The legends of the Panjâb

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PRIKCESS ADEIK ANUP DAI. 237
95 And the Princess herself wiped the blood from her face.
The Princess forgot him and the parrot became
sorrowful.
He flapped his wings and flew into the lizard's hole.
Thought the Princess in her mind, " This is no parrot,
but something else."
" I will seat thee on my breast, thou, shalt eat what
thy mouth demands :
100 Come to me now, eat what thy mouth demands."
Hearing this said the parrot, " Princess, hear my words :
Evil is in thy heart : never will I come to thee.
Princess, the Prince whose parrot I am has not his
equal.
. What thou hast said has made the matter worse."
105 Thus spake the Princess, " Parrot, hear my words :
Let me meet that Prince : do thou bring him to me."
" Thus I cannot bring him : Princess, hear thou my
words.
Write a letter and give it me quickly."
Writing the letter said the Princess, " Parrot hear my
words :
110 Take it quickly to the Prince."
Hearing this said the parrot, " Princess, hear my
words :
Pasten the letter round my neck : I will goto the Prince."
Taking the letter he went to the Prince.
Seeing it thus spake the Prince, " Parrot, hear my
prayer :
115 How have you arranged the marriage Tell me.
I would see the marriage you have brought, Parrot."
Taking the letter the unhappy Prince laughed (ironically)
The marriage was to be in eight days, no hope even for
the ninth day.*
" It is fourteen hundred kos and across seven riversf
* I. e., on the ninth day it would be declared ofE.
t This is meant to mean a long way : it is a great exaggeration of
actual facts.