems giving way to the "Bhoot," which more nearly resembles the mere +ghost of modern European superstition; but even in this diluted form +such beings have an influence over Indian imaginations to which it is +difficult in these days to find any parallel in Europe. + +I found, quite lately, a traditionary order in existence at Government +House, Dapoorie, near Poona, which directed the native sentry on guard +"to present arms if a cat or dog, jackal or goat, entered or left the +house or crossed near his beat" during certain hours of the night, +"because it was the ghost" of a former governor, who was still +remembered as one of the best and kindest of men. + +How or when the custom originated I could not learn, but the order had +been verbally handed on from one native sergeant of the guard to +another for many years, without any doubts as to its propriety or +authority, till it was accidentally overheard by an European officer +of the governor's staff. + +In the hills and deserts of Sind the belief in beings of this order, +as might be expected in a wild and desolate country, is found strong +and universal; there, however, the Rakshas has changed his name to +that of our old friend the "Gin" of the Arabian Nights, and he has +somewhat approximated in character to the Pwcca or Puck of our own +country. The Gin of the Beelooch hills is wayward and often morose, +but not necessarily malignant. His usual form is that of a dwarfish +human being, with large eyes and covered with long hair, and apt to +breathe with a heavy snoring kind of noise. From the circumstantial +accounts I have heard of such "Gins" being seen seated on rocks at the +side of lonely passes, I suspect that the great horned eagle-owl, +which is not uncommon in the hill-country of Sind, has to answer for +many well-vouched cases of Gin apparition. + +The Gin does not, however, always retain his own shape; he frequently +changes to the form of a camel, goat or other animal. If a Gin be +accidentally met, it is recommended that the traveler should show no +sign of fear, and, above all, keep a civil tongue in his head, for the +demon has a special aversion to bad language. Every Beelooch has heard +of instances in which such chance acquaintanceships with Gins have not +only led to no mischief, but been the source of much benefit to the +fortunate mortal who had the courage and prudence to turn them to +account; for a Gin once attached to a man will work hard and +faithfully for him, and sometimes show him the entrance to those great +subterranean caverns under the hills, where there is perpetual spring, +and trees laden with fruits of gold and precious stones; but the +mortal once admitted to such a paradise is never allowed to leave it. +There are few neighborhoods in the Beelooch hills which cannot show +huge stones, apparently intended for building, which have been, "as +all the country-side knows," moved by such agency, and the entrance to +the magic cavern is never very far off, though the boldest Beelooch is +seldom very willing to show or to seek for the exact spot. + +Superstitions nearly identical were still current within the last +forty years, when I was a boy, on the borders of Wales. In Cwm Pwcca +(the Fairies' Glen), in the valley of the Clydach, between Abergavenny +and Merthyr, the cave used to be shown into which a belated miner was +decoyed by the Pwccas, and kept dancing for ten years; and a +farm-house on the banks of the Usk, not far off, was, in the last +generation, the abode of a farmer who had a friendly Pwcca in his +service. The goblin was called Pwcca Trwyn, as I was assured from his +occasionally being visible as a huge human nose. He would help the +mortal by carrying loads and mending hedges, but usually worked only +while the farmer slept at noon, and always expected as his guerdon a +portion of the toast and ale which his friend had for dinner in the +field. If none was left for him, he would cease to work; and he once +roused the farmer from his noontide slumbers by thrashing him soundly +with his own hedging-stake. + +The Peris or Fairies of these stories have nothing distinctive about +them. Like the fairies of other lands, they often fall in love with +mortal men, and are visible to the pure eyes of childhood when hidden +from the grosser vision of maturer years. + +Next to the Rakshas, the Cobra, or deadly hooded snake, plays the most +important part in these legends as a supernatural personage. This is +one only of the many traces still extant of that serpent-worship +formerly so general in Western India. I have no doubt that Mr. +Ferguson, in his forthcoming work on Bhuddhist antiquities, will throw +much light on this curious subject. I will, therefore, only now +observe that this serpent-worship as it still exists is something more +active than a mere popular superstition. The Cobra, unless disturbed, +rarely goes far from home, and is supposed to watch jealously over a +hidden treasure. He is always, in the estimation of the lower classes, +invested with supernatural powers, and according to the treatment he +receives he builds up or destroys the fortunes of the house to which +he belongs. No native will willingly kill him if he can get rid of him +in any other way; and the poorer classes always, after he is killed, +give him all the honors of a regular cremation, assuring him, with +many protestations, as the pile burns, "that they are guiltless of his +blood; that they slew him by order of their master," or "that they had +no other way to prevent his biting the children or the chickens." + +A very interesting discussion on the subject of the Snake Race of +Ancient India, between Mr. Bayley and Baboo Rajendralal Mitr, will be +found in the _Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal_, for +February, 1867. + + + + +THE COLLECTOR'S APOLOGY. + + +The collection of these legends was commenced with the object of +amusing a favorite young friend of mine. It was continued, as they +appeared in themselves curious illustrations of Indian popular +tradition, and in the hope that something might thus be done to rescue +them from the danger of oral transmission. + +Though varied in their imagery, the changes between the different +legends are rung upon very few themes, as if purposely confined to +what was most familiar to the people. The similarity between the +incidents in some of these and in favorite European stories, +particularly modern German ones, is curious; and the leading +characteristics peculiar to all orthodox fairy tales are here +preserved intact. Step-mothers are always cruel, and step-sisters, +their willing instruments; giants and ogres always stupid; youngest +daughters more clever than their elder sisters; and the Jackal (like +his European cousin the Fox) usually overcomes every difficulty, and +proves a bright moral example of the success of wit against brute +force--the triumph of mind over matter. + +It is remarkable that in the romances of a country where women are +generally supposed by us to be regarded as mere slaves or intriguers, +their influence (albeit most frequently put to proof behind the +scenes) should be made to appear so great, and, as a rule, exerted +wholly for good; and that, in a land where despotism has such a firm +hold on the hearts of the people, the liberties of the subject should +be so boldly asserted as by the old Milkwoman to the Rajah in "Little +Surya Bai," or the old Malee[1] to the Rajah in "Truth's Triumph;" +and few, probably would have expected to find the Hindoos owning such +a romance as "Brave Seventee Bai;"[2] or to meet with such stories as +"The Valiant Chattee-maker," and "The Blind Man, the Deaf Man and the +Donkey," among a nation which, it has been constantly asserted, +possesses no humor, no sense of the ridiculous, and cannot understand +a joke. + + [1] Gardener. + + [2] Was this narrative of feminine sagacity invented by some old + woman, who felt aggrieved at the general contempt entertained for + her sex? + +In "The Narrator's Narrative" Anna Liberata de Souza's own story is +related, as much as possible, in her own words of expressive but +broken English. She did not, however, tell it in one continuous +narrative: it is the sum of many conversations I had with her during +the eighteen months that she was with us. + +The legends themselves are altered as little as possible: half their +charm, however, consisted in the Narrator's eager, flexible voice and +graphic gestures. + +I often asked her if there were no stories of elephants having done +wonderful deeds (as from their strength and sagacity one would have +imagined them to possess all the qualifications requisite to heroes of +romance); but, strange to say, she knew of none in which elephants +played any part whatsoever. + +As regards the Oriental names, they have generally been written as +Anna pronounced them. It was frequently not possible to give the true +orthography, and the correctly spelt name does not always give a clue +to the popular pronunciation. So with the interpretations and +geography. Where it is possible to identify what is described, an +attempt has been made to do so; but for other explanations Anna's is +the sole authority: she was quite sure that "Seventee Bai" meant the +"Daisy Lady," though no botanist would acknowledge the plant under +that name; and she was satisfied that all gentlemen who have traveled +know where "Agra Brum" is, though she had never been there, and no +such province appears in any ordinary Gazeteer or description of the +city of Akbar. + +These few legends, told by one old woman to her grandchildren, can +only be considered as representatives of a class. "That world," to +use her own words, "is gone;" and those who can tell us about it in +this critical and unimaginative age are fast disappearing too before +the onward march of civilization; yet there must be in the country +many a rich gold mine unexplored. Will no one go to the diggings? + + M. F. + + + + +THE NARRATOR'S NARRATIVE. + + +My grandfather's family were of the Lingaet caste, and lived in +Calicut; but they went and settled near Goa at the time the English +were there. It was there my grandfather became a Christian. He and his +wife, and all the family, became Christians at once, and when his +father heard it he was very angry, and turned them all out of the +house. There were very few Christians in those days. Now you see +Christians everywhere, but then we were very proud to see one +anywhere. My grandfather was Havildar[3] in the English army, and when +the English fought against Tippo Sahib, my grandmother followed him +all through the war. She was a very tall, fine, handsome woman, and +very strong; wherever the regiment marched she went, on, on, on, on +(great deal hard work that old woman done). Plenty stories my granny +used to tell about Tippo and how Tippo was killed, and about Wellesley +Sahib, and Monro Sahib, and Malcolm Sahib, and Elphinstone Sahib.[4] +Plenty things had that old woman heard and seen. Ah, he was a good +man, Elphinstone Sahib! My granny used often to tell us how he would +go down and say to the soldiers, "Baba,[5] Baba, fight well. Win the +battles, and each man shall have his cap full of money; and after the +war is over I'll send every one of you to his own home." (And he did +do it.) Then we children plenty proud, when we heard what Elphinstone +Sahib had said. In those days the soldiers were not low-caste people +like they are now. Many, very high-caste men, and come from very far, +from Goa, and Calicut, and Malabar to join the English. + + [3] Sergeant of native troops. + + [4] The Duke of Wellington, Sir Thomas Monro, Sir John Malcolm and + Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone. + + [5] My children. + +My father was a tent lascar,[6] and when the war was over my +grandfather had won five medals for all the good he had done, and my +father had three; and my father was given charge of the Kirkee +stores.[7] My grandmother and mother, and all the family, were in +those woods behind Poona at time of the battle at Kirkee.[8] I've +often heard my father say how full the river was after the +battle--baggage and bundles floating down, and men trying to swim +across--and horses and all such a bustle. Many people got good things +on that day. My father got a large chattee,[9] and two good ponies +that were in the river, and he took them home to camp; but when he got +there the guard took them away. So all his trouble did him no good. + + [6] Tent-pitcher. + + [7] The Field Arsenal at Kirkee (near Poona). + + [8] The battle which decided the fate of the Deccan, and led to the + downfall of Bajee Row Peishwa, and extinction of Mahratta rule. + Fought 13th November, 1817. See Note A. + + [9] A Jar. + +We were poor people, but living was cheap, and we had plenty comfort. + +In those days house rent did not cost more than half a rupee[10] a +month, and you could build a very comfortable house for a hundred +rupees. Not such good houses as people now live in, but well enough +for people like us. Then a whole family could live as comfortably on +six or seven rupees a month as they can now on thirty. Grain, now a +rupee a pound, was then two annas a pound. Common sugar, then one anna +a pound, is now worth four annas a pound. Oil which then sold for six +pice a bottle, now costs four annas. Four annas' worth of salt, +chillies, tamarinds, onions and garlic, would then last a family a +whole month; now the same money would not buy a week's supply. Such +dungeree[11] as you now pay half rupee a yard for, you could then buy +from twenty to forty yards of, for the rupee. You could not get such +good calico then as now, but the dungeree did very well. Beef then +was a pice a pound, and the vegetables cost a pie a day. For half a +rupee you could fill the house with wood. Water also was much cheaper. +You could then get a man to bring you two large skins full, morning +and evening, for a pie; now he would not do it under half a rupee or +more. If the children came crying for fruit, a pie would get them as +many guavas as they liked in the bazaar. Now you'd have to pay that +for each guava. This shows how much more money people need now than +they did then.[12] + + [10] The following shows the Narrator's calculation of currency: + + 1 Pie = 1/4 of a cent. + 3 Pie = 1 Pice. + 4 Pice = 1 Anna. + 16 Annas = 1 Rupee = about 50 cents. + + [11] A coarse cotton cloth. + + [12] See Note B. + +The English fixed the rupee to the value of sixteen annas, in those +days there were some big annas, and some little ones, and you could +sometimes get twenty-two annas for a rupee. + +I had seven brothers and one sister. Things were very different in +those days to what they are now. There were no schools then to send +the children to; it was only the great people who could read and +write. If a man was known to be able to write he was plenty proud, and +hundreds and hundreds of people would come to him to write their +letters. Now you find a pen and ink in every house! I don't know what +good all this reading and writing does. My grandfather couldn't write, +and my father couldn't write, and they did very well; but all's +changed now. + +My father used to be out all day at his work, and my mother often went +to do coolie-work,[13] and she had to take my father his dinner (my +mother did plenty work in the world); and when my granny was strong +enough she used sometimes to go into the bazaar, if we wanted money, +and grind rice for the shop-keepers, and they gave her half a rupee +for her day's work, and used to let her have the bran and chaff +besides. But afterward she got too old to do that, and besides there +were so many of us children. So she used to stay at home and look +after us while my mother was at work. Plenty bother 'tis to look after +a lot of children. No sooner my granny's back turned than we all run +out in the sun, and play with the dust and stones on the road. + + [13] Such work as is done by the Coolie caste, chiefly fetching and + carrying heavy loads. + +Then my granny would call out to us, "Come here, children, out of the +sun, and I'll tell you a story. Come in; you'll all get headaches." +So she used to get us together (there were nine of us, and great +little fidgets, like all children), into the house; and there she'd +sit on the floor, and tell us one of the stories I tell you. But then +she used to make them last much longer, the different people telling +their own stories from the beginning as often as possible; so that by +the time she'd got to the end, she had told the beginning over five or +six times. And so she went on, talk, talk, talk, Mera Bap reh![14] +Such a long time she'd go on for, till all the children got quite +tired and fell asleep. Now there are plenty schools to which to send +the children, but there were no schools when I was a young girl; and +the old women, who could do nothing else, used to tell them stories to +keep them out of mischief. + + [14] Oh, my Father! + +We used sometimes to ask my grandmother, "Are those stories you tell +us really true? Were there ever such people in the world?" She +generally answered, "I don't know, but maybe there are somewhere." I +don't believe there are any of those people living; I dare say, +however, they did once live; but my granny believed more in those +things than we do now. She was a Christian, she worshiped God and +believed in our Saviour, but still she would always respect the Hindoo +temples. If she saw a red stone, or an image of Gunputti[15] or any of +the other Hindoo gods, she would kneel down and say her prayers there, +for she used to say, "Maybe there's something in it." + + [15] The Hindoo God of Wisdom. + +About all things she would tell us pretty stories--about men, and +animals, and trees, and flowers, and stars. There was nothing she did +not know some tale about. On the bright cold-weather nights, when you +can see more stars than at any other time of the year, we used to like +to watch the sky, and she would show us the Hen and Chickens,[16] and +the Key,[17] and the Scorpion, and the Snake, and the Three Thieves +climbing up to rob the Ranee's silver bedstead, with their mother +(that twinkling star far away) watching for her sons' return. +Pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, you can see how her heart beats, for she is +always frightened, thinking, "Perhaps they will be caught and hanged!" + + [16] The Pleiades. + + [17] The Great Bear. + +Then she would show us the Cross,[18] that reminds us of our +Saviour's, and the great pathway of light[19] on which He went up to +heaven. It is what you call the Milky Way. My granny usen't to call it +that: she used to say that when our Lord returned up to heaven that +was the way He went, and that ever since it has shone in memory of His +ascension, so beautiful and bright. + + [18] The Southern Cross. + + [19] The Milky Way. This is an ancient Christian legend. + +She always said a star with a smoky tail (comet) meant war, and she +never saw a falling star without saying, "There's a great man died;" +but the fixed stars she used to think were all really good people, +burning like bright lamps before God. + +As to the moon, my granny used to say she's most useful to debtors who +can't pay their debts. Thus: A man who borrows money he knows he +cannot pay, takes the full moon for witness and surety. Then, if any +man so silly as to lend him money and go and ask him for it, he can +say, "The moon's my surety; go catch hold of the moon!" Now, you see, +no man can do that; and what's more, when the moon's once full, it +grows every night less and less, and at last goes out altogether. + +All the Cobras in my grandmother's stories were seven-headed. This +puzzled us children, and we would say to her, "Granny, are there any +seven-headed Cobras now? For all the Cobras we see that the conjurors +bring round have only one head each." To which she used to answer, +"No, of course there are no seven-headed Cobras now. That world is +gone, but you see each Cobra has a hood of skin; that is the remains +of another head." Then we would say, "Although none of those old +seven-headed Cobras are alive now, maybe there are some of their +children living somewhere." But at this my granny used to get vexed, +and say, "Nonsense! you are silly little chatter-boxes; get along with +you!" And, though we often looked for the seven-headed Cobras, we +never could find any of them. + +My old granny lived till she was nearly a hundred; when she got very +old she rather lost her memory, and often made mistakes in the stories +she told us, telling a bit of one story and then joining on to it a +bit of some other; for we children bothered her too much about them, +and sometimes she used to get very tired of talking, and when we asked +her for a story, would answer, "You must ask your mother about it; she +can tell you." + +Ah! those were happy days, and we had plenty ways to amuse ourselves. +I was very fond of pets; I had a little dog that followed me +everywhere, and played all sorts of pretty tricks, and I and my +youngest brother used to take the little sparrows out of their nests +on the roof of our house and tame them. These little birds got so fond +of me they would always fly after me; as I was sweeping the floor one +would perch on my head, and two or three on my shoulders, and the rest +come fluttering after. But my poor father and mother used to shake +their heads at me when they saw this, and say, "Ah, naughty girl, to +take the little birds out of their nests: that stealing will bring you +no good." All my family were very fond of music. You know that Rosie +(my daughter) sings very nicely and plays upon the guitar, and my +son-in-law plays on the pianoforte and the fiddle (we've got two +fiddles in our house now), but Mera Bap reh! how well my grandfather +sang! Sometimes of an evening he would drink a little toddy,[20] and +be quite cheerful, and sing away; and all we children liked to hear +him. I was very fond of singing. I had a good voice when I was young, +and my father used to be so fond of making me sing, and I often sang +to him that Calicut song about the ships sailing on the sea[21] and +the little wife watching for her husband to come back, and plenty more +that I forget now; and my father and brothers would be so pleased at +my singing, and laugh and say, "That girl can do anything." But now my +voice is gone, and I didn't care to sing any more since my son died, +and my heart been so sad. + + [20] An intoxicating drink made from the juice of the palm tree. + + [21] See Note C. + +In those days there were much fewer houses in Poona than there are +now, and many more wandering gipsies, and such like. They were very +troublesome, doing nothing but begging and stealing, but people gave +them all they wanted, as it was believed that to incur their ill-will +was very dangerous. It was not safe even to speak harshly of them. I +remember one day, when I was quite a little girl, running along by my +mother's side, when she was on her way to the bazaar: we happened to +pass the huts of some of these people, and I said to her "See, mother, +what nasty, dirty people those are; they live in such ugly little +houses, and they look as if they never combed their hair nor washed." +When I said this, my mother turned round quite sharply and boxed my +ears, saying, "Because God has given you a comfortable home and good +parents, is that any reason for you to laugh at others who are poorer +and less happy?" "I meant no harm," I said; and when we got home I +told my father what my mother had done, and he said to her, "Why did +you slap the child?" She answered, "If you want to know, ask your +daughter why I punished her. You will then be able to judge whether I +was right or not." So I told my father what I had said about the +gipsies, and when I told him, instead of pitying me, he also boxed my +ears very hard. So that was all I got for telling tales against my +mother! + +But they both did it, fearing if I spoke evil of the gipsies and were +not instantly punished, some dreadful evil would befall me. + +It was after my granny that I was named "Anna Liberata." She died +after my father, and when I was eleven years old. Her eyes were quite +bright, her hair black, and her teeth good to the last. If I'd been +older then, I should have been able to remember more of her stories. +Such a number as she used to tell! I'm afraid my sister would not be +able to remember any of them. She has had much trouble; that puts +those sort of things out of people's heads; besides, she is a goose. +She is younger than I am, although you would think her so much older, +for her hair turned gray when she was very young, while mine is quite +black still. She is almost bald too, now, as she pulled out her hair +because it was gray. I always said to her, "Don't do so; for you can't +make yourself any younger, and it is better, when you are getting old, +to look old. Then people will do whatever you ask them! But however +old you may be, if you look young, they'll say to you, 'You are young +enough and strong enough to do your own work yourself.'" + +My mother used to tell us stories too; but not so many as my granny. +A few years ago there might be found several old people who knew those +sorts of stories; but now children go to school, and nobody thinks of +remembering or telling them--they'll soon be all forgotten. It is true +there are books with some stories something like these, but they +always put them down wrong. Sometimes when I cannot remember a bit of +a story, I ask some one about it; then they say, "There is a story of +that name in my book. I don't know it, but I'll read." Then they read +it to me, but it is all wrong, so that I get quite cross, and make +them shut up the book. For in the books they cut the stories quite +short, and leave out the prettiest part, and they jumble up the +beginning of one story with the end of another--so that it is +altogether wrong. + +When I was young, old people used to be very fond of telling these +stories; but instead of that, it seems to me that now the old people +are fond of nothing but making money. + +Then I was married. I was twelve years old then. Our native people +have a very happy life till we marry. The girls live with their father +and mother and brothers and sisters, and have got nothing to do but +amuse themselves, and got father and mother to take care of them; but +after they're married they go to live at their husband's house, and +the husband's mother and sisters are often very unkind to them. + +You English people can't understand that sort of thing. When an +Englishman marries, he goes to a new house, and his wife is the +mistress of it; but our native people are very different. If the +father is dead, the mother and unmarried sisters live in the son's +house, and rule it; his wife is nothing in the house. And the mother +and sisters say to the son's wife, "This is not your house--you've not +always lived in it; you cannot be mistress here." And if the wife +complains to her husband, and he speaks about it, they say, "Very +well, if you are such an unnatural son, you'd better turn your mother +and sisters out of doors; but while we live here, we'll rule the +house." So there is always plenty fighting. It's not unkind of the +mother and sisters--it's custom. + +My husband was a servant in Government House--that was when Lord Clare +was governor here. When I was twenty years old, my husband died of a +bad fever, and left me with two children--the boy and the girl, Rosie. + +I had no money to keep them with, so I said, "I'll go to service," and +my mother-in-law said, "How can you go with two children, and so young, +and knowing nothing?" But I said, "I can learn, and I'll go;" and a +kind lady took me into her service. When I went to my first place, I +hardly knew a word of English (though I knew our Calicut language, and +Portuguese, and Hindostani, and Mahratti well enough), and I could not +hold a needle. I was so stupid, like a Coolie-woman;[22] but my +mistress was very kind to me, and I soon learnt; she did not mind the +trouble of teaching me. I often think, "Where find such good Christian +people in these days?" To take a poor, stupid woman and her two +children into the house--for I had them both with me, Rosie and the +boy. I was a sharp girl in those days; I did my mistress' work and I +looked after the children too. I never left them to any one else. If +she wanted me for a long time, I used to bring the children into the +room and set them down on the floor, so as to have them under my own +eye whilst I did her work. My mistress was very fond of Rosie, and used +to teach her to work and read. After some time my mistress went home, +and since then I have been in eight places. + + [22] A low caste--hewers of wood and drawers of water. + +My brother-in-law was valet at that time to Napier Sahib, up in Sind. +All the people and servants were very fond of that Sahib. My +brother-in-law was with him for ten years; and he wanted me to go up +there to get place as ayah, and said, "You quick, sharp girl, and know +English very well; you easily get good place and make plenty money." +But I such a foolish woman I would not go. I write and tell him, "No, +I can't come, for Sind such a long way off, and I cannot leave the +children." I plenty proud then. I give up all for the children. But +now what good? I know your language. What use? To blow the fire? I +only a miserable woman, fit to go to cook-room and cook the dinner. So +go down in the world, a poor woman (not much good to have plenty in +head and empty pocket!) but if I'd been a man I might now be a +Fouzdar.[23] + + [23] Chief Constable. + +I was at Kolapore[24] at the time of the mutiny, and we had to run +away in the middle of the night; but I've told you before all about +that. Then seven years ago my mother died (she was ninety when she +died), and we came back to live at Poona, and my daughter was married, +and I was so happy and pleased. + + [24] Capital of the Kolapore State, in the Southern Mahratta country. + +I gave a feast then to three hundred people, and we had music and +dancing, and my son, he so proud he dancing from morning to night, and +running here and there arranging everything; and on that day I said, +"Throw the doors open, and any beggar, any poor person come here, give +them what they like to eat, for whoever comes shall have enough, since +there's no more work for me in the world." So, thinking I should be +able to leave service, and give up work, I spent all the money I had +left. That was not very much, for in sending my son to school I'd +spent a great deal. He was such a beauty boy--tall, straight, +handsome--and so clever. They used to say he looked more like my +brother than my son, and he said to me, "Mammy, you've worked for us +all your life; now I'm grown up, I'll get a clerk's place and work for +you. You shall work no more, but live in my house." But last year he +was drowned in the river. That was my great sad. Since then I couldn't +lift up my head. I can't remember things now as I used to do, and all +is muddled in my head, six and seven. It makes me sad sometimes to +hear you laughing and talking so happy with your father and mother and +all your family, when I think of my father, and mother, and brothers, +and husband, and son, all dead and gone! No more happy home like that +for me. What should I care to live for? I would come to England with +you, for I know you would be good to me and bury me when I die, but I +cannot go so far from Rosie. My one eye put out, my other eye left. I +could not lose it too. If it were not for Rosie and her children I +should like to travel about and see the world. There are four places I +have always wished to see--Calcutta, Madras, England and Jerusalem (my +poor mother always wished to see Jerusalem, too--that her great hope); +but I shall not see them now. Many ladies wanted to take me to England +with them, and if I had gone I should have saved plenty money, but now +it is too late to think of that. Besides, it would not be much use. +What's the good of my saving money? Can I take it away with me when I +die? My father and grandfather did not do so, and they had enough to +live on till they died. I have enough for what I want, and I've plenty +poor relations. They all come to me, asking for money, and I give it +them. I thank our Saviour there are enough good Christians here to +give me a slice of bread and cup of water when I can't work for it. I +do not fear to come to want. + + Government House, + Parell, Bombay, 1866. + + + + +[Decoration] + +OLD DECCAN DAYS. + +I. + +_PUNCHKIN._ + + +Once upon a time there was a Rajah[25] who had seven beautiful +daughters. They were all good girls; but the youngest, named +Balna,[26] was more clever than the rest. The Rajah's wife died when +they were quite little children, so these seven poor Princesses were +left with no mother to take care of them. + + [25] King. + + [26] The Little One. + +The Rajah's daughters took it by turns to cook their father's dinner +every day,[27] whilst he was absent deliberating with his ministers on +the affairs of the nation. + + [27] See Notes at the end. + +About this time the Purdan[28] died, leaving a widow and one daughter; +and every day, every day, when the seven Princesses were preparing +their father's dinner, the Purdan's widow and daughter would come and +beg for a little fire from the hearth. Then Balna used to say to her +sisters, "Send that woman away; send her away. Let her get the fire +at her own house. What does she want with ours? If we allow her to +come here, we shall suffer for it some day." But the other sisters +would answer, "Be quiet, Balna; why must you always be quarreling with +this poor woman? Let her take some fire if she likes." Then the +Purdan's widow used to go to the hearth and take a few sticks from it; +and, whilst no one was looking, she would quickly throw some mud into +the midst of the dishes which were being prepared for the Rajah's +dinner. + + [28] Or, more correctly, _Prudhan_, Prime Minister. + +Now the Rajah was very fond of his daughters. Ever since their +mother's death they had cooked his dinner with their own hands, in +order to avoid the danger of his being poisoned by his enemies. So, +when he found the mud mixed up with his dinner, he thought it must +arise from their carelessness, as it appeared improbable that any one +should have put mud there on purpose; but being very kind, he did not +like to reprove them for it, although this spoiling of the currie was +repeated many successive days. + +At last, one day, he determined to hide and watch his daughters +cooking, and see how it all happened; so he went into the next room, +and watched them through a hole in the wall. + +There he saw his seven daughters carefully washing the rice and +preparing the currie, and as each dish was completed, they put it by +the fire ready to be cooked. Next he noticed the Purdan's widow come +to the door, and beg for a few sticks from the fire to cook her dinner +with. Balna turned to her, angrily, and said, "Why don't you keep fuel +in your own house, and not come here every day and take ours? +Sisters, don't give this woman any more; let her buy it for herself." + +Then the eldest sister answered, "Balna, let the poor woman take the +wood and the fire; she does us no harm." But Balna replied, "If you +let her come here so often, maybe she will do us some harm, and make +us sorry for it, some day." + +The Rajah then saw the Purdan's widow go to the place where all his +dinner was nicely prepared, and, as she took the wood, she threw a +little mud into each of the dishes. + +At this he was very angry, and sent to have the woman seized and +brought before him. But when the widow came, she told him that she had +played this trick because she wanted to gain an audience with him; and +she spoke so cleverly, and pleased him so well with her cunning words, +that instead of punishing her, the Rajah married her, and made her his +Ranee,[29] and she and her daughter came to live in the palace. + + [29] Queen. + +The new Ranee hated the seven poor Princesses, and wanted to get them, +if possible, out of the way, in order that her daughter might have all +their riches and live in the palace as Princess in their place; and +instead of being grateful to them for their kindness to her, she did +all she could to make them miserable. She gave them nothing but bread +to eat, and very little of that, and very little water to drink; so +these seven poor little Princesses, who had been accustomed to have +everything comfortable about them, and good food and good clothes all +their lives long, were very miserable and unhappy; and they used to go +out every day and sit by their dead mother's tomb and cry; and used to +say, + +"Oh mother, mother, cannot you see your poor children, how unhappy we +are, and how we are starved by our cruel step-mother?" + +One day, whilst they were sobbing and crying, lo and behold! a +beautiful pomelo tree[30] grew up out of the grave, covered with fresh +ripe pomeloes, and the children satisfied their hunger by eating some +of the fruit; and every day after this, instead of trying to eat the +nasty dinner their step-mother provided for them, they used to go out +to their mother's grave and eat the pomeloes which grew there on the +beautiful tree. + + [30] _Citrus decumana_--the Shaddock of the West Indies. + +Then the Ranee said to her daughter, "I cannot tell how it is: every +day those seven girls say they don't want any dinner, and won't eat +any; and yet they never grow thin nor look ill; they look better than +you do. I cannot tell how it is;" and she bade her watch the seven +Princesses and see if any one gave them anything to eat. + +So next day, when the Princesses went to their mother's grave, and +were eating the beautiful pomeloes, the Purdan's daughter followed +them and saw them gathering the fruit. + +Then Balna said to her sisters, "Do you see that girl watching us? Let +us drive her away or hide the pomeloes, else she will go and tell her +mother all about it, and that will be very bad for us." + +But the other sisters said, "Oh no, do not be unkind, Balna. The girl +would never be so cruel as to tell her mother. Let us rather invite +her to come and have some of the fruit;" and calling her to them, they +gave her one of the pomeloes. + +No sooner had she eaten it, however, than the Purdan's daughter went +home and said to her mother, "I do not wonder the seven Princesses +will not eat the nasty dinner you prepare for them, for by their +mother's grave there grows a beautiful pomelo tree, and they go there +every day and eat the pomeloes. I ate one, and it was the nicest I +have ever tasted." + +The cruel Ranee was much vexed at hearing this, and all next day she +stayed in her room, and told the Rajah that she had a very bad +headache. The Rajah at hearing this was deeply grieved, and said to +his wife, "What can I do for you?" She answered, "There is only one +thing that will make my headache well. By your dead wife's tomb there +grows a fine pomelo tree; you must bring that here, and boil it, root +and branch, and put a little of the water in which it has been boiled +on my forehead, and that will cure my headache." So the Rajah sent his +servants, and had the beautiful pomelo tree pulled up by the roots, +and did as the Ranee desired; and when some of the water in which it +had been boiled was put on her forehead, she said her headache was +gone and she felt quite well. + +Next day, when the seven Princesses went as usual to the grave of +their mother, the pomelo tree had disappeared. Then they all began to +cry very bitterly. + +Now there was by the Ranee's tomb a small tank,[31] and as they were +crying they saw that the tank was filled with a rich cream-like +substance, which quickly hardened into a thick white cake. At seeing +this all the Princesses were very glad, and they ate some of the cake, +and liked it; and next day the same thing happened, and so it went on +for many days. Every morning the Princesses went to their mother's +grave, and found the little tank filled with the nourishing cream-like +cake. Then the cruel step-mother said to her daughter: "I cannot tell +how it is: I have had the pomelo tree which used to grow by the +Ranee's grave destroyed, and yet the Princesses grow no thinner nor +look more sad, though they never eat the dinner I give them. I cannot +tell how it is!" + + [31] Reservoir for water. + +And her daughter said, "I will watch." + +Next day, while the Princesses were eating the cream cake, who should +come by but their step-mother's daughter? Balna saw her first, and +said, "See, sisters, there comes that girl again. Let us sit round the +edge of the tank, and not allow her to see it; for if we give her some +of our cake, she will go and tell her mother, and that will be very +unfortunate for us." + +The other sisters, however, thought Balna unnecessarily suspicious, +and instead of following her advice, they gave the Purdan's daughter +some of the cake, and she went home and told her mother all about it. + +The Ranee, on hearing how well the Princesses fared, was exceedingly +angry, and sent her servants to pull down the dead Ranee's tomb and +fill the little tank with the ruins. And not content with this, she +next day pretended to be very, very ill--in fact, at the point of +death; and when the Rajah was much grieved, and asked her whether it +was in his power to procure her any remedy, she said to him: "Only one +thing can save my life, but I know you will not do it." He replied, +"Yes, whatever it is, I will do it." She then said, "To save my life, +you must kill the seven daughters of your first wife, and put some of +their blood on my forehead and on the palms of my hands, and their +death will be my life." At these words the Rajah was very sorrowful; +but because he feared to break his word, he went out with a heavy +heart to find his daughters. + +He found them crying by the ruins of their mother's grave. + +Then, feeling he could not kill them, the Rajah spoke kindly to them, +and told them to come out into the jungle with him; and there he made +a fire and cooked some rice, and gave it to them. But in the +afternoon, it being very hot, the seven Princesses all fell asleep, +and when he saw they were fast asleep, the Rajah, their father, stole +away and left them (for he feared his wife), saying to himself: "It is +better my poor daughters should die here than be killed by their +step-mother." + +He then shot a deer, and returning home, put some of the blood on the +forehead and hands of the Ranee, and she thought then that he had +really killed the Princesses, and said she felt quite well. + +Meantime the seven Princesses awoke, and when they found themselves +all alone in the thick jungle they were much frightened, and began to +call out as loud as they could, in hopes of making their father hear; +but he was by that time far away, and would not have been able to hear +them, even had their voices been as loud as thunder. + +It so happened that this very day the seven young sons of a +neighboring Rajah chanced to be hunting in that same jungle, and as +they were returning home after the day's sport was over, the youngest +Prince said to his brothers: "Stop, I think I hear some one crying and +calling out. Do you not hear voices? Let us go in the direction of +the sound, and try and find out what it is." + +So the seven Princes rode through the wood until they came to the +place where the seven Princesses sat crying and wringing their hands. +At the sight of them the young Princes were very much astonished, and +still more so on learning their story; and they settled that each +should take one of these poor forlorn ladies home with him and marry +her. + +So the first and eldest Prince took the eldest Princess home with him, +and married her. + +And the second took the second; + +And the third took the third; + +And the fourth took the fourth; + +And the fifth took the fifth; + +And the sixth took the sixth; + +And the seventh, and handsomest of all, took the beautiful Balna. + +And when they got to their own land, there was great rejoicing +throughout the kingdom at the marriage of the seven young Princes to +seven such beautiful Princesses. + +About a year after this Balna had a little son, and his uncles and +aunts were all so fond of the boy that it was as if he had seven +fathers and seven mothers. None of the other Princes or Princesses had +any children, so the son of the seventh Prince and Balna was +acknowledged their heir by all the rest. + +They had thus lived very happily for some time, when one fine day the +seventh Prince (Balna's husband) said he would go out hunting, and +away he went; and they waited long for him, but he never came back. + +Then his six brothers said they would go and see what had become of +him; and they went away, but they also did not return. + +And the seven Princesses grieved very much, for they felt sure their +kind husbands must have been killed. + +One day, not long after this had happened, as Balna was rocking her +baby's cradle, and whilst her sisters were working in the room below, +there came to the palace door a man in a long black dress, who said +that he was a Fakeer,[32] and came to beg. The servants said to him, +"You cannot go into the palace--the Rajah's sons have all gone away; +we think they must be dead, and their widows cannot be interrupted by +your begging." But he said, "I am a holy man; you must let me in." +Then the stupid servants let him walk through the palace, but they did +not know that this man was no Fakeer, but a wicked Magician named +Punchkin. + + [32] Holy beggar. + +Punchkin Fakeer wandered through the palace, and saw many beautiful +things there, till at last he reached the room where Balna sat singing +beside her little boy's cradle. The Magician thought her more +beautiful than all the other beautiful things he had seen, insomuch +that he asked her to go home with him and to marry him. But she said, +"My husband, I fear, is dead, but my little boy is still quite young; +I will stay here and teach him to grow up a clever man, and when he is +grown up he shall go out into the world, and try and learn tidings of +his father. Heaven forbid that I should ever leave him or marry you." +At these words the Magician was very angry, and turned her into a +little black dog, and led her away, saying, "Since you will not come +with me of your own free will, I will make you." So the poor Princess +was dragged away, without any power of effecting an escape, or of +letting her sisters know what had become of her. As Punchkin passed +through the palace gate the servants said to him, "Where did you get +that pretty little dog?" And he answered, "One of the Princesses gave +it to me as a present." At hearing which they let him go without +further questioning. + +Soon after this the six elder Princesses heard the little baby, their +nephew, begin to cry, and when they went up stairs they were much +surprised to find him all alone, and Balna nowhere to be seen. Then +they questioned the servants, and when they heard of the Fakeer and +the little black dog, they guessed what had happened, and sent in +every direction seeking them, but neither the Fakeer nor the dog were +to be found. What could six poor women do? They had to give up all +hopes of ever seeing their kind husbands, and their sister and her +husband again, and they devoted themselves thenceforward to teaching +and taking care of their little nephew. + +Thus time went on, till Balna's son was fourteen years old. Then one +day his aunts told him the history of the family; and no sooner did he +hear it than he was seized with a great desire to go in search of his +father and mother and uncles, and bring them home again if he could +find them alive. His aunts, on learning his determination, were much +alarmed and tried to dissuade him, saying, "We have lost our husbands, +and our sister and her husband, and you are now our sole hope; if you +go away, what shall we do?" But he replied, "I pray you not to be +discouraged; I will return soon, and, if it is possible, bring my +father and mother and uncles with me." So he sat out on his travels, +but for some months he could learn nothing to help him in his search. + +At last, after he had journeyed many hundreds of weary miles, and +become almost hopeless of ever being able to hear anything further of +his parents, he one day came to a country which seemed full of stones +and rocks and trees, and there he saw a large palace with a high +tower; hard by which was a Malee's[33] little house. + + [33] Gardener's. + +As he was looking about, the Malee's wife saw him, and ran out of the +house and said, "My dear boy, who are you that dare venture to this +dangerous place?" And he answered, "I am a Rajah's son, and I come in +search of my father and my uncles, and my mother whom a wicked +enchanter bewitched." Then the Malee's wife said, "This country and +this palace belong to a great Enchanter; he is all-powerful, and if +any one displeases him, he can turn them into stones and trees. All +the rocks and trees you see here were living people once, and the +Magician turned them to what they now are. Some time ago a Rajah's son +came here, and shortly afterward came his six brothers, and they were +all turned into stones and trees; and these are not the only +unfortunate ones, for up in that tower lives a beautiful Princess, +whom the Magician has kept prisoner there for twelve years, because +she hates him and will not marry him." + +Then the little Prince thought, "These must be my parents and my +uncles. I have found what I seek at last." So he told his story to the +Malee's wife, and begged her to help him to remain in that place a +while, and inquire further concerning the unhappy people she +mentioned; and she promised to befriend him, and advised his +disguising himself, lest the Magician should see him, and turn him +likewise into stone. To this the Prince agreed. So the Malee's wife +dressed him up in a saree,[34] and pretended that he was her daughter. + + [34] A woman's dress. + +One day, not long after this, as the Magician was walking in his +garden, he saw the little girl (as he thought) playing about, and +asked her who she was. She told him she was the Malee's daughter, and +the Magician said, "You are a pretty little girl, and to-morrow you +shall take a present of flowers from me to the beautiful lady who +lives in the tower." + +The young Prince was much delighted at hearing this, and after some +consultation with the Malee's wife, he settled that it would be more +safe for him to retain his disguise, and trust to the chance of a +favorable opportunity for establishing some communication with his +mother, if it were indeed she. + +Now it happened that at Balna's marriage her husband had given her a +small gold ring, on which her name was engraved, and she put it on her +little son's finger when he was a baby, and afterward, when he was +older, his aunts had had it enlarged for him, so that he was still +able to wear it. The Malee's wife advised him to fasten the well-known +treasure to one of the bouquets he presented to his mother, and trust +to her recognizing it. This was not to be done without difficulty, as +such a strict watch was kept over the poor Princess (for fear of her +ever establishing communication with her friends) that though the +supposed Malee's daughter was permitted to take her flowers every day, +the Magician or one of his slaves was always in the room at the time. +At last one day, however, opportunity favored him, and when no one was +looking the boy tied the ring to a nosegay and threw it at Balna's +feet. The ring fell with a clang on the floor, and Balna, looking to +see what made the strange sound, found the little ring tied to the +flowers. On recognizing it, she at once believed the story her son +told her of his long search, and begged him to advise her as to what +she had better do; at the same time entreating him on no account to +endanger his life by trying to rescue her. She told him that for +twelve long years the Magician had kept her shut up in the tower +because she refused to marry him, and she was so closely guarded that +she saw no hope of release. + +Now Balna's son was a bright, clever boy; so he said, "Do not fear, +dear mother; the first thing to do is to discover how far the +Magician's power extends, in order that we may be able to liberate my +father and uncles, whom he has imprisoned in the form of rocks and +trees. You have spoken to him angrily for twelve long years; do you +now rather speak kindly. Tell him you have given up all hopes of again +seeing the husband you have so long mourned, and say you are willing +to marry him. Then endeavor to find out what his power consists in, +and whether he is immortal or can be put to death." + +Balna determined to take her son's advice; and the next day sent for +Punchkin and spoke to him as had been suggested. + +The Magician, greatly delighted, begged her to allow the wedding to +take place as soon as possible. + +But she told him that before she married him he must allow her a +little more time, in which she might make his acquaintance, and, that, +after being enemies so long, their friendship could but strengthen by +degrees. "And do tell me," she said, "are you quite immortal? Can +death never touch you? And are you too great an enchanter ever to feel +human suffering?" + +"Why do you ask?" said he. + +"Because," she replied, "if I am to be your wife, I would fain know +all about you, in order, if any calamity threatens you, to overcome, +or, if possible, to avert it." + +"It is true," he said, "that I am not as others. Far, far away, +hundreds of thousands of miles from this, there lies a desolate +country covered with thick jungle. In the midst of the jungle grows a +circle of palm trees, and in the centre of the circle stand six +chattees full of water, piled one above another; below the sixth +chattee is a small cage which contains a little green parrot: on the +life of the parrot depends my life, and if the parrot is killed I must +die. It is, however," he added, "impossible that the parrot should +sustain any injury, both on account of the inaccessibility of the +country, and because, by my appointment, many thousand evil genii +surround the palm trees, and kill all who approach the place." + +Balna told her son what Punchkin had said, but, at the same time, +implored him to give up all idea of getting the parrot. + +The prince, however, replied, "Mother, unless I can get hold of that +parrot, you and my father and uncles cannot be liberated: be not +afraid, I will shortly return. Do you, meantime, keep the Magician in +good humor--still putting off your marriage with him on various +pretexts; and before he finds out the cause of delay I will return." +So saying, he went away. + +Many, many weary miles did he travel, till at last he came to a thick +jungle, and being very tired, sat down under a tree and fell asleep. +He was awakened by a soft rustling sound, and looking about him, saw a +large serpent which was making its way to an eagle's nest built in the +tree under which he lay, and in the nest were two young eagles. The +Prince, seeing the danger of the young birds, drew his sword and +killed the serpent; at the same moment a rushing sound was heard in +the air, and the two old eagles, who had been out hunting for food for +their young ones, returned. They quickly saw the dead serpent and the +young Prince standing over it; and the old mother eagle said to him, +"Dear boy, for many years all our young have been devoured by that +cruel serpent: you have now saved the lives of our children; whenever +you are in need, therefore, send to us and we will help you; and as +for these little eagles, take them, and let them be your servants." + +At this the Prince was very glad, and the two eaglets crossed their +wings, on which he mounted; and they carried him far, far away over +the thick jungles, until he came to the place where grew the circle of +palm trees, in the midst of which stood the six chattees full of +water. It was the middle of the day. All round the trees were the +genii fast asleep: nevertheless, there were such countless thousands +of them that it would have been quite impossible for any one to walk +through their ranks to the place. Down swooped the strong-winged +eaglets--down jumped the prince: in an instant he had overthrown the +six chattees full of water, and seized the little green parrot, which +he rolled up in his cloak; while, as he mounted again into the air, +all the genii below awoke, and, finding their treasure gone, set up a +wild and melancholy howl. + +Away, away flew the little eagles till they came to their home in the +great tree; then the Prince said to the old eagles, "Take back your +little ones; they have done me good service; if ever again I stand in +need of help, I will not fail to come to you." He then continued his +journey on foot till he arrived once more at the Magician's palace, +where he sat down at the door and began playing with the parrot. The +Magician saw him, and came to him quickly, and said, "My boy, where +did you get that parrot? Give it to me, I pray you." But the Prince +answered, "Oh no, I cannot give away my parrot; it is a great pet of +mine; I have had it many years." Then the Magician said, "If it is an +old favorite, I can understand your not caring to give it away; but +come, what will you sell it for?" "Sir," replied the Prince, "I will +not sell my parrot." + +Then the Magician got frightened, and said, "Anything, anything; name +what price you will, and it shall be yours." "Then," the Prince +answered, "I will that you liberate the Rajah's seven sons who you +turned into rocks and trees." "It is done as you desire," said the +Magician, "only give me my parrot." (And with that, by a stroke of his +wand, Balna's husband and his brothers resumed their natural shapes.) +"Now give me my parrot," repeated Punchkin. "Not so fast, my master," +rejoined the Prince; "I must first beg that you will restore to life +all whom you have thus imprisoned." + +The Magician immediately waved his wand again; and whilst he cried in +an imploring voice, "Give me my parrot!" the whole garden became +suddenly alive: where rock and stones and trees had been before, stood +Rajahs and Punts[35] and Sirdars,[36] and mighty men on prancing +horses, and jeweled pages and troops of armed attendants. + + [35] Principal ministers. + + [36] Nobles or chiefs. + +"Give me my parrot!" cried Punchkin. Then the boy took hold of the +parrot, and tore off one of his wings; and as he did so the Magician's +right arm fell off. + +Punchkin then stretched out his left arm, crying, "Give me my parrot!" +The Prince pulled off the parrot's second wing, and the Magician's +left arm tumbled off. + +"Give me my parrot!" cried he, and fell on his knees. The Prince +pulled off the parrot's right leg--the Magician's right leg fell off: +the Prince pulled off the parrot's left leg--down fell the Magician's +left. + +Nothing remained of him save the limbless body and the head; but still +he rolled his eyes, and cried, "Give me my parrot!" "Take your parrot, +then," cried the boy, and with that he wrung the bird's neck and threw +it at the Magician; and as he did so, Punchkin's head twisted round, +and with a fearful groan he died! + +Then they let Balna out of the tower; and she, her son and the seven +Princes went to their own country, and lived very happily ever +afterward. And as to the rest of the world, every one went to his own +house. + + + + +[Decoration] + +II. + +_A FUNNY STORY._ + + +Once upon a time there were a Rajah and Ranee who were much grieved +because they had no children, and the little dog in the palace had +also no little puppies. At last the Rajah and Ranee had some children, +and it also happened that the pet dog in the palace had some little +puppies; but, unfortunately, the Ranee's two children were two little +puppies! and the dog's two little puppies were two pretty little +girls! This vexed her majesty very much; and sometimes when the dog +had gone away to its dinner, the Ranee used to put the two little +puppies (her children) into the kennel, and carry away the dog's two +little girls to the palace. Then the poor dog grew very unhappy, and +said, "They never will leave my two little children alone. I must take +them away into the jungle, or their lives will be worried out." So one +night she took the little girls in her mouth and ran with them to the +jungle, and there made them a home in a pretty cave in the rock, +beside a clear stream; and every day she would go into the towns and +carry away some nice currie and rice to give her little daughters; and +if she found any pretty clothes or jewels that she could bring away in +her mouth, she used to take them also for the children. + +Now it happened some time after this, one day, when the dog had gone +to fetch her daughters' dinner, two young Princes (a Rajah and his +brother) came to hunt in the jungle, and they hunted all day and found +nothing. It had been very hot, and they were thirsty; so they went to +a tree which grew on a little piece of high ground, and sent their +attendants to search all round for water; but no one could find any. +At last one of the hunting dogs came to the foot of the tree quite +muddy, and the Rajah said, "Look, the dog is muddy: he must have found +water: follow him, and see where he goes." The attendants followed the +dog, and saw him go to the stream at the mouth of the cave where the +two children were; and the two children also saw them, and were very +much frightened and ran inside the cave. Then the attendants returned +to the two Princes, and said, "We have found clear, sparkling water +flowing past a cave, and, what is more, within the cave are two of the +most lovely young ladies that eye ever beheld, clothed in fine dresses +and covered with jewels; but when they saw us they were frightened and +ran away." On hearing this the Princes bade their servants lead them +to the place; and when they saw the two young girls, they were quite +charmed with them, and asked them to go to their kingdom and become +their wives. The maidens were frightened; but at last the Rajah and +his brother persuaded them, and they went, and the Rajah married the +eldest sister, and his brother married the youngest. + +When the dog returned, she was grieved to find her children gone, and +for twelve long years the poor thing ran many, many miles to find +them, but in vain. At last one day she came to the place where the +two Princesses lived. Now it chanced that the eldest, the wife of the +Rajah, was looking out of the window, and seeing the dog run down the +street, she said, "That must be my dear long-lost mother." So she ran +into the street as fast as possible, and took the tired dog in her +arms, and brought her into her own room, and made her a nice +comfortable bed on the floor, and bathed her feet, and was very kind +to her. Then the dog said to her, "My daughter, you are good and kind, +and it is a great joy to me to see you again; but I must not stay; I +will first go and see your younger sister, and then return." The Ranee +answered, "Do not do so, dear mother; rest here to-day; to-morrow I +will send and let my sister know, and she, too, will come and see +you." But the poor, silly dog would not stay, but ran to the house of +her second daughter. Now the second daughter was looking out of the +window when the unfortunate creature came to the door, and seeing the +dog she said to herself, "That must be my mother. What will my husband +think if he learns that this wretched, ugly, miserable-looking dog is +my mother?" So she ordered her servants to go and throw stones at it, +and drive it away, and they did so; and one large stone hit the dog's +head, and she ran back, very much hurt, to her eldest daughter's +house. The Ranee saw her coming, and ran out into the street and +brought her in in her arms, and did all she could to make her well, +saying, "Ah, mother, mother! why did you ever leave my house?" But all +her care was in vain: the poor dog died. Then the Ranee thought her +husband might be vexed if he found a dead dog (an unclean animal) in +the palace; so she put the body in a small room into which the Rajah +hardly ever went, intending to have it reverently buried; and over it +she placed a basket turned topsy-turvy. + +It so happened, however, that when the Rajah came to visit his wife, +as chance would have it, he went through this very room: and tripping +over the upturned basket, called for a light to see what it was. Then, +lo and behold! there lay the statue of a dog, life size, composed +entirely of diamonds, emeralds, and other precious stones, set in +gold! So he called out to his wife, and said, "Where did you get this +beautiful dog?" And when the Ranee saw the golden dog, she was very +much frightened, and, I'm sorry to say, instead of telling her husband +the truth, she told a story, and said, "Oh, it is only a present my +parents sent me." + +Now see what trouble she got into for not telling the truth. + +"_Only!_" said the Rajah; "why this is valuable enough to buy the +whole of my kingdom. Your parents must be very rich people to be able +to send you such presents as this. How is it you never told me of +them? Where do they live?" (Now she had to tell another story to cover +the first.) She said, "In the jungle." He replied, "I will go and see +them; you must take me and show where they live." Then the Ranee +thought, "What will the Rajah say when he finds I have been telling +him such stories? He will order my head to be cut off." So she said, +"You must first give me a palanquin, and I will go into the jungle and +tell them you are coming;" but really she determined to kill herself, +and so get out of her difficulties. Away she went; and when she had +gone some distance in her palanquin, she saw a large white ants' +nest, over which hung a cobra, with its mouth wide open; then the +Ranee thought, "I will go to that cobra and put my finger in his +mouth, that he may bite me, and so I shall die." So she ordered the +palkee-bearers to wait, and said she would be back in a while, and got +out, and ran to the ants' nest, and put her finger in the cobra's +mouth. Now a large thorn had run, a short time before, into the +cobra's throat, and hurt him very much; and the Ranee, by putting her +finger into his mouth, pushed out this thorn; then the cobra, feeling +much better, turned to her, and said, "My dear daughter, you have done +me a great kindness; what return can I make you?" The Ranee told him +all her story, and begged him to bite her, that she might die. But the +cobra said, "You did certainly very wrong to tell the Rajah that +story; nevertheless, you have been very kind to me. I will help you in +your difficulty. Send your husband here. I will provide you with a +father and mother of whom you need not be ashamed." So the Ranee +returned joyfully to the palace, and invited her husband to come and +see her parents. + +When they reached the spot near where the cobra was, what a wonderful +sight awaited them! There, in the place which had before been thick +jungle, stood a splendid palace, twenty-four miles long and +twenty-four miles broad, with gardens and trees and fountains all +round; and the light shining from it was to be seen a hundred miles +off. The walls were made of gold and precious stones, and the carpets +cloth of gold. Hundreds of servants, in rich dresses, stood waiting in +the long, lofty rooms; and in the last room of all, upon golden +thrones, sat a magnificent old Rajah and Ranee, who introduced +themselves to the young Rajah as his papa and mamma-in-law. The Rajah +and Ranee stayed at the palace six months, and were entertained the +whole of that time with feasting and music; and they left for their +own home loaded with presents. Before they started, however, the Ranee +went to her friend, the cobra, and said, "You have conjured up all +these beautiful things to get me out of my difficulties, but my +husband, the Rajah, has enjoyed his visit so much that he will +certainly want to come here again. Then, if he returns and finds +nothing at all, he will be very angry with me." The friendly cobra +answered, "Do not fear. When you have gone twenty-four miles on your +journey, look back, and see what you will see." So they started; and +on looking back at the end of twenty-four miles, saw the whole of the +splendid palace in flames, the fire reaching up to heaven. The Rajah +returned to see if he could help anybody to escape, or invite them in +their distress to his court; but he found that all was burnt down--not +a stone nor a living creature remained! + +Then he grieved much over the sad fate of his parents-in-law. + +When the party returned home, the Rajah's brother said to him, "Where +did you get these magnificent presents?" He replied, "They are gifts +from my father and mother-in-law." At this news the Rajah's brother +went home to his wife very discontented, and asked her why she had +never told him of her parents, and taken him to see them, whereby he +might have received rich gifts as well as his brother. His wife then +went to her sister, and asked how she had managed to get all the +things. But the Ranee said, "Go away, you wicked woman. I will not +speak to you. You killed the poor dog, our mother." + +But afterward she told her all about it. + +The sister then said, "I shall go and see the cobra, and get presents +too." The Ranee then answered,--"You can go if you like." + +So the sister ordered her palanquin, and told her husband she was +going to see her parents, and prepare them for a visit from him. When +she reached the ants' nest, she saw the cobra there, and she went and +put her finger in his mouth, and the cobra bit her, and she died. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +III. + +_BRAVE SEVENTEE BAI._ + + +Siu Rajah,[37] who reigned long years ago in the country of Agrabrum, +had an only son, to whom he was passionately attached. The Prince, +whose name was Logedas, was young and handsome, and had married the +beautiful Princess, Parbuttee Bai. + + [37] Or Singh Rajah, the Lion King. + +Now it came to pass that Siu Rajah's Wuzeer[38] had a daughter called +Seventee Bai (the Daisy Lady), who was as fair as the morning, and +beloved by all for her gentleness and goodness; and when Logedas Rajah +saw her, he fell in love with her, and determined to marry her. But +when Siu Rajah heard of this he was very angry, and sent for his son, +and said: "Of all that is rich and costly in my kingdom I have +withheld nothing from you, and in Parbuttee Bai you have a wife as +fair as heart could wish; nevertheless, if you are desirous of having +a second wife, I freely give you leave to do so; there are daughters +of many neighboring kings who would be proud to become your Queen, but +it is beneath your dignity to marry a Wuzeer's daughter; and, if you +do, my love for you shall not prevent my expelling you from the +kingdom." Logedas did not heed his father's threat, and he married +Seventee Bai; which the Rajah learning, ordered him immediately to +quit the country; but yet, because he loved him much, he gave Logedas +many elephants, camels, horses, palanquins and attendants, that he +might not need help on the journey, and that his rank might be +apparent to all. + + [38] Or Vizier. + +So Logedas Rajah and his two young wives set forth on their travels. +Before, however, they had gone very far, the Prince dismissed the +whole of his retinue, except the elephant on which he himself rode, +and the palanquin, carried by two men, in which his wives traveled. +Thus, almost alone, he started through the jungle in search of a new +home; but, being wholly ignorant of that part of the country, before +they had gone very far they lost their way. The poor Princesses were +reduced to a state of great misery; day after day they wandered on, +living on roots or wild berries and the leaves of trees pounded down; +and by night they were terrified by the cries of wild beasts in search +of prey. Logedas Rajah became more melancholy and desponding every +day; until, one night, maddened by the thought of his wives' sad +condition, and unable longer to bear the sight of their distress, he +got up, and casting aside his royal robes, twisted a coarse +handkerchief about his head, after the manner of a fakeer's (holy +beggar's) turban, and throwing a woolen cloak around him, ran away in +disguise into the jungle. + +A little while after he had gone, the Wuzeer's daughter awoke and +found Parbuttee Bai crying bitterly. "Sister dear," said she, "what is +the matter?" "Ah, sister," answered Parbuttee Bai, "I am crying +because in my dreams I thought our husband had dressed himself like a +fakeer and run away into the jungle; and I awoke, and found it was all +true: he has gone, and left us here alone. It would have been better +we had died than that such a misfortune should have befallen us." "Do +not cry," said Seventee Bai: "if we cry we are lost, for the +palkee-bearers[39] will think we are only two weak women, and will run +away, and leave us in the jungle, out of which we can never get by +ourselves. Keep a cheerful mind, and all will be well; who knows but +we may yet find our husband? Meanwhile, I will dress myself in his +clothes, and take the name of Seventee Rajah, and you shall be my +wife; and the palkee-bearers will think it is only I that have been +lost; and it will not seem very wonderful to them that in such a place +as this a wild beast should have devoured me." + + [39] _I.e._, palanquin-bearers. + +Then Parbuttee Bai smiled and said, "Sister, you speak well; you have +a brave heart. I will be your little wife." + +So Seventee Bai dressed herself in her husband's clothes, and next day +she mounted the elephant as he had done, and ordered the bearers to +take up the palkee in which Parbuttee Bai was, and again attempt to +find their way out of the jungle. The palkee-bearers wondered much to +themselves what had become of Seventee Bai, and they said to one +another, "How selfish and how fickle are the rich! See now our young +Rajah, who married the Wuzeer's daughter and brought all this trouble +on himself thereby (and in truth 'tis said she was a beautiful lady), +he seemed to love her as his own soul; but now that she has been +devoured by some cruel animal in this wild jungle, he appears scarcely +to mourn her death." + +After journeying for some days under the wise direction of the +Wuzeer's daughter, the party found themselves getting out of the +jungle, and at last they came to an open plain, in the middle of which +was a large city. When the citizens saw the elephant coming they ran +out to see who was on it, and returning, told their Rajah that a very +handsome Rajah, richly dressed, was riding toward the city, and that +he brought with him his wife--a most lovely Princess. Whereupon the +Rajah of that country sent to Seventee Bai, and asked her who she was, +and why she had come? Seventee Bai replied, "My name is Seventee +Rajah. My father was angry with me, and drove me from his kingdom; and +I and my wife have been wandering for many days in the jungle, where +we lost our way." + +The Rajah and all his court thought they had never seen so brave and +royal-looking a Prince; and the Rajah said that if Seventee Rajah +would take service under him, he would give him as much money as he +liked. To whom the Wuzeer's daughter replied: "I am not accustomed to +take service under anybody; but you are good to us in receiving us +courteously and offering us your protection; therefore, give me +whatever post you please, and I will be your faithful servant." So the +Rajah gave Seventee Bai a salary of L24,000 a-year and a beautiful +house, and treated her with the greatest confidence, consulting her in +all matters of importance, and entrusting her with many state affairs; +and from her gentleness and kindness, none felt envious at her good +fortune, but she was beloved and honored by all; and thus these two +Princesses lived for twelve years in that city. No one suspected that +Seventee Bai was not the Rajah she pretended to be, and she most +strictly forbade Parbuttee Bai's making a great friend of anybody, or +admitting any one to her confidence; for, she said, "Who knows, then, +but some day you may, unawares, reveal that I am only Seventee Bai; +and, though I love you as my very sister, if that were told by you, I +would kill you with my own hands." + +Now the King's palace was on the side of the city nearest to the +jungle, and one night the Ranee was awakened by loud and piercing +shrieks coming from that direction; so she woke her husband, and said, +"I am so frightened by that terrible noise that I cannot sleep. Send +some one to see what is the matter." And the Rajah called all his +attendants, and said, "Go down toward the jungle and see what that +noise is about." But they were all afraid, for the night was very +dark, and the noise very dreadful, and they said to him: "We are +afraid to go. We dare not do so by ourselves. Send for this young +Rajah who is such a favorite of yours, and tell him to go. He is +brave. You pay him more than you do us all. What is the good of your +paying him so much, unless he can be of use when he is wanted?" So +they all went to Seventee Bai's house, and when she heard what was the +matter, she jumped up, and said she would go down to the jungle and +see what the noise was. + +This noise had been made by a Rakshas,[40] who was standing under a +gallows on which a thief had been hanged the day before. He had been +trying to reach the corpse with his cruel claws; but it was just too +high for him, and he was howling with rage and disappointment. When, +however, the Wuzeer's daughter reached the place, no Rakshas was to be +seen; but in his stead a very old woman, in a wonderful glittering +saree, sitting wringing her withered hands under the gallows tree, and +above, the corpse, swaying about in the night wind. "Old woman," said +Seventee Bai, "what is the matter?" "Alas!" said the Rakshas (for it +was he), "my son hangs above on that gallows. He is dead, he is dead! +and I am too bent with age to be able to reach the rope and cut his +body down." "Poor old woman!" said Seventee Bai; "get upon my +shoulders, and you will then be tall enough to reach your son." So the +Rakshas mounted on Seventee Bai's shoulders, who held him steady by +his glittering saree. Now, as she stood there, Seventee Bai began to +think the old woman was a very long time cutting the rope round the +dead man's neck; and just at that moment the moon shone out from +behind a cloud, and Seventee Bai, looking up, saw that instead of a +feeble old woman, she was supporting on her shoulders a Rakshas, who +was tearing down portions of the flesh and devouring it. +Horror-stricken, she sprang back, and with a shrill scream the Rakshas +fled away, leaving in her hands the shining saree. + + [40] Gigantic demoniacal ogres, who can at will assume any shape. + Their chief terrestrial delight is said to be digging dead bodies + out of their graves and devouring them. + +Seventee Bai did not choose to say anything about this adventure to +the Ranee, not wishing to alarm her; so she merely returned to the +palace, and said that the noise was made by an old woman whom she had +found crying under the gallows. She then returned home, and gave the +bright saree to Parbuttee Bai. + +One fine day, some time after this, two of the Rajah's little +daughters thought they would go and see Parbuttee Bai; and as it +happened, Parbuttee Bai had on the Rakshas' saree, and was standing +by the half-closed window shutters looking out, when the Princesses +arrived at her house. The little Princesses were quite dazzled by the +golden saree, and running home said to their mother, "That young +Rajah's wife has the most beautiful saree we ever saw. It shines like +the sun, and dazzles one's eyes. We have no sarees half so beautiful, +and although you are Ranee, you have none so rich as that. Why do you +not get one too?" + +When the Ranee heard about Parbuttee Bai's saree she was very eager to +have one like it; and she said to the Rajah, "Your servant's wife is +dressed more richly than your Ranee. I hear Parbuttee Bai has a saree +more costly than any of mine. Now, therefore, I beg you to get me one +like hers; for I cannot rest until I have one equally costly." + +Then the Rajah sent for Seventee Bai, and said, "Tell me where your +wife got her beautiful golden saree; for the Ranee desires to have one +like it." Seventee Bai answered, "Noble master, that saree came from a +very far country--even the country of the Rakshas. It is impossible to +get one like it here; but if you give me leave I will go and search +for their country, and, if I succeed in finding it, bring you home +sarees of the same kind." And the Rajah was very much pleased, and +ordered Seventee Bai to go. So she returned to her house and bade +good-bye to Parbuttee Bai, and warned her to be discreet and cautious; +and then, mounting her horse, rode away in search of the Rakshas' +country. + +Seventee Bai traveled for many days through the jungle, going one +hundred miles every day, and staying to rest every now and then at +little villages on her road. At last one day, after having gone +several hundred miles, she came to a fine city situated on the banks +of a beautiful river, and on the city walls a proclamation was painted +in large letters. Seventee Bai inquired of the people what it meant, +who told her that it was to say the Rajah's daughter would marry any +man who could tame a certain pony belonging to her father, which was +very vicious. + +"Has no one been able to manage it?" asked Seventee Bai. "No one," +they said. "Many have tried, but failed miserably. The pony was born +on the same day as the Princess. It is so fierce that no one can +approach it; but when the Princess heard how wild it was, she vowed +she would marry no one who could not tame it. Every one who likes is +free to try." Then Seventee Bai said, "Show me the pony to-morrow. I +think I shall be able to tame it." They answered, "You can try if you +like, but it is very dangerous, and you are but a youth." She replied, +"God gives his strength to the weak. I do not fear." So she went to +sleep, and early next morning they beat a drum all round the town to +let every one know that another man was going to try and tame the +Rajah's pony, and all the people flocked out of their houses to see +the sight. The pony was in a field near the river, and Seventee Bai +ran up to it, as it came running toward her intending to trample her +to death, and seized it firmly by the mane, so that it could neither +strike her with its fore legs nor kick her. The pony tried to shake +her off, but Seventee Bai clung firmly on, and finally jumped on its +back; and when the pony found that it was mastered, it became quite +gentle and tame. Then Seventee Bai, to show how completely she had +conquered, put spurs to the pony to make it jump the river, and the +pony immediately sprang up in the air and right across the river +(which was a jump of three miles), and this it did three times (for it +was strong and agile, and had never been ridden before); and when all +the people saw this they shouted for joy, and ran down to the river +bank and brought Seventee Bai, riding in triumph on the pony, to see +the Rajah. And the Rajah said, "Oh, best of men, and worthy of all +honor, you have won my daughter." So he took Seventee Bai to the +palace and paid her great honor, and gave her jewels and rich clothes, +and horses and camels innumerable. The Princess also came to greet the +winner of her hand. Then they said, "To-morrow shall be the wedding +day." But Seventee Bai replied, "Great Rajah and beautiful Princess, I +am going on an important errand of my own Rajah's; let me, I pray you, +first accomplish the duty on which I am bound, and on my way home I +will come through this city and claim my bride." At this they were +both pleased, and the Rajah said, "It is well spoken. Do not let us +hinder your keeping faith with your own Rajah. Go your way. We shall +eagerly await your return, when you shall claim the Princess and all +your possessions, and we will have such a gay wedding as was not since +the world began." And they went out with her to the borders of their +land, and showed her on her way. + +So the Wuzeer's daughter traveled on in search of the Rakshas' +country, until at last one day she came in sight of another fine large +town. Here she rested in the house for travelers for some days. Now +the Rajah of this country had a very beautiful daughter, who was his +only child, and for her he had built a splendid bath. It was like a +little sea, and had high marble walls all around, with a hedge of +spikes at the top of the walls, so high that at a distance it looked +like a great castle. The young Princess was very fond of it, and she +vowed she would only marry a man who could jump across her bath on +horseback. This had happened some years before, but no one had been +able to do it, which grieved the Rajah and Ranee very much; for they +wished to see their daughter happily married. And they said to her, +"We shall both be dead before you get a husband. What folly is this, +to expect that any one should be able to jump over those high marble +walls, with the spikes at the top!" The Princess only answered, "Then +I will never marry. It matters not; I will never have a husband who +has not jumped those walls." + +So the Rajah caused it to be proclaimed throughout the land that he +would give his daughter in marriage, and great riches, to whoever +could jump, on horseback, over the Princess' bath. + +All this Seventee Bai learnt as soon as she arrived in the town, and +she said, "To-morrow I will try and jump over the Princess' bath." The +country people said to her, "You speak foolishly: it is quite +impossible." She replied, "Heaven, in which I trust, will help me." So +next day she rose up, and saddled her horse, and led him in front of +the palace, and there she sprang on his back, and going at full +gallop, leapt over the marble walls, over the spikes high up in the +air, and down on to the ground on the other side of the bath; and this +she did three times, which, when the the Rajah saw, he was filled with +joy, and sent for Seventee Bai, and said, "Tell me your name, brave +Prince; for you are the only man in the world--you have won my +daughter." Then the Wuzeer's daughter replied, "My name is Seventee +Rajah. I come from a far country on a mission from my Rajah to the +country of the Rakshas; let me therefore, I pray you, first do my +appointed work, and if I live to return, I will come through this +country and claim my bride." To which the Rajah consented, for he did +not wish the Princess, his daughter, to undertake so long and tiresome +a journey. It was therefore agreed that the Princess should await +Seventee Bai's return at her father's court, and that Seventee Bai +herself should immediately proceed on her journey. + +From this place she went on for many, many days without adventure, and +traversed a dense jungle, for her brave heart carried her through all +difficulties. At last she arrived at another large city, beautifully +situated by a lake, with blue hills rising behind it, and sheltering +it from the cutting winds; little gardens filled with pomegranates, +jasmine and other fragrant and lovely flowers reached down from the +city to the water's edge. + +Seventee Bai, tired with her long journey, rode up to one of the +Malees' houses, where the hospitable inmates, seeing she was a +stranger and weary, offered her food and shelter for the night, which +she thankfully accepted. + +As they all sat round the fire cooking their evening meal, Seventee +Bai asked the Malee's wife about the place and the people, and what +was going on in the town. "Much excitement," she replied, "has of late +been caused by our Rajah's dream, which no one can interpret." "What +did he dream?" asked Seventee Bai. "Ever since he was ten years old," +she replied, "he has dreamed of a fair tree growing in a large garden. +The stem of the tree is made of silver, the leaves are pure gold, and +the fruit is bunches of pearls. The Rajah has inquired of all his wise +men and seers where such a tree is to be found; but they all replied, +'There is no such tree in the world;' wherefore he is dissatisfied and +melancholy. Moreover, the Princess, his daughter, hearing of her +father's dream, has determined to marry no man save the finder of this +marvelous tree." "It is very odd," said Seventee Bai; and, their +supper being over, she dragged her mattress outside the little house +(as a man would have done), and, placing it in a sheltered nook near +the lake, knelt down, as her custom was, to say her prayers before +going to sleep. + +As she knelt there, with her eyes fixed on the dark water, she saw, on +a sudden, a glorious shining light coming slowly toward her, and +discovered, in a minute or two more, that a very large cobra was +crawling up the steps from the water's edge, having in his mouth an +enormous diamond, the size and shape of an egg, that sparkled and +shone like a little sun, or as if one of the stars had suddenly +dropped out of heaven. The cobra laid the diamond down at the top of +the steps, and crawled away in search of food. Presently returning +when the night was far spent, he picked up the diamond again, and slid +down the steps with it into the lake. Seventee Bai knew not what to +make of this, but she resolved to return to the same place next night +and watch for the cobra. + +Again she saw him bring the diamond in his mouth, and take it away +with him after his evening meal; and again, a third night, the same +thing. Then Seventee Bai determined to kill the cobra, and if possible +secure the diamond. So early next morning she went into the bazaar, +and ordered a blacksmith to make her a very strong iron trap, which +should catch hold of anything it was let down upon so firmly as to +require the strength of twelve men to get out of it. The blacksmith +did as he was ordered, and made a very strong trap; the lower part of +it was like knives, and when it caught hold of anything it required +the strength of twelve men to break through it and escape. + +Seventee Bai had this trap hung up by a rope to a tree close to the +lake, and all around she scattered flowers and sweet scents, such as +cobras love; and at nightfall she herself got into the tree just above +the trap, and waited for the cobra to come as he was wont. + +About twelve o'clock the cobra came up the steps from the lake in +search of food. He had the diamond in his mouth, and, attracted by the +sweet scents and flowers, instead of going into the jungle, he +proceeded toward the tree in which Seventee Bai was. + +When Seventee Bai saw him, she untied the rope and let down the trap +upon him; but for fear he might not be quite dead, she waited till +morning before going to get the diamond. + +As soon as the sun was up, she went to look at her prey. There he lay +cold and dead, with the diamond, which shone like a mountain of light, +in his mouth. Seventee Bai took it, and, tired by her night of +watching, thought she would bathe in the lake before returning to the +Malee's cottage. So she ran and knelt down by the brink, to dip her +hands and face in the cool water; but no sooner did she touch its +surface with the diamond, than it rolled back in a wall on either +hand, and she saw a pathway leading down below the lake, on each side +of which were beautiful houses and gardens full of flowers, red, and +white, and blue. Seventee Bai resolved to see whither this might lead, +so she walked down the path until she came opposite a large door. She +opened it, and found herself in a more lovely garden than she had ever +seen on earth; tall trees laden with rich fruit grew in it, and on the +boughs were bright birds singing melodiously, while the ground was +covered with flowers, among which flew many gaudy butterflies. + +In the centre of the garden grew one tree more beautiful than all the +rest: _the stem was of silver, the leaves were golden, and the fruit +was clusters of pearls_. Swinging amid the branches sat a young girl, +more fair than any earthly lady; she had a face like the angels which +men only see in dreams; her eyes were like two stars, her golden hair +fell in ripples to her feet; she was singing to herself. When she saw +the stranger, she gave a little cry, and said, "Ah, my lord, why do +you come here?" Seventee Bai answered, "May I not come to see you, +beautiful lady?" Then the lady said, "Oh, sir, you are welcome; but if +my father sees you here, he will kill you. I am the great Cobra's +daughter, and he made this garden for me to play in, and here I have +played these many, many years all alone, for he lets me see no one, +not even of our own subjects. I never saw any one before you. Speak, +beautiful Prince--tell me how you came here, and who you are?" +Seventee Bai answered, "I am Seventee Rajah: have no fear--the stern +Cobra is no more." Then the lady was joyful, when she heard that the +Cobra who had tyrannized over her was dead, and she said her name was +Hera Bai (the Diamond Lady), and that she was possessor of all the +treasures under the lake; and she said to Seventee Bai, "Stay with me +here; you shall be king of all this country, and I will be your wife." +"That cannot be," answered Seventee Bai, "for I have been sent on a +mission by my Rajah, and I must continue my journey until I have +accomplished it; but if you love me as I love you, come rather with me +to my own land, and you shall be my wife." Hera Bai shook her head. +"Not so, dearest," she said, "for if I go with you, all the people +will see how fair I am, and they will kill you, and sell me for a +slave; and so I shall bring evil upon you, and not good. But take this +flute, dear husband (and saying this, she gave Seventee Bai a little +golden flute); whenever you wish to see me, or are in need of my aid, +go into the jungle and play upon it, and before the sound ceases I +will be there; but do not play it in the towns, nor yet amid a crowd." +Then Seventee Bai put the flute in the folds of her dress, and she +bade farewell to Hera Bai and went away. + +When she came back to the Malee's cottage, the Malee's wife said to +her, "We became alarmed about you, sir; for two days we have seen +nothing of you; and we thought you must have gone away. Where have you +been so long?" Seventee Bai answered, "I had business of my own in the +bazaar" (for she did not choose to tell the Malee's wife that she had +been under the lake); "now go and inquire what time your Rajah's +Wuzeer can give a stranger audience, for I must see him before I leave +this city." So the Malee's wife went; whilst she was gone, Seventee +Bai went down again to the edge of the lake, and there reverently +burnt the cobra's body, both for the sake of Hera Bai, and because the +cobra is a sacred animal. Next day (the Malee's wife having brought a +favorable answer from the palace) Seventee Bai went to see the Wuzeer. +Now the Wuzeer wondered much why she came to see him, and he said, +"Who are you, and what is your errand?" Whereupon she answered, "I am +Seventee Rajah. I am going a long journey on my own Rajah's account, +and happening to be passing through this city, I came to pay you a +friendly visit." Then the Wuzeer became quite cordial, and talked with +Seventee Bai about the country and the city, and the Rajah and his +wonderful dream. And Seventee Bai said, "What do you suppose your +Rajah would give to any one who could show him the tree of which he +has so often dreamed?" The Wuzeer replied, "He would certainly give +him his daughter in marriage and the half of his kingdom." "Very +well," said Seventee Bai, "tell your master that, upon these +conditions, if he likes to send for me, I will show him the tree; he +may look at it for one night, but he cannot have it for his own." + +The Wuzeer took the message to the Rajah, and next day the Wuzeer, the +Sirdars, and all the great men of the court, went in state by the +Rajah's order to the Malee's hut, to say that he was willing to grant +all Seventee Rajah's demands, and would like to see the tree that very +night. Seventee Bai thereupon promised the Wuzeer that if the Rajah +would come with his court, he should see the reality of his dream. +Then she went into the jungle and played on her little flute, and Hera +Bai immediately appeared as she had seen her before, swinging in the +silver tree; and when she heard what Seventee Bai wanted, she bade her +bring the Rajah, who should see it without fail. + +When the Rajah came, he and all his court were overcome with +astonishment; for there, in the midst of the desolate jungle, was a +beautiful palace; fountains played in every court, the rooms were +richly decorated with thousands and thousands of shining jewels; a +light as clear as day filled all the place, soft music was played +around by unseen hands, sweet odors filled the air, and in the midst +of the palace garden there grew _a silver tree, with golden leaves and +fruit of pearls_. + +The next morning all had disappeared; but the Rajah, enchanted with +what he had seen, remained true to his promise, and agreed to give +Seventee Bai the half of his kingdom and his daughter in marriage; +for, said he to himself, "A man who can convert the jungle into a +paradise in one night must surely be rich enough and clever enough to +be my son-in-law." But Seventee Bai said, "I am now employed on an +errand of my Rajah's; let me, I beg, first accomplish it, and on my +homeward journey I will remain a while in this town, and will marry +the Princess." So they gave him leave to go, and the Rajah and all the +great men of his kingdom accompanied Seventee Bai to the borders of +their land. Thence the Wuzeer's daughter went on journeying many days +until she had left that country far behind; but as yet she had gained +no clue as to the way to the Rakshas' land. In this difficulty she +bethought her of Hera Bai, and played upon the little golden flute. +Hera Bai immediately appeared, saying, "Husband, what can I do for +you?" Seventee Bai answered, "Kind Hera, I have now been wandering in +this jungle for many days, endeavoring in vain to discover the +Rakshas' country, whither my Rajah has ordered me to go. Can you help +me to get there?" She answered, "You cannot go there by yourself. For +a six months' journey round their land there is placed a Rakshas' +guard, and not a sparrow could find his way into the country without +their knowledge and permission. No men are admitted there, and there +are more Rakshas employed in keeping guard than there are trees on the +face of the earth. They are invisible, but they would see you, and +instantly tear you to pieces. Be, however, guided by me, and I will +contrive a way by which you may gain what you seek. Take this ring +(and so saying, she placed a glorious ring on Seventee Bai's finger); +it was given me by my dearest friend, the Rajah of the Rakshas' +daughter, and will render you invisible. Look at that mountain, whose +blue head you can just see against the sky; you must climb to the top +of that, for it stands on the borders of the Rakshas' territory. When +there, turn the stone on the ring I have given you toward the palm of +your hand, and you will instantly fall through the earth into the +space below the mountain where the Rakshas' Rajah holds his court, and +find yourself in his daughter's presence. Tell her you are my husband; +she will love and help you for my sake." Hera Bai so saying +disappeared, and Seventee Bai continued her journey until she reached +the mountain top, where she turned the ring round as she had been +bidden, and immediately found herself falling through the earth, down, +down, down, deeper and deeper, until at last she arrived in a +beautiful room, richly furnished, and hung round with cloth of gold. +In every direction, as far as the eye could reach, were thousands and +thousands of Rakshas, and in the centre of the room was a gold and +ivory throne, on which sat the most beautiful Princess that it is +possible to imagine. She was tall and of a commanding aspect; her +black hair was bound by long strings of pearl; her dress was of fine +spun gold, and round her waist was clasped a zone of restless, +throbbing, light-giving diamonds; her neck and her arms were covered +with a profusion of costly jewels; but brighter than all shone her +bright eyes, which looked full of gentle majesty. She could see +Seventee Bai, although her attendants could not, because of the magic +ring; and as soon as she saw her she started and cried, "Who are you? +How came you here?" Seventee Bai answered, "I am Seventee Rajah, the +husband of the Lady Hera, and I have come here by the power of the +magic ring you gave her." The Rakshas' Princess then said, "You are +welcome: but you must know that your coming is attended with much +danger; for, did the guard placed around me by my father know of your +presence, they would instantly put you to death, and I should be +powerless to save you. Tell me why did you come?" Seventee Bai +answered, "I came to see you, beautiful lady; tell me your name, and +how it is you are here all alone." She replied, "I am the Rakshas' +Rajah's only daughter, and my name is Tara Bai (the Star Lady), and +because my father loves me very much he has built this palace for me, +and placed this great guard of Rakshas all round for many thousand +miles, to prevent any one coming in or out without his permission. + +"So great is the state they keep that I seldom see my father and +mother; indeed, I have not seen them for several years. Nevertheless, +I will go now in person to implore their protection for you; for +though I never saw king nor prince before, I love you very much." + +So saying, she arose to go to her father's court, bidding Seventee Bai +await her return. + +When the Rajah and Ranee of the Rakshas heard that their daughter was +coming to see them, they were very much surprised, and said, "What can +be the matter with our daughter? Can she be ill? or can our Tara Bai +be unhappy in the beautiful house we have given her?" And they said to +her, "Daughter, why do you come? what is the matter?" She answered, +"Oh, my father! I come to tell you I should like to be married. Cannot +you find some beautiful Prince to be my husband?" Then the Rajah +laughed, and said, "You are but a child still, my daughter; +nevertheless, if you wish for a husband, certainly, if any Prince +comes here, and asks you in marriage, we will let you wed him." She +said, "If some brave and beautiful Prince were to come here, and get +through the great guard you have placed around the palace, would you +indeed protect him for my sake, and not allow them to tear him in +pieces?" The Rajah answered, "If such a one come, he shall be safe." +Then Tara Bai was very joyful, and ran and fetched Seventee Bai, and +said to her father and mother, "See here is Seventee Rajah, the young +Prince of whom I spoke." And when the Rajah and Ranee saw Seventee Bai +they were greatly astonished, and could not think how she had managed +to reach their land, and they thought she must be very brave and wise +to have done so. And because also Seventee Bai looked a very noble +Prince, they were the more willing that she should marry Tara Bai, +and said, "Seventee Rajah, we are willing you should be our +son-in-law, for you look good and true, and you must be brave, to have +come so long and dangerous a journey for your wife; now, therefore, +you shall be married; the whole land is open to you, and all that we +have is yours; only take good care of our dear daughter, and if ever +she or you are unhappy, return here and you shall find a home with +us." So the wedding took place amidst great rejoicings. The wedding +festivities lasted twelve days, and to it came hundreds and hundreds +of thousands of Rakshas from every country under heaven; from the +north and the south and the east and the west, from the depths of the +earth and the uttermost parts of the sea. Troop after troop they came +flocking in, an ever-increasing crowd, from all parts of this wide +world, to be present at the marriage of their master's daughter. + +It would be impossible to count all the rich and costly presents that +the Rakshas' Rajah and Ranee gave Tara Bai. There were jewels enough +to fill the seas; diamonds and emeralds, rubies, sapphires and pearls; +gold and silver, costly hangings, carved ebony and ivory, more than a +man could count in a hundred years; for the Rajah gave his daughter a +guard of 100,000,000,000,000 Rakshas, and each Rakshas carried a +bundle of riches, and each bundle was as big as a house! and so they +took leave of the Rakshas' Rajah and Ranee, and left the Rakshas' +country. + +When they got to the country of the Rajah who had dreamed about the +silver tree, with leaves of gold and fruit of pearl (because the +number of their retinue was so great that if they had come into a +country they would have devoured all that was in it like a swarm of +locusts), Seventee Bai and Tara Bai determined that Tara Bai should +stay with the guard of Rakshas in the jungle, on the borders of the +Rajah's dominions, and that Seventee Bai should go to the city, as she +had promised, to marry the Rajah's daughter. And there they stayed a +week, and the Rajah's daughter was married with great pomp and +ceremony to Seventee Bai; and when they left the city the Rajah gave +Seventee Bai and the bride, his daughter, horses and camels and +elephants, and rich robes and jewels innumerable; and he and all his +court accompanied them to the borders of the land. + +Thence they went to the country where lived the Princess whose great +marble bath Seventee Bai had jumped over; and there Seventee Bai was +married to her, amid great rejoicings, and the wedding was one of +surpassing splendor, and the wedding festivities lasted for three +whole days. + +And leaving that city, they traveled on until they reached the city +where Seventee Bai had tamed the Rajah's wild pony, and there they +spent two days in great honor and splendor, and Seventee Bai married +that Princess also; so with her five wives--that is to say, Hera Bai +the Rajah of the Cobras' daughter, Tara Bai the Rajah of the Rakshas' +daughter, and the three other Princesses--and a great tribe of +attendants and elephants and camels and horses, she returned to the +city where she had left Parbuttee Bai. + +Now when news was brought to Seventee Bai's master (the friendly +Rajah), of the great cavalcade that was approaching his city, he +became very much alarmed, taking Seventee Bai for some strange Rajah +who had come to make war upon him. When Seventee Bai heard how +alarmed he was, she sent a messenger to him, on a swift horse, to say, +"Be not alarmed; it is only thy servant, Seventee Rajah, returning +from the errand on which thou didst send him." Then the Rajah's heart +was light, and he ordered a royal salute to be fired, and went out +with all his court to meet Seventee Bai, and they all went together in +a state procession into the city. And Seventee Bai said to the Rajah, +"You sent your servant to the Rakshas' country to fetch a golden saree +for the Ranee. Behold, I have done as you wish." And so saying, she +gave to the Rajah five Rakshas' bundles of rich hangings and garments +covered with jewels (that is to say, five housefuls of costly things; +for each Rakshas carried as much in the bundle on his shoulders as a +house would hold); and to the Wuzeer she gave two bundles. + +After this, Seventee Bai discharged almost all her immense train of +attendants (for fear they should create a famine in the land), sending +them to their own houses with many valuable presents; and she took the +three Princesses, her wives, to live with her and Parbuttee Bai; but +Hera Bai and Tara Bai, on account of their high rank and their +surpassing beauty, had a splendid palace of their own in the jungle, +of which no one knew but Seventee Bai. + +Now when she again saw Seventee Bai, the Rajah's little daughter said +to her father, "Father, I do not think there is such a brave and +beautiful Prince in all the world as this Seventee Rajah. I would +rather have him for my husband than any one else." And the Rajah said, +"Daughter, I am very willing you should marry him." So it was settled +Seventee Bai should marry the little Princess; but she said to the +Rajah, "I am willing to marry your daughter, but we must have a very +grand wedding; give me time, therefore, to send into all the countries +round, and invite all their Rajahs to be present at the ceremony." And +to this the Rajah agreed. + +Now, about this time, Seventee Bai one day found Parbuttee Bai crying, +and said to her, "Little sister, why are you unhappy?" And Parbuttee +Bai answered, "Oh sister, you have brought us out of all our +difficulties, and won us honor and great riches, but yet I do not feel +merry; for I cannot help thinking of our poor husband, who is now, +maybe, wandering about a wretched beggar, and I long with my whole +heart to see him again." Then Seventee Bai said, "Well, cheer up, do +not cry; mind those women do not find out I am not Seventee Rajah. +Keep a good heart, and I will try and find your husband for you." So +Seventee Bai went into the jungle palace to see Hera Bai, and said to +her, "I have a friend whom I have not seen since he became mad twelve +years ago, and ran away into the jungle disguised as a Fakeer. I +should like very much to find out if he is still alive. How can I +learn?" Now Hera Bai was a very wise Princess, and she answered, "Your +best plan will be to provide a great feast for the poor, and cause it +to be proclaimed in all lands, far and near, that you are about to +give it as a thank-offering for all the blessings God has bestowed on +you. The poor will flock from all countries to come to it, and perhaps +among the rest you may find your friend." + +Seventee Bai did as Hera Bai had advised, causing two long tables to +be spread in the jungle, whereat hundreds of poor from all parts of +the world were daily entertained; and every day, for six months, +Seventee Bai and Parbuttee Bai walked down the long rows of people, +apparently to see how they were all getting on, but in reality to look +for Logedas Rajah; but they found him not. + +At last one day, as Seventee Bai was going her accustomed round, she +saw a wretched wild-looking man, black as pitch, with tangled hair, a +thin wrinkled face, and in his hand a wooden bowl, such as Fakeers +carry about to collect broken meat and scraps of bread in, and +touching Parbuttee Bai, she said to her, "See, Parbuttee, there is +your husband." When Parbuttee Bai saw this pitiful sight (for it was, +indeed, Logedas, but so changed and altered that even his wives hardly +recognized him), she began to cry. Then Seventee Bai said, "Do not +cry; go home quickly. I will take care of him." And when Parbuttee Bai +was gone, she called one of the guard and said to him, "Catch hold of +that man and put him in prison." Then Logedas Rajah said, "Why do you +seize me? I have done no harm to any one." But Seventee Bai ordered +the guard not to heed his remonstrances, but to take him to prison +instantly, for she did not wish the people around to discover how +interested she was in him. So the guard took Logedas Rajah away to +lock him up. Poor Logedas Rajah said to them, "Why has this wicked +Rajah had me taken prisoner? I have harmed no one. I have not fought, +nor robbed; but for twelve years I have been a wretched beggar, living +on the bread of charity." For he did not tell them he was a Rajah's +son, for he knew they would only laugh at him. They replied. "You must +not call our Rajah wicked; it is you that are wicked, and not he, and +doubtless he will have your head cut off." + +When they put him in prison he begged them again to say what was to be +done to him. "Oh!" said they, "you will certainly be hanged to-morrow +morning, or perhaps, if you like it better, beheaded, in front of the +palace." + +Now as soon as Seventee Bai got home, she sent for her head servants, +and said to them, "Go at once to the prison, and order the guard to +give you up the Fakeer I gave into their charge, and bring him here in +a palanquin, but see that he does not escape." Then Seventee Bai +ordered them to lock up Logedas in a distant part of the palace, and +commanded that he should be washed, and dressed in new clothes, and +given food, and that a barber should be sent for, to cut his hair and +trim his beard. Then Logedas said to his keepers, "See how good the +Rajah is to me! He will not surely hang me after this." "Oh, never +fear," they answered; "when you are dressed up and made very smart, it +will be a much finer sight to see you hanged than before." Thus they +tried to frighten the poor man. After this Seventee Bai sent for all +the greatest doctors in the kingdom, and said to them, "If a Rajah +wanders about for twelve years in the jungle, until all trace of his +princely beauty is lost, how long will it take you to restore him to +his original likeness?" They answered, "With care and attention it may +be done in six months." "Very well," said Seventee Bai, "there is a +friend of mine now in my palace of whom this is the case. Take him and +treat him well, and at the end of six months I shall expect to see him +restored to his original health and strength." + +So Logedas was placed under the doctors' care; but all this time he +had no idea who Seventee Bai was, nor why he was thus treated. Every +day Seventee Bai came to see him and talk to him. Then he said to his +keepers, "See, good people, how kind this great Rajah is, coming to +see me every day; he can intend for me nothing but good." To which +they would answer, "Don't you be in a hurry; none can fathom the +hearts of kings. Most probably, for all this delay, he will in the end +have you taken and hanged." Thus they amused themselves by alarming +him. + +Then, some day, when Seventee Bai had been more than usually kind, +Logedas Rajah would say again, "I do not fear the Rajah's intentions +toward me. Did you not notice how very kind he was to-day!" And to +this his keepers would reply-- + +"Doubtless it is amusing for him, but hardly, we should think, for +you. He will play with you probably for some time (as a cat does with +a mouse); but in three months is the Rajah's birthday; most likely he +is keeping you to kill you then." And so the time wore on. + +Seventee Bai's birthday was fixed for the day also of her wedding with +the Rajah's daughter. For this great event immense preparations were +made all over the plain outside the city walls. Tents made of cloth of +gold were pitched in a great square, twelve miles long and twelve +miles broad, for the accommodation of the neighboring Rajahs, and in +the centre was a larger tent than all the rest, covered with jewels +and shining like a great golden temple, in which they were to +assemble. + +Then Seventee Bai said to Parbuttee Bai, "On my birthday I will +restore you to your husband." But Parbuttee Bai was vexed and said, "I +cannot bear the thought of him; it is such a terrible thing to think +of our once handsome husband as none other than that miserable +Fakeer." + +Seventee Bai smiled. "In truth," she said, "I think you will find him +again altered, and for the better. You cannot think what a change rest +and care have made in him; but he does not know who we are, and as you +value my happiness, tell no one now that I am not the Rajah." "Indeed +I will not, dearest sister," answered Parbuttee Bai. "I should in +truth be loath to vex you, after all you have done for me; for owing +to you here have we lived happily for twelve years like sisters, and I +do not think as clever a woman as you was ever before born in this +world." + +Among other guests invited to the wedding were Siu Rajah and his wife, +and the Wuzeer, Seventee Bai's father, and her mother. Seventee Bai +arranged thrones for them all, made of gold and emeralds, and +diamonds, and rubies, and ivory. And she ordered that in the seat of +honor on her left-hand side should be placed the Wuzeer, her father, +and next to him her mother, and next to them Siu Rajah and his wife, +and after them all the other Rajahs and Ranees, according to their +rank; and all the Rajahs and Ranees wondered much that the place of +honor should have been given to the stranger Wuzeer. Then Seventee Bai +took her most costly Rajah dress, and ordered that Logedas Rajah +should be clothed in it, and escorted to the tent; and she took off +the man's clothes which she had worn, and dressed herself in a saree. +When she was dressed in it she looked a more lovely woman than she +had before looked a handsome man. And she went to the tent leading +Parbuttee Bai, while with her came Hera Bai and Tara Bai of more than +mortal beauty, and the three other Princesses clothed in the most +costly robes. Then before all the Rajahs and Ranees, Seventee Bai +knelt down at Logedas Rajah's feet, and said to him, "I am your true +wife. O husband, have you forgotten her whom you left in the jungle +with Parbuttee Bai twelve years ago? See here she also is; and behold +these rich jewels, these tents of gold, these hangings of priceless +worth, these elephants, camels, horses, attendants and all this +wealth. It is all yours, as I am yours; for I have collected all for +you." + +Then Logedas Rajah wept for joy, and Siu Rajah arose and kissed +Seventee Bai, and said to her, "My noble daughter, you have rescued my +son from misery, and done more wisely and well than woman ever did +before. May all honor and blessing attend you henceforth and for +ever." + +And the assembled Rajahs and Ranees were surprised beyond measure, +saying, "Did any one ever hear of a woman doing so much?" But more +than any was the good Rajah astonished, whom Seventee Bai had served +so well for twelve years, and whose daughter she was to have married +that day, when he learnt that she was a woman! It was then agreed by +all that Logedas Rajah should on that day be newly married to his two +wives, Parbuttee Bai and Seventee Bai; and should also marry the six +other beautiful Princesses--the Princess Hera Bai, the Princess Tara +Bai, the Rajah's little daughter, and the three other Princesses; and +that he should return with his father to his own kingdom. And the +weddings took place amid great splendor and rejoicings unheard of; +and of all the fine things that were seen and done on that day it is +impossible to tell. And afterward Logedas Rajah and his eight wives, +and his father and mother, and the Wuzeer and his wife, and all their +attendants, returned to their own land, where they all lived very +happily ever after. And so may all who read this story live happily +too. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +IV. + +_TRUTH'S TRIUMPH._ + + +Several hundred years ago there was a certain Rajah who had twelve +wives, but no children, and though he caused many prayers to be said, +and presents made in temples far and near, never a son nor a daughter +had he. Now this Rajah had a Wuzeer who was a very, very wise old man, +and it came to pass that one day, when he was traveling in a distant +part of his kingdom, accompanied by this Wuzeer and the rest of his +court, he came upon a large garden, in walking round which he was +particularly struck by a little tree which grew there. It was a +bringal[41] tree, not above two feet in height. It had no leaves, but +on it grew a hundred and one bringals. The Rajah stopped to count +them, and then turning to the Wuzeer in great astonishment, said, "It +is to me a most unaccountable thing, that this little tree should have +no leaves, but a hundred and one bringals growing on it. You are a +wise man--can you guess what this means?" The Wuzeer replied, "I can +interpret this marvel to you, but if I do, you will most likely not +believe me; promise therefore that if I tell you, you will not cause +me to be killed as having told (as you imagine) a lie." The Rajah +promised, and the Wuzeer continued: "The meaning of this little +bringal tree, with the hundred and one bringals growing on it, is +this. Whoever marries the daughter of the Malee in charge of this +garden will have a hundred and one children--a hundred sons and one +daughter." The Rajah said, "Where is the maiden to be seen?" The +Wuzeer answered, "When a number of great people like you and all your +court come into a little village like this, the poor people, and +especially the children, are frightened and run away and hide +themselves; therefore, as long as you stay here as Rajah you cannot +hope to see her. Your only means will be to send away your suite, and +cause it be announced that you have left the place. Then, if you walk +daily in this garden, you may some morning meet the pretty Guzra +Bai,[42] of whom I speak." + + [41] _Solanum molengena_--the egg-shaped fruit of which is a + favorite vegetable all over India. + + [42] Flower Girl. + +Upon this advice the Rajah acted; and one day whilst walking in the +garden he saw the Malee's young daughter, a girl of twelve years old, +busy gathering flowers. He went forward to accost her, but she, seeing +that he was not one of the villagers, but a stranger, was shy, and ran +home to her father's house. + +The Rajah followed, for he was very much struck with her grace and +beauty; in fact, he fell in love with her as soon as he saw her, and +thought he had never seen a king's daughter half so charming. + +When he got to the Malee's house the door was shut; so he called out, +"Let me in, good Malee; I am the Rajah, and I wish to marry your +daughter." The Malee only laughed, and answered, "A pretty tale to +tell a simple man, indeed! You a Rajah! why the Rajah is miles away. +You had better go home, my good fellow, for there's no welcome for you +here!" But the Rajah continued calling till the Malee opened the door; +who then was indeed surprised, seeing it was truly no other than the +Rajah, and he asked what he could do for him. + +The Rajah said, "I wish to marry your beautiful daughter, Guzra Bai." +"No, no," said the Malee, "this joke won't do. None of your Princes in +disguise for me. You may think you are a great Rajah and I only a poor +Malee, but I tell you that makes no difference at all to me. Though +you were king of all the earth, I would not permit you to come here +and amuse yourself chattering to my girl, only to fill her head with +nonsense, and to break her heart." + +"In truth, good man, you do me wrong," answered the Rajah, humbly: "I +mean what I say; I wish to marry your daughter." + +"Do not think," retorted the Malee, "that I'll make a fool of myself +because I'm only a Malee, and believe what you've got to say, because +you're a great Rajah. Rajah or no Rajah is all one to me. If you mean +what you say, if you care for my daughter and wish to be married to +her, come and be married; but I'll have none of your new-fangled forms +and court ceremonies hard to be understood; let the girl be married by +her father's hearth and under her father's roof, and let us invite to +the wedding our old friends and acquaintance whom we've known all our +lives, and before we ever thought of you." + +The Rajah was not angry, but amused, and rather pleased than otherwise +at the old man's frankness, and he consented to all that was desired. + +The village beauty, Guzra Bai, was therefore married with as much +pomp as they could muster, but in village fashion, to the great Rajah, +who took her home with him, followed by the tears and blessings of her +parents and playmates. + +The twelve kings' daughters were by no means pleased at this addition +to the number of the Ranees; and they agreed amongst themselves that +it would be highly derogatory to their dignity to permit Guzra Bai to +associate with them, and that the Rajah, their husband, had offered +them an unpardonable insult in marrying a Malee's daughter, which was +to be revenged upon her the very first opportunity. + +Having made this league, they tormented poor Guzra Bai so much that to +save her from their persecutions, the Rajah built her a little house +of her own, where she lived very, very happily for a short time. + +At last one day he had occasion to go and visit a distant part of his +dominions, but fearing his high-born wives might ill-use Guzra Bai in +his absence, at parting he gave her a little golden bell,[43] saying, +"If while I am away you are in any trouble, or any one should be +unkind to you, ring this little bell, and wherever I am I shall +instantly hear it, and will return to your aid." + + [43] "It must have been a kind of telegraph to go so quick," my + Narrator said. + +No sooner had the Rajah gone, than Guzra Bai thought she would try the +power of the bell. So she rang it. The Rajah instantly appeared. "What +do you want?" he said. "Oh, nothing," she replied. "I was foolish. I +could hardly believe what you told me could be true, and thought I +would try." "Now you will believe, I hope," he said, and went away. A +second time she rang the bell. Again the Rajah returned. "Oh, pardon +me, husband," she said; "it was wrong of me not to trust you, but I +hardly thought you could return again from so far." "Never mind," he +said, "only do not try the experiment again." And again he went away. +A third time she rang the golden bell. "Why do you ring again, Guzra +Bai?" asked the Rajah sternly, as for a third time he returned. "I +don't know, indeed; indeed I beg your pardon," she said; "but I know +not why, I felt so frightened." "Have any of the Ranees been unkind to +you?" he asked. "No, none," she answered; "in fact, I have seen none +of them." "You are a silly child," said he, stroking her hair. +"Affairs of the state call me away. You must try and keep a good heart +till my return;" and for the fourth time he disappeared. + +A little while after this, wonderful to relate, Guzra Bai had a +hundred and one children!--a hundred boys and one girl. When the +Ranees heard this, they said to each other, "Guzra Bai, the Malee's +daughter, will rank higher than us; she will have great power and +influence as mother to the heir to the Raj;[44] let us kill these +children, and tell our husband that she is a sorceress; then will he +love her no longer, and his old affection for us will return." So +these twelve wicked Ranees all went over to Guzra Bai's house. When +Guzra Bai saw them coming, she feared they meant to do her some harm, +so she seized her little golden bell, and rang, and rang, and +rang--but no Rajah came. She had called him back so often that he did +not believe she really needed his help. And thus the poor woman was +left to the mercy of her implacable enemies. + + [44] Kingdom. + +Now the nurse who had charge of the hundred and one babies was an old +servant of the twelve Ranees, and moreover a very wicked woman, able +and willing to do whatever her twelve wicked old mistresses ordered. +So when they said to her, "Can you kill these children?" she answered, +"Nothing is easier; I will throw them out upon the dust-heap behind +the palace, where the rats and hawks and vultures will have left none +of them remaining by to-morrow morning." "So be it," said the Ranees. +Then the nurse took the hundred and one little innocent children--the +hundred little boys and the one little girl--and threw them behind the +palace on the dust-heap, close to some large rat-holes; and after +that, she and the twelve Ranees placed a very large stone in each of +the babies' cradles, and said to Guzra Bai, "Oh, you evil witch in +disguise, do not hope any longer to impose by your arts on the Rajah's +credulity. See, your children have all turned into stones. See these, +your pretty babies!"--and with that they tumbled the hundred and one +stones down in a great heap on the floor. Then Guzra Bai began to cry, +for she knew it was not true; but what could one poor woman do against +thirteen? At the Rajah's return the twelve Ranees accused Guzra Bai of +being a witch, and the nurse testified that the hundred and one +children she had charge of had turned into stones, and the Rajah +believed them rather than Guzra Bai, and he ordered her to be +imprisoned for life. + +Meanwhile a Bandicote[45] had heard the pitiful cries of the +children, and taking pity on them, dragged them all, one by one, into +her hole, out of the way of kites and vultures. She then assembled all +the Bandicotes from far and near, and told them what she had done, +begging them to assist in finding food for the children. Then every +day a hundred and one Bandicotes would come, each bringing a little +bit of food in his mouth, and give it to one of the children; and so +day by day they grew stronger and stronger, until they were able to +run about, and then they used to play of a morning at the mouth of the +Bandicote's hole, running in there to sleep every night. But one fine +day who should come by but the wicked old nurse! Fortunately, all the +boys were in the hole, and the little girl, who was playing outside, +on seeing her ran in there too, but not before the nurse had seen her. +She immediately went to the twelve Ranees and related this, saying, "I +cannot help thinking some of the children may still be living in those +rat-holes. You had better send and have them dug out and killed." "We +dare not do that," answered they, "for fear of causing suspicion; but +we will order some laborers to dig up that ground and make it into a +field, and that will effectually smother any of the children who may +still be alive." This plan was approved and forthwith carried into +execution; but the good Bandicote, who happened that day to be out on +a foraging expedition in the palace, heard all about it there, and +immediately running home, took all the children from her hole to a +large well some distance off, where she hid them in the hollows behind +the steps leading down to the well, laying one child under each step. + + [45] A species of large rat. + +Here they would have been quite safe, had not the Dhobee[46] happened +to go down to the well that day to wash some clothes, taking with him +his little girl. While her father was drawing up water, the child +amused herself running up and down the steps of the well. Now each +time her weight pressed down a step it gave the child hidden +underneath a little squeeze. All the hundred boys bore this without +uttering a sound; but when the Dhobee's child trod on the step under +which the little girl was hidden, she cried out, "How can you be so +cruel to me, trampling on me in this way? Have pity on me, for I am a +little girl as well as you." + + [46] Washerman. + +When the child heard these words proceeding from the stone, she ran in +great alarm to her father, saying, "Father, I don't know what's the +matter, but something alive is certainly under those stones. I heard +it speak; but whether it is a Rakshas or an angel or a human being I +cannot tell." Then the Dhobee went to the twelve Ranees to tell them +the wonderful news about the voice in the well; and they said to each +other, "Maybe it's some of Guzra Bai's children; let us send and have +this inquired into." So they sent some people to pull down the well +and see if some evil spirits were not there. + +Then laborers went to pull down the well. Now close to the well was a +little temple dedicated to Gunputti, containing a small shrine and a +little clay image of the god. When the children felt the well being +pulled down they called out for help and protection to Gunputti, who +took pity on them and changed them into trees growing by his temple--a +hundred little mango trees all round in a circle (which were the +hundred little boys), and a little rose bush in the middle, covered +with red and white roses, which was the little girl. + +The laborers pulled down the well, but they found nothing there but a +poor old Bandicote, which they killed. Then, by order of the twelve +wicked Ranees, they sacrilegiously destroyed the little temple. But +they found no children there either. However, the Dhobee's mischievous +little daughter had gone with her father to witness the work of +destruction, and as they were looking on, she said, "Father, do look +at all those funny little trees; I never remember noticing them here +before." And being very inquisitive, she started off to have a nearer +look at them. There in a circle grew the hundred little mango trees, +and in the centre of all the little rose bush, bearing the red and +white roses. + +The girl rushed by the mango trees, who uttered no words, and running +up to the rose bush, began gathering some of the flowers. At this the +rose bush trembled very much, and sighed and said, "I am a little girl +as well as you; how can you be so cruel? You are breaking all my +ribs." Then the child ran back to her father and said, "Come and +listen to what the rose bush says." And the father repeated the news +to the twelve Ranees, who ordered that a great fire should be made, +and the hundred and one little trees be burnt in it, root and branch, +till not a stick remained. + +The fire was made, and the hundred and one little trees were dug up +and just going to be put into it, when Gunputti, taking pity on them, +caused a tremendous storm to come on, which put out the fire and +flooded the country and swept the hundred and one trees into the +river, where they were carried down a long, long way by the torrent, +until at last the children were landed, restored to their own shapes, +on the river bank, in the midst of a wild jungle, very far from any +human habitation. + +Here these children lived for ten years, happy in their mutual love +and affection. Generally every day fifty of the boys would go out to +collect roots and berries for their food, leaving fifty at home to +take care of their little sister: but sometimes they put her in some +safe place, and all would go out together for the day; nor were they +ever molested in their excursions by bear, panther, snake, scorpion, +or other noxious creature. One day all the brothers put their little +sister safely up in a fine shady tree, and went out together to hunt. +After rambling on for some time, they came to the hut of a savage +Rakshas, who in the disguise of an old woman had lived for many years +in the jungle. The Rakshas, angry at this invasion of her domain, no +sooner saw them than she changed them all into crows. Night came on, +and their little sister was anxiously awaiting her brothers' return, +when on a sudden she heard a loud whirring sound in the air, and round +the tree flocked a hundred black crows, cawing and offering her +berries and roots which they had dug up with their sharp bills. Then +the little sister guessed too truly what must have happened--that some +malignant spirit had metamorphosed her brothers into this hideous +shape; and at the sad sight she began to cry. + +Time wore on; every morning the crows flew away to collect food for +her and for themselves, and every evening they returned to roost in +the branches of the high tree where she sat the livelong day, crying +as if her heart would break. + +At last so many bitter tears had she shed that they made a little +stream which flowed from the foot of the tree right down through the +jungle. + +Some months after this, one fine day, a young Rajah from a neighboring +country happened to be hunting in this very jungle; but he had not +been very successful. Toward the close of the day he found himself +faint and weary, having missed his way and lost his comrades, with no +companion save his dogs, who, being thirsty, ran hurriedly hither and +thither in search of water. After some time, they saw in the distance +what looked like a clear stream: the dogs rushed there and the tired +prince, following them, flung himself down on the grass by the water's +brink, thinking to sleep there for the night; and, with his hands +under his head, stared up into the leafy branches of the tree above +him. Great was his astonishment to see high up in the air an immense +number of crows, and above them all a most lovely young girl, who was +feeding them with berries and wild fruits. Quick as thought, he +climbed the tree, and bringing her carefully and gently down, seated +her on the grass beside him, saying, "Tell me, pretty lady, who you +are, and how you come to be living in this dreary palace?" So she told +him all her adventures, except that she did not say the hundred crows +were her hundred brothers. Then the Rajah said, "Do not cry any more, +fair Princess; you shall come home with me and be my Ranee, and my +father and mother shall be yours." At this she smiled and dried her +eyes, but quickly added, "You will let me take these crows with me, +will you not? for I love them dearly, and I cannot go away unless they +may come too." "To be sure," he answered. "You may bring all the +animals in the jungle with you, if you like, so you will only come." + +So he took her home to his father's house, and the old Rajah and Ranee +wondered much at this jungle Lady, when they saw her rare beauty, her +modest gentle ways and her queenly grace. Then the young Rajah told +them how she was a persecuted Princess, and asked their leave to marry +her; and because her loving goodness had won all hearts, they gave +their consent as joyfully as if she had been daughter of the greatest +of Rajahs, and brought with her a splendid dower; and they called her +Draupadi Bai.[47] + + [47] Doubtless after the beautiful Princess Draupadi, daughter of + the Rajah of Panchala, and a famous character in the great Hindoo + epic, the "Maha Bharata." + +Draupadi had some beautiful trees planted in front of her palace, in +which the crows, her brothers, used to live, and she daily with her +own hands boiled a quantity of rice, which she would scatter for them +to eat as they flocked around her. Now some time after this, Draupadi +Bai had a son, who was called Ramchundra. He was a very good boy, and +his mother Draupadi Bai used to take him to school every morning, and +go and fetch him home in the evening. But one day, when Ramchundra was +about fourteen years old, it happened that Draupadi Bai did not go to +fetch him home from school as she was wont; and on his return he found +her sitting under the trees in front of her palace, stroking the +glossy black crows that flocked around her, and weeping. + +Then Ramchundra threw down his bundle of books, and said to his +mother, putting his elbows on her knees, and looking up in her face, +"Mammy, dear, tell me why you are now crying, and what it is that +makes you so often sad." "Oh, nothing, nothing," she answered. "Yes, +dear mother," said he, "do tell me. Can I help you? If I can, I will." +Draupadi Bai shook her head. "Alas, no, my son," she said; "you are +too young to help me; and as for my grief, I have never told it to any +one. I cannot tell it to you now." But Ramchundra continued begging +and praying her to tell him, until at last she did; relating to him +all her own and his uncles' sad history; and lastly, how they had been +changed by a Rakshas into the black crows he saw around him. Then the +boy sprang up and said, "Which way did your brothers take when they +met the Rakshas?" "How can I tell?" she asked. "Why," he answered, "I +thought perhaps you might remember on which side they returned that +first night to you, after being bewitched?" "Oh," she said, "they came +toward the tree from that part of the jungle which lies in a straight +line behind the palace." "Very well," cried Ramchundra, joyfully, "I +also will go there, and find out this wicked old Rakshas, and learn by +what means they may be disenchanted." "No, no, my son," she answered, +"I cannot let you go: see, I have lost father and mother, and these my +hundred brothers; and now, if you fall into the Rakshas' clutches as +well as they, and are lost to me, what will life have worth living +for?" To this he replied, "Do not fear for me, mother; I will be wary +and discreet." And going to his father, he said, "Father, it is time I +should see something of the world. I beg you to permit me to travel +and see other lands." The Rajah answered, "You shall go. Tell me what +attendants you would like to accompany you?" "Give me," said +Ramchundra, "a horse to ride, and a groom to take care of it." The +Rajah consented, and Ramchundra set off riding toward the jungle; but +as soon as he got there, he sent his horse back by the groom with a +message to his parents, and proceeded alone, on foot. + +After wandering about for some time he came upon a small hut, in which +lay an ugly old woman fast asleep. She had long claws instead of +hands, and her hair hung down all around her in a thick black tangle. +Ramchundra knew, by the whole appearance of the place, that he must +have reached the Rakshas' abode of which he was in search; so, +stealing softly in, he sat down and began shampooing her head. At last +the Rakshas woke up. "You dear little boy," she said, "do not be +afraid; I am only a poor old woman, and will not hurt you. Stay with +me, and you shall be my servant." This she said not from any feeling +of kindness or pity for Ramchundra, but merely because she thought he +might be helpful to her. So the young Rajah remained in her service, +determining to stay there till he should have learnt from her all that +he wished to know. + +Thus one day he said to her, "Good mother, what is the use of all +those little jars of water you have arranged round your house?" She +answered, "That water possesses certain magical attributes: if any of +it is sprinkled on people enchanted by me, they instantly resume their +former shape." "And what," he continued, "is the use of your wand?" +"That," she replied, "has many supernatural powers: for instance, by +simply uttering your wish and waving it in the air, you can conjure up +a mountain, a river or a forest in a moment of time." + +Another day Ramchundra said to her, "Your hair, good mother, is +dreadfully tangled; pray let me comb it." "No," she said, "you must +not touch my hair; it would be dangerous; for every hair has power to +set the jungle on fire." "How is that?" he asked. She replied, "The +least fragment of my hair thrown in the direction of the jungle would +instantly set it in a blaze." Having learnt all this, one day when it +was very hot, and the old Rakshas was drowsy, Ramchundra begged leave +to shampoo her head, which speedily sent her to sleep; then, gently +pulling out two or three of her hairs, he got up, and taking in one +hand her wand, and in the other two jars of the magic water, he +stealthily left the hut; but he had not gone far before she woke up, +and instantly divining what he had done, pursued him with great +rapidity. Ramchundra, looking back and perceiving that she was gaining +upon him, waved the enchanted wand and created a great river, which +suddenly rolled its tumultuous waves between them; but, quick as +thought, the Rakshas swam the river. + +Then he turned, and waving the wand again, caused a high mountain to +rise between them; but the Rakshas climbed the mountain. Nearer she +came, and yet nearer; each time he turned to use the wand and put +obstacles in her way, the delay gave her a few minutes' advantage, so +that he lost almost as much as he gained. Then, as a last resource, he +scattered the hairs he had stolen to the winds, and instantly the +jungle on the hill side, through which the Rakshas was coming, was set +in a blaze; the fire rose higher and higher, the wicked old Rakshas +was consumed by the flames, and Ramchundra pursued his journey in +safety until he reached his father's palace. Draupadi Bai was +overjoyed to see her son again, and he led her out into the garden, +and scattered the magic water on the hundred black crows, which +instantly recovered their human forms, and stood up one hundred fine, +handsome young men. + +Then were there rejoicings throughout the country, because the Ranee's +brothers had been disenchanted; and the Rajah sent out into all +neighboring lands to invite their Rajahs and Ranees to a great feast +in honor of his brothers-in-law. + +Among others who came to the feast was the Rajah Draupadi Bai's +father, and the twelve wicked Ranees his wives. + +When they were all assembled, Draupadi arose, and said to him, "Noble +sir, we had looked to see your wife Guzra Bai with you. Pray you tell +us wherefore she has not accompanied you." The Rajah was much +surprised to learn that Draupadi Bai knew anything about Guzra Bai, +and he said, "Speak not of her: she is a wicked woman; it is fit that +she should end her days in prison." But Draupadi Bai and her husband, +and her hundred brothers, rose and said, "We require, O Rajah, that +you send home instantly and fetch hither that much injured lady, +which, if you refuse to do, your wives shall be imprisoned, and you +ignominiously expelled this kingdom." + +The Rajah could not guess what the meaning of this was, and thought +they merely wished to pick a quarrel with him: but not much caring +whether Guzra Bai came or not, he sent for her as was desired. When +she arrived, her daughter Draupadi Bai, and her hundred sons, with +Draupadi Bai's husband and the young Ramchundra, went out to the gate +to meet her, and conducted her into the palace with all honor. Then, +standing around her, they turned to the Rajah her husband, and related +to him the story of their lives; how that they were his children, and +Guzra Bai their mother; how she had been cruelly calumniated by the +twelve wicked Ranees, and they in constant peril of their lives; but +having miraculously escaped many terrible dangers, still lived to pay +him duteous service and to cheer and support his old age. + +At this news the whole company was very much astonished. The Rajah, +overjoyed, embraced his wife Guzra Bai, and it was agreed that she and +their hundred sons should return with him to his own land, which +accordingly was done. Ramchundra lived very happily with his father +and mother to the day of their death, when he ascended the throne, and +became a very popular Rajah; and the twelve wicked old Ranees, who had +conspired against Guzra Bai and her children, were, by order of the +Rajah, burnt to death. Thus truth triumphed in the end; but so +unequally is human justice meted out that the old nurse, who worked +their evil will, and was in fact the most guilty wretch of all, is +said to have lived unpunished, to have died in the bosom of her +family, and to have had as big a funeral pile as any virtuous Hindoo. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +V. + +_RAMA AND LUXMAN; OR, THE LEARNED OWL._ + + "With a lengthened loud halloo, + Tuwhoo, tuwhit, tuwhit, tuwhoo." + + +Once upon a time there was a Rajah whose name was Chandra Rajah,[48] +and he had a learned Wuzeer or Minister, named Butti. Their mutual +love was so great that they were more like brothers than master and +servant. Neither the Rajah nor the Wuzeer had any children, and both +were equally anxious to have a son. At last, in one day and one hour, +the wife of the Rajah and the wife of the Wuzeer had each a little +baby boy. They named the Rajah's son Rama, and the son of the Wuzeer +was called Luxman, and there were great rejoicings at the birth of +both. The boys grew up and loved each other tenderly: they were never +happy unless together; together they went to daily school, together +bathed and played, and they would not eat except from off one plate. +One day, when Rama Rajah was fifteen years old, his mother, the Ranee, +said to Chandra Rajah: "Husband, our son associates too much with low +people; for instance, he is always at play with the Wuzeer's son, +Luxman, which is not befitting his rank. I wish you would endeavor to +put an end to their friendship, and find him better playmates." + + [48] Moon-King. + +Chandra Rajah replied, "I cannot do it: Luxman's father is my very +good friend and Wuzeer, as his father's father was to my father; let +the sons be the same." This answer annoyed the Ranee, but she said no +more to her husband; she sent, however, for all the wise people, and +seers, and conjurors in the land, and inquired of them whether there +existed no means of dissolving the children's affection for each +other; they answered they knew of none. At last one old Nautch[49] +woman came to the Ranee and said, "I can do this thing you wish, but +for it you must give me a great reward." Then the Ranee gave the old +woman an enormous bag full of gold mohurs,[50] and said, "This I give +you now, and if you succeed in the undertaking I will give you as much +again." So this wicked old woman disguised herself in a very rich +dress, and went to a garden-house which Chandra Rajah had built for +his son, and where Rama Rajah and Luxman, the young Wuzeer, used to +spend the greater part of their playtime. Outside the house was a +large well and a fine garden. When the old woman arrived, the two boys +were playing cards together in the garden close to the well. She drew +near, and began drawing water from it. Rama Rajah looking up, saw her, +and said to Luxman, "Go, see who that richly-dressed woman is, and +bring me word." The Wuzeer's son did as he was bidden, and asked the +woman what she wanted. She answered, "Nothing, oh nothing," and +nodding her head went away; then, returning to the Ranee, she said, +"I have done as you wished; give me the promised reward," and the +Ranee gave her the second bag of gold. On Luxman's return, the young +Rajah said to him, "What did the woman want?" Luxman answered, "She +told me she wanted nothing." "It is not true," replied the other, +angrily; "I feel certain she must have told you something. Why should +she come here for no purpose? It is some secret which you are +concealing from me; I insist on knowing it." Luxman vainly protesting +his innocence, they quarreled and then fought, and the young Rajah ran +home very angry to his father. "What is the matter, my son?" said he. +"Father," he answered, "I am angry with the Wuzeer's son. I hate that +boy; kill him, and let his eyes be brought to me in proof of his +death, or I will not eat my dinner." Chandra Rajah was very much +grieved at this, but the young Rajah would eat no dinner, and at last +his father said to the Wuzeer, "Take your son away and hide him, for +the boys have had a quarrel." Then he went out and shot a deer, and +showing its eyes to Rama, said to him, "See, my son, the good Wuzeer's +son has by your order been deprived of life," and Rama Rajah was +merry, and ate his dinner. But a while after he began to miss his kind +playmate; there was nobody he cared for to tell him stories and amuse +him. Then for four nights running he dreamed of a beautiful Glass +Palace, in which dwelt a Princess white as marble, and he sent for all +the wise people in the kingdom to interpret his dream, but none could +do it; and, thinking upon this fair princess and his lost friend, he +got more and more sad, and said to himself: "There is nobody to help +me in this matter. Ah! if my Wuzeer's son were here now, how quickly +would he interpret the dream! Oh, my friend, my friend, my dear lost +friend!" and when Chandra Rajah, his father, came in, he said to him: +"Show me the grave of Luxman, son of the Wuzeer, that I also may die +there." His father replied, "What a foolish boy you are! You first +begged that the Wuzeer's son might be killed, and now you want to die +on his grave. What is all this about?" Rama Rajah replied, "Oh, why +did you give the order for him to be put to death? In him I have lost +my friend and all my joy in life; show me now his grave, for thereon, +I swear, will I kill myself." When the Rajah saw that his son really +grieved for the loss of Luxman, he said to him, "You have to thank me +for not regarding your foolish wishes; your old playmate is living, +therefore be friends again, for what you thought were his eyes were +but the eyes of a deer." So the friendship of Rama and Luxman was +resumed on its former footing. Then Rama said to Luxman, "Four nights +ago I dreamed a strange dream. I thought that for miles and miles I +wandered through a dense jungle, after which I came upon a grove of +Cocoa-nut trees, passing through which I reached one compound entirely +of Guava trees, then one of Soparee[51] trees, and lastly one of Copal +trees: beyond this lay a garden of flowers, of which the Malee's wife +gave me a bunch; round the garden ran a large river, and on the other +side of this I saw a fair palace composed of transparent glass, and in +the centre of it sat the most lovely Princess I ever saw, white as +marble and covered with rich jewels; at the sight of her beauty I +fainted--and so awoke. This has happened now four times, and as yet I +have found no one capable of throwing any light on the vision." +Luxman answered, "I can tell you. There exists a Princess exactly like +her you saw in your dreams, and, if you like, you can go and marry +her." "How can I?" said Rama; "and what is your interpretation of the +dream?" The Wuzeer's son replied, "Listen to me, and I will tell you. +In a country very far away from this, in the centre of a great Rajah's +kingdom, there dwells his daughter, a most fair Princess; she lives in +a glass palace. Round this palace runs a large river, and round the +river is a garden of flowers. Round the garden are four thick groves +of trees--one of Copal trees, one of Soparee trees, one of Guava +trees, and one of Cocoa-nut trees. The Princess is twenty-four years +old, but she is not married, for she has determined only to marry +whoever can jump this river and greet her in her crystal palace, and +though many thousand kings have essayed to do so, they have all +perished miserably in the attempt, having either been drowned in the +river, or broken their necks by falling; thus all that you dreamed of +is perfectly true." "Can we go to this country?" asked the young +Rajah. "Oh, yes," his friend replied. "This is what you must do. Go +tell your father you wish to see the world. Ask him for neither +elephants nor attendants, but beg him to lend you for the journey his +old war-horse." + + [49] The caste to which conjurors belong. + + [50] Gold pieces, worth about $7.50. + + [51] _Areca catechu_--the betel-nut palm. + +Upon this Rama went to his father, and said, "Father, I pray you give +me leave to go and travel with the Wuzeer's son. I desire to see the +world." "What would you have for the journey, my son?" said Chandra +Rajah; "will you have elephants and how many?--attendants, how many?" +"Neither, father," he answered, "give me rather, I pray you, your old +war-horse, that I may ride him during the journey." "So be it, my +son," he answered, and with that Rama Rajah and Luxman set forth on +their travels. After going many, many thousands of miles, to their joy +one day they came upon a dense grove of Cocoa-nut trees, and beyond +that to a grove of Guava trees, then to one of Soparee trees, and +lastly to one of Copal trees; after which they entered a beautiful +garden, where the Malee's wife presented them with a large bunch of +flowers. Then they knew that they had nearly reached the place where +the fair Princess dwelt. Now it happened that, because many kings and +great people had been drowned in trying to jump over the river that +ran round the Glass Palace where the Princess lived, the Rajah, her +father, had made a law that, in future, no aspirants to her hand were +to attempt the jump, except at stated times and with his knowledge and +permission, and that any Rajahs or Princes found wandering there, +contrary to this law, were to be imprisoned. Of this the young Rajah +and the Wuzeer's son knew nothing, and having reached the centre of +the garden they found themselves on the banks of a large river, +exactly opposite the wondrous Glass Palace, and were just debating +what further steps to take, when they were seized by the Rajah's +guard, and hurried off to prison. + +"This is a hard fate," said Luxman. "Yes," sighed Rama Rajah; "a +dismal end, in truth, to all our fine schemes. Would it be possible, +think you, to escape?" "I think so," answered Luxman; "at all events, +I will try." With that he turned to the sentry who was guarding them, +and said, "We are shut in here and can't get out: here is money for +you if you will only have the goodness to call out that the Malee's +Cow has strayed away." The sentry thought this a very easy way of +making a fortune; so he called out as he was bidden, and took the +money. The result answered Luxman's anticipations. The Malee's wife, +hearing the sentry calling out, thought to herself, "What, sentries +round the guard-room again! then there must be prisoners; doubtless +they are those two young Rajahs I met in the garden this morning; at +least, I will endeavor to release them." So she asked two old beggars +to accompany her, and taking with her offerings of flowers and +sweetmeats, started as if to go to a little temple which was built +within the quadrangle where the prisoners were kept. The sentries, +thinking she was only going with two old friends to visit the temple, +allowed her to pass without opposition. As soon as she got within the +quadrangle she unfastened the prison door, and told the two young men +(Rama Rajah and Luxman) to change clothes with the two old beggars, +which they instantly did. Then, leaving the beggars in the cell, she +conducted Rama and Luxman safely to her house. When they had reached +it she said to them, "Young Princes, you must know that you did very +wrong in going down to the river before having made a salaam to our +Rajah, and gained his consent; and so strict is the law on the subject +that had I not assisted your escape, you might have remained a long +time in prison; though, as I felt certain you only erred through +ignorance, I was the more willing to help you; but to-morrow morning +early you must go and pay your respects at court." + +Next day the guards brought their two prisoners to the Rajah, saying, +"See, O King, here are two young Rajahs whom we caught last night +wandering near the river contrary to your law and commandment." But +when they came to look at the prisoners, lo and behold! they were only +two old beggars whom everybody knew and had often seen at the palace +gate. + +Then the Rajah laughed and said, "You stupid fellows, you have been +over vigilant for once; see here your fine young Rajahs. Don't you yet +know the looks of these old beggars?" Whereupon the guards went away +much ashamed of themselves. + +Having learnt discretion from the advice of the Malee's wife, Rama and +Luxman went betimes that morning to call at the Rajah's palace. The +Rajah received them very graciously, but when he heard the object of +the journey he shook his head, and said, "My pretty fellows, far be it +from me to thwart your intentions, if you are really determined to +strive to win my daughter, the Princess Bargaruttee;[52] but as a +friend I would counsel you to desist from the attempt. You can find a +hundred Princesses elsewhere willing to marry you; why, therefore, +come here, where already a thousand Princes as fair as you have lost +there lives? Cease to think of my daughter--she is a headstrong girl." +But Rama Rajah still declared himself anxious to try and jump the +dangerous river, whereupon the Rajah unwillingly consented to his +attempting to do so, and caused it to be solemnly proclaimed around +the town that another Prince was going to risk his life, begging all +good men and true to pray for his success. Then Rama, having dressed +gorgeously, and mounted his father's stout war-horse, put spurs to it +and galloped to the river. Up, up in the air, like a bird, jumped the +good war-horse, right across the river and into the very centre +courtyard of the Glass Palace of the Princess Bargaruttee; and, as if +ashamed of so poor an exploit, this feat he accomplished three times. +At this the heart of the Rajah was glad, and he ran and patted the +brave horse, and kissed Rama Rajah, and said, "Welcome, my +son-in-law." The wedding took place amid great rejoicings, with +feasts, illuminations and much giving of presents, and there Rama +Rajah and his wife, the Ranee Bargaruttee, lived happily for some +time. At last, one day Rama Rajah said to his father-in-law, "Sire, I +have been very happy here, but I have a great desire to see my father +and my mother, and my own land again." To which the Rajah replied, "My +son, you are free to go; but I have no son but you, nor daughter but +your wife: therefore, as it grieves me to lose sight of you, come back +now and then to see me and rejoice my heart. My doors are ever open to +you; you will be always welcome." + + [52] A name of the Ganges. + +Rama Rajah promised to return occasionally; and then, being given many +rich gifts by the old Rajah, and supplied with all things needful for +the journey, he, with his beautiful wife Bargaruttee, his friend the +young Wuzeer, and a great retinue, set out to return home. Before +going, Rama Rajah and Luxman richly rewarded the kind Malee's wife, +who had helped them so ably. On the first evening of their march the +travelers reached the borders of the Cocoa-nut grove, on the outskirts +of the jungle; here they determined to halt and rest for the night. +Rama Rajah and the Ranee Bargaruttee went to their tent; but Luxman +(whose tender love for them was so great that he usually watched all +night through at their door), was sitting under a large tree close by, +when two little owls flew over his head, and perching on one of the +highest branches, began chattering to each other.[53] The Wuzeer's +son, who was in many ways wiser than most men, could understand their +language. To his surprise he heard the little lady owl say to her +husband, "I wish you would tell me a story, my dear, it is such a long +time since I have heard one." To which her husband, the other little +owl, answered, "A story! what story can I tell you? Do you see these +people encamped under our tree? Would you like to hear their story?" +She assented; and he began: "See first this poor Wuzeer; he is a good +and faithful man, and has done much for this young Rajah, but neither +has that been to his advantage heretofore, nor will it be hereafter." +At this Luxman listened more attentively, and taking out his writing +tablets determined to note down all he heard. The little owl commenced +with the story of the birth of Rama and Luxman, of their friendship, +their quarrel, the young Rajah's dream, and their reconciliation, and +then told of their subsequent adventures in search of the Princess +Bargaruttee, down to that very day on which they were journeying home. +"And what more has Fate in store for this poor Wuzeer?" asked the lady +owl. "From this place," replied her husband, "he will journey on with +the young Rajah and Ranee, until they get very near Chandra Rajah's +dominions; there, as the whole cavalcade is about to pass under a +large Banyan tree, this Wuzeer Luxman will notice some of the topmost +branches swaying about in a dangerous manner; he will hurry the Rajah +and Ranee away from it, and the tree (which would otherwise have +inevitably killed them,) will fall to the ground with a tremendous +crash; but even his having thus saved the Rajah's life shall not +avert his fate." (All this the Wuzeer noted down.) "And what next?" +said the wife, "what next?" "Next," continued the wise little +story-teller, "next, just as the Rajah Rama and the Ranee Bargaruttee +and all their suite are passing under the palace door-way, the Wuzeer +will notice that the arch is insecure, and by dragging them quickly +through, prevent their being crushed in its fall." "And what will he +do after that, dear husband?" she asked. "After that," he went on, +"when the Rajah and Ranee are asleep, and the Wuzeer Luxman keeping +guard over them, he will perceive a large cobra slowly crawling down +the wall and drawing nearer and nearer to the Ranee. He will kill it +with his sword, but a drop of the cobra's blood shall fall on the +Ranee's white forehead. The Wuzeer will not dare to wipe the blood off +her forehead with his hand, but shall instead cover his face with a +cloth that he may lick it off with his tongue; but for this the Rajah +will be angry with him, and his reproaches will turn this poor Wuzeer +into stone." + + [53] See Notes at the end. + +"Will he always remain stone?" asked the lady owl. "Not for ever," +answered the husband, "but for eight long years he will remain so." +"And what then?" demanded she. "Then," answered the other, "when the +young Rajah and Ranee have a baby, it shall come to pass that one day +the child shall be playing on the floor, and to help itself along +shall clasp hold of the stony figure, and at that baby's touch the +Wuzeer will come to life again. But I have told you enough for one +night; come, let's catch mice--tuwhit, tuwhoo, tuwhoo," and away flew +the owls. Luxman had written down all he heard, and it made him +heavy-hearted, but he thought, "Perhaps, after all, this may not be +true." So he said nothing about it to any living soul. Next day they +continued their journey, and as the owl had prophesied, so events fell +out. For, as the whole party were passing under a large Banyan tree, +the Wuzeer noticed that it looked unsafe. "The owl spake truly," he +thought to himself, and, seizing the Rajah and Ranee, he hurried them +from under it, just as a huge limb of the tree fell prone with a +fearful crash. + +A little while after, having reached Chandra Rajah's dominions, they +were just going under the great arch of the palace courtyard, when the +Wuzeer noticed some of the stones tottering. "The owl was a true +prophet," thought he again, and catching hold of the hands of Rama +Rajah and Bargaruttee Ranee, he pulled them rapidly through, just in +time to save their lives. "Pardon me," he said to the Rajah, "that +unbidden I dared thus to touch your hand and that of the Ranee, but I +saw the danger imminent." So they reached home, where they were +joyfully welcomed by Chandra Rajah, the Ranee, the Wuzeer (Luxman's +father), and all the court. + +A few nights afterward, when the Rajah and Ranee were asleep, and the +young Wuzeer keeping guard over them as he was wont, he saw a large +black cobra stealthily creeping down the wall just above the Ranee's +head. "Alas!" he thought, "then such is my fate, and so it must be; +nevertheless, I will do my duty," and, taking from the folds of his +dress the history of his and the young Rajah's life, from their +boyhood down to that very time (as he had written it from the owl's +narrative), he laid it beside the sleeping Rama, and drawing his +sword, killed the cobra. A few drops of the serpent's blood fell on +the Ranee's forehead: the Wuzeer did not dare to touch it with his +hand, but, that her sacred brow might not be defiled with the vile +cobra's blood, he reverently covered his face and mouth with a cloth +to lick the drops of blood away. At this moment the Rajah started up, +and seeing him, said: "O Wuzeer, Wuzeer, is this well done of you? O +Luxman, who have been to me as a brother, who have saved me from so +many difficulties, why do you treat me thus, to kiss her holy +forehead? If indeed you loved her (as who could help it?), could you +not have told me when we first saw her in that Glass Palace, and I +would have exiled myself that she might be your wife? O my brother, my +brother, why did you mock me thus?" The Rajah had buried his face in +his hands; he looked up, he turned to the Wuzeer, but from him came +neither answer nor reply. He had become a senseless stone. Then Rama +for the first time perceived the roll of paper which Luxman had laid +beside him, and when he read in it of what Luxman had been to him from +boyhood, and of the end, his bitter grief broke through all bounds; +and, falling at the feet of the statue, he clasped its stony knees and +wept aloud. When daylight dawned, Chandra Rajah and the Ranee found +Rama still weeping and hugging the stone, asking its forgiveness with +penitent cries and tears. Then they said to him, "What is this you +have done?" When he told them, the Rajah his father was very angry, +and said: "Was it not enough that you should have once before unjustly +desired the death of this good man, but that now by your rash +reproaches you should have turned him into stone? Go to; you do but +continually what is evil." + +Now eight long years rolled by without the Wuzeer returning to his +original form, although every day Rama Rajah and Bargaruttee Ranee +would watch beside him, kissing his cold hands, and adjuring him by +all endearing names to forgive them and return to them again. When +eight years had expired, Rama and Bargaruttee had a child; and from +the time it was nine months old and first began to try and crawl +about, the father and mother would sit and watch beside it, placing it +near the Wuzeer's statue, in hopes that the baby would some day touch +it as the owl had foretold. + +But for three months they watched in vain. At last, one day when the +child was a year old, and was trying to walk, it chanced to be close +to the statue, and tottering on its unsteady feet, stretched out its +tiny hands and caught hold of the foot of the statue. The Wuzeer +instantly came back to life, and stooping down seized the little baby +who had rescued him in his arms, and kissed it. It is impossible to +describe the delight of Rama Rajah and his wife at regaining their +long-lost friend. The old Rajah and Ranee rejoiced also, with the +Wuzeer (Luxman Wuzeer's father), and his mother. + +Then Chandra Rajah said to the Wuzeer: "Here is my boy happy with his +wife and child, while your son has neither; go fetch him a wife, and +we will have a right merry wedding." + +So the Wuzeer of the Rajah fetched for his son a kind and beautiful +wife, and Chandra Rajah and Rama Rajah caused the wedding of Luxman to +be grander than that of any great Rajah before or since, even as if +he had been a son of the royal house; and they all lived very happy +ever after, as all good fathers, and mothers, and husbands, and wives, +and children do. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +VI. + +_LITTLE SURYA BAI._ + + +A poor Milkwoman was once going into the town with cans full of milk +to sell. She took with her her little daughter (a baby of about a year +old), having no one in whose charge to leave her at home. Being tired, +she sat down by the road-side, placing the child and the cans full of +milk beside her; when, on a sudden, two large eagles flew overhead; +and one, swooping down, seized the child, and flew away with her out +of the mother's sight. + +Very far, far away the eagles carried the little baby, even beyond the +borders of her native land, until they reached their home in a lofty +tree. There the old eagles had built a great nest; it was made of iron +and wood, and was as big as a little house; there was iron all round, +and to get in and out you had to go through seven iron doors. + +In this stronghold they placed the little baby, and because she was +like a young eaglet they called her Surya Bai (the Sun Lady). The +eagles both loved the child; and daily they flew into distant +countries to bring her rich and precious things--clothes that had been +made for princesses, precious jewels, wonderful playthings, all that +was most costly and rare. + +One day, when Surya Bai was twelve years old, the old husband Eagle +said to his wife, "Wife, our daughter has no diamond ring on her +little finger, such as princesses wear; let us go and fetch her one." +"Yes," said the other old Eagle; "but to fetch it we must go very +far." "True," rejoined he, "such a ring is not to be got nearer than +the Red Sea, and that is a twelvemonth's journey from here; +nevertheless we will go." So the Eagles started off, leaving Surya Bai +in the strong nest, with twelve months' provisions (that she might not +be hungry whilst they were away), and a little dog and cat to take +care of her. + +Not long after they were gone, one day the naughty little cat stole +some food from the store, for doing which Surya Bai punished her. The +cat did not like being whipped, and she was still more annoyed at +having been caught stealing; so, in revenge, she ran to the fireplace +(they were obliged to keep a fire always burning in the Eagle's nest, +as Surya Bai never went down from the tree, and would not otherwise +have been able to cook her dinner), and put out the fire. When the +little girl saw this she was much vexed, for the cat had eaten their +last cooked provisions, and she did not know what they were to do for +food. For three whole days Surya Bai puzzled over the difficulty, and +for three whole days she and the dog and the cat had nothing to eat. +At last she thought she would climb to the edge of the nest, and see +if she could see any fire in the country below; and, if so, she would +go down and ask the people who lighted it to give her a little with +which to cook her dinner. So she climbed to the edge of the nest. +Then, very far away on the horizon, she saw a thin curl of blue smoke. +So she let herself down from the tree, and all day long she walked in +the direction whence the smoke came. Toward evening she reached the +place, and found it rose from a small hut in which sat an old woman +warming her hands over a fire. Now, though Surya Bai did not know it, +she had reached the Rakshas' country, and this old woman was none +other than a wicked old Rakshas, who lived with her son in the little +hut. The young Rakshas, however, had gone out for the day. When the +old Rakshas saw Surya Bai, she was much astonished, for the girl was +beautiful as the sun, and her rich dress was resplendent with jewels; +and she said to herself, "How lovely this child is; what a dainty +morsel she would be! Oh, if my son were only here we would kill her, +and boil her, and eat her. I will try and detain her till his return." +Then, turning to Surya Bai, she said, "Who are you, and what do you +want?" Surya Bai answered, "I am the daughter of the great Eagles, but +they have gone a far journey, to fetch me a diamond ring, and the fire +has died out in the nest. Give me, I pray you, a little from your +hearth." The Rakshas replied, "You shall certainly have some, only +first pound this rice for me, for I am old, and have no daughter to +help me." Then Surya Bai pounded the rice, but the young Rakshas had +not returned by the time she had finished; so the old Rakshas said to +her, "If you are kind, grind this corn for me, for it is hard work for +my old hands." Then she ground the corn, but still the young Rakshas +came not; and the old Rakshas said to her, "Sweep the house for me +first, and then I will give you the fire." So Surya Bai swept the +house; but still the young Rakshas did not come. + +Then his mother said to Surya Bai, "Why should you be in such a hurry +to go home? fetch me some water from the well, and then you shall have +the fire." And she fetched the water. When she had done so, Surya Bai +said, "I have done all your bidding, now give me the fire, or I will +go elsewhere and seek it." + +The old Rakshas was grieved because her son had not returned home; but +she saw she could detain Surya Bai no longer, so she said, "Take the +fire and go in peace; take also some parched corn, and scatter it +along the road as you go, so as to make a pretty little pathway from +our house to yours,"--and so saying, she gave Surya Bai several +handsful of parched corn. The girl took them, fearing no evil, and as +she went she scattered the grains on the road. Then she climbed back +into the nest and shut the seven iron doors, and lighted the fire, and +cooked the food, and gave the dog and the cat some dinner, and took +some herself, and went to sleep. + +No sooner had Surya Bai left the Rakshas' hut, than the young Rakshas +returned, and his mother said to him, "Alas, alas, my son, why did not +you come sooner? Such a sweet little lamb has been here, and now we +have lost her." Then she told him all about Surya Bai. "Which way did +she go?" asked the young Rakshas; "only tell me that, and I'll have +her before morning." + +His mother told him how she had given Surya Bai the parched corn to +scatter on the road; and when he heard that, he followed up the track, +and ran, and ran, and ran, till he came to the foot of the tree. + +There, looking up, he saw the nest high in the branches above them. + +Quick as thought, up he climbed, and reached the great outer door; +and he shook it, and shook it, but he could not get in, for Surya Bai +had bolted it. Then he said, "Let me in, my child, let me in; I'm the +great Eagle, and I have come from very far, and brought you many +beautiful jewels; and here is a splendid diamond ring to fit your +little finger." But Surya Bai did not hear him--she was fast asleep. + +He next tried to force open the door again, but it was too strong for +him. In his efforts, however, he had broken off one of his finger +nails (now the nail of a Rakshas is most poisonous), which he left +sticking in the crack of the door when he went away. + +Next morning Surya Bai opened all the doors, in order to look down on +the world below; but when she came to the seventh door a sharp thing, +which was sticking in it, ran into her hand, and immediately she fell +down dead. + +At that same moment the two poor old Eagles returned from their long +twelvemonth's journey, bringing a beautiful diamond ring, which they +had fetched for their little favorite from the Red Sea. + +There she lay on the threshold of the nest, beautiful as ever, but +cold and dead. + +The Eagles could not bear the sight; so they placed the ring on her +finger, and then, with loud cries, flew off to return no more. + +But a little while after there chanced to come by a great Rajah, who +was out on a hunting expedition. He came with hawks, and hounds, and +attendants, and horses, and pitched his camp under the tree in which +the Eagles' nest was built. Then looking up, he saw, amongst the +topmost branches, what appeared like a queer little house; and he sent +some of his attendants to see what it was. They soon returned, and +told the Rajah that up in the tree was a curious thing like a cage, +having seven iron doors, and that on the threshold of the first door +lay a fair maiden, richly dressed; that she was dead, and that beside +her stood a little dog and a little cat. + +At this the Rajah commanded that they should be fetched down, and when +he saw Surya Bai he felt very sad to think that she was dead. And he +took her hand to feel if it were already stiff; but all her limbs were +supple, nor had she become cold, as the dead are cold; and, looking +again at her hand, the Rajah saw that a sharp thing, like a long +thorn, had run into the tender palm, almost far enough to pierce +through to the back of her hand. + +He pulled it out, and no sooner had he done so than Surya Bai opened +her eyes, and stood up, crying, "Where am I? and who are you? Is it a +dream, or true?" + +The Rajah answered, "It is all true, beautiful lady. I am the Rajah of +a neighboring land; pray tell me who are you?" + +She replied, "I am the Eagles' child." But he laughed. "Nay," he said, +"that cannot be; you are some great Princess." "No," she answered, "I +am no royal lady; what I say is true. I have lived all my life in this +tree. I am only the Eagles' child." + +Then the Rajah said, "If you are not a Princess born, I will make you +one, say only you will be my Queen." + +Surya Bai consented, and the Rajah took her to his kingdom and made +her his Queen. But Surya Bai was not his only wife, and the first +Ranee, his other wife, was both envious and jealous of her.[54] + + [54] See Notes at the end. + +The Rajah gave Surya Bai many trustworthy attendants to guard her and +be with her; and one old woman loved Surya Bai more than all the rest, +and used to say to her, "Don't be too intimate with the first Ranee, +dear lady, for she wishes you no good, and she has power to do you +harm. Some day she may poison or otherwise injure you;" but Surya Bai +would answer her, "Nonsense! what is there to be alarmed about? Why +cannot we both live happily together like two sisters?" Then the old +woman would rejoin, "Ah, dear lady, may you never live to rue your +confidence! I pray my fears may prove folly." So Surya Bai went often +to see the first Ranee, and the first Ranee also came often to see +her. + +One day they were standing in the palace courtyard, near a tank, where +the Rajah's people used to bathe, and the first Ranee said to Surya +Bai, "What pretty jewels you have, sister! let me try them on for a +minute, and see how I look in them." + +The old woman was standing beside Surya Bai, and she whispered to her, +"Do not lend her your jewels." "Hush, you silly old woman," answered +she. "What harm will it do?" and she gave the Ranee her jewels. Then +the Ranee said, "How pretty all your things are! Do you not think they +look well even on me? Let us come down to the tank; it is as clear as +glass, and we can see ourselves reflected in it, and how these jewels +will shine in the clear water!" + +The old woman, hearing this, was much alarmed, and begged Surya Bai +not to venture near the tank, but she said, "I bid you be silent; I +will not distrust my sister," and she went down to the tank. Then, +when no one was near, and they were both leaning over, looking at +their reflections in the water, the first Ranee pushed Surya Bai into +the tank, who, sinking under water, was drowned; and from the place +where her body fell there sprang up a bright golden sunflower. + +The Rajah shortly afterward inquired where Surya Bai was, but nowhere +could she be found. Then, very angry, he came to the first Ranee and +said, "Tell me where the child is? You have made away with her." But +she answered, "You do me wrong; I know nothing of her. Doubtless that +old woman, whom you allowed to be always with her, has done her some +harm." So the Rajah ordered the poor old woman to be thrown into +prison. + +He tried to forget Surya Bai and all her pretty ways, but it was no +good. Wherever he went he saw her face. Whatever he heard, he still +listened for her voice. Every day he grew more miserable; he would not +eat or drink; and as for the other Ranee, he could not bear to speak +to her. All his people said, "He will surely die." + +When matters were in this state, the Rajah one day wandered to the +edge of the tank, and bending over the parapet, looked into the water. +Then he was surprised to see, growing out of the tank close beside +him, a stately golden flower; and as he watched it, the sunflower +gently bent its head and leaned down toward him. The Rajah's heart was +softened, and he kissed its leaves and murmured, "This flower reminds +me of my lost wife. I love it, it is fair and gentle as she used to +be." And every day he would go down to the tank; and sit and watch the +flower. When the Ranee heard this, she ordered her servants to go and +dig the sunflower up, and to take it far into the jungle and burn it. +Next time the Rajah went to the tank he found his flower gone, and he +was much grieved, but none dare say who had done it. + +Then, in the jungle, from the place where the ashes of the sunflower +had been thrown, there sprang up a young mango tree, tall and +straight, that grew so quickly, and became such a beautiful tree, that +it was the wonder of all the country round. At last, on its topmost +bough, came one fair blossom; and the blossom fell, and the little +mango grew rosier and rosier, and larger and larger, till so wonderful +was it both for size and shape that people flocked from far and near +only to look at it. + +But none ventured to gather it, for it was to be kept for the Rajah +himself. + +Now one day, the poor Milkwoman, Surya Bai's mother, was returning +homeward after her day's work with the empty milk cans, and being very +tired with her long walk to the bazaar, she lay down under the mango +tree and fell asleep. Then, right into her largest milk can, fell the +wonderful mango! When the poor woman awoke and saw what had happened, +she was dreadfully frightened, and thought to herself, "If any one +sees me with this wonderful fruit, that all the Rajah's great people +have been watching for so many, many weeks, they will never believe +that I did not steal it, and I shall be put in prison. Yet it is no +good leaving it here; besides, it fell off of itself into my milk can. +I will therefore take it home as secretly as possible, and share it +with my children." + +So the Milkwoman covered up the can in which the mango was, and took +it quickly to her home, where she placed it in the corner of the room, +and put over it a dozen other milk cans, piled one above another. +Then, as soon as it was dark, she called her husband and eldest son +(for she had six or seven children), and said to them, "What good +fortune do you think has befallen me to-day?" + +"We cannot guess," they said. "Nothing less," she went on, "than the +wonderful, wonderful mango falling into one of my milk cans while I +slept! I have brought it home with me; it is in that lowest can. Go, +husband, call all the children to have a slice; and you, my son, take +down that pile of cans and fetch me the mango." "Mother," he said, +when he got to the lowest can, "you were joking, I suppose, when you +told us there was a mango here." + +"No, not at all," she answered; "there is a mango there. I put it +there myself an hour ago." + +"Well, there's something quite different now," replied the son. "Come +and see." + +The Milkwoman ran to the place, and there, in the lowest can, she saw, +not the mango, but a little tiny wee lady, richly dressed in red and +gold, and no bigger than a mango! On her head shone a bright jewel +like a little sun. + +"This is very odd," said the mother. "I never heard of such a thing in +my life! But since she has been sent to us, I will take care of her, +as if she were my own child." + +Every day the little lady grew taller and taller, until she was the +size of an ordinary woman; she was gentle and lovable, but always sad +and quiet, and she said her name was "Surya Bai." + +The children were all very curious to know her history, but the +Milkwoman and her husband would not let her be teased to tell who she +was, and said to the children, "Let us wait. By and by, when she knows +us better, she will most likely tell us her story of her own accord." + +Now it came to pass that once, when Surya Bai was taking water from +the well for the old Milkwoman, the Rajah rode by, and as he saw her +walking along, he cried, "That is my wife," and rode after her as fast +as possible. Surya Bai hearing a great clatter of horses' hoofs, was +frightened, and ran home as fast as possible, and hid herself; and +when the Rajah reached the place there was only the old Milkwoman to +be seen standing at the door of her hut. + +Then the Rajah said to her, "Give her up, old woman, you have no right +to keep her; she is mine, she is mine!" But the old woman answered, +"Are you mad? I don't know what you mean." + +The Rajah replied, "Do not attempt to deceive me. I saw my wife go in +at your door; she must be in the house." + +"Your wife?" screamed the old woman--"your wife? you mean my daughter, +who lately returned from the well! Do you think I am going to give my +child up at your command? You are Rajah in your palace, but I am Rajah +in my own house; and I won't give up my little daughter for any +bidding of yours. Be off with you, or I'll pull out your beard." And +so saying, she seized a long stick and attacked the Rajah, calling out +loudly to her husband and sons, who came running to her aid. + +The Rajah, seeing matters were against him, and having outridden his +attendants (and not being quite certain moreover whether he had seen +Surya Bai, or whether she might not have been really the poor +Milkwoman's daughter), rode off and returned to his palace. + +However, he determined to sift the matter. As a first step he went to +see Surya Bai's old attendant, who was still in prison. From her he +learnt enough to make him believe she was not only entirely innocent +of Surya Bai's death, but gravely to suspect the first Ranee of having +caused it. He therefore ordered the old woman to be set at liberty, +still keeping a watchful eye on her, and bade her prove her devotion +to her long-lost mistress by going to the Milkwoman's house, and +bringing him as much information as possible about the family, and +more particularly about the girl he had seen returning from the well. + +So the attendant went to the Milkwoman's house, and made friends with +her, and bought some milk, and afterward she stayed and talked to her. + +After a few days the Milkwoman ceased to be suspicious of her, and +became quite cordial. + +Surya Bai's attendant then told how she had been the late Ranee's +waiting-woman, and how the Rajah had thrown her into prison on her +mistress's death; in return for which intelligence the old Milkwoman +imparted to her how the wonderful mango had tumbled into her can as +she slept under the tree, and how it had miraculously changed in the +course of an hour into a beautiful little lady. "I wonder why she +should have chosen my poor house to live in, instead of any one +else's," said the old woman. + +Then Surya Bai's attendant said, "Have you ever asked her her history? +Perhaps she would not mind telling it to you now." + +So the Milkwoman called the girl, and as soon as the old attendant +saw her, she knew it was none other than Surya Bai, and her heart +jumped for joy; but she remained silent, wondering much, for she knew +her mistress had been drowned in the tank. + +The old Milkwoman turned to Surya Bai and said, "My child, you have +lived long with us, and been a good daughter to me; but I have never +asked you your history, because I thought it must be a sad one; but if +you do not fear to tell it to me now, I should like to hear it." + +Surya Bai answered, "Mother, you speak true; my story is sad. I +believe my real mother was a poor Milkwoman like you, and that she +took me with her one day when I was quite a little baby, as she was +going to sell milk in the bazaar. But being tired with the long walk, +she sat down to rest, and placed me also on the ground, when suddenly +a great Eagle flew down and carried me away. But all the father and +mother I ever knew were the two great Eagles." + +"Ah, my child! my child!" cried the Milkwoman, "I was that poor woman; +the Eagles flew away with my eldest girl when she was only a year old. +Have I found you after these many years?" + +And she ran and called all her children, and her husband, to tell them +the wonderful news. + +Then was there great rejoicing among them all. + +When they were a little calmer, her mother said to Surya Bai, "Tell +us, dear daughter, how your life has been spent since first we lost +you." And Surya Bai went on: + +"The old Eagles took me away to their home, and there I lived happily +many years. They loved to bring me all the beautiful things they +could find, and at last one day they both went to fetch me a diamond +ring from the Red Sea; but while they were gone the fire went out in +the nest: so I went to an old woman's hut, and got her to give me some +fire; and next day (I don't know how it was), as I was opening the +outer door of the cage, a sharp thing, that was sticking in it, ran +into my hand and I fell down senseless. + +"I don't know how long I lay there, but when I came to myself, I found +the Eagles must have come back, and thought me dead, and gone away, +for the diamond ring was on my little finger; a great many people were +watching over me, and amongst them was a Rajah, who asked me to go +home with him and be his wife, and he brought me to this place, and I +was his Ranee. + +"But his other wife, the first Ranee, hated me (for she was jealous), +and desired to kill me; and one day she accomplished her purpose by +pushing me into the tank, for I was young and foolish, and disregarded +the warnings of my faithful old attendant, who begged me not to go +near the place. Ah! if I had only listened to her words I might have +been happy still." + +At these words the old attendant, who had been sitting in the back +ground, rushed forward and kissed Surya Bai's feet, crying, "Ah, my +lady! my lady! have I found you at last!" and, without staying to hear +more, she ran back to the palace to tell the Rajah the glad news. + +Then Surya Bai told her parents how she had not wholly died in the +tank, but became a sunflower; and how the first Ranee, seeing how fond +the Rajah was of the plant, had caused it to be thrown away; and then +how she had risen from the ashes of the sunflower, in the form of a +mango tree; and how when the tree blossomed all her spirit went into +the little mango flower, and she ended by saying: "And when the flower +became fruit, I know not by what irresistible impulse I was induced to +throw myself into your milk can. Mother, it was my destiny, and as +soon as you took me into your house, I began to recover my human +form." + +"Why, then," asked her brothers and sisters, "why do you not tell the +Rajah that you are living, and that you are the Ranee Surya Bai?" + +"Alas," she answered, "I could not do that. Who knows but that he may +be influenced by the first Ranee, and also desire my death. Let me +rather be poor like you, but safe from danger." + +Then her mother cried, "Oh, what a stupid woman I am! The Rajah one +day came seeking you here, but I and your father and brothers drove +him away, for we did not know you were indeed the lost Ranee." + +As she spoke these words a sound of horses' hoofs was heard in the +distance, and the Rajah himself appeared, having heard the good news +of Surya Bai's being alive from her old attendant. + +It is impossible to tell the joy of the Rajah at finding his long-lost +wife, but it was not greater than Surya Bai's at being restored to her +husband. + +Then the Rajah turned to the old Milkwoman and said, "Old woman, you +did not tell me true, for it was indeed my wife who was in your hut." +"Yes, Protector of the Poor," answered the old Milkwoman, "but it was +also my daughter." Then they told him how Surya Bai was the +Milkwoman's child. + +At hearing this the Rajah commanded them all to return with him to +the palace. He gave Surya Bai's father a village, and ennobled the +family; and he said to Surya Bai's old attendant, "For the good +service you have done you shall be palace housekeeper," and he gave +her great riches; adding, "I can never repay the debt I owe you, nor +make you sufficient recompense for having caused you to be unjustly +cast into prison." But she replied, "Sire, even in your anger you were +temperate; if you had caused me to be put to death, as some would have +done, none of this good might have come upon you; it is yourself you +have to thank." + +The wicked first Ranee was cast, for the rest of her life, into the +prison in which the old attendant had been thrown; but Surya Bai lived +happily with her husband the rest of her days; and in memory of her +adventures, he planted round their palace a hedge of sunflowers and a +grove of mango trees. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +VII. + +_THE WANDERINGS OF VICRAM MAHARAJAH._ + + +There was once upon a time a Rajah named Vicram Maharajah,[55] who had +a Wuzeer named Butti.[56] Both the Rajah and his minister were left +orphans when very young, and ever since their parents' death they had +lived together: they were educated together, and they loved each other +tenderly--like brothers. + + [55] The great King Vicram. + + [56] Light. + +Both were good and kind--no poor man coming to the Rajah was ever +known to have been sent away disappointed, for it was his delight to +give food and clothes to those in need. But whilst the Wuzeer had much +judgment and discretion, as well as a brilliant fancy, the Rajah was +too apt to allow his imagination to run away with his reason. + +Under their united rule, however, the kingdom prospered greatly. The +Rajah was the spur of every noble work, and the Wuzeer the curb to +every rash or impracticable project. + +In a country some way from Rajah Vicram's there lived a little Queen, +called Anar Ranee (the Pomegranate Queen). Her father and mother +reigned over the Pomegranate country, and for her they had made a +beautiful garden. In the middle of the garden was a lovely pomegranate +tree, bearing three large pomegranates. They opened in the centre, +and in each was a little bed. In one of them Anar Ranee used to sleep, +and in the pomegranates on either side slept two of her maids. + +Every morning early the pomegranate tree would gently bend its +branches to the ground, and the fruit would open, and Anar Ranee and +her attendants creep out to play under the shadow of the cool tree +until the evening; and each evening the tree again bent down to enable +them to get into their tiny, snug bed-rooms. + +Many princes wished to marry Anar Ranee, for she was said to be the +fairest lady upon earth: her hair was black as a raven's wing, her +eyes like the eyes of a gazelle, her teeth two rows of exquisite +pearls, and her cheeks the color of the rosy pomegranate. But her +father and mother had caused her garden to be hedged around with seven +hedges made of bayonets, so that none could go in or out; and they had +published a decree that none should marry her but he who could enter +the garden and gather the three pomegranates, in which she and her two +maids slept. To do this, kings, princes and nobles innumerable had +striven, but striven in vain. + +Some never got past the first sharp hedge of bayonets; others, more +fortunate, surmounted the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, or +even the sixth; but there perished miserably, being unable to climb +the seventh. None had ever succeeded in entering the garden. + +Before Vicram Maharajah's father and mother died, they had built, some +way from their palace, a very beautiful temple. It was of marble, and +in the centre stood an idol made of pure gold. But in course of time +the jungle had grown up round it, and thick straggling plants of +prickly pear had covered it, so that it was difficult even to find out +whereabouts it was. + +Then, one day, the Wuzeer Butti said to Vicram Maharajah, "The temple +your father and mother built at so much pains and cost is almost lost +in the jungle, and will probably ere long be in ruins. It would be a +pious work to find it out and restore it." Vicram Maharajah agreed, +and immediately sent for many workmen, and caused the jungle to be cut +down and the temple restored. All were much astonished to find what a +beautiful place it was! The floor was white marble, the walls +exquisitely carved in bas-reliefs and gorgeously colored, while all +over the ceiling was painted Vicram Maharajah's father's name, and in +the centre was a golden image of Gunputti, to whom it was dedicated. + +The Rajah Vicram was so pleased with the beauty of the place that on +that account, as well as because of its sanctity, he and Butti used to +go and sleep there every night. + +One night Vicram had a wonderful dream. He dreamed his father appeared +to him and said, "Arise, Vicram, go to the tower for lights[57] which +is in front of this temple." + + [57] See Notes at the end. + +(For there was in front of the temple a beautiful tower or pyramid for +lights, and all the way up it were projections on which to place +candles on days dedicated to the idol; so that when the whole was +lighted it looked like a gigantic candlestick, and to guard it there +were around it seven hedges made of bayonets.) + +"Arise, Vicram, therefore," said the vision; "go to the tower for +lights; below it is a vast amount of treasure, but you can only get it +in one way without incurring the anger of Gunputti. You must first do +in his honor an act of very great devotion, which if he graciously +approve, and consent to preserve your life therein, you may with +safety remove the treasure." + +"And what is this act of devotion?" asked Vicram Maharajah. + +"It is this," (he thought his father answered): "You must fasten a +rope to the top of the tower, and to the other end of the rope attach +a basket, into which you must get head downward, then twist the rope +by which the basket is hung three times, and as it is untwisting, cut +it, when you will fall head downward to the earth. + +"If you fall on either of the hedges of bayonets, you will be +instantly killed; but Gunputti is merciful--do not fear that he will +allow you to be slain. If you escape unhurt, you will know that he has +accepted your pious act, and may without danger take the +treasure."[58] + + [58] See Notes at the end. + +The vision faded; Vicram saw no more, and shortly afterward he awoke. + +Then, turning to the Wuzeer, he said, "Butti, I had a strange dream. I +dreamed my father counseled me to do an act of great devotion; nothing +less than fastening a basket by a rope to the top of the tower for +lights, and getting into it head downward, then cutting the rope and +allowing myself to fall; by which having propitiated the divinity, he +promised me a vast treasure, to be found by digging under the tower! +What do you think I had better do?" + +"My advice," answered the Wuzeer, "is, if you care to seek the +treasure, to do entirely as your father commanded, trusting in the +mercy of Gunputti." + +So the Rajah caused a basket to be fastened by a rope to the top of +the tower, and got into it head downward; then he called out to Butti, +"How can I cut the rope?" "Nothing is easier," answered he; "take this +sword in your hand. I will twist the rope three times, and as it +untwists for the first time let the sword fall upon it." Vicram +Maharajah took the sword, and Butti twisted the rope, and as it first +began to untwist, the Rajah cut it, and the basket immediately fell. +It would have certainly gone down among the bayonets, and he been +instantly killed, had not Gunputti, seeing the danger of his devotee, +rushed out of the temple at that moment in the form of an old woman, +who, catching the basket in her arms before it touched the bayonets, +brought it gently and safely to the ground; having done which she +instantly returned into the temple. None of the spectators knew she +was Gunputti himself in disguise; they only thought "What a clever old +woman!" + +Vicram Maharajah then caused excavations to be made below the tower, +under which he found an immense amount of treasure. There were +mountains of gold, there were diamonds, and rubies, and sapphires, and +emeralds, and turquoises, and pearls; but he took none of them, +causing all to be sold and the money given to the poor, so little did +he care for the riches for which some men sell their bodies and souls. + +Another day, the Rajah, when in the temple, dreamed again. Again his +father appeared to him, and this time he said, "Vicram, come daily to +this temple and Gunputti will teach you wisdom, and you shall get +understanding. You may get learning in the world, but wisdom is the +fruit of much learning and much experience, and much love to God and +man; wherefore, come, acquire wisdom, for learning perishes, but +wisdom never dies." When the Rajah awoke, he told his dream to the +Wuzeer, and Butti recommended him to obey his father's counsel, which +he accordingly did. + +Daily he resorted to the temple and was instructed by Gunputti; and +when he had learnt much, one day Gunputti said to him, "I have given +you as much wisdom as is in keeping with man's finite comprehension; +now, as a parting gift, ask of me what you will and it shall be +yours--or riches, or power, or beauty, or long life, or health, or +happiness--choose what you will have?" The Rajah was very much +puzzled, and he begged leave to be allowed a day to think over the +matter, and decide what he would choose, to which Gunputti assented. + +Now it happened that near the palace there lived the son of a +Carpenter, who was very cunning, and when he heard that the Rajah went +to the temple to learn wisdom, he also determined to go and see if he +could not learn it also; and each day, when Gunputti gave Vicram +Maharajah instruction, the Carpenter's son would hide close behind the +temple, and overhear all their conversation; so that he also became +very wise. No sooner, therefore, did he hear Gunputti's offer to +Vicram than he determined to return again when the Rajah did, and find +out in what way he was to procure the promised gift, whatever it was. + +The Rajah consulted Butti as to what he should ask for, saying, "I +have riches more than enough; I have also sufficient power, and for +the rest I had sooner take my chance with other men, which makes me +much at a loss to know what to choose." + +The Wuzeer answered, "Is there any supernatural power you at all +desire to possess? If so, ask for that." "Yes," replied the Rajah, "it +has always been a great desire of mine to have power to leave my own +body when I will, and translate my soul and sense into some other +body, either of man or animal. I would rather be able to do that than +anything else." "Then," said the Wuzeer, "ask Gunputti to give you the +power." + +Next morning the Rajah, having bathed and prayed, went in great state +to the temple to have his final interview with the idol. And the +Carpenter's son went too, in order to overhear it. + +Then Gunputti said to the Rajah, "Vicram, what gift do you choose?" +"Oh, divine Power," answered the Rajah, "you have already given me a +sufficiency of wealth and power, in making me Rajah; neither care I +for more of beauty than I now possess; and of long life, health and +happiness I had rather take my share with other men. But there is a +power which I would rather own than all that you have offered." + +"Name it, O good son of a good father," said Gunputti. + +"Most Wise," replied Vicram, "give me the power to leave my own body +when I will, and translate my soul, and sense, and thinking powers +into any other body that I may choose, either of man, or bird, or +beast--whether for a day, or a year, or for twelve years, or as long +as I like; grant also, that however long the term of my absence, my +body may not decay, but that, when I please to return to it again, I +may find it still as when I left it." + +"Vicram," answered Gunputti, "your prayer is heard," and he +instructed Vicram Maharajah by what means he should translate his soul +into another body, and also gave him something which, being placed +within his own body when he left it, would preserve it from decay +until his return.[59] + + [59] See Notes at the end. + +The Carpenter's son, who had been all this time listening outside the +temple, heard and learnt the spell whereby Gunputti gave Vicram +Maharajah power to enter into any other body; but he could not see nor +find out what was given to the Rajah to place within his own body when +he left it, to preserve it; so that he was only master of half the +secret. + +Vicram Maharajah returned home, and told the Wuzeer that he was +possessed of the much-desired secret. "Then," said Butti, "the best +use you can put it to is to fly to the Pomegranate country, and bring +Anar Ranee here." + +"How can that be done?" asked the Rajah. "Thus," replied Butti; +"transport yourself into the body of a parrot, in which shape you will +be able to fly over the seven hedges of bayonets that surround her +garden. Go to the tree in the centre of it, bite off the stalks of the +pomegranates and bring them home in your beak." + +"Very well," said the Rajah, and he picked up a parrot which lay dead +on the ground, and placing within his own body the beauty-preserving +charm, transported his soul into the parrot, and flew off. + +On, on, on he went, over the hills and far away, until he came to the +garden. Then he flew over the seven hedges of bayonets, and with his +beak broke off the three pomegranates (in which were Anar Ranee and +her two ladies), and holding them by the stalks brought them safely +home. He then immediately left the parrot's body and re-entered his +own body. + +When Butti saw how well he had accomplished the feat, he said, "Thank +heaven! there's some good done already." All who saw Anar Ranee were +astonished at her beauty, for she was fair as a lotus flower, and the +color on her cheeks was like the deep rich color of a pomegranate, and +all thought the Rajah very wise to have chosen such a wife. + +They had a magnificent wedding, and were for a short time as happy as +the day is long. + +But within a little while Vicram Maharajah said to Butti, "I have +again a great desire to see the world." "What!" said Butti, "so soon +again to leave your home! So soon to care to go away from your young +wife!" + +"I love her and my people dearly," answered the Rajah; "but I cannot +but feel that I have this supernatural power of taking any form I +please, and longing to use it." "Where and how will you go?" asked the +Wuzeer. "Let it be the day after to-morrow," answered Vicram +Maharajah. "I shall again take the form of a parrot, and see as much +of the world as possible." + +So it was settled that the Rajah should go. He left his kingdom in the +Wuzeer's sole charge, and also his wife, saying to her, "I don't know +for how long I may be away; perhaps a day, perhaps a year, perhaps +more. But if, while I am gone, you should be in any difficulty, apply +to the Wuzeer. He has ever been like an elder brother or a father to +me; do you therefore also regard him as a father. I have charged him +to take care of you as he would of his own child." + +Having said these words, the Rajah caused a beautiful parrot to be +shot (it was a very handsome bird, with a tuft of bright feathers on +its head and a ring about its neck). He then cut a small incision in +his arm and rubbed into it some of the magic preservative given him by +Gunputti to keep his body from decaying, and transporting his soul +into the parrot's body, he flew away. + +No sooner did the Carpenter's son hear that the Rajah was as dead, +than, knowing the power of which Vicram Maharajah and he were alike +possessed, he felt certain that the former had made use of it, and +determined himself likewise to turn it to account. Therefore, directly +the Rajah entered the parrot's body, the Carpenter's son entered the +Rajah's body, and the world at large imagined that the Rajah had only +swooned and recovered. But the Wuzeer was wiser than they, and +immediately thought to himself, "Some one beside Vicram Maharajah must +have become acquainted with this spell, and be now making use of it, +thinking it would be very amusing to play the part of Rajah for a +while; but I'll soon discover if this be the case or no." + +So he called Anar Ranee and said to her, "You are as well assured as I +am that your husband left us but now, in the form of a parrot; but +scarcely had he gone before his deserted body arose, and he now +appears walking about, and talking, and as much alive as ever; +nevertheless, my opinion is, that the spirit animating the body is not +the spirit of the Rajah, but that some one else is possessed of the +power given to him by Gunputti, and has taken advantage of it to +personate him. But this it would be better to put to the proof. Do, +therefore, as I tell you, that you may be assured of the truth of my +words. Make to-day for your husband's dinner some very coarse and +common currie, and give it to him. If he complains that it is not as +good as usual, I am making a mistake; but if, on the contrary, he says +nothing about it, you will know that my words are true, and that he is +not Vicram Maharajah." + +Anar Ranee did as the Wuzeer advised, and afterward came to him and +said, "Father" (for so she always called him), "I have been much +astonished at the result of the trial. I made the currie very +carelessly, and it was as coarse and common as possible; but the Rajah +did not even complain. I feel convinced it is as you say; but what can +we do?" + +"We will not," answered the Wuzeer, "cast him into prison, since he +inhabits your husband's body; but neither you, nor any of the Rajah's +relations, must have any friendship with, or so much as speak to him; +and if he speak to any of you, let whoever it be, immediately begin to +quarrel with him, whereby he will find the life of a rajah not so +agreeable as he anticipated, and may be induced the sooner to return +to his proper form." + +Anar Ranee instructed all her husband's relations and friends as Butti +had advised, and the Carpenter's son began to think the life of a +rajah not at all as pleasant as he had fancied, and would, if he +could, have gladly returned to his own body again; but, having no +power to preserve it, his spirit had no sooner left it than it began +to decay, and at the end of three days it was quite destroyed; so that +the unhappy man had no alternative but to remain where he was. + +Meantime, the real Vicram Maharajah had flown, in the form of a +parrot, very far, far away, until he reached a large banyan tree, +where there were a thousand other pretty pollies, whom he joined, +making their number a thousand and one. Every day the parrots flew +away to get food, and every night they returned to roost in the great +banyan tree. + +Now it chanced that a hunter had often gone through that part of the +jungle, and noticed the banyan tree and the parrots, and he said to +himself, "If I could only catch the thousand and one parrots that +nightly roost in that tree, I should not be so often hungry as I am +now, for they would make plenty of very nice currie." But he could not +do it, though he often tried; for the trunks of the tree were tall and +straight, and very slippery, so that he no sooner climbed up a little +way than he slid down again: however, he did not cease to look and +long. + +One day, a heavy shower of rain drove all the parrots back earlier +than usual to their tree, and when they got there they found a +thousand crows who had come on their homeward flight to shelter +themselves there till the storm was over. + +Then Vicram Maharajah Parrot said to the other parrots, "Do you not +see these crows have all sorts of seeds and fruits in their beaks, +which they are carrying home to their little ones? Let us quickly +drive them away, lest some of these fall down under our tree, which, +being sown there, will spring up strong plants and twine round the +trunks, and enable our enemy the hunter to climb up with ease and kill +us all." + +But the other parrots answered, "That is a very far-fetched idea! Do +not let us hunt the poor birds away from shelter in this pouring +rain, they will get so wet." So the crows were not molested. It turned +out, however, just as Vicram Maharajah had foretold; for some of the +fruits and seeds they were taking home to their young ones fell under +the tree, and the seeds took root and sprang up, strong creeping +plants, which twined all round the straight trunks of the banyan tree, +and made it very easy to climb. + +Next time the hunter came by he noticed this, and saying, "Ah, my fine +friends, I've got you at last," he, by the help of the creepers, +climbed the tree, and set one thousand and one snares of fine thread +among the branches; having done which he went away. + +That night, when the parrots flew down on the branches as usual, they +found themselves all caught fast prisoners by the feet. + +"Crick! crick! crick!" cried they, "crick! crick! crick! Oh dear! oh +dear! what shall we do? what can we do? Oh, Vicram Maharajah, you were +right and we were wrong. Oh dear! oh dear! crick! crick! crick!" + +Then Vicram said, "Did I not tell you how it would be? But do as I bid +you, and we may yet be saved. So soon as the hunter comes to take us +away, let every one hang his head down on one side, as if he were +dead; then, thinking us dead, he will not trouble himself to wring our +necks, or stick the heads of those he wishes to keep alive through his +belt, as he otherwise would; but will merely release us, and throw us +on the ground. Let each one when there, remain perfectly still, till +the whole thousand and one are set free, and the hunter begins to +descend the tree; then we will all fly up over his head and far out of +sight." + +The parrots agreed to do as Vicram Maharajah Parrot proposed, and +when the hunter came next morning to take them away, every one had his +eyes shut and his head hanging down on one side, as if he were dead. +Then the hunter said, "All dead, indeed! Then I shall have plenty of +nice currie." And so saying, he cut the noose that held the first, and +threw him down. The parrot fell like a stone to the ground, so did the +second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, the +eighth, the ninth, the tenth, and so on--up to the thousandth parrot. +Now the thousandth and first chanced to be none other than Vicram; all +were released but he. But, just as the hunter was going to cut the +noose round his feet, he let his knife fall, and had to go down and +pick it up again. When the thousand parrots who were on the ground, +heard him coming down, they thought, "The thousand and one are all +released, and here comes the hunter; it is time for us to be off." And +with one accord they flew up into the air and far out of sight, +leaving poor Vicram Maharajah still a prisoner. + +The hunter, seeing what had happened, was very angry, and seizing +Vicram, said to him, "You wretched bird! it's you that have worked all +this mischief. I know it must be, for you are a stranger here, and +different to the other parrots. I'll strangle you, at all events--that +I will." But to his surprise, the parrot answered him, "Do not kill +me. What good will that do you? Rather sell me in the next town. I am +very handsome. You will get a thousand gold mohurs[60] for me." + + [60] About $7,500. + +"A thousand gold mohurs!" answered the hunter, much astonished. "You +silly bird, who'd be so foolish as to give a thousand gold mohurs for +a parrot?" "Never mind," said Vicram, "only take me and try." + +So the hunter took him into the town, crying "Who'll buy? who'll buy? +Come buy this pretty polly that can talk so nicely. See how handsome +he is--see what a great red ring he has round his neck. Who'll buy? +who'll buy?" + +Then several people asked how much he would take for the parrot; but +when he said a thousand gold mohurs, they all laughed and went away, +saying "None but a fool would give so much for a bird." + +At last the hunter got angry, and he said to Vicram, "I told you how +it would be. I shall never be able to sell you." But he answered, "Oh +yes, you will. See here comes a merchant down this way; I dare say he +will buy me." So the hunter went to the merchant and said to him, +"Pray, sir, buy my pretty parrot." "How much do you want for him?" +asked the merchant--"two rupees?"[61] "No, sir," answered the hunter; +"I cannot part with him for less than a thousand gold mohurs." "A +thousand gold mohurs!" cried the merchant, "a thousand gold mohurs! I +never heard of such a thing in my life! A thousand gold mohurs for one +little wee polly! Why, with that sum you might buy a house, or +gardens, or horses, or ten thousand yards of the best cloth. Who's +going to give you such a sum for a parrot? Not I, indeed. I'll give +you two rupees and no more." But Vicram called out, "Merchant, +merchant, do not fear to buy me. I am Vicram Maharajah Parrot. Pay +what the hunter asks, and I will repay it to you--buy me only, and I +will keep your shop." + + [61] About $1. + +"Polly," answered the merchant, "what nonsense you talk!" But he took +a fancy to the bird, and paid the hunter a thousand gold mohurs, and +taking Vicram Maharajah home, hung him up in his shop. + +Then the Parrot took on him the duties of shopman, and talked so much +and so wisely that every one in the town soon heard of the merchant's +wonderful bird. Nobody cared to go to any other shop--all came to his +shop, only to hear the Parrot talk; and he sold them what they wanted, +and they did not care how much he charged for what he sold, but gave +him whatever he asked; insomuch, that in one week the merchant had +made a thousand gold mohurs over and above his usual weekly profits; +and there Vicram Maharajah Parrot lived for a long time, made much of +by everybody, and very happy. + +It happened in the town where the merchant lived there was a very +accomplished Nautch girl,[62] named Champa Ranee.[63] She danced so +beautifully that the people of the town used always to send for her to +dance on the occasion of any great festival. + + [62] Dancing girl. + + [63] The Champa Queen. "The Champa" (_Michelia champaca_) is a + beautiful, sweet-scented yellow flower. + +There also lived in the town a poor wood-cutter, who earned his living +by going out far into the jungle to cut wood, and bringing it in every +day, into the bazaar to sell. + +One day he went out as usual into the jungle to cut wood, and being +tired, he fell asleep under a tree and began to dream; and he dreamed +that he was a very rich man, and that he married the beautiful Nautch +girl, and that he took her home to his house, and gave his wife, as a +wedding present, a thousand gold mohurs! + +When he went into the bazaar that evening as usual to sell wood, he +began telling his dream to his friends, saying, "While I was in the +jungle I had such an absurd dream; I dreamed that I was a rich man, +and that I married the Champa Ranee, and gave her as a wedding present +a thousand gold mohurs!" "What a funny dream!" they cried, and thought +no more of it. + +But it happened that the house under which he was standing whilst +talking to his friends was Champa Ranee's house, and Champa Ranee +herself was near the window, and heard what he said, and thought to +herself, "For all that man looks so poor, he has then a thousand gold +mohurs, or he would not have dreamed of giving them to his wife; if +that is all, I'll go to law about it, and see if I can't get the +money." + +So she sent out her servants and ordered them to catch the poor +wood-cutter; and when they caught him, she began crying out, "Oh +husband! husband! here have I been waiting ever so long, wondering +what has become of you; where have you been all this time?" He +answered, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean. You're a great lady +and I'm a poor wood-cutter; you must mistake me for somebody else." + +But she answered, "Oh no! don't you remember we were married on such +and such a day! Have you forgotten what a grand wedding it was, and +you took me home to your palace, and promised to give me as a wedding +present a thousand gold mohurs? But you quite forgot to give me the +money, and you went away, and I returned to my father's house till I +could learn tidings of you; how can you be so cruel?" + +The poor wood-cutter thought he must be dreaming, but all Champa +Ranee's friends and relations declared that what she said was true. +Then, after much quarreling, they said they would go to law about it; +but the judge could not settle the matter, and referred it to the +Rajah himself. The Rajah was no less puzzled than the judge. The +wood-cutter protested that he was only a poor wood-cutter; but Champa +Ranee and her friends asserted that he was, on the contrary, a rich +man, her husband, and had had much money, which he must have +squandered. She offered, however, to give up all claim to that, if he +would only give her a thousand gold mohurs, which he had promised; and +so suggested a compromise. The wood-cutter replied that he would +gladly give the gold mohurs if he had them; but that (as he brought +witnesses to prove) he was really and truly what he professed to +be--only a poor wood-cutter, who earned two annas[64] a day cutting +wood, and had neither palace nor riches nor wife in the world! The +whole city was interested in this curious case, and all wondered how +it would end; some being sure one side was right, and some equally +certain of the other. + + [64] Six cents. + +The Rajah could make nothing of the matter, and at last he said: "I +hear there is a merchant in this town who has a very wise parrot, +wiser than most men are; let him be sent for to decide this business, +for it is beyond me; we will abide by his decision." + +So Vicram Maharajah Parrot was sent for, and placed in the court of +justice, to hear and judge the case. + +First he said to the wood-cutter, "Tell me your version of the story." +And the wood-cutter answered, "Polly, Sahib, what I tell is true. I am +a poor man. I live in the jungle, and earn my living by cutting wood +and selling it in the bazaar. I never get more than two annas a day. +One day I fell asleep and dreamed a silly dream--how I had become rich +and married the Champa Ranee, and had given her as a wedding present a +thousand gold mohurs; but it is no more true that I owed her a +thousand gold mohurs, or have them to pay, than that I married her." + +"That is enough," said Vicram Maharajah. "Now, dancing girl, tell us +your story." And Champa Ranee gave her version of the matter. Then the +Parrot said to her, "Tell me now where was the house of this husband +of yours, to which he took you?" "Oh!" she answered; "very far away, I +don't know how far, in the jungles." "How long ago was it?" asked he. +"At such and such a time," she replied. Then he called credible and +trustworthy witnesses, who proved that Champa Ranee had never left the +city at the time she mentioned. After hearing whom, the Parrot said to +her, "Is it possible that you can have the folly to think any one +would believe that you would leave your rich and costly home to go a +long journey into the jungle? It is now satisfactorily proved that you +did not do it; you had better give up all claim to the thousand gold +mohurs." + +But this the Nautch girl would not do. The Parrot then called for a +money-lender, and begged of him the loan of a thousand gold mohurs, +which he placed in a great bottle, putting the stopper in, and +sealing it securely down; he then gave it to the Nautch girl, and +said, "Get this money if you can, without breaking the seal or +breaking the bottle." She answered, "It cannot be done." "No more," +replied Vicram Maharajah, "can what you desire be done. You cannot +force a poor man, who has no money in the world, to pay you a thousand +gold mohurs. + +"Let the prisoner go free! Begone, Champa Ranee. Dancing girl! you are +a liar and a thief; go rob the rich if you will, but meddle no more +with the poor." + +All applauded Vicram Maharajah Parrot's decision, and said, "Was ever +such a wonderful bird!" But Champa Ranee was extremely angry, and said +to him, "Very well, nasty polly; nasty, stupid polly! be assured +before long I will get you in my power, and when I do, I will bite off +your head!" + +"Try your worst, madam," answered Vicram; "but in return, I tell you +this--I will live to make you a beggar. Your house shall be, by your +own order, laid even with the ground, and you for grief and rage shall +kill yourself." + +"Agreed," said Champa Ranee; "we will soon see whose words come +true--mine or yours;" and so saying, she returned home. + +The merchant took Vicram Maharajah back to his shop, and a week passed +without adventure; a fortnight passed, but still nothing particular +happened. At the end of this time the merchant's eldest son was +married, and in honor of the occasion, the merchant ordered that a +clever dancing-girl should be sent for, to dance before the guests. +Champa Ranee came, and danced so beautifully that every one was +delighted; and the merchant was much pleased, and said to her, "You +have done your work very well, and in payment you may choose what you +like out of my shop or house, and it shall be yours--whether jewels or +rich cloth, or whatever it is." + +She replied, "I desire nothing of the kind: of jewels and rich stuffs +I have more than enough, but you shall give me your pretty little +parrot; I like it much, and that is the only payment I will take." + +The merchant felt very much vexed, for he had never thought the Nautch +girl would ask for the parrot which he was so fond of, and which had +been so profitable to him; he felt he would rather have parted with +anything he possessed than that; nevertheless, having promised, he was +bound to keep his word, so, with many tears, he went to fetch his +favorite. But Polly cried, "Don't be vexed, master; give me to the +girl; I can take good care of myself." + +So Champa Ranee took Vicram Maharajah Parrot home with her; and no +sooner did she get there than she sent for one of her maids, and said, +"Quick, take this parrot and boil him for my supper; but first cut off +his head and bring it to me on a plate, grilled; for I will eat it +before tasting any other dish." + +"What nonsensical idea is this of our mistress," said the maid to +another, as she took the parrot into the kitchen; "to think of eating +a grilled parrot's head!" "Never mind," said the other; "you'd better +prepare it as she bids you, or she'll be very cross." Then the maid +who had received the order began plucking the long feathers out of +Vicram Maharajah's wings, he all the time hanging down his head, so +that she thought he was dead. Then, going to fetch some water in +which to boil him, she laid him down close to the place where they +washed the dishes. Now, the kitchen was on the ground floor, and there +was a hole right through the wall, into which the water used in +washing the dishes ran, and through which all the scraps, bones, +peelings and parings were washed away after the daily cooking; and in +this hole Vicram Maharajah hid himself, quick as thought. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" cried the maid when she returned. "What can I do? +what will my mistress say? I only turned my back for one moment, and +the parrot's gone." "Very likely," answered the other maid, "some cat +has taken it away. It could not have been alive, and flown or run +away, or I should have seen it go; but never fear, a chicken will do +very well for her instead." + +Then they took a chicken and boiled it, and grilled the head and took +it to their mistress; and she ate it, little bit by little bit, saying +as she did so-- + +"Ah, pretty polly! so here's the end of you! This is the brain that +thought so cunningly and devised my overthrow! this is the tongue that +spoke against me! this is the throat through which came the +threatening words! Aha! who is right now, I wonder?" + +Vicram, in the hole close by, heard her and felt very much alarmed; +for he thought, "If she should catch me after all!" He could not fly +away, for all his wing feathers had been pulled out; so there he had +to stay some time, living on the scraps that were washed into the hole +in the washing of the plates, and perpetually exposed to danger of +being drowned in the streams of water that were poured through it. At +last, however, his new feathers were sufficiently grown to bear him, +and he flew away to a little temple in the jungle some way off, where +he perched behind the idol. + +It happened that Champa Ranee used to go to that temple, and he had +not been there long before she came there to worship her idol. + +She fell on her knees before the image, and began to pray. Her prayer +was that the god would transport her body and soul to heaven (for she +had a horror of dying), and she cried, "Only grant my prayer--only let +this be so, and I will do anything you wish--anything--anything." + +Vicram Maharajah was hidden behind the image and heard her, and said-- + +"Champa Ranee Nautch girl, your prayer is heard!" (She thought the +idol himself was speaking to her, and listened attentively.) "This is +what you must do: sell all you possess, and give the money to the +poor; you must also give money to all your servants and dismiss them. +Level also your house to the ground, that you may be wholly separated +from earth. Then you will be fit for heaven. Come, having done all I +command you, on this day week to this place, and you shall be +transported thither body and soul." + +Champa Ranee believed what she heard, and forgetful of Vicram +Maharajah Parrot's threat, hastened to do as she was bidden. She sold +her possessions, and gave all the money to the poor; razed her house +to the ground, and dismissed her servants; which being accomplished, +on the day appointed she went to the temple, and sat on the edge of a +well outside it, explaining to the assembled people how the idol +himself had spoken to her, and how they would shortly see her caught +up to heaven, and thus her departure from the world would be even +more celebrated than her doings whilst in it. All the people listened +eagerly to her words, for they believed her inspired, and to see her +ascension the whole city had come out, with hundreds and hundreds of +strangers and travelers, princes, merchants and nobles, from far and +near, all full of expectation and curiosity. + +Then, as they waited, a fluttering of little wings was heard, and a +parrot flew over Champa Ranee's head, calling out, "Nautch girl! +Nautch girl! what have you done?" Champa Ranee recognized the voice as +Vicram's; he went on: "Will you go body and soul to heaven? have you +forgotten polly's words?" + +Champa Ranee rushed into the temple, and, falling on her knees before +the idol, cried out, "Gracious Power, I have done all as you +commanded; let your words come true; save me; take me to heaven." + +But the Parrot above her cried, "Good-bye, Champa Ranee, good-bye; you +ate a chicken's head, not mine. Where is your house now? where your +servants and all your possessions? Have my words come true, think you, +or yours?" + +Then the woman saw all, and in her rage and despair, cursing her own +folly, she fell violently down on the floor of the temple, and dashing +her head against the stone, killed herself. + +It was now two years since the Rajah Vicram left his kingdom; and +about six months before, Butti, in despair of his ever returning, had +set out to seek for him. Up and down through many countries had he +gone, searching for his master, but without success. As good fortune +would have it, however, he chanced to be one of those strangers who +had come to witness the Nautch girl's translation, and no sooner did +he see the Parrot which spoke to her than in him he recognized Vicram. +The Rajah also saw him, and flew on to his shoulder, upon which Butti +caught him, put him in a cage and took him home. + +Now was a puzzling problem to be solved. The Rajah's soul was in the +Parrot's body, and the Carpenter's son's soul in the Rajah's body. How +was the latter to be expelled to make way for the former? He could not +return to his own body, for that had perished long before. The Wuzeer +knew not how to manage the matter, and determined therefore to await +the course of events. + +It happened that the pretended Rajah and Butti each had a fighting +ram, and one day the Rajah said to the Wuzeer, "Let us set our rams to +fight to-day, and try the strength of mine against yours." "Agreed," +answered the Wuzeer; and they set them to fight. But there was much +difference in the two rams; for when Butti's ram was but a lamb, and +his horns were growing, Butti had tied him to a lime tree, and his +horns had got very strong indeed by constantly rubbing against its +tender stem and butting against it; but the Carpenter's son had tied +his ram, when a lamb, to a young teak tree, the trunk of which was so +stout and strong that the little creature, butting against it, could +make no impression on it, but only damaged and loosened his own horns. + +The pretended Rajah soon saw, to his vexation, that his favorite's +horns being less strong than its opponent's, he was getting tired, and +beginning to lose courage, would certainly be worsted in the fight; +so, quick as thought, he left his own body and transported his soul +into the ram's body, in order to give it an increase of courage and +resolution, and enable it to win. + +No sooner did Vicram Maharajah, who was hanging up in a cage, see what +had taken place, than he left the parrot's body and re-entered his own +body. Then Butti's ram pushed the other down on its knees and the +Wuzeer ran and fetched a sword, and cut off its head; thus putting an +end, with the life of the ram, to the life of the Carpenter's son. + +Great was the joy of Anar Ranee and all the household at recovering +the Rajah after his long absence; and Anar Ranee prayed him to fly +away no more as a parrot, which he promised her he would not do. + +But the taste for wandering and love of an unsettled life did not +leave him on his resuming his proper form; and one of the things in +which he most delighted was to roam about the jungles near the palace +by himself, without attendant or guide. One very sultry day, when he +was thus out by himself, he wandered over a rocky part of the country, +which was flat and arid, without a tree upon it to offer shelter from +the burning sun. Vicram, tired with his walk, threw himself down by +the largest piece of rock he could find to rest. As he lay there, half +asleep, a little Cobra came out of a hole in the ground, and seeing +his mouth wide open (which looked like some shady cranny in a rock), +crept in and curled himself up in the Rajah's throat. + +Vicram Maharajah called out to the Cobra, "Get out of my throat." But +the Cobra said, "No, I won't go; I like being here better then under +ground;" and there he stayed. Vicram didn't know what to do, for the +Cobra lived in his throat and could not be got out. At times it would +peep out of his mouth, but the moment the Rajah tried to catch it, it +ran back again. + +"Who ever heard of a Rajah in such a miserable plight?" sighed he to +Butti--"to think of having this Cobra in my throat!" + +"Ah, my dear friend," Butti would answer, "why will you go roaming +about the country by yourself? Will you never be cured of it?" + +"If one could only catch this Cobra, I'd be content to wander no +more," said the Rajah, "for my wandering has not brought me much good +of late." But to catch the Cobra was more than any man could do. At +last, one day, Vicram, driven nearly mad in this perplexity, ran away +into the jungle. Tidings of this were soon brought to Butti, who was +much grieved to hear it, and sighed, saying, "Alas! alas! of what +avail to Vicram Maharajah is his more than human wisdom, when the one +unlucky self-chosen gift neutralizes all the good he might do with it! +It has given him a love of wandering hither and thither, minding +everybody's business but his own; his kingdom is neglected, his people +uncared for, and he, that used to be the pride of all Rajahs, the +best, the noblest, has finally slunk out of his country, like a thief +escaping from jail." + +Butti sent messengers far and wide seeking Vicram Maharajah, but they +could not find him; he then determined to go himself in search of his +lost friend; and having made proper arrangements for the government of +the country during his absence, he set off on his travels. + +Meantime Vicram wandered on and on until at last, one day, he came to +the palace of a certain Rajah, who reigned over a country very far +from his own, and he sat down with the beggars at the palace gate. + +Now, the Rajah at whose gate Vicram Maharajah sat had a good and +lovely daughter, named Buccoulee.[65] Many Princes wished to marry +this Princess, but she would marry none of them. Her father and mother +said to her, "Why will you not choose a husband? Among all these +Princes who ask you in marriage there are many rich and powerful--many +handsome and brave--many wise and good; why will you refuse them all?" +The Princess replied, "It is not my destiny to marry any of them; +continually in my dreams I see my destined husband, and I wait for +him." "Who is he?" they asked. "His name," she answered, "is the Rajah +Vicram; he will come from a very far country; he has not come yet." +They replied, "There is no Rajah, far or near, that we know of, of +this name; give over this fancy of yours and marry some one else." + + [65] Said to mean some sort of water-plant. + +But she constantly refused, saying, "No, I will wait for the Rajah +Vicram." Her parents thought, "It may be even as she says. Who knows +but perhaps some day a great King, greater than any we know, may come +to this country and wish to marry the girl; we shall then be glad that +we had not obliged her to marry any of her present suitors?" + +No sooner had Vicram Maharajah come to the palace gate, and sat down +there with the beggars, than the Princess Buccoulee, looking out of +the window, saw him and cried, "There is the husband I saw in my +dreams; there is the Rajah Vicram." "Where, child, where?" said her +mother; "there's no Rajah there; only a parcel of beggars." + +But the Princess persisted that one of them was the Rajah Vicram. +Then the Ranee sent for Vicram Maharajah and questioned him. + +He said his name was "Rajah Vicram." But the Rajah and Ranee did not +believe him; and they were very angry with the Princess because she +persisted in saying that he, and no other, would she marry. At last +they got so enraged with her that they said, "Well, marry your beggar +husband, if you will, but don't think to remain any longer our +daughter after becoming his wife; if you marry him it shall be to +follow his fortunes in the jungle; we shall soon see you repent your +obstinacy." + +"I will marry him and follow him wherever he goes," said the Princess. + +So Vicram Maharajah and the Princess Buccoulee were married, and her +parents turned her out of the house; nevertheless, they allowed her a +little money. "For," they said, "she will fast enough find the +difference between a king's daughter and a beggar's wife, without +wanting food." + +Vicram built a little hut in the jungle, and there they lived; but the +poor Princess had a sad time of it, for she was neither accustomed to +cook nor wash, and the hard work tired her very much. Her chief grief, +however, was that Vicram should have such a hideous tormentor as the +Cobra in his throat; and often and often of a night she sat awake, +trying to devise some means for catching it, but all in vain. + +At last, one night, when she was thinking about it, she saw close by +two Cobras come out of their holes, and as they began to talk, she +listened to hear what they would say. + +"Who are these people?" said the first Cobra. "These," said the +second, "are the Rajah Vicram, and his wife the Princess Buccoulee." +"What are they doing here? why is the Rajah so far from his kingdom?" +asked the first Cobra. + +"Oh, he ran away because he was so miserable; he has a Cobra that +lives in his throat," answered the second. + +"Can no one get it out?" said the first. + +"No," replied the other; "because they do not know the secret." "What +secret?" asked the first Cobra. "Don't you know?" said the second; +"why, if his wife only took a few marking nuts,[66] and pounded them +well, and mixed them in cocoa-nut oil, and set the whole on fire, and +hung the Rajah, her husband, head downward up in a tree above it, the +smoke, rising upward, would instantly kill the Cobra in his mouth, +which would tumble down dead." + + [66] _Semecarpus anacardium._ + +"I never heard of that before," said the first Cobra. + +"Didn't you?" exclaimed the second. "Why, if they did the same thing +at the mouth of your hole, they'd kill you in no time; and then, +perhaps, they might find all the fine treasure you have there!" "Don't +joke in that way," said the first Cobra; "I don't like it;" and he +crawled away quite offended, and the second Cobra followed him. + +No sooner had the Princess heard this than she determined to try the +experiment. So next morning she sent for all the villagers living near +(who all knew and loved her, and would do anything she told them, +because she was the Rajah's daughter), and bade them take a great +cauldron and fill it with cocoa-nut oil, and pound down an immense +number of marking nuts and throw them into it, and then bring the +cauldron to her. They did so, and she set the whole on fire, and +caused Vicram to be hung up in a tree overhead; and as soon as the +smoke from the cauldron rose in the air it suffocated the Cobra in +Vicram Maharajah's throat, which fell down quite dead. Then the Rajah +Vicram said to his wife, "O worthy Buccoulee! what a noble woman you +are! You have delivered me from this torment, which was more than all +the wise men in my kingdom could do." + +Buccoulee then caused the cauldron of oil to be placed close to the +hole of the first Cobra, which she had heard speaking the night +before, and he was suffocated. + +She then ordered the people to dig him out of his hole, and in it they +found a vast amount of treasure--gold, silver and jewels. Then +Buccoulee sent for royal robes for herself and her husband, and bade +him cut his hair and shave him; and when they were all ready, she took +the remainder of the treasure and returned with it to her father's +house; and her father and mother, who had repented of their harshness, +gladly welcomed her back, and were both surprised and delighted to see +all the vast treasures she had, and what a handsome, princely-looking +man her husband was. + +Then one day news was brought to Vicram that a stranger Wuzeer had +arrived in the palace as the Rajah's guest, and that this Wuzeer had +for twelve years been wandering round the world in search of his +master, but, not having found him, was returning to his own home. +Vicram thought to himself, "Can this possibly be Butti?" and he ran to +see. + +It was indeed Butti, who cried for joy to see him, saying, "Oh +Vicram, Vicram! do you know it is twelve years since you left us all?" + +Then Vicram Maharajah told Butti how the good Princess Buccoulee had +married him and succeeded in killing the Cobra, and how he was then on +the point of returning to his own country. So they all set out +together, being given many rich presents by Buccoulee's father and +mother. At last after a long, long journey, they reached home. Anar +Ranee was overjoyed to see them again, for she had long mourned her +husband as dead. When Buccoulee Ranee was told who Anar Ranee was and +taken to see her, she felt very much frightened, for she thought, +"Perhaps she will be jealous of me and hate me." But with a gentle +smile Anar Ranee came to meet her, saying, "Sister, I hear it is to +you we owe the preservation of the Rajah, and that it was you who +killed the Cobra; I can never be sufficiently grateful to you, nor +love you enough, as long as I live." + +From that day Vicram Maharajah stayed in his own kingdom, ruling it +wisely and well, and beloved by all. He and Butti lived to a good old +age, and their affection for each other lasted as long as they lived. +So that it became a proverb in that country, and instead of saying, +"So-and-so love each other like brothers" (when speaking of two who +were much attached), the people would say, "So-and-so love each other +like the Rajah and the Wuzeer." + + + + +[Decoration] + +VIII. + +_LESS INEQUALITY THAN MEN DEEM._ + + +A young Rajah once said to his Wuzeer, "How is it that I am so often +ill? I take care of myself; I never go out in the rain; I wear warm +clothes; I eat good food. Yet I am always catching cold or getting +fever, in spite of all precautions." + +"Overmuch care is worse than none at all," answered the Wuzeer, "which +I will soon prove to you." + +So he invited the Rajah to accompany him for a walk in the fields. +Before they had gone very far they met a poor Shepherd. The Shepherd +was accustomed to be out all day long, tending his flock; he had only +a coarse cloak on, which served but insufficiently to protect him from +the rain and the cold--from the dews by night and the sun by day; his +food was parched corn, his drink water; and he lived out in the fields +in a small hut made of plaited palm branches. The Wuzeer said to the +Rajah, "You know perfectly well what hard lives these poor shepherds +lead. Accost this one, and ask him if he often suffers from the +exposure which he is obliged to undergo." + +The Rajah did as the Wuzeer told him, and asked the Shepherd whether +he did not often suffer from rheumatism, cold and fever. The Shepherd +answered, "Perhaps it will surprise you, sire, to hear that I never +suffer from either the one or the other. From childhood I have been +accustomed to endure the extremes of heat and cold, and I suppose that +is why they never affect me." + +At this the Rajah was very much astonished, and he said to the Wuzeer, +"I own I am surprised; but doubtless this Shepherd is an +extraordinarily strong man, whom nothing would ever affect." "We shall +see," said the Wuzeer; and he invited the Shepherd to the palace. +There, for a long time, the Shepherd was taken great care of; he was +never permitted to go out in the sun or rain, he had good food and +good clothes, and he was not allowed to sit in a draught or get his +feet wet. At the end of some months the Wuzeer sent for him into a +marble courtyard, the floor of which he caused to be sprinkled with +water. + +The Shepherd had been for some time so little used to exposure of any +kind that wetting his feet caused him to take cold; the place felt to +him chilly and damp after the palace; he rapidly became worse, and in +a short time, in spite of all the doctors' care, he died. "Where is +our friend the Shepherd?" asked the Rajah, a few days afterward; "he +surely could not have caught cold merely by treading on the marble +floor you had caused to be sprinkled with water?" + +"Alas!" answered the Wuzeer, "the result was more disastrous than I +had anticipated; the poor Shepherd caught cold and is dead. Having +been lately accustomed to overmuch care, the sudden change of +temperature killed him. + +"You see now to what dangers we are exposed from which the poor are +exempt. It is thus that Nature equalizes her best gifts; wealth and +opulence tend too frequently to destroy health and shorten life, +though they may give much enjoyment to it whilst it lasts." + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +IX. + +_PANCH-PHUL RANEE._ + + +A certain Rajah had two wives, of whom he preferred the second to the +first; the first Ranee had a son, but, because he was not the child of +the second Ranee, his father took a great dislike to him, and treated +him so harshly that the poor boy was very unhappy. + +One day, therefore, he said to his mother: "Mother, my father does not +care for me, and my presence is only a vexation to him. I should be +happier anywhere than here; let me therefore go and seek my fortune in +other lands." + +So the Ranee asked her husband if he would allow their son to travel. +He said, "The boy is free to go, but I don't see how he is to live in +any other part of the world, for he is too stupid to earn his living, +and I will give him no money to squander on senseless pleasures." Then +the Ranee told her son that he had his father's permission to travel, +and said to him, "You are going out into the world now to try your +luck; take with you the food and clothes I have provided for your +journey." And she gave him a bundle of clothes and several small +loaves, and in each loaf she placed a gold mohur, that on opening it, +he might find money as well as food inside; and he started on his +journey. + +When the young Rajah had traveled a long way, and left his father's +kingdom far behind, he one day came upon the outskirts of a great +city, where (instead of taking the position due to his rank, and +sending to inform the Rajah of his arrival) he went to a poor +Carpenter's house, and begged of him a lodging for the night. The +Carpenter was busy making wooden clogs in the porch of his house, but +he looked up and nodded, saying, "Young man, you are welcome to any +assistance a stranger may need and we can give. If you are in want of +food, you will find my wife and daughter in the house: they will be +happy to cook for you." The Rajah went inside and said to the +Carpenter's daughter, "I am a stranger, and have traveled a long way; +I am both tired and hungry: cook me some dinner as fast as you can, +and I will pay you for your trouble." She answered, "I would willingly +cook you some dinner at once, but I have no wood to light the fire, +and the jungle is some way off." "It matters not," said the Rajah; +"this will do to light the fire, and I'll make the loss good to your +father;" and taking a pair of new clogs which the Carpenter had just +finished making, he broke them up and lighted the fire with them. + +Next morning he went into the jungle, cut wood, and, having made a +pair of new clogs--better than those with which he had lighted the +fire the evening before--placed them with the rest of the goods for +sale in the Carpenter's shop. Shortly afterward, one of the servants +of the Rajah of that country came to buy a pair of clogs for his +master, and seeing these new ones, said to the Carpenter, "Why, man, +these clogs are better than all the rest put together. I will take +none other to the Rajah. I wish you would always make such clogs as +these." And throwing down ten gold mohurs on the floor of the hut, he +took up the clogs and went away. + +The Carpenter was much surprised at the whole business. In the first +place, he usually received only two or three rupees for each pair of +clogs; and in the second, he knew that these which the Rajah's servant +had judged worth ten gold mohurs had not been made by him; and how +they had come there he could not think, for he felt certain they were +not with the rest of the clogs the night before. He thought and +thought, but the more he thought about the matter the more puzzled he +got, and he went to talk about it to his wife and daughter. Then his +daughter said, "Oh, those must have been the clogs the stranger made!" +And she told her father how he had lighted the fire the night before +with two of the clogs which were for sale, and had afterward fetched +wood from the jungle and made another pair to replace them. + +The Carpenter at this news was more astonished than ever, and he +thought to himself, "Since this stranger seems a quiet, peaceable sort +of man, and can make clogs so well, it is a great pity he should leave +this place: he would make a good husband for my daughter;" and, +catching hold of the young Rajah, he propounded his scheme to him. +(But all this time he had no idea that his guest was a Rajah.) + +Now the Carpenter's daughter was a very pretty girl--as pretty as any +Ranee you ever saw; she was also good-tempered, clever, and could cook +extremely well. So when the Carpenter asked the Rajah to be his +son-in-law, he looked at the father, the mother and the girl, and +thinking to himself that many a better man had a worse fate, he said, +"Yes, I will marry your daughter, and stay here and make clogs." So +the Rajah married the Carpenter's daughter. + +This Rajah was very clever at making all sorts of things in wood. When +he had made all the clogs he wished to sell next day, he would amuse +himself in making toys; and in this way he made a thousand wooden +parrots. They were as like real parrots as possible. They had each two +wings, two legs, two eyes and a sharp beak. And when the Rajah had +finished them all, he painted and varnished them and put them one +afternoon outside the house to dry. + +Night came on, and with it came Parbuttee and Mahdeo,[67] flying round +the world to see the different races of men. Amongst the many places +they visited was the city where the Carpenter lived; and in the garden +in front of the house they saw the thousand wooden parrots which the +Rajah had made and painted and varnished, all placed out to dry. Then +Parbuttee turned to Mahdeo, and said, "These parrots are very well +made--they need nothing but life. Why should not we give them life?" +Mahdeo answered, "What would be the use of that? It would be a strange +freak, indeed!" "Oh," said Parbuttee, "I only meant you to do it as an +amusement. It would be so funny to see the wooden parrots flying +about! But do not do it if you don't like." "You would like it then?" +answered Mahdeo. "Very well, I will do it." And he endowed the +thousand parrots with life. + + [67] The god Mahdeo is an incarnation of Siva the Destroyer. The + goddess Parbuttee is his wife. + +Parbuttee and Mahdeo then flew away. + +Next morning the Rajah got up early to see if the varnish he had put +on the wooden parrots was dry; but no sooner did he open the door +than--marvel of marvels!--the thousand wooden parrots all came walking +into the house, flapping their wings and chattering to each other. + +Hearing the noise, the Carpenter and the Carpenter's wife and daughter +came running out to see what was the matter, and were not less +astonished than the Rajah himself at the miracle which had taken +place. Then the Carpenter's wife turned to her son-in-law, and said, +"It is all very well that you should have made these wooden parrots; +but I don't know where we are to find food for them! Great, strong +parrots like these will eat not less than a pound of rice a-piece +every day. Your father-in-law and I cannot afford to procure as much +as that for them in this poor house. If you wish to keep them, you +must live elsewhere, for we cannot provide for you all." + +"Very well," said the Rajah; "you shall not have cause to accuse me of +ruining you, for from henceforth I will have a house of my own." So he +and his wife went to live in a house of their own, and he took the +thousand parrots with him, and his mother-in-law gave her daughter +some corn and rice and money to begin housekeeping with. Moreover, he +found that the parrots, that instead of being an expense, were the +means of increasing his fortune; for they flew away every morning +early to get food, and spent the whole day out in the fields; and +every evening, when they returned home, each parrot brought in his +beak a stalk of corn or rice, or whatever it had found good to eat. So +that their master was regularly supplied with more food than enough; +and what with selling what he did not require, and working at his +trade, he soon became quite a rich carpenter. + +After he had been living in this way very happily for some time, one +night, when he fell asleep, the Rajah dreamed a wonderful dream, and +this was the dream: + +He thought that very, very far away beyond the Red Sea was a beautiful +kingdom surrounded by seven other seas; and that it belonged to a +Rajah and Ranee who had one lovely daughter, named Panch-Phul Ranee +(the Five Flower Queen), after whom the whole kingdom was called +Panch-Phul Ranee's country; and that this Princess lived in the centre +of her father's kingdom, in a little house round which were seven wide +ditches, and seven great hedges made of spears; and that she was +called Panch-Phul Ranee because she was so light and delicate that she +weighed no more than five white lotus flowers! Moreover, he dreamed +that this Princess had vowed to marry no one who could not cross the +seven seas, and jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of +spears. + +After dreaming this the young Rajah awoke, and feeling much puzzled, +got up, and sitting with his head in his hands, tried to think the +matter over and discover if he had ever heard anything like his dream +before; but he could make nothing of it. + +Whilst he was thus thinking, his wife awoke and asked him what was the +matter. He told her, and she said, "That is a strange dream. If I were +you, I'd ask the old parrot about it; he is a wise bird, and perhaps +he knows." This parrot of which she spoke was the most wise of all the +thousand wooden parrots. The Rajah took his wife's advice, and when +all the birds came home that evening, he called the old parrot and +told him his dream, saying, "Can this be true?" To which the parrot +replied, "It is all true. The Panch-Phul Ranee's country lies beyond +the Red Sea, and is surrounded by seven seas, and she dwells in a +house built in the centre of her father's kingdom. Round her house are +seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, and she has vowed not +to marry any man who cannot jump these seven ditches and seven hedges; +and because she is very beautiful many great and noble men have tried +to do this, but in vain. + +"The Rajah and Ranee, her father and mother, are very fond of her and +proud of her. Every day she goes to the palace to see them, and they +weigh her in a pair of scales. They put her in one scale and five +lotus flowers in the other, and she's so delicate and fragile she +weighs no heavier than the five little flowers, so they call her the +Panch-Phul Ranee. Her father and mother are very proud of this." + +"I should like to go to that country and see the Panch-Phul Ranee," +said the Rajah; "but I don't know how I could cross the seven seas." +"I will show you how to manage that," replied the old parrot. "I and +another parrot will fly close together, I crossing my left over his +right wing; so that we will move along as if we were one bird (using +only our outside wings to fly with), and on the chair made of our +interlaced wings you shall sit, and we will carry you safely across +the seven seas. On the way we will every evening alight in some high +tree and rest, and every morning we can go on again." "That sounds a +good plan; I have a great desire to try it," said the Rajah. "Wife, +what should you think of my going to the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, +and seeing if I can jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of +spears? Will you let me try?" + +"Yes," she answered. "If you like to go and marry her, go; only take +care that you do not kill yourself; and mind you come back some day." +And she prepared food for him to take with him, and took off her gold +and silver bangles, which she placed in a bundle of warm things, that +he might be in need neither of money nor clothes on the journey. He +then charged the nine hundred and ninety-eight parrots he left behind +him to bring her plenty of corn and rice daily (that she might never +need food while he was away), and took her to the house of her father, +in whose care she was to remain during his absence; and he wished her +good-bye, saying, "Do not fear but that I will come back to you, even +if I do win the Panch-Phul Ranee, for you will always be my first +wife, though you are the Carpenter's daughter." + +The old parrot and another parrot then spread their wings, on which +the Rajah seated himself as on a chair, and rising up in the air, they +flew away with him out of sight. + +Far, far, far they flew, as fast as parrots can fly, over hills, over +forests, over rivers, over valleys, on, on, on, hour after hour, day +after day, week after week, only staying to rest every night when it +got too dark to see where they were going. At last they reached the +seven seas which surrounded the Panch-Phul Ranee's country. When once +they began crossing the seas they could not rest (for there was +neither rock nor island on which to alight), so they were obliged to +fly straight across them, night and day, until they gained the shore. + +By reason of this the parrots were too exhausted on their arrival to +go as far as the city where the Rajah, Panch-Phul Ranee's father, +lived, but they flew down to rest on a beautiful banyan tree, which +grew not far from the sea, close to a small village. The Rajah +determined to go into the village and get food and shelter there. He +told the parrots to stay in the banyan tree till his return; then, +leaving his bundle of clothes and most of his money in their charge, +he set off on foot toward the nearest house. + +After a little while he reached a Malee's cottage, and giving a gold +mohur to the Malee's wife, got her to provide him with food and +shelter for the night. + +Next morning he rose early, and said to his hostess, "I am a stranger +here, and know nothing of the place. What is the name of your +country?" "This," she said, "is Panch-Phul Ranee's country." + +"And what is the last news in your town?" he asked. "Very bad news +indeed," she replied. "You must know our Rajah has one only +daughter--a most beautiful Princess--and her name is Panch-Phul Ranee, +for she is so light and delicate that she weighs no heavier than five +lotus flowers. After her this whole country is called Panch-Phul +Ranee's country. She lives in a small bungalow[68] in the centre of +the city you see yonder; but, unluckily for us, she has vowed to marry +no man who cannot jump on foot over the seven hedges made of spears, +and across the seven great ditches that surround her house. This +cannot be done, Babamah![69] I don't know how many hundreds of +thousands of Rajahs have tried to do it and died in the attempt! Yet +the Princess will not break her vow. Daily, worse and worse tidings +come from the city of fresh people having been killed in trying to +jump the seven hedges and seven ditches, and I see no end to the +misfortunes that will arise from it. Not only are so many brave men +lost to the world, but, since the Princess will marry no one who does +not succeed in this, she stands a chance of not marrying at all; and +if that be so, when the Rajah dies there will be no one to protect her +and claim the right to succeed to the throne. All the nobles will +probably fight for the Raj, and the whole kingdom be turned +topsy-turvy." + + [68] House. + + [69] Oh, my child. + +"Mahi,"[70] said the Rajah, "if that is all there is to do, I will try +and win your Princess, for I can jump right well." + + [70] Woman or mother. + +"Baba,"[71] answered the Malee's wife, "do not think of such a thing; +are you mad? I tell you, hundreds of thousands of men have said these +words before, and been killed for their rashness. What power do you +think you possess to succeed where all before you have failed? Give up +all thought of this, for it is utter folly." + + [71] Child. + +"I will not do it," answered the Rajah, "before going to consult some +of my friends." + +So he left the Malee's cottage, and returned to the banyan tree to +talk over the matter with the parrots; for he thought they would be +able to carry him on their wings across the seven ditches and seven +hedges made of spears. When he reached the tree the old parrot said to +him, "It is two days since you left us; what news have you brought +from the village?" The Rajah answered, "The Panch-Phul Ranee still +lives in the house surrounded by the seven ditches, and seven hedges +made of spears, and has vowed to marry no man who cannot jump over +them; but cannot you parrots, who brought me all the way over the +seven seas, carry me on your wings across these great barriers?" + +"You stupid man!" answered the old parrot; "of course we could; but +what would be the good of doing so? If we carried you across, it would +not be at all the same thing as your jumping across, and the Princess +would no more consent to marry you than she would now; for she has +vowed to marry no one who has not jumped across _on foot_. If you want +to do the thing, why not do it yourself, instead of talking nonsense. +Have you forgotten how, when you were a little boy, you were taught to +jump by conjurors and tumblers (for the parrot knew all the Rajah's +history)? Now is the time to put their lessons in practice. If you can +jump the seven ditches, and seven hedges made of spears, you will have +done a good work, and be able to marry the Panch-Phul Ranee; but if +not, this is a thing in which we cannot help you." + +"You reason justly," replied the Rajah. "I will try to put in practice +the lessons I learnt when a boy; meantime, do you stay here till my +return." + +So saying, he went away to the city, which he reached by nightfall. +Next morning early he went to where the Princess' bungalow stood, to +try and jump the fourteen great barriers. He was strong and agile, and +he jumped the seven great ditches, and six of the seven hedges made of +spears; but in running to jump the seventh hedge he hurt his foot, +and, stumbling, fell upon the spears and died--run through and through +with the cruel iron spikes. + +When Panch-Phul Ranee's father and mother got up that morning and +looked out, as their custom was, toward their daughter's bungalow, +they saw something transfixed upon the seventh hedge of spears, but +what it was they could not make out, for it dazzled their eyes. So the +Rajah called his Wuzeer and said to him, "For some days I have seen no +one attempt to jump the seven hedges and seven ditches round +Panch-Phul Ranee's bungalow; but what is that which I now see upon the +seventh hedge of spears?" The Wuzeer answered, "That is a Rajah's son, +who has failed like all who have gone before him." "But how is it," +asked the Rajah, "that he thus dazzles our eyes?" + +"It is," replied the Wuzeer, "because he is so beautiful. Of all that +have died for the sake of Panch-Phul Ranee, this youth is, beyond +doubt, the handsomest." "Alas!" cried the Rajah, "how many and how +many brave men has my daughter killed? I will have no more die for +her. Let us send her and the dead man together away into the jungle." + +Then he ordered the servants to fetch the young Rajah's body. There he +lay, still and beautiful, with a glory shining round him as the +moonlight shines round the clear bright moon, but without a spark of +life. + +When the Rajah saw him, he said, "Oh pity, pity, that so brave and +handsome a boy should have come dying after this girl! Yet he is but +one of the thousands of thousands who have died thus to no purpose. +Pull up the spears and cast them into the seven ditches, for they +shall remain no longer." + +Then he commanded two palanquins to be prepared and men in readiness +to carry them, and said, "Let the girl be married to the young Rajah, +and let both be taken far away into the jungle, that we may never see +them more. Then there will be quiet in the land again." + +The Ranee, Panch-Phul Ranee's mother, cried bitterly at this, for she +was very fond of her daughter, and she begged her husband not to send +her away so cruelly--the living with the dead; but the Rajah was +inexorable. "That poor boy died," he said: "let my daughter die too. +I'll have no more men killed here." + +So the two palanquins were prepared. Then he placed his daughter in +the one, and her dead husband in the other, and said to the +palkee-bearers, "Take these palkees and go out into the jungle until +you have reached a place so desolate that not so much as a sparrow is +to be seen, and there leave them both." + +And so they did. Deep down in the jungle, where no bright sun could +pierce the darkness, nor human voice be heard, far from any habitation +of man or means of supporting life, on the edge of a dank, stagnant +morass that was shunned by all but noisome reptiles and wandering +beasts of prey, they set them down and left them, the dead husband and +the living wife, alone to meet the horrors of the coming night--alone, +without a chance of rescue. + +Panch-Phul Ranee heard the bearers' retreating footsteps, and their +voices getting fainter and fainter in the distance, and felt that she +had nothing to hope for but death. + +Night seemed coming on apace, for though the sun had not set, the +jungle was so dark that but little light pierced the gloom; and she +thought she would take a last look at the husband her vow had killed, +and sitting beside him wait till starvation should make her as he was, +or some wild animal put a more speedy end to her sufferings. + +She left her palkee and went toward his. There he lay with closed +eyes and close-shut lips: black curling hair, which escaped from under +his turban, concealed a ghastly wound on his temple. There was no look +of pain on the face, and the long, sweeping eyelashes gave it such a +tender, softened expression she could hardly believe that he was dead. +He was, in truth, very beautiful; and watching him she said to +herself, "Alas, what a noble being is here lost to the world! what an +earth's joy is extinguished! Was it for this that I was cold, and +proud, and stern--to break the cup of my own happiness and to be the +death of such as you? Must you now never know that you won your wife? +Must you never hear her ask your pardon for the past, nor know her +cruel punishment? Ah, if you had but lived, how dearly I would have +loved you! Oh my husband! my husband!" And sinking down on the ground, +she buried her face in her hands and cried bitterly. + +While she was sitting thus night closed over the jungle, and brought +with it wild beasts that had left their dens and lairs in search of +prey--to roam about, as the heat of the day was over. Tigers, lions, +elephants and bison, all came by turns crushing through the underwood +which surrounded the place where the palkees were, but they did no +harm to Panch-Phul Ranee, for she was so fair that not even the cruel +beasts of the forest would injure her. At last, about four o'clock in +the morning, all the wild animals had gone, except two little jackals, +who had been very busy watching the rest and picking the bones left by +the tigers. Tired with running about, they lay down to rest close to +the palkees. Then one little jackal said to the other, who was her +husband, "Do tell me a little story." "Dear me!" he exclaimed, "what +people you women are for stories! Well, look just in front of you; do +you see those two?" "Yes," she answered; "what of them?" "That woman +you see sitting on the ground," he said, "is the Panch-Phul Ranee." +"And what son of a Rajah is the man in the palkee?" asked she. "That," +he replied, "is a very sorrowful son. His father was so unkind to him +that he left his own home, and went to live in another country very +far from this; and there he dreamed about the Panch-Phul Ranee, and +came to our land in order to marry her, but he was killed in jumping +the seventh hedge of spears, and all he gained was to die for her +sake." + +"That is very sad," said the first little jackal; "but could he never +by any chance come to life again?" "Yes," answered the other; "may be +he could, if only some one knew how to apply the proper remedies." +"What are the proper remedies, and how could he be cured?" asked the +lady jackal. (Now all this conversation had been heard by Panch-Phul +Ranee, and when this question was asked she listened very eagerly and +attentively for the answer.) + +"Do you see this tree?" replied her husband. "Well, if some of its +leaves were crushed, and a little of the juice put into the Rajah's +two ears and upon his upper lip, and some upon his temples also, and +some upon the spear-wounds in his side, he would come to life again +and be as well as ever." + +At this moment day dawned, and the two little jackals ran away. +Panch-Phul Ranee did not forget their words. She, a Princess born, who +had never put her foot to the ground before (so delicately and +tenderly had she been reared), walked over the rough clods of earth +and the sharp stones till she reached the place where the tree grew of +which the jackals had spoken. She gathered a number of its leaves, +and, with hands and feet that had never before done coarse or common +work, beat and crushed them down. They were so stiff and strong that +it took her a long time. At last, after tearing them, and stamping on +them, and pounding them between two stones, and biting the hardest +parts, she thought they were sufficiently crushed; and rolling them up +in a corner of her saree, she squeezed the juice through it on to her +husband's temples, and put a little on his upper lip and into his +ears, and some also on the spear-wound in his side. And when she had +done this, he awoke as if he had been only sleeping, and sat up, +wondering where he was. Before him stood Panch-Phul Ranee shining like +a glorious star, and all around them was the dark jungle. + +It would be hard to say which of them was the most astonished--the +Rajah or the Princess. She was surprised that the remedy should have +taken such speedy effect, and could hardly believe her eyes when she +saw her husband get up. And if he looked beautiful when dead, much +more handsome did he seem to her now, so full of life and animation +and power--the picture of health and strength. And he in his turn was +lost in amazement at the exquisite loveliness of the lady who stood +before him. He did not know who she could be, for he had never seen +her like except in a dream. Could she be really the world-renowned +Panch-Phul Ranee, or was he dreaming still? He feared to move lest he +should break the spell. But as he sat there wondering, she spoke, +saying, "You marvel at what has taken place. You do not know me--I am +Panch-Phul Ranee, your wife." + +Then he said, "Ah, Princess, is it indeed you? You have been very hard +to me." "I know, I know," she answered; "I caused your death, but I +brought you to life again. Let the past be forgotten; come home with +me, and my father and mother will welcome you as a son." + +He replied, "No, I must first return to my own home a while. Do you +rather return there now with me, for it is a long time since I left +it, and afterward we will come again to your father's kingdom." + +To this Panch-Phul Ranee agreed. It took them, however, a long time to +find their way out of the jungle. At last they succeeded in doing so, +for none of the wild animals in it attempted to injure them, so +beautiful and royal did they both look. + +When they reached the banyan tree, where the Rajah had left the two +parrots, the old parrot called out to him, "So you have come back at +last! We thought you never would, you were such a long time away! +There you went, leaving us here all the time, and after all doing no +good, but only getting yourself killed. Why didn't you do as we +advised you, and jump up nicely?" + +"Well, I'm sure," said the Rajah, "yours is a hard case; but I beg +your pardon for keeping you waiting so long, and now I hope you'll +take me and my wife home." + +"Yes, we will do that," answered the parrots; "but you had better get +some dinner first, for it's a long journey over the seven seas." + +So the Rajah went to the village close by and bought food for himself +and the Panch-Phul Ranee. When he returned with it, he said to her, "I +fear the long journey before us for you: had you not better let me +make it alone, and return here for you when it is over?" But she +answered, "No! what could I, a poor, weak woman, do here alone? and I +will not return to my father's house till you can come too. Take me +with you, however far you go; only promise me you will never leave +me." So he promised her, and they both, mounting the parrots, were +carried up in the air across the seven seas, across the Red Sea, on, +on, on, a whole year's journey, until they reached his father's +kingdom, and alighted to rest at the foot of the palace garden. The +Rajah, however, did not know where he was, for all had much changed +since he left it some years before. + +Then a little son was born to the Rajah and Panch-Phul Ranee. He was a +beautiful child, but his father was grieved to think that in that +bleak place there was no shelter for the mother or the baby. So he +said to his wife, "I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of rest for you. Do not be afraid; I shall soon return." Now, far off +in the distance smoke was to be seen rising from tents which belonged +to some conjurors and dancing-people, and thither the Rajah bent his +steps, feeling certain he should be able to get fire, and perhaps food +also, from the inhabitants. When he got there, he found the place was +much larger than he had expected--quite a good-sized village in +fact--the abode of Nautch-people and conjurors. In all the houses the +people were busy, some dancing, some singing, others trying various +conjuring tricks or practising beating the drum, and all seemed happy +and joyful. + +When the conjurors saw him, they were so much struck with his +appearance (for he was very handsome) that they determined to make +him, if possible, stay among them and join their band. And they said +one to another, "How well he would look beating the drum for the +dancers! All the world would come to see us dance, if we had such a +handsome man as that to beat the drum." + +The Rajah, unconscious of their intentions, went into the largest hut +he saw, and said to a woman who was grinding corn, "Bai,[72] give me a +little rice, and some fire from your hearth." She immediately +consented, and got up to fetch the burning sticks he asked for; but +before she gave them to him, she and her companions threw upon them a +certain powder, containing a very potent charm; and no sooner did the +Rajah receive them than he forgot about his wife and little child, his +journey, and all that had ever happened to him in his life before; +such was the peculiar property of the powder. And when the conjurors +said to him, "Why should you go away? stay with us, and be one of us," +he willingly consented to do so. + + [72] Woman. + +All this time Panch-Phul Ranee waited and waited for her husband, but +he never came. Night approached without his having brought her any +food or news of having found a place of shelter for her and the baby. +At last, faint and weary, she swooned away. + +It happened that that very day the Ranee (Panch-Phul Ranee's husband's +mother) lost her youngest child, a fine little boy of only a day old; +and her servants took its body to the bottom of the garden to bury +it. Just as they were going to do so, they heard a low cry, and, +looking round, saw close by a beautiful woman lying on the ground, +dead, or apparently so, and beside her a fine little baby boy. The +idea immediately entered their heads of leaving the dead baby beside +the dead woman, and taking her living baby back with them to the +palace; and so they did. + +When they returned, they said to their mistress, "Your child did not +die; see here it is--it got well again," and showed her Panch-Phul +Ranee's baby; but after a time, when the Ranee questioned them about +it, they told her the whole truth, but she had become meanwhile very +fond of the little boy, and so he continued in the palace and was +brought up as her son; being, in truth, her grandson, though she did +not know it. + +Meantime the palace Malee's wife went out, as her custom was every +morning, and evening, to gather flowers. In search of them she +wandered as far as the jungle at the bottom of the garden, and there +she found the Panch-Phul Ranee lying as dead, and the dead baby beside +her. + +The good woman felt very sorry, and rubbed the Ranee's cold hands and +gave her sweet flowers to smell, in hopes that she might revive. At +last she opened her eyes, and seeing the Malee's wife, said, "Where am +I? has not my husband come back? and who are you?" + +"My poor lady," answered the Malee's wife, "I do not know where your +husband is. I am the Malee's wife, and coming here to gather flowers, +I found you lying on the ground, and this your little baby, which is +dead; but come home with me, I will take care of you." + +Panch-Phul Ranee answered, "Kind friend, this is not my baby; he did +not die; he was the image of his father, and fairer than this child. +Some one must have taken him away, for but a little while ago I held +him in my arms, and he was strong and well, while this one could never +have been more than a puny, weakly infant. Take me away; I will go +home with you." + +So the Malee's wife buried the dead child and took the Panch-Phul +Ranee to her house, where she lived for fourteen years; but all that +time she could learn no tidings of her husband or her lost little boy. +The child, meanwhile, grew up in the palace, and became a very +handsome youth. One day he was wandering round the garden and chanced +to pass the Malee's house. The Panch-Phul Ranee was sitting within, +watching the Malee's wife cook their dinner. + +The young Prince saw her, and calling the Malee's wife, said to her, +"What beautiful lady is that in your house? and how did she come +there?" She answered, "Little Prince, what nonsense you talk! there is +no lady here." He said again, "I know there is a beautiful lady here, +for I saw her as I passed the open door." She replied, "If you come +telling such tales about my house, I'll pull your tongue out." For she +thought to herself, "Unless I scold him well, the boy'll go talking +about what he's seen in the palace, and then perhaps some of the +people from there will come and take the poor Panch-Phul Ranee away +from my care." But whilst the Malee's wife was talking to the young +Prince, the Panch-Phul Ranee came from the inner room to watch and +listen to him unobserved; and no sooner did she see him than she could +not forbear crying out, "Oh, how like he is to my husband! The same +eyes, the same shaped face and the same king-like bearing! Can he be +my son? He is just the age my son would have been had he lived." + +The young Prince heard her speaking and asked what she said, to which +the Malee's wife replied, "The woman you saw, and who just now spoke, +lost her child fourteen years ago, and she was saying to herself how +like you were to that child, and thinking you must be the same; but +she is wrong, for we know you are the Ranee's son." Then Panch-Phul +Ranee herself came out of the house, and said to him, "Young Prince, I +could not, when I saw you, help exclaiming how like you are to what my +lost husband was, and to what my son might have been; for it is now +fourteen years since I lost them both." And she told him how she had +been a great Princess, and was returning with her husband to his own +home (to which they had got halfway in reaching that place), and how +her little baby had been born in the jungle, and her husband had gone +away to seek shelter for her and the child, and fire and food, and had +never returned; and also how, when she had fainted away, some one had +certainly stolen her baby and left a dead child in its place; and how +the good Malee's wife had befriended her, and taken her ever since to +live in her house. And when she had ended her story she began to cry. + +But the Prince said to her, "Be of good cheer; I will endeavor to +recover your husband and child for you: who knows but I may indeed be +your son, beautiful lady?" And running home to the Ranee (his adopted +mother), he said to her, "Are you really my mother? Tell me truly; for +this I must know before the sun goes down." "Why do you ask foolish +questions?" she replied; "have I not always treated you as a son?" +"Yes," he said; "but tell me the very truth, am I your own child, or +the child of some one else, adopted as yours? If you do not tell me, I +will kill myself." And so saying, he drew his sword. She replied, +"Stay, stay, and I will tell you the whole truth: the day before you +were born I had a little baby, but it died; and my servants took it to +the bottom of the garden to bury it, and there they found a beautiful +woman lying as dead, and beside her a living infant. You were that +child. They brought you to the palace, and I adopted you as my son, +and left my baby in your stead." "What became of my mother?" he asked. +"I cannot tell," answered the Ranee; "for, two days afterward, when I +sent to the same place, she and the baby had both disappeared, and I +have never since heard of her." + +The young Prince, on hearing this, said, "There is in the head Malee's +house a beautiful lady, whom the Malee's wife found in the jungle, +fourteen years ago; that must be my mother. Let her be received here +this very day with all honor, for that is the only reparation that can +now be made to her." + +The Ranee consented, and the young Prince went down to the Malee's +house himself to fetch his mother to the palace. + +With him he took a great retinue of people, and a beautiful palanquin +for her to go in, covered with rich trappings; also costly things for +her to wear, and many jewels and presents for the good Malee's wife. + +When Panch-Phul Ranee had put on her son's gifts, and come out of the +Malee's poor cottage to meet him, all the people said there had never +been so royal-looking a queen. As gold and clear crystal are lovely, +as mother-of-pearl is exquisitely fair and delicate-looking, so +beautiful, so fair, so delicate appeared Panch-Phul Ranee. + +Her son conducted her with much pomp and state to the palace, and did +all in his power to honor her; and there she lived long very happily, +and beloved by all. + +One day the young Prince begged her to tell him again, from the +beginning, the story of her life, and as much as she knew of his +father's life; and so she did. And after that, he said to her, "Be no +longer sad, dear mother, regarding my father's fate; for I will send +into all lands to gather tidings of him, and maybe in the end we shall +find him." And he sent people out to hunt for the Rajah all over the +kingdom, and in all neighboring countries--to the north, to the south, +to the east and to the west--but they found him not. + +At last (after four years of unsuccessful search), when there seemed +no hope of ever learning what had become of him, Panch-Phul Ranee's +son came to see her, and said, "Mother, I have sent into all lands +seeking my father, but can hear no news of him. If there were only the +slightest clue as to the direction in which he went, there would still +be some chance of tracing him, but that, I fear, cannot be got. Do you +not remember his having said anything of the way which he intended to +go when he left you?" She answered, "When your father went away, his +words to me were, 'I will go to fetch food for us both, and fire to +cook it with, and inquire what this country is, and seek out a place +of shelter for you. Do not be afraid--I shall soon return.' That was +all he said, and then he went away, and I never saw him more." + +"In what direction did he go from the foot of the garden?" asked the +Prince. "He went," answered the Panch-Phul Ranee, "toward that +village of conjurors close by. I thought he was intending to ask some +of them to give us food. But had he done so, he would certainly have +returned in a very short time." + +"Do you think you should know my father, mother darling, if you were +to see him again?" asked the Prince. "Yes," answered she, "I should +know him again." "What!" he said, "even though eighteen years have +gone by since you saw him last? Even though age and sickness and want +had done their utmost to change him?" "Yes!" she replied; "his every +feature is so impressed on my heart that I should know him again +anywhere or in any disguise." + +"Then let us," he said, "send for all those people in the direction of +whose houses he went away. Maybe they have detained him among them to +this day. It is but a chance, but we can hope for nothing more +certain." + +So the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son sent down orders to the conjurors' +village that every one of the whole band should come up to the palace +that afternoon--not a soul was to stay behind. And the dancers were to +dance and the conjurors to play all their tricks for the amusement of +the palace inmates. + +The people came. The nautch girls began to dance--running, jumping and +flying here, there and everywhere, some up, some down, some round and +round. The conjurors conjured and all began in different ways to amuse +the company. Among the rest was one wild, ragged-looking man, whose +business was to beat the drum. No sooner did the Panch-Phul Ranee set +eyes on him than she said to her son, "Boy, that is your father!" +"What, mother!" he said, "that wretched-looking man who is beating the +drum?" "The same," she answered. + +The Prince said to his servants, "Fetch that man here." And the Rajah +came toward them, so changed that not even his own mother knew him--no +one recognized him but his wife. For eighteen years he had been among +the nautch people; his hair was rough, his beard untrimmed, his face +thin and worn, sunburnt and wrinkled; he wore a nose-ring and heavy +ear-rings, such as the nautch people have; and his dress was a rough, +common cumlee.[73] All traces of his former self seemed to have +disappeared. They asked him if he did not remember he had been a Rajah +once, and about his journey to Panch-Phul Ranee's country. But he +said, No, he remembered nothing but how to beat the drum--Rub-a-dub! +tat-tat! tom-tum! tom-tum! He thought he must have beaten it all his +life. + + [73] A coarse woolen blanket. + +Then the young Prince gave orders that all the nautch people should be +put into jail until it could be discovered what part they had taken in +reducing his father to so pitiable a state. And sending for the wisest +doctors in the kingdom, he said to them, "Do your best and restore the +health of this Rajah, who has to all appearance lost both memory and +reason; and discover, if possible, what has caused these misfortunes +to befall him." The doctors said, "He has certainly had some potent +charm given to him, which has destroyed both his memory and reason, +but we will do our best to counteract its influence." + +And so they did. And their treatment succeeded so well that, after a +time, the Rajah entirely recovered his former senses. And they took +such good care of him that in a little while he regained his health +and strength also, and looked almost as well as ever. + +He then found to his surprise that he, Panch-Phul Ranee, and their +son, had all this time been living in his father's kingdom. His father +was so delighted to see him again that he was no longer unkind to him, +but treated him as a dearly beloved, long-lost son. His mother also +was overjoyed at his return, and they said to him, "Since you have +been restored to us again, why should you wander any more? Your wife +and son are here; do you also remain here, and live among us for the +rest of your days." But he replied, "I have another wife--the +Carpenter's daughter--who first was kind to me in my adopted country. +I also have there nine hundred and ninety-eight talking wooden +parrots, which I greatly prize. Let me first go and fetch them." + +They said, "Very well; go quickly and then return." So he mounted the +two wooden parrots which had brought him from the Panch-Phul Ranee's +country (and which had for eighteen years lived in the jungle close to +the palace), and returned to the land where his first wife lived, and +fetched her and the nine hundred and ninety-eight remaining wooden +parrots to his father's kingdom. Then his father said to him, "Don't +have any quarreling with your half-brother after I am dead" (for his +half-brother was son of the old Rajah's favorite wife). "I love you +both dearly, and will give each of you half of my kingdom." So he +divided the kingdom into two halves, and gave the one half to the +Panch-Phul Ranee's husband, who was the son of his first wife, and the +other half to the eldest son of his second but favorite wife. + +A short time after this arrangement was made, Panch-Phul Ranee said to +her husband, "I wish to see my father and mother again before I die; +let me go and see them." He answered, "You shall go, and I and our son +will also go." So he called four of the wooden parrots--two to carry +himself and the Ranee, and two to carry their son. Each pair of +parrots crossed their wings; the young Prince sat upon the two wings +of one pair, and on the wings of the other pair sat his father and +mother. Then they all rose up in the air, and the parrots carried them +(as they had before carried the Rajah alone), up, up, up, on, on, on, +over the Red Sea, and across the seven seas, until they reached the +Panch-Phul Ranee's country. + +Panch-Phul Ranee's father saw them come flying through the air as +quickly as shooting stars, and much wondering who they were, he sent +out many of his nobles and chief officers to inquire. + +The nobles went out to meet them, and called out, "What great Rajah is +this who is dressed so royally, and comes flying through the air so +fast? Tell us, that we may tell our Rajah." + +The Rajah answered, "Go and tell your master that this is Panch-Phul +Ranee's husband, come to visit his father-in-law." So they took that +answer back to the palace, but when the Rajah heard it, he said, "I +cannot tell what this means, for the Panch-Phul Ranee's husband died +long ago. It is twenty years since he fell upon the iron spears and +died; let us, however, all go and discover who this great Rajah really +is." And he and all his court went out to meet the new-comers, just as +the parrots had alighted close to the palace gate. The Panch-Phul +Ranee took her son by the one hand and her husband by the other, and +walking to meet her father, said, "Father, I have come to see you +again. This is my husband who died, and this boy is my son." Then all +the land was glad to see the Panch-Phul Ranee back, and the people +said, "Our Princess is the most beautiful Princess in the world, and +her husband is as handsome as she is, and her son is a fair boy; we +will that they should always live among us and reign over us." + +When they had rested a little, the Panch-Phul Ranee told her father +and mother the story of all her adventures from the time she and her +husband were left in the palkees in the jungle. And when they had +heard it, her father said to the Rajah, her husband, "You must never +go away again; for see, I have no son but you. You and your son must +reign here after me. And behold all this great kingdom will I now give +you, if you will only stay with us; for I am old and weary of +governing the land." + +But the Rajah answered, "I must return once again to my own country, +and then I will stay with you as long as I live." + +So, leaving the Panch-Phul Ranee and her son with the old Rajah and +Ranee, he mounted his parrots and once more returned to his father's +land. And when he had reached it, he said to his mother, "Mother, my +father-in-law has given me a kingdom ten thousand times larger than +this. So I have but returned to bid you farewell and fetch my first +wife, and then I must go back to live in that other land." She +answered, "Very well; so you are happy anywhere, I am happy too." + +He then said to his half-brother, "Brother, my father-in-law has given +me all the Panch-Phul Ranee's country, which is very far away; +therefore I give up to you the half of this kingdom that my father +gave to me." Then, bidding his father farewell, he took the +Carpenter's daughter back with him (riding through the air on two of +the wooden parrots, and followed by the rest) to the Panch-Phul +Ranee's country, and there he and his two wives and his son lived very +happily all their mortal days. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +X. + +_HOW THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE WIND WENT OUT TO DINNER._ + + +One day the Sun, the Moon and the Wind went out to dine with their +uncle and aunt, the Thunder and Lightning. Their mother (one of the +most distant Stars you see far up in the sky) waited alone for her +children's return. + +Now both the Sun and the Wind were greedy and selfish. They enjoyed +the great feast that had been prepared for them, without a thought of +saving any of it to take home to their mother; but the gentle Moon did +not forget her. Of every dainty dish that was brought round she placed +a small portion under one of her beautiful long finger-nails, that the +Star might also have a share in the treat.[74] + + [74] See Notes at the end. + +On their return, their mother, who had kept watch for them all night +long with her little bright eye, said, "Well, children, what have you +brought home for me?" Then the Sun (who was eldest) said, "I have +brought nothing home for you. I went out to enjoy myself with my +friends, not to fetch a dinner for my mother!" And the Wind said, +"Neither have I brought anything home for you, mother. You could +hardly expect me to bring a collection of good things for you, when I +merely went out for my own pleasure." But the Moon said, "Mother, +fetch a plate; see what I have brought you." And shaking her hands she +showered down such a choice dinner as never was seen before. + +Then the Star turned to the Sun and spoke thus: "Because you went out +to amuse yourself with your friends, and feasted and enjoyed yourself +without any thought of your mother at home, you shall be cursed. +Henceforth, your rays shall ever be hot and scorching, and shall burn +all that they touch. And men shall hate you and cover their heads when +you appear." + +(And that is why the Sun is so hot to this day.) + +Then she turned to the Wind and said: "You also, who forgot your +mother in the midst of your selfish pleasures, hear your doom. You +shall always blow in the hot, dry weather, and shall parch and shrivel +all living things. And men shall detest and avoid you from this very +time." + +(And that is why the Wind in the hot weather is still so +disagreeable.) + +But to the Moon she said: "Daughter, because you remembered your +mother, and kept for her a share in your own enjoyment, from +henceforth you shall be ever cool and calm and bright. No noxious +glare shall accompany your pure rays, and men shall always call you +'blessed.'" + +(And that is why the Moon's light is so soft and cool and beautiful +even to this day.) + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XI. + +_SINGH RAJAH AND THE CUNNING LITTLE JACKALS._ + + +Once upon a time, in a great jungle, there lived a great Lion. He was +Rajah of all the country round; and every day he used to leave his +den, in the deepest shadow of the rocks, and roar with a loud, angry +voice; and when he roared, the other animals in the jungle, who were +all his subjects, got very much frightened and ran here and there; and +Singh Rajah would pounce upon them and kill them, and gobble them up +for his dinner. + +This went on for a long, long time, until, at last, there were no +living creatures left in the jungle but two little Jackals--a Rajah +Jackal and a Ranee Jackal--husband and wife. + +A very hard time of it the poor little Jackals had, running this way +and that to escape the terrible Singh Rajah; and every day the little +Ranee Jackal would say to her husband, "I am afraid he will catch us +to-day; do you hear how he is roaring? Oh dear! oh dear!" And he would +answer her, "Never fear; I will take care of you. Let us run on a mile +or two. Come, come quick, quick, quick." And they would both run away +as fast as they could. + +After some time spent in this way, they found, however, one fine day, +that the Lion was so close upon them that they could not escape. Then +the little Ranee Jackal said, "Husband, husband, I feel much +frightened. The Singh Rajah is so angry he will certainly kill us at +once. What can we do?" But he answered, "Cheer up; we can save +ourselves yet. Come, and I'll show you how we may manage it." + +So what did these cunning little Jackals do but they went to the great +Lion's den; and when he saw them coming, he began to roar and shake +his mane, and he said, "You little wretches, come and be eaten at +once! I have had no dinner for three whole days, and all that time I +have been running over hill and dale to find you. Ro-a-ar! Ro-a-ar! +Come and be eaten, I say!" and he lashed his tail and gnashed his +teeth, and looked very terrible indeed. Then the Jackal Rajah, +creeping quite close up to him, said, "Oh, great Singh Rajah, we all +know you are our master, and we would have come at your bidding long +ago; but indeed, sir, there is a much bigger Rajah even than you in +this jungle, and he tried to catch hold of us and eat us up, and +frightened us so much that we were obliged to run away." + +"What do you mean?" growled Singh Rajah. "There is no king in this +jungle but me!" "Ah, sire," answered the Jackal, "in truth one would +think so, for you are very dreadful. Your very voice is death. But it +is as we say, for we, with our own eyes, have seen one with whom you +could not compete--whose equal you can no more be than we are +yours--whose face is as flaming fire, his step as thunder, and his +power supreme." "It is impossible!" interrupted the old Lion; "but +show me this Rajah of whom you speak so much, that I may destroy him +instantly!" + +Then the little Jackals ran on before him until they reached a great +well, and pointing down to his own reflection in the water, they said, +"See, sire, there lives the terrible king of whom we spoke." When +Singh Rajah looked down the well, he became very angry, for he thought +he saw another Lion there. He roared and shook his great mane, and the +shadow Lion shook his and looked terribly defiant. At last, beside +himself with rage at the violence of his opponent, Singh Rajah sprang +down to kill him at once, but no other Lion was there--only the +treacherous reflection--and the sides of the well were so steep that +he could not get out again to punish the two Jackals, who peeped over +the top. After struggling for some time in the deep water, he sank to +rise no more. And the little Jackals threw stones down upon him from +above, and danced round and round the well, singing, "Ao! Ao! Ao! Ao! +The King of the Forest is dead, is dead! We have killed the great Lion +who would have killed us! Ao! Ao! Ao! Ao! Ring-a-ting--ding-a-ting! +Ring-a-ting--ding-a-ting! Ao! Ao! Ao!"[75] + + [75] See Notes at the end. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XII. + +_THE JACKAL, THE BARBER AND THE BRAHMIN WHO HAD SEVEN DAUGHTERS._ + + +A Barber and a Jackal once struck up a great friendship, which might +have continued to this day, had not the Jackal been so clever that the +Barber never felt quite on equal terms with him, and suspected his +friend of playing him many tricks. But this he was not able to prove. + +One day the Jackal said to the Barber, "It would be a nice thing for +us to have a garden of our own, in which we might grow as many +cucumbers, pumpkins and melons as we like. Why should we not buy one?" + +The Barber answered, "Very well; here is money. Do you go and buy us a +garden." So the Jackal took the Barber's money, and with it bought a +fine garden, in which were cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, figs, and many +other good fruits and vegetables. And he used to go there every day +and feast to his heart's content. When, however, the Barber said to +him, "What is the garden like which you bought with the money I gave +you?" he answered, "There are very fine plants in it, but there is no +fruit upon them; when the fruit is ripe I will let you know." This +reply satisfied the Barber, who inquired no further at that time. + +A little while afterward, the Barber again asked the Jackal about the +garden, saying, "I see you go down to that garden every day; is the +fruit getting ripe?" "Oh dear no, not yet," answered the Jackal; "why, +the plants are only just coming into blossom." + +But all this time there was a great deal of fruit in the garden, and +the Jackal went there every day and ate as much as he could. + +Again, a third time, when some weeks had passed, the Barber said to +him, "Is there no ripe fruit in our garden yet?" "No," said the +Jackal; "the blossoms have only just fallen, but the fruit is forming. +In time we shall have a fine show of melons and figs there." + +Then the Barber began to think the Jackal was deceiving him, and +determined to see and judge for himself. So next day, without saying +anything about it, he followed him down to the garden. + +Now it happened that very day the Jackal had invited all his friends +to come and feast there. All the animals in the neighboring jungle had +accepted the invitation; there they came trooping by hundreds and +dozens, and were very merry indeed--running here and there, and eating +all the melons and cucumbers and figs and pumpkins in the place. + +The Barber peeped over the hedge, and saw the assembled wild beasts, +and his friend the Jackal entertaining them--talking to this one, +laughing with that, and eating with all. The good man did not dare to +attack the intruders, as they were many and powerful. But he went home +at once, very angry, muttering to himself, "I'll be the death of that +young jackanapes; he shall play no more pranks in my garden." And, +watching his opportunity, he returned there when the Jackal and all +his friends had left, and tied a long knife to the largest of the +cucumbers that still remained; then he went home and said nothing of +what he had seen. + +Early next morning the Jackal thought to himself, "I'll just run down +to the garden and see if there are no cucumbers or melons left." So he +went there, and, picking out the largest of the cucumbers, began to +eat it. Quick as thought, the long knife, that was concealed by the +cucumber leaves, ran into him, cutting his muzzle, his neck and his +side. + +"Ah, that nasty Barber!" he cried; "this must be his doing!" And +instead of going home, he ran as fast as he could, very far, far, away +into the jungle, and stretching himself out on a great flat rock, +prepared to die. + +But he did not die. Only for three whole days the pain in his neck and +side was so great that he could not move; moreover, he felt very weak +from loss of blood. + +At the end of the third day he tried to get up, but his own blood had +sealed him to the stone! He endeavored to move it by his struggles, +but could not succeed. "Oh dear! oh dear!" he murmured; "to think that +I should recover from my wound, only to die such a horrible death as +this! Ah me! here is the punishment of dishonesty!" And, having said +this, he began to weep. It chanced, however, that the god of Rain +heard his lamentations, and taking pity on the unfortunate animal, he +sent a kindly shower, which, wetting the stone, effected his release. + +No sooner was the Jackal set free than he began to think what he could +do to earn a livelihood, since he did not dare return to the Barber's +house. It was not long before a feasible plan struck him: all around +was the mud made by the recent rain; he placed a quantity of it in a +small chattee, covered the top over carefully with leaves (as people +do jars of fresh butter), and took it into a neighboring village to +sell. + +At the door of one of the first houses to which he came stood a woman, +to whom the Jackal said, "Mahi, here is butter--beautiful fresh +butter! won't you buy some fresh butter?" She answered, "Are you sure +it is quite fresh? Let me see it." But he replied, "It is perfectly +fresh; but if you open the chattee now, it will be all spoilt by the +time you want it. If you like to buy it, you may take it; if not, I +will sell it to some one else." The woman did want some fresh butter, +and the chattee the Jackal carried on his head was carefully fastened +up, as if what it contained was of the best; and she knew if she +opened it, it might spoil before her husband returned home; besides, +she thought, if the Jackal had intended to deceive her, he would have +been more pressing in asking her to buy it. So she said, "Very well, +give me the chattee; here is money for you. You are sure it is the +best butter?" "It is the best of its kind," answered the Jackal; "only +be sure you put it in some cool place, and don't open it till it is +wanted." And taking the money, he ran away. + +A short time afterward the woman discovered how she had been cheated, +and was very angry; but the Jackal was by that time far away, out of +reach of punishment. + +When his money was spent, the Jackal felt puzzled as to how to get a +living, since no one would give him food and he could buy none. +Fortunately for him, just then one of the bullocks belonging to the +village died. The Jackal found it lying dead by the road-side, and he +began to eat it, and ate, and ate so much that at last he had got too +far into the animal's body to be seen by passers-by. Now the weather +was hot and dry. Whilst the Jackal was in it, the bullock's skin +crinkled up so tightly with the heat that it became too hard for him +to bite through, and so he could not get out again. + +The Mahars[76] of the village all came out to bury the dead bullock. +The Jackal, who was inside it, feared that if they caught him they +would kill him, and that if they did not discover him, he would be +buried alive; so on their approach he called out, "People, people, +take care how you touch me, for I am a great saint." The poor people +were very much frightened when they heard the dead bullock talking, +and thought that some mighty spirit must indeed possess it.[77] "Who +are you, sir, and what do you want?" they cried. "I," answered the +Jackal, "am a very holy saint. I am also the god of your village, and +I am very angry with you because you never worship me nor bring me +offerings." "O my Lord," they cried, "what offerings will please you? +Tell us only, and we will bring you whatever you like." "Good," he +replied. "Then you must fetch here plenty of rice, plenty of flowers +and a nice fat chicken; place them as an offering beside me, and pour +a great deal of water over them, as you do at your most solemn feasts, +and I will forgive you your sins." The Mahars did as they were +commanded. They placed some rice and flowers, and the best chicken +they could procure, beside the bullock, and poured water over it and +the offering. Then, no sooner did the dry, hard bullock's skin get +wetted than it split in many places, and to the surprise of all his +worshipers, the Jackal jumped out, seized the chicken in his mouth, +and ran away with it through the midst of them into the jungle. The +Mahars ran after him over hedges and ditches for many, many miles, but +he got away in spite of them all. + + [76] The lowest caste, employed as scavengers in every village. + + [77] See Notes at the end. + +On, on he ran--on, on, for a very long way--until at last he came to a +place where a little kid lived under a little sicakai[78] tree. All +her relations and friends were away, and when she saw him coming she +thought to herself, "Unless I frighten this Jackal, he will eat me." +So she ran as hard as she could up against the sicakai tree, which +made all the branches shake and the leaves go rustle, rustle, rustle. +And when the Jackal heard the rustling noise he got frightened, and +thought it was all the little kid's friends coming to help her. And +she called out to him, "Run away, Jackal, run away. Thousands and +thousands of Jackals have run away at that sound--run away for your +life." And the Jackal was so frightened that he ran away. So, he who +had deceived so many was outwitted by a simple little kid! + + [78] _Acacia concinna._ + +After this the Jackal found his way back to his own village, where the +Barber lived, and there for some time he used to prowl round the +houses every night and live upon any bones he could find. The +villagers did not like his coming, but did not know how to catch him, +until one night his old friend the Barber (who had never forgiven him +for stealing the fruit from the garden) caught him in a great net, +having before made many unsuccessful attempts to do so. "Aha!" cried +the Barber, "I've got you at last, my friend. You did not escape death +from the cucumber-knife for nothing! you won't get away this time. +Here, wife! wife! see what a prize I've got." The Barber's wife came +running to the door, and the Barber gave her the Jackal (after he had +tied all his four legs firmly together with a strong rope), and said +to her, "Take this animal into the house, and be sure you don't let +him escape, while I go and get a knife to kill him with." + +The Barber's wife did as she was bid, and taking the Jackal into the +house, laid him down on the floor. But no sooner had the Barber gone +than the Jackal said to her, "Ah, good woman, your husband will return +directly and put me to death. For the love of heaven, loosen the rope +round my feet before he comes, for one minute only, and let me drink a +little water from that puddle by the door, for my throat is parched +with thirst." "No, no, friend Jackal," answered the Barber's wife. "I +know well enough what you'll do. No sooner shall I have untied your +feet than you will run away, and when my husband returns and finds you +are gone, he will beat me." + +"Indeed, indeed, I will not run away," he replied. "Ah, kind mother, +have pity on me, only for one little moment." Then the Barber's wife +thought, "Well, it is hard not to grant the poor beast's last request; +he will not live long enough to have many more pleasures." So she +untied the Jackal's legs and held him by a rope, that he might drink +from the puddle. But quick as possible, he gave a jump and a twist +and a pull, and, jerking the rope out of her hand, escaped once more +into the jungle. + +For some time he roamed up and down, living on what he could get in +this village or that, until he had wandered very far away from the +country where the Barber lived. At last one day, by chance, he passed +a certain cottage, in which there dwelt a very poor Brahmin, who had +seven daughters. + +As the Jackal passed by, the Brahmin was saying to himself, "Oh dear +me! what can I do for my seven daughters? I shall have to support them +all my life, for they are much too poor ever to get married. If a dog +or a jackal were to offer to take one off my hands, he should have +her." Next day the Jackal called on the Brahmin, and said to him, "You +said yesterday, if a jackal or a dog were to offer to marry one of +your daughters, you would let him have her; will you, therefore accept +me as a son-in-law?" + +The poor Brahmin felt very much embarrassed, but it was certain he had +said the words, and therefore he felt in honor bound not to retract, +although he had little dreamed of ever being placed in such a +predicament. Just at that moment all the seven daughters began crying +for bread, and the father had no bread to give them. Observing this, +the Jackal continued, "Let me marry one of your seven daughters and I +will take care of her. It will at least leave you one less to provide +for, and I will see that she never needs food." Then the Brahmin's +heart was softened, and he gave the Jackal his eldest daughter in +marriage, and the Jackal took her home to his den in the high rocks. + +Now you will say there never was a Jackal so clever as this. Very +true, for this was not a common Jackal, or he could never have done +all that I have told you. This Jackal was, in fact, a great Rajah in +disguise, who, to amuse himself, took the form of a Jackal; for he was +a great magician as well as a great prince. + +The den to which he took the Brahmin's daughter looked like quite a +common hole in the rocks on the outside, but inside it was a splendid +palace, adorned with silver, and gold, and ivory and precious stones. +But even his own wife did not know that he was not always a Jackal, +for the Rajah never took his human form except every morning very +early, when he used to take off the jackal skin and wash it and brush +it, and put it on again. + +After he and his wife, the Brahmin's daughter, had lived up in their +home in the rocks happily for some time, who should the Jackal see one +day but his father-in-law, the old Brahmin, climbing up the hill to +come and pay him a visit. The Jackal was vexed to see the Brahmin, for +he knew he was very poor, and thought he had most likely come to beg; +and so it was. The Brahmin said to him, "Son-in-law, let me come into +your cave and rest a little while. I want to ask you to help me, for I +am very poor and much in need of help." + +"Don't go into my cave," said the Jackal; "it is but a poor hole, not +fit for you to enter" (for he did not wish his father-in-law to see +his fine palace); "but I will call my wife, that you may see I have +not eaten her up, and she and you and I will talk over the matter, and +see what we can do for you." + +So the Brahmin, the Brahmin's daughter and the Jackal all sat down on +the hill-side together, and the Brahmin said, "I don't know what to do +to get food for myself, my wife and my six daughters. Son-in-law +Jackal, cannot you help me?" "It is a difficult business," answered +the Jackal, "but I'll do what I can for you;" and he ran to his cave +and fetched a large melon, and gave it to the Brahmin, saying, +"Father-in-law, you must take this melon, and plant it in your garden, +and when it grows up sell all the fruit you find upon it, and that +will bring you in some money." So the Brahmin took the melon home with +him and planted it in his garden. + +By next day the melon that the Jackal had given him had grown up in +the Brahmin's garden into a fine plant, covered with hundreds of +beautiful ripe melons. The Brahmin, his wife and family were overjoyed +at the sight. And all the neighbors were astonished, and said, "How +fast that fine melon plant has grown in the Brahmin's garden!" + +Now it chanced that a woman who lived in a house close by wanted some +melons, and seeing what fine ones these were, she went down at once to +the Brahmin's house and bought two or three from the Brahmin's wife. +She took them home with her and cut them open; but then, lo and +behold! marvel of marvels! what a wonderful sight astonished her! +Instead of the thick white pulp she expected to see, the whole of the +inside of the melon was composed of diamonds, rubies and emeralds, and +all the seeds were enormous pearls. She immediately locked her door, +and taking with her all the money she had, ran back to the Brahmin's +wife and said to her, "Those were very good melons you sold me; I like +them so much that I will buy all the others on your melon plant." And +giving her the money, she took home all the rest of the melons. Now +this cunning woman told none of her friends of the treasure she had +found, and the poor, stupid Brahmin and his family did not know what +they had lost, for they had never thought of opening any of the +melons; so that for all the precious stones they sold they only got a +few pice, which was very hard. Next day, when they looked out of the +window, the melon plant was again covered with fine ripe melons, and +again the woman who had bought those which had grown the day before +came and bought them all. And this went on for several days. There +were so many melons, and all the melons were so full of precious +stones, that the woman who bought them had enough to fill the whole of +one room in her house with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls. + +At last, however, the wonderful melon plant began to wither, and when +the woman came to buy melons one morning, the Brahmin's wife was +obliged to say to her, in a sad voice, "Alas! there are no more melons +on our melon plant." And the woman went back to her own house very +much disappointed. + +That day the Brahmin and his wife and children had no money in the +house to buy food with, and they all felt very unhappy to think that +the fine melon plant had withered. But the Brahmin's youngest +daughter, who was a clever girl, thought, "Though there are no more +melons fit to sell on our melon plant, perhaps I may be able to find +one or two shriveled ones, which, if cooked, will give us something +for dinner." So she went out to look, and searching carefully amongst +the thick leaves, found two or three withered little melons still +remaining. These she took into the house and began cutting them up to +cook, when--more wonderful than wonderful!--within each little melon +she found a number of small emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls! The +girl called her father and mother, and her five sisters, crying, "See +what I have found! See these precious stones and pearls. I dare say +inside all the melons we sold there were as good or better than these. +No wonder that woman was so anxious to buy them all! See, father--see, +mother--see, sisters!" + +Then they were all overjoyed to see the treasure, but the Brahmin +said, "What a pity we have lost all the benefit of my son-in-law the +Jackal's good gift by not knowing its worth! I will go at once to that +woman, and try and make her give us back the melons she took." + +So he went to the melon-buyer's house, and said to her, "Give me back +the melons you took from me, who did not know their worth." She +answered, "I don't know what you mean." He replied, "You were very +deceitful; you bought melons full of precious stones from us poor +people, who did not know what they were worth, and you only paid for +them the price of common melons: give me some of them back, I pray +you." But she said, "I bought common melons from your wife, and made +them all into common soup long ago; therefore talk no further nonsense +about jewels, but go about your business." And she turned him out of +the house. Yet all this time she had a whole roomful of the emeralds, +diamonds, rubies and pearls that she had found in the melons the +Brahmin's wife had sold her. + +The Brahmin returned home and said to his wife, "I cannot make that +woman give me back any of the melons you sold her; but give me the +precious stones our daughter has just found, and I will sell them to +a jeweler and bring home some money." So he went to the town, and +took the precious stones to a jeweler, and said to him, "What will you +give me for these?" But no sooner did the jeweler see them than he +said, "How could such a poor man as you become possessed of such +precious stones? You must have stolen them: you are a thief! You have +stolen these from my shop, and now come to sell them to me!" + +"No, no, sir; indeed no, sir," cried the Brahmin. "Thief, thief!" +shouted the jeweler. "In truth, no sir," said the Brahmin; "my +son-in-law, the Jackal, gave me a melon plant, and in one of the +melons I found these jewels." "I don't believe a word you say," +screamed the jeweler (and he began beating the Brahmin, whom he held +by the arm); "give up those jewels which you have stolen from my +shop." "No, I won't," roared the Brahmin; "oh! oh-o! oh-o-o! don't +beat me so; I didn't steal them." But the jeweler was determined to +get the jewels; so he beat the Brahmin and called the police, who came +running up to his assistance, and shouted till a great crowd of people +had collected round his shop. Then he said to the Brahmin, "Give me up +the jewels you stole from me, or I'll give you to the police, and you +shall be put in jail." The Brahmin tried to tell his story about his +son-in-law, the Jackal, but of course nobody believed him; and he was +obliged to give the precious stones to the jeweler in order to escape +the police, and to run home as fast as he could. And every one thought +the jeweler was very kind to let him off so easily. + +All his family were very unhappy when they heard what had befallen +him. But his wife said, "You had better go again to our son-in-law, +the Jackal, and see what he can do for us." So next day the Brahmin +climbed the hill again, as he had done before, and went to call upon +the Jackal. When the Jackal saw him coming he was not very well +pleased. So he went to meet him, and said, "Father-in-law, I did not +expect to see you again so soon." "I merely came to see how you were," +answered the Brahmin, "and to tell you how poor we are; and how glad +we should be of any help you can give us." "What have you done with +all the melons I gave you?" asked the Jackal. "Ah," answered the +Brahmin, "that is a sad story!" And beginning at the beginning, he +related how they had sold almost all the melons without knowing their +value; and how the few precious stones they had found had been taken +from him by the jeweler. When the Jackal heard this he laughed very +much, and said, "I see it is no use giving such unfortunate people as +you gold or jewels, for they will only bring you into trouble. Come, +I'll give you a more useful present." So, running into his cave, he +fetched thence a small chattee, and gave it to the Brahmin, saying, +"Take this chattee; whenever you or any of the family are hungry, you +will always find in it as good a dinner as this." And putting his paw +into the chattee, he extracted thence currie and rice, pilau,[79] and +all sorts of good things, enough to feast a hundred men; and the more +he took out of the chattee, the more remained inside. + + [79] Meat cooked with almonds, raisins and spice. + +When the Brahmin saw the chattee and smelt the good dinner, his eyes +glistened for joy; and he embraced the Jackal, saying, "Dear +son-in-law, you are the only support of our house." And he took his +new present carefully home with him. + +After this, for some time, the whole family led a very happy life, +for they never wanted good food; every day the Brahmin, his wife and +his six daughters found inside the chattee a most delicious dinner; +and every day, when they had dined, they placed it on a shelf, to find +it replenished when next it was needed. + +But it happened that hard by there lived another Brahmin, a very great +man, who was much in the Rajah's confidence; and this man smelt daily +the smell of a very nice dinner, which puzzled him a good deal. The +rich Brahmin thought it smelt even nicer than his own dinner, for +which he paid so much, and yet it seemed to come from the poor +Brahmin's little cottage. So one day he determined to find out all +about it; and, going to call on his neighbor, he said to him, "Every +day, at about twelve o'clock, I smell such a very nice dinner--much +nicer than my own; and it seems to come from your house. You must live +on very good things, I think, although you seem to every one to be so +very poor." + +Then, in the pride of his heart, the poor Brahmin invited his rich +neighbor to come and dine with him, and lifting the magic chattee down +from the shelf, took out of it such delicate fare as the other had +never before tasted. And in an evil hour he proceeded to tell his +friend of the wondrous properties of the chattee, which his +son-in-law, the Jackal, had given him, and how it never was empty. No +sooner had the great man learnt all this than he went to the Rajah, +and said to him, "There is a poor Brahmin in the town who possesses a +wonderful chattee, which is always filled with the most delicious +dinner. I should not feel authorized to deprive him of it; but if it +pleased your Highness to take it from him, he could not complain." +The Rajah, hearing this, determined to see and taste for himself. So +he said, "I should very much like to see this chattee with my own +eyes." And he accompanied the rich Brahmin to the poor Brahmin's +house. The poor Brahmin was overjoyed at being noticed by the Rajah +himself, and gladly exhibited the various excellences of the chattee; +but no sooner did the Rajah taste the dinner it contained than he +ordered his guards to seize it and take it away to the palace, in +spite of the Brahmin's tears and protestations. Thus, for a second +time, he lost the benefit of his son-in-law's gift. + +When the Rajah had gone, the Brahmin said to his wife, "There is +nothing to be done but to go again to the Jackal, and see if he can +help us." "If you don't take care, you'll put him out of all patience +at last," answered she. "I can't think why you need have gone talking +about our chattee!" + +When the Jackal heard the Brahmin's story, he became very cross, and +said, "What a stupid old man you were to say anything about the +chattee! But see, here is another, which may aid you to get back the +first. Take care of it, for this is the last time I will help you." +And he gave the Brahmin a chattee, in which was a stout stick tied to +a very strong rope. "Take this," he said, "into the presence of those +who deprived you of my other gifts, and when you open the chattee, +command the stick to beat them; this it will do so effectually that +they will gladly return you what you have lost; only take care not to +open the chattee when you are alone, or the stick that is in it will +punish your rashness." + +The Brahmin thanked his son-in-law, and took away the chattee, but he +found it hard to believe all that had been said. So, going through the +jungle on his way home, he uncovered it, just to peep in and see if +the stick were really there. No sooner had he done this than out +jumped the rope, out jumped the stick; the rope seized him and bound +him to a tree, and the stick beat him, and beat him, and beat him, +until he was nearly killed. "Oh dear! oh dear!" screamed the Brahmin; +"what an unlucky man I am! Oh dear! oh dear! stop, please stop! good +stick, stop! what a very good stick this is!" But the stick would not +stop, but beat him so much that he could hardly crawl home again. + +Then the Brahmin put the rope and stick back again into the chattee, +and sent to his rich neighbor and to the Rajah, and said to them, "I +have a new chattee, much better than the old one; do come and see what +a fine one it is." And the rich Brahmin and the Rajah thought, "This +is something good; doubtless there is a choice dinner in this chattee +also, and we will take it from this foolish man, as we did the other." +So they went down to meet the Brahmin in the jungle, taking with them +all their followers and attendants. Then the Brahmin uncovered his +chattee, saying, "Beat, stick, beat! beat them every one!" and the +stick jumped out, and the rope jumped out, and the rope caught hold of +the Rajah and the rich Brahmin and all their attendants, and tied them +fast to the trees that grew around, and the stick ran from one to +another, beating, beating, beating--beating the Rajah, beating his +courtiers--beating the rich Brahmin, beating his attendants, and +beating all their followers; while the poor Brahmin cried with all his +might, "Give me back my chattee! give me back my chattee!" + +At this the Rajah and his people were very much frightened, and +thought they were going to be killed. And the Rajah said to the +Brahmin, "Take away your stick, only take away your stick, and you +shall have back your chattee." So the Brahmin put the stick and rope +back into the chattee, and the Rajah returned him the dinner-making +chattee. And all the people felt very much afraid of the Brahmin, and +respected him very much. + +Then he took the chattee containing the rope and stick to the house of +the woman who had bought the melons, and the rope caught her and the +stick beat her; and the Brahmin cried, "Return me those melons! return +me those melons!" And the woman said, "Only make your stick stop +beating me and you shall have back all the melons." So he ordered the +stick back into the chattee, and she returned him them forthwith--a +whole roomful of melons full of diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies. + +The Brahmin took them home to his wife, and going into the town, with +the help of his good stick, forced the jeweler who had deprived him of +the little emeralds, rubies, diamonds and pearls he had taken to sell +to give them back to him again, and having accomplished this, he +returned to his family; and from that time they all lived very +happily. Then, one day, the Jackal's wife invited her six sisters to +come and pay her a visit. Now the youngest sister was more clever than +any of the others; and it happened that, very early in the morning, +she saw her brother-in-law, the Jackal, take off the jackal skin and +wash it and brush it, and hang it up to dry; and when he had taken +off the jackal-skin coat, he looked the handsomest prince that ever +was seen. Then his little sister-in-law ran, quickly and quietly, and +stole away the jackal-skin coat, and threw it on the fire and burnt +it. And she awoke her sister, and said, "Sister, sister, your husband +is no longer a jackal; see, that is he standing by the door." So the +Jackal Rajah's wife ran to the door to meet her husband, and because +the jackal's skin was burnt, and he could wear it no longer, he +continued to be a man for the rest of his life, and gave up playing +all jackal-like pranks; and he and his wife, and his father and mother +and sisters-in-law, lived very happily all the rest of their days. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XIII. + +_TIT FOR TAT._ + + +There once lived a Camel and a Jackal who were great friends. One day +the Jackal said to the Camel, "I know that there is a fine field of +sugar-cane on the other side of the river. If you will take me across, +I'll show you the place. This plan will suit me as well as you. You +will enjoy eating the sugar-cane, and I am sure to find many crabs, +bones and bits of fish by the river-side, on which to make a good +dinner." + +The Camel consented and swam across the river, taking the Jackal, who +could not swim, on his back. When they reached the other side, the +Camel went to eating the sugar-cane, and the Jackal ran up and down +the river bank devouring all the crabs, bits of fish and bones he +could find. + +But being so much smaller an animal, he had made an excellent meal +before the Camel had eaten more than two or three mouthfuls; and no +sooner had he finished his dinner than he ran round and round the +sugar-cane field, yelping and howling with all his might. + +The villagers heard him, and thought, "There is a Jackal among the +sugar-canes; he will be scratching holes in the ground and spoiling +the roots of the plants." And they all went down to the place to drive +him away. But when they got there they found to their surprise not +only a Jackal, but a Camel who was eating the sugar-canes! This made +them very angry, and they caught the poor Camel and drove him from the +field and beat him and beat him, until he was nearly dead. + +When they had gone, the Jackal said to the Camel, "We had better go +home." And the Camel said, "Very well; then jump upon my back, as you +did before." + +So the Jackal jumped upon the Camel's back, and the Camel began to +recross the river. When they had got well into the water, the Camel +said, "This is a pretty way in which you have treated me, friend +Jackal. No sooner had you finished your own dinner than you must go +yelping about the place loud enough to arouse the whole village, and +bring all the villagers down to beat me black and blue, and turn me +out of the field before I had eaten two mouthfuls! What in the world +did you make such a noise for?" + +"I don't know," said the Jackal. "It is a custom I have. I always like +to sing a little after dinner." + +The Camel waded on through the river. The water reached up to his +knees--then above them--up, up, up, higher and higher, until he was +obliged to swim. Then turning to the Jackal, he said, "I feel very +anxious to roll." "Oh, pray don't; why do you wish to do so?" asked +the Jackal. "I don't know," answered the Camel. "It is a custom I +have. I always like to have a little roll after dinner." So saying, he +rolled over in the water, shaking the Jackal off as he did so. And the +Jackal was drowned, but the Camel swam safely ashore. + + + + +[Decoration] + +XIV. + +_THE BRAHMIN, THE TIGER AND THE SIX JUDGES._ + + +Once upon a time, a Brahmin, who was walking along the road, came upon +an iron cage, in which a great Tiger had been shut up by the villagers +who caught him. + +As the Brahmin passed by, the Tiger called out and said to him, +"Brother Brahmin, brother Brahmin, have pity on me, and let me out of +this cage for one minute only to drink a little water, for I am dying +of thirst." The Brahmin answered, "No, I will not; for if I let you +out of the cage you will eat me." + +"Oh, father of mercy," answered the Tiger, "in truth that will I not. +I will never be so ungrateful; only let me out, that I may drink some +water and return." Then the Brahmin took pity on him and opened the +cage door; but no sooner had he done so than the Tiger, jumping out, +said, "Now, I will eat you first and drink the water afterward." But +the Brahmin said, "Only do not kill me hastily. Let us first ask the +opinion of six, and if all of them say it is just and fair that you +should put me to death, then I am willing to die." "Very well," +answered the Tiger, "it shall be as you say; we will first ask the +opinion of six." + +So the Brahmin and the Tiger walked on till they came to a Banyan +tree; and the Brahmin said to it, "Banyan tree, Banyan tree, hear and +give judgment." "On what must I give judgment?" asked the Banyan tree. +"This Tiger," said the Brahmin, "begged me to let him out of his cage +to drink a little water, and he promised not to hurt me if I did so; +but now, that I have let him out, he wishes to eat me. Is it just that +he should do so or no?" + +The Banyan tree answered, "Men often come to take shelter in the cool +shade under my boughs from the scorching rays of the sun; but when +they have rested, they cut and break my pretty branches and wantonly +scatter my leaves. Let the Tiger eat the man, for men are an +ungrateful race." + +At these words the Tiger would have instantly killed the Brahmin; but +the Brahmin said, "Tiger, Tiger, you must not kill me yet, for you +promised that we should first hear the judgment of six." "Very well," +said the Tiger, and they went on their way. After a little while they +met a Camel. "Sir Camel, Sir Camel," cried the Brahmin, "hear and give +judgment." "On what shall I give judgment?" asked the Camel. And the +Brahmin related how the Tiger had begged him to open the cage door, +and promised not to eat him if he did so; and how he had afterward +determined to break his word, and asked if that were just or not. The +Camel replied, "When I was young and strong, and could do much work, +my master took care of me and gave me good food; but now that I am +old, and have lost all my strength in his service, he overloads me and +starves me, and beats me without mercy. Let the Tiger eat the man, for +men are an unjust and cruel race." + +The Tiger would then have killed the Brahmin, but the latter said, +"Stop, Tiger, for we must first hear the judgment of six." + +So they both went again on their way. At a little distance they found +a Bullock lying by the road-side. The Brahmin said to him, "Brother +Bullock, brother Bullock, hear and give judgment." "On what must I +give judgment?" asked the Bullock. The Brahmin answered, "I found this +Tiger in a cage, and he prayed me to open the door and let him out to +drink a little water, and promised not to kill me if I did so; but +when I had let him out he resolved to put me to death. Is it fair he +should do so or no?" The Bullock said, "When I was able to work my +master fed me well and tended me carefully, but now I am old he has +forgotten all I did for him, and left me by the road-side to die. Let +the Tiger eat the man, for men have no pity." + +Three out of the six had given judgment against the Brahmin, but still +he did not lose all hope, and determined to ask the other three. + +They next met an Eagle flying through the air, to whom the Brahmin +cried, "O Eagle, great Eagle, hear and give judgment?" "On what must I +give judgment?" asked the Eagle. The Brahmin stated the case, but the +Eagle answered, "Whenever men see me they try to shoot me; they climb +the rocks and steal away my little ones. Let the Tiger eat the man, +for men are the persecutors of the earth." + +Then the Tiger began to roar, and said, "The judgment of all is +against you, O Brahmin." But the Brahmin answered, "Stay yet a little +longer, for two others must first be asked." After this they saw an +Alligator, and the Brahmin related the matter to him, hoping for a +more favorable verdict. But the Alligator said, "Whenever I put my +nose out of the water men torment me and try to kill me. Let the Tiger +eat the man, for as long as men live we shall have no rest." + +The Brahmin gave himself up as lost; but again he prayed the Tiger to +have patience and let him ask the opinion of the sixth judge. Now the +sixth was a Jackal. The Brahmin told his story, and said to him, +"Mama[80] Jackal, mama Jackal, say what is your judgment?" The Jackal +answered, "It is impossible for me to decide who is in the right and +who in the wrong unless I see the exact position in which you were +when the dispute began. Show me the place." So the Brahmin and the +Tiger returned to the place where they first met, and the Jackal went +with them. When they got there, the Jackal said, "Now, Brahmin, show +me exactly where you stood." "Here," said the Brahmin, standing by the +iron tiger-cage. "Exactly there, was it?" asked the Jackal. "Exactly +here," replied the Brahmin. "Where was the Tiger, then?" asked the +Jackal. "In the cage," answered the Tiger. "How do you mean?" said the +Jackal; "how were you within the cage? which way were you looking?" +"Why, I stood so," said the Tiger, jumping into the cage, "and my head +was on this side." "Very good," said the Jackal, "but I cannot judge +without understanding the whole matter exactly. Was the cage door open +or shut?" "Shut and bolted," said the Brahmin. "Then shut and bolt +it," said the Jackal. + + [80] Uncle. + +When the Brahmin had done this, the Jackal said, "Oh, you wicked and +ungrateful Tiger! when the good Brahmin opened your cage door, is to +eat him the only return you would make? Stay there, then, for the rest +of your days, for no one will ever let you out again. Proceed on your +journey, friend Brahmin. Your road lies that way and mine this." + +So saying, the Jackal ran off in one direction, and the Brahmin went +rejoicing on his way in the other. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XV. + +_THE SELFISH SPARROW AND THE HOUSELESS CROWS._ + + +A sparrow once built a nice little house for herself, and lined it +well with wool and protected it with sticks, so that it equally +resisted the summer sun and the winter rains. A Crow who lived close +by had also built a house, but it was not such a good one, being only +made of a few sticks laid one above another on the top of a prickly +pear hedge. The consequence was, that one day, when there was an +unusually heavy shower, the Crow's nest was washed away, while the +Sparrow's was not at all injured. + +In this extremity the Crow and her mate went to the Sparrow, and said, +"Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on us and give us shelter, for the wind +blows and the rain beats, and the prickly pear hedge thorns stick into +our eyes." But the Sparrow answered, "I'm cooking the dinner; I cannot +let you in now; come again presently." In a little while the Crows +returned, and said, "Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on us and give us +shelter, for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly pear +hedge thorns stick into our eyes." The Sparrow answered, "I'm eating +my dinner; I cannot let you in now; come again presently." The Crows +flew away, but in a little while returned, and cried once more, +"Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on us and give us shelter, for the wind +blows and the rain beats, and the prickly pear hedge thorns stick into +our eyes." The Sparrow replied, "I'm washing the dishes; I cannot let +you in now; come again presently." The Crows waited a while and then +called out, "Sparrow, Sparrow, have pity on us and give us shelter, +for the wind blows and the rain beats, and the prickly pear hedge +thorns stick into our eyes." But the Sparrow would not let them in; +she only answered, "I'm sweeping the floor; I cannot let you in now; +come again presently." Next time the Crows came and cried, "Sparrow, +Sparrow, have pity on us and give us shelter, for the wind blows and +the rain beats, and the prickly pear hedge thorns stick into our +eyes." She answered, "I'm making the beds; I cannot let you in now; +come again presently." So, on one pretence or another, she refused to +help the poor birds. At last, when she and her children had had their +dinner, and she had prepared and put away the dinner for next day, and +had put all the children to bed and gone to bed herself, she cried to +the Crows, "You may come in now, and take shelter for the night." The +Crows came in, but they were much vexed at having been kept out so +long in the wind and the rain, and when the Sparrow and all her family +were asleep, the one said to the other, "This selfish Sparrow had no +pity on us; she gave us no dinner, and would not let us in till she +and all her children were comfortably in bed; let us punish her." So +the two Crows took all the nice dinner the Sparrow had prepared for +herself and her children to eat next day, and flew away with it. + + + + +[Decoration] + +XVI. + +_THE VALIANT CHATTEE-MAKER._ + + +Once upon a time, in a violent storm of thunder, lightning, wind and +rain, a Tiger crept for shelter close to the wall of an old woman's +hut. This old woman was very poor, and her hut was but a tumble-down +place, through the roof of which the rain came drip, drip, drip on +more sides than one. This troubled her much, and she went running +about from side to side, dragging first one thing and then another out +of the way of the leaky places in the roof, and as she did so she kept +saying to herself, "Oh dear! oh dear! how tiresome this is! I'm sure +the roof will come down! If an elephant, or a lion, or a tiger were to +walk in, he wouldn't frighten me half so much as this perpetual +dripping." And then she would begin dragging the bed and all the other +things in the room about again, to get them out of the way of the wet. +The Tiger, who was crouching down just outside, heard all that she +said, and thought to himself, "This old woman says she would not be +afraid of an elephant, or a lion, or a tiger, but that this perpetual +dripping frightens her more than all. What can this 'perpetual +dripping' be?--it must be something very dreadful." And hearing her +immediately afterward dragging all the things about the room again, +he said to himself, "What a terrible noise! Surely that must be the +'_perpetual dripping_.'" + +At this moment a Chattee-maker,[81] who was in search of his donkey, +which had strayed away, came down the road. The night being very cold, +he had, truth to say, taken a little more toddy than was good for him, +and seeing, by the light of a flash of lightning, a large animal lying +down close to the old woman's hut, he mistook it for the donkey he was +looking for. So, running up to the Tiger, he seized hold of it by one +ear, and commenced beating, kicking and abusing it with all his might +and main. "You wretched creature!" he cried, "is this the way you +serve me, obliging me to come out and look for you in such pouring +rain and on such a dark night as this? Get up instantly, or I'll break +every bone in your body;" so he went on scolding and thumping the +Tiger with his utmost power, for he had worked himself up into a +terrible rage. The Tiger did not know what to make of it all, but he +began to feel quite frightened, and said to himself, "Why, this must +be the 'perpetual dripping;' no wonder the old woman said she was more +afraid of it than of an elephant, a lion, or a tiger, for it gives +most dreadfully hard blows." + + [81] Potter. + +The Chattee-maker, having made the Tiger get up, got on his back and +forced him to carry him home, kicking and beating him the whole way, +for all this time he fancied he was on his donkey; and then he tied +his fore feet and his head firmly together, and fastened him to a post +in front of his house, and when he had done this he went to bed. + +Next morning, when the Chattee-maker's wife got up and looked out of +the window, what did she see but a great big Tiger tied up in front of +their house, to the post to which they usually fastened the donkey: +she was very much surprised, and running to her husband, awoke him, +saying, "Do you know what animal you fetched home last night?" "Yes, +the donkey to be sure," he answered. "Come and see," said she, and she +showed him the great Tiger tied to the post. The Chattee-maker at this +was no less astonished than his wife, and felt himself all over to +find if the Tiger had not wounded him. But, no! there he was safe and +sound, and there was the Tiger tied to the post, just as he had +fastened it up the night before. + +News of the Chattee-maker's exploit soon spread through the village, +and all the people came to see him and hear him tell how he had caught +the Tiger and tied it to the post; and this they thought so wonderful +that they sent a deputation to the Rajah, with a letter to tell him +how a man of their village had, alone and unarmed, caught a great +Tiger and tied it to a post. + +When the Rajah read the letter he also was much surprised, and +determined to go in person and see this astonishing sight. So he sent +for his horses and carriages, his lords and attendants, and they all +set off together to look at the Chattee-maker and the Tiger he had +caught. + +Now the Tiger was a very large one, and had long been the terror of +all the country round, which made the whole matter still more +extraordinary; and all this being represented to the Rajah, he +determined to confer all possible honor on the valiant Chattee-maker. +So he gave him houses and lands, and as much money as would fill a +well, made him a lord of his court, and conferred on him the command +of ten thousand horse. + +It came to pass, shortly after this, that a neighboring Rajah, who had +long had a quarrel with this one, sent to announce his intention of +going instantly to war with him; and tidings were at the same time +brought that the Rajah who sent the challenge had gathered a great +army together on the borders, and was prepared at a moment's notice to +invade the country. + +In this dilemma no one knew what to do. The Rajah sent for all his +generals, and inquired of them which would be willing to take command +of his forces and oppose the enemy. They all replied that the country +was so ill-prepared for the emergency, and the case was apparently so +hopeless, that they would rather not take the responsibility of the +chief command. The Rajah knew not whom to appoint in their stead. +Then some of his people said to him, "You have lately given the +command of ten thousand horse to the valiant Chattee-maker who caught +the Tiger: why not make him commander-in-chief? A man who could catch +a Tiger and tie him to a post, must surely be more courageous and +clever than most." "Very well," said the Rajah, "I will make him +commander-in-chief." So he sent for the Chattee-maker and said to +him, "In your hands I place all the power of the kingdom; you must +put our enemies to flight for us." "So be it," answered the +Chattee-maker; "but, before I lead the whole army against the enemy, +suffer me to go by myself and examine their position, and, if +possible, find out their numbers and strength." + +The Rajah consented, and the Chattee-maker returned home to his wife, +and said: "They have made me commander-in-chief, which is a very +difficult post for me to fill, because I shall have to ride at the +head of all the army, and you know I never was on a horse in my life. +But I have succeeded in gaining a little delay, as the Rajah has given +me permission to go first alone and reconnoitre the enemy's camp. Do +you therefore provide a very quiet pony, for you know I cannot ride, +and I will start to-morrow morning." + +But, before the Chattee-maker had started, the Rajah sent over to him +a most magnificent charger richly caparisoned, which he begged he +would ride when going to see the enemy's camp. The Chattee-maker was +frightened almost out of his life, for the charger that the Rajah had +sent him was very powerful and spirited, and he felt sure that even if +he ever got on it, he should very soon tumble off; however, he did not +dare to refuse it, for fear of offending the Rajah by not accepting +his present. So he sent back to him a message of thanks, and said to +his wife, "I cannot go on the pony, now that the Rajah has sent me +this fine horse; but how am I ever to ride it?" "Oh, don't be +frightened," she answered; "you've only got to get upon it, and I will +tie you firmly on, so that you cannot tumble off, and if you start at +night, no one will see that you are tied on." "Very well," he said. So +that night his wife brought the horse that the Rajah had sent him to +the door. "Indeed," said the Chattee-maker, "I can never get into that +saddle, it is so high up." "You must jump," said his wife. So he tried +to jump several times, but each time he jumped he tumbled down again. +"I always forget when I am jumping," said he, "which way I ought to +turn." "Your face must be toward the horse's head," she answered. "To +be sure, of course," he cried, and giving one great jump he jumped +into the saddle, but with his face toward the horse's tail. "This +won't do at all," said his wife as she helped him down again; "try +getting on without jumping." "I never can remember," he continued, +"when I have got my left foot in the stirrup, what to do with my right +foot or where to put it." "That must go in the other stirrup," she +answered; "let me help you." So, after many trials, in which he +tumbled down very often, for the horse was fresh and did not like +standing still, the Chattee-maker got into the saddle; but no sooner +had he got there than he cried, "Oh, wife, wife! tie me very firmly as +quickly as possible, for I know I shall jump down if I can." Then she +fetched some strong rope and tied his feet firmly into the stirrups, +and fastened one stirrup to the other, and put another rope round his +waist and another round his neck, and fastened them to the horse's +body and neck and tail. + +When the horse felt all these ropes about him he could not imagine +what queer creature had got upon his back, and he began rearing and +kicking and prancing, and at last set off full gallop, as fast as he +could tear, right across country. "Wife, wife!" cried the +Chattee-maker, "you forgot to tie my hands." "Never mind," said she; +"hold on by the mane." So he caught hold of the horse's mane as firmly +as he could. Then away went horse, away went Chattee-maker--away, +away, away, over hedges, over ditches, over rivers, over plains--away, +away, like a flash of lightning--now this way, now that--on, on, on, +gallop, gallop, gallop--until they came in sight of the enemy's camp. + +The Chattee-maker did not like his ride at all, and when he saw where +it was leading him he liked it still less, for he thought the enemy +would catch him and very likely kill him. So he determined to make one +desperate effort to be free, and stretching out his hand as the horse +shot past a young banyan tree, seized hold of it with all his might, +hoping that the resistance it offered might cause the ropes that tied +him to break. But the horse was going at his utmost speed, and the +soil in which the banyan tree grew was loose, so that when the +Chattee-maker caught hold of it and gave it such a violent pull, it +came up by the roots, and on he rode as fast as before, with the tree +in his hand. + +All the soldiers in the camp saw him coming, and having heard that an +army was to be sent against them, made sure that the Chattee-maker was +one of the vanguard. "See," cried they, "here comes a man of gigantic +stature on a mighty horse! He rides at full speed across the country, +tearing up the very trees in his rage! He is one of the opposing +force; the whole army must be close at hand. If they are such as he, +we are all dead men." Then, running to their Rajah, some of them cried +again, "Here comes the whole force of the enemy" (for the story had by +this time become exaggerated); "they are men of gigantic stature, +mounted on mighty horses; as they come they tear up the very trees in +their rage; we can oppose men, but not monsters such as these." These +were followed by others, who said, "It is all true," for by this time +the Chattee-maker had got pretty near the camp; "they're coming! +they're coming! let us fly! let us fly! fly, fly for your lives!" And +the whole panic-stricken multitude fled from the camp (those who had +seen no cause for alarm going because the others did, or because they +did not care to stay by themselves), after having obliged their Rajah +to write a letter to the one whose country he was about to invade to +say that he would not do so, and propose terms of peace, and to sign +it and seal it with his seal. Scarcely had all the people fled from +the camp when the horse on which the Chattee-maker was came galloping +into it, and on his back rode the Chattee-maker, almost dead from +fatigue, with the banyan tree in his hand: just as he reached the camp +the ropes by which he was tied broke, and he fell to the ground. The +horse stood still, too tired with his long run to go farther. On +recovering his senses, the Chattee-maker found, to his surprise, that +the whole camp, full of rich arms, clothes and trappings, was entirely +deserted. In the principal tent, moreover, he found a letter addressed +to his Rajah, announcing the retreat of the invading army and +proposing terms of peace. + +So he took the letter, and returned home with it as fast as he could, +leading his horse all the way, for he was afraid to mount him again. +It did not take him long to reach his house by the direct road, for +whilst riding he had gone a more circuitous journey than was +necessary, and he got there just at nightfall. His wife ran out to +meet him, overjoyed at his speedy return. As soon as he saw her, he +said, "Ah, wife, since I saw you last I've been all round the world, +and had many wonderful and terrible adventures. But never mind that +now: send this letter quickly to the Rajah by a messenger, and send +the horse also that he sent for me to ride. He will then see, by the +horse looking so tired, what a long ride I've had; and if he is sent +on beforehand, I shall not be obliged to ride him up to the palace +door to-morrow morning, as I otherwise should, and that would be very +tiresome, for most likely I should tumble off." So his wife sent the +horse and the letter to the Rajah, and a message that her husband +would be at the palace early next morning, as it was then late at +night. And next day he went down there, as he had said he would; and +when the people saw him coming, they said, "This man is as modest as +he is brave; after having put our enemies to flight, he walks quite +simply to the door, instead of riding here in state, as another man +would." For they did not know that the Chattee-maker walked because he +was afraid to ride. + +The Rajah came to the palace door to meet him, and paid him all +possible honor. Terms of peace were agreed upon between the two +countries, and the Chattee-maker was rewarded for all he had done by +being given twice as much rank and wealth as he had before, and he +lived very happily all the rest of his life. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XVII. + +_THE RAKSHAS' PALACE._ + + +Once upon a time there lived a Rajah who was left a widower with two +little daughters. Not very long after his first wife died he married +again, and his second wife did not care for her step-children, and was +often unkind to them; and the Rajah, their father, never troubled +himself to look after them, but allowed his wife to treat them as she +liked. This made the poor girls very miserable, and one day one of +them said to the other, "Don't let us remain any longer here; come +away into the jungle, for nobody here cares whether we go or stay." So +they both walked off into the jungle, and lived for many days on the +jungle fruits. At last, after they had wandered on for a long while, +they came to a fine palace which belonged to a Rakshas, but both the +Rakshas and his wife were out when they got there. Then one of the +Princesses said to the other, "This fine palace, in the midst of the +jungle, can belong to no one but a Rakshas, but the owner has +evidently gone out; let us go in and see if we can find anything to +eat." So they went into the Rakshas' house, and finding some rice, +boiled and ate it. Then they swept the room and arranged all the +furniture in the house tidily. But hardly had they finished doing so +when the Rakshas and his wife returned home. Then the two Princesses +were so frightened that they ran up to the top of the house and hid +themselves on the flat roof, from whence they could look down on one +side into the inner courtyard of the house, and from the other could +see the open country. The house-top was a favorite resort of the +Rakshas and his wife. Here they would sit upon the hot summer +evenings; here they winnowed the grain and hung out the clothes to +dry; and the two Princesses found a sufficient shelter behind some +sheaves of corn that were waiting to be threshed. When the Rakshas +came into the house, he looked round and said to his wife, "Somebody +has been arranging the house, everything in it is so clean and tidy. +Wife, did you do this?" "No," she said; "I don't know who can have +done all this." "Some one also has been sweeping the courtyard," +continued the Rakshas. "Wife, did you sweep the courtyard?" "No," she +answered, "I did not do it. I don't know who did." Then the Rakshas +walked round and round several times with his nose up in the air, +saying, "Some one is here now. I smell flesh and blood! Where can they +be?" "Stuff and nonsense!" cried his wife. "You smell blood indeed! +Why, you have just been killing and eating a hundred thousand people. +I should wonder if you didn't still smell flesh and blood!" They went +on quarreling thus until the Rakshas said, "Well, never mind; I don't +know how it is, but I'm very thirsty; let's come and drink some +water." So both the Rakshas and his wife went to a well which was +close to the house, and began letting down jars into it, and drawing +up the water and drinking it. And the Princesses, who were on the top +of the house, saw them. Now the youngest of the two Princesses was a +very wise girl, and when she saw the Rakshas and his wife by the well, +she said to her sister, "I will do something now that will be good for +us both;" and, running down quickly from the top of the house, she +crept close behind the Rakshas and his wife as they stood on tip-toe +more than half over the side of the well, and, catching hold of one of +the Rakshas' heels and one of his wife's, gave each a little push, and +down they both tumbled into the well and were drowned--the Rakshas and +the Rakshas' wife! The Princess then returned to her sister and said, +"I have killed the Rakshas." "What, both?" cried her sister. "Yes, +both," she said. "Won't they come back?" said her sister. "No, never," +answered she. + +The Rakshas being thus killed, the two Princesses took possession of +the house, and lived there very happily for a long time. In it they +found heaps and heaps of rich clothes and jewels, and gold and silver, +which the Rakshas had taken from people he had murdered; and all round +the house were folds for the flocks and sheds for the herds of cattle +which the Rakshas owned. Every morning the youngest Princess used to +drive out the flocks and herds to pasturage, and return home with them +every night, while the eldest stayed at home, cooked the dinner and +kept the house; and the youngest Princess, who was the cleverest, +would often say to her sister, on going away for the day, "Take care, +if you see any stranger (be it man, woman or child) come by the house, +to hide, if possible, that nobody may know of our living here; and if +any one should call out and ask for a drink of water, or any poor +beggar pray for food, before you give it him be sure you put on +ragged clothes and cover your face with charcoal, and make yourself +look as ugly as possible, lest, seeing how fair you are, he should +steal you away, and we never meet again." "Very well," the other +Princess would answer, "I will do as you advise." + +But a long time passed, and no one ever came by that way. At last one +day, after the youngest Princess had gone out, a young Prince, the son +of a neighboring Rajah, who had been hunting with his attendants for +many days in the jungles, came near the place when searching for water +(for he and his people were tired with hunting, and had been seeking +all through the jungle for a stream of water, but could find none). +When the Prince saw the fine palace standing all by itself, he was +very much astonished, and said, "It is a strange thing that any one +should have built such a house as this in the depths of the forest. +Let us go in; the owners will doubtless give us a drink of water." +"No, no, do not go," cried his attendants; "this is most likely the +house of a Rakshas." "We can but see," answered the Prince. "I should +scarcely think anything very terrible lived here, for there is not a +sound stirring nor a living creature to be seen." So he began tapping +at the door, which was bolted, and crying, "Will whoever owns this +house give me and my people some water to drink, for the sake of kind +charity?" But nobody answered, for the Princess, who heard him, was +busy up in her room, blacking her face with charcoal and covering her +rich dress with rags. Then the Prince got impatient and shook the +door, saying, angrily, "Let me in, whoever you are! If you don't, I'll +force the door open." At this the poor little Princess got dreadfully +frightened; and having blacked her face and made herself look as ugly +as possible, she ran down stairs with a pitcher of water, and +unbolting the door, gave the Prince the pitcher to drink from; but she +did not speak, for she was afraid. Now the Prince was a very clever +man, and as he raised the pitcher to his mouth to drink the water, he +thought to himself, "This is a very strange-looking creature who has +brought me this jug of water. She would be pretty, but that her face +seems to want washing, and her dress also is very untidy. What can +that black stuff be on her face and hands? it looks very unnatural." +And so thinking to himself, instead of drinking the water, he threw it +in the Princess' face! The Princess started back with a little cry, +whilst the water, trickling down her face, washed off the charcoal, +and showed her delicate features and beautiful, fair complexion. The +Prince caught hold of her hand, and said, "Now tell me true, who are +you? where do you come from? Who are your father and mother? and why +are you here alone by yourself in the jungle? Answer me, or I'll cut +your head off." And he made as if he would draw his sword. The +Princess was so terrified she could hardly speak, but as best she +could she told how she was the daughter of a Rajah, and had run away +into the jungle because of her cruel step-mother, and, finding the +house, had lived there ever since; and having finished her story, she +began to cry. Then the Prince said to her, "Pretty lady, forgive me +for my roughness; do not fear; I will take you home with me, and you +shall be my wife." But the more he spoke to her the more frightened +she got. So frightened that she did not understand what he said, and +could do nothing but cry. Now she had said nothing to the Prince +about her sister, nor even told him that she had one, for she thought, +"This man says he will kill me; if he hears that I have a sister, he +will kill her too." So the Prince, who was really kind-hearted, and +would never have thought of separating the two little sisters who had +been together so long, knew nothing at all of the matter, and only +seeing she was too much alarmed even to understand gentle words, said +to his servants, "Place this lady in one of the palkees, and let us +set off home." And they did so. When the Princess found herself shut +up in the palkee, and being carried she knew not where, she thought +how terrible it would be for her sister to return home and find her +gone, and determined, if possible, to leave some sign to show her +which way she had been taken. Round her neck were many strings of +pearls. She untied them, and tearing her saree into little bits, tied +one pearl in each piece of the saree, that it might be heavy enough to +fall straight to the ground; and so she went on, dropping one pearl +and then another and another and another, all the way she went along, +until they reached the palace where the Rajah and Ranee, the Prince's +father and mother, lived. She threw the last remaining pearl down just +as she reached the palace gate. The old Rajah and Ranee were delighted +to see the beautiful Princess their son had brought home; and when +they heard her story they said, "Ah, poor thing! what a sad story! but +now she has come to live with us, we will do all we can to make her +happy." And they married her to their son with great pomp and +ceremony, and gave her rich dresses and jewels, and were very kind to +her. But the Princess remained sad and unhappy, for she was always +thinking about her sister, and yet she could not summon courage to +beg the Prince or his father to send and fetch her to the palace. + +Meantime the youngest Princess, who had been out with her flocks and +herds when the Prince took her sister away, had returned home. When +she came back she found the door wide open and no one standing there. +She thought it very odd, for her sister always came every night to the +door to meet her on her return. She went up stairs; her sister was not +there; the whole house was empty and deserted. There she must stay all +alone, for the evening had closed in, and it was impossible to go +outside and seek her with any hope of success. So all the night long +she waited, crying, "Some one has been here, and they have stolen her +away; they have stolen my darling away. O sister! sister!" Next +morning, very early, going out to continue the search, she found one +of the pearls belonging to her sister's necklace tied up in a small +piece of saree; a little farther on lay another, and yet another, all +along the road the Prince had gone. Then the Princess understood that +her sister had left this clue to guide her on her way, and she at once +set off to find her again. Very, very far she went--a six months' +journey through the jungle, for she could not travel fast, the many +days' walking tired her so much--and sometimes it took her two or +three days to find the next piece of saree with the pearl. At last she +came near a large town, to which it was evident her sister had been +taken. Now this young Princess was very beautiful indeed--as beautiful +as she was wise--and when she got near the town she thought to +herself, "If people see me, they may steal me away, as they did my +sister, and then I shall never find her again. I will therefore +disguise myself." As she was thus thinking she saw by the side of the +road the corpse of a poor old beggar woman, who had evidently died +from want and poverty. The body was shriveled up, and nothing of it +remained but the skin and bones. The Princess took the skin and washed +it, and drew it on over her own lovely face and neck, as one draws a +glove on one's hand. Then she took a long stick and began hobbling +along, leaning on it, toward the town. The old woman's skin was all +crumpled and withered, and people who passed by only thought, "What an +ugly old woman!" and never dreamed of the false skin and the +beautiful, handsome girl inside. So on she went, picking up the +pearls--one here, one there--until she found the last pearl just in +front of the palace gate. Then she felt certain her sister must be +somewhere near, but where she did not know. She longed to go into the +palace and ask for her, but no guards would have let such a +wretched-looking old woman enter, and she did not dare offer them any +of the pearls she had with her, lest they should think she was a +thief. So she determined merely to remain as close to the palace as +possible, and wait till fortune favored her with the means of learning +something further about her sister. Just opposite the palace was a +small house belonging to a farmer, and the Princess went up to it and +stood by the door. The farmer's wife saw her and said, "Poor old +woman, who are you? what do you want? why are you here? Have you no +friends?" "Alas, no!" answered the Princess. "I am a poor old woman, +and have neither father nor mother, son nor daughter, sister nor +brother, to take care of me; all are gone, and I can only beg my +bread from door to door." + +"Do not grieve, good mother," answered the farmer's wife, kindly. "You +may sleep in the shelter of our porch, and I will give you some food." +So the Princess stayed there for that night and for many more; and +every day the good farmer's wife gave her food. But all this time she +could learn nothing of her sister. + +Now there was a large tank near the palace, on which grew some fine +lotus plants, covered with rich crimson lotuses--the royal flower--and +of these the Rajah was very fond indeed, and prized them very much. To +this tank (because it was the nearest to the farmer's house) the +Princess used to go every morning, very early, almost before it was +light, at about three o'clock, and take off the old woman's skin and +wash it, and hang it out to dry, and wash her face and hands, and +bathe her feet in the cool water, and comb her beautiful hair. Then +she would gather a lotus flower (such as she had been accustomed to +wear in her hair from a child) and put it on, so as to feel for a few +minutes like herself again! Thus she would amuse herself. Afterward, +as soon as the wind had dried the old woman's skin, she put it on +again, threw away the lotus flower, and hobbled back to the farmer's +door before the sun was up. + +After a time the Rajah discovered that some one had plucked some of +his favorite lotus flowers. People were set to watch, and all the wise +men in the kingdom put their heads together to try and discover the +thief, but without avail. At last the excitement about this matter +being very great, the Rajah's second son, a brave and noble young +Prince (brother to him who had found the eldest Princess in the +forest) said, "I will certainly discover this thief." It chanced that +several fine trees grew around the tank. Into one of these the young +Prince climbed one evening (having made a sort of light thatched roof +across two of the boughs, to keep off the heavy dews), and there he +watched all the night through, but with no more success than his +predecessors. There lay the lotus plants, still in the moonlight, +without so much as a thieving wind coming by to break off one of the +flowers. The Prince began to get very sleepy, and thought the +delinquent, whoever he might be, could not intend to return, when, in +the very early morning, before it was light, who should come down to +the tank but an old woman he had often seen near the palace gate. +"Aha!" thought the Prince, "this then is the thief; but what can this +queer old woman want with lotus flowers?" Imagine his astonishment +when the old woman sat down on the steps of the tank and began pulling +the skin off her face and arms, and from underneath the shriveled +yellow skin came the loveliest face he had ever beheld! So fair, so +fresh, so young, so gloriously beautiful, that, appearing thus +suddenly, it dazzled the Prince's eyes like a flash of golden +lightning. "Ah," thought he, "can this be a woman or a spirit? a devil +or an angel in disguise?" + +The Princess twisted up her glossy black hair, and, plucking a red +lotus, placed it in it, and dabbled her feet in the water, and amused +herself by putting round her neck a string of pearls that had been her +sister's necklace. Then, as the sun was rising, she threw away the +lotus, and covering her face and arms again with the withered skin, +went hastily away. When the Prince got home, the first thing he said +to his parents was, "Father, mother! I should like to marry that old +woman who stands all day at the farmer's gate, just opposite." "What!" +cried they, "the boy is mad! Marry that skinny old thing! You +cannot--you are a King's son. Are there not enough Queens and +Princesses in the world, that you should wish to marry a wretched old +beggar-woman?" But he answered, "Above all things I should like to +marry that old woman. You know that I have ever been a dutiful and +obedient son. In this matter, I pray you, grant me my desire." Then, +seeing he was really in earnest about the matter, and that nothing +they could say would alter his mind, they listened to his urgent +entreaties--not, however, without much grief and vexation--and sent +out the guards, who fetched the old woman (who was really the Princess +in disguise) to the palace, where she was married to the Prince as +privately and with as little ceremony as possible, for the family were +ashamed of the match. + +As soon as the wedding was over, the Prince said to his wife, "Gentle +wife, tell me how much longer you intend to wear that old skin? You +had better take it off; do be so kind." The Princess wondered how he +knew of her disguise, or whether it was only a guess of his; and she +thought, "If I take this ugly skin off, my husband will think me +pretty, and shut me up in the palace and never let me go away, so +that I shall not be able to find my sister again. No, I had better +not take it off." So she answered, "I don't know what you mean. I am +as all these years have made me; nobody can change their skin." Then +the Prince pretended to be very angry, and said, "Take off that +hideous disguise this instant, or I'll kill you." But she only bowed +her head, saying, "Kill me, then, but nobody can change their skin." +And all this she mumbled as if she were a very old woman indeed, and +had lost all her teeth and could not speak plain. At this the Prince +laughed very much to himself, and thought, "I'll wait and see how +long this freak lasts." But the Princess continued to keep on the old +woman's skin; only every morning, at about three o'clock, before it +was light, she would get up and wash it and put it on again. Then, +some time afterward, the Prince, having found this out, got up softly +one morning early, and followed her to the next room, where she had +washed the skin and placed it on the floor to dry, and stealing it, +he ran away with it and threw it on the fire. So the Princess, having +no old woman's skin to put on, was obliged to appear in her own +likeness. As she walked forth, very sad at missing her disguise, her +husband ran to meet her, smiling and saying, "How do you do, my dear? +Where is your skin now? Can't you take it off, dear?" Soon the whole +palace had heard the joyful news of the beautiful young wife that the +Prince had won; and all the people, when they saw her, cried, "Why +she is exactly like the beautiful Princess our young Rajah married, +the jungle lady." The old Rajah and Ranee were prouder than all of +their daughter-in-law, and took her to introduce her to their eldest +son's wife. Then no sooner did the Princess enter her sister-in-law's +room then she saw that in her she had found her lost sister, and they +ran into each other's arms. Great then was the joy of all, but the +happiest of all these happy people were the two Princesses. + + + + +[Decoration] + +XVIII. + +_THE BLIND MAN, THE DEAF MAN AND THE DONKEY._ + + +A Blind Man and a Deaf Man once entered into partnership. The Deaf Man +was to see for the Blind Man, and the Blind Man was to hear for the +Deaf Man. + +One day both went to a nautch[82] together. The Deaf Man said, "The +dancing is very good, but the music is not worth listening to;" and +the Blind Man said, "On the contrary, I think the music very good, but +the dancing is not worth looking at." + + [82] Musical and dancing entertainment. + +After this they went together for a walk in the jungle, and there they +found a Dhobee's donkey that had strayed away from its owner, and a +great big chattee (such as Dhobees boil clothes in), which the donkey +was carrying with him. + +The Deaf Man said to the Blind Man, "Brother, here are a donkey and a +Dhobee's great big chattee, with nobody to own them! Let us take them +with us--they may be useful to us some day." "Very well," said the +Blind Man, "we will take them with us." So the Blind Man and the Deaf +Man went on their way, taking the donkey and the great big chattee +with them. A little farther on they came to an ant's nest, and the +Deaf Man said to the Blind Man, "Here are a number of very fine black +ants, much larger than any I ever saw before. Let us take some of them +home to show our friends." "Very well," answered the Blind Man; "we +will take them as a present to our friends." So the Deaf Man took a +silver snuff-box out of his pocket, and put four or five of the finest +black ants into it; which done, they continued their journey. + +But before they had gone very far a terrible storm came on. It +thundered and lightened and rained and blew with such fury that it +seemed as if the whole heavens and earth were at war. "Oh dear! oh +dear!" cried the Deaf Man, "how dreadful this lightning is! Let us +make haste and get to some place of shelter." "I don't see that it's +dreadful at all," answered the Blind Man, "but the thunder is very +terrible; we had better certainly seek some place of shelter." + +Now, not far off was a lofty building, which looked exactly like a +fine temple. The Deaf Man saw it, and he and the Blind Man resolved to +spend the night there; and having reached the place, they went in and +shut the door, taking the donkey and the great big chattee with them. +But this building, which they mistook for a temple, was in truth no +temple at all, but the house of a very powerful Rakshas; and hardly +had the Blind Man, the Deaf Man and the donkey got inside and fastened +the door than the Rakshas, who had been out, returned home. To his +surprise, he found the door fastened and heard people moving about +inside his house. "Ho! ho!" cried he to himself, "some men have got in +here, have they! I'll soon make mince-meat of them." So he began to +roar in a voice louder than the thunder, and he cried, "Let me into +my house this minute, you wretches; let me in, let me in, I say," and +to kick the door and batter it with his great fists. But though his +voice was very powerful, his appearance was still more alarming, +insomuch that the Deaf Man, who was peeping at him through a chink in +the wall, felt so frightened that he did not know what to do. But the +Blind Man was very brave (because he couldn't see), and went up to the +door and called out, "Who are you? and what do you mean by coming +battering at the door in this way and at this time of night?" + +"I'm a Rakshas," answered the Rakshas, angrily, "and this is my house. +Let me in this instant, or I'll kill you." All this time the Deaf Man, +who was watching the Rakshas, was shivering and shaking in a terrible +fright, but the Blind Man was very brave (because he couldn't see), +and he called out again, "Oh, you're a Rakshas, are you! Well, if +you're Rakshas, I'm Bakshas; and Bakshas is as good as Rakshas." +"Bakshas!" roared the Rakshas. "Bakshas! Bakshas! What nonsense is +this? There is no such creature as a Bakshas!" "Go away," replied the +Blind Man, "and don't dare to make any further disturbance, lest I +punish you with a vengeance; for know that I'm Bakshas! and Bakshas is +Rakshas' father." "My father?" answered the Rakshas. "Heavens and +earth! Bakshas and my father! I never heard such an extraordinary +thing in my life. You my father; and in there! I never knew my father +was called Bakshas!" + +"Yes," replied the Blind Man; "go away instantly, I command you, for I +am your father Bakshas." "Very well," answered the Rakshas (for he +began to get puzzled and frightened), "but if you are my father, let +me first see your face." (For he thought, "Perhaps they are deceiving +me.") The Blind Man and the Deaf Man didn't know what to do; but at +last they opened the door a very tiny chink and poked the donkey's +nose out. When the Rakshas saw it he thought to himself, "Bless me, +what a terribly ugly face my father Bakshas has!" He then called out, +"O father Bakshas, you have a very big, fierce face; but people have +sometimes very big heads and very little bodies. Pray let me see your +body as well as head before I go away." Then the Blind Man and the +Deaf Man rolled the great, big Dhobee's chattee with a thundering +noise past the chink in the door, and the Rakshas, who was watching +attentively, was very much surprised when he saw this great black +thing rolling along the floor, and he thought, "In truth, my father +Bakshas has a very big body as well as a big head. He's big enough to +eat me up altogether. I'd better go away." But still he could not help +being a little doubtful, so he cried, "O Bakshas, father Bakshas! you +have indeed got a very big head and a very big body; but do, before I +go away, let me hear you scream" (for all Rakshas scream fearfully). +Then the cunning Deaf Man (who was getting less frightened) pulled the +silver snuff-box out of his pocket, and took the black ants out of it, +and put one black ant in the donkey's right ear, and another black ant +in the donkey's left ear, and another and another. The ants pinched +the poor donkey's ears dreadfully, and the donkey was so hurt and +frightened he began to bellow as loud as he could, "Eh augh! eh augh! +eh augh! augh! augh!" and at this terrible noise the Rakshas fled away +in a great fright, saying, "Enough, enough, father Bakshas! the sound +of your voice would make the most refractory obedient." And no sooner +had he gone than the Deaf Man took the ants out of the donkey's ears, +and he and the Blind Man spent the rest of the night in peace and +comfort. + +Next morning the Deaf Man woke the Blind Man early, saying, "Awake, +brother, awake; here we are indeed in luck! the whole floor is covered +with heaps of gold and silver and precious stones." And so it was, for +the Rakshas owned a vast amount of treasure, and the whole house was +full of it. "That is a good thing," said the Blind Man. "Show me where +it is and I will help you to collect it." So they collected as much +treasure as possible and made four great bundles of it. The Blind Man +took one great bundle, the Deaf Man took another, and, putting the +other two great bundles on the donkey, they started off to return +home. But the Rakshas, whom they had frightened away the night before, +had not gone very far off, and was waiting to see what his father +Bakshas might look like by daylight. He saw the door of his house open +and watched attentively, when out walked--only a Blind Man, a Deaf Man +and a donkey, who were all three laden with large bundles of his +treasure. The Blind Man carried one bundle, the Deaf Man carried +another bundle, and two bundles were on the donkey. + +The Rakshas was extremely angry, and immediately called six of his +friends to help him kill the Blind Man, the Deaf Man and the donkey, +and recover the treasure. + +The Deaf Man saw them coming (seven great Rakshas, with hair a yard +long and tusks like an elephant's), and was dreadfully frightened; but +the Blind Man was very brave (because he couldn't see), and said, +"Brother, why do you lag behind in that way?" "Oh!" answered the Deaf +Man, "there are seven great Rakshas with tusks like an elephant's +coming to kill us; what can we do?" "Let us hide the treasure in the +bushes," said the Blind Man; "and do you lead me to a tree; then I +will climb up first, and you shall climb up afterward, and so we shall +be out of their way." The Deaf Man thought this good advice; so he +pushed the donkey and the bundles of treasure into the bushes, and led +the Blind Man to a high soparee tree that grew close by; but he was a +very cunning man, this Deaf Man, and instead of letting the Blind Man +climb up first and following him, he got up first and let the Blind +Man clamber after, so that he was farther out of harm's way than his +friend. + +When the Rakshas arrived at the place and saw them both perched out of +reach in the soparee tree, he said to his friends, "Let us get on each +other's shoulders; we shall then be high enough to pull them down." So +one Rakshas stooped down, and the second got on his shoulders, and the +third on his, and the fourth on his, and the fifth on his, and the +sixth on his; and the seventh and the last Rakshas (who had invited +all the others) was just climbing up when the Deaf Man (who was +looking over the Blind Man's shoulder) got so frightened that in his +alarm he caught hold of his friend's arm, crying, "They're coming, +they're coming!" The Blind Man was not in a very secure position, and +was sitting at his ease, not knowing how close the Rakshas were. The +consequence was, that when the Deaf Man gave him this unexpected push, +he lost his balance and tumbled down on to the neck of the seventh +Rakshas, who was just then climbing up. The Blind Man had no idea +where he was, but thought he had got on to the branch of some other +tree; and, stretching out his hand for something to catch hold of, +caught hold of the Rakshas' two great ears, and pinched them very hard +in his surprise and fright. The Rakshas couldn't think what it was +that had come tumbling down upon him; and the weight of the Blind Man +upsetting his balance, down he also fell to the ground, knocking down +in their turn the sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second and first +Rakshas, who all rolled one over another, and lay in a confused heap +at the foot of the tree together. Meanwhile the Blind Man called out +to his friend, "Where am I? what has happened? Where am I? where am +I?" The Deaf Man (who was safe up in the tree) answered, "Well done, +brother! never fear! never fear! You're all right, only hold on tight. +I'm coming down to help you." But he had not the least intention of +leaving his place of safety. However, he continued to call out, "Never +mind, brother; hold on as tight as you can. I'm coming, I'm coming," +and the more he called out, the harder the Blind Man pinched the +Rakshas' ears, which he mistook for some kind of palm branches. The +six other Rakshas, who had succeeded, after a good deal of kicking, in +extricating themselves from their unpleasant position, thought they +had had quite enough of helping their friend, and ran away as fast as +they could; and the seventh, thinking from their going that the danger +must be greater than he imagined, and being moreover very much afraid +of the mysterious creature that sat on his shoulders, put his hands to +the back of his ears and pushed off the Blind Man, and then (without +staying to see who or what he was) followed his six companions as fast +as he could. + +As soon as all the Rakshas were out of sight, the Deaf Man came down +from the tree, and, picking up the Blind Man, embraced him, saying, "I +could not have done better myself. You have frightened away all our +enemies, but you see I came to help you as fast as possible." He then +dragged the donkey and the bundles of treasure out of the bushes, gave +the Blind Man one bundle to carry, took the second himself, and put +the remaining two on the donkey, as before. This done, the whole party +set off to return home. But when they had got nearly out of the jungle +the Deaf Man said to the Blind Man, "We are now close to the village, +but if we take all this treasure home with us, we shall run great risk +of being robbed. I think our best plan would be to divide it equally; +then you shall take care of your half, and I will take care of mine, +and each one can hide his share here in the jungle, or wherever +pleases him best." "Very well," said the Blind Man; "do you divide +what we have in the bundles into two equal portions, keeping one-half +yourself and giving me the other." But the cunning Deaf Man had no +intention of giving up half of the treasure to the Blind Man; so he +first took his own bundle of treasure and hid it in the bushes, and +then he took the two bundles off the donkey and hid them in the +bushes; and he took a good deal of treasure out of the Blind Man's +bundle, which he also hid. Then, taking the small quantity that +remained, he divided it into two equal portions, and placing half +before the Blind Man and half in front of himself, said, "There, +brother, is your share to do what you please with." The Blind Man put +out his hand, but when he felt what a very little heap of treasure it +was, he got very angry, and cried, "This is not fair--you are +deceiving me; you have kept almost all the treasure for yourself and +only given me a very little." "Oh, oh! how can you think so?" answered +the Deaf Man; "but if you will not believe me, feel for yourself. See, +my heap of treasure is no larger than yours." The Blind Man put out +his hands again to feel how much his friend had kept; but in front of +the Deaf Man lay only a very small heap, no larger than what he had +himself received. At this he got very cross, and said, "Come, come, +this won't do. You think you can cheat me in this way because I am +blind; but I'm not so stupid as all that. I carried a great bundle of +treasure, you carried a great bundle of treasure, and there were two +great bundles on the donkey. Do you mean to pretend that all that made +no more treasure than these two little heaps! No, indeed; I know +better than that." "Stuff and nonsense!" answered the Deaf Man. "Stuff +or no stuff," continued the other, "you are trying to take me in, and +I won't be taken in by you." "No, I'm not," said the Deaf Man. "Yes, +you are," said the Blind Man; and so they went on bickering, scolding, +growling, contradicting, until the Blind Man got so enraged that he +gave the Deaf Man a tremendous box on the ear. The blow was so violent +that it made the Deaf Man hear! The Deaf Man, very angry, gave his +neighbor in return so hard a blow in the face that it opened the Blind +Man's eyes! + +So the Deaf Man could hear as well as see! and the Blind Man could see +as well as hear! This astonished them both so much that they became +good friends at once. The Deaf Man confessed to having hidden the bulk +of the treasure, which he thereupon dragged forth from its place of +concealment, and, having divided it equally, they went home and +enjoyed themselves. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XIX. + +_MUCHIE LAL._ + + +Once upon a time there was a Rajah and Ranee who had no children. Long +had they wished and prayed that the gods would send them a son, but it +was all in vain--their prayers were not granted. One day a number of +fish were brought into the royal kitchen to be cooked for the Rajah's +dinner, and amongst them was one little fish that was not dead, but +all the rest were dead. One of the palace maid-servants seeing this, +took the little fish and put him in a basin of water. Shortly +afterward the Ranee saw him, and thinking him very pretty, kept him as +a pet; and because she had no children she lavished all her affection +on the fish and loved him as a son; and the people called him Muchie +Rajah (the Fish Prince). In a little while Muchie Rajah had grown too +long to live in the small basin, so they put him in a larger one, and +then (when he grew too long for that) into a big tub. In time, +however, Muchie Rajah became too large for even the big tub to hold +him; so the Ranee had a tank made for him in which he lived very +happily, and twice a day she fed him with boiled rice. Now, though the +people fancied Muchie Rajah was only a fish, this was not the case. He +was, in truth, a young Rajah who had angered the gods, and been by +them turned into a fish and thrown into the river as a punishment. + +One morning, when the Ranee brought him his daily meal of boiled rice, +Muchie Rajah called out to her and said, "Queen Mother, Queen Mother, +I am so lonely here all by myself! Cannot you get me a wife?" The +Ranee promised to try, and sent messengers to all the people she knew, +to ask if they would allow one of their children to marry her son, the +Fish Prince. But they all answered, "We cannot give one of our dear +little daughters to be devoured by a great fish, even though he is the +Muchie Rajah and so high in your Majesty's favor." + +At news of this the Ranee did not know what to do. She was so +foolishly fond of Muchie Rajah, however, that she resolved to get him +a wife at any cost. Again she sent out messengers, but this time she +gave them a great bag containing a lac of gold mohurs,[83] and said to +them, "Go into every land until you find a wife for my Muchie Rajah, +and to whoever will give you a child to be the Muchie Ranee[84] you +shall give this bag of gold mohurs." The messengers started on their +search, but for some time they were unsuccessful: not even the beggars +were to be tempted to sell their children, fearing the great fish +would devour them. At last one day the messengers came to a village +where there lived a Fakeer, who had lost his first wife and married +again. His first wife had had one little daughter, and his second wife +also had a daughter. As it happened, the Fakeer's second wife hated +her little step-daughter, always gave her the hardest work to do and +the least food to eat, and tried by every means in her power to get +her out of the way, in order that the child might not rival her own +daughter. When she heard of the errand on which the messengers had +come, she sent for them when the Fakeer was out, and said to them, +"Give me the bag of gold mohurs, and you shall take my little daughter +to marry the Muchie Rajah." ("For," she thought to herself, "the great +fish will certainly eat the girl, and she will thus trouble us no +more.") Then, turning to her step-daughter, she said, "Go down to the +river and wash your saree, that you may be fit to go with these +people, who will take you to the Ranee's court." At these words the +poor girl went down to the river very sorrowful, for she saw no hope +of escape, as her father was from home. As she knelt by the +river-side, washing her saree and crying bitterly, some of her tears +fell into the hole of an old Seven-headed Cobra, who lived on the +river-bank. This Cobra was a very wise animal, and seeing the maiden, +he put his head out of his hole, and said to her, "Little girl, why do +you cry?" "Oh, sir," she answered, "I am very unhappy, for my father +is from home, and my step-mother has sold me to the Ranee's people to +be the wife of the Muchie Rajah, that great fish, and I know he will +eat me up." "Do not be afraid, my daughter," said the Cobra; "but take +with you these three stones and tie them up in the corner of your +saree;" and so saying, he gave her three little round pebbles. "The +Muchie Rajah, whose wife you are to be, is not really a fish, but a +Rajah who has been enchanted. Your home will be a little room which +the Ranee has had built in the tank wall. When you are taken there, +wait and be sure you don't go to sleep, or the Muchie Rajah will +certainly come and eat you up. But as you hear him coming rushing +through the water, be prepared, and as soon as you see him throw this +first stone at him; he will then sink to the bottom of the tank. The +second time he comes, throw the second stone, when the same thing will +happen. The third time he comes, throw this third stone, and he will +immediately resume his human shape." So saying, the old Cobra dived +down again into his hole. The Fakeer's daughter took the stones and +determined to do as the Cobra had told her, though she hardly believed +it would have the desired effect. + + [83] A lac of gold mohurs is equal to about $750,000. + + [84] Fish Queen. + +When she reached the palace the Ranee spoke kindly to her, and said to +the messengers, "You have done your errand well; this is a dear little +girl." Then she ordered that she should be let down the side of the +tank in a basket to a little room which had been prepared for her. +When the Fakeer's daughter got there, she thought she had never seen +such a pretty place in her life (for the Ranee had caused the little +room to be very nicely decorated for the wife of her favorite); and +she would have felt very happy away from her cruel step-mother and all +the hard work she had been made to do, had it not been for the dark +water that lay black and unfathomable below the door, and the fear of +the terrible Muchie Rajah. + +After waiting some time she heard a rushing sound, and little waves +came dashing against the threshold; faster they came and faster, and +the noise got louder and louder, until she saw a great fish's head +above the water--Muchie Rajah was coming toward her open-mouthed. The +Fakeer's daughter seized one of the stones that the Cobra had given +her and threw it at him, and down he sank to the bottom of the tank; +a second time he rose and came toward her, and she threw the second +stone at him, and he again sank down; a third time he came more +fiercely than before, when, seizing a third stone, she threw it with +all her force. No sooner did it touch him than the spell was broken, +and there, instead of a fish, stood a handsome young Prince. The poor +little Fakeer's daughter was so startled that she began to cry. But +the Prince said to her, "Pretty maiden, do not be frightened. You have +rescued me from a horrible thraldom, and I can never thank you enough; +but if you will be the Muchie Ranee, we will be married to morrow." +Then he sat down on the door-step, thinking over his strange fate and +watching for the dawn. + +Next morning early several inquisitive people came to see if the +Muchie Rajah had eaten up his poor little wife, as they feared he +would; what was their astonishment, on looking over the tank wall, to +see, not the Muchie Rajah, but a magnificent Prince! The news soon +spread to the palace. Down came the Rajah, down came the Ranee, down +came all their attendants and dragged Muchie Rajah and the Fakeer's +daughter up the side of the tank in a basket; and when they heard +their story there were great and unparalleled rejoicings. The Ranee +said, "So I have indeed found a son at last!" And the people were so +delighted, so happy and so proud of the new Prince and Princess that +they covered all their path with damask from the tank to the palace, +and cried to their fellows, "Come and see our new Prince and Princess. +Were ever any so divinely beautiful? Come see a right royal couple--a +pair of mortals like the gods!" And when they reached the palace the +Prince was married to the Fakeer's daughter. + +There they lived very happily for some time. The Muchie Ranee's +step-mother, hearing what had happened, came often to see her +step-daughter, and pretended to be delighted at her good fortune; and +the Ranee was so good that she quite forgave all her step-mother's +former cruelty, and always received her very kindly. At last, one day, +the Muchie Ranee said to her husband, "It is a weary while since I saw +my father. If you will give me leave, I should much like to visit my +native village and see him again." "Very well," he replied, "you may +go. But do not stay away long; for there can be no happiness for me +till you return." So she went, and her father was delighted to see +her; but her step-mother, though she pretended to be very kind, was, +in reality, only glad to think she had got the Ranee into her power, +and determined, if possible, never to allow her to return to the +palace again. One day, therefore, she said to her own daughter, "It is +hard that your step-sister should have become Ranee of all the land +instead of being eaten up by the great fish, while we gained no more +than a lac of gold mohurs. Do now as I bid you, that you may become +Ranee in her stead." She then went on to instruct her how that she +must invite the Ranee down to the river-bank, and there beg her to let +her try on her jewels, and whilst putting them on give her a push and +drown her in the river. + +The girl consented, and standing by the river-bank, said to her +step-sister, "Sister, may I try on your jewels?--how pretty they are!" +"Yes," said the Ranee, "and we shall be able to see in the river how +they look." So, undoing her necklaces, she clasped them round the +other's neck. But whilst she was doing so her step-sister gave her a +push, and she fell backward into the water. The girl watched to see +that the body did not rise, and then, running back, said to her +mother, "Mother, here are all the jewels, and she will trouble us no +more." But it happened that just when her step-sister pushed the Ranee +into the river her old friend the Seven-headed Cobra chanced to be +swimming across it, and seeing the little Ranee like to be drowned, he +carried her on his back until he reached his hole, into which he took +her safely. Now this hole, in which the Cobra and his wife and all his +little ones lived, had two entrances--the one under the water and +leading to the river, and the other above water, leading out into the +open fields. To this upper end of his hole the Cobra took the Muchie +Ranee, where he and his wife took care of her; and there she lived +with them for some time. Meanwhile, the wicked Fakeer's wife, having +dressed up her own daughter in all the Ranee's jewels, took her to the +palace, and said to the Muchie Rajah, "See, I have brought your wife, +my dear daughter, back safe and well." The Rajah looked at her, and +thought, "This does not look like my wife." However, the room was dark +and the girl was cleverly disguised, and he thought he might be +mistaken. Next day he said again, "My wife must be sadly changed or +this cannot be she, for she was always bright and cheerful. She had +pretty loving ways and merry words, while this woman never opens her +lips." Still, he did not like to seem to mistrust his wife, and +comforted himself by saying, "Perhaps she is tired with the long +journey." On the third day, however, he could bear the uncertainty no +longer, and tearing off her jewels, saw, not the face of his own +little wife, but another woman. Then he was very angry and turned her +out of doors, saying, "Begone; since you are but the wretched tool of +others, I spare your life." But of the Fakeer's wife he said to his +guards, "Fetch that woman here instantly; for unless she can tell me +where my wife is, I will have her hanged." It chanced, however, that +the Fakeer's wife had heard of the Muchie Rajah having turned her +daughter out of doors; so, fearing his anger, she hid herself, and was +not to be found. + +Meantime, the Muchie Ranee, not knowing how to get home, continued to +live in the great Seven-headed Cobra's hole, and he and his wife and +all his family were very kind to her, and loved her as if she had been +one of them; and there her little son was born, and she called him +Muchie Lal,[85] after the Muchie Rajah, his father. Muchie Lal was a +lovely child, merry and brave, and his playmates all day long were the +young Cobras.[86] When he was about three years old a bangle-seller +came by that way, and the Muchie Ranee bought some bangles from him +and put them on her boy's wrists and ankles; but by next day, in +playing, he had broken them all. Then, seeing the bangle-seller, the +Ranee called him again and bought some more, and so on every day until +the bangle-seller got quite rich from selling so many bangles for the +Muchie Lal, for the Cobra's hole was full of treasure, and he gave the +Muchie Ranee as much money to spend every day as she liked. There was +nothing she wished for he did not give her, only he would not let her +try to get home to her husband, which she wished more than all. When +she asked him he would say, "No, I will not let you go. If your +husband comes here and fetches you, it is well; but I will not allow +you to wander in search of him through the land alone." + + [85] Little Ruby Fish. + + [86] See Notes at the end. + +And so she was obliged to stay where she was. + +All this time the poor Muchie Rajah was hunting in every part of the +country for his wife, but he could learn no tidings of her. For grief +and sorrow at losing her he had gone well-nigh distracted, and did +nothing but wander from place to place, crying, "She is gone! she is +gone!" Then, when he had long inquired without avail of all the people +in her native village about her, he one day met a bangle-seller and +said to him, "Whence do you come?" The bangle-seller answered, "I have +just been selling bangles to some people who live in a Cobra's hole in +the river-bank." "People! What people?" asked the Rajah. "Why," +answered the bangle-seller, "a woman and a child: the child is the +most beautiful I ever saw. He is about three years old, and of course, +running about, is always breaking his bangles, and his mother buys him +new ones every day." "Do you know what the child's name is?" said the +Rajah. "Yes," answered the bangle-seller, carelessly, "for the lady +always calls him her Muchie Lal." "Ah," thought the Muchie Rajah, +"this must be my wife." Then he said to him again, "Good +bangle-seller, I would see these strange people of whom you speak; +cannot you take me there?" "Not to-night," replied the bangle-seller; +"daylight has gone, and we should only frighten them; but I shall be +going there again to-morrow, and then you may come too. Meanwhile, +come and rest at my house for the night, for you look faint and +weary." The Rajah consented. Next morning, however, very early, he +woke the bangle-seller, saying, "Pray let us go now and see the +people you spoke about yesterday." "Stay," said the bangle-seller; "it +is much too early. I never go till after breakfast." So the Rajah had +to wait till the bangle-seller was ready to go. At last they started +off, and when they reached the Cobra's hole the first thing the Rajah +saw was a fine little boy playing with the young Cobras. + +As the bangle-seller came along, jingling his bangles, a gentle voice +from inside the hole called out, "Come here, my Muchie Lal, and try on +your bangles." Then the Muchie Rajah, kneeling down at the mouth of +the hole, said, "Oh, lady, show your beautiful face to me." At the +sound of his voice the Ranee ran out, crying, "Husband, husband! have +you found me again." And she told him how her sister had tried to +drown her, and how the good Cobra had saved her life and taken care of +her and her child. Then he said, "And will you now come home with me?" +And she told him how the Cobra would never let her go, and said, "I +will first tell him of your coming; for he has been as a father to +me." So she called out, "Father Cobra, father Cobra, my husband has +come to fetch me; will you let me go?" "Yes," he said, "if your +husband has come to fetch you, you may go." And his wife said, +"Farewell, dear lady, we are loth to lose you, for we have loved you +as a daughter." And all the little Cobras were very sorrowful to think +that they must lose their playfellow, the young Prince. Then the Cobra +gave the Muchie Rajah and the Muchie Ranee and Muchie Lal all the most +costly gifts he could find in his treasure-house; and so they went +home, where they lived very happy ever after. + + + + +[Decoration] + +XX. + +_CHUNDUN RAJAH._ + + +Once upon a time, a Rajah and Ranee died, leaving seven sons and one +daughter. All these seven sons were married, and the wives of the six +eldest used to be very unkind to their poor little sister-in-law; but +the wife of the seventh brother loved her dearly, and always took her +part against the others. She would say, "Poor little thing! her life +is sad. Her mother wished so long for a daughter, and then the girl +was born and the mother died, and never saw her poor child, or was +able to ask any one to take care of her." At which the wives of the +six elder brothers would answer, "You only take such notice of the +girl in order to vex us." Then, while their husbands were away, they +made up wicked stories against their sister-in-law, which they told +them on their return home; and their husbands believed them rather +than her, and were very angry with her and ordered her to be turned +out of the house. But the wife of the seventh brother did not believe +what the six others said, and was very kind to the little Princess, +and sent her secretly as much food as she could spare from her own +dinner. But as they drove her from their door, the six wives of the +elder brothers cried out, "Go away, wicked girl, go away, and never +let us see your face again until you marry Chundun Rajah![87] When you +invite us to the wedding, and give us, the six eldest, six common +wooden stools to sit on, but the seventh sister (who always takes your +part) a fine emerald chair, we will believe you innocent of all the +evil deeds of which you are accused, but not till then!" This they +said scornfully, railing at her; for Chundun Rajah, of whom they spoke +(who was the great Rajah of a neighboring country), had been dead many +months. + + [87] King Sandlewood. + +So, sad at heart, the Princess wandered forth into the jungle; and +when she had gone through it, she came upon another, still denser than +the first. The trees grew so thickly overhead that she could scarcely +see the sky, and there was no village or house of living creature +near. The food her youngest sister-in-law had given her was nearly +exhausted, and she did not know where to get more. At last, however, +after journeying on for many days, she came upon a large tank, beside +which was a fine house that belonged to a Rakshas. Being very tired, +she sat down on the edge of the tank to eat some of the parched rice +that remained of her store of provisions; and as she did so she +thought, "This house belongs doubtless to a Rakshas, who perhaps will +see me and kill and eat me; but since no one cares for me, and I have +neither home nor friends, I hold life cheap enough." It happened, +however, that the Rakshas was then out, and there was no one in his +house but a little cat and dog, who were his servants. + +The dog's duty was to take care of the saffron with which the Rakshas +colored his face on highdays and holidays, and the cat had charge of +the antimony with which he blackened his eyelids. Before the Princess +had been long by the tank, the little cat spied her out, and running +to her, said, "Oh, sister, sister, I am so hungry, pray give me some +of your dinner." The Princess answered, "I have very little rice left; +when it is all gone I shall starve. If I give you some, what have you +to give me in exchange?" The cat said, "I have charge of the antimony +with which my Rakshas blackens his eyelids--I will give you some of +it;" and running to the house she fetched a nice little potful of +antimony, which she gave to the Princess in exchange for the rice. +When the little dog saw this, he also ran down to the tank, and said, +"Lady, lady, give me some rice, I pray you, for I, too, am very +hungry." But she answered, "I have very little rice left, and when it +is all gone I shall starve. If I give you some of my dinner, what will +you give me in exchange?" The dog said, "I have charge of my Rakshas' +saffron, with which he colors his face. I will give you some of it." +So he ran to the house and fetched a quantity of saffron and gave it +to the Princess, and she gave him also some of the rice. Then, tying +the antimony and saffron up in her saree, she said good-bye to the dog +and cat and went on her way. + +Three or four days after this, she found she had nearly reached the +other side of the jungle. The wood was not so thick, and in the +distance she saw a large building that looked like a great tomb. The +Princess determined to go and see what it was, and whether she could +find any one there to give her any food, for she had eaten all the +rice and felt very hungry, and it was getting toward night. + +Now the place toward which the Princess went was the tomb of the +Chundun Rajah, but this she did not know. + +Chundun Rajah had died many months before, and his father and mother +and sisters, who loved him very dearly, could not bear the idea of his +being buried under the cold ground; so they had built a beautiful +tomb, and inside it they had placed the body on a bed under a canopy, +and it had never decayed, but continued as fair and perfect as when +first put there. Every day Chundun Rajah's mother and sister would +come to the place to weep and lament from sunrise to sunset, but each +evening they returned to their own homes. Hard by was a shrine and +small hut where a Brahmin lived, who had charge of the place; and from +far and near people used to come to visit the tomb of their lost Rajah +and see the great miracle, how the body of him who had been dead so +many months remained perfect and undecayed; but none knew why this +was. When the Princess got near the place a violent storm came on. The +rain beat upon her and wetted her, and it grew so dark she could +hardly see where she was going. She would have been afraid to go into +the tomb had she known about Chundun Rajah; but as it was, the storm +being so violent and night approaching, she ran in there for shelter +as fast as she could, and sat down shivering in one corner. By the +light of an oil lamp that burnt dimly in a niche in the wall, she saw +in front of her the body of the Rajah lying under the canopy, with the +heavy jeweled coverlid over him and the rich hangings all round. He +looked as if he were only asleep, and she did not feel frightened. But +at twelve o'clock, to her great surprise, as she was watching and +waiting, the Rajah came to life; and when he saw her sitting +shivering in the corner, he fetched a light and came toward her and +said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am a poor lonely girl. I only +came here for shelter from the storm. I am dying of cold and hunger." +And then she told him all her story--how that her sisters-in-law had +falsely accused her, and driven her from among them into the jungle, +bidding her see their faces no more until she married the Chundun +Rajah, who had been dead so many months; and how the youngest had been +kind to her and sent her food, which had prevented her from starving +by the way. + +The Rajah listened to the Princess' words, and was certain that they +were true and she no common beggar from the jungles. For, for all her +ragged clothes, she looked a royal lady, and shone like a star in the +darkness. Moreover, her eyelids were darkened with antimony and her +beautiful face painted with saffron, like the face of a Princess. Then +he felt a great pity for her, and said, "Lady, have no fear, for I +will take care of you," and dragging the rich coverlid off his bed he +threw it over her to keep her warm, and going to the Brahmin's house, +which was close by, fetched some rice, which he gave her to eat. Then +he said, "I am the Chundun Rajah, of whom you have heard. I die every +day, but every night I come to life for a little while." She cried, +"Do none of your family know of this? and if so, why do you stay here +in a dismal tomb?" He answered, "None know it but the Brahmin who has +charge of this place. Since my life is thus maimed, what would it +avail to tell my family? It would but grieve them more than to think +me dead. Therefore, I have forbidden him to let them know; and since +my parents only come here by day, they have never found it out. Maybe +I shall some time wholly recover, and till then I will be silent about +my existence." Then he called the Brahmin who had charge of the tomb +and the shrine (and who daily placed an offering of food upon it for +the Rajah to eat when he came to life), and said to him, "Henceforth, +place a double quantity of food upon the shrine, and take care of this +lady. If I ever recover she shall be my Ranee." And having said these +words he died again. Then the Brahmin took the Princess to his little +hut, and bade his wife see that she wanted for nothing, and all the +next day she rested in that place. Very early in the morning Chundun +Rajah's mother and sisters came to visit the tomb, but they did not +see the Princess; and in the evening, when the sun was setting, they +went away. That night, when the Chundun Rajah came to life, he called +the Brahmin, and said to him, "Is the Princess still here?" "Yes," he +answered; "for she is weary with her journey, and she has no home to +go to." The Rajah said, "Since she has neither home nor friends, if +she be willing, you shall marry me to her, and she shall wander no +further in search of shelter." So the Brahmin fetched his shastra[88] +and called all his family as witnesses, and married the Rajah to the +little Princess, reading prayers over them and scattering rice and +flowers upon their heads. And there the Chundun Ranee lived for some +time. She was very happy; she wanted nothing, and the Brahmin and his +wife took as much care of her as if she had been their daughter. Every +day she would wait outside the tomb, but at sunset she always returned +to it and watched for her husband to come to life. One night she said +to him, "Husband, I am happier to be your wife, and hold your hand and +talk to you for two or three hours every evening, than were I married +to some great living Rajah for a hundred years. But oh what joy it +would be if you could come wholly to life again! Do you know what is +the cause of your daily death? and what it is that brings you to life +each night at twelve o'clock?" + + [88] Sacred books. + +"Yes," he said, "it is because I have lost my Chundun Har,[89] the +sacred necklace that held my soul. A Peri stole it. I was in the +palace garden one day, when many of those winged ladies flew over my +head, and one of them, when she saw me, loved me and asked me to marry +her. But I said no, I would not; and at that she was angry, and tore +the Chundun Har off my neck and flew away with it. That instant I fell +down dead, and my father and mother caused me to be placed in this +tomb; but every night the Peri comes here and takes my necklace off +her neck, and when she takes it off I come to life again, and she asks +me to come away with her and marry her, and she does not put on the +necklace again for two or three hours, waiting to see if I will +consent. During that time I live. But when she finds I will not, she +puts on the necklace again and flies away, and as soon as she puts it +on, I die."[90] + + [89] Sandlewood necklace. + + [90] See Notes at the end. + +"Cannot the Peri be caught?" asked the Chundun Ranee. Her husband +answered, "No, I have often tried to seize back my necklace, for if I +could regain it I should come wholly to life again; but the Peri can +at will render herself invisible and fly away with it, so that it is +impossible for any mortal man to get it." At this news the Chundun +Ranee was sad at heart, for she saw no hope of the Rajah's being +restored to life; and grieving over this she became so ill and unhappy +that even when she had a little baby boy born, it did not much cheer +her, for she did nothing but think, "This poor child will grow up in +this desolate place, and have no kind father day by day to teach him +and help him as other children have, but only see him for a little +while by night; and we are all at the mercy of the Peri, who may any +day fly quite away with the necklace and not return." The Brahmin, +seeing how ill she was, said to the Chundun Rajah, "The Ranee will die +unless she can be somewhere where much care will be taken of her, for +in my poor home my wife and I can do but little for her comfort. Your +mother and sister are good and charitable; let her go to the palace, +where they will only need to see she is ill to take care of her." Now +it happened that in the palace courtyard there was a great slab of +white marble, on which the Chundun Rajah would often rest on the hot +summer days; and because he used to be so fond of it, when he died his +father and mother ordered that it should be taken great care of, and +no one was allowed to so much as touch it. Knowing this, Chundun Rajah +said to his wife, "You are ill; I should like you to go to the palace, +where my mother and sisters will take the greatest care of you. Do +this, therefore: take our child and sit down with him upon the great +slab of marble in the palace courtyard. I used to be very fond of it; +and so now for my sake it is kept with the greatest care, and no one +is allowed to so much as touch it. They will most likely see you +there and order you to go away; but if you then tell them you are ill, +they will, I know, have pity on you and befriend you." The Chundun +Ranee did as her husband told her, placing her little boy on the great +slab of white marble in the palace courtyard and sitting down herself +beside him. Chundun Rajah's sister, who was looking out of the window, +saw her and cried, "Mother, there are a woman and her child resting on +my brother's marble slab; let us tell them to go away." So she ran +down to the place, but when she saw Chundun Ranee and the little boy +she was quite astonished, the Chundun Ranee was so fair and +lovable-looking, and the baby was the image of her dead brother. Then +returning to her mother, she said, "Mother, she who sits upon the +marble stone is the prettiest little lady I ever saw; and do not let +us blame the poor thing; she says she is ill and weary, and the baby +(I know not if it is fancy, or the seeing him on that stone) seems to +me the image of my lost brother." + + [Illustration: CHUNDUN RANEE.--p. 276.] + +At this the old Ranee and the rest of the family went out, and when +they saw the Chundun Ranee, they all took such a fancy to her and to +the child that they brought her into the palace, and were very kind to +her, and took great care of her; so that in a while she got well and +strong again, and much less unhappy; and they all made a great pet of +the little boy, for they were struck with his strange likeness to the +dead Rajah; and after a time they gave his mother a small house to +live in, close to the palace, where they often used to go and visit +her. There also the Chundun Rajah would go each night when he came to +life, to laugh and talk with his wife and play with his boy, although +he still refused to tell his father and mother of his existence. One +day it happened, however, that the little child told one of the +Princesses (Chundun Rajah's sister) how every evening some one who +came to the house used to laugh and talk with his mother and play with +him, and then go away. The Princess also heard the sound of voices in +Chundun Ranee's house, and saw lights flickering about there when they +were supposed to be fast asleep. Of this she told her mother, saying, +"Let us go down to-morrow night and see what this means; perhaps the +woman we thought so poor and befriended thus is nothing but a cheat, +and entertains all her friends every night at our expense." + +So the next evening they went down softly, softly to the place, when +they saw, not the strangers they had expected, but their long-lost +Chundun Rajah. Then, since he could not escape, he told them all--how +that every night for an hour or two he came to life, but was dead all +day. And they rejoiced greatly to see him again, and reproached him +for not letting them know he ever lived, though for so short a time. +He then told them how he had married the Chundun Ranee, and thanked +them for all their loving care of her. + +After this he used to come every night and sit and talk with them; but +still each day, to their great sorrow, he died; nor could they divine +any means for getting back his Chundun Har, which the Peri wore round +her neck. + +At last one evening, when they were all laughing and chatting +together, seven Peris flew into the room unobserved by them, and one +of the seven was the very Peri who had stolen Chundun Rajah's +necklace, and she held it in her hand. + +All the young Peris were very fond of the Chundun Rajah and Chundun +Ranee's boy, and used often to come and play with him, for he was the +image of his father's and mother's loveliness, and as fair as the +morning; and he used to laugh and clap his little hands when he saw +them coming; for though men and women cannot see Peris, little +children can. + +Chundun Rajah was tossing the child up in the air when the Peris flew +into the room, and the little boy was laughing merrily. The winged +ladies fluttered round the Rajah and the child, and she that had the +necklace hovered over his head. Then the boy, seeing the glittering +necklace which the Peri held, stretched out his little arms and caught +hold of it, and as he seized it the string broke, and all the beads +fell upon the floor. At this the seven Peris were frightened and flew +away, and the Chundun Ranee, collecting the beads, strung them and +hung them round the Rajah's neck; and there was great joy amongst +those that loved him, because he had recovered the sacred necklace, +and that the spell which doomed him to death was broken. + +The glad news was soon known throughout the kingdom, and all the +people were happy and proud to hear it, crying, "We have lost our +young Rajah for such a long, long time, and now one little child has +brought him back to life." And the old Rajah and Ranee (Chundun +Rajah's father and mother) determined that he should be married again +to the Chundun Ranee with great pomp and splendor, and they sent +letters into all the kingdoms of the world, saying, "Our son the +Chundun Rajah has come to life again, and we pray you come to his +wedding." + +Then, among those who accepted the invitation, were the Chundun +Ranee's seven brothers and their seven wives; and for her six +sisters-in-law, who had been so cruel to her and caused her to be +driven out into the jungle, the Chundun Ranee prepared six common +wooden stools; but for the seventh, who had been kind to her, she made +ready an emerald throne and a foot-stool adorned with emeralds. + +When all the Ranees were taken to their places, the six eldest +complained, saying, "How is this? Six of us are given only common +wooden stools to sit upon, but the seventh has an emerald chair?" Then +the Chundun Ranee stood up, and before the assembled guests told them +her story, reminding her six elder sisters-in-law of their former +taunts, and how they had forbidden her to see them again until the day +of her marriage with the Chundun Rajah, and she explained how unjustly +they had accused her to her brothers. When the Ranees heard this they +were struck dumb with fear and shame, and were unable to answer a +word; and all their husbands, being much enraged to learn how they had +conspired to kill their sister-in-law, commanded that these wicked +woman should be instantly hanged, which was accordingly done. Then, on +the same day that the Chundun Rajah remarried their sister, the six +elder brothers were married to six beautiful ladies of the court amid +great and unheard-of rejoicings, and from that day they all lived +together in perfect peace and harmony until their lives' end. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XXI. + +_SODEWA BAI._ + + +Once upon a time there lived a Rajah and Ranee, who had only one +daughter, and she was the most beautiful Princess in the world. Her +face was as fair and delicate as the clear moonlight, and they called +her Sodewa Bai.[91] At her birth her father and mother had sent for +all the wise men in the kingdom to tell her fortune, and they +predicted that she would grow up richer and more fortunate than any +other lady; and so it was, for from her earliest youth she was good +and lovely, and whenever she opened her lips to speak pearls and +precious stones fell upon the ground, and as she walked along they +would scatter on either side of her path, insomuch that her father +soon became the richest Rajah in all that country, for his daughter +could not go across the room without shaking down jewels worth a +dowry. Moreover, Sodewa Bai was born with a golden necklace about her +neck, concerning which also her parents consulted astrologers, who +said, "This is no common child; the necklace of gold about her neck +contains your daughter's soul: let it therefore be guarded with the +utmost care, for if it were taken off and worn by another person she +would die." So the Ranee, her mother, caused it to be firmly fastened +round the child's neck, and as soon as she was old enough to +understand, instructed her concerning its value, and bade her on no +account ever to allow it to be taken off. + + [91] The Lady Good Fortune. + +At the time my story begins this Princess was fourteen years old, but +she was not married, for her father and mother had promised that she +should not do so until it pleased herself; and although many great +rajahs and nobles sought her hand, she constantly refused them all. + +Now Sodewa Bai's father, on one of her birth-days, gave her a lovely +pair of slippers made of gold and jewels. Each slipper was worth a +hundred thousand gold mohurs. There were none like them in all the +earth. Sodewa Bai prized these slippers very much, and always wore +them when she went out walking, to protect her tender feet from the +stones; but one day, as she was wandering with her ladies upon the +side of the mountain on which the palace was built, playing and +picking the wild flowers, her foot slipped and one of the golden +slippers fell down, down, down the steep hill-slope, over rocks and +stones, into the jungle below. Sodewa Bai sent attendants to search +for it, and the Rajah caused criers to go throughout the town and +proclaim that whoever discovered the Princess' slipper should receive +a great reward; but though it was hunted for far and near, high and +low, it could not be found. + +It chanced, however, that not very long after this a young Prince, the +eldest son of a Rajah who lived in the plains, was out hunting, and in +the jungle he picked up the very little golden slipper which Sodewa +Bai had lost, and which had tumbled all the way from the +mountain-side into the depths of the forest. He took it home with him, +and showed it to his mother, saying, "What a fairy foot must have worn +this tiny slipper!" "Ah, my boy," she said, "this must have belonged +to a lovely Princess, in truth (if she is but as beautiful as her +slipper); would that you could find such a one to be your wife!" Then +they sent into all the towns of the kingdom to inquire for the owner +of the lost slipper, but she could not be found. At last, when many +months had gone by, it happened that news was brought by travelers to +the Rajah's capital, of how, in a far distant land, very high among +the mountains, there lived a beautiful Princess who had lost her +slipper, and whose father had offered a great reward to whoever should +restore it; and from the description they gave all were assured it was +the one that the Prince had found. + +Then his mother said to him, "My son, it is certain that the slipper +you found belongs to none other than the great Mountain Rajah's +daughter; therefore take it to his palace, and when he offers you the +promised reward, say that you wish for neither silver nor gold, but +ask him to give you his daughter in marriage. Thus you may gain her +for your wife." + +The Prince did as his mother advised; and when, after a long, long +journey, he reached the court of Sodewa Bai's father, he presented the +slipper to him, saying, "I have found your daughter's slipper, and for +restoring it I claim a great reward." "What will you have?" said the +Rajah. "Shall I pay you in horses? or in silver? or in gold?" "No," +answered the Prince, "I will have none of these things. I am the son +of a Rajah who lives in the plains, and I found this slipper in the +jungle where I was hunting, and have traveled for many weary days to +bring it you; but the only payment I care for is the hand of your +beautiful daughter; if it pleases you, let me become your son-in-law." +The Rajah replied, "This only I cannot promise you; for I have vowed I +will not oblige my daughter to marry against her will. This matter +depends upon her alone. If she is willing to be your wife, I also am +willing; but it rests with her free choice." Now it happened that +Sodewa Bai had from her window seen the Prince coming up to the palace +gate, and when she heard his errand, she said to her father, "I saw +that Prince, and I am willing to marry him." So they were married with +great pomp and splendor. When all the other Rajah's, Sodewa Bai's +suitors, heard of this, they were, however much astonished as well as +vexed, and said, "What can have made Sodewa Bai take a fancy to that +young Prince? He is not so wonderfully handsome, and he is very poor. +This is a most foolish marriage." But they all came to it, and were +entertained at the palace, where the wedding festivities lasted many +days. After Sodewa Bai and her husband had lived there for some little +time, he one day said to his father-in-law, "I have a great desire to +see my own people again and to return to my own country. Let me take +my wife home with me." + +The Rajah said, "Very well. I am willing that you should go. Take care +of your wife; guard her as the apple of your eye; and be sure you +never permit the golden necklace to be taken from her neck and given +to any one else, for in that case she would die." The Prince promised, +and he returned with Sodewa Bai to his father's kingdom. At their +departure the Rajah of the Mountain gave them many elephants, horses, +camels and attendants, besides jewels innumerable and much money, and +many rich hangings, robes and carpets. The old Rajah and Ranee of the +Plain were delighted to welcome home their son and his beautiful +bride; and there they might all have lived their lives long in +uninterrupted peace and happiness, had it not been for one unfortunate +circumstance. Rowjee (for that was the Prince's name) had another +wife, to whom he had been married when a child, long before he had +found Sodewa Bai's golden slipper; she therefore was the first Ranee, +though Sodewa Bai was the one he loved the best (for the first Ranee +was of a sullen, morose and jealous disposition.) His father also, and +his mother, preferred Sodewa Bai to their other daughter-in-law. The +first Ranee could not bear to think of any one being Ranee beside +herself; and more especially of another not only in the same position, +but better loved by all around than she; and therefore in her wicked +heart she hated Sodewa Bai and longed for her destruction, though +outwardly she pretended to be very fond of her. The old Rajah and +Ranee, knowing of the first Ranee's jealous and envious disposition, +never liked Sodewa Bai to be much with her; but as they had only a +vague fear, and no certain ground for alarm, they could do no more +than watch both carefully; and Sodewa Bai, who was guileless and +unsuspicious, would remonstrate with them when they warned her not to +be so intimate with Rowjee Rajah's other wife, saying, "I have no +fear. I think she loves me as I love her. Why should we disagree? Are +we not sisters?" One day, Rowjee Rajah was obliged to go on a journey +to a distant part of his father's kingdom, and, being unable to take +Sodewa Bai with him, he left her in his parents' charge, promising to +return soon, and begging them to watch over her, and to go every +morning and see that she was well; which they agreed to do. + +A little while after their husband had gone, the first Ranee went to +Sodewa Bai's room and said to her, "It is lonely for us both, now +Rowjee is away; but you must come often to see me, and I will come +often to see you and talk to you, and so we will amuse ourselves as +well as we can." To this Sodewa Bai agreed, and to amuse the first +Ranee she took out all her jewels and pretty things to show her. As +they were looking over them, the first Ranee said, "I notice you +always wear that row of golden beads round your neck. Why do you? Have +you any reason for always wearing the same ones?" "Oh, yes," answered +Sodewa Bai, thoughtlessly. "I was born with these beads round my neck, +and the wise men told my father and mother that they contain my soul, +and that if any one else wore them I should die. Therefore I always +wear them. I have never once taken them off." When the first Ranee +heard this news she was very much pleased; yet she feared to steal the +beads herself, both because she was afraid she might be found out, and +because she did not like with her own hands to commit the crime. So, +returning to her house, she called her most confidential servant, a +negress, whom she knew to be trustworthy, and said to her, "Go this +evening to Sodewa Bai's room when she is asleep, and take from her +neck the string of golden beads, and fasten them round your own neck, +and return to me. Those beads contain her soul, and as soon as you put +them on she will cease to live." The negress agreed to do as she was +told; for she had long known that her mistress hated Sodewa Bai and +desired nothing so much as her death. So that night, going softly into +the sleeping Ranee's room, she stole the golden necklace, and +fastening it round her own neck, crept away without any one knowing +what was done; and when the negress put on the necklace, Sodewa Bai's +spirit fled. + +Next morning the old Rajah and Ranee went as usual to see their +daughter-in-law, and knocked at the door of her room. No one answered. +They knocked again and again; still no reply. They then went in, and +found her lying there, cold as marble and quite dead, though she +seemed very well when they had seen her before. They asked her +attendants, who slept just outside her door, whether she had been ill +that night, or if any one had gone into her room? But they declared +they had heard no sound, and were sure no one had been near the place. +In vain the Rajah and Ranee sent for the most learned doctors in the +kingdom, to see if there was still any spark of life remaining; all +said that the young Ranee was dead, beyond reach of hope or help. + +Then the Rajah and Ranee were very much grieved, and mourned bitterly; +and because they desired that, if possible, Rowjee Rajah should see +his wife once again, instead of burying her underground, they placed +her beneath a canopy in a beautiful tomb near a little tank, and would +go daily to visit the place and look at her. Then did a wonder take +place, such as had never been known throughout the land before! Sodewa +Bai's body did not decay nor the color of her face change; and a month +afterward, when her husband returned home, she looked as fair and +lovely as on the night on which she died. There was a fresh color in +her cheeks and on her lips; she seemed to be only asleep. When poor +Rowjee Rajah heard of her death he was so broken-hearted they thought +he also would die. He cursed the evil fate that had obliged him to go +away and deprive him of hearing her last words, or bidding her +farewell, if he could not save her life; and from morning to evening +he would go to her tomb, and rend the air with his passionate +lamentations, and looking through the grating to where she lay calm +and still under the canopy, say, before he went away, "I will take one +last look at that fair face. To-morrow Death may have set his seal +upon it. Oh, loveliness, too bright for earth! Oh, lost, lost wife!" + +The Rajah and Ranee feared that he would die or go mad, and they tried +to prevent his going to the tomb; but all was of no avail; it seemed +to be the only thing he cared for in life. + +Now the negress who had stolen Sodewa Bai's necklace used to wear it +all day long, but late each night, on going to bed, she would take it +off and put it by till next morning, and whenever she took it off +Sodewa Bai's spirit returned to her again, and she lived till day +dawned and the negress put on the necklace, when she again died. But +as the tomb was far from any houses, and the old Rajah and Ranee and +Rowjee Rajah only went there by day, nobody found this out. When +Sodewa Bai first came to life in this way, she felt very much +frightened to find herself there all alone in the dark, and thought +she was in prison; but afterward she got more accustomed to it, and +determined when morning came to look about the place and find her way +back to the palace, and recover the necklace she found she had lost +(for it would have been dangerous to go at night through the jungles +that surrounded the tomb, where she could hear the wild beasts roaring +all night long); but morning never came, for whenever the negress +awoke and put on the golden beads Sodewa Bai died. However, each +night, when the Ranee came to life, she would walk to the little tank +by the tomb and drink some of the cool water, and return; but food she +had none. Now, no pearls or precious stones fell from her lips, +because she had no one to talk to; but each time she walked down to +the tank she scattered jewels on either side of her path; and one day, +when Rowjee Rajah went to the tomb, he noticed all these jewels, and +thinking it very strange (though he never dreamed that his wife could +come to life), determined to watch and see whence they came. But +although he watched and waited long, he could not find out the cause, +because all day long Sodewa Bai lay still and dead, and only came to +life at night. It was just at this time, two whole months after she +had been buried, and the night after the very day that Rowjee Rajah +had spent in watching by the tomb, that Sodewa Bai had a little son; +but directly after he was born day dawned, and the mother died. The +little lonely baby began to cry, but no one was there to hear him; +and, as it chanced, the Rajah did not go the tomb that day, for he +thought, "All yesterday I watched by the tomb and saw nothing; +instead, therefore, of going to-day, I will wait till the evening, and +then see again if I cannot find out how the jewels came there." + +So at night he went to the place. When he got there he heard a faint +cry from inside the tomb, but what it was he knew not; perhaps it +might be a Peri or an evil spirit. As he was wondering the door opened +and Sodewa Bai crossed the courtyard to the tank with a child in her +arms, and as she walked showers of jewels fell on both sides of her +path. Rowjee Rajah thought he must be in a dream; but when he saw the +Ranee drink some water from the tank and return toward the tomb, he +sprang up and hurried after her. Sodewa Bai, hearing footsteps follow +her, was frightened, and running into the tomb, fastened the door. +Then the Rajah knocked at it, saying, "Let me in; let me in." She +answered, "Who are you? Are you a Rakshas or a spirit?" (For she +thought, "Perhaps this is some cruel creature who will kill me and the +child.") "No, no," cried the Rajah, "I am no Rakshas, but your +husband. Let me in, Sodewa Bai, if you are indeed alive." No sooner +did he name her name than Sodewa Bai knew his voice, and unbolted the +door and let him in. Then, when he saw her sitting on the tomb with +the baby on her lap, he fell down on his knees before her, saying, +"Tell me, little wife, that this is not a dream." "No," she answered, +"I am indeed alive, and this our child was born last night; but every +day I die, for while you were away some one stole my golden necklace." + +Then for the first time Rowjee Rajah noticed that the beads were no +longer round her neck. So he bade her fear nothing, for that he would +assuredly recover them and return; and going back to the palace, which +he reached in the early morning, he summoned before him the whole +household. + +Then, upon the neck of the negress, servant to the first Ranee, he saw +Sodewa Bai's missing necklace, and seizing it, ordered the guards to +take the woman to prison. The negress, frightened, confessed all she +had done by order of the first Ranee, and how, at her command, she had +stolen the necklace. And when the Rajah learnt this he ordered that +the first Ranee also should be imprisoned for life, and he and his +father and mother all went together to the tomb, and placing the lost +beads round Sodewa Bai's neck, brought her and the child back in +triumph with them to the palace. Then, at news of how the young Ranee +had been restored to life, there was great joy throughout all that +country, and many days were spent in rejoicings in honor of that happy +event; and for the rest of their lives the old Rajah and Ranee, and +Rowjee Rajah and Sodewa Bai, and all the family, lived in health and +happiness. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XXII. + +_CHANDRA'S VENGEANCE._ + + +There was once a Sowkar's[92] wife who had no children; one day she +went crying to her husband and saying, "What an unhappy woman I am to +have no children! If I had any children to amuse me I should be quite +happy." He answered, "Why should you be miserable on that account; +though you have no children, your sister has eight or nine; why not +adopt one of hers?" The Sowkar's wife agreed, and, adopting one of her +sister's little boys, who was only six months old, brought him up as +her own son. Some time afterward, when the child was one day returning +from school, he and one of his schoolfellows quarreled and began to +fight, and the other boy (being much the older and stronger of the +two) gave him a great blow on the head and knocked him down, and hurt +him very much. The boy ran crying home, and the Sowkar's wife bathed +his head and bandaged it up, but she did not send and punish the boy +who hurt him, for she thought, "One can't keep children shut up always +in the house, and they will be fighting together sometimes and hurting +themselves." Then the child grumbled to himself, saying, "This is only +my aunt; that is why she did not punish the other boy. If she had +been my mother, she would certainly have given him a great knock on +his head to punish him for knocking mine, but because she is only my +aunt, I suppose she doesn't care." The Sowkar's wife overheard him, +and felt very much grieved, saying, "This little child, whom I have +watched over from his babyhood, does not love me as if I were his +mother. It is of no use; he is not my own, and he will never care for +me as such." So she took him home to his own mother, saying, "Sister, +I have brought you back your child." "How is this?" asked her sister. +"You adopted him as yours for all his life. Why do you now bring him +back?" The Sowkar's wife did not tell her sister what she had heard +the boy say, but she answered, "Very well; let him be yours and mine: +he shall live a while with you, and then come and visit me; we will +both take care of him." And returning to her husband, she told him +what she had done, saying "All my pains are useless; you know how kind +I have been to my sister's boy, yet, after all I have done for him, at +the end of seven years he does not love me as well as he does his +mother, whom he had scarcely seen. Now, therefore, I will never rest +until I have seen Mahdeo[93] and asked him to grant that I may have a +child of my own."[94] + + [92] Merchant's. + + [93] The Creator. + + [94] See Notes at the end. + +"What a foolish woman you are!" answered her husband; "why not be +content with your lot? How do you think you will find Mahdeo? Do you +know the road to heaven?" "Nay," she replied, "but I will seek for it +until I find it out, and if I never find it, it cannot be helped, but +I will return home no more unless my prayer is answered." So she left +the house, and wandered into the jungle, and after she had traveled +through it for many, many days, and left her own land very far behind, +she came to the borders of another country, even the Madura +Tinivelly[95] country, where a great river rolled down toward the sea. +On the river-bank sat two women--a Ranee named Coplinghee Ranee and a +Nautch woman. + + [95] Two provinces of the Madras Presidency, on the mainland + opposite Ceylon. They are famous in Hindoo mythology. + +Now, neither the Ranee, the Nautch woman nor the Sowkar's wife had +ever seen each other before they met at the river-side. Then, as she +sat down to rest and drink some of the water, the Ranee turned to the +Sowkar's wife and said to her, "Who are you, and where are you going?" +She answered, "I am a Sowkar's wife from a far country, and because I +was very unhappy at having no children, I am going to find Mahdeo and +ask him to grant that I may have a child of my own." + +Then, in her turn, she said to the Ranee, "And pray who are you, and +where are you going?" The Ranee answered, "I am Coplinghee Ranee, +queen of all this country, but neither money nor riches can give me +joy, for I have no children; I therefore am going to seek Mahdeo and +ask him to grant that I may have a child." Then Coplinghee Ranee asked +the Nautch woman the same question, saying, "And who may you be, and +where are you going?" The Nautch woman answered, "I am a dancing woman +and I also have no children, and am going to seek Mahdeo and pray to +him for a child." At hearing this, the Sowkar's wife said, "Since we +are all journeying on the same errand, why should we not go together?" +To this Coplinghee Ranee and the Dancing woman agreed, so they all +three continued their journey together through the jungle. + +On, on, on they went, every day further and further; they never stayed +to rest nor saw another human being. Their feet ached dreadfully and +their clothes wore out, and they had nothing to live on but the jungle +plants, wild berries and seeds. So weary and worn did they become that +they looked like three poor old beggar women. Never had they by +night-time sleep nor by day-time rest; and so, hour after hour, month +after month, year after year, they traveled on. + +At last one day they came to where, in the midst of the jungle, there +rolled a great river of fire. It was the biggest river they had ever +seen, and made of flames instead of water. There was no one on this +side and no one on that--no way of getting across but by walking +through the fire. + +When Coplinghee Ranee and the Nautch woman saw this, they said, "Alas! +here is the end of all our pains and trouble. All hope is over, for we +can go no farther." But the Sowkar's wife answered, "Shall we be +deterred by this after having come so far? Nay, rather seek a way +across the fire." And so saying, she stepped into the fire waves; the +others, however, were afraid, and would not go. When the Sowkar's wife +had half crossed the river of fire, she turned, and waving her hands +toward them, said, "Come on, come on, do not be afraid. The fire does +not burn me. I go to find Mahdeo; perhaps he is on the other +side."[96] But they still refused, saying, "We cannot come, but we +will wait here until your return; and if you find Mahdeo, pray for us +also, that we may have children." + + [96] See Notes at the end. + +So the Sowkar's wife went on her way, and the fire-waves lapped round +her feet as if they had been water, but they did not hurt her. + +When she reached the other side of the river she came upon a great +wilderness, full of wild elephants, and bison, and lions, and tigers, +and bears, that roared and growled on every side. But she did not turn +back for fear of them, for she said to herself, "I can but die once, +and it is better that they should kill me than that I should return +without finding Mahdeo." And all the wild beasts allowed her to pass +through the midst of them and did her no harm. + +Now it came to pass that Mahdeo looked down from heaven and saw her, +and when he saw her he pitied her greatly, for she had been twelve +years wandering upon the face of the earth to find him. Then he caused +a beautiful mango tree, beside a fair well, to spring up in the desert +to give her rest and refreshment, and he himself, in the disguise of a +Gosain Fakeer, came and stood by the tree. But the Sowkar's wife would +not stay to gather the fruit or drink the water; she did not so much +as notice the Fakeer, but walked straight on in her weary search for +Mahdeo. Then he called after her, "Bai, Bai, where are you going? Come +here." She answered, scarcely looking at him, "It matters not to you, +Fakeer, where I am going. You tell your prayer-beads and leave me +alone." "Come here," he cried; "come here." But she would not, so +Mahdeo went and stood in front of her, no longer disguised as a +Fakeer, but shining brightly, the Lord of Kylas[97] in all his beauty, +and at the sight of him the poor Sowkar's wife fell down on the ground +and kissed his feet, and he said to her, "Tell me, Bai, where are you +going?" She answered, "Sir, I seek Mahdeo, to pray him to grant that I +may have a child, but for twelve years I have looked for him in vain." +He said, "Seek no further, for I am Mahdeo; take this mango," and he +gathered one off the tree that grew by the well, "and eat it, and it +shall come to pass that when you return home you shall have a child." +Then she said, "Sir, three women came seeking you, but two stayed by +the river of fire, for they were afraid; may not they also have +children?" + + [97] The Hindoo heaven. + +"If you will," he answered, "you may give them some of your mango, and +then they also will each have a child." + +So saying, he faded from her sight, and the Sowkar's wife returned +glad and joyful, through the wilderness and the river of fire, to +where the Ranee and the Dancing woman were waiting for her on the +other side. When they saw her, they said, "Well, Sowkar's wife, what +news?" She answered, "I have found Mahdeo, and he has given me this +mango, of which if we eat we shall each have a child." And she took +the mango, and squeezing it gave the juice to the Ranee, and the skin +she gave to the Nautch woman, and the pulp and the stone she ate +herself. + +Then these three women returned to their own homes; Coplinghee Ranee +and the Dancing woman to the Madura Tinivelly country, and the +Sowkar's wife to very, very far beyond that, even the land where her +husband lived, and whence she had first started on her journey. + +But on their return all their friends only laughed at them, and the +Sowkar said to his wife, "I cannot see much good in your mad +twelve-years' journey; you only come back looking like a beggar, and +all the world laughs at you." + +"I don't care," she answered; "I have seen Mahdeo and eaten of the +mango, and I shall have a child." + +And within a little while it came to pass that there was born to the +Sowkar and his wife a little son, and on the very same day Coplinghee +Ranee had a daughter and the Nautch woman had a daughter. + +Then were they all very happy, and sent everywhere to tell their +friends the good news; and each gave, according to her power, a great +feast to the poor as a thank-offering to Mahdeo, who had been merciful +to them. And the Sowkar's wife called her son "Koila,"[98] in memory +of the mango stone; and the Nautch woman called her daughter +"Moulee;"[99] and the little Princess was named Chandra Bai,[100] for +she was as fair and beautiful as the white moon. + + [98] He of the mango stone. + + [99] From the sweet mango pulp. + + [100] The Moon Lady. + +Chandra Ranee was very beautiful, the most beautiful child in all that +country, so pretty and delicately made that everybody, when they saw +her, loved her. She was born, moreover, with, on her ankles, two of +the most costly anklets that ever were seen. They were made of gold +and very precious stones, dazzling to look at, like the sun. No one +had ever seen any like them before. Every day, as the baby grew, these +bangles grew, and round them were little bells, which tinkled when any +one came near. Chandra's parents were very happy and proud, and sent +for all the wise men in the kingdom to tell her fortune. But the most +learned Brahmin of them all, when he saw her, said, "This child must +be sent out of the country at once, for if she stays in it she will +destroy all the land with fire, and burn it utterly." + +The Rajah, at hearing these words, was very angry, and said to the +Brahmin, "I will cut off your head, for you tell lies and not the +truth." The Brahmin answered, "Cut off my head if you will, but it is +the truth I speak, and no lie. If you do not believe me, let a little +wool be fetched, and put it upon the child, that you may know my words +are true." + +So they fetched some wool and laid it upon the baby, and no sooner had +they done so than it all blazed up and burnt till not a bit was left, +and it scorched the hands of the attendants. + +Then the Brahmin said, "As this fire has burnt the wool, so will this +Princess one day, if she comes here, burn this whole land." And they +were all very much frightened, and the Rajah said to the Ranee, "This +being so, the child must be sent out of the country instantly." The +poor Ranee thereat was very sad, and she did all in her power to save +her little baby, but the Rajah would not hear of it, and commanded +that the Princess should be placed in a large box, and taken to the +borders of his land, where a great river rolled down to the sea, and +there thrown into the stream, that it might carry her far, far away, +each minute farther from her native land.[101] Then the Ranee caused a +beautiful golden box to be made, and put her little baby in it with +many tears (since all her efforts to save it were of no avail), and it +was taken away and thrown into the river. + + [101] See Notes at the end. + +The box floated on, and on, and on, until at last it reached the +country where the Sowkar and the Sowkar's wife lived. Now it chanced +that, just as the box was floating by, the Sowkar, who had gone down +to the river to wash his face, caught sight of it, and seeing a +Fisherman not far off prepared to throw his net into the water, he +cried, "Run, Fisherman, run, run; do not stop to fish, but cast your +net over that glittering box and bring it here to me." + +"I will not, unless you promise me that the box shall be mine," said +the Fisherman. "Very well," answered the Sowkar, "the box shall be +yours, and whatever it contains shall belong to me." + +So the Fisherman cast his net in that part of the river and dragged +the box ashore. + +I don't know which was most astonished--the Merchant or the +Fisherman--when they saw what a prize they had found. For the box was +composed entirely of gold and precious stones, and within it lay the +most lovely little child that ever was seen. + +She seemed a little Princess, for her dress was all made of cloth of +gold, and on her feet were two anklets that shone like the sun. + +When the Sowkar opened the box, she smiled; and stretched out her +little arms toward him. Then he was pleased, and said, "Fisherman, the +box is yours, but this child must belong to me." The Fisherman was +content that it should be so, for he had many children of his own at +home, and wanted no more, but was glad to have the golden box; while +the Sowkar, who had only his one little son and was rich, did not care +for the box, but was well pleased to have the baby. + +He took her home to his wife, and said, "See, wife, here is a pretty +little daughter-in-law for us. Here is a wife for your little son." +And when the Sowkar's wife saw the child looking so beautiful and +smiling so sweetly, her heart was glad and she loved her, and from +that day took the greatest care of her, just as if the baby girl had +been her own daughter. And when Chandra Ranee was a year old they +married her to their son, Koila. + +Years wore on, and the Sowkar and his wife were in a good old age +gathered to their fathers. Meantime, Koila and Chandra had grown up +the handsomest couple in all the country: Koila tall and straight, +with a face like a young lion, and Chandra as lithe and graceful as a +palm tree, with a face calm and beautiful like the silver moonlight. + +Meantime Moulee, the Nautch woman's daughter (and third of the mango +children), had likewise grown up in the Madura Tinivelly country, and +was also very fair--fairer than any one in all the land around. +Moreover, she danced and sang more beautifully than any of the other +Nautch girls. Her voice was clear as the voice of a quail, and it rang +through the air with such power that the sound could be heard a +twelve-days' journey off. The Nautch people used to travel about from +place to place, staying one day in one town and the next in another, +and so it happened that in their wanderings they reached the borders +of the land where Koila and Chandra lived. + +One morning Koila heard the sound of singing in the distance, and it +pleased him so well that he determined to try and discover who it was +that possessed such an exquisite voice. For twelve days he journeyed +on through the jungle, each day hearing the singing repeated louder +and louder, yet still without reaching the place whence it came. At +last, on the twelfth day, he got close to the Nautch people's +encampment, not far from a large town, and there saw the singer (who +was none other than Moulee), singing and dancing in the midst of a +great crowd of people who had collected around her. In her hand she +held a garland of flowers, which she waved over her head as she +danced. + +Koila was so charmed with the sound of her voice that he felt +spell-bound, and stood where he was, far off on the outskirts of the +jungle, listening, without going any nearer. + +When the entertainment was over, all the people crowded round Moulee, +saying, "Why should you, who have such a beautiful voice, go away and +leave our city? Marry one of us, and then you will stay here always." +Then, the number of her suitors being so great that she did not know +whom to choose, she said, "Very well; he on whose neck this garland +falls shall be my husband." And waving the flowers she held two or +three times round her head, she threw them from her with her utmost +force. + +The impetus given to the garland was so great that it swung through +the air beyond the crowd and fell upon the neck of Koila as he stood +by the borders of the jungle. And the people ran to see who was the +fortunate possessor, and when they saw Koila they were astonished, for +he looked more beautiful than any of the sons of men: it was as if an +immortal had suddenly come among them. And the Nautch people dragged +him back to their camp, crying, "You have won the garland; you must be +Moulee's husband." He answered, "I only came here to look on; I cannot +stay. This is not my country; I have a wife of my own at home." "That +is nothing to us," they said; "it is your destiny to marry +Moulee--Moulee the beautiful one--Moulee, whose voice you heard and +who dances so well. You must marry her, for the garland fell on you." + +Now so it was, that though Koila was very kind to his wife, he did not +love her as well as she loved him (perhaps it was that, having been +accustomed to her from a child, Chandra's goodness and beauty struck +him less than it did other people); and instead of thinking how +unhappy she would be if he did not return, and going back at once, he +stopped and hesitated and debated what to do. And the Nautch people +gave him a drink that was a very powerful spell, insomuch that he soon +totally forgot about his own home, and was married to Moulee, the +Nautch girl, and lived among the Nautch people for many months. At +last, one day, Moulee's mother (the very Nautch woman who had gone +with Coplinghee Ranee and the Sowkar's wife to find Mahdeo) said to +Koila, "Son-in-law, you are a lazy fellow; you have been here now for +a long time, but you do nothing for your support; it is we who have to +pay for your food, we who have to provide your clothes. Go now and +fetch us some money, or I will turn you out of the house, and you +shall never see your wife Moulee again." Koila had no money to give +his mother-in-law: then, for the first time he bethought him of his +own country and of Chandra, and he said "My first wife, who lives in +my own country, has on her feet two bangles of very great value; let +me return home and fetch one of them to sell, which will more than pay +whatever I owe you." The Nautch people consented. So Koila returned to +his own home, and told Chandra what he wanted the money for, and asked +her to let him have one of her bangles; but she refused, saying, "You +have been away a long, long time, and left me all alone, and chosen +for your second wife one of the Nautch people, and become one of them; +and now you want to take one of my bangles--the bangles that I had +when a little child, that have grown with my growth, and never been +taken off--and to give it to your other wife. This shall not be; go +back, if you will, to your new friends, but I will not give you my +bangle." + +He answered, "They gave me an enchanted drink which made me forget you +for a time, but I am weary of them all; let me but go and pay my +mother-in-law the money I owe her for food and clothes, and I will +return and live in my own land, for you are my first wife." + +"Very well," she said, "you may take the bangle and sell it, and give +the money to your second wife's mother, but take me also with you when +you go; do not leave me here all alone again." Koila agreed, and they +both set off together toward the Madura Tinivelly country. + +As they journeyed, Krishnaswami,[102] who was playing at cards with +his three wives, saw them, and when he saw them he laughed. Then his +wives said to him, "Why do you laugh? You have not laughed for such a +long time: what amuses you so much now?" He answered, "I am laughing +to see Koila and his wife Chandra Ranee journeying toward the Madura +Tinivelly country. He is going to sell his wife's bangle, and he will +only be killed, and then she in anger will burn up all the country. O +foolish people!" The goddesses answered, "This is a very dreadful +thing; let us go in disguise and warn him not to enter the country." +"It would be useless," said Krishnaswami; "if you do, he will only +laugh at you and get angry with you." But the goddesses determined to +do their best to avert the threatened calamity. So they disguised +themselves as old fortune-tellers, and went out with little lamps and +their sacred books to meet Koila as he came along the road, followed +by his wife. Then they said to him, "Come not into the Madura +Tinivelly country, for if you come you will be killed, and your wife +in her fury will burn all the land with fire." At first, Koila would +not listen to them; then he bade them go away; and lastly, when they +continued warning him, got angry and beat them out of his path, +saying, "Do you think I am to be frightened out of the country by a +parcel of old crones like you?" + + [102] The Hindoo god Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. + +Then Krishnaswami's three wives returned to him, much enraged at the +treatment they had received; but he only said to them, "Did not I tell +you not to go, warning you that it would be useless?" + +On getting near the Rajah's capital, Koila and Chandra came to the +house of an old milk-seller, who was very kind to them and gave them +food and shelter for the night. Next morning Koila said to his wife, +"You had better stay here; this good old woman will take care of you +while I go into the town to sell your bangle." Chandra agreed, and +remained at the old woman's house while her husband went into the +town. Of course he did not know that the Rajah and his wife (the +Coplinghee Ranee) were Chandra's father and mother, any more than +they, or Chandra herself, knew it, or than the three mango children +knew the story of their mothers' journey in search of Mahdeo. + +Now a short time before Koila and Chandra reached the Madura +Tinivelly country, Coplinghee Ranee had sent a very handsome pair of +bangles to a Jeweler in the town to be cleaned. It chanced that in a +high tree close to the Jeweler's house two eagles had built their +nest, and the young eagles, who were very noisy birds, used to scream +all day long and greatly disturb the Jeweler's family. So one day, +when the old birds were away, the Jeweler's son climbed up the tree +and pulled down the nest, and put the young eagles to death. When the +old birds returned home and saw what was done, it grieved them very +much, and they said, "These cruel people have killed our children; let +us punish them." And seeing in the porch one of Coplinghee Ranee's +beautiful bangles, which the Jeweler had just been cleaning, they +swooped down and flew away with it.[103] + + [103] See Notes at the end. + +The Jeweler did not know what to do: he said to his wife, "To buy such +a bangle as that would cost more than all our fortune, and to make one +like it would take many, many years; I dare not say I have lost it, or +they would think I had stolen it and put me to death. The only thing I +can do is to delay returning the other as long as possible, and try +somehow to get one like it." So next day, when the Ranee sent to +inquire if her bangles were ready, he answered, "They are not ready +yet; they will be ready to-morrow." And the next day and the next he +said the same thing. At last the Ranee's messengers got very angry at +the continued delays; then, seeing he could no longer make excuses, +the Jeweler sent the one bangle by them to the palace, beautifully +cleaned, with a message that the other also would shortly be ready; +but all this time he was hunting for a bangle costly enough to take +the Ranee as a substitute for the one the eagles had carried away. +Such a bangle, however, he could not find. + +When Koila reached the town, he spread out a sheet in the corner of a +street near the market-place, and, placing the bangle upon it, sat +down close by, waiting for customers. Now he was very, very handsome. +Although dressed so plainly, he looked like a Prince, and the bangle +he had to sell flashed in the morning light like seven suns. Such a +handsome youth and such a beautiful bangle the people had never seen +before; and many passers-by, with chattees on their heads, for +watching him, let the chattees tumble down and break, they were so +much astonished; and several men and women, who were looking out of +the windows of their houses, leant too far forward and fell into the +street, so giddy did they become from wonder and amazement! + +But no one could be found to buy the bangle, for they all said, "We +could not afford to buy such jewels; this bangle is fit only for a +Ranee to wear." At last, when the day had nearly gone, who should come +by but the Jeweler who had been employed to clean Coplinghee Ranee's +bangles, and was in search of one to replace that which the eagles had +stolen. No sooner did he see the one belonging to Chandra, which Koila +was trying to sell, than he said to himself, "That is the very thing I +want, if I can only get it." So he called his wife, and said to her, +"Go to that bangle-seller and speak kindly to him; say that the day is +nearly gone, and invite him to come and lodge at our house for the +night. For if we can make friends with him and get him to trust us, I +shall be able to take the bangle from him and say he stole it from +me. And as he is a stranger here, every one will believe my word +rather than his. This bangle is exactly the very thing for me to take +Coplinghee Ranee, for it is very like her own, only more beautiful." + +The Jeweler's wife did as she was told, and then the Jeweler himself +went up to Koila and said to him, "You are a bangle-seller, and I am a +bangle-seller; therefore I look upon you as a brother. Come home, I +pray you, with us, as my wife begs you to do, and we will give you +food and shelter for the night, since you are a stranger in this +country." So these cunning people coaxed Koila to go home with them to +their home, and pretended to be very kind to him, and gave him supper, +and a bed to rest on for the night; but next morning early the Jeweler +raised a hue and cry and sent for the police, and bade them take Koila +before the Rajah instantly, since he had stolen and tried to sell one +of Coplinghee Ranee's bangles, which he (the Jeweler) had been given +to clean. It was in vain that Koila protested his innocence, and +declared that the bangle he had belonged to his wife; he was a +stranger--nobody would believe him. They dragged him to the palace, +and the Jeweler accused him to the Rajah, saying, "This man tried to +steal the Ranee's bangle (which I had been given to clean) and to sell +it. If he had done so, you would have thought I had stolen it, and +killed me; I demand, therefore, that he in punishment shall be put to +death." + +Then they sent for the Ranee to show her the bangle, but as soon as +she saw it she recognized it as one of the bangles which had belonged +to Chandra, and burst into tears, crying, "This is not my bangle. Oh, +my lord, no jeweler on earth made this bangle! See, it is different +to mine; and when any one comes near it, it tinkles and all the little +bells begin to ring. Have you forgotten it? This was my beauty's +bangle! My diamond's! My little darling's! My lost child's! Where did +it come from? How did it come here? How into this land, and into this +town and bazaar, among these wicked people? For this Jeweler must have +kept my bangle and brought this one in its place. No human goldsmith's +hands made this, for it is none other than Chandra's." Then she begged +the Rajah to inquire further about it. + +But they all thought her mad; and the Jeweler said, "It is the Ranee's +fancy, for this is the same bangle she gave me to clean." The other +people also agreed that both the bangles were almost exactly alike, +and must be a pair; and it being certain that Koila had had the bangle +when he was seized by the police, the Rajah ordered him to be +instantly executed. But the Ranee took Chandra's bangle and locked it +away in a strong cupboard, apart from all her other jewels. + +Then they took Koila out into the jungle and would have cut off his +head, but he said to his guards, "If I must die, let me die by my own +hands," and drawing his sword he fell upon it, and as the sword was +very sharp it cut his body in two--one half fell on one side of the +sword, and the other half on the other side--and they left his body +where it fell. + +When the news of what had taken place came to the town, many people +who had seen Koila selling his bangle the day before began to murmur, +saying, "There must be some injustice here--the Rajah has been +over-hasty. Most likely the poor man did not steal the bangle. It is +not likely that he would have tried to sell it openly before us all in +the bazaar if it had been stolen property. How cruel of the Rajah to +put such a handsome, gentle, noble-looking youth to death!--and he was +a stranger, too!" And many wept at thought of his hard fate. When the +Rajah heard of this he was very angry, and sent and commanded that the +matter should be no further discussed in the town, saying, "If any one +speaks another word of what has been done, or laments or sheds tears +for the dead, he shall be instantly hanged." Then the people all felt +very frightened, and not a soul dared to speak of Koila, though every +one thought about him much. + +Early the very morning that this happened the old milk-seller (at +whose house, which was a little out of the town, Chandra had been +sleeping) took her guest a bowl full of milk to drink; but no sooner +had Chandra tasted it than she began to cry, saying, "Good mother, +what have you done? my mouth is full of blood!" "No, no, my daughter," +answered the old woman; "you must have been dreaming some bad dream. +See, this is pure, fresh, warm milk I have brought you; drink again." +But when Chandra tasted it for the second time, she answered, "Oh no! +oh no! it is not milk that I taste, but blood. All last night I had a +dreadful dream, and this morning when I woke I found that my marriage +necklace had snapped in two; and now this milk tastes to me as blood. +Let me go! let me go! for I know my husband is dead." + +The old woman tried to comfort her, saying, "Why should you fancy he +is dead? he was quite well yesterday, when he went to sell your +bangle; and he said he would come back to you soon; in a little while, +very likely, he will be here." But she answered, "No, no; I feel sure +that he is dead! Oh, let me go! for I must find him before I die." +Then the old woman said, "You must not go; you are too beautiful to +run about through the streets of this strange town alone, and your +husband would be very angry if he saw you doing so; and who knows but +that you might lose your way, and get carried off as a slave; +remember, he told you to stay here till he returned. Be patient; +remain where you are, and I will go quickly into the town and seek +your husband. If he is alive, I will bring him back to you, and if he +is dead I will bring you word." So, taking a chattee full of milk on +her head, as if to sell, she went to the town to find Koila, while +every minute seemed an hour to Chandra until her return. + +When the old milk-seller reached the town, she went up and down all +the streets looking for Koila, or expecting to hear some one mention +the handsome stranger who had gone to sell such a wonderful bangle the +day before. But she could not find him, nor did she hear him spoken +of, for all were afraid to say a word about him on account of the +Rajah's decree. Being unable to trace him, the old woman got +suspicious, and began to search, more carefully than before, down all +the streets near the market-place, where she thought he was most +likely to have gone; but, lest people should wonder at her errand, she +called out each time as if she had some different thing to sell. +First, "Buy some milk--who'll buy milk--who'll buy?" Then, on going +for a second time down the same street, "Buy butter--butter! very fine +butter!" and so on. At last one woman, who had been watching her with +some curiosity, said, "Old woman, what nonsense you talk! you have +been half-a-dozen times up and down this same street, as if you had +half-a-dozen different things to sell in that one chattee. Any one +would think you had as little sense as that pretty young bangle-seller +yesterday, who spent all the day trying to sell a bangle, and got put +to death for his pains." + +"Of whom do you speak?" asked the old woman. "Oh," said the other, "I +suppose, as you're a milk-seller from the country, you know nothing +about it. But that's not to be talked about, for the Rajah has said +that whoever speaks of him or mourns him shall be instantly hanged. +Ah! he was very handsome." + +"Where is he now?" whispered the old woman. "There," answered the +other; "you can see the place where that crowd of people has +collected. The Rajah's Jeweler accused him of having stolen the +bangle; so he was executed, many thought unjustly; but do not say I +said it." And so saying, she pointed toward the jungle some way off. +The old woman ran to the place, but when she there saw two halves of +Koila's body lying side by side, stiff and cold, she threw her earthen +chattee down on the ground and fell on her knees, crying bitterly. The +noise attracted the attention of the Rajah's guards, some of whom +immediately seized her, saying, "Old woman, it is against the law to +lament that dead man or murmur at the Rajah's decree; you deserve to +be put to death." But she answered quickly, "The dead man! I do not +cry for the dead man: can you not see that my chattee is broken and +all the milk spilt? Is it not enough to make one weep?" And she began +to cry again. "Hush! hush!" they answered; "don't cry; come, the +chattee wasn't worth much; it was only an earthen thing. Stop your +tears, and maybe we'll give you a chattee of gold." + +"I neither care for your golden chattees nor for silver," she said, +angrily. "Go away; go away! my earthen chattee was worth them all. My +grandfather's grandfather and my grandmother's grandmother used this +chattee; and to think that it should now be broken and all the milk +spilt!" And picking up the broken pieces, she went home sobbing, as if +the loss of her chattee was all her grief. But when she got to her own +house, she ran into where Chandra was, crying, "Alas! my pretty child! +alas, my daughter! your fears are true!" and as gently as she could +she told her what had happened. + +No sooner did Chandra hear it than she ran away straight to the +Rajah's palace in the midst of the town, and rushing into the room +where he was, said, "How did you dare to kill my husband?" + +Now, at the sound of her voice, her bangle, which the Ranee had locked +up in the cupboard, broke through all the intervening doors and rolled +to Chandra's feet. + +The Rajah was unable to answer her a word. Then she fell on her knees +and rent her clothes and tore her hair; and when she tore it all the +land began to burn and all her hair burned too. + +Then the old milk-seller, who had followed her, ran and put a lump of +butter on her head, thinking to cool it; and two other woman, who were +by, fetched water to pour upon her hair, but by this time nineteen +lines of houses were in flames. Then the old woman cried, "Oh! spare +the Purwari[104] lines; don't burn them down, for I did all I could +for you." So Chandra did not burn that part of the town near which the +old woman and her friends lived. But the fire burnt on and on in the +other direction; and it killed the Rajah and the Ranee and all the +people in the palace, and the wicked Jeweler and his wife; and as he +was dying Chandra tore out his heart and gave it to the eagles who +hovered overhead, saying, "Here is vengeance for the death of your +little ones." And the Nautch girl, Moulee, and her mother, who were +watching the fire from far off, were smothered in the flames.[105] + + [104] Or outcasts'; literally, "the extra-muralists'," _i.e._, the + houses of the lowest classes, not permitted to live within the city + walls. + + [105] See Notes at the end. + +Then Chandra went to where Koila's dead body lay and wept over it +bitterly; and as she was weeping, there fell down to her from heaven a +needle and thread; and she took them, saying, "Oh, that I could by any +means restore you!" and, placing the two halves of his body side by +side, she sewed them together. + +And when she had done this, she cried to Mahdeo, saying, "Sire, I have +done the best I can; I have joined the body; give it life." And as she +said these words Mahdeo had pity on her, and he sent Koila's spirit +back and it returned to his body again. Then Chandra was glad, and +they returned and lived in their own land. + +But to this day in the Madura Tinivelly country you can trace where +all the land was burnt. + + + + +[Decoration] + +XXIII. + +_HOW THE THREE CLEVER MEN OUTWITTED THE DEMONS._ + + +There was once upon a time a very rich man who had a very beautiful +wife, and this man's chief amusement used to be shooting with a bow +and arrow, at which he was so clever that every morning he would shoot +through one of the pearls in his wife's nose-ring without hurting her +at all.[106] One fine day, that was a holiday, the Pearl-shooter's +brother-in-law came to take his sister to their father and mother's +house to pay her own family a little visit; and when he saw her, he +said, "Why do you look so pale and thin and miserable? is your husband +unkind to you, or what is the matter?" "No," she answered; "my husband +is very kind to me, and I have plenty of money and jewels, and as nice +a house as I could wish; my only grief is that every morning he amuses +himself by shooting one of the pearls from my nose-ring, and that +frightens me; for I think perhaps some day he may miss his aim and the +arrow run into my face and kill me. So I am in constant terror of my +life; yet I do not like to ask him not to do it, because it gives him +so much pleasure; but if he left off of his own accord, I should be +very glad." "What does he say to you himself about it?" asked the +brother. "Every day," she replied, "when he has shot the pearl, he +comes to me quite happy and proud, and says, 'Was there ever a man as +clever as I am?' and I answer him, 'No, I do not think there ever was +any as clever as you.'" "Do not say so again," said the brother; "but +next time he asks you the question, answer, 'Yes, there are many men +in the world more clever than you.'" The Pearl-shooter's wife promised +to take her brother's advice. So, next time her husband shot the pearl +from her nose-ring, and said to her, "Was there ever a man as clever +as I am?" she answered, "Yes, there are many men in the world more +clever than you." + + [106] See Notes at the end. + +Then he said, "If so be that there are, I will not rest until I have +found them." And he left her, and went a far journey into the jungle +in order to find, if possible, a cleverer man than himself. On, on, on +he journeyed a very long way, until at last he came to a large river, +and on the river-bank sat a traveler eating his dinner. The +Pearl-shooter sat down beside him and the two began conversing +together. At last, the Pearl-shooter said to his friend, "What is the +reason of your journey, and where are you going?" The stranger +answered, "I am a Wrestler, and the strongest man in all this country; +I can do many wonderful things in the way of wrestling and carrying +heavy weights, and I began to think that in all this world there was +no one so clever as I; but I have lately heard of a still more +wonderful man who lives in a distant country, and who is so clever +that every morning he shoots one of the pearls from his wife's +nose-ring without hurting her. So I go to find him, and learn if this +is true." + +The Pearl-shooter answered, "Then you need travel no further, for I +am that man of whom you heard." "Why are you traveling about, then, +and where are you going?" asked the Wrestler. "I," replied the other, +"am also traveling to see if in all the world I can find a cleverer +man than myself; therefore, as we have both the same object in view, +let us be as brothers and go about together; perhaps there is still in +the world a better man than we." The Wrestler agreed; so they both +started on their way together. They had not gone very far before they +came to a place where three roads met, and there sat another man, whom +neither of them had ever seen before. He accosted the Wrestler and the +Pearl-shooter and said to them, "Who are you, friends, and where are +you going?" "We," answered they, "are two clever men, who are +traveling through the world to see if we can find a cleverer man than +we; but who may you be, and where are you going?" "I," replied the +third man, "am a Pundit,[107] a man of memory, renowned for my good +head, a great thinker; and verily I thought there was not in the world +a more wonderful man than I; but having heard of two men in distant +lands of very great cleverness, the one of whom is a Wrestler, and the +other a shooter of pearls from his wife's nose-ring, I go to find them +and learn if the things I heard are true." "They are true," said the +others; "for we, O Pundit, are the very two men of whom you speak." + + [107] Wise man. + +At this news the Pundit was overjoyed, and cried, "Then let us be as +brothers; since your homes are far distant, return with me to my +house, which is close by; there you can rest a while, and each of us +put our various powers to the proof." This proposal pleased the +Wrestler and the Pearl-shooter, who accompanied the Pundit to his +house. + +Now, in the kitchen there was an enormous cauldron of iron, so heavy +that five-and-twenty men could hardly move it; and in the dead of +night the Wrestler, to prove his power, got up from the veranda where +he was sleeping, and as quietly as possible lifted this great cauldron +on his shoulders and carried it down to the river, where he waded with +it into the deepest part of the water, and there buried it. After +having accomplished this feat, he returned to the Pundit's house as +quietly as he had left it, and, rolling himself up in his blanket, +fell fast asleep. But though he had come never so softly, the Pundit's +wife heard him, and waking her husband, she said, "I hear footsteps as +of people creeping quietly about and not wishing to be heard, and but +a little while ago I noticed the same thing; perhaps there are thieves +in the house; let us go and see: it is strange they should choose such +a bright moonlight night." And they both got up quickly and walked +round the house. They found nothing, however, out of order, nor any +signs of anything having been touched or disarranged, until they came +to the kitchen. And, indeed, at first they thought all was as they +left it there, when, just as they were going away, the Pundit's wife +cried out to him, "Why, what has become of the great cauldron? I never +thought of looking to see if that was safe; for it did not seem +possible that it could have been moved." And they both looked inside +the house and outside, but the cauldron was nowhere to be seen. At +last, however, they discovered deep footprints in the sand close to +the kitchen door, as of some one who had been carrying a very heavy +weight, and these they traced down to the river-side. + +Then the Pundit said, "Some one immensely strong has evidently done +this, for here are the footprints of one man only; and he must have +buried the cauldron in the water, for, see, there is no continuation +of the footprints on the other side. I wonder who can have done it? +Let us go and see that our two guests are asleep; perhaps the Wrestler +played us this trick to prove his great strength." And with his wife +he went into the veranda, where the Pearl-shooter and the Wrestler lay +rolled up in their blankets, fast asleep. First, they looked at the +Pearl-shooter; but on seeing him the Pundit shook his head, saying, +"No, he certainly has not done this thing." They then looked at the +Wrestler, and the cunning Pundit licked the skin of the sleeping man, +and, turning to his wife, whispered, "This is assuredly the man who +stole the cauldron and put it in the river, for he must have been but +lately up to his neck in fresh water, since there is no taste of salt +on his skin from his foot even to his shoulders. To-morrow I will +surprise him by showing him I know this." And so saying, the Pundit +crept back into the house, followed by his wife. + +Next morning early, as soon as it was light, the Pearl-shooter and the +Wrestler were accosted by their host, who said to them, "Let us go +down to the river and have a wash, for I cannot offer you a bath, +since the great cauldron, in which we generally bathe, has been +mysteriously carried away this very night." "Where can it have gone?" +said the Wrestler. "Ah, where indeed?" answered the Pundit; and he led +them down to where the cauldron had been put into the river by the +Wrestler the night before, and wading about in the water until he +found it, pointed it out to him, saying, "See, friend, how far this +cauldron traveled!" The Wrestler was much surprised to find that the +Pundit knew where the cauldron was hidden, and said, "Who can have put +it there?" "I will tell you," answered the Pundit; "why, I think it +was you!" And then he related how his wife had heard footsteps, and, +being afraid of thieves, had awakened him the night before, and how +they had discovered that the cauldron was missing, and traced it down +to the river-side; and then how he had found out that the Wrestler had +just before been into the water up to his neck. The Wrestler and the +Pearl-shooter were both much astonished at the Pundit's wisdom in +having found this out; and the Pearl-shooter said to himself, "Both +these men are certainly more clever than I." Then the three clever men +returned to the house, and were very happy and joyful, and amused +themselves laughing and talking all the rest of the day; and when +evening came, the Pundit said to the Wrestler, "Let us to-night forego +all meagre fare and have a royal feast; friend Strongman, pray you go +and catch the fattest of those goats that we see upon the hills +yonder, and we will cook it for our dinner." The Wrestler assented, +and ran on and on until he reached the flock of goats browsing upon +the hill-side. Now, just at that moment a wicked little Demon came by +that way, and on seeing the Wrestler looking at the goats (to see +which seemed the finest to take home to dinner), he thought to +himself, "If I can make him choose me, and take me home with him for +his dinner, I shall be able to play him and his friends some fine +tricks." So, quick as thought, he changed himself into a very +handsome goat, and when the Wrestler saw this one goat, so much taller +and finer and fatter than all the rest, he ran and caught hold of him +and tucked him under his arm, to carry him home for dinner. The goat +kicked and kicked and jumped about, and tried to butt more fiercely +than the Wrestler had ever known any mortal goat do before, but still +he held him tight and brought him in triumph to the Pundit's door. The +Pundit heard him coming and ran out to meet him; but when he saw the +goat, he started back quite frightened, for the Wrestler was holding +it so tight that its eyes were almost starting out of its head, and +they were fiery and evil-looking and burning like two living coals, +and the Pundit saw at once that it was a Demon, and no goat, that his +friend held; then he thought quickly, "If I appear to be frightened, +this cruel Demon will get into the house and devour us all; I must +endeavor to intimidate him." So, in a bold voice, he cried, "O +Wrestler! Wrestler! foolish friend! what have you done? We asked you +to fetch a fat goat for our dinner, and here you have only brought one +wretched little Demon. If you could not find goats, while you were +about it you might as well have brought more Demons, for we are hungry +people. My children are each accustomed to eat one Demon a day, and my +wife eats three, and I myself eat twelve, and here you have only +brought one between us all! What are we to do?" At hearing these +reproaches, the Wrestler was so much astonished that he dropped the +Demon-goat, who, for his part, was so frightened at the Pundit's +words, that he came crawling along quite humbly upon his knees, +saying, "Oh, sir, do not eat me, do not eat me, and I will give you +anything you like in the world. Only let me go, and I will fetch you +mountains of treasure, rubies and diamonds, and gold and precious +stones beyond all count. Do not eat me; only let me go!" "No, no," +said the Pundit; "I know what you'll do; you'll just go away and never +return: we are very hungry; we do not want gold and precious stones, +but we want a good dinner; we must certainly eat you." The Demon +thought all that the Pundit said must be true, he spoke so fearlessly +and naturally. So he only repeated more earnestly, "Only let me go; I +promise you to return and bring you all the riches that you could +desire." + +The Pundit was too wise to seem glad; but he said sternly, "Very well, +you may go; but unless you return quickly and bring the treasure you +promise, be you in the uttermost part of the earth, we will find you +and eat you, for we are more powerful than you and all your fellows." + +The Demon, who had just experienced how much stronger the Wrestler was +than ordinary men, and then heard from the Pundit's own lips of his +love for eating Demons, thought himself exceedingly lucky to have +escaped their clutches so easily; and returning to his own land, he +fetched from the Demons' storehouse a vast amount of precious things, +with which he was flying away with all speed (in order to pay his debt +and avoid being afterward hunted and eaten), when several of his +comrades caught hold of him, and in angry tones asked where he was +carrying away so much of their treasure. The Demon answered, "I take +it to save my life; for whilst wandering round the world I was caught +by terrible creatures, more dreadful than the sons of men, and they +threaten to eat me unless I bring the treasure." + +"We should like to see these dreadful creatures," answered they, "for +we never before heard of mortals who devoured Demons." To which he +replied, "These are not ordinary mortals; I tell you they are the +fiercest creatures I ever saw, and would devour our Rajah, himself, +did they get the chance; one of them said that he daily ate twelve +Demons, that his wife ate three, and each of his children one." At +hearing this they consented to let him go for the time; but the Demon +Rajah commanded him to return with all speed next day, that the matter +might be further discussed in solemn council. + +When, after three days' absence, the Demon returned to the Pundit's +house with the treasure, the Pundit angrily said to him, "Why have you +been so long away? You promised to return as soon as possible." He +answered, "All my fellow-Demons detained me, and would hardly let me +go, they were so angry at my bringing you so much treasure; and though +I told them how great and powerful you are, they would not believe me, +but will, as soon as I return, judge me in solemn council for serving +you." "Where is your solemn council held?" asked the Pundit. "Oh, very +far, far away," answered the Demon, "in the depths of the jungle, +where our Rajah daily holds his court." "I and my friends should like +to see that place, and your Rajah and all his court," said the Pundit; +"you must take us with you when you go, for we have absolute mastery +over all Demons, even over their Rajah himself, and unless you do as +we command we shall be very angry." "Very well," answered the Demon, +for he felt quite frightened at the Pundit's fierce words; "mount on +my back and I'll take you there." So the Pundit, the Wrestler and the +Pearl-shooter all mounted the Demon, and he flew away with them, on, +on, on, as fast as wings could cut the air, till they reached the +great jungle where the durbar[108] was to be held, and there he placed +them all on the top of a high tree just over the Demon Rajah's throne. +In a few minutes the Pearl-shooter, the Wrestler and the Pundit heard +a rushing noise, and thousands and thousands of Demons filled the +place, covering the ground as far as the eye could reach, and +thronging chiefly round the Rajah's throne; but they did not notice +the men in the tree above them. Then the Rajah ordered that the Demon +who had taken of their treasure to give to mortals should be brought +to judgment; and when they had dragged the culprit into the midst of +them, they accused him, and having proved him guilty, would have +punished him; but he defended himself stoutly, saying, "Noble Rajah, +those who forced me to fetch them treasure were no ordinary mortals, +but great and terrible; they said they ate many Demons; the man ate +twelve a day, his wife ate three, and each of his children one. He +said, moreover, that he and his friends were more powerful than us +all, and ruled your majesty as absolutely as we are ruled by you." The +Demon Rajah answered, "Let us see these great people of whom you +speak, and we will believe you; but----" At this moment the tree upon +which the Pundit, the Pearl-shooter and the Wrestler were, broke, and +down they all tumbled--first, the Wrestler, then the Pearl-shooter, +and lastly the Pundit--upon the head of the Demon Rajah as he sat in +judgment. They seemed to have come down from the sky, so suddenly did +they appear, and, being very much alarmed at their awkward position +determined to take the aggressive. So the Wrestler kicked and hugged +and beat the Rajah with all his might and main, and the Pearl-shooter +did likewise, while the Pundit, who was perched up a little higher +than either of the others, cried, "So be it, so be it. We will eat him +first for dinner, and afterward we will eat all the other Demons." The +Demons hearing this, one and all flew away from the confusion and left +their Rajah to his fate; while he cried, "Oh spare me! spare me! I see +it is all true; only let me go, and I will give you as much treasure +as you like." "No, no," said the Pundit; "don't listen to him, +friends; we will eat him for dinner." And the Wrestler and the +Pearl-shooter kicked and beat him harder than before. Then the Demon +cried again, "Let me go! let me go!" "No, no," they answered; and they +chastised him vigorously for the space of an hour, until, at last, +fearing they should get tired, the Pundit said, "The treasure would be +no use to us here in the jungle; but if you brought us a very great +deal to our own house, we might give up eating you for dinner to-day; +you must, however, give us great compensation, for we are all very +hungry." To this the Demon Rajah gladly agreed, and, calling together +his scattered subjects, ordered them to take the three valiant men +home again and convey the treasure to the Pundit's house. The little +Demons obeyed his orders with much fear and trembling, but they were +very willing to do their best to get the Pundit, the Pearl-shooter and +the Wrestler out of Demon-land, and they, for their parts, were no +less anxious to go. When they got home, the Pundit said, "You shall +not go until the engagement is fulfilled." Instantly Demons without +number filled the house with riches, and when they had accomplished +their task, they all flew away, fearing greatly the terrible Pundit +and his friends, who talked of eating Demons as men would eat almonds +and raisins. So, by never showing that he was afraid, this brave +Pundit saved his family from being eaten by these Demons, and also got +a vast amount of treasure. Then he divided it into three equal +portions: a third he gave to the Wrestler, a third he gave to the +Pearl-shooter, and a third he kept himself; after which he sent his +friends, with many kindly words, back to their own homes. So the +Pearl-shooter returned to his house laden with gold and jewels of +priceless worth; and when he got there, he called his wife and gave +them to her, saying, "I have been a far journey and brought back all +these treasures for you, and I have learnt that your words were true, +since in the world there are cleverer men than I; for mine is a +cleverness that profits not, and but for a Pundit and a Wrestler, I +should not have gained these riches. I will shoot the pearl from your +nose-ring no more." And he never did. + + [108] Council. + +[Decoration] + + + + +[Decoration] + +XXIV. + +_THE ALLIGATOR AND THE JACKAL._ + + +A hungry jackal once went down to the river-side in search of little +crabs, bits of fish and whatever else he could find for his dinner. +Now it chanced that in this river there lived a great big Alligator, +who, being also very hungry, would have been extremely glad to eat the +Jackal. + +The Jackal ran up and down, here and there, but for a long time could +find nothing to eat. At last, close to where the Alligator was lying +among some tall bulrushes under the clear, shallow water, he saw a +little crab sidling along as fast as his legs could carry him. The +Jackal was so hungry that when he saw this he poked his paw into the +water to try and catch the crab, when snap! the old Alligator caught +hold of him. "Oh dear!" thought the Jackal to himself, "what can I do? +This great big Alligator has caught my paw in his mouth, and in +another minute he will drag me down by it under the water and kill me. +My only chance is to make him think he has made a mistake." So he +called out in a cheerful voice, "Clever Alligator, clever Alligator, +to catch hold of a bulrush root instead of my paw! I hope you find it +very tender." The Alligator, who was so buried among the bulrushes +that he could hardly see, thought, on hearing this, "Dear me, how +tiresome! I fancied I had caught hold of the Jackal's paw; but there +he is, calling out in a cheerful voice. I suppose I must have seized a +bulrush root instead, as he says;" and he let the Jackal go. + +The Jackal ran away as fast as he could, crying, "O wise Alligator, +wise Alligator! So you let me go again!" Then the Alligator was very +much vexed, but the Jackal had run away too far to be caught. Next day +the Jackal returned to the river-side to get his dinner, as before; +but because he was very much afraid of the Alligator he called out, +"Whenever I go to look for my dinner, I see the nice little crabs +peeping up through the mud; then I catch them and eat them. I wish I +could see one now." + +The Alligator, who was buried in the mud at the bottom of the river, +heard every word. So he popped the little point of his snout above it, +thinking, "If I do but just show the tip of my nose, the Jackal will +take me for a crab and put in his paw to catch me, and as soon as ever +he does I'll gobble him up." + +But no sooner did the Jackal see the little tip of the Alligator's +nose than he called out, "Aha, my friend! there you are. No dinner for +me in this part of the river, then, I think." And so saying he ran +farther on and fished for his dinner a long way from that place. The +Alligator was very angry at missing his prey a second time, and +determined not to let him escape again. + +So on the following day, when his little tormentor returned to the +water-side, the Alligator hid himself close to the bank, in order to +catch him if he could. Now the Jackal was rather afraid going near the +river, for he thought, "Perhaps this Alligator will catch me to-day." +But yet, being hungry, he did not wish to go without his dinner; so to +make all as safe as he could, he cried, "Where are all the little +crabs gone? There is not one here and I am so hungry; and generally, +even when they are under water, one can see them going bubble, bubble, +bubble, and all the little bubbles go pop! pop! pop!" On hearing this +the Alligator, who was buried in the mud under the river-bank, +thought, "I will pretend to be a little crab." And he began to blow, +"Puff, puff, puff! Bubble, bubble, bubble!" and all the great big +bubbles rushed to the surface of the river and burst there, and the +waters eddied round and round like a whirlpool; and there was such a +commotion when the huge monster began to blow bubbles in this way that +the Jackal saw very well who must be there, and he ran away as fast as +he could, saying, "Thank you, kind Alligator, thank you; thank you! +Indeed I would not have come here had I known you were so close." + +This enraged the Alligator extremely; it made him quite cross to think +of being so often deceived by a little Jackal, and he said to himself, +"I will be taken in no more. Next time I will be very cunning." So for +a long time he waited and waited for the Jackal to return to the +river-side; but the Jackal did not come, for he had thought to +himself, "If matters go on in this way, I shall some day be caught and +eaten by the wicked old Alligator. I had better content myself with +living on wild figs," and he went no more near the river, but stayed +in the jungles and ate wild figs, and roots which he dug up with his +paws. + +When the Alligator found this out, he determined to try and catch the +Jackal on land; so, going under the largest of wild fig trees, where +the ground was covered with the fallen fruit, he collected a quantity +of it together, and, burying himself under the great heap, waited for +the Jackal to appear. But no sooner did the cunning little animal see +this great heap of wild figs all collected together, than he thought, +"That looks very like my friend the Alligator." And to discover if it +was so or not, he called out, "The juicy little wild figs I love to +eat always tumble down from the tree, and roll here and there as the +wind drives them; but this great heap of figs is quite still; these +cannot be good figs; I will not eat any of them." "Ho, ho!" thought +the Alligator, "is that all? How suspicious this Jackal is! I will +make the figs roll about a little then, and when he sees that he will +doubtless come and eat them." + +So the great beast shook himself, and all the heap of little figs went +roll, roll, roll--some a mile this way, some a mile that, farther than +they had ever rolled before or than the most blustering wind could +have driven them. + +Seeing this, the Jackal scampered away, saying, "I am so much obliged +to you, Alligator, for letting me know you are there, for indeed I +should hardly have guessed it. You were so buried under that heap of +figs." The Alligator, hearing this, was so angry that he ran after the +Jackal, but the latter ran very, very fast away, too quickly to be +caught. + +Then the Alligator said to himself, "I will not allow that little +wretch to make fun of me another time and then run away out of reach; +I will show him that I can be more cunning than he fancies." And early +the next morning he crawled as fast as he could to the Jackal's den +(which was a hole in the side of a hill) and crept into it, and hid +himself, waiting for the Jackal, who was out, to return home. But when +the Jackal got near the place, he looked about him and thought, "Dear +me! the ground looks as if some heavy creature had been walking over +it, and here are great clods of earth knocked down from each side of +the door of my den, as if a very big animal had been trying to squeeze +himself through it. I certainly will not go inside until I know that +all is safe there." So he called out, "Little house, pretty house, my +sweet little house, why do you not give an answer when I call? If I +come, and all is safe and right, you always call out to me. Is +anything wrong, that you do not speak?" + +Then the Alligator, who was inside, thought, "If that is the case I +had better call out, that he may fancy all is right in his house." And +in as gentle a voice as he could, he said, "Sweet little Jackal." + +At hearing these words the Jackal felt quite frightened, and thought +to himself, "So the dreadful old Alligator is there. I must try to +kill him if I can, for if I do not he will certainly catch and kill me +some day." He therefore answered, "Thank you, my dear little house. I +like to hear your pretty voice. I am coming in in a minute, but first +I must collect firewood to cook my dinner." And he ran as fast as he +could, and dragged all the dry branches and bits of stick he could +find close up to the mouth of the den. Meantime, the Alligator inside +kept as quiet as a mouse, but he could not help laughing a little to +himself, as he thought, "So I have deceived this tiresome little +Jackal at last. In a few minutes he will run in here, and then won't I +snap him up!" When the Jackal had gathered together all the sticks he +could find and put them round the mouth of his den, he set them on +fire and pushed them as far into it as possible. There was such a +quantity of them that they soon blazed up into a great fire, and the +smoke and flames filled the den and smothered the wicked old Alligator +and burnt him to death, while the little Jackal ran up and down +outside, dancing for joy and singing-- + +"How do you like my house, my friend? Is it nice and warm? Ding-dong! +ding-dong! The Alligator is dying! ding-dong, ding-dong! He will +trouble me no more. I have defeated my enemy! Ring-a-ting! +ding-a-ting! ding-ding-dong!" + +[Decoration] + + + + +NOTES ON THE NARRATOR'S NARRATIVE. + + +NOTE A. + +The battle of Kirkee was the turning-point in the last Mahratta war, +which sealed the fate of the Peishwa's dynasty and transferred the +Deccan to British rule, and is naturally, in that part of India, still +regarded, by all whose recollections go back to those days, as the one +great event of modern history. + +When the collector of these tales was in India, the house temporarily +occupied by the Governor of Bombay overlooked the field of battle, and +among those who came to see the Governor on business or pleasure were +some--natives as well as Europeans--to whom the events of half a +century ago were matters of living memory. + +Old soldiers would tell how the fidelity of the native Sepoys resisted +all the bribes and threats of Bajee Row Peishwa, the absolute Brahmin +ruler of Poona, and thus, while the Peishwa hoped to effect his +purpose by treachery, enabled Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone to defer +open hostilities--a matter of vital importance to the operations of +Lord Hastings on the other side of India, in preparing for his great +campaign against the Pindarees. + +The veterans would recount all the romantic incidents of the struggle +which followed--how the "old Toughs" (now H. M.'s 103d Regiment), the +only European corps within reach, when at last slipped from the leash +at Panwell, marched seventy-two miles straight up over the ghauts to +Poona, with only a single three-hours' halt en route; how they closed +up their ranks of travel-soiled warriors and entered the British lines +with band playing and colors flying; and how not a straggler dropped +behind, "for all knew that there must be a battle soon." Their arrival +was the signal for the Peishwa to throw off the mask, and, as the +British Residency was untenable, the English troops moved out to take +up a safer position at Kirkee, about three miles from the city of +Poona; and as they marched they saw all the houses of the Resident and +his suite fired by the enemy, who swarmed out of the city. As they +formed in line of battle, they anxiously watched the native regiments +coming up on their flank from Dapoorie, for that was the moment for +successful treachery if the native soldiers were untrue! Not a Sepoy, +however, in the British ranks wavered, though before the junction was +complete a cloud of Mahratta cavalry poured down upon them, dashed +through the opening left between the two lines, enveloped either flank +of the little army, and attacked the European regiment in the rear. +Then, as a last resource, the European regiment faced about their +second rank, and kept up such a steady rolling fire to front and rear +at the same time that but few of the eager horsemen ever came within +spear's length of the British bayonets. + +One of the most touching recollections of those times attracted our +notice almost the last day we spent at Kirkee. An old chief, Jadowrow +of Malagaom, had come to take leave of the departing Governor. He was +head of one of the oldest Mahratta families, for his ancestors were +famous as a very ancient royal house before the Mohammedans invaded +the Deccan. The old man had borne arms as a youthful commander of +horse when the great Duke was at Poona in 1802, just before the battle +of Assaye, had been greatly distinguished for his gallantry in the +battle of Kirkee, so fatal to his race, and had followed the fortunes +of the Peishwa to the last. Disdaining to make separate terms for +himself with the English conqueror, he remained one of the few +thoroughly faithful to his sovereign--not from love, for he loved not +Bajee Row, but "because he had eaten his salt"--and only after the +Peishwa's surrender returned to his old castle near Poona. There for +many years he lived, hunting and hawking over his diminished acres, +and greatly respected as a model of a gallant and honorable old chief; +but he could never be persuaded to revisit the capital of the +Mahrattas after its occupation by the English. "He had no child," he +said, "and his race would die with him." At last, as years rolled on, +an only son was born to him; and then, touched by some unexpected act +of liberality on the part of the British government which would secure +his ancestral estate to this child of his old age, he resolved to go +to Poona, and visited the Governor, whose temporary residence happened +to overlook the battle-field of Kirkee. He gazed long and wistfully +from the drawing-room windows and said, "This place is much changed +since I was here last, fifty years ago. It was here the battle was +fought, and it was from near this very spot that we charged down that +slope on the English line as it formed beyond that brook. I never +thought to have seen this place again." + +Almost every hill, fort, and every large village round Poona, has some +tradition, not only of the days of Alumgeer, Sivajee and of early +Mahratta history, but of the campaigns of Wellesley in 1802 and of the +last great struggle in 1817-18. + + +NOTE B. + +Anna's remarks on the contrast between the present dearth and the +"good old times" of cheap bread, when the rupee went so much further +than it does now, are very characteristic. The complaint, too, is very +universal, and is to be heard in the household of public +functionaries, the highest as well as the lowest, in every grade of +native society, and more or less in all parts of India. + +The Narrator's notion, that "The English fixed the rupee at sixteen +annas," is another specimen of a very widespread Indian popular +delusion. The rupee always consisted of sixteen annas, for the anna +means only the sixteenth part of anything, but to the poor the great +matter for consideration in all questions of currency is the quantity +of small change they can get for the coin in which their wages are +paid. Formerly this used to fluctuate with the price of copper, and +the quantity of copper change which a silver rupee would fetch varied +as copper was cheap or dear, and was always greatest when the copper +currency was most debased. The English introduced all over India a +uniform currency of copper as well as of silver, and none of course +were greater gainers in the long run by this uniformity than the very +poor. + + +NOTE C. + +I am unable, at present, to give either the native words or music for +this curious little Calicut song. The second part is probably of +Portuguese origin, or it may have been derived from the Syrian +Christians, who have been settled on that coast since the earliest +ages. + +The English translation of the words, as explained to me by Anna, is +as follows: + + +PART I. + +THE SONG FROM THE SHIP. + +(_To be sung by one or more voices._) + + 1. Very far went the ship, in the dark, up and down, up and down. + There was very little sky; the sailors couldn't see anything; + rain was coming. + + 2. Now darkness, lightning and very little rain; but big flashes, + two yards long, that looked as if they fell into the sea. + + 3. On the third day the captain looks out for land, shading his + eyes with his hand. There may be land. The sailors say to him, + "What do you see?" He answers, "Far off is the jungle, and, + swinging in a tree, is an old monkey, with two little monkeys + in her arms. We must be nearing land." + + 4. Again the captain looks out; the sailors say to him, "What do + you see?" He answers, "On the shore there walks a pretty little + maiden, with a chattee on her head; she skips and runs, and + dances as she goes. We must be nearing land." + + 5. The storm begins to rage again, and hides the land: at last it + clears a little. The sailors say to the captain, "What do you + see?" He answers, "I see a man ploughing; two bullocks draw + the plough. We must be nearing land." + + It is all true; they have gained the shore. + + +PART II. + +SONG FROM THE SHORE. + +(_To be sung by one or more voices._) + + 1. The ship's on the sea-- + Which way is it coming? + Right home to land. + What cargo has it? + The ship brings the sacrament and praying beads. + + 2. The ship's on the sea-- + Which way is it coming? + Right home to land. + What cargo has it? + The ship brings white paper and the Twelve Apostles. + + 3. The ship comes home to land-- + What cargo does it bring? + Silver money, prophets and holy people. + + 4. The ship comes home to land-- + What does it bring? + All the saints and holy people, and Jesus Christ of Nazareth. + + 5. The ship comes to our doors-- + Who brings it home? + Our Saviour. + Our Saviour bless the ship, and bring it safely home. + +The second song, "The Little Wife Watching for her Husband's Return," +Anna had almost entirely forgotten. + +It was, she said, very pretty, being the song of the little wife as +she decks herself in her jewels to please her husband when he comes +home. She laments his absence, fears he has forgotten her and bemoans +her loneliness. + + M. F. + + + + +NOTES ON THE FAIRY LEGENDS. + + +PUNCHKIN. + +Page 27.--The Rajah's seven daughters, taking it by turns to cook +their father's dinner, would be nothing unusual in the household of a +Rajah. To a chief or great man in India, it is still the most natural +precaution he can take against poison to eat nothing but what has been +prepared by his wife or daughter, or under their eye in his own +zenana; and there are few accomplishments on which an Indian princess +prides herself more than on her skill in cookery. + + +RAMA AND LUXMAN. + +Page 107.--The little black and white owls, which fly out at dusk and +sit always in pairs, chattering to each other in a singularly +conversational version of owl language, are among the most +widely-spread of Indian birds, and in every province where they are +found are regarded as the most accomplished of soothsayers. Unlike +other ominous creatures, they are anxious to do good to mankind, for +they always tell each other what the traveler ought to do, and, if +mankind were not so dull in understanding their language, would save +the hearer from all risk of misfortune. + + +LITTLE SURYA BAI. + +Page 118.--The sangfroid with which the first Ranee, here and in the +story of Panch-Phul Ranee, page 164, receives the second and more +favored wife to share her throne, however difficult to understand in +the West, is very characteristic of Oriental life. In Indian +households of the highest rank it would not be difficult to find +examples of several wives living amicably together, as described in +some of these stories; but the contrary result, as depicted in this +story of Surya Bai and others, is far more common, for as a general +rule human nature is too strong for custom, and under an external +serenity bitter jealousies exist between the several wives of a royal +Hindoo household, which are a constant source of misery and crime. +Among the curious changes of opinion which are observable of late +years in the Indian empire, none is more remarkable than the +conviction, now frequently expressed by the warmest supporters of +native governments at native courts, that the toleration of polygamy +is one of their most serious dangers, the removal of which is of vital +importance to the safety of any Indian dynasty, and indeed to the +permanence of any Indian family of rank. + + +THE WANDERINGS OF VICRAM MAHARAJAH. + +Page 131.--The Dipmal, or Tower of Lights, is an essential feature in +every large Hindoo temple. It is often of great height, and furnished +with niches or brackets, each of which holds a lamp on festivals, +especially on that of the Dewali, the feast of lamps celebrated in the +autumn in honor of the Hindoo goddess Bowani or Kali, who was formerly +propitiated on that occasion by human sacrifices. + +Page 132.--The story of Vicram's act of devotion is thoroughly Hindoo. +It is difficult to understand the universal prevalence and strength of +the conviction among Hindoos that the particular god of their +adoration can be prevailed on, by importunity or self-devotion, to +reveal to his worshiper some act, generally ascetic or sacrificial, +the performance of which will insure to the devotee the realization of +the object of his wishes. The act of devotion and the object of the +devotee are both often very trivial; but occasionally we are startled +by hearing of some deed of horror, a human sacrifice or deliberate act +of self-immolation, which is quite unaccountable to those who are not +aware that it is only a somewhat extreme manifestation of a belief +which still influences the daily conduct of the great majority of the +Hindoos. + +And even those who have known the Hindoos long and intimately +frequently fail to recognize the extent to which this belief +influences the ethics of common life and action in India. To quote an +instance from well-known history, there are few acts regarding which a +European traveler would expect the verdict of all mankind to be more +generally condemnatory than the murder of Afzul Khan, the general of +the Imperial Delhi army, by Sivajee, the founder of the Mahratta +empire. Sivajee, according to the well-known story, had invited his +victim to an amicable conference, and there stabbed him with a wag +nuck[109] as they embraced at their first meeting. It was a deed of +such deliberate and cruel treachery that it could find few defenders +in Europe, even among the wildest advocates of political +assassination. A European is consequently little prepared to find it +regarded by Mahrattas generally as a most commendable act of devotion. +The Hindoo conscience condemns murder and treachery as emphatically as +the European; but this act, as viewed by the old-fashioned Mahratta, +was a sacrifice prescribed by direct revelation of the terrible +goddess Bowani to her faithful devotee. It was therefore highly +meritorious, and the beautiful Genoese blade which Sivajee always +wore, and with which his victim was finally despatched, was, down to +our own days, provided with a little temple of its own in the palace +of his descendants, and annually worshiped by them and their +household--not as a mere act of veneration for their ancestor's trusty +sword, but because it was the chosen instrument of a great sacrifice, +and "no doubt," as the attendant who watched it used to say, "some of +the spirit of Bowani," whose name it bore, "must still reside in it." + + [109] An instrument so called from its similarity to a tiger's claw. + It consists of sharp curved steel blades set on a bar, which fits by + means of finger-rings to the inside of the hand, so as to be + concealed when the hand is closed, while the blades project at right + angles to the cross bar and palm when the hand is opened. It is + struck as in slapping or tearing with the claws. + +An attentive observer will notice in the daily life of those around +him in India constant instances of this belief in the efficacy of acts +of devotion and sacrifice to alter even the decrees of Fate. It is one +of the many incentives to the long pilgrimages which form such a +universal feature in Hindoo life, and the records of the courts of +justice and the Indian newspapers constantly afford traces of its +prevalence in cases of attempted suttee and other acts of +self-immolation, or even of human sacrifice, such as are above alluded +to. It must be remembered that Hindoo sacrifice has nothing but the +name in common with the sacrifices which are a distinctive part of the +religion of every Semitic race. Many a difficulty which besets the +Hindoo inquirer after truth would be avoided if this essential +distinction were always known or remembered. + +Page 136.--This belief in the omnipotence of "Muntrs," or certain +verbal formulas, properly pronounced by one to whom they have been +authoritatively communicated, is closely allied to, and quite as +universal as, the belief in the efficacy of sacrificial acts of +devotion. In every nation throughout India, whatever may be the +variations of creed or caste usage, it is a general article of belief, +accepted by the vast majority of every class and caste of Hindoos, +that there is a form of words (or Muntr) which, to be efficacious, can +be only orally transmitted, but which, when so communicated by one of +the "twice-born," has absolutely unlimited power over all things +visible or invisible, extending even to compelling the obedience of +the gods and of Fate itself. Of course it is rather dangerous, even +for the wisest, to meddle with such potent influences, and the attempt +is usually confined to the affairs of common life; but of the absolute +omnipotence of "Muntrs" few ordinary un-Europeanized Hindoos entertain +any doubt, and there is hardly any part of their belief which +exercises such an all-pervading and potent influence in their daily +life, though that influence is often but little understood by +Europeans. + +The classical reader will remember many allusions to a similar belief +as a part of the creeds imported from the East, which were fashionable +under the Empire at Rome. There is much curious information on the +subject of the earliest-known Hindoo Muntrs in the _Aitareya Brahmana_ +of the learned Dr. Haug, the only European who ever witnessed the +whole process of a Hindoo sacrifice. The reader who is curious on such +matters will do well to consult the recently-published work of +Professor Max Mueller, which might, without exaggeration, be described +as a storehouse of new facts connected with the religion and +literature of the East, rather than by its modest title of _Chips from +a German Workshop_. + + +HOW THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE WIND WENT OUT TO DINNER. + +Page 194.--I have not ventured to alter the traditional mode of the +Moon's conveyance of dinner to her mother the Star, though it must, I +fear, seriously impair the value of the story as a moral lesson in the +eyes of all instructors of youth. + + M. F. + + +SINGH RAJAH AND THE CUNNING LITTLE JACKALS. + +Page 198.--This story is substantially the same as one well-known to +readers of Pilpai's _Fables_. The chorus of the Jackals' song of +triumph is an imitation of their nocturnal howl. + + +THE JACKAL, THE BARBER AND THE BRAHMIN. + +Page 203.--The touch of the poor outcast Mahars would be pollution to +a Hindoo of any but the lowest caste; hence their ready obedience to +the Jackal's exhortation not to touch him. + +The offerings of rice, flowers, a chicken, &c., and the pouring water +over the idol, are parts of the regular daily observance in every +village temple. + + +MUCHIE LAL. + +Page 265.--The popular belief in stories of this kind, where the Cobra +becomes the companion of human beings, is greatly strengthened by the +instances which occasionally occur when particular persons, sometimes +children or idiots, possess the power to handle the deadly reptiles +without receiving any injury from them. How much is due merely to +gentleness of touch and fearlessness, and how much to any personal +peculiarity which pleases the senses of the snake, it is difficult to +say, for the instances, though not few and perfectly well +authenticated, are sufficiently rare to be popularly regarded as +miraculous. + +In one case, which occurred in the country west of Poona not long +after our conquest of the Deccan, a Brahmin boy could, without the aid +of music or anything but his own voice, attract to himself and handle +with impunity all the snakes which might be within hearing in any +thicket or dry stone wall, such as in that country is their favorite +refuge. So great was the popular excitement regarding him, under the +belief that he was an incarnation of some divinity, that the +magistrate of Poona took note of his proceedings, and becoming uneasy +as to the political turn the excitement regarding the boy might take, +reported regularly to government the growth of the crowds who pressed +to see the marvel and to offer gifts to the child and his parents! The +poor boy, however, was at last bitten by one of the reptiles and died, +and the wonder ceased. + + +CHUNDUN RAJAH. + +Page 274.--There are innumerable popular superstitions regarding the +powers which can be conveyed in a charmed necklace; and it is a common +belief that good and bad fortune, and life itself, can be made to +depend on its not being removed from the wearer's neck. + + +CHANDRA'S VENGEANCE. + +Page 292.--The picture of the childless wife setting forth to seek +Mahdeo, and resolving not to return till she has seen him, is one +which would find a parallel in some of the persons composing almost +every group of pilgrims who resort to the great shrines of Hindostan. +Any one who has an opportunity of quietly questioning the members of +such an assemblage will find that, besides the miscellaneous crowd of +idlers, there are usually specimens of two classes of very earnest +devotees. The one class is intent on the performance of some act of +ascetic devotion, the object of which is to win the favor of the +divinity, or to fulfill a vow for a favor already granted. The other +class is seeking "to see the divinity," and expecting the revelation +under one or other of the terrible forms of the Hindoo Pantheon. There +are few things more pathetic than to hear one of this class recount +the wanderings and sufferings of his past search, or the journeys he +has before him, which are too often prolonged till death puts an end +to the wanderer and his pilgrimage. + +Page 294.--The "fire which does not burn" is everywhere in India one +of the attributes of Mahdeo. + +In many parts of the Deccan are to be found shrines consecrated to one +of the local gods, who has been Brahminically recognized as a local +manifestation of Mahdeo, where the annual festival of the divinity +was, within the last few years, kept by lighting huge fires, through +which devotees ran or jumped, attributing their escape from burning to +the interposition of Mahdeo. Except in a few remote villages, this +custom, which sometimes led to serious accidents, has in British +territory been stopped by the police. + +Page 298.--This story of the wonderful child who was found floating in +a box on a river is to be heard, with more or less picturesque local +variations, on the banks of every large river in India. Almost every +old village in Sind has a local tradition of this kind. + +Page 305.--Most households in Calcutta can furnish recollections of +depredations by birds, at their nest-building season, similar to that +of the Ranee's bangles by the Eagles in this story. But the object of +the theft is generally more prosaic. I have known gold rings so taken, +but the plunder is more frequently a lady's cuff or collar, or a piece +of lace; and the plunderers are crows, and sometimes, but very rarely, +a kite. + +Page 313.--Purwaris, or outcasts, who are not suffered to live within +the quarter inhabited by the higher castes, are very numerous in +Southern India, and a legend similar to this one is a frequent popular +explanation of their being in excess as compared with other classes of +the population. + + +HOW THE THREE CLEVER MEN OUTWITTED THE DEMONS. + +Page 314.--Old residents at Surat may remember an ancient local +celebrity named Tom the Barber, among whose recollections of former +days was a chronicle of a renowned duelist, who used to amuse himself +by shooting with his pistol, somewhat after the fashion of the +Pearl-shooter. The little tin can of hot water which Tom carried, +slung from his forefinger as he went his morning rounds, was a +favorite mark. So were the water-jars on the heads of the women as +they passed the duelist's house coming from the well; and great was +Tom's relief when an old woman, who could not be pacified by the usual +douceur for the loss of her jar and the shock of finding the water +stream down her back, appealed to the authorities and had the duelist +bound over to abstain in future from his dangerous amusement. + +So vivid were Tom's recollections of his own terrors that, after the +lapse of half a century, he could ill conceal his sense of the +poetical justice finally inflicted on his tormentor, who was killed in +a duel to which he provoked a young officer who had never before fired +a pistol. + +[Decoration] + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +Archaic and variable spelling is preserved as printed where there was +no prevalence of one form over another, e.g. Gazeteer, loth and loath. +Where there was a prevalence, amendments have been made for +consistency: + + Page 157--tormenter amended to tormentor--"... was that + Vicram should have such a hideous tormentor ..." + + Page 335--Sivagee amended to Sivajee--"... not only of the + days of Alumgeer, Sivajee and of early Mahratta history, ..." + +Both Pilpay and Pilpai are used as references to the fable writer. +They are preserved as printed, as the author in each case is +different. + +Punctuation errors have been repaired. Hyphenation has been made +consistent. + +The following typographic errors have been repaired: + + Page 8--observe amended to observed--"... gravely observed + that the footmark looked as if the foot which made it ..." + + Page 49--it amended to if--"The Rajah returned to see if he + could help anybody to escape, ..." + + Page 58--repeated 'it' deleted--"... but when the Princess + heard how wild it was ..." + + Page 82--chidren amended to children--"... in charge of this + garden will have a hundred and one children ..." + + Page 89--the amended to they--"Then, by order of the twelve + wicked Ranees, they sacrilegiously destroyed the little + temple." + + Page 103--come amended to came--"... to their joy one day + they came upon a dense grove of Cocoa-nut trees, ..." + + Page 106--reach amended to reached--"On the first evening of + their march the travelers reached the borders of the + Cocoa-nut grove, ..." + + Page 115--Rahshas amended to Rakshas--"Then she ground the + corn, but still the young Rakshas came not; ..." + + Page 137--pomegrantes amended to pomegranates--"... three + pomegranates (in which were Anar Ranee and her two ladies), + ..." + + Page 140--petty amended to pretty--"... where there were a + thousand other pretty pollies, ..." + + Page 150--eat amended to ate--"... and she ate it, little bit + by little bit, ..." + + Page 153--repeated 'the' deleted--"How was the latter to be + expelled to make way ..." + + Page 160--it amended to in--"So that it became a proverb in + that country, ..." + + Page 189--strengh amended to strength--"... he regained his + health and strength also, and looked almost as well as ever." + + Page 198--Jackal amended to Jackals--"And the little Jackals + threw stones down upon him from above, ..." + + Page 221--run amended to sun--"... under my boughs from the + scorching rays of the sun; ..." + + Page 235--Chatte-maker amended to Chattee-maker--"... and the + Chattee-maker was rewarded for all he had done ..." + + Page 262--so amended to to--"The poor little Fakeer's + daughter was so startled that she began to cry." + + Page 280--one only amended to only one--"Once upon a time there + lived a Rajah and Ranee, who had only one daughter, ..." + + Page 307--hut amended to but--"... but as soon as she saw it + she recognized it." + + Page 313, first footnote--permited amended to permitted--"... + not permitted to live within the city walls." + + Page 316--other amended to others--""They are true," said the + others; "for we, O Pundit, ..."" + + Page 318--omitted word 'to' added following 'turning'--"... and, + turning to his wife, whispered, ..." + +The following were noted as possible errors, but, as they could +potentially be read as deliberate phrasing on the part of the author, +they are all preserved as printed. + + Page 8--"... the Rakshas seems giving way to the "Bhoot" ..." It + is likely that 'to be' is missing following 'seems.' + + Page 82--"... and cause it be announced that you have left the + place." It is possible that 'to' is omitted following 'it.' + + Page 269--"... and there was no village or house of living creature + near." This should probably read 'of a living creature' or 'of + living creatures.' + + Page 325--"... I have been a far journey ..." This may have been + intended to read, 'I have been on a far journey.' + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Old Deccan Days, by M. 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