Indian Antiquary Vol 26

SR No.: 032518
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

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28
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JANUARY, 1897.
requested the king to order somebody to climb up the post and bring the money down. But the king replied: --"As the Brůhman appeared to you only in a dream, you may take the money that appears in a mirror; I cannot order anybody to hand you over the bundle."
On hearing this, the harlot felt quite abashed, bent down her head and went away. It is thereforo necessary that those who settle disputes should be conversant with tricks.
VIII.
There was a weaver in the Karnatak, Haimantaka by name, who wove both coarse cloth and fine linen. But as his profita in the calling were very meagre, he was not able to keep life and soul together. Adjacent to his abode was another of the same profession, Dhimanta, who lived happily on the large income he derived by weaving coarse rough fabric. Once upon a time Haimantaka approached his wife and represented his grievances to her, told her how, despite his intelligence in his art, he was not able to eke out a livelihood, and how much better placed his brother-weaver was, though weaving only a coarse stuff.
"My talents are unknown to any one in the place," said he, and determined to quit his home for another place with the object of amassing as much wealth as possible.
His wife rejoined: -" Of what avail is your going to a distant quarter? You will get only as much as it has fallen to your lot to earn."
Despite her remonstrances, he quit his abode, Went and settled for a time in a far-off country, wove such cloths as were in consonance with the requirements of the place, made considerable money by the transaction, and wended his way home. On the way he stayed at an inn, and securing his treure in a corner went to rest for the night. While he was enjoying 'the honey. heavy dew' of slumber, thieves rushed into the inn and purloined every item of property, so that when he rose up the next morning he found to his utter disappointment and distress that he had nothing left. He thus learned, very dearly indeed, the truth of his wife's statements, from the school of experience. And, feeling very des. pondent, lived upon such small gains as he could
make at home. The moral of this is : unlucky anywhere, unlucky everywhere!
IX. The King of Kalinga bad a washerman who used to wash his clothes exceedingly well und bring and give them to him daily. One day, the king was exceedingly pleased with the scrupulously clean manner in which the clothes were brought to him and promised the washerman to grant any one prayer he might make. The washerinan looked at the king and said that he was most anxious to become the king's minister, and requested the king to bestow the post on him. The king did so, dis. pensing with the services of his old minister, who had served him for a very long time.
It came to pass that, not long afterwards, a certain other king having heard of the weakness of the washerman.pinister, raised a huge army and gave battle. His master having heard of what had come to pass, called upon the new minister to muster his forces, to which he replied that as he bad already inade the necessary preparations, there was no cause to fear the enemy.
The king fully believed in this statement, but was sorely disappointed, for not long afterwards the city was bombarded by the hostile armies. The king sent at once to the minister, told him of what had happened, and enquired of him as to the arrangements he had made.
The minister responded :-" There is nothing to fear in what has come to pass. But I find that the task of ruling a kingdom is a big affair, and while I was thinking of how best to rid ourselves of this difficulty, the enemy chanced to enter and blockade the city. Let them, there. fore, undergo the perils of governing the kingdom. As for me, I used to wash the clothes of about a hundred families in this city, but since my elevation to the ministership I have had to give up my calling. I will now, therefore, resume it, and give you one-half the work and reserve the other half for myself; the calling being no trouble to me. On these considerations I have made no preparations for war."
The king was very much grieved when he heard this, but thought the result to be the natural punishment of linking himself to a fool.
(To be continued.)
NOTES AND QUERIES. KAVIRAJ, AS A MUSALMAN TITLE. their conviction. This is a clear instance of the THERE are two or three Musalman life-convicts preservation by the descendants of converts to at Port Blair, hailing from Bengal, who bear the Islam of their old Hindu family designation. designation of Kaviraj, and who appear to have been petty druggists and quacks previous to
R. C. TEMPLE.