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158
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1886.
and hearing her refuse the captain's sait day child. Evidently God has sent you to me. after day, thought that perhaps he might bay Will you be my own children and learn to fish, her, and win over her affection. Accordingly he and live in my house P" Of course, the poor offered the captain a large sum of money for boys were only too glad to find a friend and the woman, and she was handed over to him. shelter. "Come," said the fisherman kindly, Most earnestly and perseveringly the mer- leading them out of the boat to a house close by, chant tried to please her and make her love "I will look after you." The boys followed him, and eventually he so far succeeded, that most happily and went into the fisherman's when he told her that he had bought her for a house; and when they saw his wife, they were large sum of money, and, therefore, she ought to still better pleased, for she was very kind to consent to marry him, she said, "Although the them, and treated them like her own real sons. bargain between you and the captain is void, The two boys got on splendidly in their new because the captain had no right to dispose of .home. They went to school, and in a very me, I not being his, yet I like you and will short time learnt all that the master could marry you, if you will agree to wait for two teach them. They then began to help their years, and if during this period I do not meet adopted father, and in a little while became my husband and sons again." The merchant most diligent and and expert young fishermen. complied, and looked forward in blest anticipa- Thus time was passing with them, when it tion to the completion of the period of probation. happened that a great fish threw itself on to
As soon as the vessel was out of sight, the the bank of the river and could not get back hired men released the king and his two boys. into the water. Everybody in the village
t was useless to seek revenge even if his Ma went to see the immonse fish and nearly jesty had any desire for it; and so he turned everybody cut off a slice of it and took it home. his back on the sea, and walked fast and far Some few people also went from the neighwith the two boys, who wept and lamented as bouring villages and amongst them was a they ran along by his side, till he reached a
maker of earthenware. His wife had heard river, somewhat shallow, but swiftly-flowing. of the great fish and urged him to go and get
The king wished to cross this river, but there some of the flesh. Accordingly he went, was not any boat or bridge, and so he was although the hoor was late. On arrival he obliged to wade it. Finding his way very care- found nobody there, as all the people had satisfully he got across safely with one of his sons, fied themselves and returned. The potter took and was returning to fetch the other, when the an axe with him, thinking that the bones force of the current overcame him and he was would be so thick as to require its aid before drawn down beneath the waters and drowned. they could be broken. When he strack the
When the two boys noticed that their father first blow a voice came out of the fish, as of had perished, they wept bitterly. Their sepa- some one in pain. The potter was very much ration, too, was a further cause for grief. There surprised. "Perhaps," thought he, "the they stood, the one on this side of the river and fish is possessed by a bhút. I'll try again; the other on that side of it, with no means of whereupon he again struck. Again a voice reaching one another. They shouted to each came forth from the fish, saying, "Woe is other, and ran about hither and thither in their me! Woe is me!" On hearing this the potter, grief, till they had almost wearied themselves thought, “ Well, this is not a bhat evidently, to sleep, when & fisherman came by in his but the voice of an ordinary man. I'll cut the bout. Seeing the great distress of the boys he flesh carefully. May be that I shall find some took them both into it, and asked them who poor distressed person." He began to cut they were, and who were their parents. And away the flesh carefully, and presently he they told him all that happened.
descried a man's foot--then the legs appearedWhen he had heard their story, he said, "You then the body and head, all entire. "Praise, have not a father or mother, and I have not a praise be to God," he cried aloud, "the soul is in
Cl. Wide-awake Stories, p. 429," Points in Marriages," ing in trpes, animating carcases and deluding or doNote B.
vouring human beings. Compare the legend of Sanvar and Nir, Legends of • Cr. Indian Fairy Tales, pp. 75, 76, also Wide-anake the Panjab, Vol. III. p. 97 ff.-- ED.)
Stories, p. 411, where instanoes of "'Living in animals' • Built, a malignant spirit haunting cemeteries, lork. I bellies" are enumerated.
