________________ THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY [ DECEMBER, 1922 Kaido then complains to the panchayat who try and forth his wounded feelings. They call up the girls and ask them why they have treated Kaido in this way. The girls make a spirited but ohviously untrue defence. They put their fingers into their mouths with smatement and replied, " He is a lowd and wiokod fellow, he pinches our cheeks and handles as in A mighty unbecoming fashion." The girls then go and complahiho Miki. Tey exclaim sarcastically, "You are kind to a quarrekome knave like this cripple, and make your daughters stand before the village clders. This is a new kind of justice." "Kaido is discontented with his treatment at the hands of the panchayat and accuses them of partiality. Chuchak rebukes Kaido saying, "Ours is not a panchayat of men without shame or fear of God. We do the thing that is just and hate the thing that is evil. Let me See with my own eyes that your story is true and I will cut the throat of this wicked hussy and turn the shepherd out of this country." Raido then lies in ambush in the forcat and secing one day Mirand Ranjha together he runs off and tells Chuchak. Chuchak saddles his horre and surprises the lovers in each other's company. Mir with admirable commonsense and presence of mind suggests that her father had better overlook and pardon this escapade and that the less he talks about it the better it will be for the family honour and peace of mind. Chuchek with equat oommonsense comes to the conclusion that the sooner he gets Hir sally married the better. The scene then shifts to Ranjha's home at Takht Hazara. His brothers and their wives exchange letters with #ir and her father suggesting they shall Wet Ranjha come back to his home. Chuchak replies with spirit, "We will not turn him out hut if he wants to go and seo his brothers nobody will provent him." Ranjha's sister-in-law has a distinctly feminine slap at Hir: "If you want boys to debauch we can supply you with plenty." She then adds with an admirable-touch of feminine jealousy, " If you wish to compete with us on the score of beauty we are quite ready to accept the challenge." Mir is quite ready with her retort : "Did Ranjha's sisters-in-law love him so much that they turned him out of his father's house"? Hir firmly refuses to give up Ranjha, saying maliciously, He refuses to go however muoh you may exert yourselves." I have quoted some of the remarks in the letters to show that Waris Shah is not without some skin in draw. ing characters. Chuchak next discusses to whom he shall marry Hlr. It is pointed out to him by the hrotherhood that the Bials have never given their daughters to Ranjha Jats ; hence marrying her to Ranjha is vetoed as out of the question. Chuchak is advised by his friends and relations to marry HIT to Saidara Khera. The Kheras had suggested the alliance, and as it was a good match, Chushak decides to give Hiriin marriage to Saida. Hir upraids her mother when she hears of these matrimonial arrangements being made behind her haok. The Sial girls oome and sympathize with Ranjha on his bad luck and they upraid Air for being faithless to Ranjha. Hihr tells the girls to bring Ranjha to see her in the digguise of a girl and the defends horolt saying, "I have been telling my lover to man away with me, but the silly fellow missed his chance. Why does he turn round now and blame his beat fortone ?" Then follows the description of the preparations made by Chuchok for the marriage.
