THE SPARROW AND THE CROW
The Song.—The form of words in the original is important. The following gives the variants and the strict translation—
Tû Chhappar Dâs, Main Kâng Dâs, Deo paneriyâ, Dhoven chucheriyâ, Khâwen khijeriyâ, Dekh chiriyâ kâ chûchlâ, Main kâng sapariyâ.
You are Mr. Tank,
I am Mr. Crow,
Give me water,
That I may wash my beak,
And eat my khichrî,
See the bird's playfulness,
I am a clean crow.
Tû Lohâr Dâs, Main Kâng Dâs, Tû deo pharwâ, Main khodûn
ghasarwâ, Khilâwen bhainsarwâ, Chowen dûdharwâ, Pilâwen
hirnarwâ, Toren singarwâ, Khôden chalarwâ, Nikâlen panarwâ,
Dhoven chunjarwâ, Khâwen khijarwâ, Dehk chiriyâ kâ chûchlâ,
Main kâng saparwâ.
You are Mr. Blacksmith,
I am Mr. Crow,
You give me a spade,
And I will dig the grass,
That I may give it the buffalo to eat,
And take her milk,
And give it the deer to drink,
And break his horn,
And dig the hole,
And take out the water,
And wash my beak,
And eat my khichrî,
See the bird's playfulness,
I am a clean crow.
THE BRAHMAN AND THE TIGER
The Tiger, the Brâhman, and the Jackal. A very common and popular Indian tale. Under various forms it is to be found in most collections. Variants exist in the Bhâgavata Purâna and the Gul Bakâolâ, and in the Amvâr-i-Suhelî. A variant is also given in the Indian Antiquary, vol. xii. p. 177.
Buffalo's complaint.—The work of the buffalo in the oil-press is the synonym all India over—and with good reason—for hard and thankless toil for another's benefit.
As miserable as a fish out of water.—In the original the allusion is to a well-known proverb—mandâ hâl wâng Jatt jharî de—as miserable as a Jatt in a shower. Any one who has seen the appearance of the Panjâbî cultivator attempting to go to his fields on a wet, bleak February morning, with his scant clothing sticking to his limp and shivering figure, while the biting wind blows through him, will well understand the force of the proverb.