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146
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1891.
and disheartened; for, when he asked to see the child, he was shewn the bôvátrá. But as there was nothing to be done he remained silent.
Another two or three years elapsed, and Bapkhádi became pregnant for the third time; and for the third time her husband set out on a voyage. Before going he called together the six sisters and told them to exercise great care, and use every imaginable precaution to ensure a successful delivery. He then bade a loving adieu to Bapkhadi, and went away, saying for the third time :- "If a son be born there will be a shower of gold, but if a daughter there will be a shower of silver.” In due time Bapkhîdî was delivered of a daughter, and this child also her sisters took and buried alive in the Church, and put in its place a movali.10 This time there camo pouring a heavy shower of silver. The prince at once understood that a daughter was born to him, and for the third time he distributed sugar and other presents, and returned home. When he arrived and asked to see his daughter, the six sisters produced the inováli, and also told a lot of tales against Bapkhadi. On secing the mováli and hearing all the tales he was much ecraged, and, casting Bapkhadi in a dark dungeon, took to himself the six sisters as his wives. Bâpkhîdî was also deprived of all her clothes and jewellery. For her food she was thrown the remains of fishil and such things after every one else had eaten. Matters continued like this for several years.
Let us now turn to the children. The hand of the Almighty saved the three children of Bapkhadi, and they grew to be from ten to fifteen years old, and lived by begging. In their begging excursions they were wont to say:
“Sáydbúrchiá Sáyd dada, Ansáburchia Ansa dádá, déulánché go Déukú bayê, hid gánváchd rded verá, sátraní báiki kelia, tós ámchá bdp; Brother Sâyâ from under the saya tree, brother Ansa from under the disa tree, sister Dêukû from the Church, the king of this country is mad, he married seven wives; he is our father." From house to house they used to go repeating these words, and at last, reached the palace, and repeated the words there. When the prince heard them he could not understand what they meant, and asked them to repeat the words again. Upon this the children began :
"sdyábůrchid Saya duda, Ansáburchid Ansá dada, dê ulânché gô Deukt bayê, hiú gáivácha rázá vérá, sátraní bdikd kelia, tos ámchá búp ; Brother Såyå from under the sáya tree, brother Ansa from under the ansá tree, sister Dêukd from the Church, the king of this country is . mad, he married seven wives; he is our father."
The prince made them repeat the words over and over again several times, and then told one of the six sisters to give them something in alms. The six sisters, of course, at once concluded that these three children must be those that had been born of Båpkhadi and whom they had buried alive under the sáya and arśá trees, and in the Church. They, however, pretended not to know them, and one of them offered them alms, but the children refused to take any. Each one of the six sisters in turn offered alms, but the children refused to take anything from any one of them. The prince was pazzled at their behaviour, and asked them to explain why they did not take the alms. Upon this they said : -
"Let your seventh wife, who is in the dungeon, come out. Place seven curtains between her and us, then watch what occurs, after which you will come to know everything."
The prince did as directed. He ordered out Bapkhâdi from the dungeon, and placed seven curtains between her and the children, and eagerly watched the result, when lo! three streams of milk burst from Bapkhadi's breasts, and penetrating the seven curtains ran. into the mouths of the children. The prince was dumbfounded at this occurrence, and
10 A mávalt is another sort of broom made of the date palm-leaf.
11 It should be remembered that the Salsette Christians are fish-eaters. They very seldom eat meat, except perhaps on Sundays and feast-days.
" By "the king' is here mernt "the prince" of the tale.
