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154
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MAY, 189).
it was said, guarded the forest against all strangers, and was believed to be invincible. But our hero fought with him so bravely and dexterously, that in a short time he cut him into pieces and killed him. As soon as the breath left the body of his foe, the youth found before him a broad path leading right into the heart of the forest. He walked boldly on for some time till he came in sight of a large garden, so charmingly laid out as evidently to appear to be the abode of fairies. Just then, & very beautiful little fairy came out of a recess, and looking with great astonishment at the youngster said, “What could have brought you here? Surely nothing short of my father's death could have opened the way for a stranger to enter our homo !" With this she fell a-weeping, and began to tear her hair and rend her clothes.
The young man tried to soothe her and said, “ Although I have killed your father, my little fairy, I have done so in self-defence, and I promise you I will not harm a hair on your head; but on one condition, vix. that you tell me where I can find the tree with the silver trunk, golden branches, emerald leaves, and pearls for fruit; for I have come in search of it and am determined to have it."
"Oh! that I can easily do, young man," she said, "for I myself, who am called the silver pari (fairy), together with my sisters, the gold pari, the emerald pari, and the pearl pari, form the tree you are speaking of, and if you only manage to bring us all four together, you will soon see the tree before you."
"Telline then, where to find your sisters," said the Prince eagerly, "and I shall lose no time in bringing them to you."
"Well then take this silver ring and go straight on till you find my sister, the gold pari, and give it to her." The youth did as he was bid, and soon catching sight of the gold pari, handed her the silver ring and asked her to accompany him to her sister.
The gold pari knew why the youth wanted her, so she said, "Before I go with you, you must find out two more of my sisters; so here take this gold ring and go further on till you find my sister, the emerald pari. He did so, and the emerald pari in her turn gave him an emerald ring and sent him on to her sister, the pearl part, and that lady, at once recognizing the token, received the youth with great kindness, and gave him a sword, which, she told him, when held in a particular position, was endowed with the power of bringing the four sisters together and changing them into the wonderful tree with the silver trunk, golden branches, emerald leaves, and pearl fruits; while, as soon as its position was reversed, the tree separated into the four little fairies again.
In order to satisfy himself that the fairy's words were true, our hero tried the experiment there and then, when lo! there stood before him just such a tree as his grandfather had expressed his wish to obtain, and his young heart leapt with joy at the thought of how the old Räjá would love him and load him with favours, for having been instrumental in realizing his dream. He, therefore, instantly converted the tree into the four fairies once again, and started off with them for his native country.
After a few months' journey, the young Prince one day found himself in a large city, where he fell in with his two cousins. They were holding high revel there with a number of companions like themselves, and were very much surprised to see him. The poor youth, in his imocence, recounted to them his adventures in the forest, and showed them the four fairies, and the magic sword, with which they could be converted into the tree which was the object of their grandfather's desire. This awoke a feeling of jealousy in the heart of those ill-natured young men, and they fell to devising some plan by which to put an end to our hero's life and take possession of his magic sword and his fairies. They, however, thought fit to disguise their feelings for a time, and offered to accompany him to their native country.
After a few days' journey, the three cousins halted for the night on & cool spot near a well, and after taking their meals went to sleep. About midnight one of the two brothers aroused our hero from his slamber, and pretending to be ill, entreated him to fetch a draught of cool
