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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1875.
they gave it up in despair, threw him down the two brothers descended from the tree and and left him. Being at some distance from began to cut up the dead tiger. Kansan selecthome, they went to a waterfall to quench their ed some of the most delicate parts for his own thirst, and afterwards climbed up a tál tree share, but Guja seized the entrails. Kansan, which grew on the banks of the water, and seeing this, asked his brother why he was so there they remained for safety during the night. foolish as to choose the entrails and to leave the
The tiger, being left alone, released himself rest. Guja quietly replied, "Brother, I am quite and set off to call together his tiger acquaint- satisfied with what I have." Then they took ances, in order to be revenged on the brothers their departure, and after travelling some diswho had thus so grievously ill-treated him. tance found a suitable tree on which to rest. They assembled in large numbers and searched It so happened that a king's son was just for a long time for Kanran and Guja, but in passing on the way to his father-in-law's house, vain. At length, becoming tired, they gave up in order to fetch home his wife, and he lay down the search and began to abuse the poor tailless to rest under this same tree. tiger in no measured terms.
All this time Guja had been holding the The tigers, impelled by thirst, went to the entrails of the tiger in his hands. At last he waterfall to drink. It so happened that the said to his brother, “I can't keep this any tailless tiger went close to the very tál tree in longer." Kanran answered, “What shall we do which the brothers were seated. Seeing their then? If you let it fall, we shall be discovered shadows reflected in the water, he exclaimed, and shall certainly be killed.” At length, Guja, "Come here, they are drowned in this deep unable to hold it any longer, let it fall on water." The other tigers inquired, "Are you the king's son who was lying fast asleep at the serious, or are you making fun of us? If you foot of the tree. Awakened by the blow, he are joking you shall suffer for it." Finding it arose, greatly dismayed at seeing blood, &c. was truo, they ordered the tailless tiger to dive upon his body, and imagined that some accident into the water and fetch out the brothers. must have happened to himself; he therefore The tiger dived till he was tired. At last, being hastened from the spot. His servants, seeing thoroughly exhausted, he got out of the water him run at a mad pace, immediately followed. and saw the reflection of the men as plainly The two brothers quickly came down from the as before; again he dived, but with no better tree and began to plunder the baggage, which succesa. Being completely worn out with his had been left behind in the fright. Kansan exertions and very cold, he began to sneeze. seized upon the finest garments, while Guja seWhile in the act of doing so, he happened to lected a large drum. Being upbraided by his look up, and there he discovered the brothers brother for thus losing such a splendid opporquietly seated in the tal-tree.
tunity of enriching himself, he replied, “Brother, Having announced this fact to the rest of the this will suit my purpose." tigers, they held a general consultation as to They now proceeded on their journey. Guja how they might reach the brothers. The tail was so much pleased with his drum that he less tiger at length suggested the following kept on beating it all day long. Unfortunately plan :-"Let us stand one on the other," said the drum-head split and thus was rendered be, "till we get high enough to reach them." useless. But Gaja, instead of throwing it This plan being approved by all, they directed away, continued to carry it about with him. the tailless tiger to take his stand at the bottom; Afterwards they found a bees'-nest. Guja rethen they climbed one upon the other, till they freshed himself with the honey and filled his conld almost touch the brothers. At this crisis, drum with bees. Having done this, they conKanran cailed out to his brother, "Give me tinued their journey, till they arrived at a river. your axe, I will kill the tailless tiger." The ghất. When the villagers came out at eventide latter, hearing this, struggled to make his to draw water, Gaja let fly some of his bees escape, and in so doing upset the whole party, amongst them. The people, being mrch stung, who were resting upon him, while they in their ran home and told how that two strangers had fall crushed the poor tailless tiger to death, arrived and had greatly annoyed them by allowand overcome by terror they fled. After this, I ing bees to sting them. The villagers, headed
