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SEPTEMBER, 1891.]
FOLKLORE IN SALSETTE; No. 20.
335
Bayôbâi then told Bâlûdâda to kick the merchant out of the house and appropriate the ship full of pearls and rubies. The poor merchant was compelled to yield, for had he not given a written agreement ? He had also, as he had promised, to give five hundred rupees to Balûdada.
A month or go after this Bayôbâi's parents returned from the distant country. Not a word, however, was told them of what had happened in their absence. Balûdîdê was now perfectly satisfied with Bayobâi, for he had tested her under the most trying circumstances, and he thought to himself: - "Bayóbái rákhil mánjé bápáschi dari ani dischi sárí; Bâyêbûi will keep up the dignity of my father and the honour of my mother."
He had been in his father-in-law's employment for nearly five years, and he now told him that he wished to go home to his parents. So he asked to be paid off for the time he had served, as he had not drawn his pay. Bayôbài and her parents had taken such a liking to him that they were very reluctant to let him go, but as he was determined to do so they paid him off and gave him a lot of money over and above what was due to him. Balddadå had now plenty of money besides the five hundred rupees he had got from the merchant. He took leave of his friends and returned to his own house.
. When he reached home his parents enquired after his wife, but he stontly denied his having gone to her, and said he had gone to seek employment, and had returned with a large fortune. "How could he have got so much money as he had brought with him, but for the work he had done in all these years ?"
A few months after this Bâlûdâdâ asked his father to let him go and fetch his wife home, but his father said he would go and bring her himself. So the old man set out one day for his daughter-in-law's (Bayôbâi's) house, where he was cordially received. After a few days' stay there he told Bayôbâi's parents that, as she had now attained maturity, he wished to take her home. Her parents said they had no objection, sad that they were very happy that he should have come to take her away. Bayôbâi, therefore, after taking a tender farewell of her parents, set out with her father-in-law, taking with her all the rabies and pearls she had got from the merchant. When they reached home it was late at night and Bålåda då had by that time gone to sleep, and accordingly Bayobai did not see him. But, for the next few days, Baladada took to his bed and covered himself up from head to foot, so that Bayôbài had no chance of seeing him. One day, however, Balûdâda knowing that Bayôbâi would go to the well to fetch water, went out and climbed a bort tree, and placking a few ripe bórain, waited for her on her way to the well. He had not long waited, when Bayôbûi came up to him, and bappy at having seen her servant (for so at least she thought him) after such a long time, addressed him:-“Ka rê Bálidádá, túi athild ká kartes ? Os led tiza gaun? Bará huis karia? Hallo, Bâlûdâdâ, what are you doing here? Is this your natire country? Are you well ?
Bâlûdâdâ replied: - "Ho go Bayóbái, ós mánzá gáni, ani minn bará háin; Yes, Bayôbai; this is my country, and I am well." Bilûdâdî then asked Bayôbâi : -"Kü gó, Bayóbái, teria athila kú kartes ? Buri háis kan? Nauriaché ghará ailéis ká? Naura bará hái lan ? Sású sasrd kasi hán? Bayôbâi, what are you doing here? Are you well? Have you come to your husband's house? Is your husband well ? How are your mother-in-law and father-in-law ?"
To these questions Bayôbài replied: "Ho ré Báládádá, larí háin, nauriaché ghará ailáui; sárin barin han, pún nauriachan tând náhin bagilan azúls; Yes, Bâlûdâdâ, I am well enough, and I am come to my husband's house. All are well, but I have not yet seen my husband's face."
Upon this Balûdada said: “Thauria bôraz né ani nauriala dés, manje tidchai tônd kalel; Take a few bôrain and give them to your husband, and then you will have a chance of seeing
• Biran (singular, 63r) are fruits which ripen about the months of January, February and March. They are both aweet and sour. The tree is also known by the name of bir.
