________________
NOVEMBER, 1893.)
FOLKLORE IN WESTERN INDIA; No. 19.
315
Some time after this, her mother, who was not aware of all that had occurred, happened to pay a visit to her son-in-law's, but was surprised to find her daughter absent, and she was the more confused to see the princess, who was known to be dead, alive, and in the palace. She, however, dared not question any one as to the true state of affairs. During her stay there, she had occasion to resort to the latrine, when she heard the words : "Ah! mother, will you also be so cruel as to evacuate into my mouth?” The mother was struck dumb as the words fell upon her ears, for she recognised the voice of her daughter, and looked about to see whence it came, and she caught sight of the head of her danghter. She asked her what it all meant, and the daughter told her everything: how the princess, though dead, used to come in the night and give suck to her child; how she used to sit on the hindia and sing the song which led to the discovery of their fraud ; and how the prince, in his rage, killed her and cut her into three pieces, two of which he hung up on two roads, and the third, her head, he had buried in the latrine as a punishment. The poor mother, without another word, and not even staying to say good-bye to her son-in-law, inade her way home, with shame and confusion in her face.
The prince and the princess, who, as we said before, had consented to stay with the prince, then lived very happily to a very old age.7
FOLKLORE IN WESTERN INDIA.
BY PUTLIBAI D. H. WADIA.
No. 19. - Súrya and Chandra. Once there was a Rajâ, who was very fond of going about his kingdom in disguise, and acquired, by that means, knowledge of a good many things happening in every part of it.
One day standing under the shade of a tree near & well, he noticed a group of girls, all in the first flush of womanhood, chattering away and imparting to one another all their little hopes and fears, prospects and designs, as girls of the same age are wont to do, when they get together. The Râjâ felt interested, and stood quietly listening, as one of them said : “Now, sisters, I propose that, instead of wasting our time in idle talk, we tell one another what special qualifi. cation each can boast of! For my part I can do a good many things that other girls can do likewise, but there is one thing in which I excel all others, and what do you think it is po
“We really cannot say," replied the others laughing; "pray, tell us what it is that you excel all other girls in P"
“Why I," said the first speaker, who was, by the way, a betel-nut seller's daughter, "I can divide one small betel-nut into so many fragments, that after each member of a large assemblage, — say, the largest wedding party -- had one, there would still be some to spare !"
"Ha, ha; what does that signify p" laughed one who was a pan-leaf seller's daughter, "I can divide one pan-leaf - one small pan-leaf you know - "into as many pieces, as you can your betel nut, and I am sure my friends here will agree that that shews greater skill !"
And so the girls went on and on, till at last one, who looked not only prettier than the rest, but was also considerably superior. by birth and breeding, outdid them all by the very magnitude and nature of her boast!
1," said she, when her friends called on her to speak and tell them what special qualification she had, "I am destined to give birth to the Sun and the Moon."
Her companions were taken aback at this strange declaration, and while some giggled, others laughed at her as a dreamer. But the Baja, who had watched her with special interest,
+ This story is very interesting as being the result of the telling of European tales to Indian children. Cinderella has become naturalized fairly among native Christiane, but the European ghost appears in a very strange form.-ED.)
