The legends of the Panjâb

—
Xxi\r
PEEPAOE.
time miscellaneous
numbers are not disregarded, and ttirteen,
fourteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one and twenty-two all occur
more than once. Of the larger numbers, we have the universal
one hundred and one and on6 thousand and one, and as large
multiples of twelve, sixty and three hundred and sixty, and
curiously one hundred and sixty. Seventy also occurs, and of
course the old Indian magic number eighty-four.
Sketchy and incomplete as is this analysis of the chief
folklore points in the pages of this book, it is the result of considerable
research, and has become possible only owing to the
elaborate enquiry into these matters prepared for Wide-Awake
Stories and now in course of publication, but I think enough
has been said to prove, prima facie at any rate,
with which I started
viz., that the bard's recitation is
that the theory
merely
the folktale in its poetical phase, and that the latter is the
outcome of the former—is correct.
I have now to turn to the pleasant task of gratefully
acknowledging much help kindly and ungrudgingly given. To
my coadjutrix in other labours, Mrs. F. A. Steel, I owe many a
legend, some of which have been published in this volume ; to
Mr. J. G. Delmerick I owe the valuable story of Raja Easalft's
adventures, and to Messrs. Ibbetson and MacauliflPe, of the Civil
Service, stories I hope to publish later on.
I am also indebted
in the same way for materials for future volumes to Sirdar^
Atar Singh of Bhadaur, to Ghulam IJussain Khan of KasAr, to
Lala Ganeshi Lai of Ambala, to
Maulvi Sayyid 'Abdu'llah of
Simla, to Sarfaraz Hussain of Ambala, to Mr. Manuel of
Dharmsala, and to Maya Das of Firozpur. I also take this
opportunity to acknowledge with many thanks the patient
labours of Ohaina Mall and his assistants in recording the
originals of many of the Legends and in checking my
translations of all that have appeared. Some, who have not
directly helped me, have sent me bards from whom legends
have been extracted.
Among these I have to thank Col. Boyle
of the Xlth Bengal Lancers, Mr. Rivaz of the Civil Service,
and Mr. Delmerick.