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NOVEMBER, 1886.]
THE FOUR PRINCES.
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The prince told this sad story with much | Thank you much for your goodness to me,' feeling, so that the king and all the assembly replied the shikári. 'I shall undoubtedly were much moved by its narration." Not the come and see you often, and shall always be slightest sound was heard in the darbár when ready to help such friends as you have proved the prince, after pausing a few minutes, said, to be. Had it not been for your timely aid, even more solemnly than before, “O King, you I and my house would have perished. Of course have commanded our speedy execution; but you will see me again.' we are as innocent as that poor dog. May it On arriving at his house he found his wife not be that you will regret this hasty work, and family almost dead from starvation. They and like the young merchant, of whom I have had waited and waited for his return, until spoken, repent when it is too late."
they had become quite ill from want of some“The order is irrevocable," whispered the thing to eat. So he quickly got a fire ready, king, "I cannot hear the man."
cooked some venison, and made some broth. Then another of the princes prostrated himself | The next day they were well and happy before the throne and begged that be, too, might again, and related to each other all their be permitted to say something before he died. wretched experiences; and blessed the shikáris
“Say on," said the king, slightly waving his in the jungle, who had been so kind to them. right hand.
In a few days the shikári told his wife that The prince began :-"O great and gracious he must visit his friends in the jungle, as he King, there was in times long past a celebrated had promised that he would go and see them shikári," who entirely supported himself by again soon. So he prepared some presents and the several beasts and birds which he killed went. The other shikárís were very glad to in the jungle. One day it happened that see him, and treated him right hospitably. He nothing came to his hand. He was in great stayed with them many days, during which he distress about this, as there was no food in the did much hunting, and arranged that the house for the morrow. So he went on some beautiful daughter of the chief of the party three days wandering further and further into should be married to his son ; for thus the the jungle in the hope of getting something, two families would be bound together by other till at last he came to a hut outside which than ties of friendship. some shikárís were sitting. They asked him In due time the wedding took place and the who he was and whence he came; and when bridegroom was invited to come and sleep in they heard that he was in search of food his father-in-law's house. He went, and in and had not partaken of any for three days, the middle of the night the happy pair were they set some meat and bread before him, and disturbed in their slumbers by a great howling promised to take bim in a short while to a of jackals. Now it happened that the bride spot where shikár" would certainly be found. understood the speech of every bird and
After a good meal and a refreshing sleep he animal. Accordingly as she lay awake listening, and one of the other shikáris went in a certain she heard the jackals saying to one another, direction in the jungle and killed a bárah-singá, 'A dead body is floating down this river and some smaller animals, and a bird or two. These round one of the arms of the corpse there is a the other shikäris would not think of touching. bracelet of five precious stones. Where is that
No, no,' they said, these are yours. Take person who will go and drag the body to them home quickly to your wife and children, shore and take off the bracelet of precious who must be starving by this time. We would stones, and thus do three good works, viz., like to keep you with us longer, if it were not cleanse the river of this pollution, save the for the thought that you must be anxious to five precious stones from being lost altogether return home at once. However, we hope to in the bed of the river, and provide us poor see you again.'
hungry beasts with a good meal ?'
Evidently popular story. As it appears 88 a legend of Haidar Abad, and is told by the Marel Baloches; cf. Panjab Notos and Queries, Vol. III. pp. 94-95. Compare also the Sinhalese story, 'The widow and the Mongoose," and the story in the Hstopadisa of the "BrAhman and
the Wessel." In the story of "Gelert by Spenoer the groundwork is the same. Perhaps other similar tales exist in Europe 15 Shskarf, a hunter.
1. Shikar, kame. · Barah-ringa, a twelve-tiner (Cervus elaphus).
