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62
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
DECEMBER, 1022
From the English point of view it is, as I have said, interesting to note that the principal advances come from Hir and that Ranjha somewhat condescendingly agrees to accept them. It is Ranjha who is doubtful about Hîr's fidelity and he has no hesitation in informing the lady of this fact.
Hir thon goes to her parents and persuades her father and mother to take on Ranjha as their cowherd.
“My father", urges Hîr," he is as learned as Solomon and he can shave the very beard of Plato. He has cunning to trace out thefts and he speaks with wisdon in the assembly of the elders. He can decide thousands of disputes and is learned in the wisdom of the Dogar Jats. He can swim buffaloes across the river and recover stolen cattle. He stands steadfast in his duty as a wrestler stands firm in the midst of the arena."
Hîr is successful in her endeavours and Ranjha is taken on as cowherd.
We then get a picture of Ranjha looking after the cattle in the Bar. In the forest he meets the Five Pirs-Khwaja Khizar, the God of waters; Shakr Gunj, the saint of Pak Pattan; Shahbaz Kalandar of Uoh ; Zakaria of Multan, and Sayyad Jalal of Bukhara, also known as Makhdum Jahanian. The Pirs console Ranjha and promise that he shall be successful in his pursuit of Hîr, "Hir has been bestowed on you by the Darbar of God."
Each of the Pirs then gives him a present, Khwaja Khizar a turban tuft, Sayyad Jalal a dagger, Zakaria & stick and blanket, Lal Shahbaz Kalandar a ring, and Shakar Ganj a handkerchief.
Then comes a passage in praise of buffaloes, "They swim in the deep waters; their soft eyes were like lotus buds and their teeth like rows of pearls." After this Hîr comes to visit Ranjha in the forest.
These frequent visits of Hir to Ranjha in the forest start scandal among the village gossips and Hir's mother Milki gives her a severe lecture.
"The taunts of the village folk have burnt me up utterly. Would to God no daugther like Hir had ever been born to me." Hir, however, will not listen to her mother and refuses to give up Ranjha.
Next, Hîr's crippled uncle Kaidu, the villain of the piece, comes on the scene. He has hoard rumours of the love affair and he determines to see for himself if it is true. Disguised 18 & fakir, he gets into the forest and begs food from Ranjha. Ranjha unsuspectingly gives him part of the food Hir has brought him from her home. When Hir comes back from the river, Ranjha tells her of the visit of the fakir. Hîr rounds on him for being such a fool as to be taken in by Kaidu, and she runs off and catches Kaidu on the way to the village and gives him a severe thrashing.
Kaidu, however, escapes with a piece of the food which Ranjha gave him and he shows it to the village olders as ovidence of the shame wbich Hir is bringing on the village; he advices Hîr's parents to get her married at once.
There is another scene between Hîr and her mother. Her throughout is unrepentant.
The scandal is 80 pronounced that Chuchak decides to send Ranjha away. "Tell me, brothers of the Sials", he ways reflectively," what use bave we for a cowherd like this? I did not engage him to be a bull among my cows. I meant him to take my buffaloes and not girls into the forest !"
