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136
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1897.
"Not only your cloth, but my body and mind," replied the husband.
Saying thus, and taking his wife, the Raja translated himself through the mid-air to bis former palace.
No. 9. - The Disguised Royal Thief:1 In a certain country there once lived a king. He had a dutifol son who, on rising from his bed in the morning, used to prostrate himself at his father's feet. The father used to confer a blessing : -"May you prosper, and your prosperity be more than mine, yea, double." 'In like manner the son prostrated himself at the feet of his mother, who used to bless him :"May your intelligence be more than that of thieves."
Now the prince thought of the strangeness of the mother's constant blessing, and made up his mind to test the intelligence of thieves. So one dark night, setting aside his princely robes and completely disguising himself, be left his home, and had not wandered long in the streets before a thief accosted him: - "Who are you p":
The prince, who had expected this, in order to establish a friendslip, replied: - "Do you not know that I am a brother of the profession P"
"Well, come on," said tho thief.
They had proceeded but a few paces, when another thief came, and after a while they were joined by a third.
As they were all walking in company, the first thief asked the second what qualifications he possessed. "Brother," replied he, "I understand the language of beasts. I can tell you the preciso meaning of their cries. Will you kindly tell me yours"
"Yes" said he. If I B0 a man once in the night, I can recognize him even after twelve years."
When the third was questioned as to his merits, be answered: - "Brothers, I can tell you what is hidden in the palace, nay, in the bowels of the earth - gold, silver, copper, or. whatever it may be."
The disguised prince was in trouble while this discussion was going on, not knowing what he should say in his turn; but a thought struck him in the nick of time. When at last the question was put to him, he said that he could save his brother-thieves from the gallows, if matters come to such a crisia.
The thieves that night had resolved to plander the Raja's palace. So the thief who could tell of hidden wealth was consulted, and they started. On the way a dog barked, and they at once all asked the comrade who was conversant with the language of beasts : -"Brother, why does the dog bark?" "It tells ns," said he," that the owner is with us, and that we should be on our guard." "How could the owner be with us, yon fool ? " angrily retorted they, and proceeding on their course they approached the palace.
Now the prince was sorry that he should be associated with thieves in plundering his own palace. He did not relish the idea, much less the fact. Nor did the mere thought of losing the vast wealth accumulated for seven generations please him. He, therefore, deserted the thieves, and hastily reaching the palace informed the guards there of their intentions and of their probable arrival within a very short time. The result was that the thieves were caught in the very act of laying their hands on the nocnmulatod treasure.
. (This folktale is the most extraordinary conglomerate of stock Indian incidenta that I have yet seen. -ED.] * Narrated by Mr. Tikaram of the Sitabaldi Buti Diepensary, Nagpur,
