________________
JULY, 1922. )
HIR AND RANJRA
CHAPTER 25.
(Ranjha retires to Kalabagh.) And Ranjha meditated deeply in his heart, and he collected ashes from the hearth and sat down on a hillock in the garden of Kalabagh. And he kindled fire and meditated on God, and sparks came from his body. He stopped his breath and meditated like a holy mahant, and under the shadow of the tree he was absorbed in deep meditation. Then he recited spells and incantations. And a voice came from the five Pirs saying: "Go to, My child, your grief is gone. You will meet your beloved in the morning." And Ranjha was pleased when he heard the voice of the five Pirs, and he said to himself: "Now I shall meet my beloved."
And it came to pass that on Friday all the girls of the village assembled to pay a visit to the garden in Kalabagh. They descended on the garden in their battalions of beauty As a flook of slender cranes. The earth trembled at the onset of these fairies. And they fell on the hut of the Jogi. They put out his fire, threw away his beggar's bowl and wallet and scattered his bhang. They broke his pestle and mortar. They threw away his turban, his chain and his tongs, his cup and his horn. They destroyed his possessions and looted him as armies have looted the Panjab. Then the Jogi gave a loud roar from inside the garden and with a stick in his hand advanced to attack them even as a garrison of a fort makes a night attack on its besiegers. And he cried in his wrath : “Where is the caravan of these female devils." The girls hearing the terrible roar of the Jogi, all ran away, all save one beautiful sparrow whom he caught.
She cried : "help, help," and threw off all her clothes and ornaments to save her life. " You are a deinon," she cried," and we are helpless fairies. If you touch us we shall die. What have you to tell me? What message have you to send. My aunt Hic has been your friend from the beginning. We all know she is your beloved. I will take her any message you give me."
The Jogi sighed when he heard the name of Hîr and he sent a message through the girl to Hir complaining how badly she had treated him; and the girl ran off and told Hîr, saying: "I had gone to play with my girl friends and he told me his secret. All day he fixes his eyes on the path leading to the village and all night he girds up his loins and counts the stars in despair. Tears flow from his eyes like the rains in summer. When you got into your Dooli and hid yourself from your lover, all the world mocked at you. Your cruel treatment of Ranjha has pierced the heart of the whole world. Everybody says you belong to the shepherd. He is being tortured and taunted about you every day."
And Hir replied to the girl : “Ranjha has been foolish to babble the secret of his heart to a woman. Did not Mansur get crucified for telling his secret? Did not Joseph get put in the well for telling his dream? Have not parrots been put in cages for chattering? True lovers conceal the insanity of their love. Those who digclose their secret are the losers on the battlefield of love. What has happened to Ranjha's wits that he has spoilt the whole affair ?, Why should not I be proud of my beauty? I will darken my eyelashes and with the power of my eyes make Ranjha and Saida fight over me. I will subdue the garden of Kalabagh and levy tribute on Jog."
The next day in order to compass the object of her desire, Hir went to Sehti and clasped her feet and tried to win her over with soft words saying: "Sister, forgive me, I entreat you for all my faults and for having quarrelled with you. You may abuse me twice over for all I have abused you. If you will accomplish my desire and bring my lover back to me, I will be your slave for ever. My house and property, my gold and silver, all my cows and my buffaloes will be yours. Ranjha has been my lover from the beginning, when we were boy
