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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1885.
father." The prince, for he was now & re- accompany them. The king consented, and cognised prince, then told her that he was a expressed a wish to his favourite son-in-law prince by birth, and that his father was ruler that he also should go a-hunting. The prince over a larger and more powerful country than said that he would obey his royal pleasure ; that in which he was now living. He told her but on leaving his father-in-law's presence he also how he had arrived in her father's country, appeared to be going to his own house. This and all that had happened to him, and furnished rather a good joke to the other added, that his heart. longed to visit once princes, who immediately sent each other more his home and fatherland. However, word, saying, “There goes that gardener's he saw the wisdom of what she advised, and pro- son to his house. Of course he cannot shoot mised henceforth to attend the king's conrt. Ac or ride. Aha! Aha! Whom have we for a cordingly the prince was presentin the darbár on relation, and confidant of the king? And so the following morning, arrayed in his best and they mocked him, and afterwards went to the looking most noble and handsome. The king king, and said, “He whom thou orderest to was exceedingly pleased to see his son-in-law, go with us, thy favourite son-in-law in whom and gave him the seat of honour, and especially thou trustest, must surely be of low degree, consulted him concerning the present pressing for he shirks this expedition; and rightly so, difficulties of the country. Thus matters perhaps, knowing that he cannot well teve continued. The prince went regularly to the part in it." Thus did they endeavour to turn court and in all affairs behaved himself the king's mind against his favourite son-in-law. 80 wisely and so well, that the king loved | But besides the thought that their brotherhim more than any of his other sons, and in-law would not be successful in the sport, especially so, when he heard from his daughter they had an idea also that he could not ride, that her husband was a great prince in his and therefore had previously given full own right, but that he had been obliged by instructions to the grooms that if this prince unkindness to leave his country and beg for went shooting with them, he was to be mountbread in a foreign land. The king's love and ed on a certain mad mare which was kept attention knew no bounds, when he had ascer- separate in the royal stables, and which no tained for certain that his favourite son-in-law man had yet been able to ride. However, wae nf noble birth also. He told him all his their envied brother-in-law was a magnifiprivate affairs and all the secret state difficul. cent horseman as well. In short there was ties; in all matters he sought his counsel, nothing he had not thoroughly mastered, and and at all times he wanted his society. 80 when he had gone home and acquainted
"Thou hast become an absolute necessity his wife with his intentions, and fully armed to me, O my son-in-law," he said to him one himself, he went to the royal stables, and on day. "Think not, I pray thee, of ever leaving asking for a horse, was told that the mad mare ine. Ask what thou wilt and thou shalt was the only beast available. All the other obtain it here."
animals belonged to different members of the Now when the other sons-in-law and sons of royal family and would be presently required, the king perceived the great affection of his
as everybody was going with this expedition. Majesty for the new prince, and how that he However, the prince did not care what beast seemed to be unable to move or stir without he rode as long as it was strong of limb and lim, they, were filled with jealousy, and plotted swift of foot, and so he mounted the mad together how they might estrange him from mare without any hesitation. As will be imathe royal favour. They did not know that he gined the mare only became more mad at the was a born prince, and therefore a skilful presumption of the prince. Never bad she archer, but supposed that he was only the been mounted before, and she cared not to gardener's son, and consequently would be carry any person now. So she plunged and altogether ignorant of the use of the bow, and then rose up on her haunches, then backed, the habits of wild animals; and so they sug. then sbied, and finally, after other tricks, all of gested to the king that they should go on a which were well known to the prince, she shooting expedition and that this prince should started off in the direction of the jungle at
