Indian Antiquary Vol 11

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 91

MARCH, 1882.)
FOLKLORE IN THE PANJAB.
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into Phâlâ râni's presence," and lo and behold! him whence he got his blue suit. He replied there he was. When the Princess saw him she “It is not mine, but belongs to a king's son. first smiled and then wept: and when he asked Come with me, and I will show him to you." her the cause, she said, “I smiled first at your So he took them to where the Prince lived, beauty; and then I wept because when the who was seized and taken before the king. He gardener's wife comes to weigh me to-morrow did not deny that he was the person who I shall weigh more than five flowers, for this visited the Princess, but when the king asked reason, that 'till to-day I have never seen a him how he went, he answered "Up the man, and now I have seen you. My father stairs." will kill you when he hears of it." But the The king was very angry at this, imprisoned Prince comforted her, saying "I can't be killed. the guard for neglecting their duty, and ordered I have only to put on my sandals, and they will the Prince to be hanged. take me away."
The Prince begged to be allowed first to Sare enough, when the gardener's wife speak to his adopted mother, the old woman, weighed the Princess next morning, she weighed and when his request was granted he took her a great deal more than five flowers; in fact she aside, and said, "Mother, when I am dead, come weighed down all the flowers in the garden. in the night and carry off my body: then take The gardener's wife was much surprised, but my jogi's staff, and hit me with it three times, she said nothing that day. But the next and I shall come to life again." morning all the flowers in the garden would The old woman did as she was bid, and er not suffice to weigh down the Princess, so the enough, the Prince came to life again. He third day the gardener's wife told to the king then took his wallet, pat on his sandals, and this extraordinary circumstance. The king went to the Princess Phâlâråni. Then he made was very angry, and ordered that a ditch fall her smell at the first pocket of the wallet, and of indigo should be made round the Princess lo! she turned into a monkey. The Prince then Phâlârâni's bed. This was done, and as the left the palace, and when next morning the Prince came every night to see the Princess gardener's wife came, she only found a monkey, he fell into the ditch, and his clothes were which rushed at her, and tried to bite her. dyed blue. Then the Princess wept, saying Meanwhile the Prince took his brass pot, his “See! you are all blue. My father will find you staff and his wallet, and putting on his sandals out now and hang you in the morning." But went into the city, and cried out "Doctor! the Prince comforted her, and leaving the palace Doctor. If any man is changed into an he went to a washerman's house, gave him one animal I possess the power of giving him his hundred rapees, and said, "Wash these clothes proper shape once more!" at once."
Then some soldiers who knew what had Now there happened to be a marriage at the happened at the Palace took him to the king, washerman's house, so instead of washing the who asked him "Is it true that you can transclothes, he put them aside; and next day when form a bewitched person into his own shape the marriage processions was starting he again ? If some one were changed into a remembered the Prince's grand clothes, and pat monkey, could you pat him straight again P" them on his own son, so that he might look smart. The Prince answered "I could do it in six Now as the procession went along the road, it months, but no one must interrupt me." Then was met by Princess Phâlârâni's father; and the king agreed, and ordered at the Prince's no sooner did he see the youth dressed from request that no one else should go into the head to foot in blue, than he said to his courtiers, palace for six months. Then the Prince went “That must be the man whogoes to the Princess." inside the palace and made the Princess smell So they seized the washerman's son, and asked the second pocket of the wallet. She im15 Janj, see above.-R.C.T.
expression here is taken from incidents in every day life. 14 The expression used by the narrator was maii ndi Dharam de ma piu is used by Christian converts towards dharam di mi nalik gal kar lén dło, "Let me say one their godfathers and godmothers.-R. C. T. word to my adopted mother," "Main ndi dharam de 11 The Jogdanda above mentioned.-R. C. T. ma pid nal ik gal kar lén deo," "Let me say a word to 18 Vaid ! Hakim ! common street-cry of wandering my adopted parents" (i.e. relations) is the common request quacks. Vaid is of Sansk. origin and hakim is Arabio. of condemned Panjabi criminals at the present day, so the See former talos.-R. C. T.