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SEPTEMBER, 1885.]
THE SHIPWRECKED PRINCE.
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such a pace that her feet seemed scarcely to "Oh!" replied one of the other sons-in-law, touch the ground. Firm as a rock the prince " Ask him not, O king, as being unaccustomed retained his seat, and quickly reached that to the sport, he went home. Increase not his part of the jungle whither the wild beasts shame by advertising the whole matter." were said to resort. A keen sportsman, he | Now the favourite son-in-law's dignity was soon discovered their favourite haunts, and offended and his anger justly aroused by these shot a jackal, a bear, and a leopard. Not being lying words. However, he waited until the able to take them away with him for want of others had said their say and then looking at them help he cut off the jackal's tail, the bear's nose, with scornful eye, he said, "I also went to the and the leopard's ear and left the jungle. sport, O king, but alone; and three animals
Now the other princes, thinking that the came to my hand, a jackal, a bear, and a favourite prince had gone to his house, did leopard." The other sons-in-law, when they not start so early, and when they did go, heard this, were greatly surprised, and especially they went by another road to the hunting so as the three carcasses, which they had brought ground. On reaching it they discovered back with them and displayed before the king the corpses of the three animals which the as the result of their shooting, were of these other prince had killed and left, and having been three animals. What were they to do now? unsuccessful in shooting any animal themselves, How could they convince the king of the truth they gave orders that these three dead beasts of their words ? Only by telling more lies, and should be taken to the king and presented as therefore they waxed vehement and swore that having been shot by them.
the prince had spoken falsely, because they had On reaching home the favourite prince's seen him enter his house directly after yesterwife asked him why he had returned so day's Court, and knew from many and various quickly. "Perhaps," she remarked, "thou proofs that he had not stirred forth therefrom 'hast not been shooting." But he drew from until this morning. his pocket the tail of the jackal, the nose of Calmly the prince waited again till they had the bear, and the ear of the leopard, and finished their answer, when he begged his shewed them to her, saying that he had left the Majesty to allow him to send one of his servants bodies of these three animals in the jungle, as to his house and bring thence a little parcel, he had nobody to bring them away for him. the contents of which would prove the truth
Late in the evening the rest of the royal of his speech. As will be imagined there was party returned, carrying with them the corpses greater surprise than ever at these words. A of the jackal, the bear, and the leopard. On the little parcel to be brought forward as a witness following morning, just before the business of to this matter! The king himself now began the darbár commenced, the king inquired what to doubt the sanity of his favourite son-in-law. sport they had on the previous day. The Much learning, thought he, has turned his jealous princes quickly answered, "We shot a brain. However, beyond general conversation, jackal, a bear, and a leopard, whose carcasses are everyone forebore passing any remarks until the outside in the yard, waiting your Majesty's servant had returned, which he did presently; inspection. More than these we do aot think for the prince's house was very near the are in the jungle just now."
royal Court. Within the little parcel were the But the king had observed that his favourite tail of the jackal, the nose of the bear, and tho son-in-law had not spoken, and in consequence ear of the leopard ; and when the king opened of his brothers' maligning him the day before, these ont to view, the prince said, “Behold, O he was especially anxious to know whether king, and my brethren, the tail of the jackal, he had been shooting or not; and if so what the nose of the bear, and the ear of the leopard success he had. So he turned to him, and which I shot yesterday in the royal preserve, said, "What news of thy sport ?"
but the carcasses of which I left in the jungle,
• There are many incidents in the story of "The boy with a moon and star" related in Indian Fairy Tales, which much resemble several parts of this story, e.g. there the king's daughter chooses for her husband "A poor common man", the marriage is rather a joke at
court; the princess rebukes him for staying at home instead of going out a-hunting with the other princes ; at last he goes ont alone; rides a horse called Katar, who is very wicked and untameable; kills all the game, leaving nothing for his brothers-in-law, &c. &c.
