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AUGUST, 1882.]
FOLKLORE IN THE PANJAB.
227
and went gingerly tink-a-tink, tink-a-tink down so he nodded his head gaily to the cowherds, the road, saying to himself “How clever I am! and said, "Ta Ta, I shall go home this way, what a hand at bargain! Wah !1"
it is a little roundabout perhaps, but it is much By and bye he came to where some cow- shadier." And when the cowherds burst out herds were milking a buffalo in the jangal, laughing, he took no notice, but looked as and having no pail they used their shoes in dignified as possible. stead. "Oh fie!" cried the rat quite shocked, "After all," he said to himself, "when one “ what a nasty trick! Why don't you use a keeps a buffalo, one has to look after it when pail?"
it is grazing. There is plenty of time before “Haven't got ne," growled the cowherds me, and the beast must get a bellyful of grass sulkily. They didn't see why the rat should if it is to give any milk." So he trotted about call them over the coals.
amiably after the buffalo all day, making “Is that all P" cried the cleanly rat. “Here, believe. But by the evening he was dead tired take this pipkin. I can't bear dirt !”
of it, and was quite glad when the buffalo The cowherds were delighted, took the lay down under a tree to rest. pipkin, and milked away till it was quite full, Just then a bridal party came by, and sat Then they brought it to the rat, saying- down in the shade to cook some food. Here little fellow, drink your fill as a reward." | “What detestable meanness," grumbled the
"Come ! None of that!” cried the rat, who palanquin-bearers and servants, "fancy giving was as shrewd, as he was good-natured, "as us plain palau' with never' a scrap of meat if I could drink the worth of my pipkin at a in it. It would serve the skinflints right if we draught! I couldn't hold it! Besides I left the bride in a ditch." always make good bargains, and you mast just "Dear me," said the rat, “what a shame! give me the buffalo."
I sympathise with you entirely, and to show you “Rubbish !" returned the cowherds, “Who how I feel for you, I will give you my buffalo, ever heard of such a price? Besides, what kill it and cook it." could you do with such a big beast? The “Phooh!" returned the servants, “what pipkin was about as much as you could rubbish P who heard of a rat who owned a manage."
buffalo ?" "Leave that to me," said the rat, "all you "Not often, I admit," replied the rat with have to do is to give me the buffalo."
pride, “but look yourself; don't you see I am * All right," said the cowherds laughing. So leading the beast with string?" just to humour the rat and for the fun of the "Bother the string !" cried a great big thing, they loosed the buffalo's halter and began hungry bearer, "Master or no Master, I'll to tie it to the rat's tail.
have meat for my dinner!" "No! no!" shouted he in a great hurry. Whereupon they killed the buffalo, and "It wont be safe there. Why, if that big brute cooked the flesh, saying "Here little ratskin, were to pull, the skin would come off, and have same palau in payment." then where should I be? Tie it round my "Now look here ! none of your sauce!" cried neck instead."
the rat, "you don't suppose I am going to give So they tied the rope round the rat's neck, you my beautiful buffalo that gave quarts and and he set off gaily towards home; but when he quarts of milk for a wee bit of its flesh. came to the end of the tether, not a step further No! I got a loaf for a bit of stick; I got a pot could he go, for the buffalo saw a fine tuft of for a little loaf; I got a buffalo for an earthen grass in another direction, and marched to eat pot, and now I'll have the bride for my buffalo, it, and the rat willy-nilly had to trot behind. and nothing else!" But he was much too proud to confess the fact, The servants by this time having satisfied
* Palau, a rich Indian dish of rice boiled in soup with meat, spices, etc.-Fallon. A dish composed of flesh or fish highly seasoned, first roastod and afterwards fricasseed or stewed, covered and heaped over with rice newly. boiled, seasoned and sometimes coloured, and garnished with egge and onions.-Johnson Pers, and Arab. Dict.
The palau of the text must have been rice nowlyboiled in soup or more likely boiled rice seasoned. R.C.T.
Ser: liquids are always sold in India by weight not by any measure of capacity ; & ser (seer) equals 2 lbs. or about a quart.-R. C. T.
