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82
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1894.
there he used to go and hide behind the trees, and when the women came to draw water he used to break their water jars with his pellet bow, and laugh when their clothes where drenched. The women complained to his mother, and she ordered that they should be supplied with iron jars from the royal treasury. These he tried to break but failed. The wazir's son came to him and said : “Why are you so low-sprited ?" He said: "I used to amuse myself with breaking the women's water jars, and now, since they have got iron vessels, my pleasure is gone." The wazir's son said: “Don't be downhearted, I will make yon pellets of flint (chaqmág), and with these you can break the iron jars." So he made flint pellets for the prince.
One day a very pretty girl came to draw water. The prince broke her water jar, and her clothes were soaked. She called out, “Rogue! Look at your nose." He put his hand to his face and said: "Why, my nose is all right." "Well, if it is," said she, "the king of Russia is coming to betroth his son to your promised bride." When he heard this, the prince went at once to his mother and asked her: "Have I been betrothed"? She said: "Who told you, and why are you asking?" "I won't tell you," said he ; "only tell me if I am betrothed or not." She said: "Yes." "Are there any signs of betrothal ?” he enquired. She produced a ring and a handkerchief and gave them to him. "Where am I betrothed ?” he asked. "To the daughter of the king of Persia (Fárs)," she said. "Is there anything else you have to tell me?" he asked. Then she told him of the mare and of the foal which was born when he was born. Dandâ went to the stable, brought out the young horse, mounted it, and started for the land of Persia. He had to pass through a jungle, and on the road a faqir named Angang, saw him and motioned to him to stop. He pulled in his horse with difficulty, and Anganû said: "Where are you going, my son ?” Dandâ replied: "The king of Russia has bespoken my betrothed bride for his son. May God (Rabb) bring about our marriage !” The faqir answered: "I am ready to help you. I will escort you to the king of Persia."
So they both started--the prince on horseback, and the faqir on foot; but no matter how hard the prince pressed his horse, Anganû was always in front of him : and on the day his bride was to be betrothed to the son of the king of Russia they reached the palace of the king of Persia and halted in a grove close by.
The wife of the gardener, seeing them, asked who they were. "I am the betrothed of the princess of this land,” said Danda. The gardener's wife went to her and said: "He to whom you were first betrothed has come." Hearing this the princess desired to see Danda : and going secretly with the gardener's wife looked at him, and began to weep because the king of Russia wanted her for his son. She went to her mother and said: "I have seen the prince to whom I was originally betrothed, and I desire to marry him." Her mother was much distressed, and sending for the king told him the whole story. He was greatly grieved and said: "If I refuse the match, the king of Russia will kill me and carry off my daughter by force."
The king of Russia heard what was going on. So he sent and had a picture of the prince painted, and hanging it up in the place where the marriage was fixed to take place, issued an order : “ If this youth come to the marriage house, cut his throat and fling his corpse away." When the time of the marriage came, Dandâ said to Anganû: "I wish to see the wedding." Anganû warned him, but Danda persisted. At last Anganû said: “Well, you may be present. But stand aside and look on, and do not go into the midst of the company.” Dandà came, but there was a great crowd, and where he stood he could see nothing. So he forced his way in the middle of the guests. When the servants compared him with the picture, they dragged him out and pitched him into a well.
When much time passed and Dandå did not return, Anganû was sure that he had forced his way in and had been killed. Just then the gardener's wife came and told Anganû that the servants of the king of Russia had killed Dandå. Anganú said: "Come and shew me the well into which they have thrown him." She shewed him the place. Angand took up a stone, and, breathing spells over it, threw it into the well, on which Danda revived, and came out of the well, for he was not quite dead, and some life remained in him.
