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284
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1882.
moment the poison took effect, and the elephant while the tiger glowered at him from below. fell to the ground dead.
Now when the army saw their Commander-inNow when the spectators who thronged the Chief bolt like a rabbit, they bolted away too, and city walls saw the monster fall, they could came and told the king how the little hero had scarcely believe their eyes, but they were more fled up a tree and was there still, while the astonished still when they ran up and found tiger kept watch below. "There let him stay," little Fatta sitting quietly on the elephant's dead said the king, secretly relieved. body, and mopping his face with his handker- All this time Fattu sat cowering in the tree chief-"I just gave him a push," said he while the tiger below sharpened his teeth and modestly, "and he fell down. Elephants are big curled his whiskers and lashed his tail, and brutes, but they have no strength to speak of." looked so fierce that Fattu very nearly tumbled
The good folk were amazed at the light way down with fright at the sight. So one day, in which Fattu spoke, and as they had been two days, three days, six days, seven days too far off to see distinctly what had happened, past: on the seventh the tiger was fiercer and they believed what he said, and went and told more hungry than ever. As for poor little the king that the little weaver was a fearful Fattu, he was nearly starving, and so hungry wee man, and just knocked the elephant over that hunger made him brave, and he determined like a ninepin. Then the king said to himself to try and slip past while the tiger took his "None of my warriors and wrestlers, no, not midday snooze. So he crept stealthily down till even the beroes of old could have done this. I his foot was within a yard of the ground, when must secnre this little man for my service." suddenly the tiger jumped up with a roar. So he asked Fatteh Khân why he was wander- Fattu shrieked with fear, and, making a treing about the world.
mendous effort, swung himself into a branch, and "For pleasure, or for service, or for conquest," cocked his legs over it to keep them out answered the little man, laying such stress on of reach, for the tiger's red panting mouth the last word, and looking so fierce that the and white gleaming teeth were within half king in a great hurry made him Commander- an inch of his toes. In doing so bis dagger in-Chief of his whole army, for fear he should tumbled out of its sheath and fell right into take service elsewhere.
the tiger's mouth which was wide open, went Now some time after this a terribly savage down its throat and into its stomach, so that it tiger came ravaging the country. No one died. Fattu could scarcely believe his good could kill it, and at last the city folk petitioned luck, but after prodding the body with & the king to send Fatteh Khân out against it. branch, and finding it didn't move, he thought So Fatteh Khân went out in armour with it really must be dead aud ventured down. sword and shield and ever so many cavalry Then he cut off the head, wrapped it up in a and infantry behind him, for he was comman- kerchief, and went straight to the king. der-in-Chief now, and had quite forgotten all "You and your army are all a nice lot of about weaving-looms and shuttles. But before
cowards," said he wrathfully." Here have I he went he made the king promise that as a been fighting that tiger for seven days and reward he would give him his daughter in seven nights without bite or sup, while you've marriage.
been snoozing at home. However, I forgive Fattu went out as gay as a lark, for he said | you: one can't expect every one to be brave." to himself-"If I knocked over the elephant So Fatteh Khan married the king's daughter with one blow, the tiger won't have a chance and was a greater hero than ever. against me. I really am invincible." But Now, after a time a neighbouring prince, who alas for the valiant little weaver! No sooner bore a grudge against the king, came with a did he see the tiger lashing its tail and charging huge army, and encamped outside the city, down on him than he bolted away as hard as he swearing to put every man, woman and child could for the nearest tree and scrambled into within it to the sword. the branches. There he sat like a monkey, Hearing this all the inhabitants cried out,
• Pahlwine, the word used is Persian-bir or jodhd would be the word one would expect.-R. C. T.
