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NOVEMBER, 1892.) FOLKLORE IN WESTERN INDIA; No. 19.
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him for having destroyed their chief, but he forth with drew out his miraculous stick and rope, which he always carried with bim, and bid them tie up all the rákshasts and give them as severe a thrashing as they could. The stick and the rope spoolily set to work, and the rákshusas received so severe a thrashing that they all roared out with pain and begged of our hero to have pity upon them, and promised in that event to become his slaves and remain so all their lives.
“Very well, then," said Sûrya; "do as I bid you. Bring the part and the Chandan-tree. that is the boast of her garden, out of this well, and follow me." The rotskurns were nothing loath, for one of them jumped in and brought ont the pari, all tremblings and disconsolate at the loss of her father, while the others went into the garden, amel, cutting on a portion of the ground on which the Chandan-tree grew, followed Surya and the park to the palace of gold.
Chandra was in ecstacies, not only to see her brother alive and well, but also the Chandar.. tree she had been longing so much for, and the pretty little Chandan Pari as well.
The old hag, however, who had never expected Sûrya to come back alive, was disconcerte ar his sudden arrival, as it interfered with her plans regarding his sister. She, lowever, stifled her disappointment as best she could, and, putting on a pleasant smile, welcomed our hero with every manifestation of regard and admiration, and congratulated him on having attained his object. Sûrys then persuaded Chandan Pari to forgive him for having caused her father's death, and t give him her hand in marriage, and the three lived happily together in that magnificent palace for some time, Chandra and the pari having become fast friends. But the old bay, who was bent upon Sürya's destruction, again devised a plan to get rid of him, and one day, while he was talking to his sister and extolling the charms of his fairy wife, the old wretch, who was present, craftily put in, by way of a remark, that he thought his Chandan Pari beautiful, only becanse he had not seen the world-renowned Pari of Unchhatra, who lived under the magnificent the called Unchhatra.
Surya at once fell into the trap, and expressed his determination to go in search of this new pari at once. Now this parí, as the hag well knew, was as cruel as she was beautiful, and all those that went to win her came back no more! She had & magic comb, which she kept constantly with her, and as soon as any one rode near enough to lay hands on her, she turned up her hair with it, and, in the twinkling of an eye, both horse and rider were transformed into stone! Our hero, however, who knew nothing of this, put a pinch of incense over the fire in the magic stove, and wished that he might be provided with a fleet steed, such as would traverse the longest distance in the twinkling of an eye, and lo, there presently stood before him just such a horse!
Surya was delighted, and soon taking leave of his pari-wife and his beloved sister, he mounted the fiery charger, and galloped away like lightning. The gallant charger seemed to know the abode of the pari of Unchhatra, and to be aware also of the trick of the comb, for, as soon as he spied her sitting under her favourite tree, he leapt almost right into her lap, and, before she could raise her hand and put the comb to her hair, Sûrya seized her by the wrist, and wrested it away. Unchhatra, finding herself thus suddenly deprived of her magic power, fell down at the feet of her valiant conqueror, and swooned right away. Sûrya promptly dismnounted, and, raising her head on his lap, tried every means to bring her round. As soon as she was restored to her senses, and was able to speak, she acknowledged Sûrya's supremacy over her, and promised to be his slave and servant all her life. The only favour, however, which she asked of him, when he had assured her of his forgiveness, was to be allowed to make use of her comb once more, not to do harm to anybody, for that power was now lost to her for ever, but to undo the mischief it had already caused. Our hero consented, and restored the comb to her, and she immediately turned her beautiful golden hair downwards with it, when, in a moment, several large stones, that were lying scattered about here and there, began to assume strange shapes, and soon numberless young men and horses were seen "to rouse and bestir themselves
