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276
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[Остовкв, 1910.
No. XII.
A Song about the Forest godlings: The Cow and the Lion. Sung by Salig Ram Kayasth of Aparpûr Village. Recorded by Lalta Prasad, School Teacher of Aparpur. Text.
Din ko uan, kiran ki berâ surain ban ko jâwe, ri.
Ek ban nigh; dujo ban nâghai; tije ban pahunche jâyâ, rî. Ban kai patanâ mukhhû nâ dinhe, upar nâhar hûkai, rf. "Ab ki dâin bakas mere sama lâ; ghar bachhrâ nâdân, ri. " "Kô tero sâkh bharat hai ? Ko tero bhayo zâmani, ri?" "Suraj sabità sâkh bharat hain; Banaspati zaman, ri." "Sûraj sabitâ sahajayan athay gaye? Banaspati jhar jây, ri?" "Dharti Mâtâ sâkh bharati hain; Bâsuk hot zaman, ri. " Ek ban nagh, dujo ban naghi, tije ban pahunch! jâyâ, ri. Awo: "Mêre bachharâ pilo dudhwa, sinh bachan hâri âî, ri."
"Awat dekho ab to dudh ham nâ piwain, mâtâ. Chalihon tumhâre sâth, ri, "
Unche parbat here wâre sinhla: "Surain aj na âî, rf." Awat dekhi surabhi bachhara, sinhla man musaka, rî, "Ab to surbhi bachan, ki sâncht: ek gâi, do âî, rî," "Pahile, mâmâ, monhin bhaksb lijo, pichhê surain mâî, rî." "Kaune, bhanaijâ, toihin sikh dinhon kaun lagyo tere kân ri ?" "Dharti Mâtâ monhin sikh dinh!; langûr lagyo mere kân, ri. " "Jawô, bhanaija, ban tumhin ko dinhôn. Bhôr hot char jâwo, rî; " Charne ko Kajali Ban dai dinho; pîne ko Gangâ jal pani, ri. "
Translation.
A cow went into the forest at day-break.
She passed one forest and then the second and then she went into the third forest.
She had not taken any leaf of the forest into her mouth before she found a lion roaring
at her.
(She begged of him) "Have mercy on me this time. I have a very young calf at home.". (The lion asked) "Who is thy witness and who stands security for thee ? "
(The cow replied) "The sun is my witness and Banaspati is security for me."
(The lion rejoined ) "The sun will set, and Banaspati will drop."
(The cow then said) "Mother Earth is my witness and Basak (the snake king) is my security."
Then the lion allowed her to go and she went back from one forest to the other and then to the third and reached her home.
She arrived (and said to her calf), "My calf, come and suck my teats, I have given my
word to a lion."
(The calf said)" Look here, mother, I won't suck thy teats now. I shall go with thee (to the lion)."
The lion kept watch on the lofty hills (and said within himself) "the cow does not come to-day."
He saw the cow and the calf coming towards him and he smiled.
(When the the cow with the calf went up to the lion, he said):-"O cow, thou art very trathful. Thou didst go alone and hast come back doubled,"
(The calf broke in upon the conversation and said):-"O maternal uncle, first of all eat me, and then you can eat the mother-cow."
