Bhattani Folktales

Bhattani FolktalesAuthor(s): Lucas KingSource: Folklore, Vol. 40, No. 1 (Mar. 31, 1929), pp. 62-77Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1255711 .

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62 Collectanea.

BHATTANI FOLKTALES.1

I. (The Unfaithful Wife Outwitted.) A CERTAIN woman was discontented with her husband. Daily she visited a saint's tomb and prayed that her husband should be made blind, in return for which she would sacrifice a goat. One day it happened that the husband had gone secretly to the

tomb, and was concealed in a corner. His wife came and offered her usual prayer, whereupon he spoke from within the tomb, saying that her prayer was granted and that she should kill the goat and give it to her husband to eat, after which he would become blind. The woman went home, killed the goat, and

gave the meat to her husband. When he had eaten half of it, he complained that he could see but little. The woman believed

it, and gave him the other half to eat. He then pretended to be

wholly blind. She told him to keep watch at the door so that no animal could enter, while she fetched water. On the way she met one of her paramours, and bid the man come to her house. He objected that her husband was sitting in the door-

way, but she assured him that, although her husband seemed to be gazing at him, the former was totally blind. When her friend neared the door, her husband gave him such a blow with a club that he died. Upon this the woman reproached her husband for striking so hard as to kill another man's bullock, but the husband replied that, being blind, he had struck from fear. In the same way the three other paramours of the woman were killed on three following days. To dispose of the four dead bodies, the woman engaged a coolie for one rupee to carry one dead body from her house and throw it in the river. The coolie agreed, threw a corpse into the river, and returned for his wages. But the woman told him that the corpse was.still lying in her house. So the man went again to the river and threw in

1 These tales were collected about 1891 in the camping expeditions of the late Sir Lucas King in the Derah Ismail Khan District. (See vol. xxxvi (1925), P. 258.) The titles are an addition by the editor. The tales suffer from being printed without explanations and corrections which could only have been supplied by the collector, and in many passages the meaning is obscure owing to the imperfect knowledge of English of the munshi who wrote down the translation. The tales were origin- ally recorded in Hindustani from the Pushtu of the narrator, but this original has not been preserved. [ED.]



Collectanea. 63

the second corpse, and in the same manner the third. On his last return the woman asked the coolie why he demanded his wages when he had not carried away the dead body. Upon this the man became angry, and, taking away the fourth body, which he believed had returned again and again from the river, he buried it in the nala (? channel) of a watermill. Having done this he stood up. A Hindu who had been bathing saw what the coolie had done, and began to run from fear. The coolie was sure that the corpse was once more running home, so he pursued the Hindu, put him to death, and threw his body into the river. He then returned and obtained his rupee from the woman. The husband, finding his wife so cunning, then put her to death.

2. (The Unhappy Lovers.) Once upon a time there were two kings, Awaz Khan and

Feroz Khan, who determined that they would marry two daughters of the same parents. After long search they found two such sisters, with whom they lived in marriage in two separate cities. One day, when the enceinte queens visited together a holy place, they agreed that, if the children were a boy and a girl, they should be betrothed. A male and a female child were born, and named Musa Khan and Makki. One day .Musa Khan began to weep, and was so unhappy that his mother was advised to send him to her sister's city to be cured. Musa Khan's mother herself took her child to the other city, and laid him in the cradle where Makki was sleeping. In a little while, when Musa Khan had become quiet, his mother went to look at him, and found that Musa Khan's arm was under Makki's head and Makki's arm under Musa Khan's head. The sisters ascribed this to the promise before their birth that they should be betrothed, and so Musa Khan's mother left her son in her sister's city, returning now and then to see him.

Now, when the children reached marriageable age, they lost their parents, and new kings (the brothers of the old) sat on their thrones. As Makki was a handsome girl, an old woman noticed her beauty and told of it to King Sophala of her city. So the King ordered the mulld with whom they read to keep the boy and girl apart. But the children found that, when they



64 Collectanea.

could no longer see each other, they could not remember their

lessons, and so they sought each other. They were seen together by the old woman, who warned the King. Sophala was very angry, and banished Musa Khan, who then occupied himself with singing and playing on the fiddle (?). He returned to

Sophala's city, and was again seen by the old woman. The

King was furious, but at last agreed to refer the matter to the law. The maulvi decided in favour of Musa Khan. On hearing the decision, the King struck the mulld in the hand with a

sword, and Musa Khan, afeard, fled to his uncle Wali Khan, to whom he told his story and who promised his help. Together, in arms, they approached Sophala's city, and met and slew two- sons of the old woman. King Sophala got the news, and sent out his army under the command of Yargul and Mahrgul. Warned by their shouts Wali Khan prepared for battle, and

Sophala's two commanders fell in action. Sophala himself then

appeared in the field, but his army sto.od still in terror of Musa Khan and Wali Khan, who prepared to attack. Sophala therefore begged an amnesty, invoking the Koran, and his life was

spared, his army carrying away the corpses of Yargul and

Mahrgul for burial and mourning. Then Sophala proclaimed in his city that he was about to marry Makki, and that his citizens could choose what entertainment they would; they replied that they would choose the good singing and playing of Musa Khan and Wali Khan. Sophala replied that men had already been slain for Makki, and that the players, being her heirs, would not consent (?). But the citizens would choose no other pastime, and at length Sophala agreed to send for the players. The King, taking with him a dagger and a coffin, invited Musa Khan and Wali Khan to come to play in his city, at the same time offering them four damsels and as much money as they pleased for permission of his marriage with Makki. Both con- sented, and, coming to the city of Sophala, began to play in a garden, all the men and women of the city assembling there. Makki also came, and sat near a tree, saying within herself that what was done was evil. In the evening, all returned to their houses, and Makki went to Wali Khan and asked if wrong had not been done, but they refused to answer. Wali Khan remained



Collectanea. 65

outside the kothdi (chamber), and Musa Khan remained with Makki, whose mother took her away from the kothd in the

morning. Shortly the old woman met Makki, and reminded her that, though her lover had come in the city, Makki had

given him nothing to eat. So Makki gave her some fruit, and the old woman poisoned it. Wali Khan ate some of the fruit, fell sick, and died in the house of Musa Khan, to which he had been taken. While still alive, Wali Khan advised his son Mehr Dil to render good to Musa Khan as he would have done himself. Mehr Dil and Musa Khan came to Makki's city, and sent word to her to meet them at a certain place. But the messenger took the word not to Makki, but first to Sophala, who disguised himself in Makki's dress and set out with a sword for the meet-

ing place, where he killed Musa Khan. Meantime the messenger told Makki that Sophala had gone to kill Mehr Dil and Musa Khan. So Makki went to the spot and, seeing Musa Khan dead, stabbed herself and died.

3. (The Wise Man of the Pawindahs.)

Among the Pawindahs there was a man named Harot, famed for his sagacity. One day a Pawindah found a horse nail (? shoe), and took it to Harot, who told him that he had done

wrong in picking up an old moon, and must restore it just to the place where he had found it. The man did so. Another day, the head of a kid happened to get caught in a pot, and the Pawindahs asked Harot how to get it out again. He replied that the only way was to kill the kid on the spot. When they found that its head still did not come out, he hindered them from breaking the pot to get out the head, as, while it remained, no other kid's head could get stuck in. Once the Pawindahs found their way on a mountain blocked by a ravine, and they called Harot to advise them how to cross it, as there was no other way. Harot asked if a torrent was flowing in the ravine, or not, and they said it was. So Harot told them that unless the water was running it would be impossible for oxen to cross, and ordered them to drive in first the bullock on which Harot's mother was riding. When they had driven it in and it was floating in the ravine, Harot, seeing his mother's clothes fluttering in the wind,

E



66 Collectanea.

said that his mother was signalling that the way was clear and that they should follow her. The Pawindahs then drove the other cattle into the ravine, and in a little while all the cattle, and Harot's mother, were drowned. The Pawindahs then took their goods on their heads and returned to their homes. After- wards one day the water of Gunal was in flood, and a dead ass was cast upon the banks. The Pawindahs and Harot came upon it, and Harot, looking at the carcase, said that it was his mother. The Pawindahs asked him how he came to recognise her. He said that, when his mother became angry, she always showed her [teeth], and, as the dead body showed [teeth], it was obviously his mother.

4. (The Fool and his Funeral.) One day a weaver was sitting on the branches of a tree and

cutting its stem. A wise man passing by warned him that, when the stem was cut, he would fall down, but the weaver took no notice. The wise man had gone but a little way when the stem was cut through and the weaver fell down. The weaver then ran after the wise man and told him that he was a prophet, and asked him when he (the weaver) would die. The wise man tried in vain to get rid of the weaver, and at last told him that when his tooth became red he would be about to die. The weaver returned home in great anxiety, and daily asked his wife and daughter if any of his teeth had become red. One day, after eating a dish of meat, the blood stained a tooth, and his wife told him that his tooth was red and that he must be about to die. On hearing this the weaver fell down, and his friends gathered to mourn. A few persons went in advance to dig a grave, and four others, having bathed the weaver, carried him to his burial on his sleeping bed. On the way they came to a fork in the road, and two of the bearers said that they must go by the right-hand road, but the other two that they must go by the left-hand road. Upon this dispute the weaver spoke up that, while alive, he used to go by the right-hand road, but that now, as he was dead, it must be as they wished. The four men, finding him still alive, called back the gravediggers and returned home. (The ordinary procedure at a Moslem burial will be remembered.)



Collectanea. 67

5. (Death better than Two Wives.) A hillman had two wives, one of whom slept on the roof and

the other in the compound of his house. The man used to sleep with them at night in turn, i.e. one night with each wife. On a certain night a thief entered the house and concealed himself, intending to help himself when all were sound asleep. It was then the turn of the wife who slept in the compound, but the

man, contrary to custom, wished to sleep on the roof, and began to climb up the ladder. The wife below caught him by the leg, and the wife above by the hair of the head and beard. They did not let go their hold the whole night despite his many entreaties. When the night had gone, the thief resolved to leave, and was about to do so when the householder asked his wives to release him, as the thief was escaping. The women let him go, and he caught the thief and took him before the ruler, who asked what punishment he demanded. The householder replied that the thief should be made to marry two wives. The ruler asked the thief for his choice, and the robber, relating what had happened, begged for death or imprisonment rather than the punishment of wedding two wives.

6. (The Bride and the Strayed Ox.) A man was about to marry. His marriage was to be celebrated

at night, and in the morning his ox strayed. He insisted that the animal must be caught quickly, because his bride was to ride it at night and, if it could not be found, how could she reach her home ? Could he carry her on his head ?

7. (Thoughts do not catch Thieves.) A hillman who was journeying on horseback with a servant

alighted to pass a night in a dreadful jungle. He ordered his servant to watch lest a thief should steal his horse,-for the place was dangerous,-while the owner slept. Some time in the night the owner woke up, and cried to his servant,-" Are you waking ? " The reply was,-" Yes." The horseman then asked what the servant was thinking about. The answer was,-" I am wondering, when a pig is struck into the ground, whereto the



68 Collectanea.

earth of the space occupied by the pig disappears." The master bade his servant give up such idle thoughts, or thieves would come and take away the horse while he was " thinking "; he then went to sleep. Later, the master again woke up and put the same question to his servant, who replied that he was

wondering how the sky was supported without pillars. The master again ordered him to give up worthless thoughts and take care of his master's horse and life, and once more slept. After a while he woke up and once more questioned the servant whether he was waking. The servant replied in the affirmative, and the master asked what he was thinking about. The servant said that he was wondering whether his master would himself

carry the saddle of the horse, which had been stolen, or put it on his servant's head.

8. (The Fool proves Himself.) A half-mulld in the hills while reading a book came across a

masld (precept) in it to the effect that one who had anything on his body too long was a fool. He considered his body, and con- cluded that his beard was too long. So he rose up and searched for his scissors, but could not find them. He became impatient, and, seizing his beard at the point to which it ought to be shortened, presented it to a light in order to burn it to that place. When the hair took fire, his hands began to burn and he removed them, and all the hair of his beard and all that near it were burnt up. Then he said that the precept was quite true; if he had been a wise man, he would have waited till morning and then cut his beard, but because he was indeed a fool he had burnt all his hair.

9. (The " Son of God.") A hillman asserted that he was the son of God, and other

persons asked him what qualities he had and what he could do, as God is all-powerful and can do whatever He likes. The hillman retorted that his Father had Himself undertaken the work of creation, and had given His child power to put people to death, for with his sword and gun he could kill anyone he liked.



Collectanea. 69

Io. (The Three Robbers.) An Iranian country had a king who was also a prophet, and

to it came three robbers to practise their trade. They consulted together. One said that he would steal the king's fine horse if he could lay hands on it. The second said that he would steal the kingdom, if God helped him. The third said that, if he could, he would seize the king's beautiful wife. The king, being a prophet and a pure-hearted man, knew their intentions, and ordered his servants to go to a certain place and arrest the three robbers who were sitting there. The servants obeyed the order, and brought the robbers before the king. First of all the king asked the first robber what the three friends who had consulted together wanted. He replied that he himself intended, if he could, to steal the king's horse, and the king gave him the horse. The king then asked the second man what he wanted. On his replying that he wanted the kingdom, the king ordered a sword to be brought and to be tied to the robber's forehead.

Next he asked the third man what he wanted. At first the robber lied, but when obliged by the king to tell the truth he confessed that he would think himself fortunate if he obtained the king's wife. So the king ordered three hen eggs to be boiled, and passing them to the robber told him to break and eat one of them, which he did. The king asked what was the taste of the egg, and was answered that it was agreeable. Then the king told the robber to eat the second egg, and enquired about its taste, which the robber said was the same as that of the first. Next the king told him to eat the third egg, and once more enquired about the taste, which he was again told was the same. The king then exclaimed,-" 0 thou wretched fellow! Have you not a wife of your own ? " The robber admitted that he had, and the king demanded why, when the pleasure afforded by the company of all women was the same, the robber should covet the king's wife. The robber repented of his intention, and begged for pardon.

The king now asked the second robber, who wanted his kingdom, whether he felt any fear of the sword hanging from his forehead above his nose. The.robber replied that he was all the time afraid of his nose being cut off, and begged for the



70o Collectanea.

removal of the sword. The king said,-" 0 thou unlucky fellow! I also am always in fear of the loss of my kingdom "

I I. (The Story of Yalat Khan, Emperor of Turkey.) There was a well-known king of Iran named Khunkar, who

had a beautiful and world-famed daughter named Mahbuba. She was accustomed to sit in a palace near which was a stream of clear water. A faqir happened to come to the stream and began to drink water near the palace, when a reflection of the fairy-like daughter of Khunkar showed in the water. When the faqir caught sight of the reflection, he lost his senses and fell into the water. The princess saw this, and sent one of her maidservants to pull him out, lest he should be drowned and the princess made responsible for his death. The maidservant went to the stream and took out the faqir, but presently he fell again into the water. Mahbuba sent her maid a second time to take him out, but after her return he once more fell into the water. The daughter of Khunkar became angry with her servant, and bade her take him out quickly, which she did, but when she had got back the faqir again fell into the water. The princess ordered her servant to enquire from the faqir why he fell into the water, and the maid went to the faqir, woke him up, and demanded what he meant by falling into the water. He replied that he saw in it the reflection of a beauteous, fairy- like woman, and fell into the water in trying to grasp her. The servant told her mistress, who sent her back to seek the faqir's promise that he would leave the country if he first saw the original of the reflection face to face. The promise was given, and the princess sent for the faqir and showed her face to him. The faqir, who loved God, as soon as he saw her face began to recite the names of Allah and ran away.

He wandered from Persia to Turkey in such a senseless plight that he did not avoid either thorns or trees, so that his body was pricked with thorns and bruised with trees. After a long journey he arrived at Sham (Turkey), bleeding and with torn clothes. Outside the city the seven sons of the emperor, Shah Salim, were engaged in play. When the faqir arrived, the seven brothers, seeing his bad and dejected state, gave up their play



Collectanea. 71

and asked him to tell his story. He related how he had fallen in love with the princess of Persia, and how beautiful she was. The princes all fell in love with her also, and asked the faqir whether King Khunkar was willing to betroth her and what his demands would be from suitors. The faqir did not know, but the eldest brother started for Persia to seek the princess in marriage. When he appeared before the emperor Khunkar he stated that he was the son of an emperor, and that the daughter should be betrothed to him. Khunkar told him to discover where his daughter was, and to return and tell him whether he had traced her or not. The prince went about the city and made enquiries, but no one gave him any clue. He returned to the emperor, who severed his head from his body and buried it. After the expiration of some days the second brother started from Shim with the same purpose, and was treated like his elder brother. Then the third brother shared the same fate, and so also did another three.

There now remained only one brother, the youngest, named Jalat Khan. He also, after obtaining the blessing of his parents, started for Persia, and on the way found a naked faqir sleeping on a mat. He wakened him with great humility, and asked him for a blessing so that he might succeed in his purpose. The faqir said,-" I know where you are going. Go on. God may grant you success. When you are in a difficulty, remember me and say,-" 0, naked faqir, help me! " and then I will help you." The faqir also told him to search for Mahmudi zargar (goldsmith), and to live in his house, and that his object would be attained through him. When Jalat Khan reached Persia he went to the bazaar and spoke loudly,-" Mahmudi the goldsmith is a black man (?) ; he is so naturally ; he is my brother." While he was speaking, Mahmudi heard, and said,-" 0 Jalat Khan! Why have you come from Shim Room? Go back home. You will experience grief in association with the girl whom you seek, though how delightful is the intimacy between four eyes ! "

Mahmudi took Jalat Khan to his house, and made him com-- fortable. The mother of Mahmudi used to make 20 manndhs (necklaces) each week, and presented them on the Friday to



72 Collectanea.

Mahbuba, who had nineteen girl companions; the princess rejoiced in them. After the mother had made nineteen necklaces in that week, Jalat Khan asked her to allow him to make the twentieth. Accordingly he made one and put it under the other nineteen. The mother took all to Mahbuba, who examined them and chose for herself that made by Jalat Khan. The princess asked who had made it, and Mahmudi's mother replied that:it had been made by-her daughter, who was bald. Mahbuba ordered her, on pain of death, to bring her daughter; and Mahmudi's mother returned to her house distressed, for she had no daughter. Mahmudi consoled his mother, and offered to send Jalat Khan with her disguised as a woman. He then dressed Jalat Khan in a woman's clothes and jewels, and sent his mother and Jalat Khan to Mahbuba. The mother advised Jalat Khan on the way that he should step into Mahbuba's house with the left foot first and that, on reaching Mahbuba's charpoy, she should sit on one of the arms, to prevent the apples on it rolling towards him; if he did otherwise, the princess would detect that he was a man and treat him cruelly. When they reached the house, Mahbuba said (to Jalat Khan),-" 0 goldsmith friend, put off your coverings and show me your face." The disguised Jalat Khan replied that she had put on seven coverings, and that her husband did not permit her to remove all of them and show her face to any one. Mahbuba said,-" You must uncover." Jalat Khan then said,-"I will lift all but one covering from my face, if you will promise not to compel me to lift the last.." The princess promised, and Jalat Khan removed six coverings, leaving the seventh over his face. Mahbuba saw his face through the one veil, and thought that he was a woman like herself, but of such unparalleled beauty that she wished he had been a man. Jalat Khan in his turn

.asked the princess to unveil. She accordingly unveiled her beautiful face. [After preserving his disguise with difficulty] Jalat Khan obtained leave to go home, being desired to come again. On his return Mahmudi enquired how he had fared, and Jalat, Khan rejoined that he had seen her as he desired, and that he now desired to make a golden lion. This was done, and he told Mahmudi,-" I have made a place to sit within it.



Collectanea. 73

When I have entered you must convey it on a donkey to the emperor Khunkar. When he praises it as well made and laments the absence of life, you must reply,-" 0 Emperor, lift your hand and pray that God may give it life," and on his prayer I will turn the machine and the lion will begin to move." Mahmudi did as he was told, and all happened as it was planned. In a few days the news of the miracle spread to every corner of the country, and by-and-by reached Mahbuba. She was astonished, as her father had promised to show her all curious things that came to him, and it seemed strange that he had not fulfilled his promise. She therefore sent a maidservant to enquire, after giving her salaam, why he had broken his promise. So Khunkar sent the lion to the princess, and her women rode it one after the other till night-time. When all slept soundly, Jalat Khan came out of the lion and, after kissing the princess on the mouth, returned to the beast again. Mahbuba wondered all night what man had kissed her, but at last was sure that the secret lay in the lion. After sunrise she spoke to the lion, saying,-" I am not mistaken, but by the leave of God this lion has kissed me." When the girls heard this, they reproached her, saying,-" We have ridden on it all day long, and found nothing wrong with it, while you say such a thing. It seems that you long for a husband." Afterwards, when night drew near, Mahbuba made the girls drink bhang, so that they were all unconscious. At midnight Jalat Khan came out again, but when he approached Mahbuba's charpoy she caught hold of him and cried that he was a man, and wherefore had he come ? Jalat Khan told her all the story, and that he had been the man who had come to her disguised as a woman in company with Mahmudi's mother and had seen her face. Mahbuba replied that he was now her husband, and that he must return to Mahmudi and tell the latter to steal two. horses of great value belonging to her father so that they might flee to the country of Jalat Khan by night. This was done, and on the following night Jalat Khan with Mahbuba mounted behind him on one horse, and Mahmudi on the other horse, started their journey. When they were half-way to Sham, Jalat Khan said that he must return to speak some words to the emperor Khunkar. He found



74 Collectanea.

Khunkar being shaved by a barber, and exclaimed to him,- "0 Khunkar! You have a crown on your head, and you said that you had no daughter. But she is now riding behind Mahmudi the goldsmith." On hearing this the emperor ordered out all his army in pursuit, and sent to know whether Mahbuba was at home. He was told that her women were lying senseless, and she was missing. The emperor followed his army. On his way Jalat Khan took refuge in a country where a woman ruled, and sent a messenger to his father, Shah Salim, asking for aid. Shah Salim and his wife had become blind from weeping for their sons, and accompanied their army. On reaching their son's refuge a great battle was fought, most of each army being killed. At last the army of Khunkar was defeated, and he himself caught alive. Shah Salim killed him with a dagger, and drank his blood, and so did his wife. They both regained their eyesight, and returned with Jalat Khan, Mahbuba, and Mahmudi after fighting for seven days.

12. (A Droll.) I had no father. I used to feed chickens belonging to my

grandfather. They disappeared. I ascended a tree, but could not see them. I then went up a hill, but still I could not catch sight of them. I fell down the hill side, and came on the ground. I then searched for them at the river. The chickens were collecting grain. When I approached them, I found them to be nine in number, of which eight which were quite well had collected one load each of grain, while the remaining one which was lame had collected one and a half loads. I brought them home, and found that my father had just been born and that my grandfather was killing a louse to distribute it as alms on the occasion of my father's birth. I ate a thigh of the louse as I shaped the swing for my father.

13. (Story of Khushal Khan the Khattak.) One day Khushal Khan was returning home after hunting

and saw a band of women sitting together. He asked them what thing makes an old man young and a young man old, and what thing makes a well-to-do man weary. None of the



Collectanea. 75

women could make any reply, and all were silent. A Darkhani woman told them secretly that she knew the enquirer to be Khushal Khan, the head man of his tribe and well known, and that she would give them the answer to his riddles if they would promise not to disclose to him her name. After their promise, she said,-" If an old man marries a new wife he becomes young, and if a man gets a wife of bad temper he becomes old, however young he may be, and always remains tired of her." The women gave this answer to Khushal, who then said that he would marry the solver of his riddles, but no woman came forward, and they admitted that they had been prompted by a Darkhani woman. Then he said that he would marry her, even though she was a Darkhani. He asked her father to give her in marriage, but was refused. He then tried violence, and the woman's father appealed to the king or ruler of that time, that Khushal was forcibly taking his daughter. The king sent for Khushal and asked why he was taking her by force. Khushal replied that he would surely take her, and the king was dis- pleased and sent him to jail. While in jail a man congratulated him that one of his two wives had given him a son. He was transported, and offered the king Iooo rupees for his release, but the king refused. In a short time another man congratulated him that his son could speak a little, and he now offered the king 2000 rupees for release, but the king again refused. After the lapse of a few years a third man congratulated him, saying that his son had now learnt to hunt. He rejoiced and told the king that he would now pay 3000 rupees for release, but the king once more refused. At length with God's help he was released from jail. The king sent for him and enquired the cause of his offering sums increasing by Iooo rupees each time. Khushal replied that on the first occasion he rejoiced over a son, having before then no male issue; on the second, he was anxious to hear his son speak, and therefore increased his offer; and on the third he was glad that his son had become an adult and would one day fight with his enemy.

After this he started for home and searched for the Darkhani woman. He learnt that she slept in a certain kotha, and at night he went and touched her. She was aroused, and exclaimed,-



76 Collectanea.

" O shameless person I I intended to marry Khushal Khan. Why do you insult me? " He replied,-" I am Khushal Khan." On her demanding proof, he showed her his ring, and she thanked God and had her marriage celebrated. Khushal told his son that he had vowed that on his release he would distribute as alms a thousand rupees, and asked his son if he had any money. The son had none, and Khushal stroked his beard, when a single hair came into his hand. He offered this as a pledge to a Hindu for a loan of Iooo rupees. The Hindu lent the money, and Khushal distributed it. Another man went to the Hindu and offered to leave half his beard for a loan of Iooo rupees. The Hindu replied that beards were of different values ; one hair of Khushal's beard was sufficient security for Iooo rupees, while the whole beard of the other was not good for even.one rupee.

One of Khushal Khan's wives was childless, and said that she could not remain with him and must be divorced; he put her off, but was at last obliged to divorce her. After some years, as he was one day returning from hunting, he saw the same woman threshing corn with a Musalli chura in the heat of the sun and that her clothes were torn and old. He asked her whether her former mode of living was not better than the present, but she replied that the present mode was the better. Although Khushal Khan was a Khatak, yet the Musalli, a black man, was young.

(The late) SIR LuCAs KING.

Note.-In view of the small number of tales recorded from this particular region, thirteen out of the twenty tales collected are printed above, to give a better idea of the general body of local tales than a selection of only those which have parallels else- where or are notably interesting or distinctive. Seven are omitted as having the same naive indecorum as some in the Society's volume of Aino Tales, but without any particular scientific interest, and passages are also omitted from Nos. 3 and II. One of the tales that could not be bowdlerized is a variant of a well-known story in which a bald-headed shepherd boy saves a serpent from being hunted and is rewarded by



Collectanea. 77

magic words which bind and loose; his uncle has ignored the betrothal of his daughter to the boy, who by his magic stops the wedding feast of the girl with another bridegroom, and mocks an old woman and a maulvi whom he is sent to fetch to break the spell, so winning back his bride. The original manu-

script (in English) of all the tales has been deposited in the

Society's library so as to be available for students. [ED.]

SCRAPS OF ENGLISH FOLKLORE, XVII.

Oxfordshire. EARLY in 1929 the Oxfordshire Federation of Women's Institutes held a competition for village histories, in which fifteen Institutes took part. On the suggestion of Dr. R. R. Marett, and through the kindness of Miss Deneke (secretary of the Federation) and the secretaries of the competing Institutes, the following extracts have been made from the very interesting and well-illustrated

manuscripts sent in, the contents of which were naturally mainly historical. [ED.]

[Islip.] On Guy Fawkes' Day the children still go round collecting

pennies which are to be spent on fireworks set off when the bonfire is lighted in the school playground, and for many years now the custom of choosing a May Queen has been revived, though the festivity takes place a little later than May Day. In the morning the Queen and her attendants parade the village accompanied by the other children in what quaint costume they can procure. The ceremony of crowning is performed amid song and dancing in the afternoon.1 (Sec. (Miss) GRACE HEUMAN.)

1 Enquiry was made as to the change of date and other details of the " revival," and in a letter to Mrs. E. L. Washbrook, (now secretary of the Institute), the headmaster of the school courteously explains that the May Queen " has not been crowned on May Day for the last few years on account of the abominably cold weather usual on May ist ... As the children do not mind when they have their May Day so long as they have it, we crown the Queen on any convenient day during May,- sometimes on Empire Day. The songs are folk songs from C. Sharp's collection ; the dances-country dances. We do not tie ourselves down to any song or dance for the occasion."



Documents

Bhattani Folktales