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JUNE, 1908.]
LEGENDS FROM THE PANJAB.
155
bo announced to the King, and the sentry went and did so. The prince bade him tell the Wazir to come to him only on the day of Shah Jahân's death, or when an enemy invaded the kingdon, as it did no good to come aimlessly in the way. Thence the Wazir returned to Shah Jahan and reported the unfitness of the three elder princes, saying that Aurangzeb would succeed to the throne of Dehli, put to death the other three princes, and his Majesty, as well as both his ministers.
The King then sont for the superintendent of the elephant-shed and bade him bring a mad elephant. Every Friday all four princes used to attend the royal court to pay their respects to the King, who gave order to the elephant-keeper that, when the four princes came, three of them should be told to turn back, but that the mad elephant should be let loose on Aurangzeb to kill him. When prince Aurangzeb came, the elephant-keeper, in accordance with the King's order, let loose the elephant.
As Aurangzeb was facing the elephant, his mother looked out of a window in her palace and uttered a
Kabit. Kache ghare men bildi ke chetwa dhatwde; kumhar ne dwi chayhde. Chahui or te mukh mindk dio; bahrutero kio kuchh rdh na pdi. Jab tér suni makrand ne, Pirbhú, ap na kof leno bachde. Merf bine bane na bane bane, Brijndth, tihdrí bandi.
Verse. The kittens were placed in an unbaked pot; and the potter pat it on his kiln. He shut it down on the four sides; however much they tried they could find no way out. Lord, when thou heardst the cries of the elephants, thou didst hear and protect (my son). I can make nothing but thou canst make everything, Lord,20
Kabit.
An layo gajrd;', mahdbali Sahib Shahjahan farmdio. AB tor zanjir Qalinda,80 kí tir ; ab tos sanjir sarosar dhdio. sang sanwdr diy, sar mei girio gaj, Aurang Shah girdio. Rohar ki a lul ohhúti, nadi jaisi ban phátt; dek dek jo guni ne,jai, jai' kar gdio.
Verse. Said the great lord Shah Jahan, 'let the elephant come to the fight."
Now he has broken his chain on the banks of the Jamnâ ; now he has broken his chain and rushed forward headlong.
Poising his spear, it fell a yard into his head and Aurang Shah felled him.
A stream of blood gushed out, as a stream it burst forth ; when the crowd saw it, they cried 'victory, victory.'
So by the grace of God, Aurangzeb killed the mad elephant, and the three princes also and the King, and placed himself on the throne.
Allusion here to two well-known Hindu tales of the pot-full of kittens saved from the kiln 'by the grace of God,' and of Vishnu saying the life of an elephant from a crocodilo.
3. The Jamn.
