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OOTOBER, 1922)
HIR AND RANJHA
CHAPTER 32.
(The poisoning of Hir and the death of Ranjha.) Thus God showed His mercy and the Raja caused the two lovers to meet again. And Ranjha called down blessings on the Raja saying: "God be praised and may weal and wealth come to your kingdom. May all troubles flee away and may you rule over horses, camels, elephants, batteries, Hindustan and Scinde."
So Ranjha set off towards his home taking Hir with him, and he said to her: “Girl, you have been bestowed by God and the five Pirs on me.”
And Hir replied: "If I enter the country like this, people will say I am a runaway woman, and that you have been the ruin of the houses of fathers and father-in-laws. Of what avail will such a victory be? The women will say I have not been properly married. My aunts will taunt me and ask me why I have come back in this way."
And after they had gone some distance on their way Hir said: “This is the valley where we met. This is where we beat Kaido, bound him with ropes and dragged him along the ground. This is where we used to talk together and this is where destiny overcame us. When the marriage procession of the Kheras came up it was as if the flood of Noah had overwhelmed us."
Now the shepherds were grazing their buffaloes in the jungle and they espiod Hir and Ranjha, and when they drew close they recognised them, and the shepherds said to Ranjha : "Who has bored your ears?"
And they went and told the Sials: "Behold the shepherd has brought the girl Hir back. He has shaved the beard of the Kheras without water."
And the Sials said: "Do not let them go away. Bring Hir to her aunts and tell Ranjha to bring a marriage procession in order to wed Hir." And they brought Hir and Ranjha to the Sials.
Now at the same time a barber came up on an embassy from the Kheras to demand back Hir, and the Sials said to the barber: "You must make some good excuse to the Kheras for us and give this message and say: 'We gave you Hir in marriage. After that she was dead to us. You never showed us the face of our daughter afterwards. She and you are both dead to us. Why are you now asking us about her ? From of old time you were mean. You are publishing your own disgrace by making these inquiries. The army of the enemy has looted you. Why are you now beating your drums | The conquerors have already divided the spoils of victory. You have ruined our daughter. We will take in exchange a girl from you by way of satisfaction." And they sent back the barber with taunts saying: "Do not come again on an embassy to us."
Then the brotherhood brought Hîr and Ranjha to their home and laid a rich couch for them to sit on and all the family were happy. They took the Jogi's rings out of his ears. They shaved him and put a rich turban on his head, they gave him a silk shirt and sat him on the throne, even as Joseph was placed on the throne after having been brought out of the pit. They ensnared the heart of Ranjha with their cunning, for they were communing in their heart how they might kill Hir. Kaido was for ever plotting evil against them. Thus they became responsible for the murder and they themselves caused the blot on their own fame.
Meanwhile, Ranjha at the suggestion of the Sials had gone to his home, and he told his brethren to prepare a marriage procession so that he might go and marry Hir. Many baskets of fruit and sweets were put on the heads of the barbers. They prepared bands of minstrels and fireworks, and Ranjha's brothers' wives danoed with happines8 and sang songs.
