The next day he continued, and told how a snake had bitten Bisuntha, and how he had died in the forest, and had been raised to life by Mahadeo and Parbatti. Rupa was now full of anxiety to know the rest, but Bisuntha said he had forgotten it, so nothing could be done.

When he came again, he said he remembered that Bisuntha came to a certain town, where the Rajah ordered him to be given to a tiger; how he had escaped the tiger and all other dangers, and had in his pocket the proof. Thus saying he took out the tiger’s ears and whiskers, and, as his eyes met his brother’s, they recognised each other, and fell upon each other’s necks.

SHEIK CHILLI

The hero of this story was one day walking along with a vessel of oil upon his head. As he walked he kept thinking of the future.

“I will sell the oil, and with the money I shall buy a goat, and then I shall sell the kids, and then I shall buy a cow, and sell the milk, till I get a large sum of money; then I shall buy a pair of buffaloes, and a field, and plough the field, and gain more money, and build myself a house, and marry a wife, and have many sons and daughters. And when my wife comes to call me to dinner, I’ll say: ‘Dhur, away! I’ll come when 1 think fit!’ ” and with that he held up his head suddenly, and away fell the chattie with the oil, and it was all spilt.

This upset Sheik Chilli so much that he began to yell: “I have lost my goats, I have lost my cows, I have lost my buffaloes, and my house, and my wife and children.”

[To face page 68.

Sheik Chilli