English
Of coiu'se he died instantaneously ; and when the passers-by gathered round the corpse and enquired whether the man, who had done this deed, was mad or a murderer, he replied : " I have pulled a man up out of a well and now I have pulled a man down from a tree. What is the difference whether it is ten yards up or ten yards down as long as you save the man." Dah thurungi dit tah pathlcunui. Ten dancings-round and yet behind. Vain struggling against misfortune. There is a children's game in Kashmir called Tsihul. One boy holds a piece of rope in his hand, and the other end of the rope is fastened by a stake into the ground. The other boys go around him and beat him, when they can, with sticks. Should this boy touch one of the other boys without letting go the rope, that other boy has to catch hold of the rope and take his chance. And so the play continues. Dahan dah manuH gaUhnn nah tah hiinis manui poshih nah. Ten manuts are not required for ten men, but one manut is not sufficient for a single man. One or two more in a big family does not make any difference in the expenses. Manut is a weight equal to three pounds. Dahan thawon sai tah alcu nah t_sunan wai. He g;ives promise to ten, but does not give food to one. Dahi wahori Dashahhr. Dashahar after ten years. Long enough about it. Dnshahdr or Dasahrd or Das.hord, is the tenth of Jaith shukl pakeh, which is the anniversary of Ganga's birthday. On this day, also, Rama marched against Ravana, for which reason it is, also, called Vijai Dasami. H. H. the Maharajah of • Kashmir, like other Hindu rajahs, cele- brates this day with gi-eat pomp and rejoicing- Three immense cardboard figures stuffed with gunpowder are made to represent 45 Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Migunad, and these arc placed at the proper time in the centre of a large open space without the city. To represent Rima, Sita and Lakshman, three little boys are splen- didly dressed and carried in a beautiful palanquin to the same place. Crowds of people gather there, and Uis Highness sends all the troops with the guns, Ac. It is a most exciting occasion. Excite- ment is at the fullest pitch, when at a given signal one of the little boys, who ia supposed to be R&ma, steps forth from the pa- lanquin, attended by the two other little boys, and fires a small arrow at the big figure representing Ravana, while the other boys discharge their arrows against the other two figures. Of course at this moment the three monsters, Ravana, Knmbhakama, and Mfgunid explode with a tremendous noise ; and then the guns rattle and the cannon roar, and the people shout until they are hoarse, and eventually retire. Cf. the Bamayana for an account of B4ma and his adventures. Dai ai diyik tah barah nyusai ; Dai nai diyih tah hruhah s'-snh Uatit hj/ah ? If God intends to give, He will give at the door ; but if God will not give, then what is the good of going a thousand kos (i.e , about 2,000 English miles) for it. Four men. ambitious to become rich, determined to leave Kashmir for some other country, where they could obtain greater wealth than it was possible for them to amass in " the Happy Valley." They arranged a certain day and started altogether, taking with them four thousand rupees for the purpose of trading. Each of the little company had an equal share in this sum of money, and thoy all set forth full of hope that they would prosper and bccomo exceedingly rich. On the way it came to pass that God, according to His mighty power and wisdom, cauod a full-grown golden tree to spring up suddenly, and to bring forth at once rich clusters of gold. Seeing this magnitteent tree, the four travellers were so surprised that they hardly knew what to say or to do. However, they soon changed their minds about travelling into a foreign country, and ro80lve<l to return back to their homes, carrving with them the tree of gold. They were reminded of their own Kashmiri proverb, " Dai ai diyih tahbarah nydsai; Dai nai diuih tah krukah sdsah tjatit kyah ?" which being interpreted is, " If God intends to give. He will give at tho door ; but if God will not give, then what is the good of going two thousand miles for it ?" and therefore they said to one another "we have happed upon this golden tree and must take it home with us and be glad for ever." In this proposition they all agreed ; but how could they so arrange it ? The tree was high and large ; it must be felled and cut up into bundles, which they oould carry. Acconlingly it was determined that two of the party should go to tbe nearest village and procure 46 axes and saws, while the other two would remain to ^ard ther precious treasure. Presently the two selected started for the tools. The other two, who were left to watch the tree, then began to take counsel together as to how they might kill their partners. " We will mix poison with their bread," said one, " and then when they eat thereof they will die, and we each shall have a double share of the treasure." And they did so. However, the other two, who were going for the tools, had also plotted together by the way as to how they might get rid of the two partners left behind by the tree. " We will slay them with one stroke of the axe," said one, "and thus shall we each have a double share in the treasure." In the course of a few hours they returned from the village with the saws and axes ; and immediately, on arriving at the tree, they slew both of their partners ; each slew one with a single blow from the axe. They then commenced to hew down the tree, and this done they soon cut up the branches and fastened them into bundles for carrying away ; and then thoroughly wearied with excitement and their great exertions they laid down to eat and to sleep. Alas ! they ate of the poisoned bread, and slept a sleep, the fatal sleep, from which they never woke again. A short time afterwards some other travellers passing by that way found the four corpses, lying stretched out stiff and cold beneath the golden tree. Cf. " The Orientalist," Vol. I., Pts. II. and VII., pp. 47, 165, where incidents in the Arabic account of the Virgin M&ry and Jesus, and in the Vedabbba Jataka of the Buddhist Tripitakas, are described, which bear a striking resem- blance to this story. Daman ba.^tih dito dil, daman as yitah damn Jchdr. Shistaras sun gatshi husil ; wuni chhai sul tah tsundun ydr. Sudaras no lahi suhil, nah iat sum tah nah tat tur. Par kar paidah parwoz tul ; ivuni chhai sul tah fsdndun ydr. Gdfilo heh tah Jcadam tul hushydr roz truv piyddil. Trdwdk nai tah cJihuh jnhil \ wuni chhai sul tah fsondun yur. Give the heart to the bellows, like as the blacksmith gives breath to the bellows, And your iron will become gold. Now it is early morning, seek out your friend (z.e., God). The sea has not a shore, neither is there a bridge over it, nor any other means of crossing. Make to yourself wings and fly. Now it is early morning, seek oat your friend.- O negligent man, pnt on power, be on the alert, take carf, and leave oflF wickedness. 47 If you will not then you are a fool. Now while it is early morning seek out your friend. A few lines from Lai Dt-d constantly quoted by the Kashmiri. Piyddil—the work of a chaprdssi, a bad lot, as he generaly makes his money by oppression, lying, and cheating. Vamas suet chhui namaskvr, J}'^^^^ "^t^^ '*'^* '^^ ** Good day '* to the rich or honourable man. ^ ^' - •.-.<^ ^ ixi Dambih ai zen kore tah daurih at bowan hachai. If from the womb a daughter should be born, and if from the fields but an indifferent harvest should be gathered (still he is happy. For a little is better than nothing). Daml dithum nad pakawunit dami dithum sum nak tah tdr, J)ami dithum that yhollawun{^ dami dyuthum gul nah tah khdr. ' Dami dithum p^ntjhan Paudawan kant m&j dami ^ithum kraji vioa. One moment I saw a little stream flowing, another moment I saw neither a bridge, nor any other means of crossing. At one time I saw a bush blooming, at another time Isaw neither a flower nor a thorn. At one moment I saw the mother of the five Panda vas, at another moment I saw a potter's wife's aunt. " Nothing in this world can last." Quotations from Lai DM's sayings, the whole of which will probably soon be in print.