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DECEMBER, 1886.)
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
373
the lost thing will surely be found within the weariness. He sat up and listened for a while space of two years. Meanwhile give sumptuous to the sweet flow of music above. dinners and fees to several Brahmans every day, "Is there a heaven in this life ?" said he to and Paraméévara will help you!"
himself;" have some nymphs from the divine The faces of the king and of every one world made this mansion their abode ? or do present glowed with joy as the soothsayer wicked devils dwell here to feast upon nightproceeded in his reading of the secret lore. stricken passengers ? However, whether they
"A pair of shawls for the good soothsayer !" be good or bad, I must see the inhabitants cried out Isabhaji; and the present was accord of this palace, and leave to fate what it may ingly given. The king fully believed that his bring upon me!" Bon was to return to him in two years, and The music now suddenly ceased, for it so in this belief he forgot all his sorrow at his happened that the sitúr had to be adjusted for disappearance.
a different tune. Meanwhile the prince rose, and Let us now see what happened to the prince went round the mansion to see whether there after his escape from the hunters. He left where any gates to it. On the North side of it he them about noon and galloped towards the discovered a large gate-way, and inside it a gate. East. By about twilight fortune conducted This he approached and gently touched, to him towards the mansion of lacquer. The see if it was shut or not. Now, since Varaappearance of the splendid building made of lakshmi had fixed upon prince Thánuji as the strange materials, and not of brick or stone husband of the four princesses, the gate of the or chunam, awakened his curiosity, and, made mansion flew open, -as the gates of a river dam him approach it. In addition to this, he was unlock to the rapid rush of released waters, already dying of hunger, and wished for at and discovered to him four beautiful maidens least a mouthful of water. Being sure that made a thousand times more beautiful by the he had left his hunters far behind, he strange and unexpected meeting, by their approached the mansion and sat down in the evening attire, and by the lovely sitárs in their marbled lacquer pavement of the outer verandah. hands. The god of day was sinking down in the When the princesses saw the door open and West, and the golden rays of his evening their handsome visitor standing ontside it, fearbeauty seemed a thousand times more beautiful ing to enter in, they breathed a thanksgiving to than he had ever seen them as they glittered their goddess for the fair gift, and laying down on the lacquered covering of the grand palace, their sitárs, approached Thanuji with due which by its loveliness struck awe into his respect. All four humbly prostrated themmind. Before the mansion ran a rivulet from selves before him and then rose up. The which our hero drank a handful or two of eldest began to speak, while the other three water, and overcome by fatigue stretched sisters engerly watched the movements of the himself on the cool surface of the palace ve visitor's face. randah, leaving his horse to get his water and "Lord and husband of us all," said she, grass himself.
"glorious is this day to us as it has brought here It has been already said that the princesses our partner in life. Strange and sad is our inside the mansion used to spend their eveninge history, but nevertheless we are all mortals, in playing upon sweet musical instruments warmed by the same human blood that cirenand in singing. Now as soon as Thâņaji lates through your Lordship's veins and equally had stretched himself on the verandah to affected by the same joys and sorrows. We sleep, sounds of sweet music fell apon his ear. will reserve our story, however, till your LordThey were the most exquisite notes he had ship has dined, as we see plainly by your face over heard in his life. Like evening zephyrs that you are greatly tired. Accept us as your in the spring they came gently to soothe his Lordship's wives, and we for our part have
• A strong plaster made of sea-shell lime,
• Allusion to the native method of drinking water ont of the hands by hollowing them into a sort of cup.
10 The allusion bere is to the common Indian idea of
the personal beauty of malignant female ghosts, who I live by devouring human beings. See Folklore of the I Headless Horneman: Calcutta Keview, 1884.-ED.)
