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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
SEPTEMBER, 1885.
disease of leprosy." What was he to do king sent a certain very holy man to them, now ? For very shame he could not return that they perceiving in him a kindred spirit to the stool. The princess waited until her would hold conversation with him. The king patience was exhausted, and then speaking agreed and this very holy man was sent. But to the stool, she was borne within the garden he returned also, and said that he could not and descended right by the very place where get them to speak. Then the king issued the other three wives of the prince sat silent a proclamation that great rewards and and sorrowful. She, too, did not say any. honours would be bestowed on the person thing, but wept aloud. Directly she entered who should succeed in making these women to the garden the flowers bloomed magnificently speak. and gave forth the most delicious perfumes, Now the prince, who was suffering terribly while the trees were so richly laden with fruit from leprosy, and loathsome to behold, heard that they could scarcely hold up.
of this royal proclamation and inquired from a When the head-gardener came round as man who chanced to pass by that way: "Is usual the next morning, lo! he saw such a this true P" Said he, "I will cause these women sight as he had never expected. At last the to converse with me." flowers were in the fallest bloom and the trees | This matter was reported to the king, who were covered with the most splendid fruit; at once, attended by a large number of courtiers and as he was leaving the garden to go and tell and servants came and wondered at the prethe king of this good news, he beheld another sumption of the wretched leprous man. Howwoman sitting and weeping. He asked her ever, as he did not know the mind of God, he who she was, and whence she came, but never told the man to go and speak with the women. # word came forth from her mouth. So he The leprons man went and sat down before said to the king, "Behold, Oking, a fourth the first woman and begged her to listen to his woman has entered the royal garden, and now
garden, and now tale :it is perfect. Your Majesty will, perhaps, "Once upon a time there was a certain great come and see this great sight."
king who had four wise and clever sons. One The king was exceedingly glad and rose up day the king called these sons to him to hastily to accompany the head-gardener to the ask them each separately by whose good garden. On reaching it he saw the four fortune it was that he ruled and prospered. women and questioned all of them, but not one Three of the sons replied, "By thy own good of them answered a word. Then the king, fortune, of a surety, o king, dost thou reign after inspecting the garden, returned to the over so vast a kingdom and prosper in thy palace and informed the queen of these strange rule. But the fourth and youngest son gave visitors, and begged her to go and see them on answer, By my good fortune, 0 king, and not the morrow,-- perhaps they would converse with another's.' Exceedingly angry with this anone of their own sex, and she the queen. On swer the king banished his youngest son, who the morrow the queen went and spoke kindly with his wife and a few necessaries immediately to each of the women, but not one of them left the palace. After some weeks' residence replied. The only notice they appeared to take in the jungle and wandering by the way-side of her Majesty's words was to weep the more. they arrived at the sea, and longing much to The queen was very disappointed, and knew live upon the water, they told their affairs to a not what to think of them. Undoubtedly they certain merchant, who had pity upon them and were very holy women, she said, or God would gave them free passage in one of his ships. not have thus signally blessed their coming to Things went on most happily for a time, until the garden. Perhaps they had been betrayed one night the ship was wrecked and all were by some foul monster or bereaved of one most drowned, except the prince and princess. These dear. It could not be because of their sins were saved by clinging to the spars and rafters that they thus wept. It might be, if the of the ship, but were carried in different direc
" Kyum was the word, but this is used generally for any and every insect and small reptile. I heard some time ago that natives, especially Hindus, believe
that if the urine of a bat falls upon any person, it at once gives leprosy. The word for leprosy in Klamiri in myund.
