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112
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1891.
The reason that the nurse was anxious to go home before the dinner came off, was that she had a son, whom she wished to be married to the princess if possible. So she went home, and on the day of the dinner told her son to go and stand near the king's palace, and say that he could make out the animal in the bottle, which, his mother told him, was a louse. On the appointed day, therefore, at the dinner hour the nurse's son came and stood near the palace, and, when he saw the kings and others going away one by one, he, pretending ignorance of what was going on in the palace, inquired why so many people had assembled there, and why they were going away one after another. Somebody told him that the people he saw were all princes and nobles, who were invited to guess an animal the princess had, and that the successful person would get the princess in marriage. Upon this the Negro lad said: "Oh, if that is all, I will recognise the animal; let me see it."
The king was duly informed that a Negro lad, who was waiting outside, offered to guess the animal in the bottle. The king then orderod him in, and, in the presence of all the guests, the boy, after one glance at the bottle, said : - “Oh, its only a louse." The princess' choice fell upon this Negro boy. Her parents and others tried hard to dissuade her from marrying him, but all their attempts were fruitless. She said :
"I had imposed a condition for the selection of a husband, and as this boy has successfully fulfilled it I am willing to take him for my husband."
The parents were, therefore, obliged to yield, and they appointed a day, a few months later, for the celebration of the marriage.
In due time the appointed day came, and the nurse's son, accompanied by some of his relatives, went to Church, and was there married to the princess. They then all went to the king's palace, where they were treated to a sumptuous dinner. Now, immediately after dinner, the bridegroom sent away all his relatives, saying he would follow them soon with his wife. His relatives therefore, went in advance to his house. When the bride and bridegroom left to go to his house late in the evening, the king wished to send some of his own servants, to escort them, but his son-in-law refused to take any one with him. The king wanted to give his daughter a lot of clothes and jewellery, and asked his son-in-law how it was to be taken without servants, but he said: "Oh, do not give anything to-day. You can send all that some other day."
Still the king pressed him to take some persons with him, and at last he agreed to take one man, who carried a box with a few clothes. After they had gone some distance the bridegroom sent away this servant also, offering to carry the box himself. The servant, of course, had no alternative but to obey, and he, therefore, went away. The princess already began to repent of her choice, and complained bitterly that she was tired of walking. So her husband told her to sit in the box, which she did, and was carried by her husband. Now when he had walked for some time he had to obey call of nature, so, putting down the box with its precious contents he went to some distance for that purpose.
In the meanwhile a prince, who had been out hunting, and who had captured two live tiger cubs, passed that way, and seeing a box with no one near it, his curiosity was roused, and, yoing up to the box saw the beautiful princess, of whom he asked what she was doing there at such a time. The princess related to him her whole story. Upon this the prince asked her if she was willing to go with him, to which she answered in the affirmative. So the prince, taking her out of the box, put in it the two young tigers, and they both went to his house. Meanwhile, the Negro lad retained, and little thinking of what had transpired in his absence, took up the box, and pursued his way. He, however, felt the box heavier, but, though he wondered at it, he paid no heed to it.
He now walked on and on till he reached his house, and, without waiting, went straight into his sleeping apartment, where he deposited his burden. His parents and all his guests and neighbours were all anxions to see the bride, and asked him to fetch her out; but he refused to
