The legends of the Panjâb

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36 lEGENDS OF THE PANJAB.
pretending to be Mahita Ohopr^, he stood outside and said to
E^ni Ch§,ndnJ—
Rat andheri, ram-jhamidn M harse trel
Trelon pahine kapre, sir par cMrd derh hazar !
Kore kdffhaz bhij gae, to lekhd he-shumdr !
Vth-khdn, Bdni autie; luhd Idh, kam-zdt !
The night is dark and the rain falls heavily and straight.
The clothes I wear are wetj and my turban is worth fifteen
hundred rupees.
My paper is wet, and I have countless things to write.
Geb up, sleepy Rani^ open the door^ thou bad ivoman
When she heard this Rani Chandni got up from her sleep to
open the door, but Mahita Chopra's dogs began to bark and
this made the Rani doubt whether it was really their master
who was standing at the door. However in her fright she
opened the door and Raja Eas^lct went in. Then said the
Rani to the dogs
Ghuptcar raho, we Sdgrd Bdgrd ! So oJianddt !
Woh naffari kaise hase, jis kd Jtdjd hud badnit 1
Be quiet, Sagra and B^gra ! have patience !
How shall that city prosper whose Raj& is wicked
Then the Eaj^ toTd Eani Chandni to light the lamp, and
when she had done so he sat down on her bed, which was
covered with a white Counterpane, and the E'ni sat down on a
low stool with her face veiled.
So the Eaja said to her.
Bhdrak hole wich dhani, Bdni ; totd bole han-khand :
Awandidh sajndn pardesidn, Bdni, de na bahie ghand !
Muhh se mitthd boliye ;
jo sare so khdiye wand.
The maind talks in the cage : the parrot in the jangal.
When a friendly stranger comes, Eani, sit not with veiled
face.
Let us speak sweetly and divide what food we can.
Then the Rani took ofl' her veil, and the Eajl saw her great
beauty, and praised her very much and said
" Come, sit down on the bed and shampoo me, that my
fatigue may depart."