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MAY 3, 1872.)
BHAVABHÔTI.
143
OUDH FOLKLORE-A LEGEND OF BALRAMPUR.
BY W. C. BENETT, B.C.S., GONDA. Not many generations ago there was a great vided by his uncle, with the same condition Pahlwân in Balrampur named Bhawan Misr. He as to secrecy. For several days the flour was was passing the Sembar tree to the north of the left at the wrestler's house, and be lived in town, and broke off a twig. Immediately Mirchi great plenty. But he had a foolish wife who Dano, whose home the tree was, attacked him. plagued him till he told her how he had got it. For a day and a night they wrestled, and the From that time he could neither get his flour demon was finally beaten. He promised his con- again, nor induce Dâno or his sister's son to queror a mãn of wheat every day if he would fight. As the Sembar tree is still standing, he let him go, on the condition that he would tell does not seem to have taken his revenge by no one whom it came from. On the next day destroying that. Dâno left a big bag with a min of wheat at Such is the story, reminding one strongly of the wrestler's house. Now Dâno had a sister's Grimm's Hausmärchen, which was told me by & son bigger and stronger than himself, and was Kurmi of Balrtmpur, a town on the Rapti in Gonda persuaded by him to leave off the disgraceful district, as we passed the fabled cotton tree. Dano tribute. The wrestler, missing his grain, went Bait is personification of the ignis fatuus. His to the Sembar tree, and began to break it down,
sthans are found in many places along the challenging the perfidious goblin to interfere.
crest of the lower range of hills which divides
Gondå from Nepal, and he is appeased by offerings On this the goblin's sister's son came out, and
of milk and rice. This terrible dernon feede offered to fight for his uncle. For two days
chiefly on dung beetles, and Ballying forth at and two nights they fought, and the sister's
dusk with a fire between his lips, tempts anson was beaten. He bought his liberty by Wary travellers from their path, and destroys their promising to grind the măn of com pro- reason.
BHAVABHUTI IN ENGLISH GARB.
BY THE REV. K. M. BANERJEA, HON. M. R. A. S. BHAVABHUTI is deservedly reckoned among the surnamed Srikantha (whose voice is eloquent) great poets. This is a title which the Sanskrit and whose mother is Jatakarni, a friend of Ars poetica (for such in reality is the Alankara Ours." The prelude of the Uttara Rama Charita 8&stra) would not allow to be conferred on any gives the poet's lineage to the same effect but more writer as a mere compliment: it must be won, like briefly. "There is truly & poet of the name of an academical honour or diploma, by literary merits Bhavabhati, of the race of Kas'y a pa, having which satisfy certain definite rules.
as surname, the word Srikantha. The Uttara But though universally allowed to be a great Ráma Charita will now be represented, composed poet, but little is known of Bhavabhati's per. by him, on whom being & Brahman this goddess sonal history. We have no biographical tradition Speech attends like an obedient wife." or anecdotes about him such as we have in the case of Bhavabhati's reputation is founded on his Kalid & sa, Bhartrihari, &c. In the preludos works. to his two dramatio works, his lineage and parent- The Sanskrit drama, like everything else in that age are given, and that is almost all we know of language, is regulated by prescribed rules. The his personal history. The prelude to the Maha- first ceremony is the devotional invocation of the Vira Charita informs us that in the south there is & gods for the successful issue of the play about to be city named Padma-pura; in it dwell certain I acted. This is performed by the manager in the followers of the Black Yajur Veda, descendants of theatre itself, before the assembled audience, and Kas'y a pa, chiefs of their school, making holy the is called Nandi. It is something like the prayer company, keeping the five fires, holding vowe, drink. which precede the business of Parliament, and testi. ing the soma, most excellent, repeating the Veda, fics to the sentiment of piety animating the nation From their illustrious descendant who is highly and the age, even though the ceremony itself may esteemed, and makes the V & jpey & sacrifice, and be perfunctorily gone through or indifferently lintonis a great poet, the fifth in order, the grandson of ed to. The sentiment is observed in all branches one whose well selected name is Bhattagopala, of the Sanskrit literature, there being scarcely and the son of the pure in fame Nilakântha, is single author who commences his work without a the poet whose appellation is Bhavabhati, salutation to some god or supernatural power. And
• In Marathi, Samvar or Samvari, Sans. S'almali, the Bombax heptaphyllium orcciba.--Ed.
