________________
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ FEBRUARY, 1922
city, go carefully. The girls of the city will tease you but you should leave them severely alone and not tarnish the name of a Fakir. Sehti the sister of Saida is a clever woman and you should beware of her. She is certain to be your enemy. She is not afraid of any Fakir. She is in love with a Baluch camel-driver. You should let her understand that you know this. May God help you in your task. Fortune favours you. Your star is in the ascendant Rânjha; you are about to ascend the throne of Akbar. The jackal of Hazara is. going to try and capture the lioness of Jhang. You, a fox of the jungle of Takht Hazara, will become as favoured as a delicate musk deer of Khotan. You have heaped disgrace on the Sials and now you are going to humiliate the Kheras.
6
CHAPTER 22.
(Ranjha arrives at Rangpur.)
So it came to pass that Ranjha came to the yillage of the Kheras. The girls of the village were taking water from the well when Rânjha addressed them. Some suspected he was the lover of Hîr but they said nothing. A woman told him the name of the village, and Ranjha rejoiced when he heard the name. 'Ajju," she said, "is the headman of the village and Saida is his son who stole away Hîr the bride of Rânjha." And Ranjha rejoiced when he heard the name of Hir. The children of the village followed him about as he begged from house to house and the young men asked him what he thought of the place when he had inspected all the girls.
And Ranjha replied: "How can I fix my attention on the Kheras with all these girls about? Their bright eyes slay their lovers as with a sharp sword. The scent of their flowers and the black of their eyelashes have dealt death and destruction in the bazaar."
The beauties of Rangpur thronged round the Jogi like moths round a lamp. They overwhelmed him with their surpassing beauty. His eyes shone in amazememt. When the women of the village saw the beauty of the Jogi they surrounded him in multitudes, old and young, fat and thin, married and unmarried. They poured out all their woes to the Fakir and many wept as they told their stories. Some complained of their poverty: others yearned for children: others complained of their father-in-law or mother-in-law. Some complained that their husbands beat them; others that their neighbours were unkind. Others said: "Our sons have gone to a distant country. When will they return?" Some said: "For God's sake deliver me from the pains of Love. Its flame has scorched me ever since I was born."
Ranjha made all the girls sit close to him and told them to fetch freshly broken potsherds from the kiln. On them he drew mysterious lines and signs. Some he told to wear them round their necks. Others to bind them round their loins. Others he told to put them in pitchers of water and to make all the family drink them. "Thus fathers-in-law, mothersin-law, husbands, brothers and everybody will become kind". To others he said: "Be composed; God has fulfilled all your hopes."
The girls came trooping out of their houses when they heard of the Jogi, saying: "Mother, a Jogi has come to our village with rings in his ears. He has a beggar's bowl in his hand and a necklace of beads round his neck. He has long hair like a juggler. His eyes are red and shine with the brilliancy of fire. Sometimes he plays on the King [a musical instrument] and weeps. At other times he plays on the Nad [another musical instrument] and laughs. He calls on God day and night. He is the chela [pupil] of Balnath and the love of someone has pierced his heart."
And Saida's sister said to Hir: "Sister, this Jogi is as beautiful as the moon and as alender as a cypress tree. He is the son of some lucky mother. He is searching about as if he had lost some valuable pearl. He is more beautiful even than you. He cries, "God be with you" as if he had lost some beloved friend. Did not Mirza and Sahiba lose their lives
