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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1877.
and told her that Khamba was being killed in One day after this her father the Jubraja said the bâzár. She opened her eyes and wondered to Thoibî, "For five days I have been trying to what it was, and then she called her servant persuade you to marry Kongyâmba; why do Senu, and took a knife in her hand and went you still persist in refusing him ?" Thoibî out. When the Jubraja and the men who were replied, “Both you and my uncle the king protying Khamba to the elephant's foot saw her mised me to Khamba when he caught the bull, they all ran away.
and I have taken an oath to be his slave; I will Thoibi went up to the elephant and said to not live with Kongyamba." At this answer him, "Elephant, if you kill my lover, trample me the Jubraja grew angry, and said, “If you underfoot and kill me too," and she took an oath do not obey me, your father, I will sell you to die under the elephant's feet. The elephant, as a slave to my friend Tamurakpa at Kubbo,* seeing she was a good woman and had taken an and I will take the fall price for you and spend oath, lowered his tusks to the ground and it in feasting on fish." Thoibî answered, trumpeted ; and she, seeing Khamba, asked the “Whatever my father says is right." elephant to unloose the rope by which he was | Early next morning the Jubraja, saying he tied, and he did so, and she said to Khamba, would make a slave of Thoibi, called five of his “My dear, have you suffered all this for my servants and gave them orders concerning her. sake ?" and they both wept.
And she, seeing that her father intended to Meanwhile Khamba's sister Khamnu, and carry out his purpose, sent her servant Senu to Phairoichåmba, and his father's friends Thonglel Khamba secretly to tell him about it,-how her and Chouba, hearing the news, ran up from all father had made a slave of her, and five men sides. When they saw Khamba, Thonglel and were appointed to conduct her to Tamurakpa. Chouba both grew very angry, and said, “Bring So Khamba went and waited quietly in the road, Phairoichậmba with you and come to the palace." with a bamboo stick in his hand, and when he So they all went and found the Jubraja sitting saw Thoibi he said sadly, "I have nothing else to there. Thonglel said with anger, “Who has give you ; take this stick and think of it as me." beaten my son ?" Lairamba, with many followers, So he gave her the stick, and she went on her wearing his sword, spear, and shield, and all way, while he went sorrowfully home. his war dress and ornaments, barst in; and the When Thoibî sat down to rest by the roadpeople, when they saw the numbers with him, side, she broke the stick into two pieces at the and his angry looks, were all afraid. Thoibî point and called God to witness that if she were told the king everything that had happened, true and faithful the bamboot should sprout, and the king was much displeased where he and sbe planted it there and it sprouted. Afheard that Khamba had been beaten, and went ter going a little further on the way she saw to his throne-room to give judgment in the a large stone, and she said, "If I am chaste and matter. He decided that the Jubraja was in have truly chosen Khamba, may this stone befault, and forbade him to enter the palace again, come soft;" and she put her foot on it, and the and ordered all the men who had beaten footprint was left. When she arrived at the Khamba to be themselves beaten. But when house of Tamurakpa, the five servants told her Kongyâmba was about to be beaten, Khamba that she was not really sold, but that her father saved him by saying that he was not in fault, had sent her there to frighten her, and they ail the blame was with the Jubrâja. So Khamba asked Tamurakpa to treat her kindly, and went and all the people returned home, and the king away. Tamurakpa called his daughter Changordered them to take care that his servant ning Khombi, and told Thoibi to make friends Khambu did not die, and told the royal doctor with her and live there happily. to attend him, and Thonglel and Chouba to see After three nonths' time the Jubraja felt pity that he had proper food while he was ill. for his daughter, and called his five slaves and
In Manipur a man's wife and children are bis slaves, and he can sell them whenever he pleases, and this is often done. Only the other day I heard a Manipuri threaten to sell one of his sons as a slave because he preferred play to learning to read.
• The valley of Kubbo has now been ceded to Burmah ; it formerly belonged to Manipur.
+ The clump of bamboos which grew from the stick, and the stone with Thoibt's footprint, are still shown, as is Kbamba's coat, which is kept at Moirang, the scene of the story. It is said to be of gigantic size.
