Indian Antiquary Vol 14

SR No.: 032506
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 418
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1885.
sense of smell detected that there was a man in the cave." He said :"A man there is within this place,
Oh'! let me quickly see his face." To which the woman answered :"In vain, my lord, these words to me,
For here a nan conld never be." But the ogre was decided and continued :
"Woman, my nose is never wrong,
So see that thou delay not long." Nothing daunted, however, the princess re
plied:
* What power have I to make a man?
Find such yourself here if you can." And added : "All the day long have I sat here
And seen no living creature near." These answers made the ogre very angry ; so he now with a terrible and flushed countenance and awful rolling eyes looked at her, and said :
"A man there is within this place! Unless I see him face to face, Within two minutes more thou diest,
As surely, wretch, as now thou liest." Terrified by his frightful words and looks the poor woman pale and trembling asked him whether he had not met with sufficient prey, nnd therefore wanted a man for eating; whereupon the ogre answered that he was not hungry, bat he was certain that there was a man within the cave, and rest he could not until this man was discovered. Then the princess, pale and trembling, so that she could scarcely speak, told him that perhaps it was true; at all events since the ogre was so decided she would have 1 good search in every hole and corner.
Finally after much rummaging and turning out, during which the ogre impatiently waited, now belching and then coughing, so that the very cave even seemed to shake with the noise, a man was pulled forth from a box at the end of the cave. “Ha! Ha! Yes, humph! I thought so," said the ogre, as the prince ap- proached him. The prince was ordered to sit down and explain himself, which he did with sach a fearless grace, that the ogre was quite pleased with him. Encouraged by the ogre's good temper the princess confessed the whole
truth of the matter-how that the prince had been shipwrecked and wandered thither, and how she had been moved with compassion and told him to reside in the cave; and then she begged the ogre to spare him and allow him to dwell there, as she felt so very sad and lonely at times; and besides the man was skilful and clever and would serve the ogre faithfully and well. The ogre agreed, and said that neither of them need be afraid, as he should never be tempted to eat such a skeleton of a fellow as the prince seemed to be. Hearing this the prince sat a little nearer the .ogre and joined the woman in rabbing and pressing the monster's hands and feet; and the ogre got more pleased with him. And so the prince lived in the cave and became ever more and more fond of the princess, even as the princess became more and more fond of him, and the days passed very happily. Every morning the ogre went forth for his prey and left the prince and princess alone, and every evening he returned to be pampered' and served by them.
Generally he brought back with him some rare fruit or precious jewel, or anything that the prince and princess asked of him, or expressed a wish for. However, there was always a lingering fear lest in a moment of rage or indisposition the ogre should devour them, and so they were always thinking of some plan to rid themselves of him. They soon discovered that might would not overcome him, and that if they would take him they must trick him into telling them the secret of his life, and in what his great strength lay, and therefore they determined if possible to find out this thing. One evening when they were cleaning the ogre's teeth and shampooing his limbs, the princess sat down beside him and suddenly began to weep. "Why weepest thou, my darling?" said the ogre. " Tell me thy distress and I will relieve it to the utmost of my power." Saying this he drew her to him in tender embrace.
"I cannot tell thee all my thoughts," she replied, "but sometimes I fear lest thon be slain, and we be left alone here in this solitary cave, without a comforter or friend--for then starve we must, because who could bring us food ? Moreover, thou hast been so good to us,
1 The words used were insanah runs mushk dyt survey of the incidents concerning ogres in tamie ie. the smell of man came to him. For al folk tales.of. Wide-creake Stories, pp. 395-397.
Indian