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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1887.
sagar-cane, cotton, safflower, hemp, mango, (L. 18.) And it has been said: The earth madhúka, and other trees, with the treasure in has been enjoyed by many kings, Sagara its forests and mines, and together with the and the rest; to whomsoever belongs the other things contained within its boundaries, land, he for the time being enjoys the fruit (and) with the income from without and of it. witbin. And this our gift shall be preserved (L. 19.) Written by the law-writer also by future rulers, being one that should ThAsistidha, and engraved by the skilful neither be confiscated nor resumed.
Jalhana.
FOLKLORE IN WESTERN INDIA.
BY PUTLIBAI D. H. WADIA. No. VIII.-Lálpari and Kevräpari. forest, and putting himself at the head of & Once upon a time there was in a certain trusty band of followers, which he hadamong the country a powerful Râjâ, who lived very hap- escort, marched with them to the king's palace. pily with his queen and his little son in a When the Rânt, who was anxiously watching strong fortress. He was very fond of hunting, for the Raja's return from the window of the and generally spent whole days in that pur- palace, with her little son on her knee, saw suit, away in the forest, with his prime minis- the Wazîr from a distance galloping up with ter and his attendants.
out his Royal master, she at once suspected that One day the Raja and the Wazir started at the Wazîr had killed him, and was riding in full speed in pursuit of some game, leaving the hot haste to besiege the fortress, and to capture escort behind. After a time they came to a her and her son. She was so frightened that beautiful well, situated in a thick forest. The for some time she did not know what to do, well was so nicely built, that they halted near when suddenly a thought struck her. She it to examine it, and were very much surprised twisted her sdrí into a rope, and tying her boy to see so magnificent & specimen of architec-1 on her back, slid down by one of the back ture in a place where no human footstep ever windows of her room and made her way out of trod. While they were admiring the work the fortress. manship of the well the Wazir's eye happened When the Wazir entered and discovered the to rest on an insoription carved on one side of queen's escape he immediately set out in it, which he thus deciphered :
pursuit of her with a number of his men, and "Should the Wazir miss this opportunity of overtook her just as she had reached the seamurdering the Raja, the Raja will get the shore. Finding him so close, the Rani, in despair, Wazir murdered twelve years hence."
plunged headlong into the foaming waves. When the Wazir road these lines he was The Wazir gave her up for lost, but to his great seized with so strong a desire to kill the Raja surprise he saw that the waters divided before on the spot that he did not care to read an- her as she fell, and disclosed a path over which other inscription that was just underneath, she could walk on unhurt. He tried to follow and which ran thus :
her, when lo ! the waters closed around him and "Should the Wazir murder the Raja on this his men, and it was with the greatest difficulty day, the Rajâ will rise up into life twelve years that they managed to save themselves. hence and murder the Wazir."
While the Rani walked on through the waves The Rajâ was so lost in admiration of the with her son tied to her back, he amused himbeauties of the well that for some time he saw self by picking up some sparkling red things neither of the two inscriptions. When at last, that he saw floating past him and showing however, his eye happened to rest upon them, them to his mother with great delight. She at he stooped to read them and the wicked Wazir, once saw that they were rubies of great value. taking advantage of the opportunity, throw a After a while she reached the shore and noose round his neck and strangled him. found herself in a small village. Here she
He then tied up the dead body in a bundle hired a little cottage and lived in it like a and leaving it by the side of the well, left the private individual. After some time her little
