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MARCH, 1891.)
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do so, on the pretence that she was tired, and also that she might get frightened at the sight of his relatives who, also, were, of course, Negroes. He then told his parents to treat the guests very sumptuously and to make merry, while he himself retired to sleep. He also told them repeatedly not to pay heed to any noise or to anything that might occur in his room. Thus saying, he went into his room, and closed it tightly from within.
Sapper was soon laid out, and the guests partook of it freely, after which they began to sing and dance, and made merry. Meanwhile the bridegroom, after he had entered his room, opened the box to take out his royal bride, but he saw instead two young-tigers, who, from being looked up so long, grew furious, and, pouncing upon our hero, tore him to pieces. Loud cries and shrieks emanated from the room, but as the bridegroom had given strict injunctions not to pay heed to what would occur therein, the guests all kept up singing till the small hours of the morning, after which each went to his own house.
The following morning the parents of the bridegroom were surprised that their son did not rise from sleep though it was so late; so they went and knocked at the door of the room, telling him to awake, but no answer came from inside. They thonght perhaps he was asleep now after the excitement of the previous day; so they let him alone for some time. Two or three hours later they went again and called bim out, but still no answer. They knocked and knocked, with all their might, for nearly an hour, but to no use. They, therefore, suspected something wrong, and broke open the door, when, horrors of horrors, they saw their son torn into a thousand pieces, and no bride, but two tigers, who would have made a meal of them also, had it not been for timely aid from their neighbours and a few guests, who were not yet gone. News of this affair was immediately sent to the king. Thus were the knots of happiness suddenly changed into those of sorrow and misery !
To return to our bride, the princess. She was safely escorted by the strange prince to his own house, where every comfort was provided for her. Next day she asked the prince to take her to her father's house. On reaching home, her parents, the king and queen, who were mourning for her, were surprised to see her, and could hardly believe their eyes. She then related to them, how her husband - the husband of her choice - after sending away the servant, pat her in the box and carried it himself, how, on the way, he had put the box down; and how the prince, who was now in their presence, rescued her, and protected her through the night.
When they were satisfied that their daughter was alive and safe, out of gratitude to the prince for rescuing her, they gave her to him in marriage, and, having no other children, for this daughter was their only child, the king handed over the reins of government to their son-in-law, who lived happily with his wife to a very old age, and governed the kingdom with benefit to himself and his subjects.
MISCELLANEA. A NOTE ON AMOGHAVARSHA I. manical cave, which is doubtless to be applied in From a verse quoted by Mr. Haridas Sastri, this connection, and probably proves that the king ante, Vol. XIX. p. 379, we learn that a king
whose name is connected with the book in quesnamed Amoghavarsha, to whom according to
tion, is the Rashtrakata king Amoghavarsha I. one recension the authorship of the Prainottara. The ingcription consists of four lines. The first Ratnamaid is attributed, "gave up his king- three, which are mostly illegible, mention the dom, owing to his discriminative knowledge." names of two persons, either as being priests of
Within the last few days, I have found a short the temple, or as having caused it to be built; one but interesting record at Aihole, engraved on
of them appears to be Saryakartárabhatára.' ' the outside of the south wall of a small temple, The fourth line is quite perfect, and very legiknown as the temple of Råvana, close to the Brah. ble; and it consists of the words ért-Amoghavar
1 The syllables karttára are puzzling; but I cannot twice with the single (80e ante, Vol. XIX. p. 306, read then otherwise. - In this record, bhaldra ooours note 7).
