Indian Antiquary Vol 25

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 26

22
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JANUARY, 1896.
distant place, begin to practise it on the way? You can meet with some fellow-traveller on the road, and exchange with him this ball of rice, and thus commence to live by your noble art from the very starting point."
May the God of Rogaery shower his boons upon you, my dear! May he keep you, who has outwitted me in my own art, safe till my return!"
Thus saying, the Tanjore Rogue took leave of his wife, and, with the ball suspended on his shoulder, started towards the north !"
Now, there was a second rogue, called the Trichinopoly Rogue, who had made his position in Trichinopoly as impossible as had the Tanjore Rogue in Tanjore. With the permission of his wife the Trichinopoly Rogue, too, had started to try his fortunes in another country. He also must have something for the way, and so his wife brought him a small brass vessel filled with sand to within a quarter of an inch of the top, and scattered over it a thin layer of raw rice.
Both the rogues met. The patron God of Roguery had so arranged it. For how long could he keep apart such master gems of his own creation? They met as strangers for the first time in their lives on the banks of the river Coleroon.
“May I know who the gentleman is that I have the happiness of meeting to-day P" asked the Tanjore Rogue without knowing who the stranger was.
"I am a traveller for the present, a native of Trichinopoly," was the answer which the other rogue gave.
He then came to know that the stranger was a native of Tanjore and a traveller like himself. Beyond this they knew nothing of each other, for each was careful in his own way. By this time they had both bathed in the river and finisbed their ablutions. The Tanjore Rogue was waiting for an opportunity to get his ball of rice exchanged, just as the other sogae was with his vessel of raw rice; for each had seen wbat the other had for his dinner. The Tanjore rogae first began :
"That disreputable wife of mine gave me cold rice tied up in this bundle. I am not in rood health, and if I eat cold rice I fear I may fall ill. I do not know what to do. There appears to be no village near us. If I could only get someraw rice I could cook it in your Sessel
The Trichinopoly Rogue was very glad to hear this suggestion, and as soon as the Tanjore Rogue had finished his speech, he said :
"My friend, lom sorry for you. YCA, when you are not in good health eating cold rice will be bad for you. In travelling especially, the first thing to be cared for is health. I in very hungry. If you give me your rice, I have no objection to give you my rice and the vessel too. What matters if it takes some time? You can cook and eat, and, if there is anything left over, you can give it me hot."
Each felt himself elated in having deceived the other, and the exchange was readily made, as if they had been friends for a long time. The Trichinopoly Rogue was the first to discover that he had accidently met a person who had outwitted him in bis owo art.
He turned round to see what the Tanjore Rogue was doing, but he had not get discovered the trick that had been played upon him, for he was collecting dried sticks to light a fire. Said lie to himself :--
"Oh! he has not yet discovered the trick. I shall leave him alone till he does it."
So thought he, and he had not long to wait, for as soon as the fire began to burn, the Tanjore Rogue took the vessel to the side of the water to clean the rice before setting it on the tire. When water was mixed with the rice the trick was discovered, and the Tanjore Rogue stood dumb with astonishment for a minute. Without having the slightest suspicion, he had