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80
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCA, 1894.
days reached the tank where the Bhuiya had met the sepoys of the Raja. There he was bathing and watering his horse. Balwantî Rânî said to the Bhuiya :
"Why did you run away after marking my robe ? Now I must live with you all your life." So the Bhuiya married the Rani then and there. That night, while all the world slept, Balwant Rani built a palace much grander than that of the Raja. Next morning the Bhuiya saw the palace and told her to stay there while he went to visit his father-in-law, the Raja. He received him kindly, and that night he stayed with his wife, the Raja's daughter,
When they were alone together the girl said to him :
“If my father asks to you to accept a present take nothing but the basket in which cowdung is collected for the palace. It has magic powers, and all my father's prosperity depends on it."
Next day the Raja offered many valuable presents to his son-in-law, but he said: "I will have nothing but the cowdung basket." The Râjâ was much grieved.
"Take anything but this worthless basket," he said ; "otherwise my subjects will make a jest of me."
But the Bhuiya would have nothing except the basket, and at last the Raja had to give it to him, and he took it and his wife to the palace which Balwanti Rânî had built. Then they all came back to the Bhuiya's native village, and that night his two wives built a palace even more splendid than the last.
Three days after the old barber arrived. When he shaved the Bhuiya's head, he recognized him, and then he went and pared the nails of the two Rânîs. After this he went back to his Raja, and said : " The Bhuiya, to whom you gave the money to buy the cloth, has come back rolling in wealth, and he has two beautiful women, who are fit only for Your Majesty."
The Râjâ asked his advice how to get hold of them.
" Send for him," said the barber, "and demand your cloth. He cannot produce it, and he will have to give the women instead."
The Rajâ sent for him and asked :" Where is the cloth you promised to bring P” The Bhuiyâ answered :Wait till to-morrow.".
When he went home, Balwanti Râni saw him in distress and asked the reason. He told her how he was in the Raja's power.
“Don't fret," said she, “I am the fairy whose breast cloth you cut. I will bring you four bales of the cloth to-morrow."
Next day the Bhuiyê gave the cloth to the Rajs. The barber then gave him counsel.
“Tell the Bhuiyâ to bring you four baskets of ripe mangoes. They are out of season, and he will fail to do so, and will be obliged to give up the women."
Again the Bhuiya was perplexed and again Balwanti Rânî relieved him of his difficulty, for by her magical power she planted a garden that night, and in the morning the trees were laden with ripe mangoes. These the Bhuiyê gave to the Raja.
" All our plans have failed,” said the barber. “Now yon most call him and tell him to bring you news of your parents in the world of the dead."
The R&jå gave the order and the Bhuiyê was much distressed. Balwanti Râni saw him in grief, and when she heard the story said :
