The legends of the Panjâb

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64 LRGENDS OF THE PANJABr
The Raja replied
Sindh to men nagan* Bdni : Atah hai merd thdon.
Bdjd AtJd Mall da belrd :
Bdjd Eodi merd ndon.
Sindh is my city, Rani : Atak is my home.
I am Eaja Atki Mall's son : Raja Hodi is my name.
Said the Rani
Alidn ddhhdn pdlikidn ;
cho cho paun andr
Aisd hoi na jamidn awe Bdjd de darhdr.
The green grapes are ripe: the pommegranate drips
None such (as thou) can have a footing in the Raja's
house.
Then said Raja Hodi to her, " Show me how to get to you."
And the Rani pointed out where the steps were, and said,
''There is a large stone at the entrance of the staircase,
you have only to remove that and come up."
The Raja did as he was bidden, but could by no means
remove the stone, so he said
Main banjdrd Sindh dd, heahdn halt hapur :
Jo saudd loren mangwdn, to sadhe le hazuo-.
I am a pedlar of Sindh, I sell black camphor:
Take into thy presence what merchandise thy heart dotb
desire.
Then 'Rim KokiMn pointed out another flight of three steps,
but the Raja said, when he saw the steps, " I am not a bird that I
can fly.
If you really want me, let down a rope for me to climb up."
So Rani KokiMn let down a rope, and Raja Hodi climbed up
it. He found in the palace two cages, in one of which was a
maind and in the other a parrot.
As soon as the parrot saw Raja Hodi Jie hid his head under
his wing, and told the maind to do the same. And the maina
did so, while R&ja Hodi climbed up the rope and got on to th©
first step. Then she said to the parrot
Sun, he tote Iddle, Idd-bdware ; suno hamdri hdt
Tfthe na basie, totid^ jithe ang na sdh.
Ajab tumdshd dehhid :
Jean hhdive Bdjd di ddhh.
* Nagari, city, is frequently used for country or home : Sindh is for
the R. Indus.