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322
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(NOVEMBER, 1887.
The gardener received the order most sub- that his sin that day had been forgiven, and that missively, and taking the pan in his hand flew the cooked fish had become alive again and the to the tank. There he dipped it in the water mango living one. Thus did the ounning and came back to his house fully believing wife save herself from her husband's wrath !
FOLKLORE IN WESTERN INDIA.
BY PUTLIBAI D. H. WADIA. No. X.-Prince Sabar.
* Oh indeed !" cried the Sultan indignantly, There was once a great and powerful Sultân " you owe all your happiness to your own who had seven daughters. He was very fond good star? Is this the return you make me of them all, more especially of the youngest, for all the love I have bestowed upon you ? who, likewise, was the pet of the whole You ungrateful creature! We shall see how family. It was natural, therefore, that she | your qismat favours you in the future. Ho ! should be regarded with jealousy by her elder guards, seize this undutiful girl, drive her sisters.
away from my palace and never let me see One day the Sultan being in a humorous her face again!" mood, summoned them all before him and put to The guards thereupon surrounded the poor them the following rather queer question :- girl, and she quietly walked with them out of
"Do you attribute the prosperity and hap- the precincts of the town, when they left her. piness which you now enjoy to the influence of some time aftor this the Sultan bethought your own giomat or mine ? Tell me the exact himself of going on a visit to a distant country. truth, without fear or prevarication, for I want So he got ready a beautiful ship, and on the to see what each of you have to say on the auspicious day fixed upon by the astrologers subject."
for him to set out on the voyage, he took Without moment's delay six of the girls leave of all his friends and relations, as well as cried out at once, “Of course, father, there is of his subjects, previous to embarking. While not the least doubt that it is to your good star taking a last affectionate farewell of his six that we are all indebted for all the happiness daughters he asked each of them to name we enjoy.
some partioular object on which she had set What was the surprise, however, of the her heart, and he would be happy to buy it for Sultan when he found that his youngest and her. The girls each named the object that. best loved daughter observed complete silence, most suited her fancy and the Sultan at once while her sisters were speaking, and looked went on board sccompanied by his courtiers embarrassed and ill at ease, as if she had some- and a host of followers with bands of music thing on her lips that she dared not utter. playing.
“What is it?" he cried out, rather put out . At the appointed hour the mariners unfurled at this strange behaviour of the young lady; the sails, and raised the anchor, but what was "what is it that prevents your speaking out their surprise to find that the ship, in spite of my child, like your sisters ? Surely you don't & most favourable wind, stood stock-still, like mean to disagree with them P"
an obstinate horse. They spent a good deal of “I am very sorry to differ from them, my time in endeavouring to find out what it was father," she replied hesitatingly, “but I mean that impeded her progress, for they knew that to answer your question in quite a different everything both in and out of the vessel was way. My opinion is that your destiny cannot to a pin as it ought to be. At last the Sultan in any wine guide ours; we have each our sent for the most clever astrologers from the separate qismat which influences us either for city and they, after a great deal of delibera good or for evil. I am sure it cannot be other. tion, declared that the ship did not move only wise. Were it not for my own good star I because the Sultan had neglected one of his could never have been your daughter and a nearest blood relations, and had not asked her princess."
instructions ma to what gift he was to bring
