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November, 1893.]
FOLKLORE IN SALSETTE; No. 17.
311
their deceit. As soon as the voice of the prince fell upon the ears of the maid-servants, they said :
"Oh dear prince, what are you doing here? The king is searching for you all over the country, and, being unable to find you, he has become sick."
But the prince said :-"Away, you humbugs. This is how you do your work : you eat the gram yourselves and give only the husks to the horses. No wonder you are becoming fatter day by day, while the horses are becoming leaner and weaker. Go away now; but take care of yourselves if you say a word about me to any one, at any rate to my father."
The maid-servants went away, but paid very little heed to the prince's threats, and went and stood before the king, saying: -
“Rájá Sáheb, Rájá Saheb, áikál té bari gôst hái ; Sir King, Sir King, if you will listen, there is a good story (news)."
Upon this the king roared ont:"Ka hai ? Tâmin khátúr ha ini rartiis ha! Ká sángta té sángá begin. What is it? You are always eating and always crying! What you have to say, say quickly."
The maid-servants answered :-"Good news, Raja Saheb, our prince is in the stables."
The king, however, would not give them credit, and therefore said :-"Oh, get away! You are always telling me lies! Why don't you say you want something P"
Bat the maid-servants swore that they did not want anything, and that they were telling him the truth, for they saw the prince with their own eyes.
Thereupon the king went with the maid-servants to his stables, and he saw, as the maid-servants had told him, the prince lying on the floor. The king thus spoke to him :
"Ká hótei tila? Kanáchan dúkh parlan túlá gê éinéirí hid tabilián likáláis ? Súng mála. Kônii hát trikilasél tvar, tidchá hát jhén; kónisi páis trikilasél túvar, tiáchá prin jhen; kóni dóla kéla él, tiáchá qólá kárin. Ou sáng, kú páije túlá têi paidaris karin. What ails you my son ? What trouble has come upon you that you have concealed yourself in the stable? Has any one threatened injury to you? Tell me. If any one has lifted up his hands against you, I shall take (cat) his hands; if any one has used his legs to do you harm, say, and I will take (cut) his legs; if any one has looked on you with an evil eye, say, I will pull out his eyes. Or, say what you want, and I will see that you get it."
Upon this the prince said :-"Father, nothing ails me; nor has any one threatened me. My grief is this. Look at this slipper. If you can get the owner of this slipper to marry me, I will have everything and I shall be happy; otherwise I will put an end to my life by starving
myself.”
The king then said: "Is this all that you are so grieved abont? Your desire shall be fulfilled at any cost. In the meanwhile, come, leave the stables, and take your meals."
The prince got op and followed his father, resuming his usual mood. The king then sent servants with the slipper the prince had picked up, with instructions to go from house to house through all the town and even to neighbouring countries, and try it on the foot of every girl they saw and whatsoever girl's foot it fitted, that girl was to be asked in marriage for the prince.
Away went the servants from village to village and city to city, and inquired from house to house if there were any girls. Hundreds of girls were shewn them, and they tried the slipper on every one of the girls' feet, but it fitted no one. At last they came to the house of our princess, and on inquiry from the servants if there were any girls in the house the queen shewed them her daughter. The servants tried the slipper on her feet, but it did not fit ber; so they asked if there was another girl, but the queen said there was no other girl besides her daughter. The servants now went and searched the houses over again, but with no success. For
