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JUNE, 1883.)
FOLKLORE IN THE PANJAB.
175
besieged the city for a period of four years, was a distance of two or three stages, or more until every stone that was in the city had been than that. We, who were the persons sent by discharged from the catapults by its defenders, the Khuarezm Shah government, supposed and when the stones, bricks, &c., were exhaust- that that white eminence was perhaps a hill of ed, everything made of iron, brass, lead, cop- snow, and we made inquiries of the guides and per, tin, and pewter was similarly used, and the people of that part (respecting it], and they then balishes or ingots of gold and silver were replied, "The whole of it is the bones of men thrown instead of stones. It was reported that | slain.' When we had proceeded onwards another Chinghiz Khân had issued orders that the stage, the ground had become so greasy and soldiers were to pay no heed to this shower of dark from haman fat, that it was necessary for precious metals. After an attack of four years us to advance another three stages on that the city was taken. All these fantastic details same road, until we came to dry ground again. help us to understand the importance of the Through the infections Carising] from that great capital of Cathay in the eyes of western ground, some [of the party] became ill, and authors and travellers. One of the latter, the some perished. On reaching the gate of the Sayyid Baha-u'd-dîn, the Kazi, who, at this time city of Tamghaj, we perceived, in a place went on an embassy from the Khuarezm under a bastion of the citadel, an immense Shah Muhammed to Chinghiz Khân, and to quantity of human bones collected. Inquiry was whom we shall revert in a later paper, says: made and people replied, that, on the day the "When we arrived within the boundaries of city was captured, 60,000 young girls, virgins, Tamgháj, and near to the seat of govern- threw themselves from this bastion of the ment of the Altan Khân, from a considerable fortress and destroyed themselves, in order that distance a high white mound appeared in sight, they might not fall captives into the hands of the so distant, that between us and that high place | Mongols, and that all these were their bones."
FOLKLORE IN THE PANJAB.
COLLECTED BY MRS. F. A. STEEL. WITH NOTES BY CAPT. R. O. TEMPLE, B.S.C., F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S., &o. .
(Continued from p. 104.) No. 19.-LAMBIKIN.
And so on with a tiger, a wolf, and a dog, until Once upon a time there was a wee lambikin all the wild animals and birds had let little who frolicked about on his little tottering legs. lambikin pass to go to his granny's house and One day he met a jackal who said, "Lambikin, get fatter. And they all licked their lips at Lambikin, shall I eat you ?"
thinking what a nice little mouthful he would But Lambikin gave a little frisk, and answer. be on his way back. ed
Now when the lambikin reached his granNáni kol jáwángá:
ny's house he said to her, "Granny, please Motá tája áwángá :
put me into the corn-bin, for I have promised Pher túi mai o da lau ầmga.
to get fat." When Granny heard this, she, To Granny's house I go :
of course, put him into the corn-bin at once, There I shall fatter grow :
and there the greedy little creature remained And you shall eat me so.
for seven days and eat and eat and eat until he The jackal, thinking this reasonable, let the was so fat that he could scarcely waddle. lambikin pass, and soon afterwards the lambikin Then his granny said it was time for him met a vulture, who said :
to go home, as he was fat enough for anything. "Lambikin, Lambikin, shall I eat you ?" But the cunning little lambikin said :
But the lambikin answered as before, and the "If I do, Granny dear, some wild animal vulture, thinking it was only reasonable, let the may eat me on the way back. The best plan little fellow pass.
will be for you to make a little drumikin' # Op. cit. pp. 961 and 962.
by stretching a loather across a wide-mouthed earthen Tabakat--Nasiri, p. 965.
cup (piyala) and by Jets of a piece of hollow wood, 1 Lela, lerd, lekrá, lelkara Panj, a lamb.-R. C. T. 6 inches by 3 inches, with its ends covered with leather • Phamkiria, dhamkfri, Panja small drum made of. damra, Hind. damaka, Skr.-R. C. T.
