English
' " The wise man noticing that his friend was a little disconcerted offered to waive the argument, until they both should ascertain for themselves tho truth of his statement. After some few days tho wise friend took the other friend to his dwelling ; and no sooner ha<l he arrived there then with a voice of authority he ordered his wife to. bring down a melon from the upper storey of the house, and to get some milk as well. Thia done he further commanded her to throw some ashes into the milk. The good wife without any questioning either by speech or look at 40 once obeyed. The sage then said to his friend, " I wonder if your wife will do what my wife has done, as readily and uuquestioningly ?" The foolish friend answered, " Come and see." The two friends then went together to the house of the foolish man, who on arrival, like the other man, ordered his wife to go to the top of the dwelling and bring do^v^l a melon and to bring some milk also ; and to sprinkle some ashes over the milk. But he issued his order in a doubting, trembling manner, as was also manifest in his countenance. He evidently had not been arcuPtomed to rule in his home ; his wife had rather waved the sceptre of authority. Consequently at this time, as on many other occasions, which were well-known to the dwellers, in the neighbourhood, sbe most decidedly refused. " Why, I can not ; I will not, " she said. " Go and bring it down," roared the husband. At last the woman was frightened into obedience But there were further remonstrations before the milk appeared. " I do not know why you are giving me all this trouble," she cried, " why don't yoti go yourself ?" The foolish man now tried entreaties, and at length all the things were brought. Some more time was wasted before the woman, weeping very bitterly, threw the ashes into the milk, her only consolation being the thought that her husband had become mad. The trial being now concluded the two friends put on their shoes and walked out of the house. When they got outside, the wise f liend said to the other, " Was I not correct when I told you that your doorstep was not straight ?" Chanis daMnas guUb, May roses be to your mouth. A nice reply to any nice remark made by another. Ch'.nis k('has chhuh neh pi'>h dimih h'-jat. There is no need to cook your cabbage. " Now, don't talk nonsense. 1 am certain you can not, and will not, do what you say ?" Chdyih tah Uyih gatshih augun usun. A flame is necessary for cooking (both) tea and Indian corn. Tea here stands for the great man and Indian corn for the man of small degree. Flame here mesms money, which all classes need according to their rank. The Kashmiris say " Turuni chdi tah Idi chheh nah khenas Idik, '* i.e.y Tea and roasted Indian com are not worth eating cold. Chhalanah mat chhud atsdn hih nah nerdn ? Does dirt come or go by washing 1 Does knowledge come from studying or not, &c. ? 41 Chhi'-nah leij. The carpenter's wooden nail. A carj)enter was once in very straitened circumstances and obliged to sell his little hoase. After he had disposed of it. and althoujjrh the buyer was living in it, the carpenter went every evening when his work was over, and hanged his wrap npon a wooden peg, which was fixed over the front door. He did this for ten days, when the owner of the house remonstrated, saying that the house was his. The carpenter replied : '* Yes, the house is yours, but not this wooden uail." Accordingly the owner had to settle the matter by giving a few more rupees to the man. Carpenters are constantly omitting a nail here or some other work there, in order that they may be recalled, and be able to make a two or three days more job of it. When the master detects some fault in the work and sends again for the carpenter, he invariably says to the man, *' Look hero ; what is this? ' Chh&nali k{j,' you rascal. '* C/ihdnfih thiik chhnk nah hattih rozdn. The sound of the carpenter does not remain secret. Truth will out. Chhdnah thukas chhul rat tailor. Soup is ready at the sound of the carpenter. Honoured men get well treated whereror tbej go. A good carpenter is much flattered and pamperad by the people in whose employ he is working— of ooarae with a special Chh'inaa tah huzitfaraa tah thahsawtiras chhai audui nmr. A carpenter, tumbler, and horse-breaker (these three) only live out half their days. Ckhunat yUih piioun pt',neu pM ylkiHk kanik i'gun woafak- fy'ikah nal. When the carpenter has to do anything for himself, he uses a cabbage-stalk instead of a large beam (i e., he docs work at the smallest expense possible). Chhuc ifit batik tak di'v yit katkak. When it boils dinner is ready, and when opportunity offeri speak and act. A word or work in season. Chkeli ckkeli zun zi'lun. He washes the wood before he bums it (because it may be unclean). A particularly scrupulous conscience. a 42 . Chheni mut chheh waz&n. Empty vessels sound. Hindustani. — Adhjal g<igari chhalkat jde. Chhetin pdtsin mdran gatai Gwush Shodah patai Idrun chhus. Gwash Shodah runs after the man who walks (in a pompous fashion) throwing his clothes from side to side. Tt is related that a certain man borrowed five rupees from Gwash and went and bought clothes with the money. No sooner were the clothes made, and the man was walking with great display in the bazai', then Gwash came running after him asking him to pay his debts. Shodah is a lazy, smoking, drunken fellow. Cho7i muhgah trak son sun ah. Your twelve pounds of mung is only one of my meals. (My expenses — my family, are so great). Your gift was but as a drop in the ocean. Muhg is a vetch or kind of kidney bean. ChuiJcaras chmTcar tah pintshunik nauhar. Servant to a man of humble situation and servant to a small- eyed man. Amongst other cases quoted, when one servant passes on to another and lower servant the master's order to him. The lower servants in an establishment are " fagged out of heir lives" some- times. 43 D Dab chkwi hah ? Is falUng-down a father ? Why should I trouble about that fellow ? Dah lug tah rabih pelh, dil lug tah hilih pl^th ! Tumbled into the mud, the lieart set upon water-weeds I A man *' smitten" by an ugly, ill-shaped woman. Dachk ax hhezih tah dpaimi'm^ haehh ax Tehl^sih tah zgur. It' a man will eat grapes, then let him eat dpaiman kind ; and if he will eat grass then let hhn eat zyur. Apaiman. — There arc at least six varieties of grape growing iu Kashmir, among which ilpaimdn ia said to be the best. Zyur is a kind of caraway-soed. Dachh leamawu Ichhfi zih paradhf, mih h/t dup panani^v, AVho ate your grapes? Strangers. O! I thought your relations (would nave had some of them^. He that neglects his own is worse than an infldel. Bachkun atkah ekhuh ehhaltin khawarist tah khowur athah chhuh ehhaltin tlachhinis. The right band washes the lefl, and the left band washes the right. "If the plowman did not plow, The poet ooald not write.** Dah buU kahi zt'U. Ten wives but eleven dispositions. " As many tastes as heads and as different." — '* Ontoulo Manual.'* Balthasar Graoian. Dah chandas ; dah wandas ; dah ihundaa. Ten in the pocket ; ten in the heart ; ten in the pillow. No finding out what the man's opinions really are. Dah gaz hyur lyah tah dah gaz bun kyah ? What is the difference whether it is ten yards up or ten yar(Ts down ? A regular ninny-noddy. Once upon a time a man fell into a well. As luck would have it ther was another man passing by that very moment with some rope 44 in his hand. Of course he threw one end of the rope to the man, who had fallen into the well, and told him to fasten it round his loins, which the man did ; and so was pulled up and saved. On another occasion this man, who had saved the other from drowning, was passing by a high tree, when somebody shouied to him from the topmost branches, that he was fixed up there and could not possibly descend ; whereupon, having the same coil of rope hang- ing upon his arm, he said, " Don't fear, wait a moment. Here — catch hold of the rope," and he threw one end of the rope up to the man. The man caught it, and no sooner had he done so, than he was jerked most violently from the branch and pulled to the ground, dozens of yards below.