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MAY, 1909.]
THE LEGEND OF KHAN KHWAS.
113
THE LEGEND OF KHAN KHWAS AND SHER SHAH THE
CHAUGATTA (MUGHAL) AT DELHI.
BY H. A. ROSE.
THE Khân Khwis of this quaint Panjabi Legend is the Khwas Khân mentioned in the account
1 of the Chuhâs of Gujrat. Masnad Ali Khwas Khân was a historical personage and a Memoir of him is given in Elliot's Hist. of India, IV, pp. 528-32. He is also alluded to repeatedly in the Tarikh-i-Sher-Shahi. The present Legend is historically quite incorrect, but it is interesting as showing how Kbwas Khân tbe Generous is still remembered in the Panjab.
No. V.
No. V.
Translation.
Text. Lard: Khan Khwas betá nál Sher Shah wálid khud Chaugatta Dihli; bazaban Panjabi
wa Hind listání.
The War of Khan Khwds with his father
Sher Shah Chaugatta, King of Dehli.
Ik din Badshah Begam se gasse hogyå. Once upon a time king Sher Shâh was dishukm kita : Begam nûņ shahar ton kadhdio.' pleased with his Begam and ordered her to be Begam hamal nål tht; shahar Rohtas wich ja banished. The Begam, who was pregnant, took baithî, aur Sûbê Rohtas då Bådshah de dar de up her abode in Rohtas city. The governor of mare khidmat wich hêjir raha. . Jab din pûre Rchtâs, in fear of the king, remained in attendance húe dat nün saddke andar d Akhil kitâ aur najúmi on her. On the completion of the term of pregbbt sadd-leanda. Laska jamia: najumi kitab nancy, be sent for a midwife, and introduced kadhke wekhan lagå. Begam nûn najůmi ne her into (the Begam's) room. He also called kah-ditta : terâ pûttar bada badshah sakhi in an astrologer. She was delivered of a son. hoega. Begam sanke khush hủi, aur inâm The astrologer opened his book and after connajûmî nûn bahut ditta, Jab bachch& bada sulting it said that her son wonld be a liberal hogya, naukar chákar rakh-ditte ; jab bârâ baras and generous prince. The Begam was much dá hoiâ, woh mulk núņ mâr-kut karke lútan pleased at hearing this prophecy and gave him laga. Jeb badshah nûn khabar but, bådshah ne a handsome reward. When the prince 'grew faujân bhejkar kaha ki : - 'pakt-lâo. Faajan older, servants were engaged for his care. At nål lasai but; bådshah di faaj hârgayi, topan the age of 12 he began to plunder the country sab klolâya. Phir hor fauj a't; us par bht by force and violence. When this news reached Fhahzadah ne fatab pa'i. Badshah núi başa king Sher Shah, he sent troops to capture the lachar kar-ditta. Bådshah Sber Shâb ne apne prince. In the battle that ensued, the king's amirên nûņ kab-ditta : jerà ibnün phar-lâwe, army was repulsed, and its guns were seized by ohnûn main bada khush karùng&.' Dar de mare the prince. The king despatched yet another Shahzadah de kise ne bht ohde phar-lâne da force, which the prince also defcated. The king, iqarår nå kita. Ik Jiwan Rai Bhâți darbâr now helpless, called together his nobles, and wich baitha si: oh bola, al Badshah' ik arz courtiers, and told them that whoever captured meri hai, jan bakbshen, to kahân. Bådshab ne the prince should receive a great reward. Fear. kabâ kah'; woh kahne laga: Main Khan ing the prince's bravery none of them volunteered
1 Bhat, or bhatt in Panjabi, is a bard-a casto of degenerate Brahmans. The kabits are all intended to excite tho hearers' generosity and induce them to fee the Bh&t who recites them lavishly.
