“Ruler of Destiny,” replied Ssidi, “thou hast spoken words! Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake he, and burst from the sack through the air.
Ssidi’s fourth relation treats of the Magician with the head of the Swine.
The History of Sunshine and his Brother.
As the Chan’s Son was journeying along as before, laden with Ssidi, Ssidi inquired of him as formerly who should tell a tale. But the Son of the Chan shook his head without speaking a word, and Ssidi began as follows:—
“Many years ago Guchanasschang reigned over a certain happy land. This Chan had a wife and a son, whose name was Sunshine (Narrani Garral). Upon the death of his first wife the Chan married a second; and by her likewise he had a son, and the name of his second son was Moonshine (Ssarrani Garral). And when both these sons were grown up, the wife of the Chan thought to herself, ‘So long as Sunshine, the elder brother, lives, Moonshine, the younger, will never be Chan over this land.’
“Some time after this the wife of the Chan fell sick, and tossed and tumbled about on her bed from the seeming agony she endured. And the Chan inquired of her, ‘What can be done for you, my noble spouse?’ To these words the wife of the Chan replied, ‘Even at the time I dwelt with my parents I was subject to this sickness. But now it is become past bearing. I know, indeed, but one way of removing it; and that way is so impracticable, that there is nothing left for me but to die.’ Hereupon spake the Chan, ‘Tell unto me this way of help, and though it should cost me half my kingdom thou shalt have it. Tell me what thou requirest.’ Thus spake he, and his wife replied with the following words, ‘If the heart of one of the Chan’s sons were roasted in the fat of the Gunsa (a beast); but thou wilt not, of course, sacrifice Sunshine for this purpose; and I myself bare Moonshine, his heart I will not consume. So that there is now nothing left for me but to die.’ The Chan replied, ‘Of a surety Sunshine is my son, and inexpressibly dear unto me; but in order that I may not lose thee, I will to-morrow deliver him over to the Jargatschi’ (the servants of Justice).
“Moonshine overheard these words and hastened to his brother, and said, ‘To-morrow they will murder thee.’ When he had related all the circumstances, the brother replied, ‘Since it is so, do you remain at home, honouring your father and mother. The time of my flight is come.’ Then said Moonshine with a troubled heart, ‘Alone I will not remain, but I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.’
“Because the following day was appointed for the murder, the two brothers took a sack with baling-cakes from the altar, crept out at night, for it was the night of the full moon, from the palace, and journeyed on day and night through the mountainous country, until they at length arrived at the course of a dried-up river. Because their provender was finished, and the river afforded no water, Moonshine fell to the earth utterly exhausted. Then spake the elder brother, full of affliction, ‘I will go and seek water; but do you watch an instant until I come down from the high places.’
“After some vain attempts Sunshine returned, and found that his brother had departed this life. After he had with great tenderness covered the body of his brother with stones, he wandered over high mountains, and then arrived at the entrance of a cave. Within the cave sat an aged Arschi. ‘Whence comest thou?’ inquired the old man, ‘thy countenance betokeneth deep affliction.’ And when the youth had related all that had passed, the old man, taking with him the means of awakening the dead, went with the youth to the grave, and called Moonshine back to life. ‘Will ye be unto me as sons?’ Thus spake the old man, and the two young men became as sons unto him.