________________
AUGUST, 1893.]
FOLKLORE IN WESTERN INDIA.
217
“You lazy idiot," cried our hero, half in delight at his success and half in anger," do you know how much pain and misery you have caused me by thus slumbering peacefully on for years together? How can a man come by his share of the good ?hings of this world while his nasib neglects him so much as to go and throw himself into such a deep slumber in so unapproachable a corner of the earth? Get up at once, sud promise never to relapse again into slumber after I depart."
"No, no, I cannot sleep again, now that you have waked me," replied the nasib ; "I was sleeping only because you had not hitherto taken the trouble to rouse me. Now that I have 'been awakened I shall attend you wherever you go, and will not let you want for anything."
“ Very well, then," cried our hero, perfectly satisfied," now look sharp and give me plain and true answers to a few questions I have been commissioned to ask you."
He then delivered to him all the different messages given to him by the mango-tree, tho fish, the Rajâ, and the horse. The nasib listened with great attention, and then replied as follows :
“The mango tree will bear bitter mangoes so long as it does not give up the treasure that lies buried under it.
The fish has a large solid slab of gold hidden in its stomach, which must be squeezed ont of its body to relieve it of its sufferings.
As for the Raja-tell him to give up building towers for the present and turn his attention to his household, and he will find that, although his eldest daughter has long since passed her twelfth year, she has not yet been provided with a husband, which circumstance draws many a sigh from her heart, and as each sigh pierces the air, the lofty structure shakes under its spell and gives way. If the Râjâ therefore, first sees his daughter married, he will not have any more cause to complain."
Coming then to speak of the horse, the nasib patted our hero on his back, and continued :
“The rider destined to gladden the heart of that noble animal is none but yourself. Go, therefore and monnt him, and he will take you home to your family."
This terminated our hero's interview with his nasib, and after again admonishing him not to relapse into slumber, he mounted his aërial charger once more, and joyously turned his face homewards.
When the seven seas had again been crossed, the faithful bird took him to where he had found the horse, and laid him down safe beside him. The traveller then took leave of the eagle with many expressions of gratitude and going up to the steed stroked him gently and said: "Here I am sent to be your rider! I was predestined to ride you, but as my nasib was lying asleep up to this time, I could not see my way to do so !"
“Bismillah," exclaimed the horse, "I am quite at your service." Our hero, thereupon, mounted the steed and the noble animal soon galloped away with him, and both horse and rider being infused with a sense of happiness did not feel the harships and fatigues of the journey so much as they would have done under other circumstances.
While passing by the river on the banks of which he had perceived the fish writhing in agony, our hero saw that it was still there in the same sad plight. So he at once went up to it, and catching hold of it, squeezed the slab of gold out of its body, restored the poor creature to its element, and putting the gold into his wallet, made his way to the city where he had encountered the Râjâ.
When he arrived there he put up at a saral, and purchased with the gold acquired from the fish, rich clothes, jewellery, and weapons befitting a young nobleman, and, attiring himself in them, presented himself before the Raja.
