________________
144
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1891.
In the morning, when the girls awoke, they were surprised to see their father gone, or rather, they did not know what had become of him. They, however, soon observed the thumb in their youngest sister's month, and concluded that she had eaten their father, and hence. forth named her Bapkhadi. They pulled it out of her mouth and thus awoke her, and severely reprimanded her; and, telling her, at the same time, that they intended to leave her to herself, they started off for another country. But Bapkhadi followed them, till they found a large house with seven rooms in it, all vacant. Each of the seven sisters took to a room, and lived there, finding in it plenty of food and clothes and other necessities; but Bapkhadi's room was the best of all, for in it were found clothes and furniture of matchless beauty, and there was a stable attached to it. Bapkhadi, however, never said a word to her sisters about it, but always remained in the rage in which she had come.
On Sunday mornings the six sisters dressed in their best to go to Church to attend Mars. Before going they always called out to Bapkhadi, asking her if she was coming, but she answered never a word. Nevertheless, sbe quickly dressed up in rich silks with golden slippers and went to Church on horse-back, so that she got there before her sisters. So, too, after Mass she would get home before every one, and stand as usual at her door, clothed in rags. Her sisters, of course, saw a girl at Church in a very grand dress with golden slippers and saw her get on her horse, but it never occurred to them that sho was Bapkhadi, for did they not see her before and after Church clothed in rags at her own door
When they returned from Church, they used to say to her: "What have you been doing at home? If you had como to Church, you would have seen a beautiful girl, beautifully dressed, with golden slippers, on borse-back! Oh! you have lost a good chance!"
Now, one day, it happened that, while Bapkhadt was returning from Church, she lost one of her slippers, and it attracted the attention of the king's son, who happened to pass by. The prince took it up, and went and threw himself down in his father's stables, thinking of the owner of the slipper, and where and how he could find her; and then he gave up eating and drinking! The king searched for him throughout his palace and all through the village round it without success, but during the day the king's maid-servants went to the stables to feed the horses. Now they never expected that the prince would be there, and as usual, they ate the grain, and they threw the husks to the horses ! On seeing this the prince called out from his hiding place: “Oh ho ! is this how you feed the horses? No wonder they are getting leaner day by day, while I see you growing stouter."
As soon as the maid-servants heard the prince's voice they flew like lightning to the king and said: "Sire, what shall we say to thee? Shall we tell thee one, or shall we tell thee two?"
The king replied: - "Come, come; say what you have to say at once. You may tell me one, or you may tell me two."
So they told him what they had seen and heard in the stables, and he immediately went with them to the stables, and thus spoke to the prince: -
"Ka kartei tala? Ka khúflash túla ? sáng mala, konun hát tükilabdi, tiachd hát jhéin. Kónin páin túlvilasli, tidcha pdin jhéin. Kônki dold ké!aśél, tichá dóla jh&ino; What ails you, my son ? Tell me what you lack. Has any one lifted up his bands to strike you? Tell me, and I will take his hands. Has any one threatened to kick you ? Tell me, and I will take his legs. Has any one cast his eyes on you ? Tell me, and I will take his eyes."
Thus spoke the king, upon which the prince answered: - "Sire, nothing ails thy son, nor has any one done him any harm. He is grieved because he has found & golden slipper,
. i. e. As an ogress.
Bapthadi means literally eater of the father.' • The literal meaning of the original is What is becoming to you? What is wanting to yon P Tell me: if, any one hy lifted his hands, I will take his hands. If any one has lifted bis lege, I will take his legs. If any one bas cast his eyes, I will take his eyes.
