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38
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ AUGUST, 1925
But his father stopped him and said "This is your mother, who has been turned into a sow by my prayers, to save her from the Raja. Now you can make your prayer." Then the boy prayed-" O Lord, turn my mother into her original shape." And so it was.
Then Mahadeva said to Pârvati-"Now you see that it is useless trying to help boors like these."
68. Mir Kusro and the Kachhi.
(Told by Shankar Sinh Thakur of Ravi, Fatehpur District.)
One day the Emperor Akbar went out hunting, and in the chase he was separated from his companions and became very hungry. He came on a field where a Kachhi was watching his crop of melons and said to the man, "Give me one." "I can give to none," said the Kachhi, "until I offer the first-fruits to the Emperor." This he said, not knowing that it was the Emperor who stood before him. The Emperor offered him money, but the Kachhi would not part with one of the melons.
Akbar was pleased with his honesty, and on returning to the palace he said to Mir Khusro" When a Kachhi comes with a present of melons, see that he is at once conducted into my presence." Mir Khusro knew that the Emperor was pleased with the Kachhi and proposed to reward him handsomely. So a day or two later, when the Kachhi came with his melons, he said to him :-"I will take you to the Presence; but you must promise to give me half the reward which the Emperor confers on you." Mir Khusro was then summoned by the Emperor. Meanwhile Birbal passed by and asked the Kachhi what his case was. When he heard of the covetousness of Mir Khusro, he said to the Kachhi :-"Get him to give you a written undertaking that he is to take half of what the Emperor awards you." This being done, Birbal advised the Kachhi what to do when the Emperor summoned him. Accordingly when he appeared before Akbar and was asked what boon he desired, the Kachhi said:"Swear thrice that you will give me what I ask." Akbar swore thrice and the Kachhi then said:"Give me a hundred blows of a shoe." Akbar was amazed and tried to make him withdraw his request. But he would not; and when he had duly received fifty strokes, he said:"Stop! I have a partner who is to share with me," and he pointed to Mir Khusro. When Akbar heard the tale, he was amazed at the rude strength of the man, and said to Mir Khusro :-"Now you have the reward of your covetousness. Fifty strokes with the shoe will end your life. Better will it be for you to settle with your partner." So Mir Khusro had to pay an enormous sum to escape, and the Emperor gave the Kachhi a village, which is still known as Kachhpurwa in the neighbourhood of Agra.
69. The Evil of Covetousness.
(Told by Ram Singh, Constable of Kuthaund, Jalaun District.)
One day Akbar and Birbal were out hunting on an elephant, when Akbar noticed some. thing sparkling on the ground, which looked like a pearl. So he made some excuse and got down. But on touching it, he found that it was only a drop of spittle glistening in the sunshine. Being ashamed, he said nothing; but on returning to the palace, he asked Birbal what was the meanest thing in the world. Birbal asked for a month's grace to find out, and went and stayed in a village in the hope of learning the answer from the people.
He asked the women what was the meanest thing in the world, and they said :-" Ask our husbands;" and when he asked the husbands, they said, "Ask our women." Then an old Ahir woman invited Bîrbal to stay with her. So he went and found food ready cooked for the household. When she asked Birbal to share their meal, he said:"How can I, a Brahman, eat with an Ahir ?" "What does it matter," said she, "no one will know." But as he still refused, she brought a purse of two hundred rupees and gave it to him. Then he put out his hand to take the food. But she drew the food away from him, saying:-" How
