Indian Antiquary Vol 15

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 57

FEBRUARY, 1886.]
THE BRITISH NATIONAL ANTHEM.
47:
forest and every creature owns our sway, but up courage, he thug spoke to the valiant you do not seem to be aware that there is one son of the lord of the forest :being in this world who is more than a match "You wish to see the Black-Headed for us, and can bid us defiance. He walks on Man P' Well, your ouriosity shall be gratified, two legs, and is known as the 'Black-Headed for I happen to know where to find him ; 80 Man. Beware of his wiles and stratagems, come along with me and I shall show him to if you value your life."
you." "Very well," mused the young lord of the The lion agreed to this, and the two walked forest, "I should like very much to see what on together for some time till they came to a he is like. He must be a mighty and power- large tree. Near this tree the carpenter ful creature if he can hold his own against stopped, and said to his companion :me. I shall go and seek him out."
"If your Highness would condescend to Having thus determined, the young lion wait here for a while, I shall show you what wandered about roaring for several days, till the Black-Headed Man' is like." one morning he chanced to enter a part of the He then set himself to work with his tools forest that was rarely frequented by his kind. and began to cut a large hole through the trunk Just then a carpenter, with his bag of tools of the tree. When this was finished be fashioned on his shoulders, and a white turban on his & plank and fixed it at the top of the hole in head, happened to pass by. The young lion such a way that it could slide up and down at skipped with delight at sight of him and pleasure, like the door of a mouse-trap. When cried out-"Surely this must be the being my all was ready, he requested the lion, who was mother has told me to beware of: for does he eagerly watching his movements all the while, not go on two legs P Now for it!"
to come and put his head into the hole and look Just then, however, he happened to look at straight before him till he got & sight of the the carpenter's head, and to his great disap-| Black-Headed Man.' pointment found it was white and not black, The lion, rejoiced at the prospect of seeing as he had been led to believe. Nevertheless the being he so much wished to meet, eagerly he thought he would go to him and ask him put his head through the hole, and in a trice whether he knew where the Black-Headed the carpenter, who had already climbed the tree, Man' was to be found, and if so, whether he let the trap-door slip down from above right would direct him in his search for that on to the lion's neck, and pressed it so tight being.
that he nearly squeezed the beast to death. He accordingly called out to the carpenter He then got down and went to the other side in a loud voice--"Hey, friend ! stop! I wish of the tree, and uncovering his head, showed to speak to you !" The poor man had no alter- it to the dying lion, saying : native but to obey, and the lion, going up to "Your servant, the Black-Headed Man,' him said, "Can you tell me where I can find whom you wished so much to see, stands the Black-Headed Man,' for I wish very before you; pray, what would you with much to form his acquaintance and to try my
him P" hand on him?"
The poor lion, however, was by this time The poor man's knees knocked together with past replying, and the carpenter shouldering fright as he heard this and he gave himself his bag of tools, walked home at leisure, up for lost, when suddenly an idea, entered his glad to have escaped, by this stratagem, from mind like a flash of lightning, and summoning the jaws of a savage beast !
THE BRITISH NATIONAL ANTHEM TRANSLATED INTO SANSKRIT.
BY PROF. A. WEBER.
TEXT.
God save our gracious Queen! Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us!
God save the Queen!