Indian Antiquary Vol 28

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

Page 85

MARCH, 1899.)
WITCHCRAFT IN ANCIENT INDIA.
Sea, and there she ordered a palace of gold and precious stones to be constructed for him; her genii attendants obeyed her in the twinkling of an eye.
When Badaru'l-Manir awoke he found himself in a strange place and was very uneasy. His wonder was greater when he saw the woman. But the woman consoled him ; said she was the daughter of the king of Jinns; the celebrated Mustak, her brother, was a terrible giant, whom she feared, so Badaru'l-Munir should remain quiet in the house by day, and she would visit him at night. Thus passed seven years, until one day when he said he could no longer endure his imprisonment; so she gave him a chariot that would in one night carry him as far as one could travel in forty years; and she told him he might go where he liked during the day but he must return at night.
In one of his flights he travelled far and came to the garden of a king whose daughter. Jamailath, met him, and, falling in love with him, detained him seven days. But the Fairy Queen came to the king's palace in disguise and carried him off. The king's daughter was filled with anxiety, and, unknown to any one, fled from the palace and wandered here and there, until she came to the palace of Mustak, who had carried off Hasann'l-Jamål. The Jinn, Mustak, led her to an apartment of his palace in which he had confined Hassann-l-Jamal, and asked her why she had wandered so far away from all human habitations, and bad trespassed into the land of the Jinns. Then she related her adventures, and said she had come in search of her lover. The genii at once summoned all his maids, and ordered them to find out which of them had concealed a man.
One of the maids told him his own sister, Safayirat, had a man in her custody, and she visited him every night. So he sent for his sister, and commanded her to produce the man. She did so. The king's daughter at once recognized Badaru-l-Munir, and was glad indeed to see him. Mustak asked Badaru-l-Munir how he had fallen into the hands of the genii, and Badaru'l-Munir related all his misfortunes and the story of his wanderings. The Jinns then bethought him of the story of Hasanu'l-Jamal, and suspecting that she might be the sad cause for all these, ordered that she be dressed in the finest robes and adorned with the most precious jewels. Badaru'l-Munir was dressed and decorated in like manner, as if for his wedding. At night, when both were fast asleep, the Jinns and the king's daughter placed the cot of Badaru'lMunir beside that of Hasanu'l-Jamal, and they concealed themselves behind the door. When Dadaru'l-Munir and Hasanu'l-Jamal awoke, each wondered who was their bed-companion. At last they recognized each other, embraced, wept, and related their adventures from the very beginning. The Jinns and the king's daughter clapped their hands and entered the room
Then all four entered a car and ascended to the skies. First they dropped the king's daughter in her father's palace; then the others went on and reached the palace of the father of Hasan'ul-Jamål. The Jinds caused a golden palace to be created in front of the king's palace in the dead of night. The king was surprised, when he awoke, to find a shining palace in front of his own. All the people flooked to see this wonderful sight, but what was their wonder when they saw Hasanu'l-Jamal and Badaru'l-Munir the mistress and master of it! The king and his minister were much pleased to see their children after ten years' absence, and all the people rejoiced. Their wedding was duly celebrated, and all the Jinns attended the ceremony. After this the king vacated his throne in favour of Badaru'l-Munir, and went on a long pilgrimage ; and Badaru'l-Munir and Hasanu'l-Jamal lived happily as king and queen.
WITCHCRAFT IN ANCIENT INDIA,
BY M. WINTERNITZ, PH.D. THERE is more than one reason why the uncanny and often repulsive practices of witchcraft deserve to be studied. First of all, these practices form an important phase in the
From the New World for September, 1898,