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NOVEMBER, 1887.]
So every morning Pequeno João used to take the sheep out to graze, and near them he made a machi" for himself on a tree; and when the sheep had had their fill he wore one of the caps he had brought with him from the rankkas' and played on his pipe. The sound of the pipe had such a charm for the sheep that they would one and all keep dancing round and round the tree on which Pequeno João had made his machi.
FOLKLORE IN SALSETTE.
The king had an only daughter, the very image of beauty. She heard the music and saw Pequeno João playing his pipe and saw the sheep dancing round him from one of the palace windows. She had heard enough of music and seen many a shepherd of her father's house-hold grazing the sheep, but never knew that any one could make sheep dance! She also saw the cap Pequeno João wore, and, thinking the charm lay in it, sent for him, and asked him to give her the cap. How could Pequeno João refuse her? So he readily gave it up.
On the following day Pequeno João was at his work as usual; and on that day he wore a second cap; and while he played his pipe the sheep danced. The princess seeing this asked him for that one too, and so on till she had got five of the caps. On the sixth day, Pequeno João took the sheep out for grazing, and when they had grazed long enough, he took out his pipe and wore the sixth and the last cap. The princess saw it and sent for him. This time he hid the cap before he came into her presence, and when she asked for it, he said he had given her all the caps he had and that he had no more. But the princess had seen the sixth cap and could not be persuaded to believe that he had no more, and persisted in her entreaties, promising to bestow her love on him; for she herself was as much fascinated by his beauty as by his cleverness. Pequeno João after such entreaties and promises had not the heart to refuse and gave it to her, telling her, however, that that was the last. She was not satisfied with bestowing her love on him, but entreated her father to pay him better, which the king did to the great envy of his brothers, for they had had no rise since they had joined the king's service. They were, therefore, bent on his destruction, and only waited for some opportunity.
They had not to wait long, for it happened that the king fell ill, and as kárbári of the king, the eldest, in consultation with the second, suggested that the king should hold conversation with a parrot belonging to a certain rankhas, and that Pequeno João should be asked to fetch it. The king summoned Pequeno João and asked him if he could bring the parrot. He at once consented, and started on his dangerous errand. He reached the rúnkhas' house, which was the same one he had previously visited, by dusk, and concealed himself in the garden which was thickly planted with plantain trees. At midnight he went to where the parrot was, and put his hand to take it away. The parrot at once called out to the rankhas: "O ránkhas! are you alive or dead? Pequeno João is come to take me away."
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As soon as Pequeno João's name sounded in the rankhas' ears he at once jumped out of his bed and ran to see, but no Pequeno João was to be seen, for as soon as the parrot had called out he hid himself. A long while afterwards he made a second attempt, but with failure. A third time he went, but the parrot called out again. This time the rankhas, not seeing Pequeno João, warned the parrot that if it disturbed his sleep again he would kill it. So for the fourth time Pequeno João went to the parrot and told it beware of the rankhas' anger, and that it had better come with him, and the parrot agreed.
Pequeno João took the parrot and crossed the river and there waited for the rankhas to see him in the morning. At dawn the rankhas rose and when he came to the riverside he was quite surprised to see Pequeno João with the parrot perched on his shoulder.
"Very well, Pequeno João," he said, "You came to my house, feasted, caused the death of my daughters, took away my caps, and you are now taking away my parrot? I will pay you out for it!"
But Pequeno João replied:"Baram, baram, dúsrún mim ain, Ani khanchit tulá pún nain."
Oh another journey yet will I make, When with me for certain you I will take! Saying this Pequeno João set off home and presented the parrot to the king, who was over
An elevated seat.
