________________
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1881
FOLKLORE IN THE PANJAB. COLLECTED BY MRS. F. A. STEEL. WITH NOTES BY LIEUT. R. C. TEMPLE,
B.S.C., F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S., &c.
(Continued from p. 43.) No. 7.-FOLK-TALE.
"Some horrid creeping thing from the world Princess Pepperina.
outside must have stolen in while I was asleep," A bulbul' and its mate lived in a forest and sang said he to himself, "I will search for it and kill all day. At last the bulbul said "Oh husband, it." So he began to search and found nothing I should like some green chillis." The obedient but the shining glittering green egg. He took it lover flew off at once to find some. He flew and he to the summer-house, wrapped it up in cotflew, and he flew: still not in one single garden ton wool, and laid it in a niche in the wall. could he find a single green chilli. There was Every day he looked at it, and sighed to think either no fruit at all on the bushes, or it was red. of his lost chilli; but one morning when he went At last in a desolate place he came to a magni- to the piche, lo and behold! the egg had disficent garden; the tall mango trees shaded it, appeared, and in its place sat the loveliest and innumerable flowers and fruits were to be fittle maiden. She was dressed from head to seen, but not a single sign of life: no birds, foot in emerald green, and round her throat no beasts, no insects. The bulbul flew down hung a single large emerald, shaped just like a into the middle of the garden, and lo! there green chilli. The Jinn, who was good-bearted grew a single pepper plant, and on it hung one and fond of children, was delighted, and made single large green chilli that shone like an emerald. it the business of his life to tend the Princess So the bulbul flew home to his mate, and said, Pepperina, for that she told him was her name. "Come with me, dear wife, and I will show you | Now when the Princess Pepperina was about the most beautiful green chilli you ever saw." twelve years old, it became time for the Jinn
Now the Jinn to whom the garden belonged to go to sleep again, and he puzzled his brains, was asleep in a summer-honse; he generally what was to become of the princess meanwhile. slept for twelve years at a time, and then It so happened that a king and his minister were remained awake for twelve years. So he knew hunting in the forest, and came upon the garden. nothing about it when the bulbul and his wife Curious to see what was inside, they climbed arrived in the garden and began to eat his over the wall, and found the beautiful Princess beautiful green chilli. It so happened, however, Pepperina seated by the pepper plant. The that the time for his awakening was drawing young king fell in love with her at once, saynear, so he was restless and had bad dreams ing, "Come and be my bride." while the bulbul's wife was eating the chilli. At "Not so," said the Princess modestly. "The the end of that time she laid one green glitter- Jinn who owns this garden is as my father, ing egg on the ground beneath the pepper and you must ask him; unfortunately he has plant, and then she and her mate flew away. a habit of eating men sometimes." Bat when
Just then the Jinn woke, and, as usual, went she looked at the young king her heart softened ; at once to see how his pet pepper plant was she had never seen any one so handsome and getting on. He found it pecked to pieces. beautiful; so she said " Bide yourselves in Great was his sorrow and dismay; he wondered the garden, and when the Jinn returns I will what had done the damage, knowing well that question him." neither bird, beast or insect lived in the garden. No sooner had the Jinn entered the summer
Shahzadt mirchd; the word is شاهزادي مرجا 1
ki dhon do áp bhåg jdegd. Give it pepper-smoke and it will go of itself.
The story was told by an old Muhammadan woman from Kasûr, and is probably of Afghán or Persian origin.-R.C.T.
U!!Bulbul; Arabic, nightingale, now & naturalized word all over India.-R.C.T. S U N Harf mirch-. e. green pepper or green chilli.-R.C.T.
JY Lal mirch-red chilli or pepper.-R.C.T. wo Jinn, Arabic, Lat.genius spirit.-R.O.T.
properly ) mirch, which also assumes the forms marich, Panj. michch, and HTTi mircha, etc. The proper Persian expression for Princess Pepperina would be
jl Jils Pilkt shahzadt. The smoke of pepper,
mirch (Capsicum Frutescens), is supposed to drive out evil spirits from those possessed, generally women, if applied to the nose; whence the proverbW S T Wi w . Mirchon
T
