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MARCH, 1887.)
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
107
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
BY PANDIT S. M. NATESA SASTRI. No. XV.-Good will grow out of Good with the lime and the benediction, but found
In a certain town there reigned a king that he had gone to his pújá and so followed named Patnipriya,' to whose court a poor old him there. On seeing the Brahman, the king's Brahman, named Pâpabhiru," came every face glowed with pleasure and he said :morning, with a yellow lime in his hand, "My most revered god on caith, I and presenting it to the king, pronounced a thought that some ill must have befallen benediction in Tami! :
you, when I missed you in the council-hall Nunmai vidaittál, nanmai viliyum : this morning; but praised be Paramośvarn for Tímai vidaittal, timai vijaiyum :
having sent you to me, though it is a littlo late. Nanmaiytem timaiyum pinvara kanalám. I never do my půjá without placing my scimitar "If good is sown, then good will grow : by the side of the god, but last night I left it If bad is sown, then bad will grow : in my queen's room. It is under the pillow
Thus good or bad the end will slow." of the couch on which I usually sleep. Until The king respected as much the noble you came I could find no suitable person to benediction of the Brahman as he did his grey fetch it for me, and so I have waited for you. hairs.
Would you kindly take the trouble to fetch it In this way the presentation of the fruit for me P" was daily continued, though the Brahman had
The poor Brahman was only too glad of the nothing to request from the king, but simply opportunity thus presented to him of serving wished to pay his respects. On observing that his king, and so he ran to the haram and into he had no ulterior motives, but was merely the room where the king usually slept. actuated by rájasédana, or duty to his king, the Now, Patnipriya was very fond of his queen; king's admiration to his old morning visitor but she was not faithful to him, and allowed the the more increased.
king's minister to pay visits to her. The most After presenting the fruit the Brahman convenient time for such meetings was during waited upon his sovereign till his pujao was the king's pújá. Of course the poor Brahman, over, and then went home where his wife kept Papabhiru, knew nothivg of this, and when he ready for him all the requisites for his own prijú. entered the room, a shocking scene met his Papabhiru then partook of what dinner his wife eyes. He closed them for horror, and lifting up had prepared for him. Sometimes however, a the pillow, folt for the scimitar, and then Brahman neighbour sent him an invitation to
turning his back on the couch, he retraced luis
turning his back on the dinner, which he at once accepted. For his steps, placed the sword before the king, and father, before he breathed his last, had called took his leave. True, however, to his father's him to his bodside, and, pronouncing his last last words, "Nor say thou what thine eyes benediction, had thus advised him in Tamil discern," he never opened his lips, and went Kilai sóttai talláde,
his way with a heavy heart. Kannil Kandadai solláde.
The queen and her wicked visitor wero Rájanukku payandu nada."
greatly alarmed. "Morning meal do thou never spurn, "That rogue of an old Brahman has seen Nor say thou what thine eyes discern, us and may report us to the king at the first
But serve thy king for fame to carn." opportunity," faltered the minister. Thus it was that Papabhira began his visits to But the queen, as bold in words as in sin, the king, nor did he ever reject an invitation said: "I will have him murdered before the to dinner, though it might come at a very sun rises. Wait you here. I shall inform the inconvenient time.
king of what is to be done and report the Now on a certain & kádasi morning, Pápabhiru result to you, and then you may go home." went to the king to pay his respects as usual, | So saying, she assumed the guise of a most 11. e. Lover of his wife.
The eleventh lunar day of every fortnight, on which 91... A shudderer at sin..
a fast is observed by orthodox Hindus. • Worship of the household gods.
1 . basura, bhadeva; generic name for a Brahmap.
