THE LAMBIKIN
Lambikin.—The words used were Panjâbî, lelâ, lerâ, lekrâ, and lelkarâ, a small or young lamb.
Lambikin's Songs.—Of the first the words were Panjâbî—
Nânî kol jâwângû: Motâ tâjâ âwângâ Pher tûn main nûn khâwângâ.
Of the second song—
Wan piâ lelkarâ: wan pî tû. Chal dhamkiriâ! Dham! Kâ! Dhû!
These the rhymes render exactly. The words dham, kâ, dhû are pronounced sharply, so as to imitate the beats on a drum.
Drumikin.—The dhamkîriâ or dhamkirî in Panjâbî is a small drum made by stretching leather across a wide-mouthed earthen cup (piyâlâ). The Jatts make it of a piece of hollow wood, 6 inches by 3 inches, with its ends covered with leather.
BOPOLUCHI
Bopolûchî.—Means Trickster.
Uncle: uncle-in-law.—The words used were mâmû, mother's brother, and patiauhrâ, husband's (or father-in-law's) younger brother.
Pedlar.—Wanjârâ or banjârâ (from wanaj or banaj, a bargain), a class of wandering pedlars who sell spices, etc.
Robber.—The word used was thag, lit. a deceiver. The Thags are a class but too well known in India as those who make their living by deceiving and strangling travellers. Meadows Taylor's somewhat sensational book, The Confessions of a Thug, has made their doings familiar enough, too, in England. In the Indian Penal Code a thag is defined as a person habitually associated with others for the purpose of committing robbery or child-stealing by means of murder.
Crow's, etc., verses,.—The original words were—
Bopo Lûchi!
Aqlon ghuthî,
Thag nâl thagî gai.
Bopo Lûchi!
You have lost your wits,
And have been deceived by a thag.
Bridal scarlet.—Every Panjâbî bride, however poor, wears a dress of scarlet and gold for six months, and if rich, for two years.