[Illustration: The snake king]
NOTES TO TALES
SIR BUZZ
Sir Buzz.—In the vernacular Mîyân Bhûngâ, which is Pânjabî for Sir Beetle or Sir Bee. The word is clearly connected with the common Aryan roots frem, bhran, bhah, bhin, to buzz as a bee or beetle.
Tigress.—Not otherwise described by the narrators than as a bhût, which is usually a malignant ghost, but here she is rather a benevolent fairy.
Span.—The word in the vernacular was hâth, the arm below the elbow, or conventionally half-a-yard, or 18 inches.
Hundredweight.—The word here is man, an Indian weight of about 80 Ibs.
Princess Blossom.—Bâdshâhzâdi Phûlî, Princess Flower, or Phûlâzâdî, Born-of-a-flower.
One-eyed Chief Constable.—Kotwál is the word used in the original; he is a very familiar figure in all oriental tales of Musalmân origin, and must have been one in actual mediæval oriental life, as he was the chief police (if such a term can be used with propriety) officer in all cities. The expression 'one-eyed' is introduced to show his evil nature, according to the well-known saying and universal belief—
Kânâ, kâchrâ, hoch-gardanâ: yeh tînon kamsât!
Jablag has apnâ chale, to koî na pûchhe but.