English
There was a very holy man, who prayed unto God for justice. He had too high an opinion of himself to ask for grace also. " Only give me my deserts," he said, *' and I shall faro all right." This good man once dined with a friend, and according to custom placed the remainder of his dinner within his t84dar, or wrap. On the way home it happened that the rice and vegetables were changed into a human h^id and a knife, both of which were saturat- ed with blood, that dropped upon the road as be walked along. A policeman noticed this, and at once enquired what was in the taiSdar. The holy man without any hesitation opened out his wrap, and, lo ! there was a human head and a knife. Of course the poor man was immo<lintoly marched off to the prison-house. On the next day the court was assembled and the prisoner brought forth. The excitement was intense. The case was tried, and the whole evidence was against the man . The judge considered much and long, but at last, finding no way by which he conld possibly acqnit the prisoner, ho was about to pro- nounce the sentence of death upon him, when there came from heaven the sound of a voice saying, " The man is not guilty, let him go free.'* Ever afterwards this good man asked for grace also, when ha prayed. Batah miski/iy nah dunya tah nah din. The poor Hindu has neither the world nor religion. The Muhammedans quote this saying. 28 Baiah mod shenkih. The Pandit died from hesitation. Once upon a time a Pandit and a Muhammedan were travelling together. In the middle of the way ran a swift stream which they had to wade. The Muhammedan crossed at once without the slight- est hesitation ; but the Pandit cried out : " Stop, stop, let me first look at my Nechi-puter to see whether it is an auspicious time for me to cross or not" He consulted the kalendar and discovered that it was not a good time. However, as he had to travel a long distance, and the day was already far spent, he dared to step into the waters ; and commenced to wade. But when he had reached the middle of the stream his heart failed him, and his legs began to tremble, so that he fell J was carried away, and dashed about by the fierce waters, and died. JBatak nah tah hatus chhit nah tah atlas. No food in the house, yet he wishes for sugar ; not even a ragged cloth to his back, yet he wishes for satin. A poor man with great desires. Baiah pdmh tal chheh aihah hhar gaib. Beneath half-a-pound of rice a khar (lbs. 192)^ of sin is concealed. Eiches cover a multitude of sins. Baias baiah koweh baiah. One Pandit with another Pandit is like a mountain-crow. If one crow caws the whole flock caws. If one Pandit is in diffi- culty, all the Pandits take up the case, &c. ^ Baias bod doh tah 'phuJcah ; Musalmmas bod doh tah shrukah ; Bufizas bod doh tah bc'ikah. On his big day the Hindii fasts ; On his big day the Muhammedan feasts ; On his big day the Shi'a weeps. Baias tsed Musalmanas yad^ tah r^fizas hud. To the Hindu endurance, to the Musalmdn (i.e., the Suni) stomach, and to the Shi'a weeping. An allusion to the Hindu's much fasting, to the S6ni's eating capacity, and to the profound lamentation of the Shi'a during the days of the Muharram, when he commemorates the death of 'Ali, Hasan and Husain. 29 Batav andarak toth liyahy zih tahar ? Jlowarih andarah toth hyah^ zih hahar ? Among dishes which is the favourite ? Tahar. In the wife's house who is the favourite ? Brother-in-law. Tahar— dk kind of boiled rice coloured with turmeric BAUan izd tah putalen puzfi. For the family distress, but for the idols aii offering. Charity begins at home. ** B'iyih myt'inih kalandarai ; Yih nerih tih nerih khilah andarai." ** My brother monk, what will come, will come from the harvest " (ie.j will be the result of houest toil). The gods give everything for labour. Bnzigaras chh^h hnzigaraa. A deceiver deceives himself. Be-akl nah hank tah garah patah leak hah, " Not one ignorant man ? " — Why there are eleven in every house (t.^., the world is full of such people). Oe monde est plein de font, BHih andarph&nsi tah athat kH tathth. The noose (of the executioner s rope) under the arm, and the rosary in the hand. Bi/ndiMtdni. — Hdth men tcuhiht aur ba^hoZ men phdnH, Bechdn tah guris khasit ! Begging and riding upon a horse ! A proud beggar. Beehanas banah h'lmuni. The beggar's pot (in which he collected food) is broken. The last straw gone. Be-haydhas sharm dur. To the shameless shame is distant. Be-h'r chhuh bemur. The unemployed, or idle man, is sick. Be-kdr chhuh icaktli har darbdr. An unemployed man visits every darbar. 30 Be-Tcaras chhih trah Mr, To the idle man there are three works (viz., sleeping, quar- relling, and eating ). Bemah haharav chhuh sah mormut. Two brothers-in-law killed a lion (between them). Union is strength. The tale is, that a sister's husband and a wife's brother, who are naturally the greatest enemies to one another, were walking along together one day, when a lion chanced to cross their path. They did not run away, but each stood his ground firmly, and backed-up the other, and the result was that by their united efforts the lion was kiUed. Be-mdlas ailah. Cardamoms for the man, who is not hungry. *' Bem&ro ds kyut chhui .'"' " Nah Uuk tali nah mudur** '* O, sick person, how is your mouth ?" ** Neither bitter nor sweet. " The answer is equivalent to our English reply, "0, thank you, I'm middling." Be-murawat mdhnyuv chhui zan ; phaMri ha-iamah rahzan. An unmanly fellow is a woman, and a courteous fakir is a robber. Be-suhmb chhuh dapfm " Meh suhmb nah kanh. '* The unequal man says "I have not an equal"; (but the really great man thinks himself less than the least). Beyih sund amunat chhui Tchurawanuk nurah iungul hyuh. Another's belongings in your charge is like a live coal from the blacksmith's shop. Beyih sund dod chhui be-mune ; Yas dkhis banih tai sui zdne. Another's pain is without meaning. Only he, who suffers it, knows what it is like. " It is impossible for any man to form a right judgment of his neighbour's suffering." — Addison. Bichis parutsuk, " Wandas Jcunah chhuJc nebar nerm ? Vupanak, *' Betah hdlih ley ah kurum hdsil ? Haradu lanat hishir 31 Somebody said to the scorpion, *' Why do you not come out in the winter ?" He replied, " What did I get in the sprmg- time ? " Both times alike are a curse to me. Either miserable oneself or making others miserable The scorpion lives antler the ground during the winter and spends a miserable time of it, according to the natives; and when he does come forth from his temporary grave, it is only to give trouble to others. A translation from the Gulist&n : — Qaj-dum rd guftand ki " Ohird ba aamistdn ?" " Biram na midyi guft ; ha tdpistdnam chi hunnat ast ?" Bihl^h phhai riheh tr&wun. Sitting down in one's chair at home and throwing out a flame. Every cook crows loudest on his own dunghill. Bihehwani tjarih. A sitting sparrow. On probation. The sparrow must keep a good look-oat, or some boy with a caterpault, or perhaps a oat, will notioe it and kill it. Bihit whi poni toly&T Will the grocer sit and weigh water? Nothing better to do ? Bikh manff/in tah put rang/tn. Asking for aUns and dyeing his coat. A helpless man's wish. Bir Balan purut* Akbarat, ** Jangah wizih Jcyah til&h ? " Dupanas ** Yih brohfhah peyih.'* Bir Bat asked Akbar, " What weapons they should fight with, when the time for fighting arrived?" He replied, *• Whatever you find at hand." Bir Balanih korih purutj Akbar ptidshdhan, " Kyah mahnyuv chhwi parasan?** Dupanas^ ** Dund chhud dud diwnn ?" Akbar, the king, asked B(r BaUs daughter, ** Can a man give birth to a child ? " She replied, ** Can an ox give milk ? " A Roland for an Oliver. Bir Bal was Akbar's great minister. The Muhammedan ministers bated him and tried to get rid of him. Bir Bal was often punished on account of what they said. One day a Muhammedan minister said to Akbar : " Will your Majesty please get some bullock's milk from Bir Bal." Akbar promised that he would give the order, and 32 on the following morning there was the paper signed and sealed by the king, spread out before Bir Bal, ordering him to procure some bullock's milk within fifteen days, or else die. Bir Bal was over- whelmed with fear and astonishment. The minister's daughter seeing her father in this wretched state at once devised a scheme.