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236
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(AUGUST, 1887.
while he was yet at a distance, and rebuked to bring a hundred more in addition to those he him for looking so happy. He could not had enumerated. He was then left to himself help it he said," for the horses were so very and managed to empty her whole treasury, beautiful."
and whatever he brought down he changed into "What horses P” asked the princess. hunds.”
"Why, our yajaman" has bought two of Thus everything was settled: the horses for the finest horses in the world. I have seen all the journey, the expenses for some months at the horses of our emperor, and none of them least in a strange country, and the due intimacan approach these in beauty. I may not know tion of all these preparations to the princess, how to turn up the eleventh page of a book, but Chandramukhỉ being all the while under the you may depend upon my opinion as regards impression that her beloved Ramachandra 'was a horse !"
no ordinary man to so quickly show the emThus spake the Takkuttakki, but the princess peror that he could not secure his daughter. wanted him to give up the letter he had, but But alas for poor Ramachandra! What did before he would do so, he placed before her the he know of these going on in Dhârâpura ? saw and the rope ladder. She put them in Ever since he had heard from the minister, her desk, without even looking at them, as she his father, about the mansion, he had been in was so impatient for the letter. At last he gave fear of his life, and had confined himself to his it her. How great was her joy as she drank in own room! Alas for the poor Ékachakradhithe contents of it with eyes wide open. The pati! What notion had he of the tricks that horses were ready for the elopement! The saw were being played in the very mansion that he and the ladder (thank heaven she had them safe had built in one day for his dear daughter ? in her box !) were ready and with her! What The days went on, every moment seeming a more remained to be done ? Money! But only year to the princess. At last Sunday came, and for the expenses of the honey-moon! And she the princess, wishing to take her choicest ornahad plenty at her disposal, as her whole khazana's ments and dresses with her, and not liking had been removed to the mansion with her! the Tokkuttûkki to stay with her while she was She took the Takkuttakki to her khazana and preparing to descend, asked him to go down to asked him to try and take it all down to Rama- Ramachandra, giving him a letter to the latter chandra, or at any rate as much as he could to keep him engaged somehow so as to prevent manage. He agreed on two conditions. She him from watching them. With great joy must explain to him : firstly, what those horses did the Tûkkuttûkki receive the letter, though were for; and secondly, why she was emptying he pretended to be very stubborn about staying her treasury in that way and sending all her and watching the preparations for the pilgrimage wealth to Ramachandra. She told him that to the temple of Kâļi. He put her on her oath on the next Sunday night (for that was the several times about the one hundred prasádas, day fixed for the elopement), she, in company and went off thanking all bis stars! For what with Ramachandra had to go to the adjacent would have been the end of all his prepara. temple of Kaļi, to propitiate the goddess, and that tions had not the princess sent him down? the money was for the expenses. And she again so thought the Tâkkuttûkki as he was descendtold him not to open his lips on the subject. He ing, thanking his household gods for his good promised on condition she took him also to the luck. The first thing he did when he got temple ! On her replying in the negative he be- down was to tear the letter to pieces, and then gan to cry and weep aloud. She then consoled he spent the whole day in getting the horses him in several ways, and promised on her return ready for a long journey, and in securing the to bring him some rare and sweet prasádas." He hundis in the saddles. As soon as it was then named 100 different kinds of prasddas and evening he dismissed the two paraiyas (grooms) insisted on her bringing them with her on her with presents, and himself assuming the disreturn. She promised (laughing within herself) guise of a groom, brought the horses opposite
1. Master.
Trosaury. * Remainders-always, puddings cooked of rice and other eatables-of an offering to the god or goddess.
21 Cheques addressed to the correspondents of a trader in a distant place.
