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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JUNE, 1887
their journey, having first transformed them. turbed in the palanquin, until the yonng merselves into parrots by the aid of the magic chant returned with his parents, attended by a flower, and soon arrived within the precincts of long train of musicians, to fetch his bride the city in which the youth's father, the old home. But what was his dismay, on opening merchant, lived. Finding themselves safe there, the doors of the palanquin, to find a strange Rani Jhajhani and her lover resumed their woman lying inside in place of the beauteous original shapes. The latter then purchased a fairy he had left in it a few hours before ! horse for himself, and a magnificent palanquin He way struck dumb at being confronted by for the Rani, and hired a number of attendants such a fright, for be it mentioned, the potter to wait upon her. Then with a view to prepar- woman was one of the ugliest of her sex, and ing his father for the reception of the renown- baving lost one of her eyes was known in ber ed Rani Jhajhans with all fitting pomp, he village by the nick-name of Kant Kobal, (i.e., left the fairy in a fine mango-grove by the side One-eyed Kôbài). When he had recovered of a river, and proceeded alone towards his from his astonishment he asked her who she father's residence.
was and what she was doing there in place of Whilst he was away, the Rânî amused her- the fairy Rani. At this Kant Kóbâi began to self by talking to such women as happened to sob aloud, and replied that she was no other pass by the place where her palanquin was set than the fairy queen herself, who had been down, for everything around her was new to thus transformed into an ugly one-eyed crea. her and afforded her delight.
ture by a wicked magician that had visited her Just then a poor potter woman bappened in his absence. The youth being of a credulous to go by, and seeing such a beautiful lady in disposition believed her story, and quietly took the palanquin, stopped out of curiosity to look her home, having previously countermanded at her. Ranf Jhajhani beckoned her to come all the grand preparations made for the recepnear, and entered into conversation with her, tion of his fairy bride. He did, however, suspect in the course of which she told her who she some treachery, and sounded the attendants ; vas, and what had brought her to that strange but could learn nothing from them as to what city. Now the jewels and rich clothes that had happened. So he consigned Kânî Kobâi the fairy queen wore excited the cupidity of to a secluded part of his house, where he left her. the potter woman and she resolved to possess to herself, and shutting himself up in his own herself of them by some means. She thereupon apartments remained there brooding over his suggested that the Râni should bathe in the nisfortune. Everybody laughed at him for cool waters of a well that was situated some having gone so far to bring home such an ugly yards away, and, the fairy consenting, they wife, and his sisters-in-law took every occasion went up to it together. After the Rant had to tease him about it. He could not, however, had her bath, the potter woman told her that see his way to getting rid of her, for he feared a strange whim had taken possession of her, that after all she might be his own Räni Jhanamely that they should change dresses to see jhani miraculously transformed into an ugly how each looked in the other's costume. The woman. After some time, finding his grief unsuspecting Râni agreed to this and the unbearable, he walked up to the place where he dresses were interchanged. After wearing the had left Rani Jhajhani and thoroughly examinpottor woman's clothes the Ranf leant over the ed every spot to see if he could find any traces brink of the well, and looked into it, to see her of her. On looking down into the well, howreflection in the waters. The potter woman ever, he saw a beautiful ball of choice taking advantage of this opportunity, seized flowers, floating on the surface. He soon her by the legs and threw her head-first drew it out carried it home with him, and laid into the well. This done, she quickly drew it carefully by the side of his bed. When he the veil of the fairy's dress over her face, rose the next morning he was surprised to see walked up to the palanquin, and got into it the flowers as fresh and beautiful as before. unperceived by any one.
In short, so fascinated was he with them by this The bearers, thinking her to be their mistress, time that he could not reat a minute without asked no questions, and she remained undis- seeing and smelling them.
