UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 AA 001 014 149 7 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 Far East.
 
 v'!/ 
 
 WILLIAM W 
 
 UNIVERSI 
 SANTA B^BARA 
 
 ^Ih 


 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST 
 
 KALMOUK AND MONGOLIAN TEADITIONAEY TALES.
 
 loxbon: 
 
 gilbert and rivimgtok, printers, 
 
 ST. John's sanARE.
 
 xjL^J^ , KcxelAjUi. t\ , 
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST ; 
 
 OE, 
 
 KALMOUK AND MONGOLIAN 
 TRADITIONARY TALES. 
 
 WITH HISTORICAL PREFACE AND EXPLANATORY NOTES. 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OF " PATRANAS," "HOUSEHOLD STORIES 
 FROM THE LAND OF HOFER," S:c. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 GEIFFITH AND FAREAN, 
 
 SUCCESSORS TO NEWBERY AND HARRIS, 
 
 CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD. 
 MDCCCLXXIII. 
 
 [All rights reserved.^
 
 " It singularly happens that the Sagas of the ancient Indians are 
 preserved to us in much fuller measure than their authentic history, 
 which is scanty enough. Moreover to them their Sagas served as 
 actual statements of facts, so that we can neither form a right con- 
 caption of their mind, nor arrive at any knowledge of their history, 
 without studying their Sagas." 
 
 Lassen, "Pref. to Ind. Altertliumshunde," p. vii. 
 
 " The Mongol is candid and credulous as an infant, and passionately 
 loves to listen to marvellous myths and tales." 
 
 Hue, " Travels in China and Tibet," vol. ii. ch. xii.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 SANTA BARBARA COLLEGE LIBRARY 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The origin and migrations of myths liave of late been 
 the subject of so much sifting and study^ the elaborate 
 results of which are already before the world, that 
 there is no need in this place to offer more than a 
 few condensed remarks in allusion to the particular 
 collections now, I believe, for the first time put into 
 English. Translations of some chapters of the " Ad- 
 ventures ofthe Well- and- wise- walking Khan" have been 
 made by Benj. Bergmann, Biga, 1804; by Golstunski, 
 St. Petersburg, 1864 ; and by H. Osterley, in 1867. 
 Of " Ardschi-Bordschi," by Emil Schlaginweit ; by 
 Benfey, in " Ausland," Nos. 34 — 36, and the whole of 
 both by Professor Jiilg, 1865-68; of these I have 
 availed myself in preparing the following pages ; I 
 know of no other translation into any European 
 language except one into Buss by Galsan Gombojew, 
 published at S. Petersburg in 1865-68*. 
 
 * The few notes I have taken from Jiilg's translation, I have acknow- 
 ledged by putting his name to them.
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 The first thirteen chapters of the " Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan " are a Kalmouk (^) collection, all the 
 rest Mongolian ; and though traceable to Indian sources, 
 they yet have received an entire transformation in the 
 course of their adoption by their new country. In 
 giving them another new home, some further altera- 
 tions, though of a different nature, have been necessary. 
 However much one may regret them such transforma- 
 tions are inevitable. It seems a law of nature that 
 history should to a certain extent write itself. We 
 know the age of a tree by its knots and rings ; and we 
 trace the age of a building by its alterations and repairs 
 — and that equally well whether these be made in a 
 style later prevailing, utterly different from that of the 
 original design, or in the most careful imitation of the 
 same ; for the age of the workman's hand cannot choose 
 but write itself on whatever he chisels. 
 
 It is just the same with these myths. They cannot 
 remain as if stereotyped from the first ; the hand that 
 passes them on must mould them anew in the process. 
 You might say, they have been already altered enough 
 during their wanderings, give them to us now at least 
 as the Mongolians left them. But it is not possible, 
 most of them are too coarse to meet an eye trained by 
 Christianity and modern cultivation. The habit of mind 
 in which they are framed is in places as foreign as the 
 idiom in which they are written ; I have, however, made 
 it an undeviating rule to let such alterations be as few
 
 PEEFACE. Vll 
 
 and as slight as the case admitted^ and that they should 
 go no farther than was necessary to make them read- 
 able^ or occasionally give them point. 
 
 As I have said these stories have an ' Indian ' source, 
 it becomes incumbent to spend a few lines on defining 
 the use and reach of the word*. 
 
 The words "IvSos and ?/ ^IvSiKrj occur for the first 
 time among writers of classical antiquity in the frag- 
 ments that have come down to us of the writings of 
 Hecataeus, b.c. 500. Herodotus also uses the same; 
 from these they descended to us through the Eomans. 
 They both received it through Persian means and used 
 it in the most comprehensive sense, though the Persian 
 use of their equivalent at the time seems to have been 
 more limited. It is probable, however, that later the 
 Persian use became further extended ; and through the 
 Arabians, who also adopted it from them, it became the 
 Muhammedan designation of the whole country. When 
 they, in 713, conquered the country watered by the 
 lower course of the Indus, namely, Sinde, they con- 
 firmed the use of this more extended application of the 
 Persian word Hind, reserving Sind, the local form of the 
 same word — apparently without perceiving it was the 
 same — to this particular province. 
 
 The later Persian designation is Hindustan — the 
 country of the Hindu — and this is generally adopted in 
 
 * The followiug paragraphs are chiefly gathered and translated from 
 Lassen's work on the Geograpliy of Ancient India, voL i.
 
 Vlll PEEFACE. 
 
 India itself to denote the whole country^ though many 
 Europeans have restricted it to the Northern half, in 
 contradistinction from the Dekhan^ or country south 
 of the Vindha-range ("), often excluding even Bengal. 
 
 The original native names are different. In the 
 epic mythology occur, Gambudvipa, the island of the 
 gambu-tree (Eugenia Jambolana), for the central or 
 known world of which India was part, and Sudarsana, 
 " of beautiful appearance/^ to denote both the tree and 
 the ''island" named from it. The Buddhist cosmo- 
 graphy uses Gampudvipa for India Proper. Within 
 this the Brahmanical portion, lying to the south of the 
 HImalajas, is designated as Bharata or Bharatavarsha. 
 In the great epic poem called the Maha Bharata, the 
 name is derived from Bharata, son of Dusjanta, the first 
 known ruler of the country, and several dynasties are 
 called after him Bharatides, though it is more probable 
 his name rather accrued to him from that of the country, 
 the word being derived from7;/tr;', ''to bring forth" or 
 "nourish," hence, "the fruitful," "life-nourishing" 
 land. Bharata is also called (Rig-Ved. i. 96, 3) "the 
 nourisher," sustentator. 
 
 The native historical name is undoubtedly " Arjavata," 
 the district of the Arja — " the venerable men " — or more 
 literally, " worthy to be sought after," keepers of the 
 sacred laws, the people of honourable ancestry; 
 calling themselves so in contradistinction to the 
 Mlek'ha, barbarous despisers of the sacred laws (Manu,
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 i. 22 ; X. 45)j also Arja-bliumi^ land of the Arja. The 
 Manu defines rigidly the original boundaries of this 
 sacred country ; it lies between the Himalaja and 
 Vindhja mountains^ and stretches from the eastern to 
 the western seas. Though Ptolemy (Geog. vii. 1) calls 
 the people of the west coast, south of the Vindhja, Ariaka, 
 this was a later extension of the original term. 
 
 What gives the word a great historical importance 
 is the circumstance which must not be passed over here, 
 that the original native name of the inhabitants of Iran 
 was either the same or similarly derived. Airja in 
 Zend stood both for " honourable " and for the name of 
 the Iranian people. Concerning the Medes we have 
 the testimony of Herodotus that they originally called 
 themselves "Apioi, and we owe him the information 
 also that the original Persian name was ^ApTatol, a 
 word which has the same root as Arja, or at least can 
 have no very different meaning. They do not seem 
 ever to have actually called themselves Arja, although 
 the word existed in their ancient tongue with the sense 
 of "noble,^^ ^^ honourable." 
 
 The earliest Indian Sagas speak of the Arja as al- 
 ready established in Central India, and give no help to 
 the discovery of when or how they settled there. Like 
 most other peoples of the old world, they believed them- 
 selves aborigines, and they placed the Creation and the 
 origin of species in the very land where they found them- 
 selves living, nor do their myths bear a trace of allusion
 
 X PKEFACE. 
 
 to any earlier dwelling-place or country outside tlieir 
 Bharatavarslia (*) . It is true, that the sanctity they 
 ascribe to the north country, and the mysterious allusions 
 to the sacred mountain-country of Meeru, the dwell- 
 ing of the gods in the far, far north, over the Himalajas, 
 is calculated to mislead for a moment with the sugges- 
 tion that they point to a possible immigration from that 
 north, but a closer observation shows that that very 
 sacred regard more probably arose from the very fact 
 of its being an unknown country ; while the effect of 
 the majestic and inaccessible heights, with their glo- 
 rious colouring and their peculiar natural productions, 
 was enough to suggest them the seat of a superior and 
 divine race of beings. 
 
 The fact that Sanskrit, the ancient tongue of the 
 Aryan Indians, is so closely allied to the languages of 
 so many western nations, establishes with certainty the 
 identity of origin of these people, and lays on us the 
 burden of deciding whether the Aryan Indians mi- 
 grated to India as the allied peoples migrated to their 
 countries from a common aboriginal home, or whether 
 that aboriginal home was India, and all the allied peoples 
 migrated from it, the Indians alone remaining at 
 home. 
 
 Reason points to the adoption of the former of these 
 two solutions. In the first place, it is altogether un- 
 likely that in the case of a great migration all should 
 have migrated rigidly in one direction. It is only
 
 PREFACE. XI 
 
 natural to expect they should have poured themselves 
 out every way, and to look for the original home in a 
 locality which should have formed a central base of 
 operations. The very feuds which would in many 
 cases lead to such outpourings would necessitate the 
 striking out in ever new directions. Then, there is 
 nothing in the manners, ideas, speech — in the names 
 of articles of primary importance to support life, in 
 which at least we might expect to find such a trace — 
 of the other peoples to connect them in any way with 
 India. Had they ever been at home there, some 
 remnants of local influence would have been retained ; 
 but we find none. Besides this, we have, on the other 
 hand, very satisfactory evidence of at least the later 
 journeyings of the Indian family. Their warlike and 
 conquering entrance into the Dekhan and crossing of 
 the Vindhja range is matter of positive history. Some 
 help for ascertaining their earlier route may be found 
 in the necessity established by the laws and limits of 
 possibihty. Encumbered with flocks and herds, and 
 unassisted by appliances of transport, we cannot be- 
 lieve them to have traversed the steep peaks of the 
 Himalajas. The road through eastern Caboolistan and 
 the valley of the Pangkora, or that leading from the 
 Gilgit by way of Attok, or over the table-land of 
 Deotsu through Cashmere, are all known to us as most 
 difficult of access, and do not appear at any period to 
 have been willingly adopted. But the western passes
 
 Xll PREFACE. 
 
 of Hindukutsch^ skirting round tlie steep Himalajas — 
 tlie way trod by tlie armies of Alexander and other 
 warlike hosts, no less than by the more peaceful trains 
 of merchants, with whom it was doubtless traditional — 
 affords a highly probable line of march for the first 
 great immigration. 
 
 We are reminded here of the fact already alluded to, 
 of the common origin of the earliest name of both 
 Indians and Persians, leading us to suppose they 
 long inhabited one country in common. For this sup- 
 position we find further support in other similarities : 
 e. g. between the older Sanskrit of the Veda and the 
 oldest poems of the Iranian tongue ; also between the 
 teaching, mythology, the sagas, and the spoken lan- 
 guage of the two peoples. On the other hand, we find 
 also the most diverse uses given to similar expressions, 
 pointing to a period of absolute separation between 
 them, and at a remote date : e.g. the Indian word for 
 the Supreme Being is cleua; in Zend, daeva, as also dev 
 in modern Persian, stands for the Evil Principle. 
 Again, in Zend dagju means a pro\ance (and its use 
 implies orderly division of government and the tranquil 
 exercise of authority) ; but in the Brahmanical code 
 dasju is used for a turbulent horde, who set law and 
 authority at defiance. 
 
 Such transpositions seem the result of some fierce 
 variance, leading to division and hatred between 
 peoples long united.
 
 PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 Proceeding now to trace the original wandering 
 farther on, we find some help from Iranian traditions. 
 The Zendavesta distinctly tells of a so-called Airjanem 
 Vaego as a sacred country^ the seat of creation, and 
 place it in the farthest east of the highest Iranian 
 table-land, the district of the source of the Oxus and 
 Jaxartes; by the death-bringing Ahriman it was 
 stricken with cold and barrenness (^), and only saw 
 the sun thenceforth for two months of the year. The 
 particularity with which it is described would point to 
 the fact that the locality treated of was a distant one, 
 with which the race had a traditional acquaintance ; 
 while at the same time it cannot be adopted too pre- 
 cisely in every detail, because details may be altered by 
 a poetical imagination — merits may be exaggerated by 
 regret for absence, and defects magnified by vexation, 
 or invented in proof of the efiects of a predicated curse. 
 
 If we may conclude that we have rightly traced up 
 the Indians and Persians to a common home between 
 the easternmost Iranian highlands and the Caspian Sea, 
 it follows from the linguistic analogies of the so-called 
 Indo-European peoples that this same home was also 
 theirs at a time when they were not yet broken up into 
 distinct families. This common local origin gives at 
 once the reason for the analogies in the grammatical 
 structure of their languages, and no less of their 
 mythical traditions, which are far too widely spread, 
 and have entered too radically into the universal
 
 XIV PREFACE. 
 
 teaching of both, to be supposed for a moment to have 
 been borrowed by either from the other within the his- 
 torical period, or at all since their separation. 
 
 It remains only to say a few words on the scope and 
 object of the work, and the profit that may be derived 
 from its perusal. I know thei'e are many who think 
 that mere amusement is profit enough to expQct from a 
 tale, and that to look for the extraction of any more 
 serious result is tedious. But I will give my young 
 readers — or at least a large proportion of them — credit 
 for possessing sufficient love of improvement to prefer 
 that class of amusement which furthers their desire for 
 information and edification. 
 
 The collections of myths with which 1 have heretofore 
 presented them have all had either a Christian origin, 
 or at least have passed through a Christian mould, and 
 have thus almost unconsciously subserved the purpose 
 of illustrating some phase of Christian teaching, which 
 is specially distinguished by keeping in view, not 
 spasmodically and arbitrarily, as in the best of other 
 systems, but uniformly, in its sublimest reach and in 
 its humblest detail, the belief that an eternal purpose 
 and consequence pervades the whole length and breadth 
 of human existence. 
 
 Whether the story of '^ Juanita the Bald " was 
 originally drawn by a Christian desirous of inculcating 
 the sacred principles of the new covenant, or adapted
 
 PREFACE. XV 
 
 to the purpose by sucli an one from the myth of CEdipus 
 and Antigone ; whether that of " St. Peter's Three 
 Loaves " was really a traditional incident of our Lord's 
 wanderings on earth too insignificant to find place in 
 the pages of Holy Writ^ or adapted from the myth of 
 Baucis and Philemon ; or whether all were adaptations 
 according to the special convictions of various narrators 
 of great primeval traditions, mattered very little, as 
 each had an intrinsic purpose and an interest of its 
 own quite distinct from that accruing to it through 
 ascertaining its place in the history of the world's 
 beliefs. In telling them, it needed not to point a moral, 
 for the moral — i.e. some more or less remote applica- 
 tion of the sacred and civilizing teaching of the Gospel 
 — was of the very essence of each. 
 
 With the Tales given in the following pages, how- 
 ever, it is quite different. They come direct from the 
 far East, and in most of them nothing further has been 
 aimed at than the amusement of the weary hours of 
 disoccupation, whether forced or voluntary, of a people 
 indisposed by climate, natural temperament, or want of 
 cultivation from finding recreation in the healthy exer- 
 cise of mental efibrt. 
 
 To me it seems that before we can take pleasure in 
 giving our time to the perusal of such stories, we must 
 invest them with, or discover in them some sort of pur- 
 pose. Nor is this so far to seek, perhaps, as might 
 appear at first sight.
 
 XVI PREFACE. 
 
 Some, it must be observed, belong to the class 
 wliicii deals witli the deeds of heroes — fabling forth the 
 grand all-time lesson of the vigorous struggle of 
 good with evil ; the nobility of unflinching self-sacrifice 
 and of devotion to an exalted cause, setting the model 
 for the lowly sister of charity as much as for the vic- 
 torious leader of armies, and each all the while typical 
 of Him who gave Himself to be the servant of all, and 
 the ransom of all. A German writer rises so inspired 
 from their study that he bursts forth into this paean : — 
 " Eine Fillle der GdUergescliichte tliut sich Jiier auf, und 
 nirgends Idsst sich der eigenthmnliche Nahircliarader in 
 Forthildung des Mythus voUstdoidiger erkennen, als an 
 diesen Alterthumern. Gotter und vergotterte Menschen 
 rag 671 liter, ivie an den Wdnden der Tempel von Tliehe 
 hoch Uher das gewohnliche Menschengestalt. Alles hat 
 einen riesenhaften Aufschwung zur himmlischen Welt *." 
 Subsidiarily to these conceptions of them, stories of 
 this class have the further merit of being one chief 
 means of conveying the scanty data we possess con- 
 cerning the early history of the people of whose litera- 
 ture they form part (*) . 
 
 Others again may be placed in a useful light by 
 endeavouring to trace in them the journeyings they 
 have made in their transmigration. Benfey, a modern 
 German writer who has employed much time and study 
 " in tracing the Mdhrchen in their ever- varying forms," 
 * Heeren, Indische Liferafur.
 
 PREFACE. XV 11 
 
 while pointing out as many others have also done (^), 
 that the great bulk of our household tales have come to 
 us from the East^ and have been spread over Europe in 
 various ways^ points out that this was done for the South 
 in "great measure through the agency of the Turks; but 
 for the North it was by the Mongolians during their 
 two centuries of ascendancy in Eastern Europe; the 
 Slaves received them fi*om them, and communicated 
 them to the German peoples ('). 
 
 If therefore you find some tales in one collection 
 bearing a close resemblance with those you have read in 
 another, you should make it a matter of interest to 
 observe what is individual in the character of each, and 
 to trace the points both of diversity and analogy in the 
 mode of expression in which they are clothed, and 
 which will be found just as marked as the difference in 
 costume of the respective peoples who have told them 
 each after their own fashion. 
 
 All of them have at least the merit of being, in the 
 main, pictures of life, however overwrought with the 
 fantastic or supernatural element, not ideal embodi- 
 ments of the perfect motives by which people ought to 
 be actuated, but genre pictures of the modes in which 
 they commonly do act. As such they cannot fail to 
 contain the means of edification, though we are left to 
 look for and discover and apply it for ourselves. To 
 take one instance. The Christian hagiographer could 
 never have written of a hero he was celebrating, as we 
 
 a
 
 XVm PREFACE. 
 
 fiud it said of Vikramaditja^ that as part of liis prepa- 
 ration for the battle of life " while learning wisdom with 
 the wise, and the use of arms from men of valour," " of 
 the robber bands he acquired the art of steahng, and of 
 fraudulent dealers, to lie." If he had been illustrating 
 the actual biography of a Christian hero, it is a detail 
 which could not have entered, and if drawing an ideal 
 picture, it would have been entirely at variance with 
 the system he was illustrating. Circumstances like 
 this which fail to serve as subject for imitation, must be 
 turned to account in exercising the powers of judgment, 
 as well in distinguishing what to avoid from what to 
 admire, as in taking note of these very variances be- 
 tween Christian and the best non-christian morality. 
 
 *^* The author feels bound to apologize for any 
 inaccuracies which may have crept into these pages 
 owang to being abroad while preparing them for the 
 press.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I 
 
 THE SAGA OF THE WELL-AND -WISE -WALKING 
 KHAN. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Dedication 1 
 
 Tales 
 
 I. — The Woman who sought her Husband in the 
 
 Palace of Erlik-Khan 10 
 
 II. — The Gold-spitting Prince . . . .17 
 
 III. — How the Schimnu-Khan was slain . . .36 
 
 IV. — The Pig's-head Soothsayer . . . .54 
 
 V. — How the Serpent-gods were propitiated . . 71 
 
 VI. — The Turbulent Subject 82 
 
 VII. — The White Bird and his Wife . . .89 
 
 VIII. — How Ananda the Woodcarver and Ananda 
 
 THE Painter strove together . , . .97 
 
 IX.— Five to One 105 
 
 X. — The Biting Corpse 115 
 
 XI. — The Prayer making suddenly Rich . . . 120 
 
 XII. — " Child-intellect " and " Bright-intellect " . 130 
 
 XIII. — The Fortunes of Shrikantha . . . .135 
 
 XIV. — The Avaricious Brother 14(3 
 
 XV. — The Use of Magic Language .... 157 
 
 XVI. — The Wife who loved Butter .... 165 
 
 XVII. — The Simple Husband and the Prudent Wife . 173 
 
 XVIII. — How Shanggasba buried his Father . .178
 
 XX CONTENTS. 
 
 Tales page 
 
 XIX. — The Perfidious Friend 192 
 
 XX.— Bhixu Life 198 
 
 XXI. — How THE Widow saved her Sox's Life . . 206 
 
 XXII. — The White Serpext-king 213 
 
 XXIII. — What became of the Eed-coloured Dog . . 221 
 Conclusion op the Adventures of the Well- 
 and-Wise-Walking Khan 229 
 
 the saga of ardschi-bordschi and 
 yikeamAditja's throne. 
 
 Historical Notice of Vikramaditja 230 
 
 The Boy-King 252 
 
 The False Friend 253 
 
 The Pretended Son 257 
 
 Ardschi-Bordschi discovers Vikramaditja's Throne . 262 
 The Suta tells Ardschi-Bordschi concerning Vikram- 
 aditja's Birth 266 
 
 The Suta tells Ardschi-Bordschi concerning Vikram- 
 aditja's Youth 273 
 
 ScHALt THE Wolf-boy 277 
 
 vikramaditja and schallt conquer the schimnus . 284 
 The Suta tells Ardschi-Bordschi concerning Vikram- 
 aditja's Deeds 291 
 
 ViKRAMADITJA ACQUIRES ANOTHER KiNGDOM . . ih. 
 
 vikramaditja makes the silent speak . . , 294 
 
 Who invented Woman ? 298 
 
 The Voice-charmer 304 
 
 The Suta tells Ardschi-Bordschi concerning the 
 
 Seventy-one Parrots and their Adviser . . 309 
 How Narax Gerel swore falsely and yet told 
 the Truth 315 
 
 Notes . . . , 325 
 
 Glossary-Index 407
 
 THE SAGA OF THE 
 WELL-AND-WISE-WALKING KHAN. 
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 THOU most perfect Master and Teaclier of Wisdom 
 and Goodness ! Teacher, second only to the incom- 
 parable Shakjamuni (') ! Thou accomplished Nagar- 
 g'una (^) ! Thou who wast intimately acquainted with 
 the Most-pure Tripitaha {^), and didst evolve from it 
 thy wise madhjaviiha {*), containing the excellent para- 
 martlia (") ! Before thee I prostrate myself ! Hail ! 
 Nagarg'una O ! 
 
 It is even the wonderful and astounding history of 
 the deeds of the Well-and-wise-walking Khan, which he 
 performed under the help and direction of this same 
 Master and Teacher, Nagarg'una, that I projoose to re- 
 late in the form of the following series of narratives. 
 
 B
 
 Z SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 In the kingdom of Magadha {^) there once lived seven 
 brothers who were magicians. At the distance of a 
 mile from their abode lived two brothers, sons of a 
 Khan. The elder of these went to the seven magicians, 
 saying, " Teach me to understand your art,^' and abode 
 with them seven years. But though they were always 
 setting him to learn difficult tasks, yet they never 
 taught him the true key to their mystic knowledge. 
 His brother, however, coming to visit him one day, by 
 merely looking through a crack in the door of the 
 apartment where the seven brothers were at work 
 acquired perfectly the whole h-ijdvitija ('). 
 
 After this they both went home together^ the elder 
 because he perceived he would never learn any thing of 
 the magicians, and the younger because he had learnt 
 every thing they had to impart. 
 
 As they went along the younger brother said, " Now 
 that we know all their art the seven magicians will pro- 
 bably seek to do us some mischief. Go thou, there- 
 fore, to our stable, which we left empty, and thou shalt 
 find there a splendid steed. Put a rein on him and 
 lead him forth to sell him, only take care thou go not 
 in the direction of the dwelling of the seven magicians ; 
 and, having sold him, bring back the price thou shalt 
 have received." 
 
 When he had made an end of speaking he trans- 
 formed himself into a horse, and went and placed him- 
 self in the stable ag-ainst his brother arrived.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 6 
 
 But the elder brotlier, knowing tlie magicians had 
 taught him nothing, stood in no fear of them. There- 
 fore he did not according to the words of his brother; 
 but saying within himself, " As my brother is so clever 
 that he could conjm-e this fine horse into the stable, let 
 him conjure thither another if he wants it sold. This 
 one I will ride myself." Accordingly he saddled and 
 mounted the horse. All his efi'orts to guide him were 
 vain, however, and in spite of his best endeavours the 
 horse, impelled by the power of the magic of them from 
 whom the art had been learnt, carried him straight to 
 the door of the magicians' dwelling. Once there he was 
 equally unable to induce him to stir away; the horse 
 persistently stood still before the magicians' door. 
 AVlien he found he could not in any way command the 
 horse, he determined to sell it to these same magi- 
 cians, and he offered it to them, asking a great price 
 for it. 
 
 The magicians at once recognized that it was a magic 
 horse, and they said, among themselves, " If our art is 
 to become thus common, and every body can produce a 
 magic horse, no one will come to our market for won- 
 ders. We had best buy the horse up and destroy it." 
 Accordingly they paid the high price required and 
 took possession of the horse and shut it up in a dark 
 stall. When the time came to slaughter it, one held it 
 down by the tail, another by the head, other four by 
 the four legs, so that it should in nowise break away, 
 
 B 2
 
 4 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 •while the seventh bared his arm ready to strike it with 
 death. 
 
 When the Khan^s son, who was transformed into the 
 horse, had learnt what was the intention of the masfi- 
 cians, he said, " Would that any sort of a living being 
 would appear into which I might transform my- 
 self.^^ 
 
 Hardly had he formed the wish when a little fish 
 was seen swimming down the stream : into this the 
 Khan transformed himself. The seven magicians knew 
 what had occurred, and immediately transformed them- 
 selves into seven larger fish and pursued it. When 
 they were very close to the little fish, with their gullets 
 , wide open, the Khan said, within himself, " Would that 
 any sort of living being would appear into which I 
 might transform myself." Immediately a dove was 
 seen flying in the heavens, and the Khan transformed 
 himself into the dove. The seven magicians, seeing 
 what was done, transformed themselves into seven 
 hawks, pursuing the dove over hill and dale. Once 
 again they were near overtaking him, when the dove took 
 refuge in the Land Bede (^) . Southward in Bede was 
 a shining mountain and a cave within it called " Giver 
 of Rest." Hither the dove took refuge, even in the 
 very bosom of the Great Master and Teacher, Nagdr- 
 g'una. 
 
 The seven hawks came thither also, fast flying be- 
 hind the dove ; but, arrived at the entrance of Nagar-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 5 
 
 g'una's cavGj tliey sliowed themselves once more as men, 
 clothed in cotton garments. 
 
 Then spoke the great Master and Teacher, Nagar- 
 g'una, " Wherefore, dove, flutterest then so fall of 
 terror, and what are these seven hawks to thee V 
 
 So the Ethan's son told the Master all that had hap- 
 pened between himself, his brother, and the seven 
 magicians ; and he added these words, " Even now 
 there stand before the entrance of this cave seven men 
 clothed in cotton garments. These men will come in 
 unto the Master and pray for the boon of the ardmela 
 he holds in his hand. Meantime, I will transform my- 
 self into the large bead of the ardmela, and when the 
 Master would reach the chaplet to the seven men, I 
 pray him that, putting one end of it in his mouth, he 
 bite in twain the string of the same, whereby all the 
 beads shall be set free.''^ 
 
 The Master benevolently did even as he had been 
 prayed. Moreover, when all the beads fell showering 
 on the ground, behold they were all turned into little 
 worms, and the seven men clothed in cotton garments 
 transformed themselves into seven fowls, who pecked 
 up the worms. But when the Master di'opped the large 
 bead out of his mouth on to the ground it was trans- 
 formed into the form of a man having a staff in his hand. 
 With this staff the Khan's son killed the seven fowls, 
 but the moment they were dead they bore the forms of 
 men's corpses.
 
 6 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 Then spoke the Master. "This is evil of thee. Be- 
 holdj while I gave thee protection for thy one Ufe. thou 
 hast taken the lives of these men^ even of these seven. 
 In this hast thou done evil." 
 
 But the Khan^s son answered, "To protect my life 
 there was no other means save to take the life of these 
 seven, who had vowed to kill me. Nevertheless, to 
 testify" my thanks to the Master for his protection, and 
 to take this sin from off my head, behold I am ready to 
 devote myself to whatever painful and difficult enter- 
 prise the Master will be pleased to lay upon me.''^ 
 
 " Then," said the Master, "if this is so, betake thy- 
 self to the cool grove, even to the cUavana ('), where is 
 the Siddhi-kiir {^°) . From his waist upwards he is of gold, 
 from his waist downwards of emerald ; his head is of 
 mother-of-pearl, decked with a shining crown. Thus is 
 he made. Him if thou brings unto me from his Manffo- 
 tree ("), thou shalt have testified thy gratitude for my 
 protection and shalt have taken this sin that thou hast 
 committed from off thy head ; for so shall I be able, 
 when I have the Siddhi-kiir in subjection under me, to 
 bring forth gold in abundance, to give lives of a 
 thousand years' dm-ation to the men of Gambudvipa('"), 
 and to perform all manner of wonderful works." 
 
 " Behold, I am ready to do even as according to thy 
 word," answered the Elhan's son. " Tell me only the 
 way I have to take and the manner and device whereby 
 I must proceed."
 
 SAGAS TROM THE FAR EAST. 7 
 
 Then spoke the great Master and Teacher^ Nfigar- 
 g'una, again, saying,— 
 
 "When thou shalt have wandered forth hence for 
 the distance of about an hundred miles, thou shalt 
 come to a dark and fearsome ravine where lie the 
 bodies of the giant-dead. At thy approach they shall 
 all rise up and surround thee. But thou call out to 
 them, 'Ye giant-dead, Jiala hala svdhd {^^)V scatter- 
 ing abroad at the same time these barley-corns, con- 
 secrated by the power of magic art, and pass on thy 
 way without fear. 
 
 About another hundred miles' space ftirther hence 
 thou shalt come to a smooth mead by the side of 
 a river where lie the bodies of the pigmy-dead. At 
 thy approach they shall all rise up and surround thee. 
 But thou cry out to them, ' Ye pigmy-dead, hulu huJu 
 svahd!' and, strewing thine offering of barley-corns, 
 again pass on thy way without fear. 
 
 At a hundred miles' space farther along thou shalt 
 come to a garden of flowers having a grove of trees 
 and a fountain iu the midst ; here lie the bodies of the 
 child-dead. At thy approach they shall rise up and 
 running together surround thee. But thou cry out to 
 them, 'Ye child-dead, rira iihad !' and, strewing thine 
 offering of barley-corns, again pass on thy way with- 
 out fear. 
 
 Out of the midst of these the Siddhi-ktir will rise and 
 will run away from before thee till he reaches his mango-
 
 O SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 tree, climbing up to the summit thereof. Then thou 
 swing on high the axe which I will give thee^ even the 
 axe White Moon (''')_, and make as though thou wouldst 
 hew down the tree in very truth. Rather than let thee 
 hew the mango-tree he will come down. Then seize him 
 and bind him in this sackof many colours^ in which is place 
 for to stow away an hundred, enclose the mouth thereof 
 tight with this cord, twisted of an hundred threads of 
 different colours, make thy meal off this cake which 
 never grows less, place the sack upon thy shoulder, and 
 bring him hither to me. Only beware that by the 
 
 WAY THOU OPEN NOT THY LIPS TO SPEAK ! 
 
 '^ And now, hitherto hast thou been called theKhan^s 
 son, but now, since thou hast found thy way even to 
 the cave ' Giver of Rest,' thou shalt be called no more 
 the Khan's son, but ' the Well-and-wise-walking Khan.' 
 Go now thy way." 
 
 When the Master, Nagarg'una, had given him this 
 new name, he further provided him with all the provi- 
 sions for the undertaking which he had promised him, 
 and, pointing out the way, dismissed him in peace. 
 
 When the Well-and-wise-walking Khan had over- 
 come all the alarms and difficulties of the way, and 
 come in sight of the Siddhi-kur, he set out swiftly to 
 pursue him ; but the Siddhi-kiir was swifter than he, 
 and, reaching the mango-tree, clambered up to the 
 summit. Then said the Well-and-wise-walking Khan, 
 " Behold, I come in the name of the great Master and
 
 SAGAS PEOH THE FAB EAST. 9 
 
 Teaclier^ Nagarg'una. My axe is the axe 'Wlaite 
 Moon/ my provision for the journey is the cake which 
 never diminishes, my prison is the sack of many colours, 
 in which is place to stow away an hundred, my cord is 
 the cord twisted of an hundred threads of different 
 colours, I myself am called the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan; I command thee, therefore, Siddhi-kiir, that 
 thou come down hither to me, otherwise with my axe 
 'White Moon^ will I fell the mango-tree.'^ 
 
 At these words the Siddhi-kiir cried, in answer, "Fell 
 not the mango-tree. Rather will I come down to 
 thee,'^ With that he came down, and the Khan, taking 
 him, put him in his sack of many colours, in which was 
 place to stow away an hundred, then he made the mouth 
 fast with the cord twisted of an hundred threads of 
 various colours, made his meal off his cake which never 
 diminished, and proceeded on his way to take him to 
 the great Master and Teacher, Nagarg'una. 
 
 As they journeyed on thus day after day, and had 
 grown weary, thus spoke the Siddhi-kiir, " Long is the 
 journey, and both of us are weary, tell thou now a story 
 to enliven it.'' 
 
 But, remembering the words of Nagarg'una, "Beware 
 thou open not thy lips to speak," he answered him 
 never a word. 
 
 Then said the Siddhi-kiir again, "If thou wilt not tell 
 a story to lighten the journey, at least listen to one 
 from me, and to this thou canst give assent without
 
 10 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 opening tliy lips, if only thou nod thy head backwards 
 towards me. At this sign I will tell a tale." So the 
 Well-and-wise-walking Khan nodded his head back- 
 Avards towards the Siddhi-kiir, and the Siddhi-kiir told 
 this tale : — 
 
 TALE I. 
 
 THE WOMAN WHO SOUGHT HER HUSBAND IN THE PALACE 
 OP ERLIK KHAN. 
 
 Long ages ago there reigned a young Khan whose 
 father had died early and left him in possession of the 
 kingdom. He was a youth comely to look upon, and 
 dazzling in the glory of his might. To him had been 
 given for his chief wife the daughter of a Khan of 
 the South. But the young Khan loved not this wife. 
 At a mile's distance from his palace there lived in her 
 father's house a well-grown, beautiful maiden, of whom 
 he had made his second wife; as she was not a 
 Khan's daughter he feared to take her home to his 
 palace, lest he should displease his mother, but he 
 came often to visit her, and as they loved each other 
 very much, she asked no more. 
 
 One night, when the moon was brightly shining, 
 some one knocked at the window, the maiden knew it 
 was the Khan's manner of knocking, so she opened to 
 him, — but with trembling, for he had never been wont 
 to come at that hour ; yet by the light of the moon-
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 11 
 
 beam she saw tliat it was indeed himself, only instead 
 of his usual garments, he was habited in shining 
 apparel, which she could hardly look upon for its 
 brightness, and he, himself, too, looked more exceed- 
 ing beautiful than usual. When he had partaken of 
 her rice-brandy and cakes, he rose and stood upon 
 the doorstep, saying, " Come, sweet wife, come out 
 together with me ;" and when she had gone a little 
 way with him, he said, " Come, sweet wife, come a 
 little farther with me." And when she had gone a 
 little farther with him, he said again, " Come, sweet 
 wife, come yet a little farther/^ So she went yet a 
 little farther till they had reached nearly to the gates 
 of the palace, and from within the courts of the palace 
 there came a noise of shouting and playing on instru- 
 ments. Then inquired she, " To what end is this 
 shouting and this music V And he replied, "^It is the 
 noise of the sacrifice for the rites of the burial of the 
 KlLan(^).''^ " And why do they celebrate the rites of the 
 burial of the Khan?^^ she asked, now beginning to 
 fear in earnest. *^ Because I am dead, sweet wife, 
 and am even now on my way to the deva's kingdom. 
 But thou listen to me, and do according to my word, 
 and all shall be well for thee and for our son. Behold, 
 even now, within the palace, my mother and my chief 
 wife strive together concerning a jewel which is lost. 
 But I have purposely hid the jewel under a god's 
 image in the apartment. Thou, therefore, pass the
 
 12 SAGAS FEOM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 night in this elephant-stable of the palace hard by^ and 
 there shall our son be born ; and in the mornings the 
 elephant- tamers finding thee shall bring thee to my 
 mother and my chief wife. But thou^ take the jewel 
 and give it to the chief ^\ife and send her away to her 
 own people. Then shall my mother have joy in thee 
 alone and in the child^ and you two together shall 
 direct the Government till he be come to man^s estate." 
 Thus spoke the Khan. 
 
 While he spoke these words, the wife was so stricken 
 with fear and grief that she fell to the ground sense- 
 less, nor knew that he bore her into the elephant- 
 stable, and went up to the cleva's kingdom. 
 
 In the night their son was born ; and in the morn- 
 ing, the elephant-tamers coming in, said, " Here is a 
 woman and a babe lying in the elephant- stable ; this 
 must not be, who knows but that it might bring evil to 
 the elephants(') ?" so they raised her up, with her in- 
 fant, and took her to the Khan's mother. Then she told 
 the Khan's mother all that had befallen her, and as 
 the jewel was found in the place the Khan had told 
 her, it was taken for proof of her truth. Accordingly, 
 the jewel was given to the chief wife, and she was 
 dismissed to her own people ; and as the Khan had 
 left no other child, the boy born in the elephant- 
 stable was declared heir, and his mother and the 
 Khan's mother directed the Government together till 
 he should come to man's estate.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 13 
 
 Thus tlie lowly maiden was establislied in tlie 
 palace as the Khan had promised. Moi'eover, every 
 month, on the fifteenth of the month, the Khan came 
 in the night to visit her, disappearing again with the 
 morning light. When she told this to the Khan^s 
 mother, she would not believe her, because he was 
 invisible to all eyes but hers. And when she protested 
 that she spoke only words of truth, the Khan^s mother 
 said, " If it be very truth, then obtain of him that 
 his mother may see him also." 
 
 On the fifteenth of the month, when he came 
 again, she said therefore to him, " That thou shouldst 
 come thus to see me every month, on the fifteenth of 
 the month, is good ; but that thou shouldst go away 
 and leave me all alone again, this is sad, very sad. 
 Why canst thou not come back and stay with us 
 altogether, without going away any more?" 
 
 And he made answer : " Of a truth there would be 
 one way, but it is difficult and terrible, and it is not 
 given to woman to endure so much fear and pain." 
 
 But she replied, " If there were but any means to 
 have thee back, always by my side, I would find 
 strength to endure any terror or pain, even to the 
 tearing out of the bones from the midst of my 
 flesh." 
 
 " This is the means that must be taken then," said 
 the Khan : " Next month, on the fifteenth of the month, 
 thou must rise when the moon^s light is at the full, and
 
 14 SAGAS FEOII THE TAE EAST. 
 
 go forth abi'oad a mile's distance towards tlie regions 
 of the South. There shalt thou meet with an ancient 
 man of iron, standing on the watch, who, when he 
 shall have drank much molten metal, shall yet cry, 
 'Yet am I thirsty.' To him give rice-brandy and 
 pass on. Farther on thou shalt find two he-goats 
 fighting together mightily, to them give barm-cakes 
 to eat and pass on. Farther along thou shalt find a 
 band of armed men who shall bar thy way ; to them 
 distribute meat and pass on. Farther on thou shalt 
 come to a frightful massive black building round which 
 runs a moat filled with human blood, and from its 
 portal waves a man's skin for a banner. At its door 
 stand on guard two terrible erliks (^), servants of 
 Erlik Khan {*) ; to each, offer an offering of blood 
 and pass within the building. 
 
 " In the very midst of the building thou shalt find a 
 ManduJa (^) formed by eight awful sorcerers, and at 
 the feet of each will lie a heart which will cry to thee, 
 ' Take me ! take me ! ' In the midst of all will be a 
 ninth heart which must cry ' Take me not !' 
 
 " If thou fortified by thy love shall be neither ren- 
 dered afraid by the aspect of the place, nor terrified by 
 the might of the sorcerers, nor confounded by the 
 wailing of the voices, but shalt take up and bear 
 away that ninth heart, neither looking backwards nor 
 tarrying by the way, then shall it be granted us to 
 live for evermore on earth together."
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 15 
 
 Thus lie spoke ; and tlie morning liglit breaking, ske 
 saw kim no more. Tke wife, kowever, laid up all kis 
 words in ker keart ; and on tke fifteentk of tke next 
 montk, wken tke moon skone, ske went fortk all alone 
 witkout seeking kelp or counsel from any one, content 
 to rely on ker kusband's words. Nor letting ker 
 keart be cast down by fear or pain, ske distributed to 
 eack of tkose ske met by tke way tke portion ke kad 
 appointed. At last ske reacked tke Mandala of sor- 
 cerers, and, regardless of tke conflicting cries by wkick 
 ske was assailed, boldly carried off tke nintk keart, 
 tkougk it said, " Take me not ! " No sooner kad ske 
 turned back witk ker prize tkan tke eigkt sorcerers 
 ran calling after ker, "A tkief kas been in kere, and 
 kas stolen tke keart! Guards! Up, and seize ker!^' 
 But tke ErWis before tke door answered, '' Us ske pro- 
 pitiated witk a blood-offering ; we arrest ker not. See 
 you to it." So tke word was passed on to tke company 
 of armed men wko kad barred ker passage ; but tkey 
 answered, "Us katk ske propitiated witk a meat-oflPer- 
 ing; we arrest ker not. See you to it." Tken tke 
 word was passed on to tke two ke-goats. But tke 
 ke-goats answered, "Us katk ske propitiated witk a 
 barm-cake-offering; we arrest ker not. See you to it." 
 Finally, tke word was passed on to tke ancient man of 
 iron ; but ke answered, " Me katk ske propitiated witk 
 a brandy-offering ; I arrest ker not." 
 
 Tkus witk fearless tread ske continued all tke way
 
 16 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 to the palace. On opening the door of his apartment, 
 the Khan himself came forward to meet her in his 
 beauty and might, and in tenfold glory, never to go 
 away from her again any more, and they fell into each 
 other's arms in a loving embrace. 
 
 " Scarcely could a man have held out as bravely as 
 did this woman ! " exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he uttered these words, the Siddhi-kiir re- 
 plied, " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walk- 
 ing Khan hath opened his lips." And with the cry 
 "To escape out of this world is good !'* he sped him 
 through the air, swift, out of sight. 
 
 Of the Adventures of the Well-and- wise-walking Khan 
 the first chapter, concerning the Woman who brought 
 back her Husband from the palace of Erlik-Khan.
 
 TALE II. 
 
 When the Well- and- wise-walking Khan found that 
 he had missed the end and object of his journey, he 
 forthwith set out again, without loss of time, or so 
 much as returning to his Master and Teacher, Nagar- 
 g'una, but taking only a meal of his cake which never 
 diminished; thus, with similar toils and fears as the 
 first time, he came again at last to the cool grove where 
 lay the child-dead, and among them the Siddhi-kiir. 
 And the Siddhi-kiir rose up before him, and clambered 
 up the mango-tree. And when the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan had summoned him with proud sound- 
 ing words to come down, threatening that otherwise he 
 would hew down the tree with his axe "White Moon,^' 
 the Siddhi-kiir came down, rather than that he should 
 destroy the mango-tree. Then he bound him again in 
 his bag of many colours, in which was place to stow 
 away an hundred, and bound the mouth thereof with 
 the cord woven of an hundred threads of different tints, 
 and bore him along to offer to his Master and Teacher, 
 Nagarg'una.
 
 18 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 But at the end of many days^ journey^ tlie Siddhi-kur 
 said, — 
 
 '^Now, in truth; is the length of this journey like to 
 weary us even to death, as we go along thus without 
 speaking. Wherefore, Prince ! let me entreat thee 
 beguile the way by telling a tale." 
 
 But the Well-and- wise-walking Khan, remembering 
 the words of his Master and Teacher Nagarg'una, which 
 he spoke, saying, " See thou open not thy lips to 
 speak by the way," remained silent, and answered him 
 never a word. Then the Siddhi-kiir, when he found 
 that he could not be brought to answer him, spake 
 again in this wise : " If thou wilt not tell a tale, then, 
 at least, give some token by which I may know if thou 
 wiliest that I should tell one, and if thou speak not, at 
 least nod thine head backwards towards me ; then will 
 I tell a tale.'' 
 
 So the Well-and-wise-walking Khan nodded his 
 head backwards towards the Siddhi-kiir, and the 
 Siddhi-kiir told this tale, saying, — 
 
 THE GOLD-SPITTING PRINCE. 
 
 Long ages ago there was a far-off country where a 
 mighty Khan ruled. Near the source of the chief river of 
 this country was a pool, where lived two Serpent-gods ('), 
 who had command of the water ; and as they could 
 shut off the water of the river when they pleased, 
 and prevent it from overflowing and fertilizing the
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAK EAST. 19 
 
 country, the people were obliged to obey their behest, 
 be it what it might, l^ow, the tribute they exacted of 
 the country was that of a full grown man, to be chosen 
 by lot, every year ; and on whoso the lot fell, he had to 
 go, without redemption, whatever his condition in life. 
 Thus it happened one year that the lot fell on the 
 Khan himself. In all the kingdom there was no one 
 of equal rank who could be received instead of him, 
 unless it had been his only son. When his son would 
 have gone in his stead, he answered him, " What is it 
 to me if the Serpents devour me, so that thou, my son, 
 reignest in peace ? " But the son said, " Never shall it 
 be that thou, my Khan and father, shouldst suffer this 
 cruel death, while I remain at home. The thought be 
 far from me. Neither will the land receive harm by 
 my death ; is not my mother yet alive ? and other 
 sons may be born to thee, who shall reign over the 
 land.'" So he went to offer himself as food to the 
 Serpent-gods. 
 
 As he went along, the people followed him for a 
 long stretch of the way, bewailing him ; and then they 
 turned them back. But one there was who turned not 
 back : it was a poor man's son whom the Prince had 
 all his life had for his friend; he continued following 
 him. Then the Prince turned and said to him, " Walk 
 thou according to the coimsels of thy father and thy 
 mother, and be prosperous and happy on the earth. 
 To defend this noble, princely country, and to fulfil 
 
 c 2
 
 20 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 tlie royal word of tlie Khan^ my fatlier, I go forth to 
 be food to the Serpent-gods/^ 
 
 But the poor man's son refused to forsake him. 
 '^ Thou hast loaded me with goodness and favours," he 
 said, as he wept ; " if I may not go instead of thee, at 
 least I will go with thee." And he continued following 
 the Prince. 
 
 "When they got near the pool, they heard a low, 
 rumbling, horrible sound : it was the two Serpent-gods 
 talking together, and talking about them, for they 
 wei'e on the look-out to see who would be sent to 
 them this year for the tribute. The old gold-yellow 
 Serpent was telling the young emerald-green Serpent 
 how the Prince had come instead of his father, and 
 how the poor man, who had no need to come at all, 
 had insisted on accompanying him. 
 
 "And these people are so devoted in giving their 
 lives for one another," said the young emerald- green 
 Serpent, " and have not the courage to come out and 
 fight us, and make an end of paying this tribute at 
 all." 
 
 " They don't know the one only way to fight us," 
 answered the gold-yellow old Serpent ; " and as all 
 the modes they have tried have always failed, they 
 imagine it cannot be done, and they try no more." 
 
 "And what is the one only way by which they 
 could prevail against us?" inquired the young emerald- 
 green Serpent.
 
 SAGAS rROM THE FAE EAST. 21 
 
 " They liave only to cut off our heads with a blow of 
 a stout staff/' repHed the old gold-yellow Serpent, "■ for 
 so has Shesa, the Serpent-deemon, appomted," 
 
 "But these men carry shining swords that look 
 sharp and fearful/' urged the young emerald-green 
 Serpent. 
 
 " That is it ! " rejoined the other : " their swords 
 avail nothing against us, and. so they never think that 
 a mere staff shouki kill us. Also, if after cutting off 
 our heads they were to eat them, they would be able 
 to spit as much gold and precious stones as ever they 
 liked. But they know nothing of all this," chuckled 
 the old gold-yellow Serpent. 
 
 Meantime, the Prince had not lost a word of all 
 that the two Serpents had said to each other, for his 
 mother had taught him the speech of all manner of 
 creatures. So when he first heard the noise of the 
 Serpents talking together, he had stood still, and 
 listened to their words. Now, therefore, he told it all 
 again to his follower, and they cut two stout staves in 
 the wood, and then drew near, and cut off the heads of 
 the Serpents with the staves — each of them one ; and 
 when they had cut them off, the Prince ate the head of 
 the gold-yellow Serpent, and, see ! he could spit out as 
 much gold money as ever he liked ; and his follower 
 ate the head of the emerald-green Serpent, and he 
 could spit out emeralds as many as ever he pleased. 
 
 Then spoke the poor man's son : " Now that we have
 
 22 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 killed the Sei^pents^ and restored the due course of the 
 water to our native couutryj let us return home and 
 live at peace. ■'^ 
 
 But the Khan's son answered^ '^Not so, for if we 
 went back to our own land, the people would only 
 mock us, saying, ' The dead return not to the living ! ' 
 and we should find no place among them. It is better 
 we betake ourselves to another country afar off, which 
 knows us not.'' 
 
 So they journeyed on through a mountain pass. 
 
 At the foot of the mountains they came to the habi- 
 tation of a beautiful woman and her daughter, selling 
 strong drink to travellers. Here they stopped, and 
 would have refreshed themselves, but the women asked 
 them what means they had to pay them withal, for they 
 saw they looked soiled with travel. " We will pay 
 whatever you desire," replied the Prince ; and he 
 began to spit out gold coin upon the table. When the 
 women saw that he spat out as much gold coin as ever 
 he would, they took them inside, and gave them as 
 much drink as they could take, making them pay in 
 gold, and at many times the worth of the drink, for 
 they no longer knew what they did ; only when they 
 had made them quite intoxicated, and they could not 
 get any thing more from them, in despite of all sense 
 of gratitude or hospitality, they turned them out to 
 pass the night on the road. 
 
 When they woke in the morning, they journeyed
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 23 
 
 farther till they came to a broad river ; on its banks 
 was a palm-grove, and a band of boys were gathered 
 together under it quarrelling. 
 
 " Boys ! what are you disputing about ? " inquired 
 the Prince. 
 
 " "We found a cap on this palm-tree/' answered one 
 of the hoys, " and we are disputing whose it shall be, 
 because we all want it.''' 
 
 " And what use would the cap be to you ? What 
 is it good for?'' asked the Prince. 
 
 " Why, that whichever of us gets it has only to put 
 it on," replied the boy, " and he immediately becomes 
 invisible to gods, men, and dsemons." 
 
 " I will settle the dispute for you," rejoined the 
 Prince. " You all of you get you to the far end 
 of this palm-grove, and start back running, all fair, 
 together. Whichever wins the race shall be reckoned 
 to have won the cap. Give it to me to hold the 
 while." 
 
 The boys said, " It is well spoken ; " and giving the 
 cap to the Prince, they set off to go to the other end of 
 the grove. But they were no sooner well on their way, 
 than the Prince put on the cap, and then joining hands 
 with his companion, both became invisible to gods, 
 men, and deemons ; so that when the boys came back 
 at full speed, though they were both yet standing in 
 the same place, none of them could see them. After 
 wandering about to look for them in vain, they at last
 
 24 SAGAS FKOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 gave it up in despair^ and went away crying with dis- 
 appointment. 
 
 The Prince and his follower continued their journey 
 by the side of the stream till they came to a broad road, 
 and here at the cross-way was a crowd of deemons 
 assembled, who were all chattering aloud, and dis- 
 puting vehemently. 
 
 "Demons! What are you quarrelling about?" 
 asked the Prince. 
 
 '''We found this pair of boots here," answered the 
 daemons, " and whoever puts these boots on has only 
 to wish that he might be in a particular place, and 
 immediately arrives there ; and we cannot agree which 
 of us is to have the boots." 
 
 " I will settle the dispute for you," replied the 
 Prince. '' You all go up to the end of this road, and 
 run back hither all of you together, and whichever of 
 you wins the race, he shall be reckoned to have won 
 the boots. Give them to me to hold the while." 
 
 So the dasmons answered, "It is well spoken;" 
 and giving the boots to the Prince, they set off to go 
 to the far end of the road. But by the time they got 
 back the Prince had put on the invisible cap, and 
 joining hands with his companion had become invisible 
 to gods, men, and dasmons, so that for all their look- 
 ing there was no trace of them to be found. Thus they 
 had to give up the lucky boots, and went their way 
 howling for disappointment.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. ZO 
 
 As soon as they were gone the Prince and liis fol- 
 lower began to examine the boots, and to ponder what 
 they should do with their treasure. 
 
 " A great gift and a valuable/' said the latter, 
 "hath been given thee, Prince, by the favour of 
 fortune, and thy wisdom in acquiring it. Wish now 
 to reach a prosperous place to be happy ; but for me I 
 shall not know where thou, art gone, and I shall see 
 thy face no more.'' 
 
 But the Prince said, "Nay, but wheresoever I go, 
 thou shalt go too. Here is one boot for me, and the 
 other for thee, and when we have both put them on we 
 will wish to be in the place where at this moment there 
 is no Khan, and we will then see what is further to be 
 done." 
 
 So the Prince put on the right boot, and his follower 
 the left boot, and they laid them down to sleep, and 
 both wished that they might come to a land where 
 there was no Khan. 
 
 When they woke in the morning they found them- 
 selves lying in the hollow of an ancient tree, in the 
 outskirts of a great city, overshadowing the place 
 where the election of the Khan was wont to be made. 
 As soon as day broke the people began to assemble, 
 and many ceremonies were performed. At last the 
 people said, " Let us take one of the Balmg-cakes out 
 of the straw sacrifice, and throw it up into the air, and 
 on to whosoever's head it falls he shall be our Khan.
 
 26 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 So they took the Balmg-cake out of the straw sacrifice, 
 and it fell into the hollow tree. And the people said, 
 "We must choose some other mode of divination, for 
 the Baling -cake has failed. Shall a hollow tree reign 
 over us ? " 
 
 But others said, " Let us see what there may be 
 inside the hollow tree.^^ 
 
 Thus when they came to look into the tree they 
 found the Prince and his follower. So they drew them 
 out and said, " These shall rule over us.'' But 
 others said, " How shall we know which of these two 
 is the Khan ? " While others again cried, " These men 
 are but strangers and vagabonds. How then shall 
 they reign over us ? " 
 
 But to the Prince and his follower they said, 
 " Whence are ye ? and how came ye in the hollow 
 tree?'' 
 
 Then the Prince began spitting gold coin, and his 
 follower precious emeralds. And while the people 
 were busied in gathering the gold and the emeralds 
 they installed themselves in the palace, and made them- 
 selves Khan and Chief Minister, and all the people 
 paid them homage. 
 
 When they had learned the ways of the kingdom 
 and established themselves well in it, the new Khan 
 said to his Minister that he must employ himself to 
 find a wife worthy of the Khan. To whom the 
 Minister made answer, —
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 27 
 
 " Behold, beautiful among women is the daughter of 
 the last Khan. Shall not she be the Khan's wife ? '' 
 
 The Khan found his word good, and desired that 
 she should be brought to him; when he found she 
 was fair to see, he took her into the palace, and she 
 became his wife. But she was with him as one whose 
 thoughts were fixed on another. 
 
 Now on the outskirts of the city was a noble palace, 
 well kept and furnished, and surrounded with delicious 
 gardens ; but no one lodged there. Only the Minister 
 took note that every third day the Khan's wife went 
 out softly and unattended, and betook herself to this 
 palace. 
 
 ''Now,'' thought the Minister to himself, "where- 
 fore goes the Khan's wife every third day to this 
 palace, softly and unattended ? I must see this thing." 
 
 So he put on the cap which they had of the boys in 
 the palm-grove, and followed the Khan's Avife as he 
 saw her go the palace, and having found a ladder he 
 entered by a window as she came up the stairs. Then 
 he followed her into a sumptuous apartment all fitted 
 with carpets and soft cushions, and a table spread with 
 delicious viands and cooling drinks. The Khan's wife, 
 however, reclined her on none of these cushions, but 
 went out by a private door for a little space, and when 
 she returned she was decked as never she had been 
 when she went before the Khan. The room was filled 
 with perfume as she approached, her hair was powdered
 
 28 SAGAS FEOia: THE FAR EAST. 
 
 with glittering jewels, and lier attire was all of broi- 
 dered silk, while her throat, and arms, and ankles were 
 wreathed with pearls. The Minister hardly knew her 
 again ; and with his cap, which made him invisible to 
 gods, men, and daemons, he approached quite near to 
 look at her, while she, having no suspicion of his pre- 
 sence, continued busy with preparations as for some 
 coming event. On a vast circle of porphyry she lighted 
 a fire of sandal wood, over which she scattered a 
 quantity of odoriferous powders, uttering words the 
 while which it was beyond the power of the Minister to 
 understand. While she was thus occupied, there came 
 a most beautiful bird with many-coloured wings swiftly 
 flying through the open window, and when he had 
 soared round three times in the soft vapour of the 
 sweet-scented gums the Princess had been burning, 
 there appeared a bird no longer, but Cuklaketu, the 
 beautiful son of the gods, surpassing all words in his 
 beauty. The transformation was no sooner effected, 
 than they embraced each other, and reclining together 
 on the silken couches, feasted on the banquet that was 
 laid out. 
 
 After a time, Cuklaketu rose to take leave, but 
 before he went, he said, " Now you are married to 
 the husband heaven has appointed you, tell me how it 
 is with him.^^ 
 
 At these words the Minister, jealous for his master, 
 grew very attentive that he might learn what- opinion
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAK EAST. 29 
 
 the Khan's wife had of his master and what love she 
 had for him. But she answered prudently^ " How it 
 will be with him I know not jet, for he is still young; 
 I cannot as yet know any thing of either his merits or 
 defects." 
 
 And with that they parted ; Cuklaketu flying away 
 in the form of a beautiful bird with many-coloured wings 
 as he had come, and the Khan's wife exchanging her 
 glittering apparel for the mantle in which she came 
 from the Khan's palace. 
 
 The next time that she went out to this palace, the 
 Minister put on his cap and followed her again and 
 witnessed the same scene, only when Cuklaketu was 
 about to take leave this time, he said, " To-morrow, I 
 shall come and see what your husband is like." And 
 when she asked him, " By what token shall I know 
 you?" he answered, "I will come under the form of 
 a swallow, and will perch upon his throne." With that 
 they parted ; but the Minister went and stood before 
 the Khan and told him all that he had seen. 
 
 " But thou, Khan," proceeded the Minister, 
 " Cause thou a great fire to be kept burning before 
 the throne ; and I, standing there with the cap render- 
 ing me invisible to gods, men, and dgemons, on my 
 head, will be on the look out for the swallow, and when 
 he appears, I will seize him by the feathers of his tail 
 and dash him into the fire ; then must thou, Khan, 
 slay him, and hew him in pieces with thy sword."
 
 30 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 And SO it was, for tlie next morning early, while tlie 
 Khan and his Consort were seated with all their Court 
 in due order of rank, there came a swallow^ all smirk 
 and sprightly, fluttering around them, and at last it 
 perched on the Khan^s throne. The Princess watched 
 his every movement with delighted eyes, but the 
 Minister, who waited there wearing his cap which made 
 him invisible to gods, men, and daemons, no sooner saw 
 him perch on the throne, than he seized him by the 
 feathers of his tail and flung him on the fire. Tlie 
 swallow succeeded in fluttering out of the fire, but as 
 the Khan had drawn his sword to slay him and hew 
 him in pieces, the Princess caught his arm and held 
 it tight, so that the swallow just managed to fly away 
 with his singed wings through the open window. 
 Meantime, the Princess was so overcome with fear and 
 excitement that she fainted away into the arms of the 
 attendants, who were struck with wonder that she 
 should care so much about an injury done to a little 
 bird. 
 
 As soon as the day came round for her to go to the 
 palace in the outskirts of the city, again the Minister 
 did not fail to follow closely on her steps. He observed 
 that she prepared every thing with greater attention 
 than before and decked herself out with more costly 
 robes and more glittering gems. But when the 
 minutes passed by and the beautiful bird still appeared 
 not, her fear waxed stronger and stronger, and she
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 31 
 
 stood gazing, without taking her eyes off the sky. At 
 last, and only when it was ah'eady late, Cuklaketu came 
 flying painfully and feebly, and when he had exchanged 
 his bird disguise for the human form, the traces of the 
 treatment the Minister had given him were plainly 
 visible in many frightful blisters and scars. 
 
 When the Princess saw him in this evil plight, she 
 lifted up her voice, and wept aloud. But the Prince 
 comforted her with his great steadfastness under the 
 infliction, only he was obliged to tell her that both his 
 human body and his bird feathers being thus marred, 
 it would be impossible for him to come and visit 
 her more. ^' But," he said, " the Khan, thy husband, 
 has proved himself to exceed me in his might, there- 
 fore he has won thee from me." So after much leave- 
 taking, they parted ; and Cuklaketu flew away as well 
 as his damaged wings would carry him. 
 
 It was observed that after this the Princess grew 
 much more attached to her husband, and the Khan 
 rejoiced in the sagacity and faithfulness of his Minister. 
 
 Nor was this the only use the Minister made of 
 his cap, which made him invisible to gods, men, and 
 daemons. He was enabled by its means to see many 
 things that were not rightly conducted, to correct many 
 evils, punish many oSenders who thought to escape 
 justice, and learn many useful arts. 
 
 One day as he was walking with this cap upon his 
 head, he came to a temple where, the door being closed.
 
 32 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 a servant of tlie temple, thinking himself alone^ began 
 disporting himself after the following manner : Firsts he 
 took out from under a statue of Buddha a largfe roll of 
 paper^ on which was painted a donkey. Having spread 
 it out flat on the floor of the temple, he danced round 
 it five times ; and immediately on completing the fifth 
 turn, he became transformed into a donkey like the 
 one that was painted on the paper. In this form he 
 pranced about for some time, and brayed till he was 
 tired, then he got on to the paper again, on his hind 
 legs, and danced round five times as before, and im- 
 mediately he appeared again in his natural form. 
 When at last he grew tired of the amusement he rolled 
 up his paper, and replaced it under the image of 
 Buddha, whence he had taken it. He had no sooner 
 done so than the Minister, under cover of his cap, which 
 made him invisible to gods, men, and daemons, pos- 
 sessed himself of the paper which had such mysterious 
 properties, and betook himself with it to the dwelling 
 of the beautiful woman and her daughter who sold 
 strong drink to travellers, who had treated his master 
 and him so shamefully at the outset of their travels. 
 
 When they saw him approach, for he now no longer 
 wore the invisible cap, they began to fear he had come 
 to bring them retribution, and they asked him with 
 the best grace they could assume what was his plea- 
 sure. But he, to win their confidence, that he might 
 the better carry out his scheme^ replied, —
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 33 
 
 " To reward you for your handsome treatment of me 
 and my companion^ therefore am I come/' And at the 
 same time he gave them a handful of gold coin. 
 
 And they, recollecting what profit they had derived 
 from his companion before, and deeming it likely 
 there might be means for turning the present visit to 
 similar good account, asked him what were his means 
 for being able to be so lavish of the precious metal. 
 
 " Oh, that is easily told/' replied the Minister. " It 
 is true I have not the faculty of spitting gold coin out 
 of my mouth hke my companion, as you doubtless 
 remember, but I have another way, equally efficacious, 
 of coming into possession of all the money I can pos- 
 sibly desire." 
 
 '^ And what may that way be ?" inquired mother and 
 daughter together in their eagerness. 
 
 "1 have only to spread out this roll of paper on the 
 ground," and he showed them the roll that he had 
 taken from under the image of Buddha in the temple, 
 '' and dance five times round it, and immediately I find 
 myself in possession of as much gold as I can carry." 
 
 "What a treasure to possess is that same roll of 
 paper," cried the women, and they exchanged looks 
 expressing the determination each had immediately 
 conceived, of possessing themselves of it. 
 
 " But now," proceeded the Minister, not appearing 
 to heed their mutual signs, though inwardly rejoicing 
 that they had shown themselves so ready to fall into 
 
 D
 
 34 SAGA.S FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 his snai'e, " but now pour me out to drink, for I am 
 weary witli the journey, and thirsty, and your drink I 
 remember is excellent." 
 
 The women, on their part, were equally rejoiced 
 that he had given them the opportunity of plying him, 
 and did not wait to be asked twice. The Minister con- 
 tinued to drink, and the women to pour out drink to 
 him, till he was in a state of complete unconsciousness. 
 
 They no sooner found him arrived at this helpless 
 condition than they took possession of the mysterious 
 rollj and forthwith spreading it out on the ground, pro- 
 ceeded to dance round it five times after the manner 
 prescribed. 
 
 When the Minister came to himself, therefore, he 
 found his scheme had fully taken effect, and the woman 
 and her daughter were standing heavy and chapfallen 
 in the form of two asses. The Minister put a bridle 
 in their mouth, and led them off to the Khan, saying, — 
 
 "These, Khan, are the women who sell strong 
 drink to travellers, and who entreated us so shamefully 
 at the time when having slain the dragons we went 
 forth on our travels. I have transformed them by my 
 art into two asses. Now, therefore, shall there not be 
 given them burdens of wood, and burdens of stone to 
 carry, heavy burdens, so that they may be punished for 
 their naughtiness ? " 
 
 And the Khan gave orders that it should be done as 
 he had said. But when at the end of five years, they
 
 SAGAS TROM THE FAR EAST. 35 
 
 were well weighed down with the heavy burdens, and 
 the Khan saw them wearied and trembling, and human 
 tears running down from their eyes, he called the 
 Minister to him, and said, — 
 
 " Take these women, and do them no more harm, for 
 their punishment is enough." 
 
 So the Minister fetched the paper, and having spread 
 it out on the ground, placed the women on it, making 
 them stand on their hind legs, and led them round it 
 five several times till they resumed their natural form. 
 But with the treatment they had undergone, both were 
 now so bowed, and shrunk, and withered, that no one 
 could know them for the beautiful women they had 
 been. 
 
 " As well might he have left them under the form of 
 asses, as restore their own shape in such evil plight," 
 here exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, — 
 
 " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan hath opened his lips." And with the cry, " To 
 escape out of this world is good ! " he sped him through 
 the air, swift out of sight. 
 
 Thus far of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan the second chapter, concerning the deeds 
 of the Gold-spitting Prince and his Minister. 
 
 D 2
 
 TALE III. 
 
 When tlie Well-and-wise- walking Khan found that 
 once again he had missed the end and object of his 
 labour, he set out anew without loss of time and with- 
 out hesitation, and journeyed through toil and terror 
 till he came to the cool grove where rested the bodies 
 of the dead. The Siddhi-kiir at his approach ran away 
 before his face, and clambered up the mango-tree ; but 
 when the Well-and- wise-walking Khan had threatened 
 to feU it, the Siddhi-kiir came down to him rather than 
 that he should destroy the precious mango-tree. Then 
 he bound him in his bag and laded him on to his 
 shoulder, and bore him away to offer to the Master and 
 Teacher Nagarguna. 
 
 But after they had journeyed many days and spoken 
 nothing, the Siddhi-kiir said, " See, we are hke to die of 
 weariness if we go on journeying thus day by day without 
 conversing. Tell now thou, therefore, a tale to relieve 
 the weariness of the way.^^ 
 
 The Well-and-wise -walking Khan, however, mindful 
 of the word of his Master and Teacher Nagarguna,
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 37 
 
 saying, " See thou speak never a word by the way," 
 answered him nothing, neither spake at all. 
 
 Then said the Siddhi-kiir, " If thou wilt not tell a 
 tale, at least give me some token by which I may know 
 that thou wiliest I should tell one, and without speak- 
 ing, nod thy head backwards towards me, and I will 
 tell a tale.'' 
 
 So the Well-and-wise-walking Khan nodded his head 
 backwards, and the Siddhi-kiir told this tale saying, — 
 
 HOW THE SCHIMNU-KHAN WAS SIAIN. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived on the banks of a mighty 
 river a man who had no wife, and no family, and no 
 possessions, but only one cow ; and when he mourned 
 because he had no children, and his cow had no calf, and 
 that he had no milk and no butter to live upon, his cow 
 one day gave birth, not to a calf, but to a monster, which 
 seemed only to be sent to mock him in his misery and 
 distress ; for while it had the head, and horns, and long 
 tail of a bull, it had the body of a man. Never was 
 such an ugly monster seen, and when the poor man 
 considered it he said, " What shall I now do with this 
 monster ? It is not good for him to live ; T will fetch 
 my bow and arrows, and will make an end of him." 
 But when he had strung his bow and fixed his arrow, 
 Massang of the bull's head, seeing what he was going 
 to do, cried out, '^Master, slay me not; and doubt not 
 but that your clemency shall have its reward."
 
 38 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 At these words the poor man was moved to clemency, 
 and he put up his arrows again, and let Massang live, 
 but he turned away his face from beholding him. 
 When Massang saw that his master could not look upon 
 him, he turned him and fled into the woods, and wan- 
 dered on till he came to a place where was a black- 
 coloured man sitting at the foot of a tree. Seeing him, 
 Massang said, "Who and whence art thou V 
 
 And the black-coloured man made answer, "1 am a 
 full-grown man of good understanding, born of the 
 dark woods." 
 
 And Massang said, " Wither goest thou ? I will go 
 with thee and be thy compauion." 
 
 And the black-coloured man got up, and they wan- 
 dered on together till they came to a place in the open 
 meadow, where they saw a green-coloured man sitting 
 on the grass. Seeing him, Massang said, "Who and 
 whence art thou?" 
 
 And the green-coloured man replied, " I am a full- 
 grown man of good understanding, born of the green 
 meadows ; take me with you too, and I will be your 
 companion." 
 
 And he wandered on with the other two, Massang 
 and the black-coloured man, till they came to a place 
 where was a white-coloured man sitting on a crystal 
 rock. Seeing him, Massang said, " Who and whence 
 art thou?" 
 
 And the white-coloured man replied, " I am a full-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAB EAST. 39 
 
 grown man of good understanding, born of tlie crystal 
 rock ; take me with you, and let me be your com- 
 panion." 
 
 And lie wandered on with, the otlier tliree, Massang, 
 and the black-coloured man, and tbe green-coloured man, 
 till they came to a stream flowing between barren sandy 
 banks ; and farther alono; was a ffrass-clad hill with a 
 little dwelling on the top. Of this dwelling they took 
 possession, and inside it they found provisions of every 
 kind ; and in the yard cattle and all that was required 
 to maintain life. Here, therefore, they dwelt; three 
 of them going out every day to hunt, and one staying 
 at home to keep guard over the place. 
 
 Now the first day, Massang went to the hunt, and took 
 with him the white-coloured man and the green- coloured 
 man ; the black-coloured man being thus left in charge 
 of the homestead, set himself to prepare the dinner. 
 He had made the butter, and sat with the milk simmer- 
 ing, cooking the meat (^), when he heard a rustling 
 sound as of one approaching stealthily. Looking round 
 to discover who came there, he saw a little old woman 
 not more than a span high, carrying a bundle no bigger 
 than an apple on her back, coming up a ladder she had 
 set ready for herself, without asking leave or making 
 any sort of ceremony. 
 
 " Lackaday ! " cried the little old woman, speaking 
 to herself, " methinks I see a youngster cooking good 
 food." But to him she said in a commanding tone.
 
 40 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 " Listen to me now^ and give me some of tlij milk and 
 meat to taste." 
 
 Thougli she was so small, she wore such a weird, un- 
 canny air that the black-coloured man, though he had 
 boasted of being a full-grown man of good understand- 
 ing, durst not say her " Nay ;" though he contented 
 himself with keeping to the letter of her behest, and 
 only gave her the smallest possible morsel of the food 
 he had prepared, only just enough, as she had said, "to 
 taste." But lo and behold ! no sooner had she put the 
 morsel to her lips than the whole portion disappeared, 
 meat, milk, pot and all ; and, more marvellous still, the 
 little old wife had disappeared with them. 
 
 Ashamed at finding himself thus overmatched by 
 such a little old wench, he reasoned with himself that 
 he must invent something to tell his companions which 
 should have a more imposing sound than the sorry 
 story of what had actually occurred. Turning over all 
 his belongings to help himself to an idea, he found two 
 horse^s-hoofs, and with these he made the marks as of 
 many horsemen all round the dwelling, and then shot 
 his own arrow into the middle of the yard. 
 
 He had hardly finished these preparations when his 
 companions came home from the hunt. 
 
 " Where is our meal ? " inquired they. " Where is 
 the butter you were to have made, and the meat you 
 were to have cooked t" 
 
 " Scarcely had I made all ready," replied the black-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 41 
 
 coloured man, "than a hundred strange men, on a 
 hundred wild horses, came tearing through the place ; 
 and what could I do to withstand a hundred? Thus 
 they have taken all the butter, and milk, and meat, and 
 me they beat and bound, so that I have had enough to 
 do to set myself free, and scarcely can I move from 
 the effect of their blows. Go out now and see for 
 yourselves." 
 
 So they went out ; and when they saw the marks 
 of the horses' -hoofs all round the dwelling, and the 
 arrow shot into the middle of the courtyard, they 
 said, " He hath spoken true things.'' 
 
 The next day Massang went to the hunt, and took 
 with him the black-coloured man and the white- 
 coloured man. The green-coloured man being thus 
 left in charge of the homestead, set himself to prepare 
 the dinner; and it was no sooner ready than the little 
 old wife came in, as she had done the day before, and 
 played the same game. 
 
 " This is doubtless how it fell out with the black- 
 coloured man," said he to himself, as soon as she was 
 gone ; " but neither can I own that I was matched by 
 such a little old wife, nor yet can I tell the same story 
 about the horsemen. I know what I will do : I will 
 fetch up a yoke of oxen, and make them tramp about 
 the place, and when the others come home, I will say 
 some men came by with a herd of cattle, and, over- 
 powering me, carried off the victuals." All this he
 
 42 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 did ; and wlien liis companions came home, and saw 
 for themselves the marks the oxen had made in tramp- 
 ing up the soil^ they said, " He hath spoken true 
 things/' 
 
 The day after, Massang went hunting, and took with 
 him the black-coloured man and the green-coloured 
 man. The white-coloured man being left in charge 
 of the homestead, set himself to prepare the dinner. 
 Nor was it long before the same little old woman who 
 had visited his companions made her appearance ; and 
 soon she had made an end of all the provisions. ''This 
 is doubtless how it fell out with the green-coloured 
 man yesterday, and the black-coloured man the day 
 before,^' said the white-coloured man to himself; "but 
 neither can I own any more than they that I was over- 
 matched by such a little old wife, nor yet can I tell the 
 same story as they.'' So he fetched a mule in from the 
 field, and made it trot all round the dwelling, that 
 when his companions came in he might tell them that a 
 party of merchants had been by, with a file of mules 
 carrying their packs of merchandize, who had held him 
 bound, and eaten up the provisions. 
 
 All this he did ; and when his companions came 
 home, and saw for themselves the marks of the mule- 
 hoofs all round the dwelling, they said, " He hath 
 spoken true things." 
 
 The next day it was Massang's turn to stay at home, 
 nor did he neglect the duty which fell upon him of cook-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 43 
 
 ing the food against the return of the rest. As he sat 
 thus occupied, up came the Httle old woman, as on all 
 the other days. 
 
 " Lackaday ! " she exclaimed, as she set eyes on him . 
 " Methinks I see a youngster cooking good food ! " 
 And to him she cried, in her imperious tone, "Listen to 
 me now, and give me some of thy milk and meat to 
 taste.^^ 
 
 When Massang saw her, he said within himself, 
 " Surely now this is she who hath appeared to the 
 other three; and when they said that strangers had 
 broken in, and overpowered them, and stolen the food, 
 was it not that she is a witch -woman and enchanted it 
 away. She only asks to taste it ; but if I do her bid- 
 ding, who knows what may follow ? " So he observed 
 her, that he might discover what way there was of 
 over-matching her; thus he espied her bundle, and 
 bethought him it contained the means of her witcheries. 
 To possess himself of it he had first to devise the means 
 of getting her to go an errand, and leave it behind 
 her. 
 
 "Belike you could help me to some fresh water, 
 good wife/^ he said, in a simple, coaxing tone ; and 
 she, thinking to serve her purpose by keeping on good 
 terms with him, replied, — 
 
 " That can I ; but give me wherewithal to fetch it.''^ 
 
 To keep her longer abseiit, he gave her a pail with a 
 hole in it, with which she went out. Looking after
 
 44 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 her, lie saw tliat she made lier way straight up to the 
 clouds, and squeezed one into her pail, but no sooner 
 was it poured in, than it ran out again. Meantime, he 
 possessed himself of her bundle, and turned it over; 
 withal it was not so big as an apple, it contained many 
 things : a hank of catgut, which he exchanged for a 
 hank of hempen cord; an iron hammer, which he ex- 
 changed for a wooden mallet ; and a pair of iron pincers, 
 which he exchanged for wooden ones. 
 
 He had hardly tied up the bundle again, when the 
 old woman^ came back, very angry with the trick that 
 had been played upon her with the leaking pail, and 
 exclaiming, "How shall water be brought in a pail 
 where there is a hole ?" Then she added further, and 
 in a yet angrier key, " If thou wilt not give me to taste 
 of thy food, beware ! for then all that thou hast becomes 
 mine.'^ And when she found that he heeded her not, 
 but went on with what he was doing, just as if she had 
 not spoken, she cried out, furiously, — 
 
 " If we are not to be on good terms, we must e'en 
 match our strength; if we are not to have peace, we 
 must have war ; if I may not eat with you, I will fight 
 you." 
 
 " That I am ready for,'' answered Massang, as one 
 sure of an easy victory. 
 
 " Not so confident ! " replied the old one. " Though 
 I am small and thou so big, yet have I overcome 
 mightier ones than thou."
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 45 
 
 " In what shall we match our strength ? " said Mas- 
 sang, not heeding her banter. 
 
 '' We will have three trials/' replied the old one ; 
 "the cord proof, the hammer proof, and the pincers 
 proof. And first the cord proof. I will first bind thee, 
 and if thou canst burst my bonds, well ; then thou shalt 
 also bind me.'' 
 
 Then Massang saw that he had done well to possess 
 himself of her instruments, but he gave assent to her 
 mode of proof, and let her bind him as tight as ever she 
 would ; but as she had only the hempen cord to bind 
 him with, which he had put in her bundle in place of 
 the catgut, he broke it easily with his strength, and set 
 himself free again. Then he bound her with the catgut, 
 so that she was not able by any means to unloose 
 herself. 
 
 " True, herein thou hast conquered," she owned, as 
 she lay bound and unable to move, " but now we will 
 have the pincers proof." And as he had promised to 
 wage three trials with her, he set her free. 
 
 Then with her pincers she took him by the breast ; 
 but, as he had changed her iron pincers for the wooden 
 ones, he hardly felt the pinch, and she did him no 
 harm. But when, with her iron pincers, he seized her, 
 she writhed and struggled so that he pulled out a piece 
 of flesh as big as an earthen pot, and she cried out in 
 great pain. — 
 
 " Of a truth thou art a formidable fellow, but now
 
 46 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 "we will have the hammer proof/^ and she made Mas- 
 sang lie down; but when she would have given him 
 a powerful blow on the chest with her iron hammer, 
 the handle of the wooden mallet Massang had given her 
 in its stead broke short off, and she was not able to 
 hurt him. But Massang made her iron hammer glow- 
 ing hot in the fire, and belaboured her both on the 
 head and body so that she was glad to escape at the 
 top of her speed and howling wildly. 
 
 As she flew past, Massang' s three companions came 
 in from hunting and said, " Surely now you have had 
 a trial to endure." And Massang answered, — 
 
 " Of a truth you are miserable fellows aJl, and more- 
 over have spoken that which is not true. Was it like 
 men to let yourselves be overmatched by a little old 
 wife ? But now I have tamed her, let be. Let us go 
 and seek for her corpse ; maybe we shall find treasure 
 in the place where she lays it.'' 
 
 When they heard him speak of treasure they willingly 
 went out after him, and, following the track of blood 
 which had fallen from the witch-woman's wounds as 
 she went along, they came to a place where was an 
 awful cleft in a mighty rock, and peeping through they 
 saw, far below, the bloody body! of the old witch- 
 woman, lying on a heap of gold and jewels and shining 
 adamant armour and countless precious things. 
 
 Then Massang said, " Shall you three go down and 
 hand me up the spoil by means of a rope of which I
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 47 
 
 will hold tlie end, or shall I go down and hand it up 
 to you ? " 
 
 But they three all made answer together, " This 
 woman is manifestly none other but a Schimnu ('). 
 We dare not go near her. Go you down/^ 
 
 So Massang let himself down by the rope, and sent 
 up the spoil by the same means to his companions, 
 who when they had possession of it said thus to one 
 another, — 
 
 '' If we draw Massang up again, we cannot deny 
 in verity that the spoil is his, as he has won it in every 
 way, but if we leave him down below it becomes ours." 
 So they left him below, and when he looked that they 
 should have hauled him up they gave never a sign or 
 sound. When he saw that, he said thus to himself, 
 " My three companions have left me here that they 
 may enjoy the spoil alone. For me nothing is left but 
 to die!" 
 
 But as it grieved him so to die in his health and 
 strength, he cast about him to see whether in all that 
 cave which had been so full of valuables there was not 
 something stored that was good for food, yet found he 
 nothing save three cherry-stones. 
 
 So he took the cherry-stones and planted them in 
 the earth, saying, '' If I be truly Massang, may these 
 be three full-grown cherry-trees by the time I wake ; 
 but if not, then let me die the death." And with that 
 he laid him down to sleep with the body of the Schimnu 
 for a pillow.
 
 48 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Being thus defiled by contact with the corpse, he 
 slept for many years. When at last he woke, he found 
 that three cherry-trees had sprung up from the seeds 
 he planted and now reached to the top of the rock. 
 Kejoicing greatly therefore, he chmbed up by their 
 means and reached the earth. 
 
 First he bent "his steps to his late dwelling, to look 
 for his companions, but it was deserted, and no one 
 lived therein. So, taking his iron bow and his arrows, 
 he journeyed farther. 
 
 Presently he came to a place where there were three 
 fine houses, with gardens and fields and cattle and all 
 that could be desired by the heart of man. These were 
 the houses which his three companions had built for 
 themselves out of the spoil of the cave. And when he 
 would have gone in, their wives said — for they had taken 
 to them wives also — " Thy companions are not here ; 
 they are gone out hunting.^^ So he took up his iron 
 bow and his arrows again, and went on to seek them, 
 and as he went by the way he saw them coming towards 
 him with the game they had taken with their bows. 
 Then he strung his iron bow and would have shot at 
 them; but they, falling down before him, cried out, 
 " Slay us not. Only let us live, and behold our houses, 
 and our wives, and our cattle, and all that we have is in 
 thine hand, to do with it as it seemeth good to thee." 
 
 Then he put up his arrows again, and said to them 
 only these words, " In truth, friends, ye dealt evilly 
 with me in that ye left me to perish in the cave."
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 49 
 
 But they, owning their faulty again begged him that 
 he would stay with them and let their house be his 
 house, and they entreated him. But he would not stay 
 with them, saying, — 
 
 "A promise is upon me, which I made when my 
 master would have killed me and I entreated him to 
 spare my life, for I said to him that I would repay his 
 clemency to him if he spared me. Now^ therefore, let 
 me go that I may seek him out.^' 
 
 Then, when they heard those words, they let him go^ 
 and he journeyed on farther to find out his master. 
 
 One day of his journey, as he was wearied with 
 walking, he sat down towards evening by the side of a 
 well, and as he sat an enchantingly beautiful maiden 
 came towards the well as if to draw water, and as she 
 came along he saw with astonishment that at every 
 footstep as she lifted up her feet a fragrant flower sprang 
 up out of the ground (^), one after another wherever she 
 touched the ground. Massang stretched out his hand 
 to offer to draw water for her, but she stopped not at 
 the fountain but passed on, and Massang, in awe at 
 her beauty and power, durst not speak to her, but 
 rose up and followed behind her the whole way she 
 went. 
 
 On went the maiden, and ever on followed Massang, 
 over burning plain and through fearful forest, past the 
 sources of mighty rivers and over the snow-clad peaks 
 of the evei'lasting mountains (■*), till they reached the 
 
 E
 
 50 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 dwelling of the gods and the footstool of dread Cluir- 
 musfa (^). 
 
 Then spoke Chiirmusfa, — 
 
 " That thou art come hither is good. Every day 
 now we have to sustain the fight with the black 
 Schimnu ; to-morrow thou shalt be spectator of the fray, 
 and the next day thou shall take part in it.^^ 
 
 The next day Massang' stood at the foot of Chur- 
 musta^s throne, and the gods waited around in silence. 
 Massang saw a great herd as of black oxen, as it were 
 early in the morning, driven with terror to the east 
 side by a herd as of white oxen ; and again he saw as 
 it were late in the evening, the herd as of white oxen 
 driven to the west side by the herd as of black oxen. 
 
 Then spoke the great Churmusta, — 
 
 "Behold the white oxen are the gods. The black 
 oxen are the Sclmnnus. To-morrow, when thou seest 
 the herd as of black oxen driving back the white, then 
 string thine iron bow, and search out for thy mark a 
 black ox, bearing a white star on his forehead. Then 
 send thine arrow through the white star, for he is the 
 Schimnu-Khan. 
 
 Thus spoke the dread Churmusta. 
 
 The next day Massang stood ready with his bow, 
 and did even as Churmusta had commanded. With 
 an arrow from his iron bow he pierced through the 
 white star on the forehead of the black ox, and sent 
 him away roaring and bellowing with pain.
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 51 
 
 Then spake the dread Churmusta, — 
 
 ^'^ Bravely hast thou dealt, and well hast thou de- 
 served of me. Therefore thou shalt have thy portion 
 with me, and dwell with me for ever." 
 
 But Massang answered, — 
 
 " Nay, for though I tarried at thy behest to do thy 
 bidding, a promise is upon me which I made when my 
 master would have taken my life. For I said, ' Spare 
 me now, and be assured I will repay thy clemency.^ " 
 
 Then Churmusta commended him, and bid him do 
 even as he had said. Furthermore he gave him a 
 talisman to preserve him by the way, and gave him 
 this counsel, — 
 
 " Journeying, thou shalt be overcome by sleep, and 
 having through sleeping forgotten the way, thou shalt 
 arrive at the gate of the Schimnu-Khan. Then beware 
 that thou think not to save thyself by flight. Knock, 
 rather, boldly at the door, saying, ^I am a physician.' 
 When they hear that they will bring thee to the Schimnu- 
 KJian that thou mayest try thine art in drawing out the 
 arrow from his forehead. Then place thyself as though 
 thou wouldst remove it, but rather with a firm grasp 
 drive it farther in, so that it enter his brain, first offer- 
 ing up with thine hand seven barley-corns to heaven ; 
 and after this manner thou shalt kill the Schimmi- 
 Klian." 
 
 Thus commanded the dread Churmusta. 
 
 Then Massang came down from the footstool of 
 E 2
 
 52 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Churmusta and the dwelling of the gods, and went 
 forth to seek out his master. But growing weary with 
 the length of the day, and lying down to sleep, when 
 he woke he had forgotten the direction he had to take^ 
 so he pursued the path which lay before him, and it led 
 him to the portal of the Schimnu palace. 
 
 When he saw it was the bchimna palace, he would 
 have made good his escape from its precincts, but re- 
 membering the words of Churmusta, he knocked boldly 
 at the door. Then the Schimnus flocked round him, 
 and told him he must die unless he could do some service 
 whereby his life might be redeemed ; and Massang 
 made answer, " I am a physician.^^ Hearing that, they 
 took him in to the Schimnu-Khan, that he might pluck 
 the arrow out of his forehead. 
 
 Massang stood before the Schimnu-Khan ; but when 
 he should have pulled out the arrow, he only pulled it 
 out a little way, and the Schimnu-Khan said, — 
 
 " Thus far is the pang diminished." 
 
 Then, however, first casting seven barley-corns on 
 high towards heaven, he plunged it in again even to 
 the centre of his brain, so that he fell down at his feet 
 dead. And as the seven barley-corns reached the 
 heavens, there came down by their track an iron chain 
 with a thundering clang which the dread Churmusta 
 sent down to Massang, and Massang climbed up by 
 the chain to the dwelling of the gods. But there stood 
 by the throne of the Schimnu-Khan a female Schimnu,
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 63 
 
 out of wliose mouth came fortli forked flames of fire, 
 and when she saw Massang ascending to heaven by 
 the chain, she raised an iron hammer high in air to 
 strike it, and cleave it in two. But when she struck 
 it, there issued seven bright sparks, which floated up 
 to heaven, and remained fixed in the sky ; and men 
 called them the constellation of the Pleiades. 
 
 " Thus, for all his promise, and after all his sacrifices, 
 Massang never went back to repay his master's 
 clemency!'' exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and- 
 wise-walking Khan hath opened his lips !" And with 
 the cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he 
 sped him through the air, swift, out of sight. 
 
 Thus far of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan the third chapter, showing how the 
 Schimnu-Klmn was slain..
 
 TALE IV. 
 
 TiiEN^ when lie saw lie had again missed the end and 
 object of his journey^ the Well-and- wise-walking Khan 
 again set out as at the first^ till with toil and terror he 
 reached the cool grove where lay the dead. At his 
 approach the Siddhi-kiir clambered up into the mango- 
 tree, but rather than let the tree be destroyed he came 
 down at the word of the Khan threatening to fell 
 it. Then the Khan bound him in his bag and bore 
 him away to offer to the Master and Teacher Nagar- 
 guna. 
 
 But when they had proceeded many days the Siddhi- 
 kiir saidj " Tellj now, a tale, seeing the way is long and 
 weary, and we are like to die of weariness if we go on 
 thus speaking never a word between us." But the 
 Khan, mindful of the monition of his Master and 
 Teacher Nagarguna, answered him nothing. Then 
 said the Siddhi-kiir, " If thou wilt not tell a tale, at 
 least give me the token by which I may know that 
 thou wiliest I should tell one." 
 
 So the Well- and- wise-walking Khan nodded his head
 
 SAGAS TROM THE FAR EAST. 00 
 
 backwards towards him^ and the Siddhi-kiir tokl this 
 tale, saying, — 
 
 THE pig's head SOOTHSAYER. 
 
 Lonff asres acre a man and his wife were living on the 
 borders of a flourishino: kino^dom. The wife was a arood 
 housewife, who occupied herself with looking after the 
 land and the herds ; but the husband was a dull, idle 
 man, who did nothing but eat, drink, and sleep from 
 morning to night and from night to morning. One 
 day, when his wife could no longer endure to see him 
 going on thus indolently, she cried oat to him, " Leave 
 off thus idling thyself; get up and gird thyself like a 
 man, and seek employment. Behold, thy father's in- 
 heritance is well nigh spent ; the time is come that thou 
 find the means to eke it out.'' 
 
 And when he weakly asked her in return, " Wherein 
 shall I seek to eke it out ? " she answered him, " How 
 should I be able to tell this thing, but at least get thee 
 up and make some endeavour; get thee up and look 
 round the place and see what thou canst find," and 
 with that she went out to her work in the field. 
 
 When she had repeated these words many days, he 
 at last went out one day, and, not taking the trouble 
 to bethink him what he should do, he did just what his 
 wife had said, and went to look round the place to see 
 what he could find. As he wandex-ed about, he came 
 to a spot on which a tribe of cattle-herds had lately
 
 Ob SAGAS FEOM THE TAR EAST. 
 
 been encamped {^), and a fox, a dog, and a bird were 
 there fighting about sometliing. Approaching to see 
 for what they contended, they all escaped in fear, and 
 he was left in possession of their booty, which was a 
 sheep's paunch full of butter (^). This he brought 
 home and laid up in store. When his wife came home 
 and asked him whence it was, he told her he had found 
 it left on the camping-place of a family of herdsmen 
 who had passed that way seeking pasturage. 
 
 " Well it is to be a man ! " exclaimed his wife. 
 " I may toil all day without making so much ; but you 
 go but out one day of your whole life for one moment 
 of time, and straightway you find all this wealth.'' 
 
 When the man heard these words, he took courage 
 and thought he should be fit to find better fortune still; 
 so he said to his wife, " Give me now only a good horse 
 and clothes meet, and a dog, and a bow and arrows, and 
 you shall see what 1 can do." 
 
 The woman was glad to hear him show so much reso- 
 lution, so she made haste and gave him all the things 
 that he required, and added a thick felt cloak to keep 
 out the rain, and a cap for his head, and helped him to 
 get on his horse, and slung his bow over his shoulder. 
 
 Thus he rode out over many a broad plain, but 
 without purpose or knowledge of whither he went, nor 
 did he fall in with any living creature whatever for 
 many days. At last, riding over a vast steppe, he 
 espied at some distance a fox.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 57 
 
 '^ Ha ! " he exclaimed^ " there is one of my friends of 
 last time. To be sure, there is no sheep's paunch of 
 butter this time, but if I could only kill him his skin 
 would make a nice warm cap.'^ 
 
 As he had never learnt to draw a bow, his arrows 
 were of no service, so he set his horse trotting after the 
 fox ; but the fox got away faster than he could follow, 
 and took refuge in the hole of a marmot (^) . 
 
 " Now I have you ! '' he cried, and, dismounting from 
 his horse, he took off all his clothes to have freer use of 
 his limbs and bound them on his saddle; the dog he 
 tied to the bridle of the horse, and stopped the mouth 
 of the hole with his cap ; then he took a great stone 
 and endeavoured with heavy blows on the earth to 
 crush the fox. 
 
 But the fox, taking fright at the noise, rushed out 
 with such impetus that it carried off the cap on its 
 head. The dog, seeing it run, gave chase, and the 
 horse was forced to follow the dog, as they were both 
 tied together ; so off he galloped, carrying on his saddle 
 every thing the man had in the world, and leaving him 
 stretched on the ground without a thread of covering. 
 
 Getting up, he wandered on to the banks of a river 
 which formed the boundary of the kingdom of a rich 
 and powerful Khan. Going into this Khan's stable, he 
 laid himself down under the straw and covered himself 
 completely, so that no one could see him. Here he was 
 warmed and well rested.
 
 58 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 As lie lay there the Khan^s beautiful daughter came 
 out to take the air, aud before she went in again she 
 dropped the Khan's talisman and passed on without 
 pei'ceiving her loss. Though the bauble was precious 
 in itself for the jewels which adorned it, and precious 
 also to the Khan for its powers in preserving his life (*), 
 and worthy therefore to claim a reward, the man was 
 too indolent to get up out of the straw to pick it up, so 
 he let it lie. 
 
 After sunset the Khan's herds came in from grazing, 
 and the cow-wench, when she had shut them into the 
 stable, swept up the yard without heeding the talisman, 
 which thus got thrown on to a dung-heap. This the 
 man saw, but still bestirred him not to recover it. 
 
 The next day there was great stir and noise in the 
 place ; the Khan sent out messengers into every dis- 
 trict far and near to say that the Khan's beautiful 
 daughter had lost his talisman, and promising rewards 
 to whoso should restore it. 
 
 After this too, he ordered the great trumpet, which 
 was only blown on occasion of promulgating the laws 
 of the kingdom, to be sounded and proclamation to be 
 made, calling on all the wise men and soothsayers of 
 the kingdom to exercise their cunning art, and divine 
 the i^lace where the talisman should lay concealed. 
 
 All this the man heard as he lay under the straw, 
 but yet he bestirred him not. Early in the morning, 
 however, men came to litter the place for the kine
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 59 
 
 with fresh straw ; and these rnen^ finding him^ bid him 
 turn out. Now that it became a necessity to stir him- 
 self, he bethought him of the tahsman ; and when the 
 men asked him whence he was, he answered " I am a 
 soothsayer come* to divine the place where lies the 
 Kian^s talisman." 
 
 Hearing that, they told him to come along to the 
 Khan. "But I have no clothes," replied the man. 
 So they went and told the Khan, saying, " Here is a 
 soothsayer lying in the straw of the stable, who is 
 come to divine where the Khan^s talisman lies hid, but 
 he cannot appear before the Khan because he has no 
 clothes." 
 
 "Take this apparel to him," said the Khan, "and 
 bring him hither to me." 
 
 When he came before the Khan, the Khan asked 
 him what he required to perfoi*m his divination. 
 
 "Let there be given me," answered the man, "a 
 pig's head, a piece of silk stuff woven of five colours, 
 (°), and a large Baling (^) ; these are the things which 
 I require for the divination." 
 
 All these things being given him, he set up the 
 pig's head on a pedestal of wood, and adorned it with 
 the silk stuff woven of five colours, and put the Baling- 
 cake in its mouth. Then he sat down over against it, 
 as if sunk in earnest contemplation. Then on the day 
 which had been named in the Khan's proclamation for 
 the day of divination, which was the third day, all the
 
 60 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 people being assembled, assuming the air of a diviner 
 of dreams, he wrapped himself in a long mantle, and 
 made as though he was questioning the pig's head. 
 As all the people passed, he seemed to gain the answer 
 from the -pig's head, — 
 
 " The talisman is not with this one," and " The 
 talisman is not with that one,'' so that he had many 
 people on his side glad to be thus pronounced free from 
 all charge of harbouring the Khan's talisman. 
 
 At last he made a sign that this kind of divination 
 was ended ; and pronounced that the Khan's talisman 
 was not in possession of any man. 
 
 " And now,'' said he, " let us try the di%dnation of 
 the earth." With that, he set out to make a cu'cuit 
 of the Khan's dwelling. Stepping on and on from 
 place to place, he continued to seem consulting the pig's 
 head, till he came to the place in the yard where the 
 dung-heap was ; and here, assuming an imposing atti- 
 tude, he turned round, and said mysteriously, '' Here 
 somewhere must be found the Khan's talisman." But 
 when he had turned the heap over, and brought the 
 talisman itself to light, the people knew not how to 
 contain themselves for wonderment, and went about 
 crying,— 
 
 " The Pig's head diviner hath divined wonderful 
 things ! The Pig's head diviner hath divined wonder- 
 ful things!" 
 
 But the Khan called to him, and said, —
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 61 
 
 " Tell me how I shall reward thee for that thou hast 
 restored my talisman to me. " 
 
 But he^ who did not exert himself to think of any 
 thing but just of what was most present to his mind, 
 answeredj — 
 
 " Let there be given me, Khan, the raiment, and 
 the horse, the fox, the dog, and the bow and arrows 
 which I have lost." 
 
 When the Khan heard him ask for nothing save his 
 horse and dog, and raiment, and a fox, and bows and 
 arrows, he said, — 
 
 " Of a truth this is a singular soothsayer. Never- 
 theless, let there be given him over and above the 
 things that he hath required of us two elephants 
 laden with meal and butter." 
 
 So they gave him all the things he had required 
 and two elephants laden with meal and butter to boot. 
 Thus they brought him back unto his own home. 
 
 Seeing him yet afar, his wife came out to meet him, 
 carrying brandy. She opened her eyes when she saw 
 the two elephants laden with butter and meal ; but 
 knowing that he loved to be left at ease, forbore to 
 question him that night. The next morning she made 
 him tell her the whole story before they got up ; but 
 when she heard what little demands he had made after 
 rendering the Khan so great a service as restoring his 
 talisman, she exclaimed, — 
 
 " If a man would be called a man, ho ought to know 
 better how to use his opportunities."
 
 62 SAGAS TEOM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 And witli that she sat to work to write a letter in 
 her husband's name to the Khan. 
 
 The letter was conceived in these words : — 
 
 " During the brief moment that thy life-talisman 
 was in my hands^ I well recognized that thou hast a 
 bodily infirmity. It was in order that I might conjure 
 it from thee that I required at thy hands the dog and 
 the fox. What reward the Khan is pleased to bestow, 
 this shall be according to the mind of the Khan." 
 
 This letter she took with her own hands to the Khan. 
 
 When the Elhan had read the letter, he was pleased 
 to think the soothsayer had undertaken to free him of 
 a malady against which he could never have made 
 provision himself, as he had no knowledge of its 
 existence ; so he ordered two elephant^s-loads of trea- 
 sure to be given to the woman, who went back to her 
 husband, and they had therewith enough to live in ease 
 and plenty. 
 
 Now this Khan had had six brethren, and it happened 
 that once they had gone out to divert themselves, and 
 in a thick wood they saw a most beautiful maiden 
 playing with a he-goat, whom they stood looking at till 
 they were tired of standing, for of looking at one so 
 beautiful they could never be weary. 
 
 At last one of them said to her, — 
 
 "Whence comest thou, beautiful maiden?" 
 
 And she answered him, — 
 
 " By following after this he-goat, thus I came hither." 
 
 " Will you come with us seven brethren, and be our
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. G3 
 
 wife/' rejoined tlie brotlier, who liad spoken first; and 
 when she willingly agreed they took her home with 
 them. 
 
 But they both were evil Bdlcshasas (''), who had 
 only come out to find men whose lives to devour; the 
 male Manggus {^), had taken the form of a he-goat, 
 and the female Manggus that of a beautiful maiden, 
 the better to deceive. 
 
 When therefore the seven took her home and the 
 goat with her, the two Manggus had ample scope to 
 carry out their design, and every year they devoured the 
 life of one ©f the brothers, till now there was only the 
 Khan left, and they began to consume the life of him 
 also. 
 
 When the ministers saw that all the brothers were 
 dead, and only the Khan left, they held a council, and 
 they said, " Behold, all the other Khans are dead, not- 
 withstanding all the means we have at our command, 
 and despite the arts of all the physicians of this coun- 
 try." Now there remains no other means for us but 
 to send for the Pig's head soothsayer who found the 
 Khan's talisman, and get him to restore the Khan to 
 health." This counsel was found good, and they all 
 said, " Let us send for the Pig's head soothsayer." 
 
 Four men were sent off on horseback to call the 
 Pig's head soothsayer, who laid all the case before 
 him. 
 
 When he heard it he was greatly embarrassed, and
 
 64 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 
 
 knew not wliat to answer, but his vacancy passed, 
 with them, for his being immersed in deep contempla- 
 tion, and they reverenced him the more. Meantime 
 his wife bid them put up their horses and stay the 
 night. 
 
 In the night-time she asked of him what the men 
 had come about, and he told her all his embarrass- 
 ment. 
 
 " True, last time you exerted yourself a little and 
 had good luck,'^ she replied, " but now that you have 
 been sitting here doing nothing, and looking so 
 stupid all this time, whether you will cat as good a 
 figure, who shall say ? But go you must, seeing the 
 Khan has sent for you." 
 
 The next morning he said to the messengers, " In 
 the visions of the night I have learned even how I may 
 help the Khan, and presently I will come with you." 
 
 Then he envelope! himself in a mantle, laid, his hair 
 over the crown of his head, took a large string of beads 
 in his left hand, bound the silk stuff woven of five 
 colours round his right arm, and carrying the pigs' 
 head set out with them. 
 
 When he arrived with this strange aspect at the 
 Khan^s dwelling both the Manggus were much alarmed. 
 They thought he must be some cunning soothsayer 
 who knew all about them ; they had heard, too, of his 
 success in finding the Khan's talisman. 
 
 But the man continuing to support his character of
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 65 
 
 sootlisayer, ordered a Baling as big as a man to be 
 brouglit to the head of the Khan's bed^ and placed the 
 pig's head on top of it, and then sat himself down over 
 against it, murmuring words of incantation (^) . 
 
 The Manggus, thinking all these preparations showed 
 that he was a cunning soothsayer, went away to take 
 counsel together, and the Khan being thus delivered 
 for the time from their evil arts, his pains began to 
 yield and he fell into a tranquil sleep. Seeing this his 
 attendants thought favourably of the cure, and trusting 
 therefore the more in the soothsayer's powers they 
 left him in entire charge of the patient. Being thus 
 freed from observation he ventured to leave his posi- 
 tion of apparent absorption in contemplation, and to 
 take a stolen glance at the Khan. When he saw him 
 in such a deep sleep a great fear took him, thinking he 
 must be very bad indeed, and he did all he could to 
 wake him, crying aloud, — 
 
 " great Khan ! mighty Khan ! " 
 
 Finding that the Khan remained speechless he 
 thought he must be dead, and resolved that his best part 
 was to run away. This was not so easy, for the first 
 open door he found to take refuge in was that of the 
 Treasury, and the guard called out " Stop thief!" and 
 when from thence he tried to bestow himself in the 
 store-chamber, the guard sang out "Stop thief!" At 
 last he went into the stable, to hide himself there, but 
 close by the door-way stood the he-goat_, whom he
 
 66 SAGAS PROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 feared to pass, lest lie should goad him with his horns. 
 However, summoning up all his courage, he got behind 
 him, and sprang on his back , and gave him three blows on 
 his head ; but instantly , even as the blue smoke column 
 is carried in a straight direction by the wind, so sped 
 the he-goat straight off to the Khanin leaving his rider 
 stretched upon the ground. As soon as he had got up 
 again he ran after the he-goat, to see whither he went 
 so fast; following him, he came to the door of the 
 Khanin's apartment, and heard the he-goat talking to 
 her within. The two Manggus spoke thus : — 
 
 " The Pig's head soothsayer is a soothsayer indeed," 
 said the he-goat ; " he divined that I was in the stable, 
 and he came there after me, and sprang upon my back, 
 giving me three mighty blows, by which I know the 
 weight of his arm. The best thing we can do is to 
 make good our escape." 
 
 The Khanin made answer, " I, also, am of the same 
 mind. I saw when he first came in that he recognized 
 us for what we are. We have had good fortune 
 hitherto, but it has forsaken us now ; it were better we 
 got away. I know what he will do ; in a day or two, 
 when he has cured the Khan by not letting us approach 
 him to devour his life, he will assemble together all the 
 men of the place with their arms, and all the women, 
 telling them to bring each a faggot of wood for burning. 
 When all are assembled he will say, ' Let that he-goat 
 be brought to me,' so they will bind thee and take
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 67 
 
 ttee before liim. Tlien will lie say to thee^ ' Lay aside 
 thine assumed form/ and it will be impossible for thee 
 not to obey. When he has shown thee thus in thine 
 own shape they will all fall upon thee, and put thee 
 to death with swords and arrows, and burn thee in the 
 fire. And afterwards with me will he deal after the 
 same manner. Now, therefore, to-morrow or the next 
 day we will be beforehand with him, and will go where 
 we shall be safe from his designs. ^^ 
 
 When the man heard all this, he left off from follow- 
 ing the goat, and went back with good courage, to take 
 up his place again over against the pig's head by the 
 side of the Khan's couch. 
 
 In the morning the Khan woke, refreshed with his 
 slumber ; and when they inquired how he felt, the 
 Khan replied that the soothsayer's power had dimi- 
 nished the force of the malady. 
 
 " If this be even so," here interposed the soothsayer, 
 "and if the Khan has confidence in the word of his 
 servant, command now thy ministers that they call 
 together all thy subjects — the men with their arms, 
 and the women each with a faggot of wood for burn- 
 ing.'" Then the Khan ordered that it should be done 
 according to his word. When they were all assembled, 
 the pretended soothsayer, having set up his pig's head, 
 commanded further that they should bring the he-goat 
 out of the stable before him ; and when they had bound 
 him and brought him, that they should put his saddle 
 
 P 2
 
 68 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 on him. Then he sprang on to his back, and gave him 
 tliree blows with all his strength, and dismounted. 
 Then with all the power of voice he could command, 
 he cried out to him, "Lay aside thine assumed 
 form ! " 
 
 At these words the he-goat was changed before the 
 eyes of all present into a horrible Manggus, deformed 
 and hideous to behold. With swords and sticks, 
 lances and stones, the whole people fell upon him, and 
 disabled him, and then burht him with fire till he was 
 dead. 
 
 Then said the soothsayei*, " Now, bring hither the 
 Khanin.^' So they went and dragged down the Khanin 
 to the place where he stood, with yelling and cries of 
 contempt. 
 
 With one hand on the pig^s head, as if taking his 
 authority from it, the soothsayer cried out to her, in a 
 commanding voice, — 
 
 " Resume thine own form ! " 
 
 Then she too became a frightful Manggus, and they 
 put her to death like the other. 
 
 The soothsayer now rode back to the Khan's palace, 
 all the people making obeisance to him as he went 
 along — some crying, " Hail ! " some strewing the way 
 with barley, and some bringing him rich offerings. 
 It took him nearly the space of a day to make his 
 way through such a throng. 
 
 When at last he arrived, the Khan received him with
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 69 
 
 a grateful welcome^ and asked liim what present lie de-« 
 sired of Mm. The soothsayer answered, with his usual 
 simplicity, " In our part of the country we have none 
 of those pieces of wood which I see you put here into the 
 noses of the oxen : let there be given me a quantity of 
 them to take back with me.''' The Khan then ordered 
 there should be given him three sacks of the pieces of 
 wood for the oxen, and seven elephants laden with 
 meal and butter to boot. 
 
 When he arrived home, his wife came out to meet 
 him with brandy, and when she saw the seven elephants 
 with their loads, she extolled him highly ; but when 
 she came to learn how great was the deliverance he 
 had rendered to the Khan, she was indignant that he 
 had not asked for higher reward, and determined to go 
 the next day herself to the Khan. 
 
 The next day she went accordingly, disguised, and 
 sent in a letter of the following purport to the 
 Khan : — 
 
 '' Although I, the Pig's head soothsayer, brought 
 the Khan round from his malady, yet some remains of 
 it still hang about him. It was in order to remove 
 these that I asked for the pieces of wood for the oxen ; 
 what guerdon has been earned by this further service it 
 is for the Khan to decide.'' 
 
 Such a letter she sent in to the Khan. 
 
 '' The man has spoken the truth," said the Khan, on 
 reading the letter. " For his reward, let him and his
 
 70 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 vnfe, his parents and friends^ all come over hitlier and 
 dwell with, me/' 
 
 When they arrived, the Khan said, " When one has 
 to show his gratitude, and dismisses him to whom he 
 is indebted with presents, that does not make an end of 
 the matter. That I was not put to death by the Mang- 
 gns is thy doing; that the kingdom was not given 
 over to destruction was thy doing ; that the ministers 
 were not eaten up by the Manggus was thy doing : it 
 is meet, therefore,, that we share between us the in- 
 heritance, even between us two, and reign in perfect 
 equality. '^ With such words he gave him half his 
 authority over the kingdom, and to all his family he 
 gave rich fortunes and appointments of state. And 
 thus his wife became Khanin ; so that while he could 
 indulge himself in the same idle life as before, she 
 also enjoyed rest from her household and pastoral 
 cares (^°). 
 
 " Though the woman despised her husband's under- 
 standing,'' exclaimed the Khan, " yet was it always his 
 doings which brought them wealth after all ! " 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well- and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with tbe 
 cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he sped 
 him through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 ^^^^>kl 
 
 TALE V. 
 
 When the Well-and-wise-walking Khan found that he 
 had again missed the end and object of his journey, 
 without hesitation or loss of time he once more betook 
 himself to the cool grove, and summoned the Siddhi- 
 kiir to come with him, threatening to hew down the 
 mango-tree. 
 
 But as he bore him along, bound in his bag of many 
 colours, in which was place to stow away an hundred, 
 the Siddhi-kiir spoke thus, saying, " Tell thou now a 
 tale to beguile the weariness of the way." But the 
 Well-and-wise-walking Khan answered him nothing. 
 Then said the Siddhi-kiir again, " If thou wilt not tell 
 a tale, at least give the token that I may know thou 
 wiliest I should tell one." 
 
 So the Khan nodded his head backwards and the 
 Siddhi-kiir told this tale, saying, — 
 
 HOW THE SERPENT-GODS WERE PROPITIATED. 
 
 Long ages ago there reigned over a flourishing pro- 
 vince, a Khan named Kun-snang ('). He had a sou
 
 72 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 named '' Sunsliine " by his first wife wlio afterwards 
 died. He also had a second son named " Moonshine," 
 by his second wife. Now the second wife thought 
 within herself, " If Sunshine is allowed to live, there 
 is no chance of Moonshine ever coming to the throne. 
 Some means must be found of putting Sunshine out of 
 the way." 
 
 With this object in view she threw herself down 
 upon her couch and tossed to and fro as though in an 
 agony of pain. All the night through also instead of 
 sleeping, she tossed about and writhed with pain. 
 Then the Khan spake to her, saying, " My beautiful 
 one ! what is it that pains thee, and with what manner 
 of ailment art thou stricken ? " And she made 
 answer, — 
 
 " Even w^hen I was at home I suffered oftwhiles after 
 the same manner, but now is it much more violent ; all 
 remedies have I exhausted previous times, there re- 
 mains only one when the pain is of this degree, and 
 that means is not available." 
 
 " Say not that it is not available," answered the 
 Khan, " for all means are available to me. Speak but 
 what it is that is required, and whatever it be shall be 
 done, even to the renouncing of my kingdom. For 
 there is nothing that I would not give in exchange 
 for thy life." 
 
 But for a long time she made as though she would 
 not tell him, then finally yielding to his repeated in-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. /d 
 
 quirieSj slie said, " If there were given me the heart of 
 a Prince, stewed in sesame-oil C), I should recover : it 
 matters not whether the heart of Sunshine or of 
 Moonshine, but that Moonshine being my own son, 
 his heart would not pass through my throat. This 
 means, Khan, is manifestly not available, for 
 how should it be done to take the life of Prince 
 Sunshine ? Therefore say no more, and let me 
 die." 
 
 But the Khan answered, " Of a truth it would grieve 
 me to take the life of Prince Sunshine. Nevertheless, 
 if there be no other means of saving thy life, the thing 
 must be done. I have not to consider ' Shall the life 
 of the Prince be spared or not ? ' but, ^ Which shall be 
 spared, the life of the Prince, or the life of the 
 Khanin ? ' And in this strait who could doubt, but 
 that it is the life of the Khanin that must be spared by 
 me ? Therefore, be of good cheer, beautiful one, for 
 that the heart of Prince Sunshine shall be given thee 
 cooked in sesame-oil." 
 
 This, he said, intending in his own mind to have the 
 heart of a kid of the goats prepared for her in sesame- 
 oil, saying, " Behold, here is the heart of Prince Sun- 
 shine," but to send away the Prince into a far country 
 that she might not know hewasnotdead. Onlywhen she 
 was restored to health again, then he purposed to fetch 
 back his son. But Moonshine being in his mother's 
 apartments overheard this promise which the Khan had
 
 74 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 
 
 given^ and lie ran and told liis brother all that the 
 Khan, his father, had said, saying, " When the Khan 
 rises he will give the order to put thee to death ; how 
 shall this thing be averted ? " and he wept sore, for he 
 loved his brother Sunshine even as his own life. 
 
 Then Sunshine answered, saying, " Seeing this is so, 
 remain thou with our parents, loving and honouring 
 them, and being loved by them. For me, it is clear 
 the time is come that I must get me away to a far 
 country. Farewell, my brother ! " 
 
 But Moonshine answered, " Nay, brother, for if thou 
 goest, I also go with thee. How should I live alone 
 here, without thee, my brother ? " Therefore they 
 rose quickly before the Khan could get up, and going 
 privately to a priest in a temple hard by, that no one 
 else might hear of their design and betray it to the 
 Khan, they begged of him a good j^rovision of baling- 
 cakes (^), to support life by the way; and he gave them 
 a good provision, even a bag-full, and they set out on 
 their journey while it was yet night. It was the fifteenth 
 of the month, while the moon shed abroad her light, 
 and they journeyed towards the East, not knowing 
 whither they went. But after they had journeyed 
 many days over mountain and plain, and come to a 
 land where was no water, but a muddy river the water 
 whereof could not be drunk, and where was no habita- 
 tion of man. Moonshine fell down fainting by the way. 
 Sunshine therefore ran to the top of a high hill to see
 
 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 75 
 
 if he could discern any stream of water_, but found none. 
 When he came back Moonshine was dead ! Then he 
 fell down on the ground, and wept a long space upon 
 his body, and at nightfall he buried it with solicitude 
 under a heap of stones, crying, "Ah ! my brother, how 
 shall I live without thee, my brother ? " And he prayed 
 that at Moonshine's next re-birth (^) they might again 
 live together. 
 
 Journeying farther on, he came to a pass between 
 two steep rocks, and in one of them was a red door. 
 Going up to the door, he found an ancient Hermit living 
 in a cave within, who addressed him, saying, " Whence 
 art thou, O youth, who seemest oppressed with recent 
 grief ? '' And Sunshine told him all that had befallen 
 him. Without again speaking the Hermit put into the 
 folds of his girdle a bottle containing a life-restoring 
 cordial, and going to the spot where Moonshine lay 
 buried, restored him to life. Then said he to the two 
 princes, " Live now with me, and be as my two sons." 
 So they lived with him, and were unto him as his two 
 sons. 
 
 The desert where this Hermit hved belonged to the 
 kingdom of a Khan dazzling in his glory and resistless 
 in might. Now it was about the season when the 
 Khan and his subjects went every year to direct the 
 flowing of water over the country for fructifying the 
 grain- seeds ; but it was the custom every year at this 
 season first, in order to make the Serpent-gods (^) who
 
 76 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 lived at the water-head propitious, to sacrifice to them a 
 youth of a certain age ; and on this occasion it fell to 
 the lot of a youth born in the Tiger-year (") . When the 
 Khan had caused search to be made through all the 
 people no youth was found among them all born in the 
 Tiger-year. At last certain herdsmen came before 
 him, saying, " While we were out tending our cattle, 
 behold we saw in a cave nigh to a pass between two 
 steep rocks a Hermit who has with him two sons, and 
 one of them born in the Tiger-vear.^' 
 
 When the Khan had listened to their word he im- 
 mediately sent three envoys to fetch the Hermit's son 
 for the sacrifice {^). 
 
 When the three envoys of the Khan had come and 
 stood knocking before the red door of the Hermit's 
 cav3, the Hermit cried out to them, asking what they 
 wanted of him. Then answered the chief of them, "Be- 
 cause thou hast a son hviug with thee born in the 
 Tiger-year, and the Khan hath need of him for the 
 sacrifice; therefore are we come, even that we may 
 bring him to the Khan." 
 
 When the Hermit had heard their embassage, he 
 answered them, " How should a Hermit have a son with 
 him out here in the desert ? " But he took Sunshine, who 
 was the youth born in the Tiger-year, and motioned him 
 into a farther hole of the cave where was a great vessel 
 of pottery ; into this vessel he made him creep, then 
 fastening the mouth of the vessel with earth, he
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAE EAST. 77 
 
 made it to appear like to a jar of rice-brandy ('). 
 Meantime^ however^ the Klian's envoys liad broken down 
 the door, and began searching through every recess of 
 the cave. Finding nothing, they were filled with fury, 
 and in their anger beat the Hermit on whose account 
 they had come a bootless errand. But when Sunshine 
 heard the men ill-treating the Hermit who had been to 
 him as a father, he could not refrain himself, and called 
 out from within the brandy -jar, " Unhand my father \" 
 Then the envoys immediately left off beating his father, 
 but they turned and seized him and carried him off to 
 the Khan, while the Hermit was left weeping with 
 great grief at the loss of his adopted son, even as one 
 like to die. 
 
 As the envoys dragged Sunshine along before the 
 palace, the Khan's daughter was looking out of window, 
 and when she heard that the handsome youth was 
 destined for the Serpent-sacrifice, she was filled with 
 compassion. She went therefore to the men who had 
 the charge to throw him into the water, saying, " See 
 how comely he is ! He is worthy to be saved, throw 
 him not into the water. Or else if you will throw him 
 in, throw me in also with him.'' Then the men went 
 and showed the Khan her words ; whereupon the king 
 was wroth, and said, " She is not worthy to be called 
 the Khan's daughter; let them therefore be both sewn 
 up into one bullock's skin, and so cast into the water." 
 The men therefore did according to the Khan's bidding,
 
 78 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 and sewing- them both up in one bullock-hide together, 
 C5ast them into the water to the Serpent-gods. 
 
 Then began Sunshine to say, " That they should 
 throw me to the Serpent-gods, because I was the only 
 youth to be found who was born in the Tiger-year, was 
 not so bad ; but that this beautiful maiden, who hath 
 deigned to lift her eyes on me, and to love me, should 
 be so sacrificed also, this is unbearable ! " 
 
 And the Khan^s daughter in like manner cried, 
 " That I who am only a woman should be thrown to 
 the Serpent-gods, is not so bad ; but that this noble and 
 beautiful youth should be so sacrificed also, this is un- 
 bearable V 
 
 When the Serpent-gods heard these laments, and saw 
 how the prince and the maiden vied with each other in 
 generosity, they sent and fetched them both out of the 
 water, and gave them freedom. Also as soon as they 
 were set free, they let the water gently flow over the 
 whole country, just as the people desired for their rice 
 irrigation. 
 
 Meantime, Sunshine said to the Khan's daughter, 
 " Princess, let us each now return home. Go thou to 
 thy father's palace, while I go back to the Hermitage, 
 and visit my adopted father, who is like to die of grief 
 for the loss of me. After I have fulfilled this filial 
 duty, I will return to thee, and we will live for ever 
 after for each other alone." 
 
 The princess then praised his filial love, and bid him
 
 SAGAS PEOM THE PAR EAST. 70 
 
 go console his father, only begging him to come to her 
 right soon, for she should have no joy till he came back. 
 
 Sunshine went therefore to the Hermit, whom he 
 found so worn with grief, that he was but just in time 
 to save him from dying; so having first washed him 
 with milk and water, he consoled him with many words 
 of kindness. 
 
 The princess, too, went home to the palace, where 
 all were so astonished at her delivex'ance that at first 
 she could hardly obtain admission. When they had 
 made sure it was herself in very truth, the people all 
 came round her, and congratulated her with joy, for 
 never had any one before been delivered from the sacri- 
 fice to the Serpent-gods. 
 
 Then said the Khan, "That the Khan's daughter 
 should be spared by the Serpent- gods was to be 
 expected. They have the youth born in the Tiger- 
 year for their saci'ifice." 
 
 But the princess answered, ''Neither has he fallen 
 sacrifice. Him also they let free ; and indeed was it 
 in great part out of regard for his abnegation and 
 distress over my sufi'ering that we were both let free." 
 
 Then answered the Khan, " In that case is our debt 
 great unto this youth. Let him be sought after, and 
 besought that he come to visit us in our palace." 
 
 So they went again to the cave in the rocky pass, 
 and fetched Sunshine ; and when he came near, the 
 Khan went out to meet him, and caused costly seats to
 
 80 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 be bronglit, and made him sit down thereon beside 
 him. 
 
 Then he said to him, " That thou hast delivered this 
 country from the fear of drought, is matter for which 
 we owe thee our highest gratitude ; but that thou and 
 this my daughter also have escaped from death is 
 a marvellous wonder. Tell me now, art thou in very 
 truth the son of the Hermit ? " 
 
 " No,^' replied Sunshine, " I am the son of a mighty 
 Khan ; but my step-mother, seeking to make a differ- 
 ence between me and this my brother standing beside 
 me, who was her own bom son, and to put me to 
 death, we fled away both together; and thus fleeing 
 we came to the Hermit, and were taken in by his 
 hospitality." 
 
 When the Khan had heard his words, he promised 
 him his daughter in marriage, and her sister, to be wife 
 to Moonshine. Moreover, he endowed them with im- 
 measurable riches, and gave them an escort of four 
 detachments of fighting-men to accompany them home. 
 When they had arrived near the capital of the king- 
 dom, they sent an embassage before them to the Khan, 
 sapng,— 
 
 " We, thy two sons, Sunshine and Moonshine, are 
 returned to thee." 
 
 The Khan and the Khanin, who had for many years 
 past quite lost their reason out of grief for the loss of 
 their children, and held no more converse with menj
 
 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 81 
 
 were at once restored to sense and animation at this 
 news, and sent out a large troop of horsemen to meet 
 them, and conduct them to their palace. Thus the 
 two princes returned in honour to their home. 
 
 When they came in, the Khan was full of joy and 
 glory, sitting on his throne ; but the Khanin, full of 
 remorse and shame at the thought of the crime she had 
 meditated, fell down dead before their face. 
 
 '"That wretched woman got the end that she de- 
 served !" exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan hath opened his lips,^^ said the Siddhi-kiir. And 
 with the cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " 
 he sped him through the air, swift out of sight. 
 
 Thus far of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan the fifth chapter, showing how the 
 Serpent-gods were appeased.
 
 TALE VI. 
 
 When the Well-and-wise-walking Khan found that he 
 had again missed the end and object of his journey, 
 he proceeded once more by the same manner and 
 means to the cool grove. And, having bound the 
 Siddhi-kiir in his bag, bore him on his shoulder to 
 present to his Master and Teacher Nagarg'una. 
 
 But by the way the Siddhi-kiir asked him to tell a 
 tale, and when he would not answer begged for the 
 token of his assent that he should tell one, which when 
 the Khan had given he told this tale, saying, — 
 
 THE TURBULENT SUBJECT. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived in a district called Brschiss(') 
 a haughty, turbulent man. As he feared no man and 
 obeyed no laws, the Khan of that country sent to him, 
 saying, " Since thou wilt obey no laws, thou canst not 
 remain in my country. Get thee gone hence, or else 
 submit to the laws \" 
 
 But the turbulent man chose rather to go forth in
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 83 
 
 exile than submit to tlie laws. So lie went wandering 
 forth till he came to a vast plain covered with feather- 
 grass, and a palm-tree standing in the midst, with a 
 dead horse lying beneath it. Under the shade of the 
 palm-tree (^) he sat down, saying, " The head of this 
 horse will be useful for food when my provisions are 
 exhausted." So he bound it into his waist-scarf and 
 climbed up into the palm-tree to pass the night. 
 
 He had scarcely composed himself to sleep when 
 there was a great noise of shouting and yelling, which 
 woke him up ; and behold there came thither towards 
 the palm-tree, from the southern side of the steppe, a 
 herd of daemons, having ox-hide caps on their heads, 
 and riding on horses covered with ox-hides. Nor had 
 they long settled themselves before another herd of 
 daemons came trooping towards the palm-tree from the 
 northern side of the steppe, and these wore paper caps 
 and rode on horses wearing paper coverings. 
 
 All these dgemons now danced and feasted together 
 with great howling and shouting. The man looked 
 down upon them from the tree-top full of terror, but 
 also full of envy at their enjoyment. As he leant over 
 to watch them, the horse's head tumbled out of his 
 gu'dle right into their midst and scattered them in dire 
 alarm in every direction, not one of them daring to 
 look up to see whence it came. It was not till the 
 morning light broke, however, that the man ventured 
 to come down. When he did so, he said, " Last night 
 
 o 2
 
 84 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 there was mucli feasting and drinking going on liere, 
 surely there must be something left from such a ban- 
 quet/^ Searching through the long feather-grass all 
 about, he discovered a gold goblet full of brandy(^), 
 from which he drank long draughts, but it continued 
 always full. At last he turned it down upon the 
 ground, and immediately all manner of meats and 
 cakes appeared. "This goblet is indeed larder and 
 cellar \" said the man, and taking it with him he went 
 on his way. 
 
 Farther on he met a man brandishing a thick stick 
 as he walked. 
 
 '• What is your stick good for that you brandish it so 
 proudly ? " asked the turbulent man. 
 
 "My stick is so much good that when I say to it, 
 * Fly, that man has stolen somewhat of me, fly after 
 him and kill him and bring me back my goods,^ it in- 
 stantly flies at the man and brings my things back." 
 
 " Yours is a good stick, but see my goblet ; what- 
 soever you desire of meat or drink this same goblet 
 provides for the wishing. Will you exchange your 
 stick against my goblet ? " 
 
 " That will I gladly,^' rejoined the traveller. 
 
 But the turbulent man, having once eflected the ex- 
 change, cried to the stick, " Fly, that man has stolen 
 my goblet, fly after him and kill him and bring me 
 back my goblet ! " Before the words had left his lips 
 the stick flew through the ait, killed the man, and
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 85 
 
 brought back the goblet. Thus he had both the stick 
 and the goblet. 
 
 Farther on he saw a man coming who carried an iron 
 hammer. 
 
 "What is your hammer good for?'' inquired he as 
 they met. 
 
 " My hammer is so good/' replied the traveller^ 
 "that when I strike it nine times on the ground 
 immediately there rises up an iron tower nine storeys 
 high." 
 
 " Yours is a good hammer/' replied the turbulent 
 maUj "but look at my goblet ; whatever you desire of 
 meat or drink this same goblet provides for the 
 wishing. Will you change your hammer against my 
 goblet?" 
 
 " That will I gladly/' replied the wayfarer. 
 
 But the turbulent man^ having once effected the ex- 
 change^ cried to the sticky " Fly, that man has stolen 
 my goblet, fly after him and kill him and bring me 
 back the goblet." The command was executed as soon 
 as spoken, and the turbulent man thus became pos- 
 sessed of the hammer as well as the stick and the 
 goblet. 
 
 Farther on he saw a man carrying a goat's leather 
 bag. 
 
 " What is your bag good for ?" inquired he as they 
 met. 
 
 " My bag is so good that I have but to shake it and
 
 86 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 there comes a sliower of raizi, but if I shake it hard 
 then it rains in torrents." 
 
 " Yours is a good hag," replied the turbulent man, 
 " but see my goblet ; whatsoever you desire of meat or 
 drink it provides you for the wishing. Will you ex- 
 change your bag against my goblet V 
 
 " That will I gladly/^ answered the traveller. 
 
 But no sooner had the turbulent man possession of 
 the bag than he sent his stick as before to recover the 
 goblet also. 
 
 Provided with all these magic articles, he had no fear 
 in returning to his own country in spite of the prohibi- 
 tion of the Khan. Arrived there about midnight, he 
 established himself behind the Khan's palace, and, 
 striking the earth nine times with his iron hammer, 
 there immediately appeared an iron fortress nine storeys 
 high, towering far above the palace. 
 
 In the morning the Khan said, '^Last night I heard 
 'knock, knock, knock,' several times. What will it 
 have been V So the Khanin rose and looked out and 
 answered him, sajdag, " Behold, a great iron fortress, 
 nine storeys high, stands right over against the palace.'' 
 
 " This is some work of that turbulent rebel, I would 
 wager ! " replied the Khan, full of wrath. " And he 
 has brought it to that pass that we must now measure 
 our strength to the uttermost." Then he rose and 
 called together all his subjects, and bid them each 
 bring their share of fuel to a great fire which he
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 87 
 
 kindled all round the iron fortress ; all the smiths, too, 
 he summoned to bring their bellows and blow it, and 
 thus it was turned into a fearful furnace. 
 
 Meantime the turbulent man sat quite unconcerned 
 in the ninth storey with his mother and his son, occu- 
 pied with discussing the viands which the golden 
 goblet provided. When the fire began to reach the 
 eighth storey, the man^s mother caught a little alarm, 
 saying, " Evil will befall us if this fire which the Khan 
 has kindled round us be left unchecked/^ But he 
 answered, " Mother ! fear nothing ; I have the means of 
 settling that." Then he drew out his goat's-leather 
 bag, went with it up to the highest turret of the 
 fortress, and shook it till the rain flowed and pretty 
 well extinguished the fire ; but he also went on shaking 
 it till the rain fell in such torrents that presently the 
 whole neighbourhood was inundated, and not only the 
 embers of the fire but the smiths' bellows were washed 
 away, and the people and the Khan himself had much 
 ado to escape with their lives. At last the gushing 
 waters had worked a deep moat round the fortress, in 
 which the turbulent man dwelt henceforth secure, and 
 the Khan dm^st admonish him no more. 
 
 " Thus the power of magic prevailed over sovereign 
 might and majesty,''^ exclaimed the Khan ; and as he 
 uttered these words the Siddhi-kiir said, " Forgetting 
 his health, the Well-and-wise-walking Khan hath
 
 88 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 opened liis lips/' And witli the cry, "To escape ont of 
 this world is good ! '' he sped him through the air, swift 
 out of sight. 
 
 Of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan the sixth chapter, of how it fell out with the 
 Turbulent Subject.
 
 TALE YII. 
 
 When tlie Well-and-wise-walking Klian found that 
 he had again missed the end and object of his labour, 
 he proceeded again by the same manner and means to 
 the cool grove, and having bound the Siddhi-kiir in 
 his bag, bore him on his shoulder to present to his 
 Master and Teacher Nagarg'una. 
 
 But by the way the Siddhi-kiir asked him to tell a 
 tale ; and when he would not answer, craved the token 
 of his assent that he should tell one, which when the 
 Khan had given, he told this tale, saying, — 
 
 THE WHITE BIRD AND HIS WIFE. 
 
 Long ages ago, there lived in a land called Fair-flower- 
 garden, a man, who had three daughters, who minded 
 his herds of goats ('), the three alternately. 
 
 One day, when it was the turn of the eldest sister to 
 go with them, she fell asleep during the mid-day heat, 
 and when she awoke, she found that one of the goats 
 was missing. While she wandered about seeking it.
 
 90 SAGAS PEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 slie came to a place where was a great red door. When 
 she had opened this^ she found behind it, a Httle farther 
 on, a great gold door. And when she had opened this, 
 she found farther on another door all of shining 
 mother-o^-pearl. She opened this, and beyond it again 
 there was an emerald door, which gave entrance to a 
 splendid palace full of gold and precious stones, 
 dazzling to behold. Yet in all the whole palace there 
 was no living thing save one white bird perched upon a 
 costly table in a cage. 
 
 The bird espying the maiden, said to her, " Maiden, 
 how camest thou hither ? ^^ And she replied, " One of 
 my father's goats has escaped from the flock, and as I 
 dare not go home without it, I have been seeking it 
 every where ; thus came I hither," Then the White 
 Bird said, " If thou wilt consent to be my wife (^), I 
 will not only tell thee where the goat is, but restore it 
 to thee. If, however, thou refuse to render me this 
 service, the goat is lost to thy father's flock for ever.'* 
 But the maiden answered, '^ How can I be thy wife, 
 seeing thou art a bird ? Therefore is my father's goat 
 lost to his flock for ever,'' And she went away weep- 
 ing for sorrow. 
 
 The next day, when the second daughter took her 
 turn with' the herds, another goat escaped from the 
 flock ; and when she went to seek it, she also came to 
 the strange palace and the white bird; but neither 
 could she enter into his idea of her becoming his wife ;
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 91 
 
 and she therefore came home^ sorrowing over the loss 
 to the herd under her care. 
 
 The day following^ the youngest daughter went forth 
 with the goatSj and a goat also strayed from her. But 
 she, when she had come to the palace, and the white 
 bird asked her to become his wife, with the promise of 
 restoring her goat in case of her consent, answered 
 him, " As a rule, creatures of the male gender keep 
 their promises ; therefore, O bird ! I accept thy con- 
 ditions.^' Thus she agreed to become his wife. 
 
 One day there was to be a great gathering, lasting 
 thirteen days, in a temple in the neighbourhood. And 
 when all the people were assembled together, it was 
 found that it was just this woman, the wife of the white 
 bird, who was more comely than all the other women. 
 And among the men there was a mighty rider, mounted 
 on a dappled grey horse, who was so far superior to all 
 the rest, that when he had trotted thrice round the 
 assembly and ridden away again, they could not cease 
 talking of his grace and comeliness, and his mastery of 
 his steed. 
 
 When the wife came back home again to the palace 
 in the rock, the white bird said to her, " Among all 
 the men and women at the festival, who was regarded 
 to have given the proofs of superiority?" And she 
 answered, " Among the men, it was one riding on a 
 dappled grey horse ; and among the women, it was I." 
 Thus it happened every day of the festival, neither
 
 92 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 was there any^ of men or women, that could compete 
 with these two. 
 
 On the twelfth day, when the woman that was 
 married to the white bird went again to the festival, 
 she had for her next neighbour an ancient woman, who 
 asked her how it had befallen the other days of the 
 feast ; and she told her, saying, '^ Among all the women 
 none has overmatched me ; but among the men, there 
 is none to compare with the mighty rider on the dappled 
 grey horse. If I could but have such a man for my 
 husband, there would be nothing left to wish for all the 
 days of my life I" Then said the ancient woman, 
 " And why shouldst thou not have such a man for thy 
 husband ? " But she began to weep, and said, " Because 
 I have already promised to be the wife of a white bird." 
 "That is just right !^^ answered the ancient woman. 
 " Behold, to-morrow is the thirteenth day of the as- 
 sembly ; but come not thou to the feast, only make as 
 though thou wert going : hide thyself behind the 
 emerald door. When thou seemest to be gone, the 
 white bird will leave his perch, and assuming his man's 
 form, will go into the stable, and saddle his dappled 
 grey steed, and ride to the festival as usual. Then 
 come thou out of thy hiding-place, and burn his perch, 
 and cage, and feathers ; so will he have henceforth to 
 wear his natural form." Thus the ancient woman 
 instructed the wife of the white bird. 
 
 The next day the woman did all that she had been
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 93 
 
 told, even according to tlie words of the ancient woman. 
 But as she longed exceedingly to see her husband re- 
 turn, she placed herself behind a pillar where she could 
 see him coming a long way. At last, as the sun began 
 to sink quite red towards the horizon, she saw him 
 coming on his dapple-grey horse. "How is this?" 
 he exclaimed, as he espied her. " You got back sooner 
 than I, then ? " And she answered, " Yes, I got home 
 the first." Then inquired he further, " Where is my 
 perch and cage?" And she made answer, "Those 
 have I burned in the fire, in order that thou mightest 
 henceforth appear only in thy natural form." Then he 
 exclaimed, " Knowest thou what thou hast done ? In 
 that cage had I left not my feathers only, but also my 
 soul (^) ! " And when she heard that, she wept sore, 
 and besought him, saying, "Is there no means of 
 restoration ? Behold ! there is nothing that I could 
 not endure to recover thy soul." And the man an- 
 swered, "There is one only remedy. The gods and 
 diemons will come to-night to fetch me, because my soul 
 is gone from me ; but I can keep them in perpetual con- 
 test for seven days and seven nights. Thou, mean- 
 time, take this stick, and with it hew and hew on at the 
 mother-o^-pearl door without stopping or resting day 
 or night. By the close of the seventh night thou 
 shalt have hewn through the door, and I shall be free 
 from the gods and dtemons ; but, bear in mind, that if 
 thou cease from hewing, for one single instant, or if
 
 94 SAGAS FROM THE FAB EAST. 
 
 weariness overtake thee for one moment, tlien tlie gods 
 and daemons will carry me away with them — away from 
 thee." Thus he spoke. Then the woman went and 
 fetched little motes of the feather-grass, and fixed her 
 eyelids open with them, that she might not be overtaken 
 by slumber; and with the stick that her husband had 
 given her she set to work, when night fell, to hew and 
 hew on at the mother-o^-pearl door. Thus she hewed 
 on and on, nor wearied, seven days and seven nights : 
 only the seventh night, the motes of grass having 
 fallen out of one of her eyes so that she could not keep 
 the lid from closing once, in that instant the gods and 
 deemons prevailed against her husband, and carried 
 him ofi". 
 
 Inconsolable, she set forth to wander after him, 
 crying, " Ah ! my beloved husband. My husband of 
 the bird form ! " Notwithstanding that she had 
 not slept or left off toiling for seven days and 
 seven nights, she set out, without stopping to take 
 rest, searching for him every where in earth and 
 heaven ('') . 
 
 At last, as she continued walking and crying out, 
 she heard his voice answering her from the top of a 
 mountain. And when she had toiled up to the top of 
 the mountain, crying aloud after him, she heard him 
 answer her from the bottom of a stream. When she 
 came down again to the banks of the stream, still 
 calling loudly upon him, there she found him by a
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 95 
 
 sacred Obo, raised to the gods by the wayside (°). He 
 sat there with a great bundle of old boots upon his 
 back, as many as he could carry. 
 
 When they had met, he said to her, " This meeting 
 with thee once more rejoices my heart. The gods and 
 dsemons have made me their water-carrier; and in 
 toiling up and down from the river to their mountain {^) 
 so many times, I have worn out all these pairs of 
 boots.'' 
 
 But she answered, " Tell me, beloved, what can I 
 do to deliver thee from this bondage ? " 
 
 And he answered, " There is only this remedy, O 
 faithful one. Even that thou return now home, and 
 build another cage like to the one that was burned, and 
 that having built it, thou woo my soul back into it. 
 Which when thou hast done, I myself must come back 
 thither, nor can gods or dsemons withhold me." 
 
 So she went back home, and built a cage like to the 
 one that was burned, and wooed the soul of her hus- 
 band back into it ; and thus was her husband delivered 
 from the power of the gods and daemons, and came 
 back to her to live with her always. 
 
 " In truth that was a glorious woman for a wife ! " 
 exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan hath opened his lips,'' replied the Siddhi-Kiir,
 
 96 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 
 
 And witli the cry, " To escape out of this world is 
 good ! " he sped him through the air, swift out of sight. 
 
 Thus far of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan the seventh chapter, of how it befell the 
 White Bird and his Wife.
 
 TALE VIII. 
 
 When the Well-and-wise-walking Klian found tliat 
 he had again missed the end and object of his labonr, 
 he proceeded yet again as heretofore to the cool grove, 
 and having taken captive the Siddhi-kiir bore him 
 along to present to the Master and Teacher Nagarg'una. 
 But by the way the Siddhi-kiir asked him to tell a tale, 
 and when he would not speak, craved of him the token 
 that he willed he should tell one ; which, when he had 
 given, he told this tale, saying, — 
 
 HOW ANANDA THE WOOD-CARVER AND ANANDA THE PAINTER 
 
 STROVE AGAINST EACH^PTHER. 
 f 
 
 Long ages ago there lived in a kingdom which was 
 called Kun-smon (*), a Khan named Kun-snang (^) . 
 When this Khan departed this life his son named 
 Chamut Ssakiktschi (') succeeded to the throne. 
 
 In the same kingdom lived a painter named 
 Ananda(*), and a wood-carver also named Ananda. 
 These men were friends of each other apparently, but 
 jealousy reigned in their hearts. 
 
 s
 
 98 SAGAS PROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 One day, now, it Ijefell that Ananda the painter, -whom 
 to distinguish from the other, we will call by his Tibe- 
 tian name of Kun-dgah. instead of by his Sanskrit 
 name of Ananda, appeared before the Khan, and spoke 
 in this wise : " O Khan, thy father, born anew into the 
 kingdom of the gods, called me thither unto him, and 
 straightway hearing his behest, I obeyed it." As he 
 spoke he handed to " All-protecting " the Khan, 
 a forged strip of writing which was conceived after this 
 manner : — 
 
 " To my son Chotolo (^) Ssakiktschi ! 
 
 " When I last parted from thee, I took my flight 
 out of the lower life, and was born again into the king- 
 dom of the gods (") . Here I have my abode in pleni- 
 tude, yea, superabundance of all that I require. Only 
 one thing is wanting. In order to complete a temple 
 I am building, I find not one to adorn it cunning in 
 his art like unto Ananda our wood-carver. Wherefore, 
 I charge thee, son Chotolo-Ssakiktschi, call unto thee 
 Ananda the wood-c^"ver, and send him up hither to 
 me. The way and means of his coming shall be ex- 
 plained unto thee by Kun-r^gah the painter." 
 
 Such was the letter that Kun-c?gah the painter, with 
 crafty art, delivered to Kun-tschong (^), the Khan. 
 Which when the Khan had read he said to him — 
 " That the Khan my father, is in truth born anew 
 into the gods^ kingdom is very good." 
 
 And forthwith he sent for Ananda the wood-carver.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 99 
 
 and spoke thus to liini : " My father, the Khan, is new 
 born into the gods^ kingdom, and is there building a 
 temple. For this purpose he has need of a wood- 
 carver ; but can find none cunning in his art like unto 
 thee. Now, therefore, he has written unto me to send 
 thee straightway above unto him." With these words 
 he handed the strip of writing into his hands. 
 
 But the Wood-carver when he had read it thought 
 within himself, " This is indeed contrary to all rule 
 and precedent. Do I not scent here some craft of 
 Kun-(7gah the painter ? Nevertheless, shall I not find 
 a means to provide against his mischievous intent ? " 
 Then he raised his voice, and spoke thus aloud to the 
 Khan : — 
 
 " Tell me, Khan, how shall I a poor Wood-carver 
 attain to the gods' kingdom V 
 
 " In this," replied the Khan, " shall the Painter 
 instruct thee." 
 
 And while the Wood-carver said within himself, 
 "Have I not smelt thee out, thou crafty one?" the 
 Khan sent and fetched the Painter into his presence. 
 Then having commanded him to declare the way and 
 manner of the journey into the gods' kingdom, the 
 Painter answered in this wise, — 
 
 " When thou hast collected all the materials and 
 instruments appertaining to thy calling, and hast 
 gathered them at thy feet, thou shalt order a pile of 
 beams of wood well steeped in spirit distilled from 
 
 H 2
 
 100 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 sesame grain to be heaped around thee. Then to the 
 accompaniment of every solemn-sounding instrument 
 kindle the pile^ and rise to the gods' kingdom borne on 
 obedient clouds of smoke as on a swift charger." 
 
 The Wood-carver durst not refuse the behest of the 
 Khan ; but obtained an interval of seven days in order 
 to collect the materials and instruments of his calling, 
 but also to consider and find out a means of avenging 
 the astuteness of the Painter. Then he went home, and 
 told his wife all that had befallen him. 
 
 His wife, without hesitating, proposed to him a 
 means of evading while seeming to fulfil the decree. 
 In a field belonging to him at a short distance from his 
 house, she caused a large flat stone to be placed, on 
 which the sacrifice was to be consummated. But 
 under it by night she had an underground passage 
 made, commimicating with the house. 
 
 When the eighth day had arrived the Khan rose and 
 said, " This is the day that the Wood-carver is to go up 
 to my father into the gods' kingdom." 
 
 And all the people were assembled round the pile of 
 wood steeped in spirit distilled from sesame grain, in 
 the Wood-carver's field. It was a pile of the height 
 of a man, well heaped up, and in its midst stood the 
 Wood-carver calm and impassible, while all kinds of 
 musical instruments sent up their solemn-sounding 
 tones. 
 
 When the smoke of the spirit-steeped wood began to
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAE EAST. 101 
 
 rise in concealing density, the Wood-carver pushed 
 aside the stone with his feet, and returned to his home 
 by the underground way his wife had had made for 
 him. 
 
 But the Painter, never doubting but that he must 
 have fallen a prey to the flames, rubbed his hands and 
 pointing with his finger in joy and triumph to the 
 curling smoke, cried out to the people, — 
 
 " Behold the spirit of our brother Ananda the wood- 
 carver, ascending on the obedient clouds as on a swift 
 charger to the kingdom of the gods ! " 
 
 And all the people followed the point of his finger 
 with their eyes and believing his words, they cried out, — 
 
 " Behold the spirit of Ananda the wood-carver, as- 
 cending to adorn the temple of the gods^ kingdom." 
 
 And now for the space of a whole month the Wood- 
 carver remained closely at home letting himself be seen 
 by no one save his wife only. Daily he washed himself 
 over with milk, and sat in the shade out of the coloured 
 light of the sun. At the end of the month his wife 
 brought him a garment of white gauze, with which he 
 covered himself; and he wrote, he also, a feigned 
 letter, and went up with it to "All-protecting" the 
 Khan. 
 
 As soon as the Khan saw him he cried out,- — 
 
 " How art thou returned from the gods' kingdom ? 
 And how didst thou leave my father ' All-knowing * 
 the Khan?" 
 
 UNIVERSITY OP riAT.TPnPMTA
 
 102 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Then Ananda the wood-carver handed to him the 
 forged letter which he had prepared^ and he caused it 
 to be read aloud before the people in these words : — 
 
 " To my son, Chotolo-Ssakiktschi. 
 
 ''That thou occupiest thyself without wearying in 
 leading thy people in the way of prosperity and happi- 
 ness is well. As regards the erection of the temple 
 up here, concerning which I wrote thee in my former 
 letter, Ananda the wood-carver hath well executed the 
 part we committed to him, and we charge thee that 
 thou recompense him richly for his labour. But in 
 order to the enthe completion of the same, we stand 
 in need of a painter to adorn with cunning art the 
 sculpture he hath executed. When this cometh into 
 thy hands, therefore, send straightway for Kun-(?gah 
 the painter, for there is none other like to him, and let 
 him come up to us forthwith ; according to the same 
 way and manner that thou heretofore sendedst unto us 
 Ananda the wood-carver, shall he come." 
 
 When the Khan had heard the letter, he rejoiced 
 greatly, and said, " These are in truth the words of 
 my father, ' All-knowing ' the Khan." And he loaded 
 Ananda the wood-carver with rich rewards, but sent 
 and called unto him Kun-c/gah the painter. 
 
 Kun-cZgah the painter came with all haste into the 
 presence of the Kian, who caused the letter of his 
 father to be read out to him ; and he as he heard it 
 was seized with great fear and trembling; but when
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 103 
 
 lie saw Ananda the wood-carver standino- whole before 
 him, all white from the milk-washing and clad in the 
 costly garment of gauze as if the light of the gods' 
 kingdom yet clove to him, he said within himself, — 
 
 " Surely the fire hath not burnt him, as I see him 
 before mine eyes, so neither shall it burn mo ; and if I 
 refuse to go a worse death will be allotted me, while if 
 I accept the charge I shall receive rich rewards like 
 unto Ananda," So he consented to have his painter's 
 gear in readiness in seven days, and to go up to 
 the gods' kingdom by means of the pile burnt with 
 fire. 
 
 When the seven days were passed, all the people 
 assembled in the field of Kun-c^gah the painter, and 
 the Khan came in his robes of state surrounded by the 
 officers of his palace, and the ministers of the kingdom. 
 The pile was well heaped up of beams of wood steeped 
 in spirit distilled from sesame grain ; in the midst they 
 placed Kun-f?gah the painter, and with the melody of 
 every solemn-sounding instrument they set fire to the 
 pile. Kun-fZgah fortified himself for the torture b}'' the 
 expectation that soon he would begin to rise on the 
 clouds of smoke; but when he found that, instead of this, 
 his body sank to the ground with unendurable pain, he 
 shouted out to the people to come and release him. 
 But the device whereby he had intended to drown the 
 cries of the Wood-carver prevailed against him. No 
 one could hear his voice for the noise of the resounding
 
 104 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 instruments j and thus lie perished miserably in the 
 flames. 
 
 " Truly that bad man was rewarded according to his 
 deserts ! " exclaimed the Prince. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him thoughtlessly, 
 the Siddhi-kiir replied, "Forgetting his health, the 
 Well-and-wise-walking Prince hath opened his lips.'^ 
 And with the cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " 
 he sped him through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE IX. 
 
 When tlie Well-and-wise-walking Klian found that 
 he had again missed the end and object of his labour, 
 he proceeded yet again to the cool grove, and having 
 in the same manner as heretofore taken captive the 
 Siddhi-kiir, bore him along to present to his Master 
 and Teacher Nagarg'una. 
 
 But by the way the Siddhi-kiir asked him to tell a 
 tale, and when he would not speak craved the token 
 that he willed he should tell one, which when the 
 Prince had given he told this tale, saying, — 
 
 FIVE TO ONE. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived among the subjects of a 
 great kingdom six youths who were all boon com- 
 panions. One was a smith's son, and one was a wood- 
 carver's son ; one was a painter's son, and one was a 
 doctor's son ; one was an accountant's son, and one was 
 a rich man's son, who had no trade or profession, but 
 plenty of money. 
 
 These six determined on taking a journey to find the
 
 106 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 
 
 opportimity of establishing themselves in life ; so they 
 all six set out together^ having taken leave of their 
 friends, and the rich man's son providing the cost. 
 
 When they had journeyed on a long way together 
 "without any thing particular befalling them, as they 
 were beginning to weary of carrying on the same sort 
 of life day by day, they came to a place where the 
 waters of six streams met, flowing thither from various 
 directions, and they said, "All these days we have 
 journeyed together, and none of us have met with the 
 opportunity of settling or making a living. Let us now 
 each go forth alone, each one following back the course 
 of one of these rivers to its source, and see what befalls 
 us then." So each planted a tree at the head of the 
 stream he chose, and they agreed that all should meet 
 again at the same spot, and if any failed to appear, and 
 his tree had withered away, it should be taken as a 
 token that evil had befallen him, and that then his 
 companions should follow his river, and search for him 
 and deliver him. 
 
 Having come to this agreement, each one went his 
 way. 
 
 The rich man's son followed the wanderings of his 
 stream without falling in with any one till he had 
 reached the very source of the river-head ; here was a 
 meadow skirting a forest, and on the border of the 
 forest a dwelling. Towards this dwelling the youth 
 directed his steps. There lived here an ancient man
 
 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 107 
 
 along with his ancient wife, who when they saw the 
 youth opening the gate cried out to him, — 
 
 " Young man ! wherefore comest thou hither, and 
 whence comest thou ? '^ 
 
 " I come from a far country," answered the youth, 
 " and I am journeying to find the occasion of settling 
 myself in life; and thus journeying, my steps have 
 brought me hither/' 
 
 When the ancient man and his wife saw that he was 
 a comely youth and well-spoken, they said, " If this is 
 indeed so, it is well that thy steps have brought thee 
 hither, for we have here a beautiful daughter, charming 
 in form and delightful in conversation; take her and 
 become our son." 
 
 As they said these words the daughter appeared on 
 the thi'eshold of the dwelling, and when the youth saw 
 her he said within himself, " This is no common child 
 of earth, but one of the daughters of the heavenly 
 gods (^). What better can befall me than that I 
 should marry her and live here the rest of my days in 
 her company V 
 
 The maiden, too, said to him, " It is well, youth, 
 that thy steps have brought thee hither." Thus they 
 began conversing together, and the youth established 
 himself on the spot and lived with his wife in peace and 
 happiness. 
 
 This dwelling, however, was within the dominions of a 
 mighty Khan. One day, as his minions were disporting
 
 108 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 themselves in tlie river, they found a ring all set with 
 curious jewels, in cunning workmanship, which the 
 rich youth's wife had dropped while bathing, and the 
 stream had carried it along to where the Khan's 
 minions were. As the ring was wonderful to behold, 
 they brought it to the Khan. . 
 
 The eyes of the Khan, who was a man of under- 
 standing, no sooner lighted on the ring than he turned 
 and said to his attendants, — 
 
 " Somewhere on the borders of this stream, and 
 higher up its course, lives a most beautiful woman, 
 more beautiful than all the wives of the Klan; go 
 fetch her and bring her to me.'' 
 
 The Khan's attendants set out on then* mission, and 
 visited all the dwellers on the banks of the stream, but 
 they found no woman exceeding in beauty all the wives 
 of the Khan till they came to the wife of the rich 
 youth. When they saw her, they had no doubt it must 
 be she that the Khan had meant. Saying, therefore, 
 " The Khan hath sent for thee," they carried her off to 
 the palace ; but the rich youth followed mourning, as 
 near as he could approach. 
 
 When the Khan saw her, he said, " This is of a truth 
 no child of earth; she must be the daughter of the 
 heavenly gods. Beside of her all my other wives are 
 but as dogs and swine," and he took her and placed 
 her far above them all. But she only wept, and could 
 think of nothing but the rich youth. When the Khan
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 109 
 
 saw how slie wept and tliouglit only of tlie ricli youtli, 
 he said to his courtiers, " Eid me of this fellow." And 
 so, to please the Khan, they treacherously invited him 
 to a lone place on the bank of the river, as if to join in 
 some game; but when they had got him there they 
 thrust him into a hole in the ground, and then rolled a 
 piece of rock on the top of it, and so put him to death. 
 
 In the meantime, the day came round on which the 
 six companions had agreed to come together at the 
 spot where the six streams met; and there the five 
 others arrived in due course, but the rich youth came 
 not ; and when they looked at the tree he had planted 
 by the side of his stream, behold, it had withered away. 
 In accordance with their promise, therefore, they all set 
 out to follow the course of his stream and to search him 
 out. But when they had wandered on a long way and 
 found no trace of him, the accountant's son sat down 
 to reckon, and by his reckoning he discovered that he 
 must have gone so far into such a kingdom, and that he 
 must lie buried under a rock. Following the course of 
 his reckoning, the five soon came upon the spot where 
 the rich youth lay buried under the rock. But when 
 they saw how big the rock was, they said, " Who shall 
 suffice to remove the rock and uncover the body of our 
 companion V 
 
 " That will I ! " cried the smith's son, and, taking his 
 hammer, he broke the rock in pieces and brought to 
 light the body of the rich youth. When his com-
 
 110 SAGAS PEOM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 panions saw him tliey were filled with compassion and 
 cried aloud, " Who shall give back to us our friend, the 
 companion of our youth ? " 
 
 " That will I ! '' cried the doctor^s son, and he mixed 
 a potion which, when he had given it to the corpse to 
 drink, gave him power to rise up as if no harm had 
 ever befallen him. 
 
 When they saw him all well again, and fi-ee to speak, 
 they every one came round him, assailing him with 
 manifold questions upon how he had fallen into this 
 evil plight, and upon all that had happened to him since 
 they parted. But when he had told them all his story 
 from beginning to end, they all agreed his wife must 
 have been a wonderful maiden indeed, and they cried 
 out, '^Who shall be able to restore his wife to our 
 brother ?^^ 
 
 " That will I ! " cried the wood-carver^s son. " And 
 I!" cried the painter's son. 
 
 So the wood-carver's son set to work, and of the log 
 of a tree he hewed out a Ganida-hvcdii^) , and fashioned 
 it with springs, so that when a man sat in it he could 
 direct it this way or that whithersoever he listed to go ; 
 and the painter's son adorned it with every pleasant 
 colour. Thus together they perfected a most beautiful 
 bird. 
 
 The rich youth lost no time in placing himself inside 
 the beautiful garuda-bird, and, touching the spring, 
 flew straight away right over the royal palace.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. Ill 
 
 The king was in the royal gardens, with all his court 
 about him, and quickly espied the garuda-bird, and 
 esteemed himself fortunate that the beautiful garuda- 
 bird, the king of bu-ds, the bearer of Vishnu, should have 
 deigned to visit his residence ; and because he reckoned 
 no one else was worthy of the office, he appointed the 
 most beautiful of his wives to go up and offer it food. 
 
 Accordingly, the wife of the rich youth herself went 
 up on to the roof of the palace with food to the royal 
 bird. But the rich youth, when he saw her approach, 
 opened the door of the wooden garuda and showed 
 himself to her. Nor did she know how to contain her- 
 self for delight when she found he was therein. 
 
 " Never had I dared hope that these eyes should 
 light on thee again, joy of my heart !" she exclaimed. 
 " How madest thou then the garuda-bird obedient to 
 thy word to bring thee hither ? " 
 
 But he, full only of the joy of finding her again, and 
 that she still loved him as before, could only reply, — 
 
 "Though thou reignest now in a palace as the 
 Khan's wife in splendour and wealth, if thine heart yet 
 belongeth to me thine husband, come up into the 
 garuda-bird, and we will fly away out of the power of 
 the Khan for ever.'' 
 
 To which she made answer, " Truly, though I reign 
 now in the palace as the Khan's wife in splendour and 
 wealth, yet is my heart and my joy with thee alone, my 
 husband. Of what have my thoughts been filled all
 
 112 SAGAS FROM THE PAE EAST. 
 
 tlirougli these days of abseiice_, but of tliee only, and 
 for whom else do I live V 
 
 With that she mounted into the wooden garuda- 
 bird into the arms of her husband, and full of joy they 
 flew away together. 
 
 But the Khan and his court, when they saw what 
 had happened, were dismayed. 
 
 " Because I sent my most beautiful wife to carry food 
 to the garuda-bird, behold she is taken from me/' 
 cried the Khan, and he threw himself on the ground as 
 if he would have died of grief. 
 
 But the rich youth directed the flight of the wooden 
 garuda-bird, so that it regained the place where his 
 five companions awaited him. 
 
 " Have your afiairs succeeded ? " inquired they, as he 
 descended. 
 
 "That they have abundantly," answered the rich 
 youth. 
 
 While he spoke, his wife had also descended out of 
 the wooden garuda-bu-d, whom when his five com- 
 panions saw, they were all as madly smitten in love 
 with her as the Khan himself had been, and they all 
 began to reason with one another about it. 
 
 But the rich youth said, " True it is to you, my dear 
 and faithful companions, I owe it that by means of 
 what you have done for me, I have been delivered from 
 the power of cruel death, and still more that there has 
 been restored to me my wife, who is yet dearer far to
 
 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 113 
 
 me. For this, my gratitude will not be withheld ; but 
 what shall all this be to me if you now talk of tearing 
 her from mine arms again ? " 
 
 Upon which the accountant's son stood forward and 
 said, " It is to me thou owest all. What could these 
 have done for thee without the aid of my reckoning ? 
 They wandered hither and thither and found not the 
 place of thy burial, until I had reckoned the thing, and 
 told them whither to go. To me tliou owest thy salva- 
 tion, so give me thy wife for my guerdon/' 
 
 But the smith's son stood forward and said, " It is 
 to me thou owest all. What could all these have done 
 for thee without the aid of mine arm ? It was very well 
 that they should come and find the spot wb ere thou wert 
 held bound by the rock ; but all they could do was to 
 stand gazing at it. Only the might of my arm shattered 
 it. It is to me thou owest all, so give me thy wife for 
 my guerdon." 
 
 Then the doctor's son stood forward and said, " It 
 is to me thou owest all. What could all these have 
 done without the aid of my knowledge ? It was well 
 that they should find thee, and deliver thee from under 
 the rock ; but what would it have availed had not my 
 potion restored thee to life ? It is to me thou owest all, 
 so give me thy wife for my guerdon." 
 
 " Nay ! " interposed the wood-carver's son, " nay, 
 but it is to my craft thou owest all. The woman had 
 never been rescued from the power of the Khan but by 
 
 I
 
 114 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 means of my wooden garuda-bird. Behold^ are we six 
 unarmed men able to bave laid siege to tbe Kban's 
 palace ? And as no man is suffered to pass within its 
 portal, never bad sbe been reacbed, but by means of 
 my bird. So it is I clearly who have most claim to her." 
 
 " Not so ! " cried the painter^s son. " It is to my 
 art the whole is due. What would the garuda-bird 
 have availed had I not painted it divinely ? Unless 
 adorned by my art never had the Khan sent his most 
 beautiful wife to offer it food. To me is dae the de- 
 liverance, and to me the prize, therefore." 
 
 Thus they all strove together ; and as they could not 
 agree which should have her, and she would go with 
 none of them but only the rich youth, her husband, 
 they all seized her to gain possession of her, till in the 
 end she was torn in pieces. 
 
 " Then if each one had given her up to the other he 
 would have been no worse off," cried the Prince. 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi-kiir 
 replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and- wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with the 
 cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he sped 
 him through the air, swift out of sight. 
 
 Of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan the ninth chapter, of the story of Five to One.
 
 TALE X. 
 
 When the Well-and-wise-walking Khan found that 
 the Siddhi-kiir had once more escaped, he went forth 
 yet another time to the cool grove, and sought him out 
 as before ; and having been solicited by him to give 
 the sign of consent to his telling a tale, the Siddhi-kiir 
 commenced after the following manner : — 
 
 THE BITING COEPSE. 
 
 Long ages ago, there lived two brothers who had 
 married two sisters. Nevertheless, from some cause, 
 the hearts of the two brothers were estranged from 
 each other. Moreover, the elder brother was exceeding 
 miserly and morose of disposition. The elder brother 
 also had amassed great riches ; but he gave no portion 
 of them unto his younger brother. One day the elder 
 brother made preparations for a great feast, and invited 
 to it all the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. The 
 younger brother said privately to his wife on this occa- 
 sion, " Although my brother has never behaved as a 
 brother unto us, yet surely now that he is going to 
 
 I 2
 
 116 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST, 
 
 have such, a great gathering of neighbours and acquain- 
 tances, it beseemeth not that he should fail to invite 
 also his own flesh and blood/^ 
 
 Nevertheless he invited him not. The next day, 
 however, he said again to his wife, " Though he invited 
 us not yesterday, yet surely this second day of the feast 
 he will not fail to send and call us." 
 
 Nevertheless he invited him not. Yet the thh*d 
 day likewise he expected that he should have sent and 
 called him ; but he invited him not the third day 
 either. When he saw that he invited him not the 
 third day either, he grew angiy, and said within him- 
 self) " Since he has not invited me, I will even go and 
 steal my portion of the feast." 
 
 As soon as it was -dark, therefore — when all the 
 people of his brother^s house, having well di'unk of the 
 brandy he had provided, were deeply sunk in slumber, 
 — the younger brother glided stealthily into his 
 brother's house, and hid himself in the store-chamber. 
 But it was so, that the elder brother, having himself 
 well drank of the brandy, and being overcome with 
 sound slumbers ('), his wife supported him along, and 
 then put herself to sleep with him in the store-chamber. 
 After a while, however, she rose up again, chose of the 
 best meat and dainties, cooked them with great care, 
 and went out, taking with her what she had prepared. 
 When the brother saw this, he was astonished, and, 
 abandoning for the moment his intention of possessing
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 117 
 
 himself of a share of the good things, went out, that he 
 might follow his brother's wife. Behind the house was 
 a steep rock, and on the other side of the rock a dismal, 
 dreary burying-place. Hither it was that she betook 
 herself. In the midst of a patch of grass in this bury- 
 ing-place was a piece of paved floor ; on this lay the 
 body of a man, withered and dried — it was the body of 
 her former husband (^); to him, therefore, she brought 
 all these good dishes. After kissing and hugging him, 
 and calling upon him by name, she opened his mouth, 
 and tried to put the food into it. Then, see ! suddenly 
 the dead man's mouth was jerked to again, breaking 
 the copper spoon in two. And when she had opened 
 it again, trying once more to feed him, it closed again 
 as violently as before, this time snapping oflF the tip of 
 the woman's nose. After this, she gathered her dishes 
 together, and went home, and went to bed again. 
 Presently she made as though she had woke up, with 
 a lamentable cry, and accused her husband of having 
 bitten off her nose in his sleep. The man declared he 
 had never done any such thing ; but as the woman had 
 to account for the damage to her nose, she felt bound 
 to go on asseverating that he had done it. The dis- 
 pute grew more and more violent between them, and 
 the woman in the morning took the case before the 
 Khan, accusing her husband of having bitten off the tip 
 of her nose. As all the neighbours bore witness that 
 the nose was quite right on the previous night, and the
 
 118 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 tip was now certainly bitten off, the Khan had no alter- 
 native but to decide in favour of the woman ; and the 
 husband was accordingly condemned to the stake for 
 the wilful and malicious injury. 
 
 Before many hours it reached the ears of the younger 
 brother that his elder brother had been condemned to 
 the stake; and when he had heard the whole matter^ 
 in spite of his former ill-treatment of him, he ran forth- 
 with before the Khan, and gave information of how the 
 woman had really come by the injury, and how that his 
 brother had no fault in the matter. 
 
 Then said the Khan, " That thou shouldst seek to 
 save the life of thy brother is well ; but this story that 
 thou, hast brought before us, who shall believe ? Do 
 dead men gnash their teeth and bite the living ? There- 
 fore in that thou hast brought false testimony against 
 the woman, behold, thou also hast fallen into the 
 jaws of punishment." And he gave sentence that all 
 that he possessed should be confiscated, and that he 
 should be a beggar at the gate of his enemies (^), with 
 his head shorn (■*) . " Let it be permitted to me to 
 speak again," said the younger brother, " and I will 
 prove to the Khan the truth of what I have advanced." 
 And the Khan having given him permission to speak, 
 he said, " Let the Khan now send to the burying-place 
 on the other side of the rock, and there in the mouth 
 of the corpse shall be found the tip of this woman^s 
 nose." Then the Khan sent, and found it was even as
 
 SAGAS PKOM THE FAR EAST. 119 
 
 he had said. So he ordered both brothers to be set at 
 liberty, and the woman to be tied to the stake. 
 
 " It were well if a Khan had always such good proof 
 to guide his judgments/^ exclaimed the Well-and-wise- 
 walkiug Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi-kiir 
 replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with the 
 cry, " To escape oat of this world is good," he sped 
 him through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XI. 
 
 Wherefore tlie Well-and-wise-walkiug- Khan went 
 forth yet again, and fetched the Siddhi-kiii-. And 
 as he brought him along, the Siddhi-kiii* told this 
 tale : — 
 
 THE PRAYER MAKING SUDDENLY RICH. 
 
 Long ages ago, there was situated in the midst of a 
 mighty kingdom a god^s temple, exactly one day's 
 journey distant from every part of the kingdom. Here 
 was a statue of the Chongschim Bodhisattva (') wrought 
 in clay. Hard by this temple was the lowly dwelling 
 of an ancient couple with their only daughter. At the 
 mouth of a stream which watered the place, was a vil- 
 lage where lived a poor man. One day this man went up 
 as far as the source of the stream to sell his fruit, which 
 he carried in a basket. On his way home he passed the 
 night under shelter of the temple. As he lay there on 
 the ground, he overheard, through the open door of the 
 lowly dwelling, the aged couple reasoning thus with 
 one another : " Now that we are both old and well- 
 stricken in years, it were well that we married om' only
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 121 
 
 daughter to some good man/' said the father. "Thy 
 words are words of truth/' replied the mother. " Be- 
 hold, all that we have in this world is our daughter and 
 cm* store of jewels. Have we not all our lives through 
 offered sacrifice at the shrine of the Chongschim 
 Bodhisattva ? have we not promoted his worship, and 
 spread his renown ? shall he not therefore direct us 
 aright in our doings ? To-morrow, which is the eighth 
 day of the new moon, therefore, we will offer him sacri- 
 fice, and inquire of him what we shall do with our 
 daughter Siivarnadhari {"): whether we shall devote 
 her to the secular or religious condition of life." 
 
 When the man had heard this, he determined what 
 to do. Having found a way into the temple, he made 
 a hole in the Buddha-image, and placed himself inside 
 it. Early in the morning, the old man and his wife 
 came, with their daughter, and offered their sacrifice. 
 Then said the father, "Divine Chongschim Bodhisattva ! 
 let it now be made known to us, whether is better, that 
 we choose for our daughter the secular or religious 
 condition of life ? And if it be the secular, then show 
 us to whom we shall give her for a husband." 
 
 "^Vhen he had spoken these words the poor man 
 inside the Buddha-image crept up near the mouth of 
 the same, and spoke thus in solemn tones : — 
 
 " For your daughter the secular state is preferable. 
 Give her for wife to the man who shall knock at your 
 gate early in the morning."
 
 122 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 At these words botli tlie man and his wife fell into 
 great joy, exclaiming, " Chutuhtu (') hatli spoken ! 
 Chutuktu hath spoken ! " 
 
 Having watched well from the earliest dawn that no 
 one should call before him, the man now knocked at 
 the gate of the old couple. When the father saw 
 a stranger standing before the door, he cried, " Here 
 in very truth is he whom Buddha hath sent ! " So 
 they entreated him to come in with great joy ; prepared 
 a great feast to entertain him, and, having given him 
 their daughter in marriage, sent them away with all 
 their store of gold and precious stones. 
 
 As the man drew near his home he said within 
 himself, " I have got all these things out of the old 
 people, through craft and treachery. Now I must hide 
 the maiden and the treasure, and invent a new 
 story." Then he shut up the maiden and the treasure 
 in a wooden box, and buried it in the sand of the 
 steppe {*). 
 
 When he came home he said to all his friends and 
 neighbours, " With all the labour of my life riches 
 have not been my portion. I must now undertake 
 certain practices of devotion to appease the daemons of 
 hunger; give me alms to enable me to fulfil them." 
 So the people gave hica alms. Then said he the 
 next day, " Now go I to offer up ' the Prayer which 
 makes suddenly rich.'" And again they gave him 
 alms.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAE EAST. 123 
 
 While he was thus ensfaffed it befell that a Khan's 
 sou went out hunting with two companions^ with their 
 bows and arrows, having with them a tiger as a pastime 
 to amuse them while journeying. They rode across 
 the steppe, just over the track which the poor man had 
 followed; and seeing there the sand heaped up the 
 Prince's attention fell on it, and he shot an arrow right 
 into the midsjb of the heap. But the arrow, instead of 
 striking into the sand, fell down, because it had glanced 
 against the top of the box. 
 
 Then said the Khan's son, " Let us draw near and 
 see how this befell." 
 
 So they di'ew near ; and when the servants had dug 
 away the sand they found the wooden box which the 
 man had buried. The Khan's son then ordered the 
 servants to open the box ; and when they had opened it 
 they found the maiden and the jewels. 
 
 Then said the Khan's son, " Who art thou, beautiful 
 maiden ?" 
 
 And the maiden answered, "I am the daughter ofa 
 serpent-god." 
 
 Then said the Khan^s son, " Come out of the box, 
 and I will take thee to be my wife. 
 
 But the maiden answered, ^' I come not out of the 
 box except some other be put into the same." 
 
 To which the Prince replied, " That shall be done,'* 
 and he commanded that they put the tiger into the 
 box ; but the maiden and the jewels he took with him.
 
 124 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Meantime the poor man had completed the prayers 
 and the ceremonies ' to make suddenly rich/ and he 
 said, "Now will I go and fetch the maiden and the 
 treasure." With that he traced his way back over the 
 steppe to the place where he had buried the box, and 
 dug it out of the sand, not perceiving that the Princess 
 servants had taken it up and buried it again. Then, 
 lading it on to his shoulder, he brought the same into 
 his inner apartment. But to his wife he said, " To- 
 night is the last of the ceremony ' for making suddenly 
 rich.^ I must shut myself up in my inner apartment to 
 perform it, and go through it all alone. What noise 
 soever thou mayst hear, therefore, beware, on thy peril, 
 that thou open not the door, neither approach it.^' 
 
 This he said, being minded to rid himself of the 
 maiden, who might have betrayed the real means by 
 which he became possessed of the treasure, by killing 
 her and hiding her body under the earth. 
 
 Then having taken off all his clothes, that they 
 might not be soiled with the blood he was about to 
 spill, and prepared himself thus to put the woman to 
 death, he lifted up the lid of the box, saying, " Maiden, 
 fear nothing ! " But on the instant the tiger sprang 
 out upon him and threw him to the ground. In vain 
 he cried aloud with piteous cries. All the time that 
 his bare flesh was delivered over to the teeth and 
 claws of the unpitying tiger his wife and children were 
 laughing, and saying, *^How is our father diligent
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 125 
 
 in offering up 'the Prayer whicli makes suddenly 
 rich!'" 
 
 But when, the next morning, he came not out, all the 
 neighbours came and opened the door of the inner 
 apartment, and they found only his bones which the 
 tiger had well cleaned ; but having so well satisfied its 
 appetite, it walked out through their midst without 
 hurting any of them. 
 
 In process of time, however, the maiden whom the 
 Khan's son had taken to his palace had lived hap- 
 pily with him, and they had a family of three children ; 
 and she was blameless and honoured before all. 
 Nevertheless, envious people spread the gossip that 
 she had come no one knew whence; and when they 
 brought the matter before the king's council it was said, 
 " How shall a Khan's son whose mother was found in 
 a box under the sand reign over us ? And what will 
 be thought of a Khan's son who has no uncles ?" 
 
 These things reached the ears of the Khanin, and, 
 fearing lest they should take her sons from her and put 
 them to death that they might not reign, she resolved 
 to take them with her and go home to her parents. 
 
 On the fifteenth of the month, while the light of the 
 moon shone abroad, she took her three sons and set 
 out on her way. 
 
 When it was about midday she had arrived nigh to 
 the habitation of her parents ; but at a place where 
 formerly all had been waste she found many labourers
 
 126 SAGAS PEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 at work plougliing tlie land, directing them was a 
 noble youth of comely presence. When the youth saw 
 the Khan's wife coming over the field he asked her 
 whence she came; answering, she told him she had 
 journeyed from afar to see her parents, who lived by 
 the temple of Chongschim Bodhisattva on the other 
 side of the mountain. 
 
 " And you are their daughter ? " pursued the young 
 man. 
 
 "Even so; and out of filial regard am I come to 
 visit them/' answered the Khanin. 
 
 *' Then you are my sister/' returned the youth, " for 
 1 am their son ; and they have always told me I had 
 an elder sister who was gone afar off." 
 
 Then he invited her to partake of his midday meal, 
 and after they had dined they set out together to find 
 the lowly dwelling of their parents. But when they 
 had come round to the other side of the mountain in 
 the place where the lowly habitation had stood, behold 
 there was now a whole congeries of palaces, each finer 
 than the residence of the husband of the Khanin ! All 
 over they were hung with floating streamers of gay- 
 coloured silks. The temple of the Chongschim Bod- 
 hisattva itself had been rebuilt with greater magnificence 
 than before, and was resplendent with gold, and dia- 
 monds, and streamers of silk, and furnished with 
 mellow-toned bells whose sound chimed far out into the 
 waste.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 127 
 
 " To whom does all this magnificence belong ? " in- 
 quired the Khanin. 
 
 " It all belongs to us/^ replied the youth. " Our 
 parents, too, are well and happy; come and see them." 
 
 As they drew near their parents came out to meet 
 them, looking hale and hearty and riding on horses. 
 Behind them came a train of attendants leading horses 
 for the Khanin and her brother. They all returned to 
 the palace where the parents dwelt, all being furnished 
 with elegance and luxury. When they had talked over 
 all the events that had befallen each since they parted, 
 they went to rest on soft couches. 
 
 When the Khanin saw the magnificence in which her 
 parents were living she bethought her that it would 
 be well to invite the Khan to come and visit them. 
 Accordingly she sent a splendid train of attendants to 
 ask him to betake himself thither. Soon after, the 
 Khan arrived, together with his ministers, and they 
 were all of them struck with the condition of pomp and 
 state in which the Khanin was living, far exceeding 
 that of the Khan himself, the ministers owned, saying, 
 " The report we heard, saying that the Khanin had no 
 relations but the poor and unknown, was manifestly 
 false ;" and the Khan was all desire that she should 
 return home. To this request she gave her cordial 
 assent, only, as her parents were now well stricken in 
 years, and it was not likely she should have the oppor- 
 tunity of seeing them more, she desired to spend a few 
 days more by their side. It was agreed, therefore, that
 
 128 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 the Khan aud his ministers should return home^ and 
 that after three days the Khanin also should come and 
 join him. 
 
 Having taken affectionate leave of the Khan and seen 
 him depart, she betook herself to rest on her soft couch, 
 
 Wlien she "woke in the morning, behold, all the mag- 
 nificence of the place was departed ! There were no 
 stately palaces ; the temple of the Chongschim Bodhi- 
 sattva was the same unpretending structure it had 
 always been of old, only a little more worn down by time 
 and weather ; the lowly habitation of her parents was a 
 shapeless ruin, and she was lying on the bare ground 
 in one corner of it, with a heap of broken stones for a 
 pillow. Her parents were dead long ago, and as for a 
 brother there was no trace of one. 
 
 Then she understood that the devas had sent the 
 transformation to satisfy the Khan and his ministers, 
 and, that done, every thing had returned to its natural 
 condition. 
 
 Grateful for the result, she now returned home, where 
 the Khan received her with greater fondness than before. 
 The ministers were satisfied as to the honour of the 
 throne, all the gossips were put to silence from that 
 day forward, and her three sons were brought up and 
 trained that they might reign in state after the Khan 
 their father. 
 
 " Truly, that was a woman favoured by fortune be- 
 yond expectation ! " exclaimed the Khan.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 129 
 
 And as he let these words escape him the Siddhi- 
 kiir repHed, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with the 
 cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he sped 
 him through the air, swift out of sight. 
 
 Thus far of the adventures of the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan the eleventh chapter, concerning " The 
 Prayer making suddenly Rich."
 
 TALE XII. 
 
 Wherefoee tlie Well-and-wise-walking^ Klian went 
 forth yet again and fetclied the Siddhi-kiir ; and as he 
 brought him along the Siddhi-kiir told this tale : — 
 
 " CHILD-INTELLECT " AND " BRIGHT-INTELLECT." 
 
 Long ages ago there lived a IGian who was called 
 Kiiwon-ojotu (^). He reigned over a country so fruit- 
 ful that it was surnamed " Flower-clad." All round 
 its borders grew mango-trees and groves of sandal- 
 wood (^), and vines and fruit-treeSj and within there was 
 of corn of every kind no lack, and copious streams of 
 water, and a mighty river called " The Golden," with 
 flourishing cities all along its banks. 
 
 Among the subjects of this Khan was one named 
 Gegen-uchatu(^), renowned for his wit and understand- 
 ing. For him the Khan sent one day, and spoke to him, 
 saying, " Men call thee ' him of bright understanding.* 
 Now let us see whether the name becomes thee. To 
 this end let us see if thou hast the wit to steal the 
 Khan's talisman, defying the jealous care of the Khan
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 131 
 
 and all Jiis guards. If tliou succeedest I will recompense 
 thee with presents making glad the heart ; but if not, 
 then I will pronounce thee unworthily named, and in 
 consequence will lay waste thy dwelling and put out 
 both thine eyes." Although the man ventured to pre- 
 fer the remark, " Stealing have I never learned," yet 
 the Khan maintained the sentence that he had set 
 forth. 
 
 In the night of the fifteenth of the month, therefore, 
 the man made himself ready to try the venture. 
 
 But the king, to make more sure, bound the talisman 
 fast to a marble pillar of his bed-chamber, against 
 which he lay, and leaving the door open the better to 
 hear the approach of the thief, surrounded the same 
 with a strong watch of guards. 
 
 Gegen-uchatu now took good provision of rice- 
 brandy, and going in to talk as if for pastime with the 
 Elands guards and servants, gave to every one of them 
 abundantly to drink thereof, and then went his way. 
 
 At the end of an hour he returned, when the rice- 
 brandy had done its work. The guards before the gate 
 were fast asleep on their horses ; these he carried off 
 their horses and set them astride on a ruined wall. 
 In the kitchen were the cooks waiting to strike a light 
 to light the fire : over the head of the one nearest the 
 fire he di'ew a cap woven of grass {*), and in the sleeve 
 of the other he put three stones. Then going softly 
 on into the Khan's apartment, without waking him, he 
 
 K 2
 
 132 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 put over his head and face a dried bladder as hard as 
 a stone ; and the guards that slept around him he tied 
 then' hair together. Then he took down the talisman 
 from the marble pillar to which it was bound and made 
 off with it. Instantly, the Khan rose and raised the 
 cry, " A thief has been in here ! " But the guards could 
 not move because their hair was tied together, and 
 cries of " Don't pull my hair ! " drowned the Khan's 
 cries of " Stop thief ! " As it was yet dark the Khan 
 cried, yet more loudly, " Kindle me a light ! " And 
 he cried, further, " Not only is my tahsman stolen, but 
 my head is enclosed in a wall of stone ! Bring me 
 light that I may see what it is made of." When the 
 cook, in his hurry to obey the Khan, began to blow the 
 fire, the flame caught the cap woven of grass and 
 blazed up and burnt his head off; and when his fellow 
 raised his arm to help him put out the fire the three 
 stones, falling from his sleeve, hit his head and made 
 the blood flow, giving him too much to attend to for 
 him to be able to pursue the thief. Then the Khan 
 called through the window to the outer guards, who 
 ought to have been on horseback before the gate, to 
 stop the thief; and they, waking up at his voice, began 
 vainly spm'ring at the ruined wall on which Gegen- 
 uchatu had set them astride, and which, of course, 
 brought them no nearer the subject of their pursuit, 
 who thus made good his escape with the talisman, no 
 man hindering him, all the way to his own dwelling.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAK EAST. 133 
 
 The next day lie came and stood before the Khan. 
 The Khan sat on his throne full of wrath and moody 
 thoughts. 
 
 " Let not the Khan be angry/' spoke the man of 
 bright understanding, "here is the talisman, which I 
 sought not to retain for myself, but only to take pos- 
 session of according to the word of the Khan." 
 
 The Khan, however, answered him, saying, "The 
 talisman is at thy disposition, nor do I wish to have it 
 back from thee. Nevertheless, thy dealings this night, 
 in that thou didst draw a stone-like bladder over the 
 head of the Khan, were evil, for the fear came therefrom 
 upon me lest thou hadst even pulled off my head ; there- 
 fore my sentence upon thee is that thou be taken hence 
 to the place of execution and be beheaded by the heads- 
 man." 
 
 Hearing this sentence, Gegen-uchatu said, within him- 
 self, "In this sentence that he hath passed the Khan 
 hath not acted according to the dictates of justice." 
 Therefore he took the Khan^s talisman in his hand and 
 dashed it against a stone, and, behold, doing so, the 
 blood poured out of the nose of the Khan until he 
 died! 
 
 " That was a Khan not fit to reign ! " exclaimed the 
 Well-and-wise-walking Khan.
 
 134 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him the 
 Siddhi-kiir replied^ "Forgetting his health the Well- 
 and-wise-walking Khan hath opened his lips." And 
 with the cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! '* 
 he sped him through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XIII. 
 
 Wherefore the Well-and-wise-walking Khan went 
 forth yet again and fetched the Siddhi-kiir, and as he 
 brought him along the Siddhi-kiir tokl him, according 
 to the former manner, this tale, saying, — 
 
 THE FORTUNES OF SHEIKANTHA. 
 
 Long ages ago there was a Brahman's son whose 
 name was 8hrihantha{^). This man sold all his in- 
 heritance for three pieces of cloth-stuff. Lading the 
 three pieces of cloth-stuff on to the back of an ass, he 
 went his way into a far country to trade with the 
 samef). 
 
 As he went along he met a party of boys who had 
 caught a mouse and were tonnenting it. Having 
 tied a string about its neck, they were dragging it 
 through the water. The Brahman's son could not bear 
 to see this proceeding and chid the boys, but they 
 refused to listen to his words. When he found that 
 they would pay no heed to his words, he bought the
 
 136 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 mouse of tliem for one of his pieces of stuff, and deli- 
 vered it thus out of their hands. 
 
 When he had gone a little farther he met another 
 party of boys who had caught a young ape(^) and were 
 tormenting it. Because it did not understand the 
 game they were playing, they hit it with their fists, and 
 when it implored them to play in a rational manner 
 and not be so hasty and revengeful, they but hit it 
 again. At the sight the Brahman was moved with 
 compassion and chid the boys, and when they would 
 not listen to him he bought it of them for another of 
 his pieces of stuff, and set it at liberty. 
 
 Farther along, in the neighbourhood of a city, he 
 met another party of boys who had caught a young bear 
 and were tormenting it, riding upon it like a horse and 
 otherwise teazing it ; and when by his chiding he could 
 not induce them to desist, he bought it of them for his 
 last piece of stuff, and set it at liberty. 
 
 By this means he was left entirely without merchan- 
 dize to trade with, and he thought within himself, as he 
 drove his donkey along, what he should do; and he 
 found in his mind no better remedy than to steal some- 
 thing out of the palace of the Khan wherewith to com- 
 mence trading. Having thus resolved, he tied his 
 donkey fast in the thick jungle and made his way with 
 precaution into the store-chambers of the Khan^s 
 palace. Here he possessed himself of a good provision 
 of pieces of silk-stuff, and was well nigh to have
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 137 
 
 escaped witli the same when the Khan's wife^ espying 
 him^ raised the cry, " This fellow hath stolen somewhat 
 from the Khan's store-chamber!" 
 
 At the cry the people all ran out and stopped Shri- 
 kantha and brought him to the Eian. As he was 
 found with the stuffs he had stolen still upon him, 
 there was no doubt concerning his guilt, so the Khan 
 oi'dered a great coffer to be brought, and that he should 
 be put inside it, and, with the lid nailed down, be cast 
 into the water. 
 
 The force of the current, however, carried the coffer 
 into the midst of the branches of an overhanging tree 
 on an island, where it remained fixed ; nevertheless, as 
 the lid was tightly nailed down, it soon became difficult 
 to breathe inside the box. Just as Shrikantha was 
 near to die for want of air, suddenly a little chink 
 appeared, through which plenty of air could enter. It 
 was the mouse he had delivered from its tormentors 
 who had brought him this timely aid (^) . " Wait 
 a bit," said the mouse, as soon as he could get his 
 mouth through the apertui'e, '^ I will go fetch the ape 
 to bring better help." 
 
 The ape came immediately on being summoned, and 
 tore away at the box with all his strength till he had 
 made a hole big enough for the man to have crept out ; 
 but as the box was surrounded by the water he was 
 still a prisoner. " Stop a bit ! " cried the ape, when he 
 saw this dilemma ; " I will go and call the bear."
 
 138 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 The bear came immediately on being summoned, and 
 dragged the coffer on to the bank of the island, where 
 Shrikantha alighted, and all three animals waited on 
 him, bringing him fruits and roots to eat. 
 
 While he was living here water-bound, but abun- 
 dantly supplied by the mouse, the ape, and the bear 
 with fruits to sustain life, he one day saw shining in a 
 shallow part of the water a brilliant jewel as big as a 
 pigeon^s egg. The ape soon fetched it at his command, 
 and when he saw how big and lustrous it was he re- 
 solved that it must be a talisman. To put its powers 
 to the test, he wished himself removed to terra jirma. 
 Nor had he sooner uttered the wish than he found 
 himself in the midst of a fertile plain. Having thus 
 succeeded so well, he next wished that he might find 
 on waking in the morning a flourishing city in the 
 plain, and a shining palace in its midst for his resi- 
 dence, with plenty of horses in the stable, and pro- 
 visions of all kinds in abundance in the store-chamber ; 
 shady groves were to surround it, with streams of water 
 meandering through them. 
 
 When he woke in the morning he found all prepared 
 even as he had wished. Here, therefore, he lived in 
 peace and prosperity, free from care. 
 
 Before many months had passed there came by that 
 way a caravan of merchants travelling home who had 
 passed over the spot on their outward-bound journey. 
 
 "How is this \" exclaimed the leader of the caravan.
 
 SAGAS FKOM THE FAE EAST. 139 
 
 "Here^ wliere a few months ago grew nothing bat 
 grass ; here is there now sprnng up a city in all this 
 magnificence ! " So they came and inquired concerning 
 it of the Brahman^s son. 
 
 Then Shrikantha told them the whole story of how it 
 had come to pass, and moreover showed them the talis- 
 man. Then said the leader of the caravan, " Behold ! 
 we will give thee all our camels and horses and mules, 
 together with all our merchandize and our stores, only 
 give us thou the talisman in exchange.^^ So he gave 
 them the talisman in exchange, and they went on their 
 way. But the Brahman's son went to sleep in his 
 palace, on his soft couch with silken pillows. 
 
 In the morning, when he woke, behold the couch 
 with the silken pillows was no more there, and he was 
 lying on the ground in the island in the midst of the 
 water ! 
 
 Then came the mouse, the ape, and the bear to him, 
 saying— 
 
 " What misfortune is this that hath happened to thee 
 this second time ? " So he told them the whole story 
 of how it had come to pass. And they, answering, said 
 to him, " Surely now it was foolish thus to part with 
 the talisman ; nevertheless, maybe we three may find 
 it." And they set out to follow the track of the 
 travelling merchants. They were not long before they 
 came to a flourishing city with a shining palace in its 
 midst, surrounded by shady groves, and streams mean- 
 
 ly
 
 140 SAGAS FEOM THE FAK EAST. 
 
 dering through them. Here the merchants had esta- 
 blished themselves. 
 
 When night fell, the ape and the bear took up their 
 post in a grove near the palace, while the mouse crept 
 within the same, till she came to the apartment where 
 the leader of the caravan slept — here she crept in 
 through the keyhole. The leader of the caravan lay 
 asleep on a soft couch with silken pillows. In a corner 
 of the apartment was a heap of rice, in which was an 
 arrow stuck upright, to which the talisman was bound, 
 but two stout cats were chained to the spot to guard it. 
 This report the mouse brought to the ape and the bear, 
 " If it is as thou hast said," answered the bear, " there 
 is nothing to be done. Let us return to our master." 
 " Not so ! " interposed the ape. " There is yet one 
 means to be tried. When it is dark to-night, thou 
 mouse, go again to the caravan leader^s apartment, 
 and, having crept in through the keyhole, gnaw at the 
 man^s hair. Then the nest night, to save his hair, he 
 will have the cats chained to his pillow, when the talis- 
 man being unguarded, thou canst go in and fetch it 
 away." Thus he instructed the mouse. 
 
 The next night, therefore, the mouse crept in again 
 through the keyhole, and gnawed at the man's hair. 
 When the man got up in the morning, and saw that 
 his hau' fell off by handfuls, he said within himself, "A 
 mouse hath done this. To-night, to save what hair 
 remains, the two cats must be chained to my pillow."
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE PAR EAST. 141 
 
 And so it was done. When the mouse came again, 
 therefore, the cats being chained to the caravan leader's 
 pillow, she could work away at the heap of rice till the 
 arrow fell ; then she gnawed off the string which bound 
 the talisman to it, and rolled it before her all the way 
 to the door. Arrived here, she was obliged to leave it, 
 for by no manner of means could she get it up to the 
 keyhole. Full of sorrow, she came and showed this 
 strait to her companions. "If it is as thou hast said," 
 answered the bear, " there is nothing to be done. Let 
 us return to our master." 
 
 " Not so ! " interposed the ape ; " there is yet one 
 means to be tried. I will first tie a string to the tail of 
 the mouse, then let her go down through the keyhole, 
 and hold the talisman tightly with all her four feet, and 
 I will draw her up through the keyhole." This they 
 did ; and thus obtained possession of the talisman. 
 
 They now set out on the return journey, the ape 
 sitting on the back of the bear, carrying the mouse in 
 his ear and the talisman in his mouth. Travelling 
 thus, they came to a place where there was a stream to 
 cross. The bear, who all along had been fearing the 
 other two animals would tell the master how little part 
 he had had in recovering the talisman, now determined 
 to vaunt his services. Stopping therefore in the midst 
 of the stream, he said, " Is it not my back which has 
 carried ye all — ape, mouse, and tahsman — over all this 
 ground ? Is not my strength great ? and are not my
 
 142 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 services more than all of yours V But the mouse 
 was asleep snugly in the ear of the ape, and the ape 
 feared to open his mouth lest he should drop the tahs- 
 man ; so there was no answer given. Then the bear 
 was angry when he found there was no answer given, 
 and, having growled, he said, " Since it pleases you 
 not, either of you, to answer, I will even cast you both 
 into the water." At that the ape could not forbear 
 exclaiming, " Oh ! cast us not into the water ! " And 
 as he opened his mouth to speak, the talisman dropped 
 into the water. When he saw the talisman was lost, 
 he was full dismayed ; but for fear lest the bear should 
 di'op him in the water, he durst not reproach him till 
 they were once more on land. 
 
 Ari'ived at the bank, he cried out, " Of a surety thou 
 art a cross-grained, ungainly sort of a beast ; for in 
 that thou madest me to answer while I had the talisman 
 in my mouth, it has fallen into the water, and is more 
 surely lost to the master than before." " If it is even as 
 thou hast said," answered the bear, "there is nothing to 
 be done. Let us return to the master." But the mouse 
 waking up at the noise of the strife of words, inquired 
 what it all meant. When therefore the ape had told 
 her how it had fallen out, and how that they were now 
 without hope of recovering the talisman, the mouse re- 
 plied, " Nay, but I know one means yet. Sit you here 
 in the distance and wait, and let me go to work." 
 
 So they sat down and waited, and the mouse went
 
 . SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 143 
 
 back to the edge of the stream. At the edge of the 
 stream she paced up and down, crying out as if in great 
 fear. At the noise of her pacing and her cries, the 
 inhabitants of the water all came up, and asked her the 
 cause of her distress. " The cause of my distress," re- 
 plied the mouse, " is my care for you. Behold there is 
 even now, at scarcely a night^s distance, an army on 
 the march which comes to destroy you all ; neither can 
 you escape from it, for though it marches over dry 
 land, in a moment it can plunge in the water and live 
 there equally well.''^ " If that is so," answered the in- 
 habitants of the water, " then there is no help for us." 
 " The means of help there is," replied the mouse. " If 
 we could between us construct a pier along the edge of 
 the water, on which you could take refuge, you would 
 be safe, for half in and half out of the water this army 
 lives not, and could not pursue you thither." So the 
 inhabitants of the water replied, " Let us construct a 
 pier." " Hand me up then all the biggest pebbles you 
 can find," said the mouse, " and I will build the pier." 
 So the inhabitants of the water handed up the pebbles, 
 and the mouse built of the pebbles a pier. WTien the 
 pier was about a span long, there came a frog bringing 
 the talisman, saying, " Bigger than this one is there no 
 pebble here ! " So the mouse took the talisman with 
 great joy, and calling out, " Here it is 1 '' brought the 
 same to the ape. The ape put the talisman once 
 more in his mouth, and the mouse in his ear ; and
 
 144 SAGAS FKOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 having mounted on to the back of the bear, they brought 
 the talisman safely to Shrikantha(^). 
 
 Shrikantha not ha^dng had his three attendants to 
 provide him with fruits for so many days was as one 
 like to die ; nevertheless, when he saw the talisman 
 again, he revived, and said, " Truly the services are great 
 that I have to thank you three for/^ No sooner, however, 
 had he the talisman in his hand, than all the former 
 magnificence came back at a word — a more flourishing 
 city, a more shining palace, trees bending under the 
 weight of luscious fruits, and bu'ds of beautiful plumage 
 singing melodiously in the branches. 
 
 Then said Shrikantha again to his talisman, " If thou 
 art really a good and clever talisman, make that to me, 
 who have no wife, a daughter of the devas should come 
 down and live with me, and be a wife to me." And, 
 even as he spoke, a deva maiden came down to him, 
 surrounded with a hundred maidens, her companions, 
 and was his wife, and they lived a life of delights 
 together, and a hundred sons were born to him." 
 
 '' Of a truth that was a Brahman's son whom fortune 
 delighted to honour,'' exclaimed the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan. And as he had marched fast, and they 
 were already far on their journey when the Siddhi-kiir 
 began his tale, they had reached even close to the pre- 
 cincts of the dwelling of the great Master and Teacher 
 Nagarg'una, when he spoke these words. Neverthe-
 
 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 145 
 
 less, the Siddhi-kiir had time to exclaim, " Excellent ! 
 Excellent ! " and to escape swift out of sight. 
 
 But the Well-and-wise-walking Khan stood before 
 Nagarg'una. 
 
 Then spoke the great Master and Teacher Nagarg'una, 
 unto him, saying, — 
 
 " Seeing thou hast not succeeded in thine enterprise, 
 thou hast not procm^ed the happiness of all the inhabi- 
 tants of Gambudvipa, nor promoted the well-being of 
 the six classes of living beings (^). Nevertheless, see- 
 ing thou hast exercised unexampled courage and per- 
 severance, and through much terror and travail hast 
 fetched the Siddhi-kiir these thhteen times, behold, 
 the stain of blood is removed from off thee, though 
 thou fetch him not again. JMoreover, this that thou 
 hast done shall turn to thy profit, for henceforth thou 
 shalt not only be called the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan, but thou shalt exceed in good fortune and in 
 happiness all the Khans of the earth."
 
 TALE Xiy. 
 
 Notwithstanding tliis generous promise and bounti- 
 ful remission of his master Nagarg'una, tlie Khan set 
 out on liis journey once again, even as before, deter- 
 mined this time to command his utterance and fulfil 
 his task to the end. Treading his path with patience 
 and earnestness he arrived at the cool grove, even to 
 the foot of the mango-tree. There he raised his axe 
 " White Moon," as though he would have felled it. 
 
 Then spoke the Siddhi-kiir, saying, " Spare the 
 leafy mango-tree, and I will come down to thee." 
 
 So the Khan put up his axe again and bound the 
 Siddhi-kiir on his back, to carry him ofi" to Nagarg'una. 
 
 Now as the day was long, and the air oppressive, so 
 that they were well weary, the Siddhi-kiir began to 
 tempt the Khan to speak, saying, — 
 
 "Lighten now the journey by telling a tale of 
 interest." 
 
 But how weary soever the Khan was, he pressed his 
 lips together and answered him never a word. 
 
 Then the Siddhi-kiir findino- he could not make him
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 147 
 
 speak, continued, " If tliou wilt not lighten tlie journey 
 by telling a tale of interest, tell me whetlier I shall tell 
 one to thee." 
 
 And when he found that he still answered him not, 
 he said, " If thou wilt that I tell the tale, make me a 
 sign of consent by nodding thine head backwards." 
 
 Then the Well-and- wise -walking Khan nodded his 
 head backwards, and the Siddhi-kiir proceeded to tell 
 the tale in these words : — 
 
 THE AVARICIOUS BROTHER. 
 
 Long ages ago there dwelt in a city of Western 
 India two brothers. 
 
 As the elder brother had no inheritance, and made a 
 poor living by selling herbs and wood, he suffered the 
 common fate of those in needy cu'cumstances, and re- 
 ceived no great consideration from his fellow-men. 
 
 The younger brother on the other hand was wealthy, 
 yet gave he no portion of his riches to his brother. 
 
 One day he gave a great entertainment, to which he 
 invited all his rich neighbours and acquaintances, but 
 to his brother he sent no invitation. 
 
 Then spoke the brother^s wife to her husband, say- 
 ing,— 
 
 " It were better that thou shouldst die than live thus 
 dishonoured by all. Behold, now, thou art not even 
 invited to thy brother's entertainment." 
 
 L 2
 
 148 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 " Thy words which thou hast spoken are true/"' re- 
 phed the husband. " I will even go forth and die.'' 
 
 Thus saying, he took up his hatchet and cord, and 
 went out into the forest, passing over many mountains 
 by the way. On the banks of a stream, running through 
 the forest, he saw a number of lions and tigers (^), 
 and other savage beasts, so he forbore to go near that 
 water, but continued his way till he came to the head 
 of the stream, and here in the sheltering shade of a 
 huge rock were a number of DaJiinis (^), dancing and 
 disporting themselves to tones of dulcet music. Pre- 
 sently one of the DaJcinis flew up on high out of the 
 midst of those dancing, and took out of a cleft in the 
 rock a large sack, which she brought down to the 
 grassy bank where the dancing was going on. Having 
 spread it out on the ground in the presence of them 
 all, she took a hammer out of it, and began hammering 
 lustily into the bag. As she did so, all kinds of arti- 
 cles of food and drink that could be desired presented 
 themselves at the mouth of the sack. The Dakinis now 
 left off dancing, and began laying out the meal ; but 
 ever as they removed one dish from the mouth of the 
 bag, another and another took its place. 
 
 When they had well eaten and di-ank, the first 
 Dakini hammered away again upon the bag, and forth- 
 with there came thereout gold and silver trinkets, dia- 
 dems, arm -bands, nuiniras (^), and ornaments for all 
 parts of the body. With these the Dakinis decked
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 149 
 
 themselves, till they were covered from head to foot 
 with pearls and precious stones, and their hair spark- 
 ling with a powdering of gems (*). Then they flew 
 away, the first Dakini taking care to lay up the bag 
 and hammer in the cleft of the rock before taking 
 her flight. 
 
 When they were far, far on their way, and only 
 showed as specks in the distant sky, then the man 
 came forth from his hiding-place, and having felled 
 several trees with his axe, bound them together one on 
 to the end of the other with his cord, and by this means 
 climbed up to the cleft in the rock, where the Dakini 
 had laid up the hammer and bag, and brought them 
 away. 
 
 He had no sooner got down to the ground again, than 
 to make proof of his treasure even more than to satisfy 
 his ravenous appetite, he took the hammer out of the 
 bag, and banged away with it on to the bag, wishing 
 the while that it might bring him all manner of good 
 things to eat. All sorts of delicious viands came for 
 him as quickly as for the DaJcinis, of which he made the 
 best meal he had ever had in his life, and then hasted 
 off home with his treasure. 
 
 When he came back he found his wife bemoaning his 
 supposed death. 
 
 *' Weep not for me ! " he exclaimed, as soon as he was 
 near enough for her to hear him ; " I have that with me 
 which will help us to live with ease to the end of our
 
 150 SAGAS PEOM THE TAR EAST. 
 
 clays." And without keeping her in suspense^ he ham- 
 mered away on his bag, wishing for clothes, and 
 household furniture, and food, and every thing that 
 could be desired. 
 
 After this they gave up their miserable trade in 
 wood and herbs, and led an easy and pleasant life. 
 
 The neighbours, however, laid their heads together 
 and said, — 
 
 "How comes it that this fellow has thus suddenly 
 come into such easy circumstances ?" 
 
 But his brother's wife said to her husband, — 
 
 " How can thine elder brother have come by all this 
 wealth unless he hath stolen of our riches ?" As she 
 continued saying this often, the man believed it, and 
 called his elder brother to him and asked him, "Whence 
 hast thou all this wealth; who hath given it to thee?'' 
 And when he found he hesitated to answer, he added, 
 "Now know I that thou must have stolen of my 
 treasure ; therefore, if thou tell me not how otherwise 
 thou hast come by it, I will even drag thee before the 
 Khan, who shall put out both thine eyes." 
 
 When the elder brother had heard this threat, he 
 answered, " Going afar off to a place unknown to 
 thee, having purposed in my mind to die^ I found in a 
 cleft of a rock this sack and this hammer {') ." 
 
 "And how shall this rusty iron hammer and this 
 dirty sack give thee wealth ? " again inquired his 
 brother; and thus he pursued his inquiries until by
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 151 
 
 degrees he made him tell the whole story. Nor would 
 he be satisfied till he had explained to him exactly the 
 situation of the place and the way to it. No sooner 
 had he acquainted himself well of this than^ taking with 
 him a cord and an axe, he set out to go there. 
 
 When he arrived, he saw an immense number of 
 deformed, ugly spirits, standing against the rock in 
 eight rows, howling piteously. As he crept along to 
 observe if there was any thing he could take of them to 
 make his fortune as his brother had done, one of them 
 happened to look that way and espied him, after which 
 it was no more possible to escape. 
 
 " Of a surety this must be the fellow who stole our 
 bag and hammer!" exclaimed the ugly spirit. *^Let 
 us at him and put him to death." 
 
 The Dakinis were thoroughly out of temper, and did 
 not want any urging. The words were no soon uttered 
 than, like a flock of birds, they all flew round him and 
 seized him. 
 
 " How shall we kill him ? " asked one, as she held 
 him tight by the hair of his head till every single hair 
 seemed as if forced out by the roots. 
 
 " Fly with him up to the top of the rock, and then 
 dash him down ! " cried some. " Drop him in the 
 middle of the sea \" cried others. " Cut him in pieces, 
 and give him to the dogs!" cried others again. But 
 the sharp one who had first espied him said, '^His 
 punishment is too soon over with killing him; shall we
 
 152 SAGAS PEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 not rather set a hideous mark upon him, so that he 
 shall be afraid to venture near the habitations of his 
 kind for ever ? " " Well spoken ! " cried the Dakinis 
 in chorus, something like good-humour returning at 
 the thought of such retribution. " What mark shall 
 we set upon him ? " 
 
 '' Let us draw his nose out five ells long, and then 
 make nine knots upon it,^^ answered the sharp-witted 
 Dakini. 
 
 This they did, and then the whole number of them 
 flew away without leaving a trace of their flight. 
 
 Fully crestfallen and ashamed, the avaricious brother 
 determined to wait till nightfall before he ventured 
 home, meantime hiding himself in a cave lest any 
 should chance to pass that way and see him with his 
 knotted nose. ^Tien darkness had well closed in only 
 he ventm'ed to slink home, trembhng in every limb 
 both from remaining fright at the life-peril he had 
 passed through, and from fear of some inopportune 
 accident having kept any neighbour abroad who might 
 come across his path. 
 
 Before he came in sight of his wife he began calling 
 out most piteously, — 
 
 " Flee not from before me ! I am indeed thine own, 
 very own husband. Changed as I am, I am yet indeed 
 the very self-same. Yet a few days I will endeavour 
 to endure my misery, and then I will lay me down and 
 die.^-*
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 153 
 
 When his neighbours and friends found that he came 
 out of his house no more, nor invited them to him, nor 
 gave entertainments more, they began to inquire what 
 ailed him ; but he, without letting any of them enter, 
 only answered them from within, " Woe is me ! woe 
 is me ! '' 
 
 Now there was in that neighbourhood a Lama^), 
 living in contemplation in a iiriliai^) on the river bank. 
 " I will call in the same," thought the man, " and take 
 his blessing ere T die." So he sent to the tirtha and 
 called the Lama. 
 
 When the Lama came, the man bowed himself and 
 asked his blessing, but would by no means look up, 
 lest he should see his knotted nose. Then said the 
 Lama, " Let me see what hath befallen thee : show it 
 me." But he answered, " It is impossible to show it!" 
 
 Then the Lama said again, " Let me see it ; showing 
 it will not harm thee." But when he looked up and let 
 him see his knotted nose, the sight was so frightful 
 that a shudder seized the Lama, and he ran away for 
 very horror." However, the man called after him and 
 entreated him to come back, offering him rich presents ; 
 and when he had prevailed on him to sit down again, 
 he told him the whole story of what had befallen him. 
 
 To his question, whether he could find any remedy, 
 the Lama made answer that he knew none ; but, re- 
 membering his rich presents, he thought better to turn 
 the matter over in case any useful thought should
 
 154 SAGAS PEOil THE FAR EAST. 
 
 present itself to liis inindj and said he would consult 
 his books. 
 
 "Till to-morrow I will wait, then, to hear if thy 
 books have any remedy; and if not, then will I die.^^ 
 
 The next morning the Lama came again. " I have 
 found one remedy,^^ he said, "but there is only one. 
 The hammer and bag of which your brother is pos- 
 sessed could loose the knots ; there is nothing else.^^ 
 
 How elated so ever he had been to hear that a 
 remedy had been found, by so much cast down was he 
 when he learnt that he would have to send and ask the 
 assistance of his brother. 
 
 " After all that I have said to him, I could never do 
 this thing," he said mournfully, "nor would he hear 
 me,'^ But his wife would not leave any chance of 
 remedying the evil untried ; so she went herself to the 
 elder brother and asked for the loan of the sack and 
 hammer. 
 
 Knowing how anxious his brother had been to be 
 possessed of such a treasm-e, however, the brother 
 thought the alleged misfortune was an excuse to rob 
 him of it ; therefore he would not give it into her hand. 
 Nevertheless, he went to his brother^s house with it, 
 aud asked him what was the service he required of his 
 sack. Then he was obliged to tell him all that had 
 befallen, and to show him his knotted nose. "But," 
 said he, " if with thy hammer thou will but loose the 
 knots, behold the half of all I have shall be thine."
 
 SAGAS FEOil THE FAR EAST. 155 
 
 His brother accepted tlie terms ; but not trusting 
 to the promise of one so avaricious, he stipulated to 
 have the terms put in order under hand and seal. 
 When this was done he set to work immediately to 
 swing" his hammer, and let it touch one by one the 
 knots in his brother^s nose, saying as he did so, — 
 
 " May the knots which the eight rows of evil Dakinis 
 made so strong be loosed." 
 
 And with each touch and invocation the knots began 
 to disappear one after the other. 
 
 But his wife began to regret the loss of half their 
 wealth, and she determined on a scheme to save it, 
 and yet that her husband should be cured. " If," 
 said she, " I stop him before he has undone the last 
 knot he cannot claim the reward, because he will not 
 have removed all the knots, and it will be a strange 
 matter if I find not the means of obtaining the hammer 
 long enough to remedy one knot myself." As she rea- 
 soned thus he had loosed the eighth knot. 
 
 " Stop ! " she cried. " That will do now. For one 
 knot we will not make much ado. He can bear as 
 much disfigurement as that." 
 
 Then the elder brother was grieved because they 
 had broken the contract, and went his way carrying 
 the sack, and with the hammer stuck in his girdle. 
 As he went, the younger brother's wife went stealthily 
 behind him, and when he had just reached his own 
 door, she sprang upon him, and snatched the hammer
 
 156 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 from out his girdle. He turned to follow her^ but she 
 had already reached her own house before he came up 
 with her, and entering closed the door against him : 
 then in triumph over her success, she proceeded to 
 attempt loosing the ninth knot. Only swinging it as 
 she had seen her brother-in-law do, and not knowing 
 how to temper the force so that it should only just have 
 touched the nose, the blow carried with it so much 
 moment that the hammer went through the man's 
 skull, even to his brain, so that he fell down and died. 
 By this means, not the half, but the whole of his 
 possessions passed to his elder brother. 
 
 " If the man was avaricious, the woman was doubly 
 avaricious," here exclaimed the Khan, ''and by strain- 
 ing to grasp too much, she lost all." 
 
 '' Forgetting his health^ the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan hath opened his lips," cried the Siddhi-kiir. And 
 with the cry, " To escape out of this world is good," 
 he sped him through the air once again, swift out of 
 sight.
 
 TALE XV. 
 
 "When therefore the Well-and-wise-walklng Khan found 
 that he had once more failed in the end and object of 
 his mission, he once more took the way of the shady 
 grove, and once more in the same fashion as before he 
 took the Siddhi-kiir captive in his sack. As he bore 
 him along weary with the journey through the desert 
 country, the Siddhi-kiir asked if he would not tell a 
 tale to enliven the way, and when he steadfastly held 
 his tongue, the Siddhi-kiir bid him, if he would that he 
 should tell one, but give a token of nodding his head 
 backwards, without opening his lips. 
 
 Then he nodded his head backwards, and the 
 Siddhi-kiir told this tale, saying, — 
 
 THE USE OP MAGIC LANGUAGE. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived in Western India a King 
 who had a very clever son. In order to make the best 
 advantage of his understanding, and to fit him in 
 every way to become an accomplished sovereign, the
 
 158 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 King sent him into the Diamond-kingdom {^), that he 
 might be thoroughly instructed in all kinds of know- 
 ledge. He was accompanied in his journey by the son 
 of the king's chief minister, who was also to share his 
 studies, but who was as dull as he was intelligent. On 
 their arrival in the Diamond-kingdom, they gave each 
 of them the sum with w^hich they had been provided 
 by their parents to two Lamas to conduct their educa- 
 tion, and spent twelve years with them. 
 
 At the end of the twelve years the minister's son 
 proposed to the king's son that they should now return 
 home, and as the Lamas allowed that the king's son 
 had made such progress in the five kinds of knowledge 
 that there was nothing more he could learn, he agreed 
 to the proposal, and they set out on their homeward 
 way. 
 
 All went well at first ; but one day passed, and then 
 another, and yet another, that they came to no source 
 of water, and being parched nigh unto death with 
 thirst, the minister's son would have laid him down to 
 die. As he stood hesitating about going on, a crow 
 passed and made his cry of " ihrek." The prince now 
 encouraged his companion, saying, " Come but a little 
 way farther, and we shall find water." 
 
 " Nay, you deceive me not like an infant of days," 
 answered the minister's son. "How shall we find 
 water ? Have we not laboured over the journey these 
 three days, and found none ; neither shall we find it
 
 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 159 
 
 now ? Wliy should we add to this death of thirst the 
 pangs of useless fatigue also V 
 
 But the king's son said again, " Nay, but of a cer- 
 tainty we shall now find it." 
 
 And when he asked, " How knowest thou this of a 
 certainty ? " he replied, '' I heard yon crow cry as he 
 passed, ' Go forward five hundred paces in a southerly 
 direction, and you will come to a source of pure, bright 
 fresh water.'" 
 
 The king's son spoke with so much certainty that he 
 had not strength to resist himj and so they went on 
 five hundred paces farther in a southerly direction, and 
 then they indeed came upon a pure, bright spring of 
 water, where they sat down, and di*ank, and refreshed 
 themselves. 
 
 As they sat there, the minister's son was moved 
 with jealousy, for, thought he within himself, in every 
 art this prince has exceeded me, and when we return 
 to our own country, all shall see how superior he is to 
 me in every kind of attainment. Then he said aloud 
 to the king's son, — 
 
 " If we keep along this road, which leads over the 
 level plain, where we can be seen ever so far off, may be 
 robbers will see us, and, coming upon us, will slay us. 
 Shall we not rather take the path which leads over the 
 mountain, where the trees will liide us, and pass the 
 night under cover of the wood ? " And this he said in 
 order to lead the prince into the forest j that he mio-Lt
 
 160 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 slay him there unperceived. But the prince^ who had 
 no evil suspicion, willingly agreed to his words, and 
 they took the path of the mountain. When they had 
 well entered the thick wood, the minister's son fell 
 upon the prince from behind, and slew him. The 
 prince in dying said nothing but the one word, 
 " Abaeaschika (^) ." 
 
 As soon as he had well hidden the body, the minister's 
 son continued on his way. 
 
 As he came near the city, the King went out to greet 
 him, accompanied by all his ministers, and followed by 
 much people ; but when he found that his son was not 
 there, he fell into great anxiety, and eagerly inquired 
 after him. " Thy son," answered the minister's son, 
 " died on the jouimey." 
 
 At these words, the King burst into an agony of 
 grief, crying, " Alas, my son ! mine only son ! With- 
 out thee, what shall all my royal power and state, what 
 shall all my hundred cities, profit me ? " Amid these 
 bitter cries he made his way back to the palace. As 
 he dwelt on his grief, the thought came to him, " Shall 
 not my son when dying at least have left some word 
 expressive of his last thoughts and wishes ? " Then he 
 sent and inquired this thing of his companion, to which 
 the minister's son made answer, " Thy son was over- 
 taken with a quick and sudden malady, and as he 
 breathed out his life, he had only time to utter the 
 single word, Abaeaschika."
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. IGl 
 
 Hearing this the Kiug was fully persuaded the word 
 must have some deep and hidden meaning ; but as he 
 was unable to think it out, he summoned all the seers, 
 soothsayers, magicians, and astrologers {^) of his king- 
 dom, and inquired of them what this same word Aba- 
 EASCHiKA could mean. There was not, however, one of 
 them all that could help him to the mieaning. Then 
 said the King, " The last word that my son uttered, even 
 mine only son, this is dear to me. There is no doubt 
 that it is a word in which by all the arts that he had 
 studied and acquired he knew how to express much, 
 though he had not time to utter many words. Ye, 
 therefore, who are also learned in cunning arts ought 
 to be able to tell the interpretation of the same, but if 
 not, then of what use are ye ? It were better that ye 
 were dead from off the face of the earth. Wherefore, 
 I give you the space of seven days to search in all your 
 writings and to exercise all your arts, and if at the end 
 of seven days ye are none of you able to tell me the in- 
 terpretation, then shall I deliver you over to death." 
 
 With that he commanded that they should be all 
 secured in an exceeding high fortress for the space of 
 seven days, and well watched that they might not 
 escape. 
 
 The seven days passed away, and not one of them was 
 at all nearer telling the interpretation of Abaeaschika 
 than on the first day. " Of a certainty we shall all be put 
 to death to-morrow," was repeated all through the place, 
 
 M
 
 162 SAGAS FEOM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 and some cried to the devas and some sat still and wept^ 
 speaking only of the relations and friends they would 
 leave behind. 
 
 Meantime,, a student of an inferior sort^ who waited 
 on the others and learned between whiles, had contrived 
 to escape, not being under such strict guard as his more 
 important brethren. At night-time he took shelter 
 under a leafy tree. As he lay there a bird and its 
 young ones came to roost on the boughs above him. 
 One of the young ones instead of going to sleep went 
 on complaining through the night, " Pm so hungry ! 
 I'm so hungry ! '' At last the old bird began to console 
 it, saying, " Cry not, my son ; for to-morrow there will 
 be plenty of food.'' 
 
 '' And why should there be more food to-morrow than 
 to-day V asked the young bird. 
 
 " Because to-morrow," answered the mother, '' the 
 Khan has made preparations to put a thousand men to 
 death. Tliat will be a feast indeed !" 
 
 " And why should he put so many men to death ? " 
 persisted the young bird. 
 
 " Because," interposed the father, " though they are 
 all wise men, not one of them can tell him such a simple 
 thing as the meaning of the word Abaeaschika." 
 
 " What does it mean, then ? " inquired the young 
 bird. 
 
 " The meaning of the word is this : ' This, my bosom 
 friend, hath enticed me into a thick grove, and there,
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 163 
 
 wounding me with a sharp knife, hath taken away my 
 life, and is even now preparing to cut off my head.^ " 
 This the old bird told to his young. 
 
 The young student, however, hearing these words 
 waited to hear no more, but set off at his best speed 
 towards the tower where all his companions were con- 
 fined. About daybreak he reached the gates, and 
 made his way in all haste in to them. In the midst of 
 their weeping and lamenting over the morning which 
 they reckoned that of their day of death, he cried out, — 
 
 " Weep no more ! I have discovered the meaning of 
 the word." 
 
 Just then the Khan's guard came to conduct them to 
 the Khan for examination preparatory to their being 
 given over to execution. Here the young student de- 
 clared to the Khan the meaning of the word Abaras- 
 CHIKA. Having heard which the Khan dismissed them 
 all with rich presents, but privately bid them declare to 
 no man the meaning of the word. Then he sent for the 
 minister's son, and without giving him any hint of his 
 intention, bid him go before him and show him where 
 lay the bones of his son, which when he had seen and 
 built a tomb over them, he ordered the minister and 
 his son both to be put to death. 
 
 " That Khan's son, so well versed in the five kinds 
 of knowledge, would have been an honour and orna* 
 
 M 2
 
 164 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 ment to his kingdom, had he not been thus untimely 
 cut ofF/^ exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi-kiir 
 replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walk- 
 ing Khan hath opened his lips." And with the cry, 
 " To escape out of this world is good ! '' he sped him 
 through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XVI. 
 
 When therefore tlie Well-and-wise-walking Klian saw 
 that lie had again failed in the end and object of his 
 journey^ he once more took the way of the cool grove ] 
 and having taken the Siddhi-kiir captive as before in his 
 bag, in which there was place for a hundred, and made 
 fast the mouth of the same with his cord woven of a 
 hundred threads of different colours, he bore him 
 along to present to his Master and Teacher N^garg'una. 
 And as they went the Siddhi-kiir asked him to beguile 
 the way with a tale, or else give the signal that he 
 should tell one. And when the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan had given the signal that the Siddhi-kiir should 
 tell one, he began after this wise, saying, — 
 
 THE WIFE WHO LOVED BUTTER. 
 
 Long ages ago there dwelt in the neighbourhood of 
 a city in the north part of India called Tahan-Minggan (^) 
 a man and his wife who had no children, and nine cows (^) 
 for all possessions. As the man was very fond of meat
 
 166 • SAGAS PROM THE PAE EAST. 
 
 he used to kill all the calves as soon as they were born 
 that he might eat them, but the wife cared only for 
 butter. One day when there were no more calves the 
 man took it into his head to slaughter one of the cows ; 
 " What does it signify," said he to himself, " whether 
 there are nine or eight ? " So he killed one of the cows 
 and ate it. When the meat of this cow was all at an 
 end, he said to himself, " AVTiat does it matter whether 
 there are eight cows or seven ? " And with that he 
 slaughtered another cow and ate it. When the meat 
 of this cow had come to an end, he said within himself 
 again, " What does it matter whether there are seven 
 cows or six?" and with that he slaughtered another 
 cow and ate it. This he continued doing till there was 
 one only cow left. At last, when the wife saw that 
 there was but one only cow left, she could refrain her- 
 self no longer. Determined to save this only cow from 
 being slaughtered, she never let it out of her sight, but 
 wherever she went led it after her by a string. 
 
 One day, however, when the man had been drinking 
 well of rice-brandy, and was sound asleep, the wife 
 having to go out to fetch water, she thought it would 
 be safe to leave the cow behind this once ; but scarcely 
 was she gone out when the man woke up, and, seeing 
 the cow left alone behind, slaughtered it to eat. 
 
 When the woman came back and found the last 
 remaining cow was killed, she lifted up her voice and 
 wept, saying, " What is there now left to me where-
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 1G7 
 
 withal to support life, seeing that the last and only 
 cow that remained to us is killed." As she said these 
 words, she turned her in anger and went away, and as 
 she went the man cut off one of the teats of the cow 
 and threw it after her. The woman picked up the teat 
 and took it along with her; but she went along still 
 crying till she came to a cave in a mountain side, where 
 she took shelter. There she cast herself down on the 
 ground, addressing herself in earnest prayer to the 
 Three Precious Treasures (^) and the Ruler of Heaven 
 and Earth, saying, "Now that my old man has brought 
 me to the last extremity, depriving me of all that I had 
 to support life, grant now, ye Three Precious Treasures, 
 and thou Ruler of Heaven and Earth, that I may have 
 in some way that which is needful to support life ! '^ 
 Thus she prayed. Also, she flung from her the teat of 
 the cow which she had in her hand, and behold ! it 
 clove to the side of the cave, and when she would have 
 removed it, it would no more be removed, but milk ran 
 therefrom as from the living cow. And the milk 
 thereof was good for making butter, which her soul 
 loved. 
 
 Thus she lived in the cave, and was provided with 
 all she desired to support life. One day it befell that 
 the memory of her husband coming over her, she said 
 within herself, " Perhaps, now that the last cow is 
 slaughtered and eaten, my old man may be suffering 
 hunger ; who knows ! " Thus musing, she filled a
 
 168 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 sheep^s pauiicli(*) witli butter, and went her way to the 
 place where her husband livedo and having- climbed on 
 to the roof, she looked down upon him through the 
 smoke-hole (^). 
 
 He sat there in his usual place, but nothing was set 
 before him to eat saving only a pan of ashes, which he 
 was dividing with a spoon, saying the while, " This is 
 my portion for to-day;" and "That much I reserve for 
 the portion of to-morrow." Seeing this, the wife 
 threw her paunch of butter hastily through the roof, 
 and then went back to her cave. 
 
 Then thought the husband within himself, " T^Tio is 
 there in heaven or earth who would have brought me 
 this butter-paunch but my very wife ? who surely has 
 said within herself, ' Perhaps, now that the last cow is 
 slaughtered, my old man is suffering hunger.' " And 
 as every night she thus supplied him with a butter- 
 paunch, he got up at last and followed her by the track 
 of her feet on the snow till he came to the cave where 
 she dwelt. Nevertheless, seeing the teat cleaving to 
 the side of the cave, he could not resist cutting it off to 
 eat the meat thereof. Then he took to him all the 
 store of butter the woman had laid up and returned 
 home; but the wife, finding her place of refuge was 
 known to him, and that he had taken all her store, left 
 the cave and wandered on farther. 
 
 Presently she came to a vast meadow well watered 
 by streams, and herds of hinds grazing amid the grass;
 
 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 109 
 
 nor did they flee at her approach, so that she could 
 milk them at will, and once more she could make 
 butter as much as ever she would. 
 
 One day it befell that, the memory of her husband 
 coming over her, she said within herself, " Perhaps, 
 now that he will have exhausted all the store of cow- 
 milk-butter, my old man may be suffering hunger; 
 who knows ! " So she took a sheep's paunch of the 
 butter made of hind's milk and went to the place where 
 her husband lived. As she looked down upon him 
 through the smoke-hole in the roof, she found him once 
 more engaged sparingly dividing his portions of ashes. 
 So she threw the butter-paunch to him through the 
 smoke-hole and went her way. When she had done 
 this several days, her husband rose and followed her by 
 her track on the snow till he came to where the herd of 
 hinds were grazing. But when he saw so many hinds, 
 he could not resist satisfying his love of meat; only 
 when he had slaughtered many of the hinds, these said 
 one to another, "If we remain here, of a surety we 
 shall all be put to death;'' therefore they arose in the 
 night and betook them afar, far off, whither neither the 
 man nor his wife could follow them. 
 
 When the wife found her place of refuge was known 
 to her husband, and that he had dispersed her herd of 
 hiads, she left the grassy meadow and wandered on 
 farther. 
 
 Presently, a storm coming on, she took shelter in a
 
 170 SAGAS -FROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 hole in a rock where straw was littered down ; so she 
 laid herself to sleep amid the straw. But the hole was 
 the den of a company of lions^ tigers^ and bears^ and all 
 manner of wild beasts ; but they had a hare for watch- 
 man at the opening of the hole. At night, therefore, 
 they all came home and laid down, but they perceived 
 not the woman in the straw ; only in the night, the 
 woman happening to move, a straw tickled the nose of 
 the hare. Then said the hare to a tiger who lay near 
 him, "What was that?" But the tiger said, "We 
 will examine into the matter when the morning light 
 breaks.^^ When the morning light broke, therefore, 
 they turned up all the straw and found the woman 
 lying. When the tiger and the other beasts saw the 
 woman lying in their straw, they were exceeding 
 wroth, and would have torn her in pieces. But the 
 hare said, "What good will it do you to tear the 
 woman in pieces ? Women are faithful and vigilant 
 animals ; give her now to me, and I will make her help 
 me watch the cave." So they gave her to the hare, 
 and the hare bade her keep strict watch over the cave, 
 and by no means let any one of any sort enter it ; and 
 he treated her well and gave her plenty of game to eat, 
 which the wild beasts brought home to their lair. 
 
 Thus she lived in the den of the wild beasts and did 
 the bidding of the hare. One day, however, it befell 
 that, the memory of her husband coming over her, she 
 said within herself, " Perhaps, now that the hinds are
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 171 
 
 all dispersed, my old man may be sufiering hunger ; 
 who knows ! " So she took with her a good provision 
 of game, of which the wild beasts brought in abun- 
 dance, and went to the place where her husband lived. 
 He sat as before, dividing his portions of ashes ; so she 
 threw the game she had brought down through the 
 smoke-hole. 
 
 When she had thus provisioned him many days, he 
 said within himself, "Who is there in heaven or earth 
 who should thus provide for me, but only my loving 
 wife ? " So the next night he rose up and tracked her 
 by the snow till he- came to the den of the wild beasts. 
 
 When the wife saw him, she cried, " Wherefore 
 earnest thou hither ? This is even a wild beasts' lair. 
 Behold, seeing thee they will tear thee in pieces ! " 
 But the man would not listen to her word, answering, 
 " If they have not torn thee in pieces, neither will they 
 tear me." Then, when she found that he would not 
 escape, she took him and hid him in the straw. At 
 night, when the wild beasts came home, the hare said 
 to the tiger, " Of a certainty I perceive the scent of 
 some creature which was not here before;" and the 
 tiger answered, "When morning breaks we will 
 examine into the matter.'' Accordingly, when morning 
 broke they looked over the place, and there in the 
 straw they found the woman's husband. When they 
 saw the man they were all exceedingly wroth, nor 
 could the hare by any means restrain them that they
 
 172 SAGAS TROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 should not tear them both in pieces. " For," said 
 they, " if of one comes two, of two will come four, and 
 of four will come sixteen, and in the end we shall be 
 outnumbered and destroyed, and our place taken from 
 us." So they tore them both in pieces, both the wife 
 and her husband. 
 
 " That woman fell a sacrifice to her devotion to her 
 husband, who deserved it not at her hand ! " exclaimed 
 the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, " Forgetting his health, the Well-and- 
 wise-walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with 
 the cry, "To escape oat of this world is good!" he 
 sped him through the air^ swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XVII. 
 
 Wheeefore tlie Well-and-wise-walking Khan once 
 more took the way of the cool grove, and brought 
 thence bound the Siddhi-kiir, who by the way told him 
 this story, saying — , 
 
 THE SIMPLE HUSBAND AND THE PRUDENT WIFE. 
 
 In the southern part of India lived a man who had a 
 very large fortune and a very notable wife, but possess- 
 ing little sense or capacity himself, nor sufficient under- 
 standing to think of trading with his fortune. One 
 day a caravan of merchants came by, with whom the 
 wife made some exchanges of merchandize while the 
 husband stood by and looked on. When they were 
 gone, the wife said to him, " Why should not you also 
 go forth and trade even as these merchants trade ? " 
 And he willing to do her a pleasure made answer, " Give 
 me wherewithal to trade, and I will see what I can 
 do.^' 
 
 " This is but reasonable," thought the wife. " For
 
 ] 74 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 how shall he trade except he have some sort of mer- 
 chandize to trade withal." So she made ready for 
 him an ass to ride, and a camel's burden of rice to 
 trade with, and arms to defend him from robbers, and 
 provisions to sustain him by the way. Thus she sent 
 him forth. 
 
 On he rode till he came to the sea-shore, and as he 
 could go no farther he laid him down here at the foot of 
 a high cliff to sleep. Just where he lay was the entrance 
 to a cave which he failed to discover. Towards even- 
 ing a caravan of merchants travelling by, took shelter 
 in this cave, leaving a bugle lying on the ground near 
 the entrance, that in case of an attack of robbers 
 the first who heard their approach might warn the 
 others. 
 
 The man's face being turned, as he lay also towards 
 the entrance of the cave, came very near the mouth- 
 piece of the bugle. About the middle of the night 
 when he was sleeping very heavily he began also to 
 snore, and his breath accidentally entering the bugle 
 gave forth so powerful a note (^), that it woke all the 
 merchants together. " Who sounded the bugle ? " 
 asked each. "Not I," "Nor I," "Nor I," answered 
 one and all. " Then it must be the thieves themselves 
 who did it in defiance," said one. " They must be in 
 strong force thus to defy us ! " answered another. 
 " We had better therefore make good our escape before 
 they really attack us," cried all. And without wait-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 175 
 
 ing to look after tlieir goods, they all ran off for tlie 
 dear life without so much as looking behind them. 
 
 In the morning, finding the merchants did not return, 
 the simple man put together all the merchandize they 
 had left behind them and retm-ned home with it. All 
 the neighbours ran out to see him pass with his train 
 of mules and cried aloud, " Only see what a clever 
 trader ! Only see how fortune has prospered him ! " 
 
 Quite proud of his success and not considering how 
 little merit he had had in the matter, he said, " To- 
 morrow I will go out hunting \'' But his wife knowing 
 he had not capacity to have come by all the merchan- 
 dize except through some lucky chance, and thinking 
 some equally strange adventure might befall him when 
 out hunting, determined to be even with him and to 
 know all that might come to pass. 
 
 Accordingly the next day she provided him with a 
 horse and dog, and bow and arrows, and provisions for 
 the way. Only as he went forth, she said, " Beware, 
 a stronger than thou fall not upon thee ! " But he, puffed 
 up by his yesterday's success, answered her, " Never 
 fear ! There is none can stand against me." And she, 
 smiling to see him thus highminded, made reply, 
 " Nevertheless, the horseman Surja-Bagatur {') is ter- 
 rible to deal with. Shouldst thou meet him, stand 
 aside and engage him not, for surely he would slay 
 thee." Thus she warned him. But he mounted his 
 horse and rode away, crying, " Him I fear no more 
 than the rest ! "
 
 176 SAGAS FEOil THE FAR EAST. 
 
 As soon as slie had seen him start the wife dressed 
 herself in man^s clothes^ and mounting a swift horse (') 
 she rode round till she came by a different path to the 
 same place as her husband. Seeing him trot across a 
 vast open plain she bore down right upon him at full 
 gallop. The man, too much afraid of so bold a rider 
 to recognize that it was his wife, turned him and fled 
 from before her. Soon overtaking him, however, she 
 challenged him to fight, at the same time drawing her 
 sword. " Slay me not ! " exclaimed the simple man, 
 slipping off his horse, " Slay me not, most mighty 
 rider, Surja-Bagatur ! Take now my horse and mine 
 arms, and all that I have. Leave me only my life, 
 most mighty Surja-Bagatur ! " So his vrife took the 
 horse and the arms, and all that he had and rode 
 home. 
 
 At night the simple man came limping home foot- 
 sore and in sorry plight. '^ Where is the horse and the 
 arms V inquired his wife as she saw him arrive on foot. 
 
 " To day I encountered the mighty rider, Surja- 
 Bagatur, and having challenged him to fight," an- 
 swered he, "I overcame him and humbled him 
 utterly. Only that the wrath of the hero at what I 
 had done might not be visited on us, I propitiated him 
 by making him an offering of the horse and the arms 
 and all that I had." 
 
 So the woman prepared roasted corn and set it before 
 him ; and when he had well eaten she said to him.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 177 
 
 "Tell me now^ wLiat manner of man is the liero Surja- 
 Bagatur^ and to what is he like (*) V 
 
 And the simple man made answer^ " But that he 
 wore never a beard^ even such a man would he have 
 been as thy father/' 
 
 And the wife laughed to herself, but told him no- 
 thing of all she had done. 
 
 " That was a prudent woman, who humbled not her 
 husband by triumphing over him ! " exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and- 
 wise- walking Khan hath opened his lips.'' And with 
 the cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he 
 sped him through the air, swift out of sight. 
 
 Of the adventures of the Well-and-wise-walking 
 Khan the seventeenth chapter, of the Simple Husband 
 and the Prudent Wife.
 
 TALE XYIII. 
 
 When tlierefore the Well-and-wise-walking Khan 
 saw that the Siddhi-kiir had again made good his 
 escape, he set out and came to the cool grove, and took 
 him captive and brought him, bound in his bag. And 
 by the way the Siddhi-kiir told this tale, saying, — 
 
 HOW SHANGGASBA BURIED HIS FATHER. 
 
 Long ages ago, there lived in a city of Northern 
 India a father and son. Both bore the same name, and 
 a strangely inappropriate name it was. Though they 
 were the poorest of men without any thing in the 
 world to call their own, and without even possessing 
 the knowledge of any trade or handicraft whereby to 
 make a livelihood to support them at ease, they were 
 yet called by the name of Shanggasba, that is " Ee- 
 nowned possessor of treasure (^)." 
 
 As I have already said, they knew no trade or handi- 
 craft ; but to earn a scanty means of subsistence to 
 keep body and soul together, they used to lead a wan- 
 derirg sort of life, gathering and hawking wood.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 179 
 
 One clay as they were coming down tlie steep side of 
 a mountain forest^ worn and footsore^ bending under 
 the heavy burden of wood on their backs, Shanggasba, 
 the father, suddenly hastened his tired, tottering steps, 
 and, leading the way through the thickly-meeting 
 branches to a little clear space of level ground, where 
 the grass grew green and bright, called to his son to 
 come after him with more of animation in his voice 
 than he had shown for many a weary day. 
 
 Shanggasba, the son, curious enough to know what 
 stirred his father's mind, and glad indeed at the least 
 indication of any glimpse of a new interest in life, in- 
 creased his pace too, and soon both were sitting on the 
 green grass with their bundles of wood laid beside 
 them. 
 
 " Listen, my son !" said Shanggasba, the father, " to 
 what I have here to impart to thee, and forget not my 
 instructions.^' 
 
 " Just as this spot of sward, on which we are now 
 seated, is bared of the rich growth of trees covering the 
 thicket all around it, so are my fortunes now barren 
 compared with the opulence and power our ancestor 
 Shanggasba, 'Renowned possessor of treasure,' en- 
 joyed. Know, moreover, that it was just on this very 
 spot that he lived in the midst of his power and glory. 
 Therefore now that our wanderings have brought us 
 hither, I lay this charge upon thee that when I die 
 thou bring hither my bones, and lay them under the 
 
 N 2
 
 180 SAGAS FROM THE PAK EAST. 
 
 ground in tliis place. And so doing, tliou too slialt 
 enjoy fulness of might and magnificence like to the 
 portion of a king's son. For it was because my father's 
 bones were laid to rest in a pooi*, mean, and shameful 
 place, that I have been brought to this state of desti- 
 tution in which we now exist. But ' thou, if thou keep 
 this my word, doubt not but that thou also shalt be- 
 come a renowned possessor of treasure.'* 
 
 Thus spoke Shanggasba, the father ; and then, lifting 
 their faggots on to their shoulder, they journeyed on 
 again as before. 
 
 Not long after the day that they had held this dis- 
 course, Shanggasba, the father, was taken grievously 
 ill, so that the son had to go out alone to gather wood, 
 and it so befell that when he returned home again the 
 father was already dead. So remembering his father's 
 admonition, he laded his bones upon his back, and 
 carried them out to burial in the cleared spot in the 
 forest, as his father had said. 
 
 But when he looked that the great wealth and 
 honour of which his father had spoken should have 
 fallen to his lot, he was disappointed to find that he re- 
 mained as poor as before. Then, because he was weary 
 of the life of a woodman, he went into the city, and 
 bought a hand-loom and yarn, and set himself to weave 
 lineu cloths which he hawked about from place to place. 
 
 Now, one day, as he was journeying back from a town 
 where he had been selling his cloths, his way brought
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 181 
 
 liim througli the forest where his father lay buried. So 
 he tarried a while at the place and sat down to his 
 weaving, and as he sat a lark came and perched on the 
 loom. With his weaving-stick he gave the lark a blow 
 and killed it, and then roasted and ate it. 
 
 But as he ate it he mused, " Of a certainty the words 
 of my father have failed, which he spoke, saying, *■ If 
 thou bury my bones in this place thou shalt enjoy ful- 
 ness of might and magnificence.' And because this 
 weaving brings me a more miserable profit even than 
 hawking wood, I will arise now and go and sue for the 
 hand of the daughter of the King of India, and become 
 his son-in-law." 
 
 Having taken this resolution, he burnt his hand- 
 loom, and set out on his journey. 
 
 Now it so happened that just at this time the Princess, 
 daughter of the King of India, having been absent for a 
 long time from the capital, great festivities of thanks- 
 giving were being celebrated in gratitude for her re- 
 turn in safety, as Shanggasba arrived there; and 
 notably, on a high hill, before the image of a Garuda- 
 bird (^), the king of birds, Vishnu's bearer, all decked 
 with choice silk rich in colour. 
 
 Shanggasba arrived, fainting from hunger, for the 
 journey had been long, and he had nothing to eat by 
 the way, having no money to buy food, but now he saw 
 things were beginning to go well with him, for when 
 he saw the festival he knew there would be an ofiering
 
 182 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 of haling cakes of rice-flour before the garuda-bird, 
 and lie already saw them in imagination surrounded 
 with the yellow flames of the sacrifice. 
 
 As soon as he approached the place therefore he 
 climbed up the high hill^ and satisfied his hunger with 
 the haling ; and then, as a provision for the future, he 
 took down the costly silk stufis with which the garuda- 
 bird was adorned and hid them in his boots. 
 
 His hunger thus appeased, he made his way to the 
 King's palace, where he called out lustily to the porter 
 in a tone of authority, " Open the gate for me ! " 
 
 But the porter, when he saw what manner of man it 
 was summoned him, would pay no heed to his words, 
 but rather chid him and bid him be silent. 
 
 Then Shanggasba, when he found the porter would 
 pay no heed to his words, but rather bid him be silent, 
 blew a note on the great princely trumpet, which was 
 only sounded for promulgating the King's decrees. 
 
 This the King heard, who immediately sent for the 
 porter, and inquired of him who had dared to sound 
 the great princely trumpet. To whom the porter made 
 answei", — 
 
 " Behold now, King, there stands without at the 
 gate a vagabond calling on me to admit him because 
 he has a communication to make to the King." 
 
 " The fellow is bold ; let him be brought in," re- 
 plied the King. So they brought Shanggasba before 
 the King's majesty.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 183 
 
 "Wliat seekest thou of me?^' inquired tlie King. 
 And Slianggasba^ nothing abashed, answered plainly — 
 
 " To sue for the hand of the Princess am I come, 
 and to be the King^s son-in-law." 
 
 The ministers of state, who stood round about the 
 King, when they heard these words, were filled with 
 indignation, and counselled the King that he should 
 put him to death. But the King, tickled in his fancy 
 with the man^s daring, answered, — 
 
 " Nay, let us not put him to death. He can do us 
 no harm. A beggar may sue for a king's daughter, 
 and a king may choose a beggar's daughter, out of 
 that no harm can come," and he ordered that he should 
 be taken care of in the palace, and not let to go forth. 
 
 Now all this was told to the Queen, who took a very 
 different view of the thing from the King's. And 
 coming to him in fury and indignation, she cried out, — 
 
 " It is not good for such a man to live. He must be 
 aheady deprived of his senses ; let him die the death ! " 
 
 But the King gave for all answer, " The thing is not 
 of that import that he should die for it." 
 
 The Princess also heard of it ; and she too came to 
 complain to the King that he should cause such a man 
 to be kept in the palace ; but before she could open 
 her complaint, the King, joking, said to her, — 
 
 " Such and such a man is come to sue for thy hand ; 
 ■ and I am about to give thee to him." 
 
 But she answered, '' This shall never be ; surely the
 
 184 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 King hath spoken this thing in jest. Shall a princess 
 now marry a beggar t" 
 
 " If thou wilt not have him, what manner of man 
 wouldst thou marry ?^^ asked the King. 
 
 " A man who has gold and precious things enough 
 that he should carry silk stuff (^) in his boots, such 
 a one would I marry, and not a wayfarer and a beggar/' 
 answered the Princess. 
 
 When the people heard that, they went and pulled off 
 Shanggasba's boots, and when they found in them the 
 pieces of silk he had taken from the image of the garuda- 
 bird, they all marvelled, and said never a word more. 
 
 But the King thought thereupon, and said, "This 
 one is not after the manner of common men.'" And he 
 gave orders that he should be lodged in the palace. 
 
 The Queen, however, was more and more dismayed 
 when she saw the token, and thus she reasoned, " If 
 the man is here entertained after this manner, and if 
 he has means thus to gain over to him the mind of the 
 King, who shall say but that he may yet contrive to 
 carry his point, and to marry my daughter t" And as 
 she found she prevailed nothing with the King by argu- 
 ment, she said, " I must devise some means of subtlety 
 to be rid of him." Then she had the man called into 
 her, and inquired of him thus, — 
 
 " Upon what terms comest thou hither to sue for the 
 hand of my daughter ? Tell me, now, hast thou great 
 treasures to endow her with as thy name would import,
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 185 
 
 or wilt thou win tliy right to pay court to her by thy 
 valour and bravery?" And this she said, for she 
 thought within herself, of a surety now the man is so 
 poor he can offer no dowry, and so he needs must elect 
 to win her by the might of his bravery, which if he do 
 I shall know how to over-match his strength, and show 
 he is but a mean-spirited wretch. 
 
 But Shanggasba made answer, " Of a truth, though 
 I be called ' Renowned possessor of treasure,^ no trea- 
 sure have I to endow her with ; but let some task 
 be appointed me by the King and Queen, and I will 
 win her hand by my valour.''^ 
 
 The Queen was glad when she heard this answer, for 
 she said, " Now I have in my hands the means to be 
 rid of him.'^ At this time, while they were yet speak- 
 ing, it happened that a Prince of the Unbelievers advanced 
 to the borders of the kingdom to make war upon the 
 King. Therefore the Queen said to Shanggasba, — 
 
 " Behold thine affair ! Go ovit now against the 
 enemy, and if thou canst drive back his hordes thou 
 shalt marry our daughter, and become the King's son- 
 in-law. 
 
 " Even so let it be ! " answered Shanggasba. " Only 
 let there be given to me a good horse and armour, and 
 a bow and arrows." 
 
 All this the Queen gave him, and good wine to boot, 
 and appointed an army in brave array to serve under 
 him. With these he rode out to encounter the enemy.
 
 186 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 They had hardly got out of sight of the city, however, 
 when the captain of the army rode up to him and said, 
 " We are not soldiers to fight under command of a 
 beggar : ride thou forth alone/' 
 
 So they went their way, and he rode on alone. He 
 had no sooner come to the borders of the forest, how- 
 ever, where the ground was rough and uneven, than he 
 found he could in no wise govern his charger, and after 
 pulling at the reins for a long time in vain, the beast 
 dashed with him furiously into the thicket. "What 
 can I do now?" mourned Shanggasba to himself as, 
 encumbered by the unwonted weight of his armour, he 
 made fruitless efforts to extricate himself from the 
 interlacing branches ; " surely death hath overtaken 
 me ! " And even as he spoke the enemy's army 
 appeared riding down towards him. Nevertheless, 
 catching hold of the overhanging bows of a tree, by 
 which to save himself from the plungings of the horse, 
 and as the soil was loose and the movement of the steed 
 impetuous, as he clung to the tree the roots were set free 
 by his struggles, and rebounding in the face of the ad- 
 vancing enemy, laid many of his riders low in the dust. 
 
 The prince who commanded them when he saw this, 
 exclaimed, "This one cannot be after the manner of 
 common men. Is he not rather one of the heroes 
 making trial of his prowess who has assumed this out- 
 ward form ? " 
 
 And a great panic seized them all, so that they turned
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 187 
 
 and fled from before him, riding eacli other down in the 
 confusion, and casting away their weapons and their 
 armour. 
 
 As soon as they were well out of sight, and only 
 the clouds of dust whirling round behind them, 
 Shanggasba rose from the ground where he had fallen 
 in his fear, and catching by the bridle one of the horses 
 whose rider had been thrown, laded on to him all that 
 he could carry of the spoil with which the way was 
 strewn, and brought it up to the King as the proof and 
 trophy of his victory. 
 
 The King was well pleased to have so valiant a son- 
 in-law, and commended him and promised him the hand 
 of the Princess in marriage. But the Queen, though 
 her first scheme for dehvering her daughter had failed, 
 was not slow to devise another, and she said, " It is 
 not enough that he should be valiant in the field, but a 
 mighty hunter must he also be." And thus she said to 
 Shanggasba, "Wilt thou also give proof of thy might 
 in hunting?" 
 
 And Shanggasba made answer, " Wherein shall I 
 show my might in hunting ? " 
 
 And the Queen said, " Behold now, there is in our 
 mountains a great fox, nine spans in length, the fur of 
 whose back is striped with stripes; him shalt thou kill 
 and bring his skin hither to me, if thou wouldst have 
 the hand of the Princess and become the King's son-in- 
 law."-
 
 188 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 "Even so let it he," replied Shanggasba; "only let 
 there be given me a bow and arrow, and provisions for 
 many days/^ 
 
 All this tbe Queen commanded should be given to 
 bim ; and he went out to seek for the great fox measur- 
 ing nine spans in length, and the fur of his back striped 
 with stripes. 
 
 Many days he wandered over the mountains till his 
 provisions wei^e all used and his clothes torn, and, what 
 was a worse evil, he had lost his bow by the way. 
 
 " Without a bow I can do nothing,^^ reasoned Shang- 
 gasba to himself, " even though I fall in witb the fox. 
 It is of no use that I wait for death here. I had better 
 return to the palace and see what fortune does for me." 
 
 But as he had wandered about up and down without 
 knowing his way, it so happened that as he now directed 
 his steps back to the road, he came upon Lhe spot where 
 he had laid down to sleep the night before, and there 
 it was he had left the bow lying. But in the mean- 
 time the great fox nine spans long, with the fur of his 
 back striped with stripes, had come by that way, and 
 finding the bow lying had striven to gnaw it through. 
 In so doing he had passed his neck through the string, 
 and the string had strangled him. So in this way 
 Shanggasba obtained possession of his skin, which he 
 forthwith carried in triumph to the King and Queen. 
 The King when he saw it exclaimed, " Of a truth now 
 is Shanggasba a mighty hunter, for he has killed the
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 189 
 
 great fox nine spans long^ and with the fur of his back 
 striped with stripes. Therefore shall the hand of the 
 Princess be given to him in marriage.''^ 
 
 But the Queen would not yet give up the cause of 
 her daughter, and she said, " Not only in fighting and 
 hunting must he give proof of might, but also over the 
 spirits he must show his power. ^' Then Shanggasba 
 made answer, " Wherein shall I show my power over 
 the spirits ? " 
 
 And the Queen said, " In the regions of the North, 
 among the Mongols, are seven deemons who ride on 
 horses : these shalt thou slay and bring hither, if thou 
 wouldst ask for the hand of the Princess and become 
 the King's son-in-law." 
 
 "Even so let it be," replied Shanggasba; "only 
 point me out the way, and give me provisions for the 
 journey." 
 
 So the Queen commanded that the way should be 
 shown him, and appointed him provisions for the 
 journey, which she prepared with her own hand, 
 namely, seven pieces of black rye-bread that he was 
 to eat on his way out, and seven pieces of white 
 wheaten-bread that he was to eat on his way home. 
 Thus provided, he went forth towards the region of 
 the North, among the Mongols, to seek for the seven 
 daemons who rode on horses. 
 
 Before night he reached the land of the Mongols, 
 and finding a hillock, he halted and sat down on it.
 
 190 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 and took out his provisions : and it well-nigli befell 
 that he had eaten the white wheaten-bread first ; but 
 he said^ "Nay, I had best get through the black bread 
 first /^ So he left the white wheaten-bread lying 
 beside him, and began to eat a piece of the black rye- 
 bread. But as he was hungry and eat fast, the hiccups 
 took him; and then, before he had time to put the 
 bread up again into his wallet, suddenly the seven 
 daemons of the country of the Mongols came upon him, 
 riding on their horses. So he rose and ran away in 
 great fear, leaving the bread upon the ground. But 
 they, after they had chased him a good space, stopped 
 and took counsel of each other what they should do 
 with him, and though for a while they could not agree, 
 finally they all exclaimed together, " Let us be satisfied 
 with taking away his victuals." So they turned back 
 and took his victuals ; and the black rye-bread they 
 threw away, but the white wheaten-bread they ate, 
 every one of them a piece. 
 
 The Queen, however, had put poison in the white 
 wheaten-bread, which was to serve Shanggasba on his 
 homeward journey ; and now that the seven daemons 
 ate thereof, they were all killed with the poison that was 
 prepared for him, and they all laid them down on the hil- 
 lock and died, while their horses grazed beside them C) . 
 
 But in the morning, Shanggasba hearing nothing more 
 of the trampling of the deemons chasing him, left off 
 running, and plucked up courage to turn round and
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 191 
 
 look after tliem ; and -when lie saw them not, lie tui-ned 
 stealthily back, looking warily on this side and on that, 
 lest they should be lying in wait for him. And when 
 he had satisfied himself the way was clear of them, he 
 bethought him to go back and look after his provisions. 
 When he got back to the hillock, however, he found 
 the seven dasmons lying dead, and their horses grazing 
 beside them. The sight gave him great joy; and 
 having packed each one on the back of his horse, he led 
 them all up to the King and Queen. 
 
 The King was so pleased that the seven daemons 
 were slain, that he would not let him be put on his 
 trial any more. So he delivered the Princess to him, 
 and he became the King's son-in-law. Moreover, he 
 gave him a portion like to the portion of a King's son, 
 and erected a throne for him as high as his own throne, 
 and appointed to him half his kingdom, and made all 
 his subjects pay him homage as to himself. 
 
 '' This man thought that his father's words had 
 failed, and owned not that it was because he buried 
 his bones in a prosperous place that good fortune hap- 
 pened unto him," exclaimed the Prince. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, "Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with the 
 cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he sped 
 him through the air, fleet out of sight.
 
 TALE XIX. 
 
 Wherefore tlie Well-and-wise-walking Khan once more 
 took the way of the cool grove, and having brought 
 thence the Siddhi-kiir bound in his bag, and having 
 eaten of his cake that never diminished to strengthen 
 him for the journey, as they went along the Siddhi-kiir 
 told him this tale, saying, — 
 
 THE PEKPIDIOUS FRIEND. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived in a northern country of 
 India a lioness who had her den in the side of a snow- 
 capped mountain. One day she had been so long without 
 food that she was near to have devoured her cub ; de- 
 termining, however, to make one effort first to spare it, 
 she went out on a long journey till she came to a fair 
 plain where there were a number of cows grazing. 
 When she saw the herd of cows she could not refrain a 
 terrible roar; but the cows, hearing the roar of the 
 lioness, said one to another, " Let us make haste to
 
 SAGAS TROM THE FAR EAST. 193 
 
 escape from the lioness/^ and tliey all went tlieir way. 
 But tliere was one of tlie cows which had a calf^ and 
 because she could neither make the calf go fast enough 
 to escape the lioness^ nor could bring herself to forsake 
 it, she remained behind and fell a prey to the wild 
 beast. The lioness accordingly made a great feast, 
 chiefly on the blood of the cow, and carried the flesh 
 and the bones to her den. 
 
 The calf followed the traces of its mother's flesh, and 
 when the lioness lay down to sleep the calf came along 
 with her own cub to suck, and the lioness being over- 
 come, and as it were drunken with the blood she had 
 taken, failed to perceive what the calf did. In the 
 morning, as the calf had drunk her milk, she forbore to 
 slay it, and the calf and the cub were suckled together. 
 After two or three days, when there was nothing left 
 for the lioness to eat but a few bones of the cow, she 
 devoured them so greedily in her hunger that one big 
 knuckle-bone stuck in her throat, and as she could by 
 no means get it out again, she was throttled by it till 
 she died. Before dying she spoke thus to the calf and 
 the cub, " You two, who have been suckled with the 
 same milk, must live at peace with each other. If some 
 day an enemy comes to you and tries to set you one 
 against the other, pay no heed to his words, but remain 
 at one as before.''^ Thus she charged them. 
 
 When the lioness was dead the cub betook himself 
 into the forest, and the calf found its way to the sunny 
 

 
 194 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 slope of a mountain side ; but at the hour of evening 
 they went down to the stream together to drink, and 
 after that they disported themselves together. 
 
 There was a fox, however, who had been used to feed 
 on the remnants of the lion^s meals, and continued now 
 to profit by those of the cub ; he saw with a jealous eye 
 this growing intimacy with the calf, and determined to 
 set them at variance (^). 
 
 One day, therefore, when the cub had just killed a 
 beast and lay sucking its blood, the fox came to him 
 with his tail no longer cockily curled up on his back, 
 but low, sweeping the ground, and his ears drooping. 
 When the cub saw him in this plight, he exclaimed, 
 " Fox ! what hath befallen thee ? Tell me thy grief, 
 and console thyself the while with a bite of this hind.'^ 
 But the fox, putting on a doleful tone, answered him, 
 "How should I, thine uncle, take pleasure in eating 
 llesh when thou hast an enemy ? hence is all pleasure 
 gone from me.^-* But the cub answered carelessly, " It 
 is not likely any one should be my enemy, fox ; there- 
 fore set to and eat this hind^s flesh." " If thou 
 refusest in this lighthearted way to listen to the words 
 of thine uncle," answered the fox, " so shall the day 
 come when thou wilt berue it." " Who then, pray, is 
 this mine enemy?" at last inquired the cub. "Who 
 should it be but this calf? Saith he not always, 'The 
 lioness killed my mother; therefore when I am strong 
 enough I will kill the cub.' " " Nay, but we two are
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 195 
 
 brothers/' replied the cub ; " the calf has no bad 
 thoughts towards me." "Knowest thou then really 
 not that thy mother killed his mother ?" exclaimed the 
 fox. And the cub thought within himself, " What the 
 fox says is nevertheless true; and, further, is he not 
 mine uncle, and what gain should he have to deceive 
 me?" Then said he aloud, "By what manner of 
 means does the calf purpose to kill me ? tell me, I 
 pray." And the fox made answer, *' When he wakes 
 to-morrow morning, observe thou him, and if he 
 stretches himself and then digs his horns into the 
 earth, and shakes his tail and bellows, know that it is 
 a sure token he is minded to kill thee." The cub, his 
 suspicions beginning to be excited, promised to be 
 upon his guard and to observe the calf. 
 
 Having succeeded thus far the fox went his way, 
 directing his steps to the sunny side of the mountain 
 slope where the calf was grazing. With his tail 
 trailing on the ground, and his ears drooping, he stood 
 before the calf. " Fox ! what aileth thee ? " inquired 
 the calf cheerily; " come and tell me thy grief." But 
 the fox answered, " Not for myself do I grieve. It is 
 because thou, calf! hast an enemy; therefore do I 
 grieve." But the calf answered, " Be comforted, fox, 
 for it is not likely any should be an enemy to me." 
 Then replied the fox, " Beware thou disregard not my 
 words, for if thou do, of a certainty a day shall come 
 when thou shalt berue it." But the calf inquired, 
 
 o 2
 
 196 SAGAS FEOM THE FAK EAST. 
 
 saying, ""WTio then could this enemy possibly be?" 
 And tlie fox told hiva, saying, " Who should it be other 
 than the lion-cub in the forest on the other side the 
 mountain ? Behold ! doth he not use to say, ' Even as 
 my mother killed and devoured his mother, so also will 
 I kill and devour him/ " " Let not this disturb thee, 
 fox," interposed the calf, " for we two are brothers ; he 
 hath no bad thoughts against me." But the fox warned 
 him again, saying, " Of a surety, if thou disregard my 
 words thou shalt berue it. Behold ! I have warned 
 thee." Then the calf began to think within himself, 
 " Is it not true what he says that the cub's mother 
 killed my mother ; and, further, what gain should he, 
 mine uncle, have in deceiving me ? " Then said he 
 aloud, " If thy warning be so true, tell me further, I 
 pray thee, by what manner of means doth he design to 
 put me to death ?" And the fox told him, saying, 
 " WTien he wakes to-morrow morning observe thou 
 him, and if he stretch himself and shake his mane, if 
 he draws his claws out and in, and scratches up the 
 earth with them, then know that it is a sure token he 
 is minded to slay thee." The calf, his suspicions be- 
 ginning to be awakened, promised to be upon his 
 guard and to observe the cub. 
 
 The next morning, when they woke, each observed 
 the other as he had promised the fox, and each by 
 natural habit, which the fox had observed of old, but 
 they not, gave the signs he had set before them for a
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 197 
 
 token. At this each was filled with wrath and sus- 
 picion against the other, and when at sunrise they both 
 went down to the stream to drink, the cub growled at 
 the calf, and the calf bellowed at the cub. Hence 
 further convinced of each other's bad intentions, they 
 each determined at the same instant to be beforehand 
 with the other. The calf dug his horns into the breast 
 of the cub and gored it open, and the cub sprang upon 
 the calf's throat and made a formidable wound, from 
 whence the blood poured out. Thus they contended 
 together till all the blood of both was poured out, and 
 they died there before the face of the fox. 
 
 Then came a voice out of svarga (^), saying, " Put 
 never thy trust in a false friend, for so doing he shall 
 put thee at enmity with him who is thy friend in truth." 
 
 ''Nevertheless, as the cub was killed as well as the 
 calf, the perfidy of the fox profited him nothing as soon 
 as he had made an end of eating their flesh ! " ex- 
 claimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi-kiir 
 replied, " Foi-getting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with the cry, 
 ''To escape out of this world is good!" he sped him 
 through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XX. 
 
 Wherefoee the Well-and-wise- walking Khan once more 
 took the way of the cool grove ; and having bronght 
 thence the Siddhi-kiir bound in his bag, and having 
 eaten of his cake that never diminished, to strengthen 
 him for the journey, as they went along the Siddhi-kiir 
 told him this tale, saying, — 
 
 BHIXU LIFE. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived in a country in the north 
 of India, namely Nepaul, on the banks of a river named 
 the Hiranjavati ('), an old man and his old wife, who 
 had no sons, but only one daughter. But this one 
 daughter was all in all to them ; and they had only one 
 care in life, and that care was, how to establish her 
 safely and well, that she might not be left alone in the 
 world when they were on it no more. Nevertheless, 
 though the maiden was fair to see, and wise and pru- 
 dent in her ways, and though her parents had laid by 
 a rich dowry for her portion, it so chanced that no one
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 199 
 
 offered to many her. Yet tlie years went hy, and the 
 man and his wife were both growing old, and they said, 
 *^If we marry her not now, soon will she be left all 
 alone in the world.'^ 
 
 In a hut at some distance lived another aged couple, 
 who were very poor ; but they had one only son. Then 
 said the father of the maiden to her mother, "We 
 must give our daughter to the son of this poor couple 
 for a wife, otherwise she will be left alone in the 
 world." 
 
 So they married the maiden to the son of this poor 
 old couple, and they took him into their house, and he 
 lived together with them. 
 
 After a time, the husband felt a desire to return and 
 see his parents ; so he took his wife with him, and they 
 went to seek his parents. At home, however, they 
 were not, for they led a Bhixu life, and were gone on a 
 begging expedition through all the tribes ; therefore 
 they went on, seeking them. About this time, a 
 mighty Khan had given orders for a great distribution 
 of alms (^). All that any one asked for, it was given 
 him, whatsoever it might be. Only concerning the 
 measure of rice-brandy distributed to any one person 
 was there any restriction ; but of all the rest there was 
 no stint. 
 
 The man and his wife therefore came with the rest 
 of the people, and obtained their portion, according 
 to their desire. When all had been well served, and
 
 200 SAGAS FKOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 had returned every one to Lis horae, the man said to his 
 wife, " If we would really be rich, and enjoy life, the 
 way to do it is to go round through all the tribes, 
 living on alms. So living, we have all we need desire. 
 Moreover we need stand in no fear of thieves and 
 robbers; our strength will not be brought down by 
 labour by day, nor our sleep disturbed with anxiety by 
 nio-ht : in droug-ht and murrain we shall have no loss to 
 suffer, for tKe herds of which we shall live will not be 
 our own. To travel about ever among new people is 
 itself no small pleasure. Moreover we shall never be 
 vexed with paying ti-ibute of that we have earned with 
 the toil of our arms. If even we go back and take to 
 us the inheritance thy parents promised to us, in how 
 many days would it be all spent, and we become again 
 even as now ! But by going from tribe to tribe, living 
 on alms, our store is never diminished, and there is 
 nothing we shall lack (^)." 
 
 Thus they lived many months, begging alms and 
 lacking nothing, even as the man had said. Neverthe- 
 less, in the midst of their wanderings, a son was born 
 to them. Then said the woman, "These wild tribes 
 among whom we now are, give us nothing but rice- 
 brandy, which is no food for me; neither have I 
 strength to carry the child as he gets older.^^ And as 
 she knew her husband loved a vagabond life, and could 
 not hear of going to live at home with her parents, she 
 added, " Let us now go see my parents^ and beg of
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 201 
 
 them that tliey give us of their herds an ass, on which 
 the infant may ride withal when we go round among 
 the tribes seeking alms/' To this proposition the man 
 did not say "Nay/' and they journeyed towards the 
 house of the woman's parents, along the bank of the 
 river Hiranjavati. 
 
 When they arrived at home, they found that the 
 woman's parents were dead, nor was there the least 
 remnant left of all their possessions : the herds were 
 dispersed, and the flocks had fallen a prey to the 
 wolves and the jackals ; nothing remained but a few 
 tufts of wool, which had got caught on the ant- 
 heaps C) . The wife picked up the tufts, saying, " We 
 will collect all these, and weave a piece of stuff out of 
 them." But her husband pointed out that, at no great 
 distance, was a plain with many tents, where, by ask- 
 ing alms, they could have plenty of barley and rice, 
 wdthout the trouble of weaving. They continued their 
 way therefore towards the tents ; but the woman con- 
 tinued saying, " When we have woven our piece of 
 stuff, we will sell it, and buy a bigger piece, and then 
 we will sell that and buy a bigger ; and so on, till 
 we have enough to buy an ass, then we will set our 
 little one on it instead of carrying him. Then perhaps 
 our ass will have a foal, and then we shall have two 
 asses." " Certainly," answered her husband, " if our 
 ass has a foal we shall have two asses." But the child 
 said, " If our ass has a foal, I will take the foal, and
 
 202 SAGAS from: the far east. 
 
 will ride him, going about among tlie tribes, I also, ask- 
 ing alms even as you (^).''' When his mother heard him 
 speak thus, she was angry, and bid him hold his peace; 
 she also went to correct him by hitting him with a 
 stick, but the boy tried to escape from her, and the 
 blow fell upon his head and killed him. Thus their 
 child died. 
 
 At the time that the woman^s parents died, and the 
 herds were dispersed, and the flocks devoured by 
 wolves and jackals, one only lamb had escaped from 
 the destruction, and had taken refuge in a hole in the 
 ground, where it remained hid all day, and only came 
 out at night to graze (^) . One day a hare came by, and 
 as the lamb was not afraid of the hare, she did not hide 
 herself from him ; therefore the hare said to her, ''^0 lamb, 
 who art thou?^' And the lamb answered, ''1 belong 
 to a flock whose master died of grief because his chil- 
 dren went away and forsook him ; and when he died, 
 the wolves and the jackals came and devoured all his 
 flock, and I, even I only, escaped of them all, and I 
 have hid myself in this hole. Thou, hare, then, be 
 my protector." Thus spoke the lamb. 
 
 But the hare answered, " Must not a lamb live in a 
 flock ? How shall a lamb live in a hole all alone ? 
 Behold, I will even bring thee to a place where are 
 flocks of sheep, with whom thou mayest live as becometh 
 a lamb.^' 
 
 '' It were better we stayed here," replied the lamb
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 203 
 
 trembliug ; " for if we meet the wolf in the open 
 country, how shall we escape him?" "For that will 
 I provide/^ answered the hare ; " only come thou with 
 me." So they set out, the lamb and the hare together, 
 for to seek a place where grazed flocks in goodly 
 company. 
 
 As they went along, they saw on the ground a hand- 
 loom, which some one sitting out there to weave had 
 left behind. The hare bid the lamb put it on her back, 
 and bring it along with her. The lamb did as she 
 was bid, A little farther they saw a piece of yellow 
 stuff lying on the ground : this also the hare bid the 
 lamb pick up and bring with her. The lamb did as 
 she was bid. And a little farther on they saw a piece 
 of paper, with something written on it, blown along by 
 the wind; this likewise the hare bid the lamb bring 
 with her. And the lamb did as she was bid. 
 
 A little farther on they saw a wolf coming. As he 
 drew near them, the hare said to the lamb, " Bring me 
 now my throne." Then the lamb understood that he 
 meant the hand-loom, and she set it in the way. Then 
 the hare continued, " Spread abroad over me my gold- 
 coloured royal mantle." Then the lamb understood 
 that he meant the piece of yellow stufi* he had bid her 
 pick up, and she spread it over him as he sat on the 
 hand-loom for a throne. Then said the hare again 
 " Reach me the document which the moon sent down 
 to me on the fifteenth of the month (^) ." So the lamb
 
 204 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 understood tliat he meant the piece of written paper 
 he had hid her pick up^ and she gave it into his 
 hand. 
 
 By this time the wolf had come up with them^ and 
 when he saw the hare seated so majestically on the 
 hand-loom for a throne, and with the royal mantle of 
 yellow stuff about him, and the wi-itten document in 
 his hand, the lamb moreover standing quietly by his 
 side, he said within himself, " These must be very 
 extraordinary beasts, who do not run away at my 
 approach, after the manner of common beasts." There- 
 fore he stood still, and said to the hare, "Who and 
 whence art thou ? " But the hare, still holding the 
 piece of written paper in his hand, made as though he 
 were readino^ fi-om it as follows : — '' This is the all hig^h 
 command of the god Churmusta (^) unto the most noble 
 and honourable hare, delivered unto him by the hands 
 of the moon, on the fifteenth of the month. On the 
 same most noble and honourable hare I lay this charge, 
 that he do bring- me, before the fifteenth of the next 
 moon, the skins of a thousand rapacious, flock-scatter- 
 ing wolves." And as the hare read these words, he 
 erected his ears with great importance and determina- 
 tion of manner, and made as though he would have 
 come down from his throne to attack the wolf. 
 
 The wolf, still more alarmed at this proceeding, took 
 flight, nor so much as looked back to see whether the 
 hare was really pursuing him.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 205 
 
 As soon as lie was well on liis way, tlie liaise and the 
 lamb set out once more on their journey, taking 
 another direction from the wolf, and arrived happily 
 at one of the most fertile pastures in the kingdom of 
 Nepaul. 
 
 " The prudence of that hare w'as equal to his good 
 feeling/' exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips.'' And with the 
 cry, "To escape out of this world is good !" he sped him 
 through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XXI. 
 
 Wherefore tlie Well-and-wise-walking Khan once 
 more took the way of the cool grove ; and having 
 brought thenc3 the Siddhi-kiir bound in his bag, the 
 Siddhi-kiir as they went along told him this talo, 
 saying,— 
 
 HOW THE WIDOW SAVED HER SON's LIFE(^). 
 
 Long ages ago there Hved in Ghara Kitad {^), which 
 lieth to the east of India, a king named Daibang (*), who 
 had one only son. But this son never showed himself 
 to the people. No one in the whole empire had once 
 set his eyes on him. Every day he sent and fetched a 
 handsome youth of the people to come and comb his 
 hair for him^ and immediately that he had made an end 
 of combing him he had him put to death. Every day 
 one. This went on for many years, and no one dared 
 to withhold their son from the king^s command. At 
 last it came to the turn of a youth who was a widow^s 
 son . The widow, therefore, full of anguish at the thought
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 207 
 
 of her son^ her eldest stay and consolation, being taken 
 from her and slain, made cakes of dough kneaded 
 with her own milk, and gave them to her son, saying, 
 " Manage so that while thou art combing the hair of 
 the Khan, he shall eat one of these cakes/' 
 
 The widow's son, therefore, came and stood before 
 the Khan ; and as he combed the Khan's hair with the 
 Khan's golden comb, he saw that the ears of the Khan 
 were formed like to the ears of an ass, and that it was 
 that his subjects might not know he had ears like to 
 the ears of an ass, that he put to death every day 
 the young men, who, combing his hair, had seen 
 them. Nevertheless, the widow's son went on comb- 
 ing the Khan's hair, and eating the cakes his mother 
 had given him the while. 
 
 At last the Khan said, " What eatest thou ?" 
 
 And he answered, " Cakes kneaded of rice -flour and 
 milk ; such cakes do I eat." 
 
 And when the Khan asked for some to taste, he 
 gave him one, and the Khan ate it. When the Khan 
 had eaten the cake, he said, " The scent and the flavour 
 of these cakes is good. How are they composed ? tell 
 me." 
 
 The widow's son answered, " My mother made them 
 for me with milk of her own breast, and kneaded them 
 with rice-flour." 
 
 When the Khan heard that, he said within himself, 
 *' How shall I put this youth to death, seeing he and I
 
 208 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 have both partaken of one mother^s milk ? That were 
 unnatural and unheard of." Then said he aloudj " If 
 that be so^ I will not put thee to death this day ; but 
 only take an oath of thee that thou tell no man that I 
 have ears like to asses' ears. Shouldst thou^ however, 
 break thine oath, then, know that thou shalt surely be 
 put to death." 
 
 "Unto no man, Khan," swore the youth, "will I 
 declare this thing. Neither unto my mother herself." 
 And having thanked the Khan for sparing his hfe he 
 went his way. 
 
 Day after day, however, all the youths who went in 
 to comb the Khan's hair were put to death as before, 
 and all the people wondered greatly why the widow's 
 son had been spared. Nevertheless, remembering the 
 oath which he had given the Khan, he told no man how 
 it had befallen for all their wondering and inquiring, 
 nor even his own mother. 
 
 But as he continued thus keeping his own counsel, 
 and telling no man the reason why the Klan killed all 
 the other youths who combed his hair and spared him, 
 the secret vexed his heart, nor could he stand against 
 the oppression of his desire to speak it, so that he fell 
 ill, and like to die. Nor were medicaments nor yet 
 offerings in sacrifice (^) of any avail to heal him of that 
 sickness, though many Lamas were called to see him. 
 At last a Lama came, who having felt his pulse said, 
 " In this kind of sickness medicaments avail nothing ;
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 209 
 
 only tell what it is thou hast on thine heart, and as 
 soon as thou shalt have told it, to whomsoever it may 
 be, thou shalt be relieved, and be well again. Other 
 remedy is there none." Thus spoke the Lama. 
 
 Then all they that stood by the bed spoke to him, 
 saying, " If it be that thou hast any thing on thy mind, 
 as the Lama has said, even though it be the least 
 matter, speak it now and recover. Of what good 
 shall it be to thee to keep the secret if, after all, thou 
 diest?" 
 
 But neither so would he break his oath to the Khan. 
 But at night when they were all gone, and his mother 
 only was with him, and she urged him much, he told 
 her, saying, "Of a truth have I a secret; but I have 
 sworn to the Khan that I will tell it to no man, nor yet 
 even to thee, my mother.^' 
 
 Then spoke his mother again, saying, " If this be so, 
 then go out far from the habitations of men, and hiding 
 thy face in a crack of the earth where the soil is parched 
 for want of moisture; or else, in the hollow of an 
 ancient tree, or in a narrow cleft of the everlasting rock, 
 and speak it there." 
 
 And the youth listened to her word; and he went 
 out far from the habitations of men till he came where 
 there was a hole of a marmot in the ground. Putting 
 his mouth into the hole he cried, " Our Klian, Daibang, 
 has ears even like to the ears of an ass ! " aud he re- 
 peated the same four times, and was well again. 
 
 P
 
 210 SAGAS FROM THE FAK EAST. 
 
 But the marmot living in the hole, had heard the 
 words, and she repeated them to the echo, and the echo 
 told them to the wind, and the wind brought them to 
 the Khan. 
 
 So the Khan sent, and called the youth, even the 
 widow's son, before him, saying, " Charged I thee not 
 that thou told no man this thing, and swarest thou not 
 nnto me that thou wouldst declare it to no man, nor 
 even to thine own mother ? How then hast thou gone 
 and spoken it abroad V 
 
 Bat the youth answered, saying, " To no man either 
 at home or abroad have I spoken the thing, O Khan ! " 
 
 " How then came the words back to me unless it be 
 that thou hast spoken them, seeing that none other 
 knows the thing save thee V again asked the Khan. 
 
 " I know not," replied the youth, " unless it be that 
 through refraining of myself that I might keep the 
 secret I fell ill, and when all medicaments and offerings 
 of sacrifice failed, there came a Lama who said there 
 was no remedy save that I should unburden that which 
 •oppressed my mind. Then to save my life, and yet 
 not betray the Khan's confidence, I spoke it in the 
 hole of a marmot in the waste, far from the habitations 
 of men." 
 
 Then when the Kian found he was so faithful and 
 discreet he believed his word, and forbore to put him to 
 death. Further he said to him, "Tell me, now, canst 
 thou devise any means by which these asses' ears may
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 211 
 
 be concealed^ so that I may go forth among my sub- 
 jects like other Khans ? " 
 
 "If the Khan would listen to the word of one so 
 humble^ even now a means of concealment is plain to 
 my mind/' replied the youth. 
 
 And the Khan answered him, " Speak, and I will 
 listen to what thou hast to advise." 
 
 The youth therefore spoke, saying, " mighty 
 Khan ! Let now a high-fashioned cap be made to 
 cover thine head, and let there be on either side lappets 
 to the cap, covering the ears. Then shall all men when 
 they see the Khan wearing such a cap deem it beseem- 
 ing to wear such a cap likewise." Thus the youth 
 counselled the Khan. 
 
 And the Khan found the counsel good, and he made 
 him a high-fashioned cap with lappets covering the ears ; 
 and when the ministers of state and the counsellors and 
 nobles saw the Khan wearing such a cap, they made to 
 themselves caps like unto it, and all men wore it, and it 
 was known by the name of " the lappet cap." But no 
 man knew that the king's ears were like to asses' ears. 
 
 Furthermore, the Khan no longer had need to put 
 to death the youths who combed his hair, and all the 
 people rejoiced greatly. But for the youth, even the 
 widow's son, he made him steward over all his house- 
 hold, and whatsoever he did, he did with prudence and 
 judgment, his mother advising him. 
 
 p 2
 
 212 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 " The Klian who put so many youths to death to save 
 his own reputation did not deserve so good a counsel ! " 
 exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him^ the Siddhi- 
 kiir replied, " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips.^' And with the 
 cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he sped 
 him through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XXII. 
 
 Wherefoee the Well-and- wise-walking Khan once more 
 took the way of the cool grove, and, having brought 
 thence the Siddhi-kiir as on the other times, bound in 
 his bag with the cord woven of a hundred threads, as 
 they went along the Siddhi-kiir told him this tale, 
 saying,— 
 
 THE WHITE SERPENT- KING. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived in the east part of India a 
 Khan whose possessions were so large that he had ten 
 thousand cities, and for the administration of the affairs 
 of the same he had not less than thirty ministers. He 
 had also a gold frog that could dance, and a parrot 
 that spoke wisely. A tamer was also appointed to 
 have care of them, and every day this keeper brought 
 them before the Khan to divert him. The frog danced 
 every day a new dance, and the parrot now gave wise 
 answers to the questions he proposed, now sang melo- 
 dious songs with accomplished art. 
 
 One day there came to the court of this King a
 
 214 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 minstrel from a strange land, in whose playing and 
 singing tlie Khan took so great pleasure that he gave 
 him many rich presents, and the man went about 
 saying, " In all his dominions the King has no favourite 
 in whom he takes so great delight as in me who am a 
 stranger ; neither is there any other who knows how to 
 please him as I." When the keeper of the gold frog 
 and the parrot heard him make this boast, he answered 
 him saying, "Nay, much greater pleasure hath the Khan 
 in his gold frog and his parrot, of whom I am keeper." 
 And they strove together. In the end the minstrel 
 said, " To-morrow we will both go up to the Khan 
 together, and while your gold frog dances his most 
 elaborate dance, and your parrot sings his most melo- 
 dious songs, I also will play and sing my sagas to the 
 Khan ; and behold ! to whichever the Khan gives ear 
 while he regards not the other, he shall be accounted 
 to have most pleased the Khan." 
 
 The next day they did even as the minstrel had said, 
 and when the minstrel began to sing the IQian paid no 
 more heed at all to the frog or the parrot, but listened 
 only to the strange minstrePs words. 
 
 Then the tamer who had charge of the frog and the 
 parrot, when he saw that the strange minstrel was pre- 
 ferred, lost heart and came no more before the Kian, 
 but went and let fly the parrot, and threw the gold 
 frog out of a window of the palace. As he threw the 
 gold frog out of the window of the palace a crow was
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 215 
 
 flying by, and seeing the frog thrown out, and that it 
 knew not which way to turn, he caught it in his beak 
 and flew away to a ledge of a rock. As he was about 
 to devour her, the frog said, — 
 
 '^ crow ! if thou art minded to devour me, first 
 wash me in water, and then come and devour me/' 
 
 And the remark pleased the crow, and he said to the 
 frog,— 
 
 " Well spoken, O frog ! What is thy name ?" 
 
 And the frog made answer, — 
 
 " Bagatur-Ssedhiltu ('). That is my name." 
 
 So the crow took her down to wash her in the 
 streamlet which flowed ceaselessly out of a hole in the 
 rock. But the frog had no sooner gained the water 
 than she crept into the hole. The crow called after 
 her, — 
 
 " Bagatur-Ssedl-iltu ! Bagatur-Ssedkiltu, come thou 
 here!" 
 
 But the frog answered him, — 
 
 " I should be foolish indeed if I came of my own 
 account to give up my sweet life to your voracity. The 
 Three Precious Treasures f ) may decide whether I have 
 so little courage and pride as that !" 
 
 So saying, she leapt into a cleft of the rock out of 
 reach of the crow. 
 
 Meantime her former tamer had come up, and began 
 searching about, trying to recover her, having be- 
 thought him he might incur the King's anger in having
 
 216 fAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 let her go. And when he saw her not he began 
 digging up the earth and hewing the rock all round 
 the streamlet. 
 
 When the frog saw him digging up the earth and 
 breaking the rock all round the streamlet, she cried 
 out to him, — 
 
 " Dig not up the source of this spring. The King 
 of the same hath given me charge over it, and I will 
 not that thou lay it bare by digging round it.''^ She 
 said further, " Though now thou art in sorrow and dis- 
 tress, I will presently render thee a gift that shall be a 
 o-ift of wonder. Listen and I will tell thee. I am the 
 daughter of the Serpent-king, reigning over the white 
 mother-o'-pearl shells (■^). One day I went out to see 
 the King's daughter bathe, and she, seeing me, sent 
 and had me fished out of the stream with a mother- 
 o'-pearl pail, and took me with her." 
 
 Meantime, the King began to notice that the parrot 
 and the frog came no more to entertain him, so he sent 
 for the tamer, and inquired what had become of his 
 charges. 
 
 '' The frog is gone her way in the stream," answered 
 the man, " and the parrot must have been taken by a 
 hawk." 
 
 The Khan was wroth at this answer, and ordered 
 that the man should be taken and put to death. 
 
 Then came the first of the thirty ministers to the 
 Khan, saying,—
 
 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 217 
 
 "If we put this man to deatli, no more dancers 
 or singers will come any more to this court/^ 
 
 And the Khan answered, — 
 
 *'Itis well spoken; let him not be put to death." 
 He sent him into banishment, however, with three men 
 to see him over the border of his dominions, and a goat 
 to carry his provisions. But he also had him shod 
 with a pair of shoes made out of stone, forbidding 
 him to return until the stone shoes should be worn 
 through. 
 
 As soon as his guards had left him, the tamer sat 
 down by the side of the stream, and after soaking the 
 stone shoes with water, rubbed them with a piece of 
 rough stone till they were all in holes. Then he 
 came back to his own country, with the goat that had 
 carried his provisions, and made him dig roots out of 
 the earth for him to eat. And he lived upon the 
 roots. 
 
 One day he saw an owl flying by, which held in its 
 mouth a white serpent. The tamer knew him to be a 
 serpent-prince, and to make the owl release him, took 
 off his girdle and held it in his mouth, after the manner 
 in which the owl held the serpent, and, standing over 
 against the owl, he cried out, " The thing held in the 
 mouth burns with fire!" at the same time dropping 
 the girdle from his mouth suddenly, as if it scorched him. 
 
 When the owl had heard his words, she also let the 
 serpent fall out of her beak.
 
 218 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Then tlie tamer took up the serpent^ and put it on a 
 piece of grass near, and covered it with his cap. He 
 had hardly done so, when there came up out of the 
 water a whole train of princes of the serpent-daemons, 
 riding on horses, on to the bank of the stream, where 
 they dispersed themselves, searching about every 
 where for the white serpent, which was a serpent- 
 prince. 
 
 After they had searched long and found nothing, 
 there came up out of the water, riding on a white 
 horse, a white serpent, having on a white mantle and a 
 white crown (^). 
 
 He, seeing the tamer, said to him, — 
 
 "1 am the Serpent-king, reigning over the white 
 mother-o^-pearl shells. I have lost my son. O man ! 
 say if thine eyes have lighted on him/' 
 
 The tamer asked of him, " What was thy son like ?" 
 
 And the Serpent-king answered, — 
 
 " Even a white serpent was my son." 
 
 " If that is so," answered the tamer, " thy son is 
 with me. Even now a mighty Garuda-bird had him in 
 his beak and prepared to devour him. But I, who am 
 a tamer of all living creatures, knew how to entreat 
 him so that he should give the white serpent up to 
 me." 
 
 Then he lifted his cap from off the grass and deli- 
 vered the White Serpent-prince unto the Serpent-king, 
 his father.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 219 
 
 The Serpent-king was full of delight at getting back 
 his son, and called a great feast of all his friends and 
 acquaintance among the serpent-princes to celebrate 
 his joy. And the tamer he took into his palace, and he 
 dwelt with him. 
 
 After a time, however, the man desired to return to 
 his own country, and spoke to the Serpent-king to let 
 him go. Then said the White Serpent-king, who 
 reigned over the white mother-o^ -pearl shells — 
 
 " Behold, as thou hast dealt well with me, I will not 
 let thee go without bestowing somewhat on thee, 
 and telling thee what good fortune shall befall thee. 
 Behold these two times hast thou served me well; 
 and long time have I sought thee to reward thee, for 
 fii'st thou didst release my daughter, the Princess Gold- 
 frog, from servitude, putting her out of the window of 
 the palace, and now thou hast restored my son, even 
 mine only son, to me. Know, therefore, that of thee 
 shall be born four sons, every one of whom shall be a 
 king in Gambudvipa. Nevertheless, seeing it will befall 
 that, ere that time come, thou shalt pass through a 
 season of trial, and be in need, I give unto thee this 
 MirjfilaMschl (^) and this wand. Whensoever thou 
 wantest for food, touch but this MirjalaMscJii with the 
 wand, and immediately every kind of viand shall be 
 spread out before thee.^^ 
 
 Then he brought him up to the edge of the water to 
 let him depart, giving him a brightly painted Mirja'
 
 220 SAGAS FRDM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 laktschi and a mother-o'-pearl wand ; moreover, he gave 
 him a red-coloured dog also. 
 
 Then the White Serpent-king went his way down 
 under the water again to his palace, and the tamer 
 turned him towards his own country, the red-coloured 
 doa: followinsr behind him. 
 
 " Thus was the promise of Princess Goldfrog ful- 
 filled," exclaimed the Khan. 
 
 And as he let these words escape him, the Siddhl- 
 kiir replied, " Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise- 
 walking Khan hath opened his lips." And with the 
 cry, " To escape out of this world is good ! " he sped 
 him through the air, swift out of sight.
 
 TALE XXIII. 
 
 Wherefore the Well-and-wise-walking Khan once 
 more took the way of the cool grove ; and having taken 
 the Siddhi-kiir^ and bound him in his bag^ as at other 
 times, he brought him along to the great Master and 
 Teacher ISTagflrg'una. As they went along by the 
 wavj the Siddhi-kiir told him this tale, of how it fell 
 out with the red-coloured dog, saying, — 
 
 WHAT BECAME OF THE RED-COLOURED DOG. 
 
 When it was evening they went, the tamer and 
 the red-coloured dog together, into a grove to 
 sleep, and by day they journeyed on. One day, when 
 they made their evening halt, the red- coloured dog 
 laid aside her dog's form, and appeared as a beautiful 
 maiden, clothed in shining robes of white, and with a 
 crown of white flowers on her head; and, when the 
 tamer saw her, he loved her. 
 
 Moreover, she said to him, "Me hath the Serpent- 
 king given to thee to be thy wife.'' And he married 
 her, an.d she was his wife. Every morning she put on
 
 222 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 the form of the red-coloured dog again^ and they 
 journeyed on. One mornings however, before she put 
 on the dog form, she went down to bathe in the river, 
 and while she was gone, the man burnt the dog form, 
 saying, " Now must she always remain as a beautiful 
 Vfoman." 
 
 But when she came up from bathing, and found what 
 he had done, she said, with many other moving and 
 sorrowful words, " Now can I no more walk with thee, 
 and share thy wanderings." 
 
 So they remained in that place. 
 
 Again, another day she went down to bathe in the 
 river, and as she bathed some of her hairs falling off, 
 were carried down the stream. 
 
 At a place near the mouth of the stream, a maid 
 belonging to the service of the Khan had gone down 
 to fetch water, and these hairs came out of the water 
 clinging to her water-jar. And as the hairs were 
 wonderful to behold, being adorned with the five colours 
 and the seven precious things ('), she wondered at 
 them, and brought them to the Khan for him to see. 
 
 The Khan had no sooner examined them than he 
 came to this conclusion, saying, — 
 
 " Somewhere along the course of this stream it is 
 evident there must be living a surpassingly beautiful 
 woman. Only to such an one could these hairs 
 belong." 
 
 Then he called the captain of his guard, and bid him
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 223 
 
 take of armed men as many as ever lie would, and by 
 all means to bring unto liim the woman to whom these 
 hairs belonged. Thus he instructed him. 
 
 But the woman had knowledge of what was going 
 forward, and she came weeping to her husband, and 
 showed the thing to him, " And now," she said, " the 
 Khan^s soldiers will surround the place, neither is there 
 any way of escape, nor any that can withstand the 
 orders of the Khan. Hadst thou not burnt the red dog 
 form, then had I had a means of refuge." 
 
 Then the man wept too, and would have persuaded 
 her to escape, but she said, — 
 
 " It skills not, for they would pursue us and overtake 
 us, and put you to death out of revenge. By going 
 at their command without resistance, at least they 
 will save you alive." 
 
 While they were speaking the captain of the Khan's 
 guard came with his men-at-arms, and posted them 
 about the place. Then, while they were taking their 
 measures to completely surround the inclosure that the 
 woman might by no means break through, she said to 
 her husband, — 
 
 " The only remedy that remains is that thou wait 
 quietly for the space of a year, and in the meantime I 
 will arrange a stratagem. Then on the fifteenth day 
 of the month Pushja (^), I will go up on to the edge of 
 a mountain with the Khan. But thou, meantime^ make 
 to thyself a garment of magpie's feathers, then come
 
 224 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 and dance before us, in it ; and I will invent some 
 plan for escaping witli thee." 
 
 Thus she advised liim. And the soldiers came and 
 took her to the Khan ; the husband making no resist- 
 ance, even as she had counselled him. 
 
 Also, he let a year pass according to her word ; but 
 being alone, and in distress for the loss of his wife, he 
 neglected his work and his business, and came to 
 poverty. Then bethought he him of the word of the 
 White Serpent-king, saying, " There shall come a season 
 when thou shalt be in poverty." So he took out his 
 MirjalaJctschi, and touched it with the mother-o^pearl- 
 wand, and it gave him all manner of food, and he lived 
 in abundance. Then he set snares, and caught mag- 
 pies, exceeding many, and made to himself a covering 
 out of their feathers, and practised himself in dancing 
 grotesque dances. 
 
 On the fifteenth day of the month Pushja, the 
 Khaniu arranged to go with the Khan to visit the 
 mountain. On the same day the husband came there 
 also, dressed even as she had directed him, in a costume 
 made of magpie's feathers. Having first attracted the 
 attention of the Khan by his extraordinary appearance, 
 he began dancing and performing ludicrous antics. 
 
 The Khan, who was by this time tired of the songs 
 of the foreign minstrel, nor had found any to replace 
 the gold frog and the parrot, observed him with great 
 attention. But the Khanin seeing how exact and ex-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 225 
 
 pert lier husband was in following out her advice for 
 recovering her, felt quite happy as she had never done 
 before since she was taken from him ; and to encou- 
 rage him to go on dancing she laughed loud and 
 merrily. 
 
 The Khan was astonished, when he saw her laugh 
 thus, and he said, " Although for a whole year past I 
 have devised every variety of means to endeavour to 
 make thee at least bear some appearance of cheerful- 
 ness, it has profited nothing; for thou hast sat and 
 mourned all the day long, nor has any thing had power 
 to divert thee. Yet now that this man, who is more 
 like a monster than a man, has come and made all these 
 ridiculous contortions, at this thou hast laughed ! " 
 
 And she, having fixed in her own mind the part she 
 had to play, continued laughing, as she answered 
 him, — 
 
 " All this year, even as thou sayest, thou hast 
 laboured to make me laugh ; and now that I have 
 laughed, it would seem almost that it pleaseth thee 
 not." 
 
 And the Khan hasted to make answer, " Nay, foi 
 in that thou hast laughed thou hast given me plea- 
 sure ; but in that it was at a diversion which another 
 prepared for thee, and not I, this is what pleased me 
 not. I would that thou hadst laughed at a sport de- 
 vised for thee by me." 
 
 Then answered the Khanin, " Wouldst thou in very
 
 226 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 truth prepare for me a sport at wliicli I would surely 
 laugh?" 
 
 And the Khan hasted to make answer, " That 
 would I in very truth ; thou knowest that there is 
 nothing I would not do to fulfil thy bidding and 
 desire." 
 
 '' If that be so," replied the Khanin. " Know that 
 there is one thing at which I would laugh in right 
 good earnest ; and that is, if it were thou who worest 
 this monstrous costume. That this fellow weareth it is 
 well enough, but we know not how monstrous he may 
 be by nature. But if thou, Khan, who art so comely 
 of form and stature, didst put it on, then would it be a 
 sight to make one laugh indeed." 
 
 And her words pleased the Khan. So he called the 
 man aside into a solitary place that the courtiers and 
 people might not see what he did, and so become a 
 laughing-stock to them. Then he made the man ex- 
 change his costume of magpie's feathers against his 
 royal attire and mantle, and went to dauce before the 
 Khanin, bidding the man take his place by her side. 
 
 No sooner, however, did the Khanin see him thus 
 caue-ht in her snare* than she returned with her own 
 
 o 
 
 husband, habited in the Khan^s royal habiliments, to 
 the palace. She also gave strict charge to her guard, 
 saying,— 
 
 " That juggler who was dancing just now upon the 
 hill, dressed in a fantastic costume of magpie's feathers,
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 227 
 
 has the design ofgiving himself out for being the Khan. 
 Should he make the attempt, set dogs(^) on him and 
 drive him forth out of the country. Of all things, on 
 peril of your hves, suffer him not to enter the palace." 
 
 Scarcely had she made an end of speaking and con- 
 ducted her husband into the palace, when the Khan 
 appeared, still wearing the magpie costume, because 
 the Khanin^s husband had gone off with her, wearing 
 his royal habiliments, and would have made his way to 
 his own apartments ; but the guards seeing him, and 
 recognizing the man in the magpie disguise the Khanin 
 had designated, ordei^ed him out. 
 
 The Khan asserted his khanship, and paid no heed 
 to the guards ; but the more he strove to prove himself 
 the Khan, the more were the guards convinced he was 
 the man the Khanin had ordered them to eject, and 
 they continued barring the way against him and pre- 
 venting his ingress. Then he grew angry and began 
 to strive against them till they, wearied with his resist- 
 ance, called out the dogs and set them on him. 
 
 The dogs, taking him for a monstrous wild bird, 
 eagerly ran towards him, so that he was forced to turn 
 and flee that he might by any means save his life. But 
 the dogs were swifter than he and overtook him, and, 
 springing upon him, tore him in pieces anddevoured him. 
 
 Thus the husband of the Khanin became installed in 
 all his governments and possessions. 
 
 Moreover, that night there were born to the Khan 
 q2
 
 228 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 four sonSj who were every one exceeding great rulers 
 in Gambudvipa, even as the White Serpent-king, reign- 
 ing over the white mother- o' -pearl shells, had foretold. 
 
 The eldest of these four was renowned as the spiri- 
 tual ruler of all India {^) . In one night he translated 
 all the sacred books into a thousand different languages 
 for the use of devas and men, and in one other night he 
 erected a hundred thousand sacred temples all over 
 his dominions. 
 
 The brother next to him was endowed with all kinds 
 of power and strength in his earhest youth, and with 
 every capacity. This Prince was renowned as ruler of 
 the Mongols by the name of Bar in TochedaJctschi 
 ErdeMu (^), for so expert and mighty was he in the 
 use of the bow that if he shot his arrow at four men 
 standing side by side together, every one of them was 
 cei'tain to fall to the earth, transfixed through the 
 centre of the heart. 
 
 The next brother raised up to himself a mighty host of 
 a hundred thousand men by pulling out a single hair of 
 his head, and he led them forth to battle, and was known 
 to the whole earth by the name of Gesser-Khan ("). 
 
 The fourth brother fitted out four cai-avans of mer- 
 chandise all in one day, and sent them forth to the 
 four quarters of heaven. By these means he obtained 
 possession of the All-desu'e-supplying talisman, Tschin- 
 tamani, and was Euler of the Treasm-es of the earth, 
 with the title of Barss-Irhiss ('), Shah of Persia.
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 229 
 
 Conclusion of the Adventures op the Well-axd-wise- 
 WALKING Khan. 
 
 The Well-and-wise-walking Klian listened till tLe 
 Siddhi-kiir had made an end of speaking, but opened 
 never ids lips. Though he heaped up wonders upon 
 wonders as a man heaps up faggots on a funeral pile, 
 yet spake he never a word. 
 
 Therefore the sack remained fast bound with the 
 cord of a hundred threads of different colours, nor could 
 the Siddhi-kiir find means to escape out of the same ; 
 but the Well-and- wise-walking Khan bore him along to 
 his journey's end, even to the feet of his great Master 
 and Teacher Nagarg'una. 
 
 And Nagarg'una took the mighty dead, even him 
 endowed with perfection of capacity and fulness of 
 power, and laid him up in the cool grove on the shining 
 mountain of Southern India, venerated by all men as 
 the Siddhitu-Altan even unto this day. 
 
 By this means also great prosperity crowned the 
 whole land of Gambudvipa. To aU the men thereof 
 were given knowledge and length of days. The laws 
 were obeyed and religion honoured, and happiness had 
 her abode among them.
 
 THE SAGA OF ARDSCHI-BOEDSCHI AND 
 YIKEAMADITJA'S THEONE. 
 
 HISTORICAL NOTICE OF VIKEAMADITJA. 
 
 The name of Vikramaditja is a liouseliold word in the 
 epic mythology of India; and freely it seems to have 
 been adopted by or conferred upon those who emulated 
 the heroic acts of some first great bearer. But as the 
 legendary chroniclers are more occupied with extolling 
 the merits of their favom'ites, than with estabhshing 
 their place in the page of history, it becomes a well- 
 nigh impossible task for the modern investigator to 
 trace out and fix the times and seasons of all those who, 
 either in fact or in fiction, have borne the name, or even 
 to distinguish with certainty how many there have 
 been, still less, what are the peculiar deeds and attri- 
 butes of each. 
 
 A writer (^), who has examined painstakingly into the 
 matter, tells us that the popular mind is only conscious 
 of one Vikramaditja, so that without troubling itself to 
 consider the insufficiency of one hfe to embrace all the 
 aggregate of wonderful works it has to tell of him, it 
 supposes him rather to have had a prolonged or recur-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 231 
 
 ring existence as marvellous in itself as the events of 
 which it is composed. On the other hand^ he found 
 that native writers made out the number variously from 
 four to nine, though he could not find that they deter- 
 mined with precision the existence of more than two. 
 An additional difficulty arises from this, that the very 
 distinctive super-appellations derived from their deeds 
 by heroes bearing the name seem to have passed over 
 to others along with the name itself; as, for instance, 
 Gardahhardjya =■ " donkey-form," given to one of them 
 on account of his being temporarily transformed into a 
 donkey by his father ; the name of Sahjaditja is simi- 
 larly given indiscriminately to others who lived at 
 different periods, though the origin of the word can 
 only be found in an exploit of one of them, who with 
 the aid of Shesa, the serpent-god, destroyed an oppres- 
 sor named Sakja (^) . While the name Vikramaditja 
 itself seems rather a descriptive appellation than a 
 name, being composed of the two Sanskrit words, 
 vikrama and dditja — the sun, or bright exposition of 
 heroic virtue. 
 
 You may form some idea of the uncertainty thus 
 created if you imagine the Roman historians to have 
 been silent, and suppose, that nothing remained to us 
 of the lives of the Emperors, for instance, but certain 
 panegyrics of bards and traditions of the people, eked 
 out by a little scanty assistance from inscriptions and 
 coins, and unsystematic and untrustworthy chronicles.
 
 232 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 You may then conceive^ how with no fixed dates 
 marked out for determining the period of the reign of 
 each^ and no literary criterion to distinguish incongrui- 
 ties^ a fertile imagination^ aiming rather at exciting 
 admiration than conveying information, could run riot 
 with the mass of the acts and adventures, the victories 
 and achievements of the whole number, because the 
 names or titles of " Augustus " and " Caesar " could be 
 applied to many or all. 
 
 There is also the further difficulty that the heroic 
 myths of India have travelled on from tribe to tribe, and 
 from province to province (^), the character of the hero 
 and his exploits incurring many transformations and 
 fresh identifications under the process (*). 
 
 Not to go into the elaborate discussion which the 
 intricate study of the Indian dynasties has called forth, 
 it may suffice in this place to observe that, in the 
 absence of more regular records, the greatest aid we 
 have in arriving at some fixed knowledge of the events 
 of a remote age in India is derived from inscriptions 
 and coins (*). And, as a specimen of the thought and 
 care that has been brought to bear on the matter, to 
 specify the interesting circumstance connected with 
 this particular instance, that the nearest approach to a 
 satisfactory determination of the date of the chief bearer 
 of the name of Yikramaditja that is hkely to be attained 
 has been arrived at from the observation of the influ- 
 ence of Greek art on the execution of certain of the
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 233 
 
 coins (') which have been preserved and collected^ con- 
 necting them with the period succeeding Alexander's 
 invasion. A careful collation of these specimens with 
 the most authentic list of the kings has given tolerable 
 authority for asserting that the date of 57 B.C. may be 
 assumed for the date of the first historic (^) Yikram- 
 aditja^ whose chief honour lies in having overcome and 
 superseded the descendants of the foreign race of rulers 
 who had been in possession of his native country before 
 his time. In pursuing the history of his dynasty, how- 
 ever, the help so far afforded by the coins ceases, and 
 the only written records of him are the collections of 
 popular fables of his deeds. Only one of these collec- 
 tions, and of that the date is unknown, has any pre- 
 tension to rank as history ; and even this is full of 
 wonders and manifest exaggerations. Its author, 
 Ravipati Gurumurti by name, informs the reader, how- 
 ever, that he had brought together and compared many 
 Sanskrit manuscripts, and sifted much oral tradition in 
 its compilation. 
 
 According to this account, Vikramaditja was the son 
 of a Brahman named Kandrasarman, the fom'th son of 
 Vishnusarman, inhabiting a city called Vedanara- 
 janapura, a name not found in any other writer. Dis- 
 satisfied with the ordinary occupations on which he was 
 kept employed by his parents, he ran away from home 
 and after many adventures came to Uggajini, where he 
 married the daughter of Dhvagakirti, the reigning
 
 234 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 sovereign of Malava (^) . His son Vikramaditja was the 
 more celebrated hero, and according to another MS. 
 (quoted in W.Taylor's Examination of the Mackenzie 
 MSS.) the former of these two was not called Vikram- 
 aditja at all, but Govinda. 
 
 Feeling an interior conviction of his great destiny, 
 Vikramaditja (the son) determined on obtaining super- 
 natural aid in fulfilling it ; and, with this view, he 
 devoted himself to prayer and retirement, until he had 
 obtained an apparition of the goddess Kali, the chosen 
 wife of Shiva, who gave him the solemn promise that 
 he should be invulnerable to all enemies with the ex- 
 ception of one who should be supernaturally born ; and 
 that he should rejoice in a happy reign of a thousand 
 years (^). By the shrewd advice of his half-brother 
 Bhatti, whom he made his minister, he contrived to 
 obtain out of this promise double the length of years 
 actually named, for he arranged to reign for only six 
 months at a time, spending six months in contemplation 
 in the jungle, so that it took two thousand years to make 
 up a thousand years' reign ('") . In another account, he is 
 made to reign 949 years ; and, on the other hand, in 
 another (") only a hundred and six years. 
 
 It might have been expected that a people who 
 raised themselves at so remote a period to a com- 
 paratively high degree of civilization, and in other 
 departments of mental exertion distinguished them- 
 selves in so marked a manner, should of all things
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 235 
 
 have possessed a copious historical literature^ but there 
 are other things to take into account which explain 
 why the contrary is the case('"). A German writer {^^) 
 has put the case very summarily. " Their religion/' he 
 says^ " has destroyed all history for the Hindus. They 
 are taught to look on life as a mere passing condition 
 of probation and sorrow^ and its incidents, conse- 
 quently, as unworthy to be recorded." But this is 
 a hardly fair statement, and only true to a certain 
 extent. Benfey(") perhaps reaches nearer the mark 
 when he says, — " The life of man was for them but a 
 small portion of the immense divine life pervading the 
 whole universe. It lay, so to speak, rolled up in a 
 fold of the mantle of the godhead. Viewed thus, his- 
 tory became a theme so vast that the infinitesimal 
 human element of it was lost to view. Theosophies, 
 idealisms, allegories, myths, filled up the place of the 
 record of the doings of mortals.^' Troyer('*) takes nearly 
 the same view, but further calls attention to the in- 
 fluence exercised by the religious teaching concerning 
 re-births and transmigration of souls in working 
 against history becoming a science. Historical cha- 
 racters lost their positive identity, and the effect a 
 man's acts under a previous existence were taught to 
 exercise on his fate diminished the responsibility and 
 merit of, and consequently the interest in, his actions. 
 
 To arrive at a more exact view, however, it is neces- 
 sary to distinguish between the parts which Brahman
 
 236 SAGAS TKOM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 and Buddhist teacliing have respectively to bear in the 
 matter. The Brahmanical castes became subdivided 
 into groups composed of many famihes^ with no 
 common founder^ the preservation of whose name and 
 deeds would have aflForded an instigation to building 
 up the materials of a national history. Only at a com- 
 paratively late period some traditions were kept up of 
 the heads of these groups, but this in such a way as to 
 serve rather to throw back attention on to the past and 
 restrain it from the contemplation and record of con- 
 temporary events. Caste took the place of country, 
 and the interest of the individual was drawn away from 
 national to local interest. 
 
 Next, the history of the gods possessed a much 
 higher importance in their eyes than that of the kings 
 of the earth, while at the same time the humanistic 
 conception of their character rendered the myths con- 
 cerning them of a nature to clash with and supersede 
 the records of earthly notabihties. Their wars and 
 their loves and their undertakings were indeed often 
 superhuman in scale, but they were yet for the most 
 part no more exalted in nature, than the occupations of 
 men. But from this habit of making their divinities 
 actors in gigantic human incidents, their mind grew 
 used to regard the marvellous and unreal as possible 
 and true, and was at no pains to fix any data with 
 exactness. 
 
 Then their contemplative mode of life kept them
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 237 
 
 out of actual contact with what was going on in the 
 world around them. Most Brahmans lived engrossed 
 by the service of the temple, or else occupied with their 
 families or their disciples. Yery few are the examples 
 of their acting as ministers or judges, or taking any 
 part in public life. 
 
 Further, many elements of history may be said to 
 have scarcely existed at all. All changes of manners 
 and customs, all growth of arts and sciences, were im- 
 peded by the appointment of fixed laws, and remained 
 pretty much the same for long periods. 
 
 Again, the subdivision of the country into multi- 
 tudinous governments, and the comparatively short 
 duration of any large union of them under one dynasty 
 — as, for instance, the Maurja or the Gupta — further 
 weakened any tendency to the formation of a national 
 spirit. The best preserved attempts at history are those 
 of Lanka (Ceylon), Orissa, Cashmere, the Dekhan, and 
 other kingdoms or provinces which have all along pre- 
 served their identity. Wliere one country fell under 
 the empire of another its history naturally lapsed in 
 that of the conquering state, or became altogether lost; 
 and as such annexations were mostly effected by 
 violence, it is only to be expected that the conqueror 
 should discourage any thing that would keep up the 
 memory of the rulers he had superseded. The Chro- 
 nicle of Cashmere, called the Raga Taragini, or 
 " Stream of Kings," is perhaps the best written. It
 
 238 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 was compiled by Kalliana Pandita, who livedo however, 
 as late as 1150 of our era^ and is carried down to the 
 year 1125. He appears to have laboured to make it 
 as complete and reliable as the vague and scattered 
 materials at his disposal admitted; yet so little was 
 even he capable of appreciating the value of accuracy, 
 that he ascribes to a reign (removed from his own date 
 by no more remote period than 600 years) a length of 
 300 years. And this is but a small fable by com- 
 parison with others of his statements. This Chronicle 
 possesses the peculiarity of being almost the only work 
 of an historical nature compiled under Brahman in- 
 fluence. 
 
 The only work which has any pretension to univer- 
 sality in its scope is the KarndtaJca Rdgakida. But 
 though it begins with an account of the creation of the 
 world and the incarnations of Vishnu, and narrates the 
 deeds of typical heroes like Pandarva and Vikramaditja, 
 it yet only contains the history of the Dekhan, and is, 
 after all, a modern work edited at the bidding of Eng- 
 lish rulers. The only earlier work of the same character 
 is one professing to give the general history of India 
 from Ashokja to Pratitasena, written in the fourteenth 
 century. This, however, is believed not to have been 
 compiled by a native Indian, and is, at any rate, not 
 the work of a Brahman, though possibly of a Buddhist. 
 
 In the matter of historical compilation we have in 
 general more to thank Buddhism than Brahmanism for.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 239 
 
 The simple Sutra, or colloquies of Sliakjamuni with his 
 disciples^ written in masajja, a poetical prose pleasingly 
 broken into a sort of cadence^ themselves form a kind 
 of history of the country contained in this sort of 
 memoir of its great religionist. The simple Sutra 
 are of two classes. The first class consists of an 
 account of Buddha^s own wanderings and personal 
 dealings both with his disciples and others, and were 
 probably compiled('^) by the first great Sangha, or 
 Synod, within 100 years after his death(^'), though 
 bearing marks in many places of having been recon- 
 structed at a later period. The other class takes notice 
 of events and persons belonging to a subsequent 
 period. Besides these there are the Mdhaj ana- Sutra, 
 a more detailed and developed continuation of the 
 same species of chronicle, but bearing marks of having 
 been compiled at a much more advanced date still, for 
 they introduce ideas which do not belong to the early 
 teaching of Buddhism, but to a very late development. 
 These wi'itings possess great historical importance, 
 but yet are by no means free from the faults of inac- 
 curacy of date and arrangement ; of idealizations of the 
 persons treated of; the introduction of fabulous inci- 
 dents, transmigrations, and such like. The very desire 
 of the Buddhists to make their records more complete 
 and useful than the Brahmans^, often led to additional 
 complications, because it induced all manner of inter- 
 polations — as for instance, whole series of kingly
 
 240 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 personages^ the account of whose lives is not even to 
 be set down to the exaggerations of ill-preserved 
 tradition^ but to pure fabrication of the imagination. 
 
 More reliance on the whole is to be placed on the 
 great epic poems, and, chiefly, the Purdna and Mahd 
 Blidrata. 
 
 The works which we now find extant, with the title 
 of Purdna (ancient) — eighteen in number, — are, how- 
 ever, at best but the reproduction of six older compila- 
 tions, either collected from the recitations of Sntas 
 (bards), or themselves reproductions of still older 
 compilations, which have probably perished for ever. 
 They contain pretty well all that is known concerning 
 the origin, mode of life, heroic deeds, and ways of 
 theological thought, of those Indian nations who 
 acknowledged either Vishnu or Sliiva for their highest 
 god ; and traces are to be distinguished by which the 
 statement of earher and purer belief has been dis- 
 torted or biassed according to the tenets of the later 
 compiler. 
 
 The Mahd Blidrata concerns itself more exclusively 
 with the deeds of the gods and heroes, and is itself 
 often referred to in the Purdnas. Both of them bear 
 witness that it was the frequent custom, on occasions 
 of great gatherings of the people for public sacrifices 
 and popular festivals, and also in the places of retire- 
 ment of religious teachers round whom disciples 
 gathered, that the stories of gods and heroes should
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 241 
 
 be sung or told, and eagerly listened to. Sucli stories 
 were collected into the Malm Bhdrafa by Vjcisa = " the 
 Arranger " (who also occupied himself with the recom- 
 pilation of the Veda)^ son of Satjavati =. "the truthful 
 one,'' daughter to Vasu, king of Magadha. Vasu had 
 conferred great benefits on his subjects, and was held 
 in proportionate honour. His great work was the con- 
 struction of a canal, of which mythology has thus pre- 
 served the memory. The mountain-god, Kolahola, fell 
 in love with the stream-goddess, Shii-ktimati. As she 
 sported past the tower of Kedi, he barred her fm*ther 
 progress by here damming her course with a mountain. 
 Yasu saw her distress, and came to rescue her by 
 striking the mountain with his foot, and thus deliver- 
 ing her from her imprisonment. The goddess in 
 gratitude devoted her twin children to his service. 
 He made her son the leader of his armies, and married 
 her daughter Girika, by whom he also had twins — a 
 son, whom he made king of Matsja ; and a daughter, 
 Satjavati, who, as we have seen, married the father 
 of Vjasa. This was the Eishi Parasara who obtained * 
 for her the name of Gandha, and the corresponding 
 character of "sweet-scented," as heretofore, from the 
 occupation to which she had been devoted by her 
 father of ferrying people across the Jamuna, she had 
 acquired a smell of fish. She is also called, Ganclha- 
 l-ali = "the sweet-scented dark one,'' which latter 
 appellation is explained by the story that she made
 
 242 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Parasara observe that the other Rishis were in the 
 habit of watching her from the other side of the river, 
 on which he constructed a mist to conceal her, or make 
 Iier "dark " to them. Why "the Arranger" of legends 
 should have " the truthful one " ascribed to him for his 
 mother, is easy enough to see. Parasara was reckoned 
 his father because he was the inventor of chronology, 
 which ought to precede any attempt to make chronicles 
 out of traditions. The legend further says that Para- 
 sara made acquaintance with Satjavati while on a 
 pilgrimage, which may be taken as an embodiment of 
 the fact that it was such gatherings which afforded 
 opportunity for collecting Sagas. 
 
 Of somewhat similar nature is the Rdmdjana — a 
 collection of Sagas concerning Rama, sometimes called 
 the brother, and sometimes an incarnation of Vishnu, 
 but also containing stories of other gods, as well as a 
 variety of quasi-religious episodes. While displaying 
 the usual exaggerations common to the Sagas of all 
 nations, these Indian Sagas have one leading peculiarity 
 • in the frequent Avafdra, or incorporation of Vishnu or 
 Rama in the persons of their heroes (^^). 
 
 Lassen (") reckons both the Maha Bharata and the 
 Ramajana to have been compiled about 300 — 50 b.c ; 
 but it is impossible to fix the dates of any of them with 
 absolute certainty. One theory for arriving at it is, 
 that they possess strong inherent evidence of being 
 Brahmanical productions ; and as they contain no
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 243 
 
 allusion to so great an event as tlie establishment of 
 Buddhism, while they yet make allusions to certain pre- 
 dictions of the wane of Brahmanism (seemingly sug- 
 gested by details of the mode of the sudden spread of 
 the teaching of Shakjamuni),it may be inferred that the 
 latest date for their compilation (which in any case 
 must have extended over a prolonged period) would be 
 coeval with the period of the greatest development in 
 Central India of the latter school. 
 
 It is evident, however, that none of these poems are 
 of a nature to supply any sound basis for the historio- 
 grapher. The very lists of the kings that they supply, 
 carry with them inherent evidence of untrustworthiness 
 in the readiness with which recourse is had to the intro- 
 duction of supernatural means for supplying missing 
 links in the fabulous periods of their chronology. 
 
 In the tenth century and later, several Muhammedan 
 writers undertook the history of India ; but they are 
 very untrustworthy. For this place, it may suffice to 
 mention that, by the most important of them, Vikram- , 
 aditja is made out to be a grandson of Porus, and his 
 name transformed into that of Barkamaris (''") . 
 
 I will now give you a specimen of what are con- 
 sidered the purely legendary accounts of Yikramaditja^s 
 origin, and you will see that they are barely more ex- 
 travagant than the historical one I have introduced 
 above (^^) . 
 
 R 2
 
 244 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 In a jungle (^^) situated between tlie rivers Subhra- 
 matt and Malii, in Gurgaramandala_, lived the Rishi 
 Tamralipta, who gave his daughter Tamrasena for a 
 wife to King Sadasvasena. They lived happily, and 
 had a family of six sons, but only one daughter, Madan- 
 rekha. One day, when a servant of theirs named 
 Devasarman was working in the forest, he heard the 
 voice of some invisible being speaking to him, and 
 bidding him go and demand for it the hand of Madan- 
 rekha in marriage. When he hesitated, not daring to 
 ask so great a matter of his master, the voice threatened 
 him with fearful penalties if he failed to obey its behest. 
 As the voice continued day after day to admonish him, 
 he at last begged his master to come and listen to it 
 for himself ; who, recognizing it for that of King Gand- 
 harva, whom Indra had transformed into an ass, he felt 
 constrained to comply, and he accordingly bestowed 
 his daughter on him. Though proud of the alliance of 
 so great a king as Gandharva, Tamrasena was never- 
 theless distressed that her daughter's husband should 
 wear so ungainly an appearance. What was her joy 
 when she one day discovered that, whenever he went 
 to visit her, he left his donkey's form outside the door, 
 and appeared like other men. She was not slow to 
 take advantage of the circumstance by burning the 
 donkey's form : the spell was thus destroyed, and 
 Gandharva delivered from the operation of the curse. 
 After a time they had a son, whom Gandharva desired
 
 SAGAS PEOM THE FAR EAST. 245 
 
 liis wife to call Vikram^ditja, telling her at the same 
 time that her handmaid would also have a son, who was 
 to be called Bhartrihari, and who should devote himself 
 to his service. Having uttered these counsels, he went 
 up to the deva's paradise. Meantime, Madanrekha, 
 having heard that her father designed to kill the infant, 
 delivered it to the care of a gardener's wife, with the 
 charge to conceal it, and then put an end to her own 
 life. The gardener's wife fled with the young prince to 
 Uggajini, where he passed his youth. The incidents 
 of the burning of a form temporarily laid aside, of 
 danger threatening the life of the infant, of a flight 
 from his birthplace, and of a half-brother, in some way 
 inferior to himself, yet devoted to him, pervade, not 
 only both these accounts, but also the more detailed 
 legend which is to follow in the text. 
 
 "While all this uncertainty surrounds the circum- 
 stances of Vikramaditja's birth, his mode of attaining 
 the throne, and the extent and even the locality of his 
 dominions, are narrated with equal diversity; while, 
 though an important era still in use is dated from him, 
 extending from 57 B.C. to 319 a.c. when commences 
 the Ballabhi-Gupta dynasty, the particular event by 
 which he deserved so distinguished a commemoration 
 has been by no means determined with certainty (^^). 
 
 In a version of his story called Vikramakaritra, it 
 is said simply, that King Prasena of Uggajini dying 
 without heirs, Vikramaditja was chosen king ('^). Ac-
 
 246 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 cording to another^ the last king of tlie Greco-Indian 
 dynasty abdicated in his favour out of disgust with life 
 after the death of his wife. According to the legends 
 a Vetdlai^^) obtained possession of the throne and 
 every night strangled the king^ who had been raised 
 to it in the course of the day by the ministers^ until 
 Vikramaditja undertook to maintain himself in power, 
 and succeeded in propitiating the Vetdla. It is easy 
 to read under cover of this imagery the original fact 
 of a hero dehvering his people from an oppressor. 
 
 What people or country it was that Vikramaditja 
 delivered is difficult to decide, as he is named in the 
 sagas of many nations as belonging to each(^^). We 
 have already seen him seated king in the capital of 
 Malwa. The more legendary accounts ascribe to him 
 the widest range of dominion. In the Ganamegaja- 
 Eagavansavali('^) we find him in possession of Bengal, 
 Hindostan, the Dehkan, and Western India; and in 
 the Bhoga]prabandha{^^) he is reckoned conqueror of the 
 whole of India; while in the Bhavishja-Purana(^') it is 
 told that he had 800 kings tributaries under him, 
 though whether the list could be authentically made 
 out is more than questionable. What can be proved 
 with some certainty is, that he reigned over Malwa, 
 Cashmere, and Orissa, from which it may perhaps be 
 inferred that he was also master of the intervening 
 country — namely, the Punjaub and the eastern portion 
 of Rajputana(^'') .
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 247 
 
 Besides his. glories as a warrior and deliverer of his 
 country, the honour is also ascribed to him of being the 
 patron of science and art. There is reason to think he 
 promoted the study of architecture, though no monu- 
 ments actually remain which can with certainty be 
 ascribed to his reign. He attracted to his court the 
 most distinguished poets and learned men of his epoch, 
 and an obscure poem concerning nine jewels said to 
 have adorned his throne is generally understood to 
 represent the votaries of a certain cycle of the arts and 
 sciences whom he had under his protection. It is true 
 some of those he is said to have protected are found to 
 have actually lived at a subsequent period ; but this is 
 only one of the chronological inaccuracies to which I 
 have already adverted as so common — the fact remains 
 that he did actually promote the pursuit of letters, not 
 only on the testimony of these exaggerated accounts, 
 but also in the improvement which may be observed 
 from his time forward in the condition of public muni- 
 ments. One of the most fantastic stories about him, in 
 which (^') Indra defers to him to decide between the 
 respective claims to perfection in dancing of two 
 apsarasas, or nymphs, shows at least that he was con- 
 sidered an authority in matters of taste. The oldest 
 Sanskrit dictionary extant is reckoned the work of 
 Amarasinha, or Amaradeva, his minister, and one of the 
 six of the above-named nine jewels who are believed to 
 have had an historical existence i^') ; in this dictionary
 
 248 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 the Ram and tlie Bull of the Zodiac are mentioned in 
 such a way that it may be inferred he was familiar with 
 the present nomenclature of the twelve signs^ giving 
 support to the theory that the Greeks received that 
 terminology from the Chaldees, and did not originate 
 itj as was long supposed(^'). An inscription found at 
 Buddlia-Gaja^ and copied by Wilmot in the year 1783, 
 is preserved in As, Res. i. 284, though the original 
 stone has since been lost, in which a curious legend is 
 told of him, showing that as early as a.d. 948 (fixed by 
 experts for the date of the inscription) an undisputed 
 tradition taught that the oldest Sanskrit dictionary was 
 written by one of the nine jewels of Vikramaditja's 
 throne. This legend says, "This Amaradeva, one of 
 the nine jewels of Vikramaditja's throne, and his first 
 minister, was a man of great talent and learning. 
 Once, when on a journey, this famous man found in the 
 uninhabited forest the place where Vishnu was incar- 
 nate in the person of Buddha. Here, therefore, he 
 determined to remain in prayer till Buddha should 
 show himself to him. At the end of twelve years of 
 austerities he heard a voice calling to him and asking 
 what he desired. On his reply that he desired the god 
 should appear to him, he was told that in the then 
 desrenerate condition of the world such a favour was 
 impossible ; but that he might set up an image of him, 
 which would answer the same purpose as an apparition. 
 In consequence of this communication he erected a
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 249 
 
 stately temple, which he furnished with images of 
 Vishnu and his avatars, or incarnations. Panda va, 
 Brahma, Buddha, and the rest. 
 
 One of the earliest dramatists of India, Kalidasa, 
 many of whose plays possess great literary merit, — 
 though some ascribed to him are manifestly by 
 inferior hands, — may have been, it is thought, one of 
 those who wrote under Vikramaditja^s protection. 
 In a play called Maghaditta, he describes his capital 
 of Uggajini with an enthusiasm which suggests it was 
 his own favourite place of residence. His plays con- 
 tain valuable pictm'es of the manners of the times. And 
 from these, among other details, it appears it was not 
 only considered an indispensable qualification of a well- 
 bred man, that he should be conversant with the great 
 heroic poems, but that they were commonly in the 
 mouth of the people also. Other details imply the 
 attainment of a degree of civilization and refinement, 
 which it would probably surprise most of us to find 
 existing at this date. His two most meritorious pieces 
 are entitled Ahhignana-SJiukuntald (" The finding of 
 Shukuntala^^), and Vikramorvashi-JJrvashi ("Urvashi 
 won by Heroism." We have also three hundred short 
 poems by Vikramaditja's brother or by some courtier 
 poet who gave him the honour of the composition ; 
 these poems display unusual powers of description and 
 delicacy of sentiment. The first shataha, or hundred 
 poems, is entitled shringara, containing love-songs ;
 
 250 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 the second^ niti, on the government of the world ; and 
 the third, vairdgja, the suppression of human passions. 
 It is probable that the writer of a justly celebrated 
 drama named Mrikkliakatika, whose name has been 
 merged in that of King Shudraka, King of Bidisha 
 (now Bhilsa), his patron to whose pen he modestly 
 ascribed his work, lived also not long after this time. 
 
 The length of Vikramaditja^s reign is as difficult to 
 fix as any other circumstance of his history, and it is 
 not clear whether the aera which dates from him was 
 originally reckoned from the commencement or the end 
 of his reign ; we have already seen the duration which 
 fable ascribes to it ; to this may be added the further 
 fabled promise which, it is told, the great gods Vishnu 
 and Shiva made concerning him, that he should come 
 back to earth in the latter times to deliver his people 
 from the oppression of the Mussulman invaders, just as 
 the Mongols expect Ghengis Khan and Timour('*), and 
 just as in Europe similar promises of a future return as 
 a deliverer linger round the memories of King Arthur, 
 Charlemagne, and Frederick Barbarossa. 
 
 The legend of the Wisdom of Vikramaditja being so 
 mysteriously connected with his throne, that whosoever 
 sat on it was endowed with some measure of his excel- 
 lences ; and that the figures with which it was adorned 
 guarded it from the approach of the unworthy, is 
 brought forward in the story of more than one Indian 
 sovereign. TravelHng in the wake of Buddhist litera-
 
 SAGAS PEOM THE FAK EAST. 251 
 
 ture, the myth came to the far East^ where Mongolian 
 bards have worked out of it a saga connected with 
 one of their own rulers {^^), with such variations in the 
 treatment as might be expected at their hands.
 
 THE SAGA OF AEDSCHI-BORDSCHI AND 
 VIKRAMADITJA'S THRONE. 
 
 THE BOY-KING. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived a miglity king called 
 Ardscld-Bordsclii (^). 
 
 In the neighbourhood of his residence was a hill 
 where the boys who were tending the calves were wont 
 to pass away the time by racing up and down. But 
 they had also another custom^ and it was^ that which- 
 ever of them won the race was king for the day — an 
 ordinary game enough^ only that when it was played in 
 this place the Boy-king thus constituted was at once 
 endowed with such extraordinary importance and 
 majesty that every one was constrained to treat him 
 as a real king. He had not only ministers and digni- 
 taries among his playfellows^ who prostrated themselves 
 before him and fulfilled all his behests, but whoever 
 passed that way could not choose but pay him homage 
 also. 
 
 At last the report of the matter filled all the land, 
 and came also to the ears of the King himself.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 253 
 
 Ardschi-Bordsclii had the whole matter exposed 
 before him, and he inquired into all the manners and 
 ways of the boys ; then he said, — 
 
 " If this thing happened every day to one and the 
 same boy, then would I acknowledge in him a Bod- 
 hisattva (^) ; but as every day a different boy may win 
 the race, and it would seem that whichever of them is 
 called king is clothed with equal majesty, it appears 
 manifestly to me that the virtue is not in the boy, but 
 in the hill of which he makes his throne." 
 
 Nevertheless the matter troubled the King, and he 
 desired above all things to obtain some certain know- 
 ledge concerning it, not seeing how to search it out. 
 
 THE FALSE FRIEND (') 
 
 In the meantime, it had come to pass that one of 
 Ardschi-Bordschi's subjects had gone out over the sea 
 to search for precious stones. Being detained on his 
 journey beyond the allotted time, he was desirous of 
 making provision for his wife and children whom he 
 had left behind, and, finding that a friend of his com- 
 pany purposed to return home, he trusted to him one 
 of the jewels of which he had become possessed, saying, 
 "When thou comest to the place, deliver this jewel 
 into the hands of my wife, that she may be provided 
 withal until the time of my return. The man, however, 
 sold the jewel and spent tlie proceeds on his own pur-
 
 254 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 poses. "V^Hien^ therefore^ the jewel-mercliant came 
 home, he inquired of his wife, saying, "By a man 
 named Dsiik I sent unto you a jewel so-and-so;" and 
 when he learnt of his wife that the man had brought 
 no jewel, he took the matter before the King. Tlie 
 King commanded the man called Dsiik to be brought 
 before him. But the man having got wind that he 
 would have to appear before the King to be judged for 
 the matter, he gave presents to two chief men of the 
 court, and agreed with them, saying, "You will stand 
 witness for me that in presence of you two I delivered 
 the jewel to the man's wife (")." 
 
 When, therefore, they were all before the King, the 
 King spoke to the man named Dsiik, saying, " Did you, 
 or did you not, give the jewel to the man's wife?" 
 And he boldly made answer, " In presence of these two 
 witnesses I delivered the jewel to her;" while the two 
 great men of the court stood forward and deposed, they 
 also, " Yea, King ! even in our presence he delivered 
 over the jewel." 
 
 As the King could not gainsay the word of the wit- 
 nesses, he decided the case according to their testi- 
 mony, and the man named Dsiik was released and went 
 away to his home rejoicing at having been so successful 
 in his stratagem to deceive the King, and the two 
 great men of the court and the jewel-merchant went 
 down every one to his home. 
 
 It so happened, however, that their way home lay
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 255 
 
 past the hill where the Boy-king sat enthroned. Now 
 as they passed by, the four together, the Boy-king 
 sent and called them into his presence, nor could they 
 fail of compliance with his word. 
 
 When they had paid him their obeisance, bowing 
 themselves many times before him, the Boy-king, 
 rising in his majesty, thus spoke, — 
 
 " The decision of your King is hasty, and can never 
 stand. I will judge your cause. Do you promise to 
 abide by my decision ? '^ 
 
 But the majesty of the Boy-king was upon him, and 
 they could not choose but accept. 
 
 The Boy-king therefore set the four men apart in 
 four several places, and to each one of them he gave a 
 lump of clay, saying, '^ Fashion this lump of clay like 
 to the form of the jewel which was sent." 
 
 When they had all finished the task, it was found 
 that the model of the man who sent the jewel and that 
 of the man who was the bearer of it were alike ; but 
 the two great men of the court, who had never seen 
 the jewel, were thrown into great embarrassment by 
 this means, and their models were neither like those of 
 the sender and bearer, nor were they like each other^s. 
 
 When the Boy-king saw this he thus pronounced 
 judgment : — 
 
 " Because both these men saw and knew the jewel, 
 they could make its image in clay ; but it is manifest 
 the two witnesses have never seen the jewel, but have
 
 256 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 made up their minds to deceive tlie King by false tes- 
 timony. Such conduct is most unworthy of all in 
 great men of the King^s court." 
 
 Then he ordered the two false witnesses and the 
 man named Dsiik to be secured and taken to the King, 
 all three confessing their crime ; and he sent with them 
 this declaration, written in due form of law : — 
 
 '' According to the principles of earthly might and 
 the sacred maxims of religion hast thou not decided. 
 
 Ardschi-Bordschi ! thus should not an upright and 
 noble ruler deal. Unless it is given thee to discern 
 good from evil, truth from falsehood, it were better 
 thou shouldst lay aside thy kingly dignity. But 
 if thou desirest to remain king, then judge nothing 
 without duly investigating the matter, even as I." 
 
 With such a letter the Boy-king sent the prisoners 
 to Ardschi-Bordschi. 
 
 When the King read the letter, he exclaimed, " What 
 manner of boy is this who writes thus to the King ? 
 He must be a being highly endowed v/ith wisdom. If 
 it was the same boy who appeared every day so gifted, 
 
 1 should hold him to be a Bodhisattva, or indeed a very 
 Buddha ; but as on different days different boys attain 
 to the same sagacity, the source must remain one and 
 the same for all. Shall it not be that in the founda- 
 tions of their hill or mound is some Gtu2)a{^), where 
 Buddhas or Bodhisattvas have propounded sacred 
 teaching to men ? Or shall it be that there lies hidden
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 257 
 
 therein some jewel (''), gifted to impart wisdom to 
 mortals ? In some such way, of a certainty, the spot 
 is endowed with singular gifts." 
 
 Thus he spoke, and concluded the affair of the jewel 
 in accordance with the Boy-king's judgment, deliver- 
 ing the two witnesses over to punishment, and con- 
 demning the man named Dsiik to pay double the value 
 of the jewel to the merchant whom he had defrauded. 
 
 THE PRETENDED SON. 
 
 King Ardschi-Bordschi's minister had one only son. 
 This son went out to the wars, and returned home 
 again after two years' absence. Just while the minister 
 was engaged with preparations for a festival of joy to 
 celebrate the return of his son, there appeared before 
 him suddenly another son in all respects exactly like 
 his own. In form, colour, and gait there was no sort of 
 difference to be discerned between them. Moreover, 
 the horses they rode, their clothing, their quivers, their 
 mode of speech, were so perfectly similar that none of 
 the minister's friends, nor the very mother of the 
 young man, nor yet his wife herself, could take upon 
 them to decide which of the two was his very son. 
 
 It was not very long before there was open feud in 
 the house between the two j both youths declaring with 
 equal energy and determination, " These are my parents^ 
 
 s
 
 258 SAGAS FEOM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 my wife, my children. . . ." Finding tlie case quite 
 beyond his own capacity to decide the minister brought 
 the whole before the King. As the King found him- 
 self similarly embarrassed he sent and called all the 
 relations ; and to the mother he said, " Which of these 
 two is your son?" and to the wife, "Which of these 
 two is your husband?" and to the children, "Which 
 of these two is your father ?" But they all answered 
 with one consent, " We are not in a condition to decide, 
 for no man can tell which is which." 
 
 Then King Ardschi-Bordschi thought within himself, 
 " How shall I do to bring this matter to an end ? It 
 is clear not even the man^s nearest relations can tell 
 which of these two is the right man ; how then can I, 
 who never saw either of them before ? Yet if I let 
 them go without deciding the matter, the Boy-king 
 will send and tell me I am not gifted to discern the 
 true from the false, and counsel me before all the people 
 to lay aside my kingly dignity. Now then, therefore, 
 let us prove the matter even as the Boy -king would have 
 it proved. We will call the men hither before us, and 
 will examine them concerning their family and an- 
 cestors ; he that is really the man's son will know the 
 names of his generations, but he that merely pretendeth, 
 shall he not be a stranger to these things?" So he 
 sent and called the men before him again separately 
 and inquired of them, saying, " Tell me now the names 
 of thy father, and grandfather, and great-grandfather
 
 SAGAS PROM THE PAR EAST. 259 
 
 up to tlie earliest times, so shall I distinguisli which of 
 you is really this man's son." But the one of them 
 who had come the last from the wars, was no man but 
 a Schimnu ', who had taken the son's form to deceive his 
 parents, he by his demoniacal knowledge could answer 
 all these things so that the very father was astonished 
 to hear him, while the real son could go no farther 
 back than to give the name of his grandfather. 
 
 When Ardschi-Bordschi therefore found how much 
 the Schimnu exceeded the real son in knowledge of his 
 family, he pronounced that he was the rightful son, 
 and the wife and parents and friends and all the 
 people praised the sagacity of the king in settling the 
 matter. 
 
 Thus the Schimnu was taken home with joy in the 
 midst of the gathering of the family, and the real son 
 not knowing whither to betake himself, followed afar 
 off, mourning as he went. 
 
 It so happened that their homeward way lay past the 
 mound, where the Boy-king sat enthroned, who, hear- 
 ing the feet of many people, and the voice of the 
 minister's son wailing behind, called them all unto him, 
 nor could they fail of compliance with the word of the 
 Boy-king in his majesty. 
 
 When they had paid him their obeisance, bowing 
 themselves many times before him, the Boy-king, 
 rising in his majesty, thus spoke : — 
 
 " The decision of your King is hasty, and can never 
 s 2
 
 260 SAGAS feo:ji the fae east, 
 
 stand. I will judge your cause. Do you promise to 
 abide by my decision ? " 
 
 Then they could not choose but accept ; and he made 
 them state their whole case before him, and explain 
 how Ardschi-Bordschi had decided, which when he had 
 heard, he said, — 
 
 " I will set you the proof of whether of you two is 
 the rightful son; let there be brought me hither a 
 water-jug." And one of the boys who stood in waiting 
 that day upon the Boy-king^s throne, ran and fetched 
 a water-jug, holding in measure about a pint. 
 
 When he had brought it, the Boy-king ordered him 
 to place it before the throne ; then said he, " Let me 
 see now whether of you tw^o can enter into this water- 
 jug ; then shall we know which is the rightful son." 
 
 Then the rightful son turned away sorrowful and 
 mourned more than befoi'e, "For," said he, "how 
 should I ever tind place for so much as my foot in this 
 water-jug?" 
 
 But the Scliimnv, by his demoniacal power easily 
 transformed himself, and entered the jug. 
 
 The Boy-king, therefore, no sooner saw him enclosed 
 in the water-jug, than he bound him fast within it by 
 sealing the mouth with the diamond-seal, which he 
 might not pass (^), undismayed by the appalling howling 
 with which the Schimnu rent the air, at finding himself 
 tims taken captive. 
 
 Thus bound he sent him back to Ardschi-Bord-
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 261 
 
 sclii, togetlier witli all the family concerned in the case, 
 and with them this declaration written in due form 
 uf law : — 
 
 " According to the principles of earthly might, and 
 the sacred maxims of religion hast thou not decided, 
 O Ardschi-Bordschi ! Thus should not an upright and 
 noble ruler deal. The wife and children of thine own 
 subject hast thou given over to the power of a wicked 
 Schimnu; and sent the rightful and innocent away 
 lamenting. Unless it is given thee to discern good 
 from evil, truth from falsehood, it were better thou 
 shouldst lay aside thy kingly dignity. But if thou 
 desirest to remain king, then judge nothing without 
 duly investigating the matter even as I," 
 
 With such a letter the Boy-king sent the men back 
 to Ardschi-Bordschi. 
 
 When the King read the letter, he exclaimed, 
 " What manner of boy is this, who writes thus to the 
 King ? He must be a being highly endowed with 
 wisdom. If it was the same boy who appeared every 
 day so gifted, I should hold him to be a Bodhisattva 
 or indeed a very Buddha; but as on different days 
 different boys attain to the same sagacity, the source 
 must remain one and the same for all. Shall it not be 
 that on the foundations of this hill or mound is a shipa, 
 where Buddhas or Bod Jiisattv as have propounded sacred 
 teaching to men. Or shall it be that there lies hidden 
 therein some treasure gifted to impart wisdom to mor-
 
 262 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 tals ? In some way of a certainty the spot is endowed 
 with singular gifts/' 
 
 Thus he spoke ; and concluded the affair of the two 
 sons in accordance with the Boy-king's judgment, 
 giving over the rightful one to his family, and deliver- 
 ing the Schimnu to be burned. 
 
 iKDSCHI-BORDSCHI DISCOVERS VIKRAMADITJA's THRONE. 
 
 Ardschi-Bordschi could not rest, because of this 
 matter of the Boy-king. "For," said he, "if there is 
 in my dominions a stupa where so great wisdom is to 
 he acquired, is it not to the King that it should belong, 
 that he may rule the people with sagacity ? Let Us at 
 least see this thing, and perhaps We may discover what 
 is the source of the prodigy." 
 
 Very early in the morning, therefore, he arose, and 
 calling all his ministers, and counsellors, and all the 
 great men of his court to him, he went forth to the 
 mound, and there he found all even as it had been told 
 him. There were the boys tending the calves; and 
 when they had leisure to play, they all ran a race over 
 the hill, and he who won the race was installed kmg 
 on top of the mound, the other boys paying him 
 homage, and making obeisance to him as to a real 
 king. 
 
 Then the most mighty king, even Ardschi-Bordschi
 
 SAGAS from: the par east. 263 
 
 himself, propounded the question to the Boy -king, say- 
 ing, " Tell us whence is it that thou, who art only a 
 boy and a herd of the calves, hast this wisdom, sur- 
 passing the wisdom of the King. The wisdom by which it 
 is given thee to discern between right and wrong, truth 
 and falsehood, shall it not also tell thee what is the 
 source of this jDrodigy V 
 
 Then the Boy-king, rising in his majesty, made 
 answer, — 
 
 " Let the King cause labourers to be fetched, and let 
 them dig under this mound, from the time of the rismg 
 of the sun even until the setting thereof again ; thus 
 shall it be found whence ariseth the prodigy.''^ 
 
 With these words the Boy-king came down from the 
 mound, and Ardschi-Bordschi caused labourers to be 
 fetched, and they began digging at the mound as the 
 sun rose above the mountains, and ceased not till the 
 setting thereof again; but then they came upon a 
 throne of gold, all dazzling with brightness, and by its 
 light (') they went on working through the night, till 
 the whole was delivered from its covering of earth. So 
 great was its splendour when the morning sun rose 
 upon it again, that all beholders were struck with awe, 
 and the people prostrated themselves before it. 
 
 Ai'dschi-Bordschi was filled with surpassing joy when 
 he saw it, for now he saw he had attained the desired 
 seat of wisdom, by means of which he should rule his 
 people aright (").
 
 264 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Heading a procession of all that was great and noble 
 in his realm, he had the throne brought, amid many 
 ceremonies, to his own residence. Then having called 
 the wise men of the kingdom, and inquired of them a 
 lucky day, he summoned a great gathering of all his 
 subjects, to attend his mounting of this throne of 
 prodigy, amid singing, and offering of incense, and 
 sounding of trumpet-shells (^) . 
 
 The throne, which had been set up in his dwelling, 
 meantime, was all of pure and shining gold. The foun- 
 dation of it rested on four terrible lions of gold ; and 
 it was reached by sixteen steps of precious stones, on 
 every one of which were two figures of cunning work- 
 manship — the one a warrior, the other a Suta (*) — sculp- 
 tured in wood, standing to guard the approach thereof. 
 No such beautiful work had ever before been seen in all 
 the dominions of Ardschi-Bordschi. 
 
 When therefore the ministers and people were all 
 arranged in order of rank, and a great silence had 
 been proclaimed on the shell-trumpets, the King, 
 habited in raiment of state, proceeded to mount the 
 throne. 
 
 Ere he had set foot on the lowest step, however, the 
 two figures of sculptured wood that stood upon it, 
 abandoning their guardant attitude, suddenly came 
 forward, and placed themselves before him, as in de- 
 fiance — the warrior striking him in the breast, while 
 the Suta addressed him thus : —
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 265 
 
 " Surely^ Ai-dschi-Bordsclii ! it is not in earnest 
 that thou art minded to ascend the steps of this sacred 
 throne?" And all the thirty-two sculptured figures 
 answered together, — 
 
 " Halt ! Ardschi-Bordschi ! " 
 
 But the 8uta proceeded, — 
 
 " Knowest thou not, O Ardschi-Bordschi, that this 
 throne in the days of old was the seat of the god Chur- 
 musta, and that after him it was given to none to set 
 upon it, till Vikramaditja rose. Wherefore, Ardschi- 
 Bordschi, approach not to occupy it. Unless thou also 
 art prepared to devote thy days, not to thine own 
 pleasure, but to the service of the six classes of living 
 beings ('), renounce the attempt to set foot on it." 
 And all the thirty-two sculptured figures answered 
 together, — 
 
 " Halt ! Ardschi-Bordschi !" 
 
 But the Silta proceeded, — 
 
 " Ai't thou such a king as the great Vikramaditja ? 
 then come and sit upon his throne ; but if not, then de- 
 sist from the attempt." And all the thirty-two sculp- 
 tured figures answered together, — 
 
 " Halt ! O Ardschi-Bordschi ! " 
 
 When they cried the third time, " Halt ! O Ardschi- 
 Bordschi ! " the King himself, and all who stood there 
 with him, fell on their faces before the throne, and 
 worshipped it. 
 
 Then spoke another SiUa, —
 
 266 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 " Listen, Ardschi-Bordsclii, and all ye people give 
 ear, and I will tell you out of the days of old what 
 manner of king was the hero Vikramaditja." 
 
 the s<^ta tells ardschi-bordschi concerning vikram- 
 aditja's birth. 
 
 Long ages ago there lived a King named Gandharva. 
 To him was wedded Udsesskiilengtu-Goa-Chatun (^), 
 the all-charming daughter of the mighty king Galin- 
 dari. 
 
 Gandliarva was a noble King, and ruled the world 
 with justice and piety. Nevertheless Gandharva had 
 no heir, though he prayed continually to Buddha that 
 he might have a son. And as he thus prayed and 
 mourned continually, Udsesskiilengtu-Goa came to him 
 one day, and said, " My lord, since thou art thus grieved 
 at heart because no heir is given to us, take now unto 
 thee another wife, even a wife from among thy people, 
 and perhaps so shalt thou be blessed with succession to 
 the throne." And her words pleased the King, and he 
 chose a wife of low degree, and married her, and in due 
 time she bore him a son. 
 
 But when Udsesskiilengtu-Goa, the all-charming one, 
 saw that the heart of the King was taken from her, and 
 given to the wife of low degree, because she had borne 
 him a son, while she was less favoured by heaven, she
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 267 
 
 was grieved in spirit, and said witliin herself, "Wliat 
 shall I do now that the heart of my lord is taken from 
 me ? Was it not by my father's aid that he attained 
 the throne ? And was it not even by my advice that 
 he took this wife who has borne him a son ? And yet 
 his heart is taken from me." Nevertheless she complained 
 not to him, but mourned by herself apart. 
 
 Then one of her maidens, when she saw her thus 
 mourning apart, came to her, and said, " Is there not 
 living by the half j a (^), on the other side of the moun- 
 tain, a lama, possessed of prodigious powers ? Who 
 shall say but that he might find a remedy for the grief 
 of the Khan's wife." And Udsesskiilengtu-Goa lis- 
 tened to the maiden's words, and leaving off from 
 mourning, she rose, and called to her four of the 
 maid,ens, and prepared her to make the journey to 
 visit the holy man at the l-aitja, on the other side the 
 mountain, taking with her good provision of tea {^) 
 and other things needful for the journey. 
 
 Arrived at the hiifja, she made the usual obeisance, 
 and would have opened her suit ; but the hermit was 
 at that moment sunk in his meditations, and paid her 
 no heed until she had three times changed (*) her place 
 of kneeling. Then he said, " Exalted Queen ! what 
 grief or what necessity brings thee hither to this lau'fja 
 thus devoutly ? " And when she had told him all her 
 story, he replied, — 
 
 " Mayst thou be blessed with succession to the throne
 
 268 SAGAS FEOM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 and witli many children to gladden thee." At the 
 same time he gave her a handful of earth, bidding her 
 boil it in oil — sesame oil(^) — in a porcelain vessel, and 
 eat it all up. 
 
 The Queen returned home, and, believing in the 
 promise of the hermit, she boiled the earth in sesame 
 oil in a new porcelain vessel, when behold it was 
 changed into barley porridge ; but she neglected to 
 eat up the whole of it. Some time after the maiden 
 who had counselled the visit to the hermit, seeing that 
 some of the porridge still remained in the porcelain 
 vessel, she also ate of it, saying, "Who knows what 
 blessing it may bring to me also ? " 
 
 Many months had not passed when all manner of 
 propitious tokens appeared upon the land. Showers of 
 brilliant blossoms fell in place of rain from heaven, the 
 melodious voice of the kalavinJca{^) made itself heard, 
 and delicious perfumes filled the air. In the midst of 
 this rejoicing of nature the Queen bore the King a son. 
 
 The gladness of the King knew no bounds that now 
 he had an heir to the throne who was born of a prin- 
 cess and not of a wife of low degree, and he ordered 
 public rejoicings throughout the whole kingdom. Fur- 
 ther, in his joy he sent an expedition, with the younger 
 wife at its head, and many great men of state, to go 
 to the lama of the Icaitja, on the other side of the 
 mountain, and learn what should be the fate of the 
 child.
 
 SAGAS FJROM IHE FAR EAST. 269 
 
 When tliey came to him he was again sunk in his 
 meditations ; but when they had opened their matter to 
 him, almost without looking up, he replied, — 
 
 " Tell the King your master that there be got ready 
 for the child against he grow up fifteen thousand 
 wao:o:on-loads of salt, for that will be but small com- 
 pared with what will be required for the use of his 
 kitchen/^ 
 
 With such a message the expedition returned to the 
 King. 
 
 When Gandharva heard the prognostics of the her- 
 mit, he was struck with astonishment, and with in- 
 dignation against the child, not understanding the 
 intention of the words. Then he called together the 
 people and announced the thing to them, adding these 
 words, " Of a truth the child must be a hundredfold 
 a schimmi; how could a man use fifteen thousand 
 waggon-loads of salt for the seasoning of his food ? It 
 is not good for such an one to live. Let him be taken 
 forth and slain ! " 
 
 But his ministers interceded with him and said, 
 '' Nay, shall the son of the King and the heir to his 
 royal throne be slain ? Shall we not rather take him 
 to some solitary place and leave him to his fate in a 
 thick wood ?" 
 
 And the King found their words good ; so two of his 
 ministers took the child a long way off to a solitary 
 place^ and left him exposed in a thick wood. But as
 
 270 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 tliey turned to go away^ and one of them yet lingered, 
 the child called after him, saying, — 
 
 " Wait a little space, sir minister ; I have a word to 
 say to you ! " 
 
 And the minister stood still in great astonishment. 
 But the child said, " Bear these words faithfully unto 
 the King : — 
 
 *' It is said that when the young of the peacock are 
 first fledged their feathers are all of one blue colour, 
 but afterwards, as they iacrease in proportions, their 
 plumage assumes the splendid hues admired by men. 
 Even so when a King's son is born. For a while he 
 remains under the tutelage of his parents ; but if, when 
 he has come to man's estate, he would be a great king, 
 worthy to be called king of the four parts of the 
 universe ('), it will behove him to call together the 
 princes of the four parts of the universe to a great 
 assemblage and prepare for them a sacred festival (^), 
 at which such may be their number who may come 
 together to honour it, that fifteen thousand waggon- 
 loads of salt may even fall short of what is required ! 
 
 " So the parrots, when they first break through their 
 egg-shell, appear very much Hke any other birds, but 
 when they are full grown they learn the speech of man 
 and grow in sagacity and wisdom (^). Even so when a 
 King's son is born. For a while he remains under the 
 tutelage of his parents ; but when he comes to man's 
 estate, if he would be a mighty king, worthy of being
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 271 
 
 called king of tlie four parts of the universe^ it will 
 beliove him to call together all kings and devas 
 and princes of the earth, with all the countless Bod- 
 hisattvas, and all the priests of religion, and prepare 
 for them a great religious banquet. At such a banquet 
 it is well if fifteen thousand waggon-loads of salt suffice 
 for the seasoning. This for year King." 
 
 The minister took the message of the child word for 
 word to the Gandharva, who when he heard it clasped 
 his hands in agony and rose up, saying, — 
 
 " What is this that I have done ! Of a certainty the 
 child was a BodMsattva {^°) . But it is the truth that 
 what I did to him I did in ignorance. Run now swiftly 
 and fetch me back my son." The minister therefore 
 set out on his way without stopping to take breath ; 
 but what haste soever he made the King's eagerness 
 was greater, and at the head of a great body of the 
 people Gandarva himself took his way in all speed to 
 the place in the thick grove where they had laid the 
 child. And since he did not find him at the first, he 
 broke out into loud lamentations, saying, — 
 
 " thou, mine own Bodhisattva ! who so young yet 
 speakest words of wisdom, even young as thou art 
 exercise also mercy and forgiveness. how was I 
 mistaken in thee ! Set it not down to me that I knew 
 thee not ! " 
 
 While he wandered about searching and thus lament- 
 ing, the cry of a child made itself heard from the depths
 
 272 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 of a grotto there was in tlie grove, wliicli wlien the 
 King had entered he found eight princes of the serpent- 
 gods (") busy tending the child. Some had woven for 
 him a covering of lotus-blossoms ; others were dropping 
 honey into his mouth ; others were on their knees, bow- 
 ing their foreheads to the ground before him. Thus he 
 saw them engaged, only when he entered the cave they 
 all at once disappeared without leaving a trace behind (^') . 
 Then the King laid the child on a litter borne by 
 eight principal men, and amid continual lamenting of 
 his fault, saying, " my son, Bodhisattva, be merciful ; 
 I indeed am thy father,^^ he brought him to his dwell- 
 ing, where he proclaimed him before all the people the 
 most high and mighty Prince Vikramaditja. 
 
 When the Sufa had concluded this narrative, he 
 turned to Ardschi-Bordschi and said, — 
 
 " Thus was Vikramaditja wise in his earliest youth ; 
 thus even in infancy he earned the homage of his own 
 father; thus was he innately great and lofty and full of 
 majesty. If thou, Ardschi-Bordschi ! art thus nobly 
 born, thus indwelt with power and might, then come 
 and mount this throne ; but, if otherwise, then on thy 
 peril desist from the attempt." 
 
 Then Ardschi-Bordschi once more approached to 
 ascend the throne ; but as he did so two other of the 
 sculptured figures, relinquishing their guardant atti- 
 tude, stood forward to bar the way, the warrior-figure
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. Zto 
 
 striking liim ou the breast, aud the Sdta thus address - 
 iug him, — 
 
 "Halt! Ardschi-Bordschi ! as yet hast thou but 
 heard the manner of the wonderful birth of Vikrani- 
 aditja; as yet knowest thou not what was the manner 
 of his youth." 
 
 And all the thirty-two sculptured figures answered 
 and said, — 
 
 " Halt ! Ardschi-Bordschi ! " 
 
 But the Sata continued, saying, " Hearken, Ard- 
 schi-Bordschi ! and ye, people, give ear, and I will tell 
 you out of the days of old concerning the youth of 
 Vikramaditja. 
 
 the stta tells ardschi-bordschi concerning vikram- 
 aditja's youth. 
 
 Gandharva, the heroes father, was himself also a mighty 
 man of valour, and a prince devoting himself to the 
 well-being of his people. He not only carried on warS 
 against the enemies of his country, but exerted himself 
 to the utmost to deliver his subjects from the onslaught 
 of the wicked ScMmnus. 
 
 One day, therefore, he went forth alone to do 
 battle with a prince of the Sddmnus ; and in order 
 that he might be in a condition the better adapted to 
 match him, he left his body behind him, under shadow 
 
 T
 
 274 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 of an image of Buddha. His younger wife, even the 
 wife of low degree, happening by chance to see him 
 leaving the temple without his body, was so delighted 
 with the wonderfully beauteous appearance he thus pre- 
 sented that she went to Udsesskiileng-Goa-Chatun, say- 
 ing, " Our master, so long as he went in and out among 
 us, always was clothed in human form like other men ; 
 but to-day, when he started on his expedition against 
 the Schimnus, he wore such a brilliant and beautiful 
 appearance that it would be a joy if he looked the 
 same when he is with us.^^ But Udsesskiileug-Chatun 
 replied, " Because you are young you understand not 
 these things. It is only to preserve his body from the 
 tine piercing swords of the Sc]um7iiis that he left it 
 behind him.''^ 
 
 The younger wife, however, was not satisfied with 
 the explanation, and said within herself, " If I go and 
 burn the body which the King has left behind him, 
 then must he wear his beautiful spirit-appearance when 
 he comes back to us.'^ 
 
 She called together, therefore, all the other maidens, 
 and having kindled a great fire of sandal-wood, went 
 back to the temple, and fetched Gandharva^s body 
 from beneath the image of Buddha, and bm-ned it. 
 
 While this was going on the King appeared in his 
 radiant form in the heavens, and spoke thus to Udsess- 
 kiileng-Goa-Chatun, saying, — 
 
 " From my beloved subjects, for whom I have
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 275,, 
 
 laboured so untiringly^ and from my dear wives and 
 children and friends, and from my body which has 
 served me so faithfully that I cannot but love it also — I 
 am called to part. As my body is burnt_, I cannot 
 more visit the earth. My only concern, however, is 
 this, that I know within seven days the host of the 
 ScJiimwis will come down upon you, and I shall not be 
 there to defend you. Take, therefore, this counsel, 
 giving which is all I can do for you more, for I go 
 to Nirvana {'). Get you up then, and escape with the 
 young prince, even with the Bodhisattva Vikramaditja, 
 within these seven days, so that the Schimnus' host 
 coming may not find you.'" 
 
 After these words they saw him no more, for he 
 entered then upon Nirvana. 
 
 The oflacers and ministers and household and sub- 
 jects gave themselves to distressful grief when they 
 knew that they should see their good master Gand- 
 harva no more, but Udsesskiileng-Chatun said, " If I 
 give myself over thus to grief it will not bring back 
 my lord the Khan ; it were better that I stir myself to 
 fulfil his all- wise counsel, and bear his son to a place 
 of safety.^' Having thus spoken, she called all her 
 maidens together and the child, and went to seek 
 safety from the ScMmnus in her own country. As 
 they journeyed, the young maiden who had given her 
 the counsel to visit the hermit of the haitja, and who 
 had eaten what was left of the porridge made of earth 
 
 T 2
 
 276 SAGAS PEOM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 boiled in sesame oil in the porcelain vessel, she also 
 had a child, and when the Khanin was astonished at 
 the thing, the maid confessed that she had eaten of the 
 porridge which the hermit gave her that was left behind 
 in the porcelain vessel, and the Khanin remembered 
 that she had neglected to fulfil the counsel of the 
 hermit, saying to her, " Eat it all up/^ 
 
 The other maidens now objected to the burden of 
 having another infant to take care of on a perilous 
 journey, and would have put it to death. But the 
 Khanin said, " Nay, but shall a child that came of the 
 hermit's blessing be slain ? " And when she found she 
 could not prevail with them to take it she bid them 
 not slay it, but leave it in shelter of a cave which there 
 was by the way. 
 
 Then they journeyed farther amid many dangers and 
 privations till they came to the capital of the mighty 
 King KiitscMn-Tschidahtschi (^) in the outskirts of which 
 they encamped. All the people gathered, however, 
 on the other side of the way, struck with admiration 
 by the wondrous beauty of Udsesskiileng-Chatun, all 
 inquiring whence she could be, and flocking to gain a 
 sight of her (^) . 
 
 The Khan, seeing this gathering of people from the 
 terrace of his palace, sent to inquire what it was, and a 
 man of the train of the Khanin sent answer, " It is the 
 wife of a mighty King who is escaping from the fear 
 of the Schimnus, her lord having entered Nirvana." 
 The King, therefore, went down, and spoke with the
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 277 
 
 Klianin, and liaving learnt from her that such was 
 really the case, the younger wife having burnt his body, 
 and he having appeared in the sky to bid her escape 
 with their son from before the fury of the Schimnus, 
 ordered his ministers to appoint her a dwelling for her 
 and her son, and her train of followers, and to provide 
 them richly with all things befitting their rank. 
 
 All this the ministers did, and the Khanin and her 
 son were hospitably entertained. 
 
 Thus Yikramaditja was brought up in a strange land, 
 but was exercised in all kinds of arts ; and increased 
 in strength, well-favoured in mind and body. He 
 learned wisdom of the wise, and the use of arms fi'om 
 men of valour ; from the soothsayer learned he cunning 
 arts, and trading from sagacious traders; from robber 
 bands learned he the art of robbery, and from fraudulent 
 dealers to lie. 
 
 It happened that while they were yet dwelling* in 
 this place, a caravan of five hundred merchants came 
 by, and encamped on the banks of a stream near at 
 hand. 
 
 As these men had journeyed along they had found a 
 boy at play in a wolf's den. 
 
 "How can a child live thus in a wolf's den?" said 
 one of the merchants ; and with that they set themselves 
 to lure the child to them. 
 
 '' How canst thou, a child of men, live thus in 
 common with a wolf's cubs?" inquired they. ''It 
 were better thou earnest with us."
 
 2/8 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 But the child answered, " I am in trutli a wolf-child, 
 and had rather remain with my wolf-parents." 
 
 But Galbischa, the chief of the merchants, said, " It 
 must not be. A child of men must be brought up with 
 men, and not with wolves." So the merchants took 
 the boy with them, and gave him the name of Schalu (■*). 
 
 Thus it came to pass that the child was with them, 
 when they encamped the night after they had taken 
 him, in the neighbourhood of the city where Vikram- 
 aditja and his mother lived. In the night the wolves came 
 near, and began to howl (*) . Therefore, the merchants 
 asked Schalu in sport, " What are the wolves saying?" 
 
 But Schalu answered in all seriousness, " These 
 wolves that you hear are my parents; and they are 
 saying to me, ' Years ago a party of women passed by 
 this way, and left thee with us as soon as thou wert 
 born ; and we have nurtured thee, and made thee strong 
 and brave ; and thou, without regard to our affection 
 to thee, hast gone away with strangers. Nevertheless, 
 because we love thee, we will give thee yet this piece 
 of advice. To-night, there will be heavy torrents of 
 rain, and the river by which your caravan is encamped, 
 will overflow its banks. While the merchants, there- 
 fore, are engaged in hurry and confusion seeking shelter, 
 then break thou away from them, darling, and come 
 back to us. This further warning give we thee, that in 
 the neighbourhood prowls a robber.^" 
 
 Now it was so that Prince Vikramaditja, having seen
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 279 
 
 tlie encampment of the merchants, was lurking in the 
 thicket, to exercise his prowess in robbing them. Thus 
 when he overheard how Schalu expounded all that the 
 wolves said, he thought within himself, " This is no 
 ordinary youth. That torrents of rain are about to fall 
 might be a guess, even though the sky presents no in- 
 dication of a coming storm; but how could he guess 
 that I was prowling about to rob the caravan ? this, at 
 least, shows he has command of some sort of super- 
 natural knowledge." Determining therefore to discover 
 some means of possessing himself of the boy, he went 
 away for that night, because the merchants having 
 been warned by the wolves of his designs, they would 
 be on the watch to take him had he attempted an 
 attack. 
 
 The merchants, meantime, believing the words of the 
 wolves expounded to them by Schalu, removed their 
 encampment to a high hill, out of the way of chances 
 of damage by inundation. When night had fallen thick 
 around, the rain began to fall in heavy torrents, and the 
 river overflowed its banks, making particular havock of 
 the very spot on which their tent had been pitched. 
 When the merchants in the morning saw this part of the 
 plain all under water, and the floods pouring over it, 
 they said one to another, "Without Schalii'said we had 
 certainly all been washed away (^)," and out of gratitude 
 they loaded him with rich presents. 
 
 At the end of the next day's journey they selected
 
 280 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 the dry bank of a small tributary of the river for their 
 camping-place. Prince Vikramaditja, who, in pur- 
 suance of his determination of overnight, had watched 
 their movements from afar, drew near, under cover of 
 the shades of evening, and set himself once more to 
 overhear what Schalu might have to say. By-and-by 
 two wolves approached, and began howling. Then the 
 merchants asked Schalu, saying, " What do the wolves 
 say ? " And Schalu answered, " Tliese are the wolves 
 who have been to me from my birth up in the place of 
 parents, and they say, ' Behold, we have watched over 
 thee ever since thou wast born, and made thee brave 
 and strong, nevertheless, unmindful of our aid, thou 
 ]]ast forsaken us, and betaken thyself to men, who are 
 our enemies. This is the last time that we can come 
 after thee (') ; but of our affection we give thee this 
 counsel : sleep not this night, for there is a robber 
 again lurking about the camp. Early in the morning 
 also, if thou goest out to the banks of the stream, thou 
 shalt find a dead body brought down by the waters ; 
 fish it out, and cut it open, for in the right thigh is 
 enclosed the jewel Tschin-tamani (^), and whoso is in 
 possession of this talisman, has only to desire it, and he 
 will become a mighty King, ruler of the four parts of 
 the earth.' " 
 
 When Vikramaditja had heard these words, he gave 
 up Lis marauding intention for that night also, his 
 victims having been set upon their guard. But he was
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 281 
 
 satisfied witli tlae prospect of having the talisman for 
 his booty. Going higher up the stream, therefore, he 
 fished out the dead body as it floated down before it 
 came to the merchants' encampment, opened the thigh, 
 and took out the jewel, and then committed it to the 
 waters again, so that when the merchants and Schalu 
 took it, they found the treasure was gone. But he 
 thought within himself the while, " This Schalu is. no 
 common boy ; some pretext I must find to possess 
 myself of him before the caravan leaves the neighbour- 
 hood." 
 
 The next morning, therefore, before they struck their 
 tents, he came to them in the disguise of a travelling 
 merchant, he also bringing with him stuffs and other 
 objects of barter, on which he had set a private mark. 
 While pretending to trade, he contrived to pick a 
 quarrel, as also to leave some of his wares unperceived 
 hidden in one of the tents. Then he went to King 
 Kiitschiin-Tschidaktschi, and laid this complaint before 
 him : — 
 
 " Behold, King, I was engaged in trading with a 
 company of five hundred merchants who are encamped 
 outside this city, but a dispute arising, they fell upon 
 me, and used me contumeliously, and drove me forth 
 from among them, and, what is worst of all, they have 
 retained among them the half of my stuffs." 
 
 In answer to this complaint, the King sent two officers 
 of the court, and an escort of two hundred fighting-
 
 282 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 men^ with insti'uctions to investigate the matter^ and if 
 they found that the five hundred merchants had really 
 stolen the stuffs, to put them all to the edge of the 
 sword ; but if they found this was not the case, then to 
 bring Yikramaditja to him for judgment. 
 
 Then Yikramaditja once more prostrated himself be- 
 fore the King, and said, " Upon all my things have I 
 set, a mark (so and so), whereby they maybe recog- 
 nized, so that clearly may it be established whether 
 they have my stuffs in possession or not.'' 
 
 When the King's envoys came to the encampment of 
 the five hundred merchants, they arraigned them, say- 
 ing,— 
 
 " Young A^ikramaditja lays this complaint against ye 
 before the King, namely, that you have used him shame- 
 fully, driving him away from you contumeliously, and 
 laying violent hands on his stuffs, wherewith he sought 
 to trade with you. Know therefore that the command 
 of our all-powerful King is, that if the stuffs of Yikram- 
 aditja are found in your tents, you be all put to the 
 edge of the sword." And the merchants answered 
 cheerfully, " Come in and search our tents, for we have 
 no man's goods with us, saving only our own." 
 
 Then the King's envoys searched through all the 
 tent.s, no man hindering them, so persuaded were the 
 good merchants that none of their company had de- 
 frauded any man. As they searched, behold, they 
 found hidden in one of the tents, where Yikramaditja
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 283 
 
 had concealed them, the stuffs bearing his marks, so 
 and so, even as he had testified before the King. 
 
 When the merchants saw this they cried, saying, 
 '' Surely some evil demon hath done this thing, for in 
 our company is none who ever took any man^s goods •/' 
 and they all began to weep with one accord. 
 
 The King^s envoys, however, said, "Weeping will 
 bring you no help ; we must do according to the words 
 of our all-powerful king." And they called on the 
 two hundred fighting-men to put the whole company 
 of merchants to the edge of th« sword. 
 
 When the commotion was at the highest — the mer- 
 chants entreating mercy and protesting their innocence, 
 and the envoys declaring the urgency of the King's 
 decree, and the fighting-men sharpening their swords 
 — there stood forward young Vikramaditja, and spoke, 
 saying, " Nay, let not so many men be put to death. 
 Leave them their lives if they give me in exchange the 
 boy Schalu, whom they have in their company.'" 
 
 Then the merchants said to Schalu, " Already hast 
 thou once saved our lives ; go now with this man, and 
 save them for us even this second time." 
 
 And Schalu made answer, '' To have saved the lives 
 of five hundred men twice over, shall it not bring me 
 good fortune ? " So he went with Vikramaditja, and the 
 merchants loaded him with rich merchandize out of 
 gratitude, for his reward. 
 
 When Vikramaditja came home, bringing the boy
 
 284 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 with liim, liis motlier inquired of liim, saying, " Vikram- 
 aditja, beloved son, where hast thou been, and whence 
 hast thou the chihl which thou hast brought ?" 
 
 And Vikramaditja answered, " Beloved mother, when 
 thou wast on thy way hither fleeing from before the 
 face of the Schimnns, did not one of thy maidens leave a 
 new-born infant in a wolves' den V 
 
 And his mother answered, " Even so did one of my 
 maidens, and the child would now be about this age/' 
 So they took Schalu to them, and he was unto Udsess- 
 kiileng-Chatun as a son, but unto Vikramaditja as a bro- 
 ther ; and he went with him whithersoever he went. 
 
 One day Vikramaditja came to his mother, and said 
 to her, '' Beloved mother ! Live on here in tranquillity, 
 while I, in company with Schalvi, will go to the capital 
 where my father, the immortal Gandharva, reigned, 
 and see what is the fate of our people, and how I 
 may recover the inheritance.'' 
 
 But Udsesskiileng-Chatun made answer, "Vikram- 
 aditja, beloved son ! Is not the way long, and beset 
 with evil men, who are so many and so bold ? How 
 then wilt thou ever arrive, or escape their wiles ?" 
 
 Vikramaditja said to her, "How great soever the 
 distance may be, by hard walking I will set it behind 
 me ; and how many soever the enemy may be, I shall 
 overcome them, defying the violent with strength, and 
 the crafty with craftiness.'' 
 
 Thus he and Schalu set out to go to the immortal
 
 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 285 
 
 Gandliarva's capital. Inquiring by the way wliat fate had 
 befallen the kingdom, he found that Gandharva had no 
 sooner entered Nirvana, than his neighbour King Galis- 
 cha, had made the design to obtain possession of his 
 throne ; but that the Schimnus' host had been beforehand 
 with him, and had already commenced to take possession. 
 They made a compact^however, by which the government 
 was left to Eang Galischa, on condition of his sending 
 to the ScJiimnv.s in Gandharva's palace, a tribute of a 
 hundred men daily with a nobleman at their head. 
 
 Then Vikramaditja was grieved when he learned 
 that it was thus the usurping prince dealt with his 
 subjects, and he proceeded farther on his way. When 
 he had come nigh the capital, he heard sounds of wail- 
 ing, proceeding from a hut on the outskirts ; going in 
 to discover the cause, Vikramaditja found lying, with 
 her face upon the floor, a woman all disconsolate, and 
 weeping piteously. 
 
 " Mother ! What is thy grief wherewith thou 
 art so terribly oppressed ?" inquired Vikramaditja of 
 her. 
 
 " Ah ! " replied the woman, '' there is no cure for my 
 grief. This King Galischa, who has seized the king- 
 dom of the immortal Gandharva, has entered into a 
 compact with the Schhnnus to pay them a tribute of a 
 hundred men every day with a nobleman at their head. 
 I had two sons, one of them is gone I know not whither, 
 and now to-day they have come and taken the other to
 
 286 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 send in tlie tribute to tlie ScJumnus, nor can I by any 
 means resist the will of the King. That is why I wail, 
 and that is why I am inconsolable." And she went on 
 with her loud lament (^) . 
 
 But Vikramaditja bid her arise and be of good cheer, 
 saying, " I will bring back thy son to thee alive this 
 day, for I will go forth to the ScJiimnus in his stead." 
 
 Then the woman said, "Nay, neither must this be. 
 Thou art brave with the valour of youth, even as a 
 young horse snorting to get him away to the battle. 
 But when thou art devoured by the Schimnus, then 
 shall thy mother grieve even as I ; and belike she is 
 young and has many years before her, whereas my life 
 is well-nigh spent, and what matter if I go down to the 
 grave in sorrow ? Who am I that I should bring grief 
 to the mother of thee, noble youth ! " 
 
 But Vikramaditja said, " Leave that to me, and if I 
 send not back to thee thine own son as I have promised, 
 then will I send back to thee this youth, Schalu, who 
 is my younger brother, and he shall be thy son." 
 
 When he drew near the dwelling of King* Galischa, the 
 King was just marshalling one hundred subjects, with a 
 nobleman at their head, who were to be sent that day to 
 the Schimnus in tribute in Gandharva^s palace. But the 
 King, espying him, inquired who and whence he was. 
 
 Then Vikramaditja answered him, " I am Vikram- 
 aditja, son of Gandharva. When he died, my mother 
 carried me, being an infant of days, far away for fear of
 
 SAGAS from: the far east. 287 
 
 the Schimnns. But now that I have grown to mau's 
 estate, I am come together with my younger brother to 
 see after the state of my father^s kingdom." 
 
 Galischa then said, " It is well for thee that Heaven 
 preserved thee from coming before, otherwise thou 
 mightest have had all the travail which has fallen upon 
 me; nevertheless, as I came first, I am in possession. 
 But I have every day in sorrow and agony to send a 
 tribute of one hundred subjects, with a nobleman at 
 their head, to be devoured by the Schlmiiiis.'' 
 
 " This have I learnt," replied Vikramaditja, " and it 
 is even on that account that I am here. For have I 
 not seen the grief of a mother mourning over her son, 
 and it is to take his place, and to go in his stead, that I 
 came hither to thee." 
 
 And Galischa said, " How canst thou, youth that thou 
 art, defy all the might of the Schimnus, doubt not now 
 but that they will devour thee before thou art aware." 
 
 " Then," replied the magnanimous prince, " if I do 
 not prevail against the Schimnus, this I shall gain, that 
 because I have given my life for another, I shall in my 
 next birth rise to a higher place (") than at present.'^ 
 
 " If that is thy mind," replied the King, " then do 
 even as thou hast said." 
 
 So Yikramaditja went out with the tribute of blood, 
 and sent back the youth whom he had come to replace, 
 to his mother. 
 
 When the King saw him go forth with firm step.
 
 288 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 and as it were dancing with joy over his undertaking, 
 he said, " There is one case in which he might turn out 
 to be our dehverer ; but if that case does not befall, 
 then will he but have come to swell the number of 
 victims of the Schimmis. Let us, however, all wait here 
 together through the day, to see what may befall/^ 
 
 Vikramaditja and his companions meantime arrived 
 at Gandharva's palace ; and Vikramaditja, as if he had 
 known the place all his life, went straight up to the 
 throne-room, where was the great and dazzling Sin- 
 hlsana ("). Ascending it, therefore, he sat himself in 
 it, and, while his tears flowed down, he cried, " Oh for 
 the days of my father, the immortal Gandharva ; for he 
 reigned gloriously ! But since he hath entered Nir- 
 vwna we have had nothing but weariness. What 
 would my father have said had he seen his subjects 
 made by hundreds at a time food for the Schimnus ? 
 fii'JUmnus, beware ! lest I destroy your whole race from 
 off the face of the earth." 
 
 Thus spoke Vikramaditja, till, inspired by his royal 
 courage, he had sent all the hundred victims of this 
 tribute back to their homes, defying the anger of the 
 Sehimmis. But to the King he sent word, " The 
 Scliimnus of whom thou standest in mortal dread will 
 I curb and tame. Meantime, lei there be four hundred 
 vessels of brandy prepared." And the King did as he 
 said, and sent and put out four hundred vessels filled 
 with strong brandy in the way.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 280 
 
 When, therefore, the Schimnus came that they might 
 devour their victims as usual, they first came u]ion 
 the four hundred vessels of brandy, and seeing them, 
 they set upon them greedily, and drank up their con- 
 tents. Overcome by the strong spirit, they lay about 
 on the ground half-senseless, and Vikramaditja came 
 upon them and slew them, and hewed them in pieces. 
 
 He had hardly despatched the last of them when 
 their Schimnu-king, informed of what had been done, 
 came down in wrath and fury, flourishing his drawn 
 sword. But Vikramaditja said to him, " Halt ! King 
 of the Schimnus; taste first of my brandy^ and if it 
 overcome thee, then shalt thou be my slave; but if not, 
 then will I serve thee. Then the King of the Schimnus 
 drack np all the brandy, and, overpowered by the 
 strong spirit, fell down senseless on the earth. 
 
 As he was about to slay him like the others, Vikram- 
 aditja thought within himself, "After all, it will bring 
 greater fame to overcome him in fair fight than to slay 
 him by stratagem .'' So he sat down and waited till he 
 came to himself; then he defied him to combat; and 
 when he stood up to fight, he raised his sword and cut 
 him in two. 
 
 Then see ! of the two halves there arose two men ; 
 and when he cut each of these in two, there were four 
 men ; and when he cut these in two, there were eight 
 men, who all rushed upon him. Then the Prince trans- 
 formed himself into eight lions, which roared terribly, 
 
 u
 
 290 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 and tore the eight men in pieces, and destroyed them 
 utterly. 
 
 While this terrihle combat was going on, there were 
 frightful convulsions of nature ('") : mountains fell in, 
 and in the place where they had stood were level plains; 
 and plains were raised up, and appeared as mountains, 
 water gushed out of them and overran the land, and all 
 the subjects of Gandharva fell senseless on the earth. 
 But when Yikramaditja had made an end of the Schim- 
 nus, and resumed his own form again, he made a gTeat 
 offering of incense, and the earth resumed her stability; 
 the people were called back to life, and all was gladness 
 and thanksgiving. All the people, and King Galischa 
 at their head, acknowledged Yikramaditja as their law- 
 ful sovereign, and he ascended the throne of his father 
 Gandharva. Then he sent for the Queen-mother, and 
 made the joy of all his people. 
 
 When the Suta had made an end of the narrative of 
 Vikramaditja^s youth, he addressed himself to Ardschi- 
 Bordschi, saying, — 
 
 "If thou canst boast of being such a King as 
 Yikramaditja, then come and ascend this throne; but if 
 not, then beware, at thy peril, that thou approach it not." 
 
 Ardschi-Bordschi then drew near once more to 
 ascend the throne, but two other of the sculptured 
 figures, forsaking their guardant attitude, came forward 
 and warned him back.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 291 
 
 Then another 8ilta addressed him, saying, " Halt ! O 
 Ardschi-Bordschi ! As yet thou hast only heard con- 
 cerning the hirth and the youth of Vikramaditja ; 
 now hearken, and I will tell thee some of his mighty 
 deeds." 
 
 And all the sculptm-ed figures answered together, — 
 
 " Halt ! Ardschi-Bordschi ! " 
 
 the suta tells ardschi-bordschi concerning vikram- 
 aditja's deeds. 
 
 vikeamaditja acquires another kingdom. 
 
 While Vikramaditja cou tinned to rule over his sub- 
 jects in justice, and to make them prosperous and 
 happy, another mighty king entered Nirvana. As he 
 left no son, and as there was no one of his family left, 
 nor any one with any title to be his heir, a youth of the 
 people was elected to fill the throne. The same night 
 that he had been installed on the throne, however, he 
 came to die. The next day another youth was elected, 
 and he also died the same night. And so it was the 
 next night, and the next, and yet no one could divine 
 of what malady ah these kings died. 
 
 At last the thing reached the ears of Vikramaditja. 
 
 Then Vikramaditja arose, and Schalu with him, and 
 disguising themselves as two beggars, they took the 
 
 u 2
 
 292 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 way to the capital of this sorely-tried kingdom, to bring 
 it deliverance. 
 
 When they came near the entrance of the city, they 
 turned in to rest at a small house by the wayside. 
 Within they found an aged couple, who were preparing 
 splendid raiment for a handsome youth, who was their 
 son ; but they cried the while with bitter tears. Then 
 said Vikramaditja, — 
 
 '' Why do you mourn so bitterly, good people ?" 
 
 " Our King is dead,^^ replied they, " and as he has 
 left no succession, one of the people was chosen by lot 
 to fill the office of King, but he died the same night ; 
 and when another was similarly chosen, he likewise 
 died. Thus it happens every night. Now, to-day the 
 lot has fallen on our son ; he will therefore of a cer- 
 tainty die to-night : therefore do we mourn/' 
 
 Then answered Vikramaditja, " To me and my com- 
 panion, who are but two miserable beggars, it matters 
 little whether we live or die. Keep your son with you, 
 therefore, and we two will ascend the throne this 
 morning in his place and die to-night in his stead.'' 
 
 But the parents replied, " It is not for us to decide 
 the thing. Behold, the matter stands in the hands of 
 three prudent and experienced ministers, but we will 
 go and bring the proposal before them." 
 
 The parents went, therefore, and laid the proposal of 
 the beggars before the three prudent and experienced 
 ministers, who answered them, saying, '' If these men
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 293 
 
 are "willing to die after reigning but twenty-four hours 
 why should we say them nay ? Let them be bi'ought 
 hither to us." 
 
 Then the beggars were brought in, and the ministers 
 installed them on the throne, saying to the people, 
 " Hitherto we have been accustomed to meet together 
 eai'ly in the morning to bury our King. But this time, 
 as we shall have two kings to bury instead of one, see 
 that you come together right early .^' 
 
 Vikramaditja meantime set himself to examine all 
 the affairs of the kingdom, that he might discover to 
 what was to be ascribed the death of the King every 
 night. And when he had well inquired into every 
 matter, he found that it had formerly been the custom 
 of the King to make eveiy night a secret offering {') 
 to the devas, and to the genii of earth and water, and 
 to the eight kinds of spirits, but that the succeeding 
 kings had neglected the sacrifice, and therefore the 
 spirits had slain them. Then the most high and mag- 
 nanimous king Vikramaditja appointed out of the 
 royal treasury what was necessary to pay for the 
 accustomed offering; then he called upon the spirits 
 and offered the sacrifice. The spirits, delighted to see 
 their honour return, made the king a present of a hand- 
 some Mongolian tent and went up again. 
 
 The people, too, who had come together early in the 
 morning, with much wood to make the funeral obse- 
 quies of the Kings, were filled with delight to find the
 
 294 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 spell broken, and in return they gave liim the jewel 
 Dsching, filling the air with their cries of gladness and 
 gratitude^ calling him the King decreed by fate to 
 rule over them. Thus Vikramaditja became their King. 
 
 VIKRAMADITJA MAKES THE SILENT SPEAK. 
 
 While now Vikramaditja reigned over all his people in 
 justice and equity complaint was brought before him 
 against one of his ministers^ that he oppressed the 
 people and dealt fraudulently with them ; and Vikram- 
 aditja, having tried his cause, judged him worthy of 
 death. But when he was brought before him to 
 receive sentence he pleaded for life so earnestly that 
 the magnanimous King answered him, " Why should 
 the life of the most abject be taken ? Let him but be 
 driven forth from the habitation of men." 
 
 So they drove him forth from the habitation of men. 
 Now it had been the minister's custom, in pursuance of 
 a vow, to observe three fast-days every month ('). 
 And so it happened, that one day after they had driven 
 him forth from the habitations of men, on the day 
 succeeding one of his fasts, he found himself quite 
 without any thing to eat ; nor could he discover any 
 fruit or any herb which could serve as a means of 
 subsistence. Recollecting, then, that one day he had 
 made four little offering-tapers out of wax and bread
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 295 
 
 crumbs, lie went and searclied out tlie sliinne wliere he 
 had offered them, that he might take them to eat. 
 But see ! when he stretched forth his hand to take one 
 of them it ghded away from before him and hid itself 
 behind another of the offering-tapers; and when he 
 would have taken that one, they both hid themselves 
 behind the third. And when he stretched forth his 
 hand to have taken the third, the three together, in 
 like manner, glided behind the fourth. And when he 
 stretched forth his hand to have taken the four together, 
 they all glided away together from off the altar and 
 out of the shrine altogether, and so swiftly that it was 
 as much as he could do to follow after them and keep 
 them in sight. Going on steadily behind them he camo 
 at last to a cave of a rock, and brushwood growing 
 over it. Herein they disappeared. Then when he 
 would have crept in after them into the cave of the 
 rock, two he-goats, standing over the portal of the cave, 
 sculptured in stone, spoke to him, saying, '^ Beware, 
 and enter not ! for this is a place of bad omen. Within 
 this cave sits the beauteous DdMni (") Tegrijin Ndvan (") 
 sunk in deep contemplation and speaketh never. Whoso 
 can make her open her lips twice to speak to man, to 
 him is the joy given to bear her home for his own. 
 But let it not occur to thee to make the bold attempt 
 of inducing her to open her lips to speak, for already 
 five hundred sons of kings have tried and failed ; and 
 behold they all languish in interminable prison at the
 
 296 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 feet of tlie Silent Haughty One^ sunk in deep contem- 
 plation. '' 
 
 And as they spoke they bent low their heads, and 
 pointed their horns at him, to forbid him the entrance. 
 
 The minister, however, had no mind to try the issue, 
 but rather seized with a great panic he turned him and 
 fled without so much as heeding whither his steps led 
 him. Thus running he chanced to come with his head 
 at full butt against the magnanimous King Vikramaditja, 
 just then taking his walk abroad. 
 
 " How now, evil man V exclaimed the magnanimous 
 King. "Whence comest thou, fleeing as from an evil 
 •conscience ?" 
 
 Then the minister prostrated himself before him, and 
 told him all he had learnt from the two he-goats 
 sculptured in stone, concerning Naran-Dakini. 
 
 When Vikramaditja had heard the story, he com- 
 manded that the evil minister should be guarded, to 
 see whether the event proved that he had spoken the 
 truth ; but, taking with him Schalu and three far-sighted 
 and experienced ministers, he went on till he came to 
 the cave and saw the two he-goats sculptured in stone 
 standing over the portal. The he-goats would have 
 made the same discourse to him as to the evil minister, 
 but he commanded them silence. Then he transformed 
 Schalu into an armndld (■*) in his hand, but the three 
 ministers into the altar that stood before the Dakini, 
 and the lamp that burned thereon, and the granite
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 297 
 
 vessel for burning incense placed at tlie foot of tlie 
 same (") ; laying this charge upon them : " I will come 
 in/^ said he, " as though a wayfarer who knew you not, 
 and sitting down I will tell a saga of olden time. Then 
 all of you four give an interpretation of my saga quite 
 perverse from the real meaning, and if the Dakini be 
 prudent and full of understanding she will open her 
 lips to speak to vindicate the right meaning of the 
 story." 
 
 Presently, therefore, after he had completed the 
 transformation of Schalu and the three far-seeing and 
 experienced ministers, and having himself assumed the 
 appearance of a king on his travels, he entered the. 
 cave and sat down over against the altar which stood 
 before the Dakini Naran, the Silent Haughty One, 
 sunk in deep contemplation. Then said he, " In that it 
 was told me in this place dwells the all-fair Tegrijin 
 Naran-Dakini, I, who am King of Gambudvipa, am 
 come hither to visit her ;" and as he spoke he looked 
 furtively up towards the Dakini, to see whether he had 
 moved her to open her hps to speak. 
 
 But the all-beauteous Naran-Dakini, the Silent 
 Haughty One, sat still and gave forth no sign. 
 
 Then spoke the King again, saying, '' On occasion of 
 this my coming, Naran-Dakini, tell thou me one of 
 the sagas of old; or else, if thou prefer to hold thy 
 peace, then will I tell one to thee." 
 
 Again he looked up, but Naran Dakini Tegrijin, the
 
 298 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Silent Hauglity One, sat sunk in deep contemplation 
 and gave forth no sign. 
 
 As the King paused, one of the far-seeing and ex- 
 perienced ministers, even the one whom he had trans- 
 formed into the altar that stood before the Dakini, 
 spoke, saying, — 
 
 "While from the lips of the all-beauteous Naran- 
 Chatun^) no word of answer proceeds, how should it 
 beseem me, the Altar, a non-souled object, to speak. 
 Nevertheless, seeing that so great and magnanimous a 
 King has come hither and has propounded a question, 
 I will yet dare, even I, to answer him. For, seeing 
 that Naran-Chatun is so immersed in her own con- 
 templations, she cannot give ear to the words of the 
 King, I who, standing all the day before her in silence, 
 and hearing no word of wisdom in any of the sagas of 
 old, even I would fain be instructed by the words of 
 the King." 
 
 And as the altar thus spoke, Naran Tegrijin Dakini 
 cast a glance of scorn upon it, but the Silent Haughty 
 One opened never her lips to speak. 
 
 Then the King took up his parable and poured forth 
 one of the sagas of old after this manner, saying, — 
 
 WHO INVENTED WOMAN ? (^) 
 
 " Long ages ago there went forth daily into one place 
 four youths out of four tribes, to mind their flocks, one 
 youth out of each tribe, and when their flocks left
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 299 
 
 them leisure they amused themselves with pastimes 
 together. Now it came to pass that one day one of 
 them rising earlier than the rest^ and finding himself 
 at the place all alone, said within himself, — 
 
 " ' How is the time weary, being here all alone ! ' 
 " And he took wood and sculptured it with loving care 
 until he had fashioned a form like to his own, and yet 
 not alike. And when he saw how brave a form he had 
 fashioned, he cared no more to sport with the other 
 shepherd youths, but went his way. 
 
 " The next morning the second of the youths rose 
 earlier than the rest, and, coming to the place all alone, 
 said within himself, — 
 
 " ' How is the time weary, being here all alone ! ' 
 " And he cast about him for some pastime, and thus 
 he found the form which the first youth had fashioned, 
 and, finding it exceeding brave, he painted it over with 
 the five colours, and when he saw how fair a form he 
 had painted he cared no more to sport with the other 
 shepherd youths, but went his way. 
 
 "The next morning the third of the youths rose 
 earlier than the rest, and, coming to the place all alone, 
 said within himself, — 
 
 " ' How is the time weary, being here all alone ! ' 
 " And he cast about him for some pastime ; thus he 
 discovered the form which the first youth had fashioned 
 and the second youth had painted, and he said, — 
 " ' This figure is beautiful in form and colour, but it
 
 300 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 lias no wit or understanding.'' So lie infused into it wit 
 and understanding. 
 
 " And when he saw how clever was the form he had 
 endowed with wit and understanding, he cared no more 
 to sport with the shepherd youths, and he went his 
 way. 
 
 " The fourth morning the fourth of the youths rose 
 up the earliest, and, finding himself all alone at the 
 trysting-place, said within himself, — 
 
 " ' How is the time weary, being here all alone ! ' 
 
 " And, casting about to find some pastime, he dis- 
 covered the form which the first youth had fashioned so 
 brave, and the second youth had painted so fair, and 
 the third youth had made so clever in wit and under- 
 standing, and he said, — 
 
 '^'Behold the figure is beautiful in form and fair to 
 behold in colour, and admirable for wit and under- 
 standiug, but what skills all this when it hath not 
 life ?' And he put his lips to the lips of the figure and 
 breathed softly into them, and behold it had a soul(^) 
 that could be loved, and was woman. 
 
 '' And when he saw her he loved her, and he cared 
 no more to sport with the shepherd youths, but left all 
 for her, that he might be with her and love her. 
 
 " But when the other shepherd youths saw that the 
 figure had acquired a soul that could be loved, and was 
 woman, they came back all the three and demanded 
 possession of her by right of invention.
 
 SAGAS rRO:\I THE FAK EAST. 301 
 
 " The first 3'outli said, ' She is mine by right of 
 invention, because I fashioned her out of a block of 
 wood that had had no form but for me/ 
 
 " The second said, ' She is mine by right of invention, 
 because I painted her, and she had worn no tints fair 
 to behold but for me/ 
 
 " The third said, ' She is mine by right of invention, 
 because I gave her wit and understanding, and she had 
 had no capacity for companionship but for me/ 
 
 "^ But the fourth said, ' She is mine by right of 
 invention, because I breathed into her a soul that could 
 be loved, nor was there any enjoyment in her but for 
 me/ 
 
 "And while they all joyed in the thought of pos- 
 sessing her, they continued to strive on that they might 
 see which should prevail. And when they found that 
 none prevailed against the rest, they brought the matter 
 before the King for him to decide. 
 
 " Say now therefore, O Naran-Dakini, I charge thee, 
 in favour of which of these four was the King bound to 
 decide that he had invented woman ?" 
 
 And as the King left off from speaking he looked 
 towards Naran-Dakini as challenging her to answer. 
 
 But Naran-Dakini, the Silent Haughty One, sat 
 immersed in deep contemplation and held her peace, 
 speaking never a word. 
 
 Then when the far-sighted and experienced ministers 
 saw that she held her peace, one of them, even the one
 
 302 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 wliom Vikramaditja liad transformed into the lamp 
 before tlie altar, spoke, saying, — 
 
 " It were meet indeed that an unsouled object such 
 s I, the Lamp, should not venture to speak in presence 
 of our mistress, Naran-Chatun. But as so great a King 
 has come to visit us, and has propounded to us a ques- 
 tion to which Naran-Chatun does not see fit to reply, 
 even I, the Lamp, will attempt to answer him. To me, 
 then, it seems that the answer is clear, for by whom could 
 the figure be said to be invented saving by the youth who 
 first fashioned it ? He who gave a mere block of wood 
 a beautiful form must be allowed to have invented it." 
 
 Naran-Daoni cast a glance of disgust and scorn upon 
 the lamp, yet spoke she never a word. 
 
 Then spoke the far-seeing and experienced minister 
 whom Vikramaditja had transformed into the thurible 
 at the foot of the altar, saying, — 
 
 " It were meet indeed that an unsouled object such 
 as I, the Incense-burner, should not venture to speak in 
 presence of our mistress, Naran-Chatun. But as so 
 great a King has come to visit us, and has propounded 
 a question to us to which Naran-Chatun does not see 
 fit to reply, even I, the Thurible, will attempt to answer 
 him. And to me indeed the answer is plain, for to 
 whom could the figure be said to belong, if not to the 
 youth who painted it and made a mere stump beautiful 
 and lifelike with fair tints of colour ?" 
 
 At these words of the incense-vessel Naran-Dakini
 
 SAGAS FROM THE TAE EAST. 303 
 
 cast upon it a look of scorn and contempt^ but opened 
 not her lips to speak. 
 
 Then spoke Schalu^ whom Vikramaditja had trans- 
 formed into his aramdid, with impetuosity, saying, 
 "Nay, but surely he alone could have the right of 
 invention who endowed a painted log with wit and 
 understanding. Surely he who made a stump of a tree 
 to think must be allowed to have invented it." 
 
 When Naran-Dakini saw with what a confident air 
 the aramdid pronounced this sentence, even as though 
 he had settled the whole matter, she could contain 
 herself no longer, and then burst from her lips these 
 words, while her eyes lighted on the objects that had 
 spoken with exceeding indignation, — 
 
 " Of miserable understanding are ye all ! How then 
 venture ye, unsouled objects, to expound the matter 
 when I, a reasonable being, scarcely dare pronounce 
 upon the question ? What other interpretation of this 
 parable, however, can there be than this : — The youth 
 who first fashioned the figure of a block of wood, 
 did not he stand in place of the father ? He who 
 painted it with tints fair to behold, did not he stand in 
 place of the mother ? He who gave wit and under- 
 standing, is not he the Lama ? But he who gave a 
 soul that could be loved, was it not he alone who made 
 woman ? To whom, therefore, else should she have 
 belonged by right of invention ? And to whom should 
 woman belong if not to her husband ? "
 
 301 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Tlius Tegrijin Naran Dakiui Lad been brouglit to 
 speak once; but the proposition requiring tliat the 
 Silent Haughty One should speak twice to man, the 
 magnanimous King proceeded without making allusion 
 to his first success, saying, — 
 
 " Now that I have told a saga of old, it is the turn 
 that one of you should also tell us a tale to entertain 
 the mind." And as he spoke he addressed himself to 
 Naran-Dakini. Nevertheless Naran-Dakini had entered 
 again into her deep contemplation, and held her peace, 
 saying never a word. 
 
 Then said the far-seeing and experienced minister 
 whom the King had transformed into the altar, — 
 
 "As Naran-Chatun continues to sit in her place and 
 to utter no sound in answer to the word of the high 
 King who has come so far to visit us, even I, though I 
 be an unsouled object, will venture to reply, asking 
 him that he will again open to us the treasures of 
 story.^' 
 
 At these words Naran-Dakini cast a meaning glance 
 upon her altar, but spoke not. 
 
 Then opened the magnanimous King again the trea- 
 sures of story. 
 
 THE VOICE-CHARMER ('). 
 
 " Long ages ago two were travelling through a moun- 
 tainous country, a man and his wife. And behold as
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 305 
 
 they journeyed tliere readied tliem from the other side 
 of a rock a voice of such surpassing sweetness that the 
 two stood still to hsteuj the man and his wife ; and not 
 they only, but their very beasts pricked up their ears 
 erect to drink in the sound. 
 
 " Then spoke the woman, — 
 
 " ' A man with a voice so melodious must be a man 
 goodly to see. Shall we not stop and find him out ? ' " 
 
 " But the saying pleased not her husband, nor was 
 he minded that she should see who it was that sang so 
 sweetly ; therefore he answered her, — 
 
 ^''Wherefore should we search him out; is it not 
 enough that we hear his voice ?' 
 
 " When the wife had heard his answer, she said no 
 more about searching out whence the voice proceeded ; 
 only the first time they passed a mountain-rill she said 
 to her husband, — 
 
 " ^Behold, I faint for thirst in this heat. Now, as 
 thou lovest me, fetch me a di^aught of that cool water 
 from the mountain-rill.' So the man got down from 
 his horse, and, taking his wife's cup('"), went to the rill 
 to fetch water. 
 
 " While he was thus occupied, the wife slid down 
 from off" her horse also, and, going silently behind him, 
 pushed him over the precipice and killed him. Then 
 she set out to find out who it was sang so melodiously. 
 When she had followed up the sound she found herself 
 in presence, not of a man goodly to behold, but of a
 
 306 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 wretched, loathsome object, sunk down against the foot 
 of the rock, deformed in person and covered with sores. 
 Notwithstanding that the undeception was so revolting, 
 she yet took him up on her back and carried him with 
 her; but as the man was heavy and the way steep, the 
 fatigue so wearied her that at the end of a little time 
 she died. 
 
 " Was this woman to be counted a good woman or a 
 bad?^^ 
 
 When the King had made an end of telling the tale, 
 he looked towards Naran-Dakini as challenging her to 
 answer. 
 
 But Naran-Dakini held her peace and spoke never a 
 word. 
 
 Then, when the far-seeing and experienced minister 
 whom Yikramaditja had transformed into the lamp saw 
 that she yet held her peace, he said, — 
 
 " How should an unsouled being such as I, the Lamp, 
 find out the right meaning ? nevertheless, not to leave 
 the words of the high King without an answer, I will 
 even venture to suggest that to me it seemeth she must 
 be counted a good woman ; because though she killed 
 her husband, yet she made atonement for her fault by 
 raising the sick man and carrying him with her — " 
 
 But before he could make an end of speaking Naran- 
 Dakini cast at him a glance of contempt and scorn, and 
 she exclaimed, — ■ 
 
 " How should there be any good in a woman who
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 307 
 
 kllloJ lier lawful liusband, and tliat only because her 
 ears were tickled with the artful melody of au harmo- 
 nious voice ? Of a truth she must have been a vei'itable 
 schimnu, and if she took the sick man with her, was it 
 not only that she might devour him at leisure ? " 
 
 Then spoke Vikramaditja, — 
 
 '^Naran-CLatun ! being he who hath induced thee to 
 open thy lips to speak these two times to man, give me my 
 guerdon that thou accompany me home to be my wife." 
 
 Very willingly coming down from her altar, Tegrijin 
 Naran Dakini at these words gave herself to Yikram- 
 aditja to accompany him home to -be his wife. 
 
 Vikramaditja having then given back to Schalu and 
 to his three far-seeing and experienced ministers their 
 natui-al shapes, and to the five hundred sons of kings 
 who had failed in winning Naran-Dakini theirs, 
 with Naran-Dakini by his side, and all the rest in a 
 long procession behind him, the King arrived at his 
 capital. Here he called together all his people Tai- 
 tsing (") to a great assembly, where he promulgated 
 rules of faith and religion. By his good government 
 he made all his people so happy as no other sovereign 
 ever did, sitting upon his throne with his consort 
 Tegrijin Naran as the fate-appointed rulers. 
 
 When the StUa had made an end of this narration of 
 Yikramaditja's deeds, he addressed himself to Ardschi- 
 Bordschi, saying, — 
 
 X 2
 
 308 SAGAS PKOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 "If thou canst boast of being such a King as 
 Vikramaditja, then come and ascend this throne^ but if 
 not, then beware at thy peril that thou approach it 
 not/' 
 
 Now Ardschi-Bordschi had seventy-one wives ; 
 taking by the hand the chief of them therefore, he 
 bid her make obeisance before the throne and ascend 
 it with him. Ere they had set foot on the first step 
 other two of the sculptured figures came forward, for- 
 saking their guardant attitude, and warned him back, 
 the warrior smiting him in the breast, and the Suta 
 thus addressing him, — 
 
 " Halt ! Ardschi-Bordschi, and thou his wife I nor 
 touch so much as with thy prostrate heads the sacred 
 steps. But first know what manner of woman was 
 the chief wife of Vikramaditja. 
 
 " The chief wife of Vikramaditja was Tsetsen Bud- 
 schiktschi ('"), and she never had a word, or look, or 
 thought but for her husband. If thy wife be such a 
 princess as she, then draw near to ascend the throne 
 together, but if otherwise, then at your peril draw not 
 near it. 
 
 " But," he said furthermore, " hearken, and I will 
 tell you, who have seventy- one wives, the story of 
 what befell seventy-one parrots and the wife of another 
 high King to whom one of them was counsellor." 
 
 And all the sculptured figures answered together, — 
 
 '' Halt ! Ardschi-Bordschi ! "
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 309 
 
 THE SUTA TELLS ARDSCHI-BORDSCHI CONCERNING THE 
 SEVENTY-ONE PARROTS AND THEIR ADVISER. 
 
 Long ages ago tlie wife of a high King was ill with 
 a dire illness, nor could the art of any physician suf- 
 fice to cure her till one came who said, " Let there be 
 given her parrots^ brains to eat/' 
 
 ^'lien, therefore, the high King saw that eating 
 parrots' brains brought health it seemed good to him 
 to take a tribute of parrots' brains from his subjects. 
 
 He called unto him, therefore, the governor of a 
 tributary province and commanded him, saying, '^ Let 
 there be delivered to me a tribute of the brains of 
 seventy-one parrots, otherwise thou must die the 
 death." 
 
 That governor went out therefore trembling Avith 
 fear, and he called unto him immediately a birdcatcher 
 and agreed with him for the price of the brains of 
 seventy-one parrots. 
 
 Now the birdcatcher knew a certain tree in which 
 there roosted every night seventy-one parrots, and he 
 said within himself, " If I could spread one net over 
 the whole tree, with one haul the whole affair would be 
 finished." So he went and bought a great net ready 
 to spread over the whole tree. 
 
 But among these seventy-one parrots was one parrot 
 exceeding wise, who was always on the watch to see 
 what the birdcatcher was about. AVlien, therefore, he
 
 310 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 saw liim buy so great a net lie said to Ms companions, 
 " To what end can the man have bought so big a net 
 if not to spread round the whole tree ? let us, there- 
 fore, in future roost on yonder rock/^ After this they 
 went to roost on the rock. After they had roosted 
 four or five nights on the rock the wise parrot caught 
 sight of the birdcatcher prowling about, having fol- 
 lowed them thither and being engaged in settling in 
 his o^vn mind how he should lay his nets. Then the 
 wise parrot said to his companions, '' The man has come 
 hither after us even to this rock ; let us now, therefore, 
 avoid his snares by roosting in some other place.''^ 
 
 But his companions, instead of accepting his counsel 
 were provoked, and answered him, saying, " How are 
 we to endure thus changing our place of roosting every 
 night. "We left our tree which sheltered us well and 
 came to this rock to please thy fancy ; and now thou 
 wouldst have us make another change. But we will 
 no more listen to thy suspicions." 
 
 They roosted, therefore, still upon the rock, and that 
 night the birdcatcher came with his nets and encom- 
 passed them all. 
 
 When they woke and found themselves imprisoned, 
 loud were their shrieks of lamentation as they fluttered 
 and beat their wings fruitlessly against the net ; calling 
 also on the wise parrot, saying, ''You who were so 
 wise in foreseeing the danger, have you no means for 
 delivering- us out of it ?"
 
 SAGAS PEOM THE FAR EAST, 311 
 
 " Yes/' replied the wise parrot^ " I liave thought of 
 that. Leave off every one of you from shrieking and 
 fluttering about, and beating your wings against the 
 net, which is a new one and not the least likely to give 
 way. On the contrary, lie all of you on your backs 
 with your heads hanging as if you were dead. The 
 birdcatcher being satisfied you are dead will not kill 
 you over again. Then observe and see that the ap- 
 proach to this one rock is very narrow, and when a 
 man comes up it there is only just room for one foot- 
 hold at the ledge whence he can reach us, and it is as 
 much as he can do to get up and down with the use 
 of both his hands as well as his feet; he will not, 
 therefore, go to carry us down or put us in a bag, but 
 will throw us one by one over the cliff, and sure 
 enough he will say out the number as he throws each 
 down. Let, therefore, those who are thrown down first 
 remain still lying without motion so that he may not 
 suspect any of the rest are alive, only when he says 
 out the number, ' Seventy-one ! ' then up and away, as 
 at a signal of a race." 
 
 The other parrots did not venture to dispute the 
 word of the wise parrot this time, but all did exactly 
 as he had said. When the birdcatcher came and 
 found what a steep rugged path he had to climb he 
 vowed all sorts of vengeance on the parrots for giving 
 him so much fatigue, and swore that he would break 
 all their bones, for the brain was the only part he
 
 312 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 cared to keep uninjured. Wiien lie had got up to tlie 
 ledge of rock by which he could reach them, however, 
 and found that they seemed already stone dead, seeing 
 that to wreak any vengeance on creatures that could 
 not feel would be childish, he contented himself with 
 throwing them below one by one, calling out as he did 
 so the number to each. In this way he had thrown 
 over the seventy; last of all there remained the wise 
 parrot, but the net having fellen upon him he was 
 rather longer loosing him than the rest, so that he had 
 called out "Seventy-one!^^ before he was ready to 
 throw him down, moreover, his Avhetstone happening 
 at that same instant to tumble out of his girdle, the 
 other parrots took the sound of its fall for that of the 
 wise parrot, and all of them together they spread their 
 wings and flew far away. 
 
 The birdcatcher saw this in time before he had let 
 go his hold of the wise parrot. 
 
 " Ah ! vile, cunning parrots,^^ he exclaimed in great 
 wrath and indignation, "what labour have you given 
 me, and at last I have no benefit for my exertion ! 
 One, at least, of you is still in my power, and on him 
 will I be avenged for the mischief of all the rest ; I 
 will take him home and torture him at leisure, and then 
 cook him alive. The wise parrot heard all this, but 
 thought to wait till his fury was a little spent. But 
 finding as time wore on the man only got more and 
 more wroth; and the matter beginning to get serious.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 313 
 
 as they were coming near his dwelling, the wise parrot 
 at last said, ^^ What end will it serve that thou kill 
 me ? It will not bring the other parrots back — and, 
 indeed, what grudge hast thou against me ? I never 
 killed thee at any former time (^) that thou shouldst 
 now kill me. Thou hast attacked my life, and I have 
 defended it by fair dealing. Other grudge against me 
 hast thou none ; then why shouldst thou seek to maim 
 and injure me ? Moreover, if thou do, be sure that the 
 day will come (^) Avhen I should repay thee. But now, 
 if thou sell me who am a wise and understanding- 
 parrot, thou shalt receive for my price 1 00 ounces of 
 silver, and if with seventy-one ounces thou buy seventy- 
 one other parrots for him who hired thee there will 
 still remain twenty-nine ounces with which thou mayest 
 make merry with all thy friends and acquaintance." 
 
 When, therefore, the birdcatcher found he was a 
 wise and understanding parrot, he took him and sold 
 him to a rich merchant for 100 ounces of silver. 
 
 The merchant also, who bought the parrot, finding 
 him so wise and full of understanding, employed him 
 in all sorts of ways to watch over his belongings. At 
 last, one day he came and said to the parrot, " Hitherto 
 thou hast done me good service in watching over the 
 merchandize, and I have regarded thee as my brother, 
 now, therefore, that I go on a journey of seventy-one 
 days I entreat thee to watch over, as a sister-in-law, 
 my wife, who is very gay and thoughtless.
 
 314 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 The wise parrot answered, " Be of good heart, 
 brother, all shalhbe right in thine absence." 
 
 At which the merchant replied, '' If thou sayest so, 
 brother Parrot, I can go forth on my journey without 
 anxieties." 
 
 He had not been gone long when his young wife 
 rose up, saying, " Now indeed I am for once my own 
 mistress : I will go out and see all my friends, and 
 particularly those I dare not visit when my husband is 
 here." So she arrayed herself in all her gayest attire. 
 But when she would have gone out the parrot stopped 
 her, saying, "Wait, sister-in-law. A wife behoves it 
 rather to set her household affairs in order, than 
 to go abroad paying visits when her husband is 
 absent." 
 
 " Bad parrot ! " exclaimed the wife, " what hast 
 thou to do to hinder my taking a little pleasure ? " 
 
 The parrot answered, " Thy husband when he went 
 away gave me strict charge over thee, saying, ' I com- 
 mand thee that thou hinder her from going forth 
 alone.' This, however, it is not in me to do, for thou 
 art greater in might than I; and if I command thee 
 not to go thou wilt not obey by words. Only now, 
 therefore, before thou goest out sit down first and 
 listen to the story that I will tell thee." 
 
 When the wife heard him promise to tell a story, she 
 sat down, for she loved to listen to the stories of the 
 wise parrot.
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAK EAST. 315 
 
 Then the parrot began to tell her a story in this 
 wise. 
 
 HOW NARAN GEREL SWORE FALSELY AND YET TOLD THE 
 TRUTH. 
 
 "Long ages ago there lived a King named Tsoktu 
 Ilagukssan {^), who had one only daughter, whom he 
 kept as the apple of his eye, and guarded so jealously 
 that she never saw any thing or any body. If any 
 man went near her apartment his legs were imme- 
 diately broken and his ^yes put out. So relentless 
 was the command of the King. 
 
 "One day Naran Gerel {*), such was the daughter's 
 name, however, came to her father, saying, "Being- 
 shut up here all day seeing nothing and no man, my 
 life is weariness unto me. Let me now go abroad on 
 the fifteenth of the month, that I may see some- 
 thing." 
 
 " But the King would not listen to her ; only as she 
 continued day by day urging her request, the King at 
 last gave permission that on a certain day she might 
 go abroad ; but he gave orders also at the same time 
 that on that day every bazaar should be shut, every 
 window closed, and that all men, women, and beasts 
 should be shut up close out of sight of the Princess ; 
 and that whoso walked abroad, or but looked out of 
 window should be punished with death.
 
 316 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 '''Ou the fifteenth of the mouthy therefore, a new 
 chariot was appointed to Naran Gerel, and she went 
 forth surrounded by a train of her maidens, and drove 
 all through the city ; every bazaar being shut up, 
 every window closed, and all men, women, and beasts 
 within doors out of sight. 
 
 " Nevertheless, the King's minister Ssaran (*), over- 
 come by his curiosity to see the Princess, had gone up 
 to the highest window of his house, to obtain a glimpse 
 of her unperceived. But what care soever he took to 
 be seen of none, the Princess, in her anxiety to make 
 the best use of her eyes on this her one opportunity of 
 seeing the world, discerned him. 
 
 " Never having seen any man but her father, who was 
 already well stricken in years, the appearance of the 
 ]\iinister, who was still young, so charmed her that she 
 instantly conceived a desire to see more of him, and 
 accordingly made a sign to him by raising the first 
 finger of her right hand and marking a circle round it 
 with the other hand ; then clasping both hands tight 
 together and throwing them open again, finally laying 
 one finger of each hand together and pointing with 
 them towards the palace. 
 
 " Very much perplexed at finding himself discovered 
 by the Princess, Ssaran came down; and when his wife 
 saw him looking so bewildered, she inquired of him, 
 saying, ' Hast thou seen the Princess ? ' 
 
 " ' Not only have I seen the Princess,' replied Ssaran,
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 31 7 
 
 ' but she hatli seen me ; and made all manners of signs, 
 of which I understand nothing, but that of course they 
 were to threaten some dreadful chastisement/ 
 
 " ' And of what nature were the signs, then ? ' further 
 inquired his wife ; and when he had described them to 
 her, she replied, — 
 
 "'These signs by no means betoken threatening. 
 Listen, and I will tell thee the interpretation of the 
 same. In that she raised the first finger of the right 
 hand on high, she signified that in the neighbourhood 
 of her dwelling is a shady tree ; that with the other 
 hand she described a circle round it, showed that the 
 garden where the tree stands is surrounded by a high 
 wall; that she clasped both hands together and then 
 threw them open again, said, " Come unto me in the 
 garden of flowers ;" and the laying of one finger of 
 each hand together, said, " May we be able to meet V ' 
 
 " ' This were very well,' replied Ssaran, ' were the 
 King's decree not so terrible, and his wrath so un- 
 sparing.' 
 
 " But his wife answered him, ' When a King's 
 daughter calls, can fear stand in the way ? Go now 
 at her bidding, only take this jewel with thee.' 
 
 " Ssaran accepted his wife's counsel, and, stowing the 
 jewel away in a safe place in the folds of his robe, 
 betook himself to the shady tree in the garden of the 
 Princess. Here he found the Princess awaiting him, 
 and they spent the day happily together.
 
 318 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 '' Towards evening, just as Ssaran was about to take 
 leave of the Princess, they suddenly found themselves 
 surrounded by a hundred armed men, whom the captain 
 that the King had set over the garden had sent to take 
 them both prisoners. Into a dark dungeon they were 
 accordingly thrown to await the King's decree saying 
 by what manner of means they should be put to death. 
 
 " Naran Gerel, who had been used to see every one 
 obey her and bow before her, desired the men to let 
 her go home to her father ; but the captain said, ' How 
 many men have suffered maiming and death for nothing 
 but because they have ventured near the precincts of 
 thine apartment ! Now therefore it is thy turn that 
 thou be put to death also. So will there be an end of 
 this peril to the King's subjects.' 
 
 "When Naran Gerel found she could prevail nothing 
 %vith the captain, she turned to Ssaran and entreated 
 him that he should devise some way of escape; but, 
 ^mk in fear and apprehension of the King's terrible 
 anger, he could not collect his ideas. 
 
 " ' How comes it,' then inquired the Princess, ' that 
 if thou hast so little presence of mind as thou now dis- 
 playest, thou wert able to distinguish and unravel, and 
 find courage to follow, the tokens that I gave thee with 
 my hands as I drove along the way ? ' 
 
 " ' That,' said he, ' I discovered by the sharp wit of 
 mv wife, who also gave me courage to obey thy call.' 
 
 " ' And did she furnish thee with knowledg-e and
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 319 
 
 courage^ and yet send thee forth with no sort of talis- 
 man?' said Naran Gerel. 
 
 "'She gave me nothing but this jewel/ replied the 
 minister; 'and of what use can that be V 
 
 " The Princess, however, took the jewel, and, throwing 
 it out of window, cried to the guard, ' Ye men who are 
 set to guard us, give ear. To persons sentenced to 
 death is a jewel of no further use ; take it one of you to 
 whom it is permitted to live, only let whichever of you 
 takes it in possession do us this service, that he go to 
 the house of the minister Ssaran, and knock three 
 times at the door.' 
 
 "One of the guard therefore took the jewel, and went 
 and knocked three times at the door of the minister 
 Ssaran. But the wife of the minister, knowing by this 
 token that her husband was thrown into prison together 
 with Naran Gerel, the King's daughter, made haste 
 and attired herself in her finest apparel, and filled a 
 basket with all manner of juice-giving fruits. With 
 these she came to the gate of the prison where her 
 husband was held bound, and spoke thus to the captain 
 of the guard, — 
 
 "'My husband being stricken with the fever, the 
 physician hath ordered that I take these fruits to 
 him ; ' and the captain of the guard made answer, ' If 
 this be so, then take the fruits in to him, but loiter not ; 
 return in all speed.' As soon as the wife entered the 
 prison she changed dresses hastily with Naran Gerel,
 
 320 SAGAS fEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 bidding lier escape and go hence privately to lier own 
 apartment^ while she remained beside her husband. 
 
 " In the meantime morning had come^ and the King 
 and all his court and his judges were astir, and before 
 all other causes the captain of the guard went to give 
 account of the arrest of Xaran Gerel and the minister 
 Ssaran. The high King was very wroth when he heard 
 what his daughter had done and the minister, and 
 commanded that they should instantly be brought 
 before him. So the captain of the guard went straight 
 to the prison, and without waiting so much as to look 
 at thoDi brought the two prisoners before the throne of 
 the King. 
 
 " When the King saw the minister and his wife stand- 
 ing before him, he asked them in a voice of thunder, — 
 
 '' ' Where is Naran Gerel ?' 
 
 " And the minister's wife made answer, — 
 
 " ' How can we tell thee this thing, seeing we have 
 been kept in durance all through the night?" 
 
 " 'And wherefore have ye been kept in durance all 
 through the night ? ' pursued the King. 
 
 " ' Concerning that also we know nothing further than 
 that the captain of the guard told us it was by the 
 King's decree,' replied the woman. 
 
 " ' Explain this matter,' then said the King, address- 
 ing the minister. And he, his wife telling him what 
 to say, made answer, ' Most high King, how shall I 
 explain the matter, seeing that I myself fail to know
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 321 
 
 why we were arrested ? My wife desired to see the 
 garden of the King^ and I, thinking it was not beyond 
 a minister's privilege^ took her yesterday to walk there, 
 and we spent the day together under the shady tree. 
 For this were we put in prison.' 
 
 " The King then spoke to the captain of the guard, 
 saying, ' Shall not a man pass the day in a garden with 
 his wife ? Wherefore should they be put in prison ? 
 Behold, since thou hast done this thing, thy life is in 
 this man's hand.' And he delivered the captain of the 
 guard to the minister to deal with him as he listed. 
 
 '^ But the captain of the guard said, ' For observing 
 the King's decree am I to be put to death ? Before I 
 die, however, let this justice be done. Let Naran 
 Grerel be summoned hither, and let her say on the trial 
 of barley-corns whether it was not she whom I arrested 
 in the King's garden.' 
 
 " So the King sent and called Naran Gerel and bid 
 her say on the trial of barley-corns whether it were not 
 she whom the captain of the guard had arrested in 
 the King's garden. 
 
 ^'But Naran Gerel answered, ^Am I not then the 
 King's daughter ? How should I, then, make the trial 
 of barley-corns like one of the common herd of the 
 people ? But call me an assembly, and before the 
 assembly I will swear. Shall not that suffice for 
 the King's daughter ? ' But this she said because in 
 the trial of barley-corns if one speak falsely the barley- 
 
 Y
 
 322 SAGAS FEOM THE FAB EAST. 
 
 corns will surely spring into tlie air and burst witli a 
 loud noise; but if truth, then only they remain quiet. 
 Naran Gerel therefore feared to make the trial of 
 barley-corns. 
 
 " But the King said, ' The words that Naran Gerel 
 hath spoken are words of justice. Let an assembly be 
 called.'' So they called together an assembly, Naran 
 Gerel having exchanged glances with the minister's 
 wife agreeing how they should proceed. 
 
 "Meantime the minister and his wife went home. The 
 wife therefore stained her husband all over with a black 
 stain so that he looked quite black, and she said to 
 him, ' When the time conies that the Princess has to 
 take the oath in the assembly, do thou find thyself 
 there doubled up and making unmeaning grimaces and 
 uncouth antics with an empty water-pitcher. Perhaps 
 the Princess will find the means to escape hereby out 
 of the judgment that threatens her.' 
 
 " The assembly was now gathered. The King was on 
 his throne, and Naran Gerel stood at its foot ; and the 
 minister, under the form of a crippled beggar, black 
 and loathsome to behold, was there also. 
 
 " Then the King called upon Naran Gerel to take the 
 oath. And first espying the pretended cripple, he 
 commanded, saying, '^Let that revolting object be 
 removed;' and all the people loathed him. But the 
 minister, who acted the part of a cripple, only mouthed 
 and wriggled the more, and would not be removed.
 
 SAGAS FEOai THE FAR EAST. 323 
 
 and as lie threatened to make a disturbance the King 
 bid them unhand him again. 
 
 " But Naran Gerel stood forward^ saying, ' Whereon 
 shall I take this oath ? On the barley-corns it be- 
 seemeth not the King's daughter to swear even as a 
 common wench. And if I swear on any well -looking 
 man in this assembly, I shall run danger of having the 
 former accusation brought against me again. I will 
 therefore swear by this cripple whom all have loathed. 
 Those who would accuse me to the utmost cannot see 
 any offence if I swear by an object so ungainly and 
 revolting.' 
 
 " By this means, as she had sworn by a cripple who 
 was no cripple, she counted that it was no oath, while 
 the King and all the people were satisfied she had 
 spoken the truth. The captain of the guard was 
 handed over to the minister's pleasure, who let him go 
 free, and the minister and Naran Gerel were pronounced 
 innocent." 
 
 " The wife of the minister Ssaran was a devoted wife, 
 well-being and true to her husband," said the wise 
 parrot when he had finished this tale. " If, therefore, 
 thou art devoted and brave even as the wife of the 
 minister Ssaran, then go abroad and pay visits accord- 
 ing to thy desire ; but if not, then beware that thou 
 set not foot outside the door." 
 
 After these words the merchant's wife gave up her 
 Y 2
 
 324 SAGAS PEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 intention of going out, and remained at home. And 
 tlius the wise parrot dealt witli her every day of tlie 
 seventy-one days that the merchant was absent. 
 
 Then said the Suta further to Ardschi-Bordschi, '' If 
 thy wife, Ardschi-Bordschi ! is worthy to be com- 
 pared to the wife of the minister Ssaran, not to mention 
 the comparison with Tsetsen Biidschiktschi, wife of the 
 magnanimous King Vikramaditja, then may she pro- 
 strate herself with her forehead upon the foot of this 
 throne ; but if not, then on her peril let her not 
 approach it.^'
 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 1. Kalmuck. " The Khalmoucks or Calmuks, are very far from enjoying 
 in Asia the importance our books of geography assign them. In the 
 Khahnoukia of our imagining, no one knew of the Khalmouks. At last 
 we met with a Lama who had travelled in Eastern Tibet, and he told us 
 that one of the Kolo tribes is called Khalmouk." The Kolos are a 
 nomad people of Eastern Tibet, of predatory habits, living in inaccessible 
 gorges of the Bayen Kharet mountains, guarded by impassable toi'rents 
 and frightful precipices, towards the sources of the Yellow River ; they 
 only leave their abode to scour the steppes on a mission of pillage upon 
 the Mongolians. The Mongolians of the Koukou-Noor (Blue Lake) hold 
 them in such terror, that there is no monstrous practice they do not 
 ascribe to them. They profess Buddhism equally with the Mongolians. 
 See " Missionary Travels in Tartary, Tibet, and China," by Abbe Hue, 
 vol. i. chap. iv. 
 
 2. " The various Dekhan dialects, i.e. of the Tuluvas, Malabars, Tamuls, 
 Cingalese, of the Carnatic, &c., though greatly enriched from Sanskrit, 
 would appear to have an entirely independent origin. The same may 
 be said of the popular traditions." Lassen, vol. i. 362 — 364. 
 
 3. The Tirolean legend of the Curse of the Marmolata, which I have 
 given at pp. 278—335 of " Household Stories from the Land of Hofer," 
 may well be thought to be a reproduction and reapplication of this, one 
 of the most ancient of myths.
 
 326 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 4. Even the Mahou SJiarata, however, gives uo consecutive and reliable 
 account of the original settlement in the country. Franz Bopp, one of 
 the earliest to attempt its translation, thus happily describes it. He 
 likens it to an Egyptian obelisk covered with hieroglyphics, "an dem 
 die Grundform von der Erde zum Himmel strele, aher ehie Fiille von 
 Oestalten, {von denen eine auf die andre dewte, eine oTine die andre 
 rathselhaft hleibe,) nehen und durch einander hinziehe und Irdisches und 
 Himmlisches wiindersam verhinde." — The pervading plan of the work is 
 one straining from earth upwards to heaven, but overlaid with a multi- 
 plicity of figures, each one so intimately related with the other, that any 
 would be incomprehensible without the rest ; the thread of the life of one 
 interwoven with those of the others, and all of them together creating a 
 wondrous bond between the things of this world and the things which 
 are above. 
 
 5. " The only way to gain acquaintance with the early history of India 
 is by making use of its Sagas." Lassen, Indische Alterthumskunde, 
 vol. i., pref. p. vii. But I shall have more to say on this head when I 
 come to the story of Vikramaditja. 
 
 6. Some, however, seem to go too far, when they labour to prove that 
 this is tlie case with every individual European legend, many of which 
 are manifestly created by Christianity ; and write as if every accidental 
 similarity of incident necessarily implied parentage or connexion. 
 
 7. See introduction to his Translation of Pantschatantra. I have 
 thought it worth while to mention this on account of the present collec- 
 tion being Mongolian, 
 
 DEDICATION. 
 
 1. Sbakjamuni — the family name of Buddha, the originator of Budd- 
 hism. It means " Hermit of the tribe of Shakja," the Shakjahe'm^ one 
 of the earliest Indian dynasties of which there are any records. His 
 great-grandfather was Gajasena, whose son Sinahanu married Kakkana, 
 also of the Shakja lineage. Tlieir son Shuddhodana married Mahapra- 
 gapati (more commonly called by her subsequently received name of 
 Maja = " the creative power of the godhead ") a daughter of Angana, 
 Kakkana's brother, and became the father of Buddha^. 
 
 1 Lassen, Indische Alterthumslcunde, ii. 67, 68.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 327 
 
 Accordiug to the Mabavansha, Gajasena was descended from Ixvaku, 
 through the fabulous number of eighty-two thousand ancestors ! He was 
 also wont to call himself Shramana- Gautama, to mark his alliance with 
 a certain priestly family of Brahmans and thereby disarm any animosity 
 on their part toward his teaching. He was also called Shakjasinba = 
 " Lion of the tribe of Shakja," to show that he belonged to the warrior 
 caste. 
 
 He was brought up as heir to the crown, and was trained in the use of 
 arms and in all matters appertaining to the duties of a ruler. At the age 
 of sixteen he was married, and we have the names of his three wives — 
 Utpalavarna, Jashodhara, and Bhadrakakkana. Up to the age of 
 twenty -eight he lived a life entirely devoted to the pursuit of pleasure, 
 his time being passed between the respective attractions of three splendid 
 palaces built for him by his father. At about this age he appears to have 
 grown weary of this desultory kind of life, and one day, meeting iu his 
 walks with an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a priest, he was led to 
 turn his thoughts upon the evils and the evanescence of life. Rambling 
 on instead of returning home he sat down to rest under the shade of a 
 gambu-tree, and here he found fresh food for his melancholy reflections 
 in the miserable condition of the country people living around. The 
 legend saj's the Devata, or gods, appeared to him in the shape of these 
 suffering people in order further to instruct him in his new views of ex- 
 istence. In all probability his previous mode of life never having brought 
 him in contact with the actual miseries of the needy this sight appeared 
 to him in the light of an apparition. 
 
 The result of his deliberations was the resolve to withdraw to a place 
 of solitude, where he might be free to consider by what means human 
 beings could be relieved from their miseries i. 
 
 With this view he forsook his family and his palatial residences, and 
 having laid aside his rich clothing he wandered forth unknown to all, 
 begging his food by the way till he found the retirement he sought in 
 the hermitages of various Brahmans of Gajashira, a hill in the neighbour- 
 hood of Gaja^, whence he is sometimes called Gajashiras- 
 
 1 Mahavnnsha, ii. v. 11. 
 
 2 Now called Gaya, still an important town in the province of Behar. 
 Yihara, whence Behar (for B and V are allied sounds in Sanskrit), is 
 the Buddhist word for a college of priests, and the substitution of Behar
 
 623 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 He first placed himself under the teaching of the Brahman Arada 
 Kalama, afterwards under that of another called Rudraka, who was so 
 struck with the progress he made in the acquisition of every kind of 
 knowledge that he soon associated him with himself in the direction of 
 his disciples. Five of these (four of them belonging to the royal Shakja 
 family), Agnata, Ashvagit, Bhadraka, Vashpa, and Maharata, grew so 
 much attached to him and his views that they subsequently became the 
 fii"st followers of his separate school of teaching. 
 
 Having after some years exhausted the satisfaction he found in the 
 pursuit of study he set out restlessly on a new search after happiness, fol- 
 lowed by the five disciples I have named, and retired with them to a more 
 exclusive solitude still, where for six years he gave himself up to un- 
 broken contemplation amid the most rigid austerities. After this he 
 seems to have somewhat alienated his companions by relaxing his severe 
 mode of life, for they forsook him about this time and took up their 
 abode in the neighbourhood of Varanasi ^, where they continued to live 
 as he had shown them at the first 2. 
 
 This mode of life even he, however, does not appear to have altered 
 except in the matter of abridging his fasts, for his habitual meditations 
 went on as before, and they were believed to have so illumined his under- 
 standing that he finally received the appellation of Buddha =; "the 
 enlightened one," while from his favourite habit of making these medita- 
 tions under the shade of the ashvattha, the "trembling leaf" fig-tree, 
 that tree, which has acquired so prominent a place in Buddhist records, 
 legends, and institutions, came to be called the hodhiruma, literally, 
 " tree of knowledge," and it has even been distinguished by naturalists 
 from the ficus indica, of which it is a variety, by the title of ficus 
 religiosa. It became so insepai'able an adjunct of Buddhism that 
 wherever the teaching of Shakjamuni was spread this tree was trans- 
 planted too 3. 
 
 for Magadha, the more ancient name of the province, points to a time 
 when Buddhism flourished there and had many such colleges (see Wil- 
 son in Journal of As. Soc. v. p. 124). 
 
 1 Benares. 
 
 " Burnouf, Introd. a I'Hist. du JBuddhisme, i. 157. 
 
 3 In the far east of India and in Ceylon, where it is not indigenous, 
 we have historical evidence that it was introduced by the Buddhists ;
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 329 
 
 Tlie oppression of solitude appears to have overcome Shakjamuni at 
 last, and he consequently took the resolution of journej-ingto Varauasito 
 
 also in Java. Lassen, Indische AUertliumsJcunde, i. 257; also p. 260, 
 note 1, where he gives the following comparative descriptions of the two 
 species, though he also points out that in ancient descriptions the charac- 
 teristics of the two trees are often confused. The ficus indica or banian 
 (it received the name of banyan from the Indian merchants, Banjans, by 
 whose means it was propagated), is called in Bengal Njagrodha and Vata 
 (the Dutch call it " the devil's tree "). The ficu;^ religiosa is called ash- 
 vattha, and pippala. They plant the one by the side of the other with 
 marriage ceremonies in the belief that otherwise the banian would not 
 complete its peculiar mode of growth. Hence arises a most pleasing con- 
 trast between the elegant lightness of the shining foliage of the ficns re- 
 ligiosa and the solemn grandeur of the ^^c?** indica with its picturesque 
 trunks, its abundant leafage, its spangling of golden fruits, its pendulous 
 roots, enabling it to reproduce itself after the fashion of a temple with 
 countless aisles. It affords cool salubrious shade, a single one forming in 
 time a forest to itself, and sufficing to bouse thousands of persons. The 
 leaves of both supply excellent food for elephants, and birds and mon- 
 keys delight in its fruit, which, however, is not edible by man, nor is its 
 wood of much use as timber. The pippala does not grow to nearly so 
 great a size as the other, never attaining so many stems, but nothing caa 
 be more graceful than its appearance when, overgrowing from a building 
 or another tree ; its leaves tremble like those of the aspen (Lassen, i, 
 255—261, and notes). Under its overarching shade altars were erected 
 and sacrifice offered up. To injure it wilfully was counted a sin (an in- 
 stance is mentioned in Bp. Heber's " Journey," i. 621). A most prodigious 
 Boddhi-tree, or rather five such growing together, still exists in Ceylon, 
 which tradition says was transplanted thither with most extraordinary 
 pomp and ceremonies at the time of the introduction of Buddhism into 
 the island. They grow upon the fourth terrace of an edifice built up of 
 successive rows of terraces, forming the most sacred spot in the whole 
 island. Upon the above supposition this Boddhi-grove would be some- 
 thing like 2000 years old. Several very curious legends concerning it 
 are given in a paper called " llemarks on the Ancient City of Anaraja- 
 pura," by Captain Chapman, in Trans, of R. As. of Gr. Br. i. and iii. 
 The Brahmans honoured it as well as the Buddhists, and made it a para- 
 ble of the universe, its stem typifying the connexion of the visible world
 
 330 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 seek out his former companions. At their first meeting they were so 
 scandahzed to see him look so well and hearty instead of emaciated by 
 austerities that they refused to pay him any respect. But when he 
 showed them that he had attained to the illumination of a Buddha they 
 accepted his teaching and put themselves entirely under his guidance. 
 The number of his disciples increased meantime amazingly. As they 
 lived by alms they received the name of Bhixu as a term of reproach. 
 Ere long wo find him sending out sixty of them, whom he invested with 
 a certain high dignity he called Arliat ', to spread his teaching wherever 
 they came. He himself wandered for nineteen years over the central and 
 eastern districts of the country, teaching, — his agreeable presence and 
 benevolence of manner, and, the legends say, the wonderful things he 
 did, winning him numerous converts wherever he went'. Some gave 
 themselves up to a life of contemplation in the jungle, others associated 
 themselves with him in his travels. When the rainy season set in they 
 had to find shelter for the four months in such colleges of Brahmans or 
 houses of families as they found well inclined towards them. This Var- 
 shavasana, as it was called, afforded them additional opportunity of 
 making known their ideas. 
 
 Shakjamuni himself seems to have won over several kings to his way 
 of thinking ; one of them, king of Pankala, he made an Arhat ; another, 
 the king of Koshala, stirred himself very much to awaken Shuddodana 
 to a sense of the merit of his son, sending to congratulate him because 
 One of whom he was progenitor had found the means by which mortals 
 might attain to unending happiness. For once, making an exception to 
 the proverb that a prophet meets with little honour in his own country, 
 fortune favoured him in this matter also, and his father, who violently 
 opposed his withdrawal from his due mode of life in the first instance. 
 
 with a divine invisible spirit, and the up and- down growth of the branches 
 and roots the restless striving of all creatures after an unattainable perfec- 
 tion ; but it was the Buddhists for whom it became in the first instance 
 actually sacred by reason of the conviction said to have been received by 
 Shakjamuni while observing its growth (reminding forcibly of the tradi- 
 tion about Sir I. Newton and the apple), that the perpetual struggles of 
 this changeful life could only find ultimate satisfaction in that reunion 
 with the source whence they emanated, which he termed Nirvana. 
 
 1 Burnouf, i. 295. 
 
 * Burnouf, p. 194.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 331 
 
 sent eight messengers one after the other to beg him to come and adom 
 his court with his wisdom. Each one of these, however, was so won by 
 his teaching that he never returned to the king, but remained at the feet 
 of Shakjauumi. Last of all the king sent his minister Karka, who, 
 though he also adopted his views, prevailed ou him to let him take back 
 the message that he would satisfy his father's requests. The king mean- 
 time built a vihara for him under a grove of his favourite Njagrodha, or 
 sacred fig-tree. His return home happened in the twelfth year after his 
 departure, but when he had made his teaching known among his kindred 
 he set out on his travels again, only returning at intervals, as to any other 
 vihara, for the rainy season. A great many of his family joined them- 
 selves to him, among them his son Rahula, and his nephew Ananda, who 
 became one of his most celebrated followers. 
 
 In the twentieth year of his Buddhahood and the fifty-sixth of his age, 
 he was seized with a serious illness, during which he announced his con- 
 viction that his end, or nirvana, was at hand, that is, his entering on 
 that state which was the ultimate object which he bid his followers strive 
 to attain — the completion of all possible knowledge and the consequent 
 dissolution of personal individuality^ ; further, that it should take place 
 at Kushinagara, the capital of the Malla people 2. Soon after, he accom- 
 plished his prediction by setting out for this place, visiting by the waj' 
 many of the spots where he had establishments of disciples, and arriving 
 therein a state of utter exhaustion and prostration. On this journey he 
 made more converts, but after his arrival gave himself up to contempla- 
 tion which he considered necessary to perfect his fifth or highest degree 
 of knowledge, until his death. This took place under a Shala-grove, or 
 grove of sal-trees. His body was by his own desire treated with the 
 
 1 Nirvana means literally in Sanskrit " the breathing out," " extinc- 
 tion " — extinction of the flame of life, eternal happiness, united with the 
 Deity. Bohtlingk and Roth's Sanskrit Dictionary, iv. 208. In Buddhist 
 writings, however, it is difficult to make out any idea of it distinct frovii 
 annihilation. Consult Schmidt's Trans. otsSanang sSetzen, pp. 307 — 331 ; 
 Schott. Buddhaismus, p. 10 and 127 ; Koppen, i. 304—309. " Existence 
 in the eye of Buddhism is nothing but misery. . . . Nothing remained to 
 be devised as deliverance from this evil but the destruction of existence. 
 This is what Buddhists call Nirwana." (Alwis' Lectures on Bud- 
 dhism, p. 29.) 
 
 2 Concerning the locality of the Malla people, see Lassen, Indische 
 AUerthumskunde, i. 549.
 
 332 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 honours only to be paid to a KaJcravartin ', or supreme ruler. After 
 burning his body the ashes were preserved in an urn of gold. His death 
 is reckoned to have taken place in the year 543 B.C. ^, according to 
 the Buddhists of Ceylon and Southern India generally. Those of the 
 northern provinces, the Japanese and Mongolians, have a very different 
 chronology, and place his birth about the year 950 B.C. Tlie Chinese 
 are divided among themselves about it and say variously, 688, 1070, and 
 1122 3. 
 
 A great number of claimants demanded his ashes in memorial of him, 
 and finally, by the advice of a Brahman named Drona, they were parti- 
 tioned among eight cities, in each of which a kaifja, or shrine'', was 
 erected to receive them. A great gathering of his followers was held at 
 Kushinagara, of which Kashjapa was sanghasthavira, or president, 
 Buddha having himself previously designated him for his successor. He 
 had been a distinguished Brahman. It is said by one of the exaggera- 
 tions common in all Indian records that there were seven hundred thou- 
 sand of the new religionists present. Five hundred were selected from 
 among the most trustworthy to draw up the Sanghiti, or good laws of 
 Buddha. Then they broke up, determining to travel over Gambudvipa, 
 consoling the scattered Bhixu for the loss of their master, and to meet 
 again at Ragagriha at the beginning of the month Ashddha (answering 
 to the end of oiir June) for the Varshavasana. 
 
 This synod lasted seven months. Its chief work was the compilation 
 of the Tripitaka — " the three baskets " or " vessels " supposed to con- 
 tain all Shakjamuni's teaching : 1. The Sutra-pitaka, containing the con- 
 versation of Shakjamuni (of these I have had occasion to speak in another 
 place 5); 2. The Vinaja-pitaka, containing maxims by which the dis- 
 
 • This word is a favourite with Buddhist writers, and means literally 
 " him of the rolling wheel," primarily used to denote a conqueror riding 
 on his chariot. See Lassen, Indlsche Alterthumskunde, i. 810, n. 2. 
 
 2 Lassen, ii. 52, n. 1, and 74, n. 6; and i. 356, n. 1. 
 
 3 Professor Wilson seems to have been so much perplexed by these 
 divergencies of chronology, that in a paper by him, published in Journ. 
 of R. As. Soc. vol. xvi. art. 13, he endeavours to show on this (and also 
 on other grounds) that it is possible no such person ever existed at all ! 
 
 ■« See Burnouf, p. 348, n. 3; see also infra, n. 3 to "The False 
 Friend;" also note 2 to " Vikramaditja's Birth." 
 5 Supra, Notice of Vikramaditja, pp. 238, 239.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE TAR EAST. 66o 
 
 ciple's life was to be guided ; aud the Ahidharma-pitaJca, containing an 
 exposition of religious and philosophical teaching. The first was under 
 the revision of Ananda ; the second under that of Upali ; and the tliird 
 under that of Kacjapa. The TripitaJca also bears the name of Sthavira, 
 because only such took part in its compilation ; also " of the five hun- 
 dred," because so many were charged with its compilation. 
 
 It is important, however, to bear in mind, because of the monstrous 
 exaggerations and extravagant incidents subsequently introduced ^ that 
 these were only compilations preserved by word of mouth ; the art of 
 writing was scarcely known in India at this time. " After the Nirvdna 
 of Buddha, for the space of 450 years, the text and commentaries and all 
 the words of the Tathagato wei'e preserved and ti'ansmitted bj' wise 
 priests orally. But having seen the evils attendant upon this mode of 
 transmission, 550 rahats of great authority, in the cave called AldJca 
 (Alu), in the province of Malaya, in Lanka, under the guardianship of the 
 chief of that province caused the sacred books to be written -." As this 
 " text aud commentaries " are reckoned to consist of 6,000,000 words, 
 and the Bible of about 500,000, we may form some idea of the impossi- 
 bility of so vast a body of language being in any way faithfully preserved 
 hy so treacherous a medium as memory. 
 
 Megastheues (Fragm. 27, p. 421, b.) and Nearchos (Fragm. 7, p. 60, b.) 
 particularly mention that the Indians had bo written laws, but their 
 code was preserved in the memory of their judges; thus testifying to 
 the practice of trusting to memory in the most important matters. 
 Schwanbeck (Megast. Ind. p. 51) remarks that the Sanskrit word for a 
 collection of laws—Smriii — means also memory. J. Prinsep (in his paper 
 on the Inscriptions of the Rocks of Girnar, in Journ. of As. Soc. of Beng. 
 vii. 271) is inclined to think some of the rock-cut inscriptions are as early 
 as 500 B.C. ; which would show they had some knowledge of a written 
 character then ; Lassen, however, is of opinion that this is altogether 
 too early; but there seems no doubt that there are some both of and 
 
 1 " Only about a hundred years elapsed between the visit of Fa-Hian to 
 India and that of Soung-yun, and in the interval the absurd traditions 
 respecting Sakya-Muni's life and actions would appear to have been in- 
 finitely multiplied, enlarged, and distorted." (Lieut.-Col. Sykes' Notes on 
 the Religious, Moral, and Political State of Ancient India, in Journ. oi 
 R. As. Soc. No. xii. p. 280.) 
 
 * Turnour, in Journ. of As. Soc. of Bengal, 722.
 
 334 SAGAS FEOM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 anterior to the reign of Ashoka, 246 B.C. Megasthenes indeed men- 
 tions that he had heard they used a kind of indurated cotton for writing 
 on. But the use, neither of this material nor of a written character, 
 could have been very common or extended, for Nearchos (Strabo, xvi. 
 § 67) wrote, " It is said by some, the Indians write on indurated cotton 
 stuff, but others say they have not even the use of a written alpha- 
 bet." 
 
 Though thus disfigured and overlaid as time went by, the great inten- 
 tion which Shakjamuni himself seems to have had in view in the pre- 
 paration of his doctrine was to destroy the exclusiveness of the Brah- 
 manical castes, and that most especially in its influence on the future and 
 final condition of every man, and thus he accepted men of all castes, even 
 the very lowest ^ and the out-caste too, among not only his disciples but 
 among his priesthood. It was thus in its origin a system of morals rather 
 than of faith. It was full of maxims inculcating virtue to be pursued — not 
 indeed out of obedience to the will of a Divine and all perfect Creator — 
 but with the object of escaping the necessity of the number of re-births 
 taught by the Brahmans and of sooner attaining to nirvana. It set up, 
 therefore, no mythology of its own^, nor put forward any statement of 
 what gods were to be honoured. Nevertheless it was grafted on to the 
 mythology prevailing at the time, and many of the gods then honoured 
 are incidentally mentioned in the Sutra as accepted objects of veneration. 
 The Veda, or sacred teaching of the Brahmans, is quoted in almost every 
 page''. The gods who thus come in for mention in the simple Sutra are 
 the following ■' : — The three gods of the later mythology bear here the 
 names of (1) Brahma and Pelamaha ; (2) Hari, Ganardana, Narajana, 
 and Upendra (it is important to note that the name of Krishna does 
 not appear at this period at all) ; (3) Shiva and Shankara. Indra was 
 now placed at the head of gods of the second rank. We have also 
 Shakra, Vasava, and Shakipati, called the husband of Shaki. Of the 
 other Lokapala, Kuvera and Varunna are named. It is doubtless only 
 by accident that more do not find mention. Of the demigods Visvakar- 
 man, the Gandharba, Kinnara, Garuda, Jaxa the Serpent-god, Asura, and 
 Danava, along with other evil genii and serpent-gods. The most often 
 named — particularly in the colloquies between Buddha and his disciples 
 
 1 Lassen, ii. 440. - Lassen, ii. 453, 454. 
 
 3 Burnouf, Introd. a I'Hist. du Biuldh. i. 137. 
 ^ Burnouf, Introd, &c. i. 131 et seq.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 335 
 
 — is Indra with the adjunctive appellation of Kaushika. Indra was at 
 the time of Shakjauiuni himself the favourite god ; the other great gods 
 had not yet received the importance they afterwards acquired, nor had 
 any thing like the idea of a trine unity or equality heen broached ^ as we 
 shall presently see; even these allusions were but scanty 2. It was long 
 before the whole Brahnianical system of divinities came to form an 
 integral part of the Buddhist theosophy^. 
 
 Hence Shakjamuni, as well as his contemporary and earliest succeed- 
 ing disciples, lived for the most part ■* on good terms with the Brahmans, 
 some of whom were among the most zealous in securing the custody of 
 some part of his ashes. But they were not long ere they perceived that 
 as this new teaching developed itself its tendency was to supersede their 
 oi'der. Then, a life and death struggle for the upper-hand ensued which 
 lasted for centuries, for while the Buddhists were on the one side fight- 
 ing against the attempted extermination, on the other side they were 
 spreading their doctrines over an ever-fresh field by the journeyings of 
 their missionaries, a proceeding the more exclusive Brahmans had never 
 adopted. This went on till by the one means and the other Buddhism 
 had been almost entirely banished fVoni Central India, where it took its rise, 
 but had established itself on an enduring basis as remote from its original 
 centre as Ceylon, Mongolia, China, Japan, the Indian Archipelago, and 
 perhaps even Mexico^. This state of things was hardly established 
 before the 14th century ^. But from informal ion on the condition of re- 
 ligion in India preserved by the Chinese pilgrim Fahien, who traversed 
 a great part of Asia, a.d. 399 — 41J, Buddhism had already at that time 
 suffered great losses, for at Gaja itself the temple of Buddha was a de- 
 serted ruin. From the writings of another Chinese pilgrim, Hiueu 
 Thsang, whose travels took place in the 7th century, it would seem that 
 the greatest Brahnianical persecution of the Buddhists did not take 
 place before 670 '. That it had cleared them out of Central India by the 
 
 1 " There is no reference even in the earlier Veda to the Trimurti : to 
 Donga, Kali, or Rama." (Wilson, Sig- Veda Sanhtta.) 
 - Burnouf, i. 90, 108. 
 3 Lassen, ii. 426, 454, 455 and other places. 
 
 * " No hostile feeling against the Brahmans finds utterance in the 
 Buddhist Canon." (Max MuUer, Anc. Sauskr. Literature.) 
 
 5 Lassen, iv, 644, 710. 
 
 * Lassen, ii. 440. 
 
 <■ Lassen, iv. 616 — 709.
 
 336 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 date I have named above is further confirmed by Madhava, a writer of 
 the 14th century, quoted by Professor Wilson, who " declares that at his 
 date not a follower of Buddha was to be found in all Hindustan, and he 
 had only met some few old men of that faith in Kashmir." "At the 
 present day," adds Wilson, " I never met with a person who had met 
 with natives of India Proper of that faith, and it appears that an utter 
 extirpation of the Buddha religion in India Proper was effected between 
 the 12th and 16th centuries." Nevertheless it is the system of religion 
 which next after the Catholic Church counts the gi'eatest number of 
 followers. 
 
 Dr. GiitzlafF (in his "Remarks on the Present State of Buddhism," 
 in " Jouru. of R. As. Soc." xvi. 73.) tells us two-thirds of the population 
 of China is Buddhist. In Ungewitter's Neueste Urdeheschreihung, the 
 whole population is stated from native official statistics at 360,000,000 ; 
 whence it would follow that there are 270,000,000 Buddhists in China 
 alone; pi'obably, however, the Chinese figures are to some extent an 
 exaggeration. 
 
 Before concluding this brief notice of Buddhism it remains to say a 
 few words on the later developments of the system which have too often 
 been identified with its original utterances. 
 
 It does not appear to have been before the 10th century that Shakja- 
 muni was reckoned to be an incarnation of a heavenly being ; at least 
 the earliest record of such an idea is found in an inscription at Gaya, 
 ascribed to the year 948 ', while much of his own teaching bears traces 
 of a lingering belief in a great primeval tradition of the unity of the 
 Godhead and the promise of redemption '^, as well as the great primary 
 laws of obedience and sacrifice more perfectly preserved to us in the 
 inspired writings committed to the Hebrews. The history of the deluge, 
 as given by Weber from the Maha Bharata, is almost identical in its 
 leading features with the account in Genesis, bearing of course some 
 additions. A great ship was laden with pairs of beasts, and seeds of 
 every kind of plants, and was steered safely through the floods by 
 Vishnu under the form of a great fish, who ultimately moored it on the 
 mountain Naubandhana, one of the Himalajas in Eastern Kashmere. 
 The .early Veda hymns, too, had thus spoken of the Creation, "At that 
 time there was neither being nor no being jj no world, no air, nor any 
 
 1 As. Rec. i. 285. 
 - Genesis iii. 15.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 337 
 
 thing beyond it. Death was not, neither immortality ; nor distinction 
 of day and night. But It (fad) respired alone, and without breathing ; 
 alone in Its self- consciousness {Svadha, which hence came to be used 
 for ' Heaven '). Besides It was nothing, only darkness. All was wrapt 
 in darkness, and uudistinguishable fluid. But the bulk thus enveloped 
 was brought forth by the power of contemplation. Love (Kama) was 
 first formed in Its mind, and this was the original creative germ i." 
 And the Veda was, we have seen, adopted in the main by Shakjamuni ; 
 but the development of his views came to imply that there was no 
 Creator at all, existences being only a series of necessary evolutions-. 
 And when later a Creator came again to be spoken of, the term was 
 involved in the most inconceivable contradictions ■'*. A distinguished 
 Roman Orientalist also writes: — " The Veda, and principally the Jazur- 
 Veda and the Isa-Upanishad, contain not oVily many golden maxims, but 
 distinct traces of the primitive Monotheism. But these books exercise 
 little influence on the religion of the people, which is a mass of idolatry 
 and superstition ; moreover, they are themselves filled with the most 
 absurd stories and fables. The Jazur-Veda, which is the freest fi-om 
 these defects, is a comparatively recent production, and the author has 
 manifestly drawn upon not only both Old and New Testament, but also 
 the Koran ^." 
 
 An infusion of the revealed doctrines taught by Christianity was also 
 received into it from the teaching of the missionaries of the first ages 
 after the birth of Christ, though similarly disfigured and overwrought. 
 To distinguish the influence of the one and the other would be a fasci- 
 nating study, but one too vast for the limits of the present pages. 
 When we come presently to the history of Vlkramaditja we shall find it 
 presents us with a striking idea of the facility with which various ideals 
 can be heaped upon one personality ; this will serve as a key to the mode 
 in which an unenlightened admiration for the story of our Divine 
 Redeemei''s life on earth may be supposed to have induced the ascribing 
 of His supernatural manifestations to another being, already accepted as 
 Divine. It is true that certain appearances of Vishnu and Shiva on 
 earth would seem to have been believed before the Christian era j and 
 
 ' Rig-Veda, bk. x. ch. xi. 
 
 " Burnouf, Introd. i. 618. 
 
 3 See infra, Note 8 of this " Dedication ;" on the word " Bede," p. 34€. 
 * Veriia delta Religione Cristiana-Cattolica sistematicamente dimo- 
 strata, da Monsignor Francesco Nardi U. di S. Rota. Roma, 1868. 
 
 Z
 
 338 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 apart from the Indian writings, the dates of which are so difficult to fix, 
 the testimony of Megasthenes (the Historian of Seleucus Nicanor, who 
 wrote B.C. 300) is quoted in proof that at his time such incarnations 
 were ah-eady held. But the passages in Megasthenes, by the very fact 
 that he identifies Vishnu with Hercules, tend only to demonstrate a 
 belief in a different kind of manifestation of Divine power. Those who 
 labour most to prove that the Brahmanical idea of incarnation preceded 
 the Christian have to allow that it was only subsequently to the spread 
 of Christian teaching that it was fully developed. Thus Lassen writes, 
 " I have, therefore (i. e. in consequence of the allusions in Megasthenes), 
 no hesitation in maintaining that the dogma of Vishnu's incarnations was 
 in existence 300 years before the birth of Christ ; still, however, it only 
 received its full development at a subsequent period ^." And in another 
 place, speaking of the Avatdra (incarnations) of Vishnu, in the persons of 
 the heroes of the epic poems, he adds, " this dogma is unknown {fremd) 
 to the Veda, and the few allusions to such an idea existing in some of its 
 myths, and which were later reckoned among the incarnations of Vishnu, 
 show that in the earliest ages the recurring appearance in man's nature 
 of ' the preserving god ' for the destruction of evil was not yet invented." 
 And even of the early epic poems he writes, that though such ideas are 
 introduced, yet the heroes still maintain their individuality. They are 
 actuated and indwelt by Vishnu, but they are not he.. This, it will be 
 seen, is very difl'erent from the Christian dogma of the Incarnation. 
 
 Whether the extremely interesting and ancient tradition be genuine 
 (as maintained by Tillemont) or not, that Abgarus, king of Edessa, sent 
 messengers to our Lord in Judsea, begging Him to come and visit him 
 and heal him of his sickness, and that our Lord in reply sent him word 
 that He must do the work of Him Who sent Him and then return to 
 Him above, but that after His Ascension He would send an Apostle to 
 him, and that in consequence of this promise St. Thomas received the 
 far East for the field of his labours — and, however much be chronolo- 
 gically correct of the mass of i-ecords and traditions which tell that this 
 Apostle travelled over the whole Asian continent, from Edessa to Tibet, 
 and perhaps China — it would appear to be intrinsically probable and as 
 well attested as most facts of equally remote date, that both this Apostle 
 and ThaddfEUS, one of the seventy-two disciples, preached the Gospel in 
 countries east of Syria, and that his successors, more or less immediate, 
 extended their travels farther and farther east. It is mentioned in 
 
 1 Lassen, ii. 1107. ^ Lassen, i. 488.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 339 
 
 Eusebius (Book v. c. 10), that S. Pautajus, going to India to preach 
 the Gospel early in the 3rd century (Eusebius himself wrote at the end 
 of the same century), met with Brahmans who showed him a copy of the 
 Gospel of St. Matthew in Hebrew, which they said had been given to 
 their forerunners by St. Bartholomew ^. Lassen himself allows, that in 
 all probability certain Brahmans, at a very early date, fell in with 
 Christian teachers, and brought them back home with them. Further, that 
 the idea of there being any merit in Ihakti, or pious faith, and a de- 
 velopment in the teaching concerning the duty of prayer may be traced 
 to this circumstance. Nor does he deny that when in 435, Eustathius, 
 Bp, of Antioch, with the help of Thomas Kama, a rich local merchant, 
 went to found a mission at Mahadevapatma (Crangauore), he found 
 Christians who dated their conversion from St. Thomas living there. 
 His further efforts to disprove that St. Thomas himself penetrated very 
 far east, and that the early Christian establishments at Taprobane and 
 Ceylon were founded by Persian Christians, though far from conclusive, 
 tend as far as they go but to support all the more the theory of an 
 admixture of Christian with Brahmanical and Buddhist teaching; because, 
 the less pure the source of teaching the more likely it was to have 
 resulted in producing such an admixture in place of actual conversion. 
 Nor does the circumstance on which he lays much weight, that the 
 Brahmans resented the inroads of Christian teaching on their domain, 
 even with severe persecutions, at all afford any proof that there were not 
 Brahmanical teachers, who either through sincere admiration (for which 
 they were prepared by their early monotheistic tradition), or from a 
 conviction of the advantage to be derived in increase of influence by its 
 means, or other cause, may have thought fit, or been even unconsciously 
 led to incorporate certain ideas of the new school with their own. 
 
 I have only space left to touch upon two of the most important of 
 these identifications. And first the imitation of the doctrine of the 
 Holy Trinity. Lassen (i. 784 and iv. 570) fixes as late a date as 1420 
 — 1445 for the introduction of the Trimurti worship, or, as he expresses 
 it, the bootless attempt to unite various schools by propounding the 
 
 1 A great number of early authorities are quoted in Butler's " Lives," 
 vol. xii., pp. 329 — 334. The subject has also been handled by Gieseler, 
 Lehrhuch der Kirchengeschichte ; Wilson's "Sketch of the Religious 
 Sects of the Hindus;" Swainson's "Memoir of the Syrian Christians;" 
 most ably by A. Weber, and by many others. 
 
 z 2
 
 340 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 equality and unity of the three great rival gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and 
 Shiva, who were the chief gods favoured by each respectively. Devaraja 
 of Vigajanagara erected the first temple to the Tritnurti about* this date, 
 Ganesha, the god of wisdom and knowledge, appeared to his minister 
 Laxmana and bid him build a temple on the banks of the Penar to the 
 Miranjagarbha, called Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva ; this is the first 
 example of any inscription of honour paid to the Trimurfi i. 
 
 Secondly, the worship of the god Crishna, whose name and attributes 
 as well as his substitution for Vishnu, the second god of the Trimurti, 
 present so many analogies with the teaching concerning our Divine 
 Lord -. Whatever difficulty there may be in fixing the date of the 
 origin of the great Pankaratra sect, there appears none in affirming that 
 the full development of its teaching in the direction of these analogies 
 was subsequent to the establishment of Cliristianity. This is how 
 A. Weber speaks of it 3. Brahmans, who had travelled to Alexandria, 
 and perhaps Asia Minor, at a time when Christianity was in its first 
 bloom, brought back its teaching respecting a Supreme God and a Christ 
 whom they identified with and fastened upon their sage or hero, who had 
 already in some measure received Divine honours — Crishna DevaJciputra 
 (Son of the divine woman). He also dwells on the influence exercised 
 by the teaching of Christian missionaries. The importance given to 
 Devaki would point to an incorporation of Christian teaching concerning 
 the Virgin Mary. Weber, in a paper entitled " Einige Data aitf das 
 Gehurfsfest Krishna's," instances many passages in the Bavrisbjottara- 
 Purana (one of the latest Puranas), which it is impossible to read without 
 being reminded of the place of " the Virgin and Child " in Christian 
 tradition, and which find no counterpart in earlier Indian writings. 
 Similarly it was the later schools which dwelt on the fact of his having 
 Nanda the herdsman for his father,seemingly suggested by our Lord's 
 character of "the good Shepherd," because in the earlier Crishna 
 
 1 In note 2 of p. 182, vol. iv., Lassen quotes several authors on the 
 meaning of the word and its identity with the triratna, as Wilson calls 
 the Buddhist Trinity of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. See also infra, 
 n. 1, Tale XVII. 
 
 2 At the same time it presents also, of course, many frightful diver- 
 gencies, aud of these it may sufiiee to mention that the number of wives 
 ascribed to Crishna is not less than 16,000. Lassen, vol. i. Appendix 
 p. xxix. 
 
 3 Indische Studien, i. 400—421, and ii. 168.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 341 
 
 Legends i this fact is sunk in the view that (though sprung from the 
 herdsmen) he was a warrior and a hero. Nor was the teaching con- 
 cerning this character of Crishna at all rapid in its extension. Its 
 chief seat, according to Lassen 2, iu what he expresses as " the earliest 
 times," was Madura; but the first date he mentions in connexion with 
 it is 1017, when a Crishna temple was destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazna, 
 Lalitaditja, king of Cashmere, built him a temple containing a statue of 
 solid silver, and he reigned from 695 to 732; but the gold armour the 
 image bore would point to his warrior character still prevailing down to 
 this time. Lassen even finds ^ the introduction of the worship of 
 Crishna * a subject of opposition by certain Brahmans as late as the 
 tenth century. The great epic poem concerning him, the Gitagovinda, 
 by Gajadeva (still sung at the present day at the Resa festival), was not 
 written till the end of the 12th century *. In an inscription at 
 Gajauagara, not very far from Madura, Crishna is mentioned as an 
 incarnation of Vishnu, but the date of this is 1288 ; and the idea does 
 not seem to have reached Orissa till the end of the 15th century ^. 
 
 2. From this exordium we must plainly gather that the original 
 collector of these Tales was himself a Madhjamika, since he begins his 
 work with an invocation of Nagarg'uua, founder of that school. He 
 calls him " second teacher " because his undertaking was, not to super- 
 sede, but to develope and perfect the teaching of Shakjamuni, whom he 
 himself reverenced as first teacher 7. [Xagarg'una 
 
 1 The very earliest, however, do not go very far back ; he was never 
 heard of at all till within 200 B.C., and seems then to have been set up 
 by certain Brahmans to attract popular worship, and to counteract the 
 at that period rapidly-spreading influence of the Buddhists. See Lassen, 
 i. 831 — 839. See also note 1, p. 335, supra. 
 
 2 Lassen, iv. 575. 
 ^ Lassen, p. 576. 
 
 ■* " On trouvera plus tard que I'extension considerable qu'a prise le culte 
 du Krishna n'a ete qu'une reaction populaire contre celui du Buddha ; 
 reaction qui a ete dirigee, ou pleinement acceptee par les Brahmanes." 
 Burnouf, Introd. i. p. 136, n. 1. 
 
 5 Lassen, iv. 815—817. 
 
 * Lassen, iv. 576. 
 
 ' The best account of his life and teaching is given by S. Wassiljew, 
 of St. Petersburg, " Der Buddhismus ; aus dem Russichen ubersetzt," 
 to which I have not had access.
 
 342 SAGAS FEOM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 Nagarg'una was the 15th Patriarch in the Buddhist succession, born 
 in South India, and educated a Brahman ; he wrote a Treatise, in 100 
 chapters, on the Wisdom of the Buddhist Theology, and died B.C. 212 
 (Lassen, "Indische AlterthumsJcvnde," ii.. Appendix, p. vi.) ; but at 
 p. 887 of the same volume, and again at p. 1072, he tells us he lived in 
 the reign of Abhimauju, king of Cashmere, and that it was by the 
 assistance of his sage advice that the Buddhists were enabled for a while 
 successfully to withstand opposition dictated by the Brahmanical pro- 
 clivities of this king, whose date he fixes at 45 — 65 A.c. The diflerence 
 between the two dates arises out of that existing between the computations 
 of the northern and southern Buddhists i. In the Raga-Tarangini, ii. 
 V. 172—177 (a chronicle of Cashmere, written not later than a.d. 1148) 
 Nagarguna is thus alluded to : " When 150 years had passed by, since 
 sacred Shakjamuni had completed his time in this world of sufferers, there 
 was a Bodhisattva^, who was supreme head of all the earth. This was 
 
 Nagarg'una, who possessed in himself the power of six Archats^ 
 
 Protected by Nagarg'una the Buddhists obtained the chief influence in 
 the country." 
 
 Among the Chinese Buddhists he is called Lung-shu, which name 
 Abel Remusat tells us was given him because after death he was taken 
 up into the serpent-Paradise'*. 
 
 The following legend has been told concerning the manner of his con- 
 version from Brahmanism ; but it is probable that what is historically 
 true in it belongs to the life of another and much later Buddhist 
 patriarch. 
 
 A Samanaer^ came wandering by his residence. Seeing it to be nobly 
 built, and pleasantly situated amid trees and fountains, and provided 
 with all that was needful and desirable for the life of man, made up his 
 mind to obtain admission to it. Nagarg'una, before admitting him, 
 required to know whence, and what manner of man he was. On his 
 declaring himself a teacher of Buddhism the door was immediately 
 closed against him. Determined not to be so easily repulsed the Sama- 
 naer knocked again and again, till Nagarg'una, provoked by his perti- 
 nacity, appeared on the terrace above, and cried out to him, " It is 
 useless for you to go on knocking. In this house is nothing." 
 
 1 See supra, p. 332. 2 gee infra. Note 1, Tale XI. 
 
 3 See supra, p. 330. 
 
 ■• Concerning Serpent- worship see infra. Note 1, Tale 1 1. 
 ■> Travelling Buddhist teacher. Lassen.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 343 
 
 "Nothing!" retorted the Samauacrj "what sort of a tLiug is that, 
 pray ? " 
 
 Xugarg'uua saw by tins answer the man must be of a philosophical 
 turn of mind, and was thus induced to break his rule, which forbid him 
 intercourse with Buddhists, and let him in that he might have more dis- 
 course with him. The Samanaer by degrees fascinated his mind with 
 the whole Buddhist doctrine, and ultimately told him that Buddha had 
 left a prophecy, saying, that long years after he had departed this life 
 there should arise a great teacher out of Southern India, who by the 
 wisdom of his teaching should renew the face of the earth ; that this 
 prophecy he was destined to accomplish. Nagarg'uua believed his words, 
 and subsequently fulfilled them. 
 
 His peculiar school received the name of Madhjamika, because of three 
 prevailing interpretations of the earlier Buddhist teaching he chose the 
 one which steered its coui-se midway (mad/ijana) between two extremes, 
 one of which held that the Buddhist nirvana, implied the return and 
 absorption of the soul at death into the creative essence whence it had 
 emanated ; and the other, its total annihilation. 
 
 He left his ideas to posterity in a treatise, bearing the name of 
 KdriJca, denoting an exposition of a theory in verse i. Some idea of its 
 intricacy may be formed from the fact that the shortest edition of it 
 contains eight thousand sections ; while the most complete has a 
 hundred thousand. His teaching was followed up by two chief disciples, 
 Arjadeva, a Cingalese, and Buddhapalita, and still holds sway in the 
 higher schools of Tibet, which accounts for the homage of the editor of 
 these Mongolian tales. He is honoured almost everywhere where 
 Buddhism is honoured ; near Gaja is a Jcaitja, or rock-cut temple, called 
 Xagarguui, probably commemorating some visit of his to the shrine of 
 Shakjamuni. 
 
 3. The whole of Buddhist literature is spoken of by its followers as 
 contained in three "vessels," or "baskets" — tripilaka (Wassiljew, p. 118, 
 quoted by Jiilg); in Tibetiau called samatog (Koppeu., Die Lamaische 
 Mierarchie, p. 57). 
 
 4. Madhjamika. See above. Note 2. 
 
 5. Paramartha (true, exact, perfect understanding), and -saw j^r^/ (imper- 
 fect, dubious understanding), were party words, arising out of the philo- 
 sophical disputes of the Madhjamika and Jogxtscharja schools. Was- 
 siljew, pp. 321 — 367. 
 
 1 Buinouf, Introduction a I'Histoire du Buddhisme, ii. 35U.
 
 344 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 6. Magadha. The legend is in this instance more precise than often 
 falls to the lot of works of this nature. Instead of transferring the 
 scene of action to a locality within the limits of the c'ountry of the 
 narrator however, he makes Nagarg'una to have lived on the borders of 
 Magadha 1. Lassen, speaking in allusion to the kaUja named after him, 
 mentioned above, says there is no allusion in any authentic account of 
 him to his ever being in this part of the country ; this Mongolian tradi- 
 tion however corroborates the local tradition of the Tcaiija. I have 
 already had occasion to mention how Magadha came to receive its 
 modern name of Behar^. 
 
 The word Magadha is also used to designate a bard ; as this mean- 
 ing rests on no etymological foundation, it is natural to suppose that 
 it arises from the fact of the country being rich in sagas, and that suc- 
 cessful bards sprang from its people. The office of the Magadha, also 
 called Vandin, the Speaker of praises, consisted chiefly in singing before 
 the king the deeds of his ancestors. In several places the Magadha is 
 named along with the Siita*. It is quite in accordance with this view 
 that Vjasa's* mother was reckoned a daughter of a king of Magadha. 
 
 It is curious that the poetical occupation of bard came to be combined 
 with the sordid occupation of pedlar, or travelling trader, who is also 
 called a Magadha in Manu x. 47, and other places. 
 
 7. Krijdvidja. Writings concerning the study of magic. — Jiilg. 
 
 8. Bede = Bhota, or Bothanga, the Indian name of Tibet. See 
 Schmidt's translation of the " History of the Mongols," by the native 
 historian, sSanang sSetsen. 
 
 Before proceeding farther it is necessary to say a few words concern- 
 ing the historj^ religions, and customs of Tibet and Mongolia, to 
 illustrate the local colouring the following Tales have received by passing 
 into Mongolia. 
 
 Buddhism nowhere took so firm a grasp of the popular mind as in 
 Tibet, where it was established as early as the 7th century by its 
 greatest king, Ssrong-Tsan-Qampo. No where, except in China, was its 
 influence on literature so powerful and so useful, for not only have we 
 
 1 " Southward in Bede." See Note 8. 
 
 - Spence Hardy, " Legends and Theories of the Buddhists," p. 243, 
 when mentioning this circumstance, makes the strange mistake of con- 
 founding Behar with Berar. 
 
 2 See Note 4, " Vikramaditja's Throne discovered." 
 * See supra, p. 241.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 345 
 
 thus preserved to us very early translations from the Sanskrit of most of 
 the sacred writings, but also original treatises of history, geography, and 
 philosophy. Nowhere, either, did it possess so many colleges and 
 teachers ; it was by means of these that it was spread over Mongolia in 
 the 13th century j the very indistinct notions of religion there prevail- 
 ing previously, with no hierarchy to maintain them, readily yielding at 
 its approach. Mang-ku, grandson of Ginghis Khan^, added to the im- 
 mense sovereignty his warlike ancestor had left him, the whole of Tibet 
 about the year 1248. His brother and successor, Kiiblai Khan, who reigned 
 from 1259 to 1290, occupied himself with the internal development of 
 his empire. He appears to have regarded Christ, Moses, Muhammed, 
 and Buddha as prophets of equal authority, and to have finally adopted 
 the religion of the last-named, because he discerned the advantages to be 
 derived in the consolidation of his power from the assistance of the 
 Buddhist priests already possessing so great influence in Tibet. He was 
 seconded in his design by the eager assistance of a young Lama, named 
 sSlcja Pandita, and suruamed Matidhvaga ■=. " the ensign of penetra- 
 tion," whom he not only set over the whole priesthood of the Mon- 
 golian empire, but made him also tributary ruler of Tibet, with the 
 grandiloquent titles of " King of the great and precious teaching ; the 
 most excellent Lama ; King of teaching in the three countries of the 
 Rhaghan (empire)." Among other rich insignia of his dignity which he 
 conferred on him was a precious jasper seal. He is most commonly men- 
 tioned by the appellation, Phagss-pa = " the most excellent," which has 
 hence often been taken erroneously for his name ; his chief ofiice was the 
 coronation of the Emperor. The title, Dala: Lama 2, the head of Tibe- 
 tian Buddhism, is half Mongolian, and half Tibetian. Dalai is Mon- 
 golian for "ocean," and Lama Tibetian for "priest;" making, "a priest 
 whose rule is vast as the ocean." 
 
 Of the four Khanats or kingdoms into which the Mongolian Em]^'e 
 was divided, that called Juan bordered on Tibet, and to its Khans con- 
 sequently was committed the government of that country; but they 
 interfered very little with it, so that the power of the people was left to 
 strengthen itself. The last of them, Shan-ti, or ToJcatmar-Khdn, was 
 turned out in 1368 by Hong-vu, the founder of the Ming dynasty, who 
 sought to extend his power by weakening that of the Lamas. In order 
 to this he set up four chief ones in place of one. Jong-lo who reigned 
 
 1 According to Abbe Hue's spelling, Tchen-kis Khan. 
 
 2 According to Abbe Hue's spelling, Tale Lama.
 
 316 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 from 1403 to 1425, further divided the power amoug eight ; but this 
 very subdivision tended to a return to the original supremacy of one ; for, 
 while all bore the similar title of Vang — " little king," or " sub-king," 
 it became gradually necessary that among so many one should take the 
 lead, and for this one the title of Garma or patriarch was coined ere long. 
 
 The Tibetians and ^Mongolians receiving thus late the doctrines of 
 Shakjamuni received a version of it very different from his original 
 teaching. The meditations and mystifications of his followers had 
 invested him with ever new prerogatives, and step by step he had come 
 to be considered no longer in the light of an extraordinary teacher, or 
 even a heaven-sent founder of religion, but as himself the essence of truth 
 and the object of supreme adoration. Out of this theory again rami- 
 fied developments so complicated as almost to defy condensation. Thus 
 Addi-Buddha, as he was now called, it was taught was possessed of 
 five kinds oi gmlna or knowledge; and by five operations of his dhjcma 
 or contemplative power he was supposed to have produced five Dlijani- 
 BuddJias, each of which received a special name, and in process of time 
 became personified and deified too, and each by virtue of an emanation 
 of the supreme power indwelling him had brought forth a Dkjdni- 
 Bodhisattva. The fourth of these, distinguished as DIiJ<mi-Bodhisaitva- 
 JPadmapdni, was the Creator, not only of the universe, but also of 
 Brahma and other gods whom Shakjamuni or his earlier followers had 
 acknowledged as more or less supreme. And as if this strange theogony 
 was not perplexing enough, there had come to be added to the cycle of 
 objects of worship a multitude of other deifications too numerous even 
 to name here in detail. 
 
 Among all these, Dhjani-Bodhisattva-Padmapani is reckoned the chief 
 god by the Mongolians. The principal tribute of worship paid him is 
 the endless repetition of the ejaculation, " Om Manipadmi hum " =i " Hail 
 jVfenipadmi O ! " Every one has heard of the pi-ayer-machine, the 
 revolutions of whose wheel set going by the worshipper count as so many 
 exclamations to his account. " The instrument is called Tchu-Kor (turning 
 prayer)," writes Abbe Hue. " You see a number of them in every brook " 
 (in the neighbourhood of a Lamaseri) " turned by the current. . . . The 
 Tartars suspend them also over the fireplace to send up prayer for the 
 peace and prosperity of the household;" he mentions also many most 
 curious incidents in connexion with this practice. Another similar 
 institution is printing the formulary an immense number of times on 
 numbers of sheets of paper, and fixing them in a barrel similarly turned 
 by running water. Baron Schilling de Kanstadt has given us (in
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 347 
 
 "Bulletin Hist. Phil, de I'Ac. des Sciences de S. Petersburg," iv. No. 22) 
 an interesting account of the bargain be struck with certain Mongolian 
 priests at Kiakbtu, on tbe Eusso-Cbiuese frontier. It was their great 
 aim to multiply this ejaculation a hundred million times, a feat they had 
 never been able to accomplish. They showed him a sheet which was 
 tbe utmost reach of their eiforts, but the sum total of which was only 
 250. The Baron sent to St. Petersburg and bad a sheet printed, in 
 which tbe words were repeated seventy times one way and forty-one 
 times the other, giving 2870 times, but being printed in red they 
 counted for 25 times as many, or 71,750 ; then he had twenty-four such 
 sheets rolled together, making 1,793,750, so that about seventy revolu- 
 tions of the barrel would give tbe required number. In return for this 
 help tbe Mongolian Lama gave him a complete collection of the sacred 
 writings in the Tibetian language ; Tibetian being the educated, or at 
 least the sacred, language of Mongolia. 
 
 Concerning the meaning of this ejaculation. Abbe Hue has tbe follow- 
 ing: — "According to the opinion of the celebrated Orientalist Klaproth, 
 tbe ' Om mani padme houm ' is merely the Tibetian transcription of a 
 Sanskrit formula brought from India to Tibet with tbe introduction of 
 Buddhism and letters. . . . This formula has in the Sanskrit a distinct 
 and complete meaning which cannot be traced in tbe Tibetian idiom. 
 Om is among the Hindoos, the mystic name of tbe Divinity, and all 
 their prayers begin with it. It is composed of A, standing for Vishnu, 
 0, for Siva, and M, for Brahma. This mystic particle is also equivalent 
 to tbe interjection O ! It expresses a profound religious conviction, and 
 is a sort of act of faith; mani signifies a gem, a precious tiling; padma, 
 the lotus, padme, vocative case. Lastly, Jioum is a particle expressing a 
 wish, and is equivalent to the use of tbe word Amen. Tbe literal sense 
 then of this phrase is 
 
 " Om mani padme Jiotim." 
 O the gem in the lotus. Amen. 
 
 In tbe Hamajana, where Vasichta destroys the sons of Visvamitra ' 
 he is said to do so by his hunglcara, his breathing forth of bis desire of 
 vengeance, but literally by bis breathing the interjection ' hum.' 
 
 " The Buddhists of Tibet and Mongolia, however, have tortured their 
 imagination to find a mystic interpretation of each of these six syllables. 
 They say the doctrine contained in them is so immense that a life is 
 
 1 See the story in Note 8 to " Vikramaditja's Youth."
 
 348 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 insiifficieut to measure it. Among other things, they say the six classes 
 
 of hving beings ^ correspond to these six syllables By continual 
 
 transmigrations according to merit, living beings pass through these six 
 classes till they have attained the height of perfection, absorbed into the 
 
 essence of Buddha Those who repeat the formula very frequently 
 
 escape passing after death into these six classes The gem being 
 
 the emblem of perfection, and the lotus of Buddha, it may perhaps be 
 considered that these v.'ords express desire to acquire perfection in order 
 to be united with Buddha — absorbed in the one universal soul : " Oh, 
 the gem of the lotus. Amen," might then be paraphrased thus: — "0 
 may I obtain perfection, and be absorbed in Buddha, Amen !" making it 
 a summary of a vast system of Pantheism. 
 
 Buddhism, however, received its greatest and most remarkable modifi- 
 cation in this part of the world from the teaching of an extraordinary 
 Lama, named bThong-1cha-pa, who rose to eminence in the reign of 
 Jong-lo, and is regarded with greatest veneration among not only the 
 Tibetians and Mongolians, including the remotest tribes of the Khal- 
 mouks, but also by the more polished Chinese, and more or less wherever 
 Buddhism prevails. 
 
 Though subsequently pronounced to be an incarnation of Shiva he was 
 born in the year 1357, in the Lamaseri of ssKu-bun = " a hundred thou- 
 sand images," on the Kuku-noor, or Blue Lake, in the south-west part of 
 the Amdo country, several days' journey from the city of Sining-fu. In 
 his youth he travelled to gTsang-lschhn, or Lhassa, in order to gain the 
 most perfect knowledge of Buddhist teaching, and during his studies 
 there determined on eflecting various reforms in the prevailing ideas. 
 He met with many partisans, who adopted a yellow cap as their badge, 
 in contradistinction from the red cap heretofore worn, and styled them- 
 selves the dOe-luffes-pa :=" the Virtuous." Besides introducing a 
 stricter discipline his chief development of the Buddhist doctrines con- 
 sisted in teaching distinctly that Buddha was possessed of a threefold 
 nature, which was to be recognized, the first in his laws, the second in 
 his perfections, the third in his incarnations. 
 
 The supreme rule of the Buddhist religion in Tibet also received its 
 present form under the impulse of his labours. His nephew, dGe-dun- 
 gruh-pa (born circa 1390, died 1475), was the first Dalai Lama. He 
 built the celebrated Lama Palace of bKra-schiss-Lhun-po, thirty miles 
 N. of Lhassa, in 1445. Under him, too, was established the institution 
 
 1 See Note 4 to " Vikramaditja's Throne discovered."
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 349 
 
 of the Pan-tschhen-Rin-po-tsche (the great venerable jewel of teaching), 
 or Contemplative Lama. Tsching-Hva, the eighth Emperor of the 
 Ming Dynasty, established their joint authority as superior to all the 
 eight princely Lamas set up by Jo-long^. 
 
 Abbe Hue, in the course of his enterprising missionary travels, visited 
 all the places I have had occasion to mention, spending a considerable 
 time at some of them. By local traditions, collected by word of mouth 
 and from Lamaistic records, he gives us a most fantastic and entertaining 
 narrative of Tsong-Kaba, as he calls the Buddhist reformer : of the fables 
 concerning his birth ; of the marvellous tree that grew from his hair when 
 ■his mother cut it ; of his mature intelligence in his tenderest years ; his 
 supernatural call to Lha-sa (Land of Spirits) ; and of the very peculi.ir 
 mode of argument by which he converted Buddha Chakdja, the Lama ot 
 the Red Cap. More important than all this, however, is the light he 
 throws on the mode in which the great incorporation of Christian ideas 
 and ceremonial into Buddhist teaching came about. During his years 
 of retirement Tsong-Kaba became acquainted with a mysterious teacher 
 " from the far West," almost beyond question " one of those Catholic mis- 
 sionaries who at this precise period penetrated in such numbers into 
 Upper Asia." The very description preserved of his face and person is 
 that of a European. This strange teacher died, we know not by what 
 means, while Tsong-kaba was yet in the desert ; and he appears to have 
 accepted as much of his doctrine as either he had only time to learn or as 
 suited his purpose, and this in the main had reference " to the introduc- 
 tion of a new Liturgj% The feeble opposition which he encountered in 
 his reformation would seem to indicate that already the progress ot 
 Christian ideas in these countries had materially shaken the faith in 
 
 Buddha The tribe of Amdo, previously altogether obscure, has 
 
 since this reformation acquired a prodigious celebrity The moun- 
 tain at the foot of which Tsong-Kaba was born became a famous place of 
 pilgrimage; Lamas assembled there from all parts to build their cells-; 
 and thus by degrees was formed that flourishing Lamasery, the fame or 
 which extends to the remotest confines of Tartary. It is called Kombouu, 
 from two Tibetian words, signifying ten thousand images. He died at 
 the Lamasery of Khaldan (' celestial beatitude '), situated on the top of a 
 
 ^ Consult C. F. Koppen, Die Lamaische Hierarchie. 
 
 2 According to Hue's version of his history he was not born in a 
 Lamasery, but in the hut of a herdsman of Eastern Tibet, in the county 
 of Amdo, south of the Kouku-Xoor.
 
 350 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 mouutain about four leagues east of Lha-Ssa, said to liave been founded 
 by bim in 1409. The Tibetians pretend tbat they still see bis mar- 
 vellous body tbere fresh and iueorruptible, sometimes speaking, and 
 by a permanent prodigy always holding itself in the air without any 
 support. 
 
 "Mongolia is at present divided into several sovereignties, whose chiefs 
 are subject to the Emperor of China, himself a Tartar, but of the 
 Mantchu race. These chiefs bear titles corresponding to those of kings, 
 dukes, earls, barons, &c. They govern their states according to their 
 own pleasure. They acknowledge as sovereign only the Emperor of 
 China. Whenever any difference arises between them they appeal to 
 Pekin and submit to its decisions implicitly. Though the Mongol sove- 
 reigns consider it their duty to prostrate themselves oiice a year before 
 the ' Sun of Heaven,' they nevertheless do not concede to him the I'ight 
 of dethroning their reigning families. He may, they say, cashier a king 
 for gross misconduct, but he is bound to fill up the vacant place with one 
 of the superseded prince's sons. . . . Nothing can be more vague and 
 indefinite than these relations. ... In practice the will of the Em- 
 peror is never disputed. .■ . . All families related to any reigning family 
 form a patrician caste and are proprietors of the soil. . . . They are called 
 Taitsi, and are distinguished by a blue button surmounting their cap. 
 It is from these that the sovereigns of the diSerent states select their 
 ministers, who are distinguished by a red button. ... In the country of the 
 Khalkhas, to the north of the de>ert of Gobi, there is a district entirely 
 occupied by Taitsi, said to be descendants of Tchen-kis-Khan. . . . They live 
 in the greatest independence, recognizing no sovereign. Their wealth 
 consists in tents and cattle. Of all the Mongolian regions it is this 
 district in which are to be found most accurately preserved patriarchal 
 manners, just as the Bible describes them, though every where also more 
 or less prevailing. . . . The Tartars who are not Taitsi are slaves, bound to 
 keep their master's herds, but not forbidden to herd cattle of their own. 
 The noble families difler little from the slave families . . . both live in tents 
 and both occupy themselves with pasturing their flocks. When the slave 
 enters the master's tent he never fails to offer him tea and milk ; they 
 smoke together and exchange pipes. Round the tents young slaves and 
 young noblemen romp and wrestle together without distinction. We met 
 with many slaves who were richer than their masters. . . . Lamas born of 
 slave families become ftce in some degree as soon as they enter the sacer- 
 dotal life ; they are no longer liable to enforced labour, and can travel 
 without interference." He further describes the Mongols in general as a
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 351 
 
 liardy, liiborious, peace-loving people, usually simple and upright in tlieir 
 dealings, devout and punctual in such religious faith and observances as 
 they have been taught, caring, however, little for mental studies, occu- 
 pied only with their flocks and herds, and continually overreached by 
 the Chinese in all their dealings with them. 
 
 9. Citavana, a burying-place. — Jiilg. 
 
 10. Siddh'-JcUr, a dead body endowed with supernatural or magic 
 powers (Siddki, Sanskr., perfection of power). 
 
 11. Mango-tree, Manglfera indlca. Lassen (Indische AUerthums- 
 lunde, i. 276) calls it "the Indians' favourite tree; their household 
 companion; rejoicing their existence; the cool and cheerful shade of 
 whose groves embowers their villages, surrounds their fountains and pools 
 with freshness, and affords delicious coolness to the Karavan-halt : one of 
 the mightiest of their kings (Ashoka, 246 B.C.) makes it his boast (in an 
 Inscription given in "Journal of Asiatic Soc. of Bengal," vi. 595) that 
 besides the wide-spreading shade of the fig-tree he had also planted the 
 leafy mango." In Sanskrit, amra, huta, rasdla (rich in juice). Craw- 
 ford (Ind. Arch. i. 424) says the fruit is called in Sanskrit mahCi- 
 phala, "the great fruit," whence the Telinga word Mahampala and the 
 Malay Mamp/ans xxnd Manga, whence the European Mango. It grows 
 more or less all over India from Ceylon to the Himfdajas, except perhaps 
 iu the arid north-east highland of the Deklian, but it reaches its most 
 luxuriant development iu Malabar and over the whole west coast. 
 Besides its luxuriant shade its blossoms bear the most delicious scent, 
 and its glorious gold -coloured fruit often attains a pound iu weight, 
 though its quality is much acted upon by site and climate. In Malabar 
 it ripens in April; in Bengal, in May; in Bhotan, not till August. 
 There are also many kinds — some affording nourishment to the poorest, 
 and some appearing only on the tables of the opulent. Bp. Heber 
 ("Journey," i. 522) pronounces it the largest of all fruit-bearing trees. 
 To the high regard in which this tree was held it is to be ascribed that 
 the story makes the Siddhi-kiir prefer giving himself up to the Khan 
 rather than let it be felled. 
 
 12. Gambudvipa, native name for India. See infra, Note 6, Tale 
 XXII., and Note 6 to " Vikramaditja's Birth." 
 
 13 Only magic words of no meaning. 
 
 14. The " white moon," designated the moon in the waxing quarter ; 
 meaning that the axe had the form of a sickle. — Jiilg.
 
 352 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 TALE I. 
 
 1. Songs commemorating tbe deeds of the departed, were sung at their 
 funeral rites, often instead of erecting monuments to them ; the fixing 
 their acts in the memory of the living being considered a more lasting 
 memorial than a tablet of stone. Probably the custom originated before 
 the discovery of the art of writing ; it seems, however, to have been 
 continued afterwards. Gdthd was the name given to these songs in 
 praise of ancesti'y, particularly the ancestors of kings, usually accom- 
 panied by the lute. Weber, Indisclie Stiidien, i. p. 186, gives specimen 
 translations from such. 
 
 2. The elephant is the subject of frequent mention in the very oldest 
 writings of India. He is mentioned as a useful and companionable beast 
 just as at the present daj', in the Veda, and the Manu (e. g. Rig- 
 Veda, i. 84, 17, " Whoso calls upon Indra in any need concerning his 
 sons, his elephants, his goods and possessions, himself or his people, 
 &c."). In the epic poems, he is constantly mentioned as the ordinary 
 mount of warriors. There is no tradition, however, as to his being 
 first tamed and brought under the service of man, though the art 
 penetrated so little into the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, that the 
 inhabitants used to smear themselves and their plants with poison as 
 the best protection against being devoured by him as a wild beast. 
 
 The elephant is distributed over the whole of India from Ceylon to 
 China, wherever there is sufficient growth of foliage. In a domestic 
 state he may live to 120 years, probably nearly double that time when 
 left wild ; he is reckoned at his strongest prime in bis sixtieth year. 
 His habit is to live in herds. 
 
 A beast so intelligent and available as an aid to man, and particularly 
 to a primitive people, naturally took an important place in the 
 mythology of the country. We find this saliently impressed on the 
 architectural decorations of the country ; constantly he is to be seen 
 used as a karyatyd; the world is again seen resting on the backs of four 
 huge elephants, or the king of gods carried along by one. It is a 
 curious instance of appreciativeness of the acuteness of the sensibility 
 of the elephant's trunk, that Gauesha, the god who personifies the sense 
 of touch, is represented gifted with such an appendage. It is among 
 the Buddhistic peoples we find him most especially honoured. In Ceylon 
 the white elephant (a variety actually found in the most easterly pro- 
 vinces) is regarded as a divine incarnation ; " Ruler of the white
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 353 
 
 elephant," is one of the titles of the Birmese Emperor ; iu Siam also 
 it is counted sacred. In war he was an invaluable ally : they called 
 him the Eightfold-armed one, because his four tramping feet, his two 
 formidable tusks, his hard frontal bone and his tusk supply eight 
 weapons. The number of elephants a king could bring into the field 
 was counted among his most important munitions of war and constituted 
 one principal element of his power. 
 
 The derivation of the word elephant does not seem easy to iix, but 
 the best supported opinion is that it is a Greek adoption of the San- 
 skrit word for ivory ibhadanta, compounded with the Arabic article al 
 from its having been received along with the article itself through 
 Arabian traders ; the ti'ausition from alihhadanta to 'EXecpas, 'EXdcpavros, 
 is easily conceived i. 
 
 Among the Brahmanical writers the most ordinary designation was 
 gag' a ; also ibka, probably from ibJiJa, mighty, but they had an infinite 
 number of others; such as rag avdhja, "the king-bearer;" matanga, 
 "doing that which (he) is meant (to do) ; dvirada, " the two-toothed ;" 
 hastin or Icarin, " the handed " (beast), or beast with a hand, for the 
 Indians, like the Romans, call his trunk a hand; dnipa, dvipajin, ane- 
 Tcapa, " the twice drinking," or " more than once drinking," in allusion 
 to his taking water first into his trunk and then pouring it down his 
 throat. Among the facts and early notions concerning him, collected 
 and handed down by iElianus, are the following: — that elephants were 
 employed by various kings to keep watch over them by night, an ofiice 
 which their power of withstanding sleep facilitated; that in a wild 
 state, they frequently had encounters with the larger serpents, whose 
 first plan was to climb up into the trees and then dart upon and throttle 
 them. But the most curious remark of all is, that they were endowed 
 with a certain kind of religion, and that when wounded, overladen, or 
 injured, it was their custom to look up to heaven, asking why they had 
 been thus dealt with. (iElianus, De Nat. Anim. v. 49 and vii. 44; also 
 Pliny, viii. 12. 2.) There are also legends about their paying divine 
 honours to the sun and moon, and in the Indian collection of fables 
 called the Hitopadesha, there is one of an elephant being conducted by 
 a hare to worship the reflection of the moon in a lake. 
 
 In peace they were equally serviceable as in war, and were employed 
 
 1 This elaborate derivation, however, has been disputed, and it is 
 more probable the name is derived from two words, signifying " the 
 Indian ox." In Tibet it has no name but " great ox." 
 
 A a
 
 354 SAGAS FKOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 not only for riding, but for ploughing. A beast so useful was naturally- 
 treated with great regard, and we read of Indian princes keeping a 
 special physician to attend to the ailments of their elephants, and par- 
 ticularly to have care of their eyesight (^Elianus, De Nat. Anim. xiii. 7). 
 
 3. The office of the erliks or servants of Erlik-Khan, (see next note) 
 was to bring every soul before this judge to receive from him the sentence 
 determining their state in their next re-birth, according to the merits 
 or demerits of their last past existence. (Schmidt's translation of 
 sSanang sSetsen, 417 — 421, quoted by Jiilg.) 
 
 4. Erlik-Khan is the Tibetian name of Jama (Sanskrit), the Judge of 
 the Dead and Ruler over the abode of the Departed; he is son of 
 Tivasvat or the Sun considered as " the bringer forth and nourisher 
 of all the produce of the earth and seer of all that is on it." Vivasat 
 has another son, Manu, the founder of social life and source of all kingly 
 dynasties. (Lassen, Indische Alterthumskunde, i. 19, 20.) As with all 
 mythological personages or embodiments, however, the characteristics 
 of Jama have undergone considerable modifications under the handling of 
 different teachers and peoples in different ages, and in some Indian writ- 
 ings he is spoken of as if he were the personification of conscience. Thus, 
 in the ancient collection of laws called the Manu (viii. 92) occurs the 
 following passage, " Within thine heart dwells the god Jama, the son of 
 Vivasvat : when thou hast no variance with him, thou hast no need to 
 repair to the Ganga, nor the Kuruxetra ;" meaning clearly, " If thou 
 hast nothing on thy conscience, thou hast no object in making a 
 pilgrimage." Muni, " who keepeth watch over virtue and over sin," 
 however, more properly represents conscience. Sir William Jones, in 
 quoting the above passage, inserts the words "subduer of all" after 
 " Jama," probably not without some good reason or authority for 
 assigning to him that character. 
 
 Lassen finds early mention of a people living on the westernmost 
 boi'ders of the valley of the Indus (iii. 352, 353) who paid special 
 honour to Jama as god of death, deprecating his wrath with offerings 
 of beasts ; and he connects with it a passage in ^Elianus, who wrote 
 on India in the 3rd century of our era, making mention of a bottomless 
 pit or cave of Pluto, " in the land of the Aryan Indians," into which 
 " every one who had heard a divine voice or met with an evil omen, 
 threw a beast according to the measure of his possessions ; thousands 
 of sheep, goats, oxen and horses being sacrificed in this way. He says 
 further that there was no need to bind or drive them, as a supernatural 
 power constrained them to go without resistance. He appears also to
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 355 
 
 have believed that notwithstanding the height from which they were 
 thrown, they continued a mysterious existence in the regions beneath. 
 
 " To walk the path of Jama," is an expression for dying, in the very 
 early poems ; and a battle-field was called the camp of Jama (Lassen, 
 i. 767). In the Veda, the South, which is also reckoned the place of 
 the infernal regions, is spoken of as the kingdom of Jama (i. 772). 
 
 5. Mandala, a magic circle. (Wassiljevv, 202, 205, 212, 216, quoted 
 by Julg.) 
 
 TALE II. 
 
 1. Dragons, serpents, serpent-gods, serpent-dsemons {naga), play a 
 great part in Indian mythology. Their king is Shesa. Serpent-cultus 
 was of very ancient observance and is practised by both followers of 
 Brahmanism and Buddhism. The Brahmans seem to have desired to 
 show their disapproval of it by placing the serpent-gods in the lower 
 ranks of their mythology (Lassen, i. 707 and 544, n. 2). This cultus, 
 however, seems to have received a fresh development about the time of 
 Ashoka, circa 250 B.C. (ii. 467). When Madhjantika went into Cash- 
 mere and Gandhara to teach Buddhism after the holding of the third 
 Synod, it is mentioned that he found sacrifices to serpents practised 
 there (ii. 234, 235). There is a passage in Plutarch from which it appears 
 the custom to sacrifice an old woman (previously condemned to death 
 for some crime) in honour of the serpent-gods by burying her alive on 
 the banks of the Indus (ii. 467, and note 4). Ktesias also mentions 
 the serpent-worship (ii. 642). In Buddhist legends, serpents are often 
 mentioned as protecting-patrons of certain towns (ii. 467). Among the 
 many kinds of serpents which India possesses, it is the gigantic Cobra 
 di capello which is the object of worship (ii. 679). (See further notice 
 of the serpent-worship, iv. 109.) 
 
 It would seem that the Buddhist teachers, too, discouraged the 
 worship at the beginning of their career at least, for when the Stha- 
 vira Madhjantika was sent to convert Cashmere, as above mentioned he 
 was so indignant at the extent to which he found serpent-worship carried, 
 that it is recorded in the Mahavansha, xii. p. 72, that he caused himself 
 to be carried through the air dispersing them ; that they sought by every 
 means to scare him away^ — by thunder and storm, and by changing them- 
 selves into all manner of hideous shapes, but finding the attempt vaiu, 
 
 A a 2
 
 356 SAGAS TEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 they gave in and accepted the teaching of the Sthavira, like the rest of 
 the country. Under which last image, we can easily read the fact that 
 the Buddhist teacher suflered his followers to continue the worship, 
 while he set limits to it and delivered them from the extreme awe in 
 which they had previously stood of the serpents. See also note 4 to 
 Tale XXII. 
 
 2. Strong drink. See note 8 to Tale V., and note 3 to Tale VI. 
 
 3. BaUng-c&k&s. See notes 6 and 9 to Tale IV. 
 
 4. On the custom adopted by priests of hiding precious objects in 
 the sacred images of the gods, see Lassen, IndiscJie AUerthumsJcunde, 
 iii. 351. 
 
 TALE III. 
 
 1. Milk-broth is mentioned by Abbe Hue repeatedly in his travels as 
 a staple article of food ia Mongolia. 
 
 2. Schimnu or Schumnu (in Sanskrit, Kama or Mara) is the Buddhist 
 Devil, or personified evil. He is also the God of Love, Sin, and Death, 
 the Prince of the thii'd or lower world. Sensuality is called his kingdom. 
 The Schumnus are represented as tempters and doing all in their power 
 to hinder mortals in their struggle after perfection, and in this view, 
 take every sort of forms according to their design at the time. They 
 as often appear in female as in male form. Schmidt's translation of 
 sSanang sSetsen. 
 
 3. As an instance of the migration of myths, I may mention here, 
 that I met in Spain with a ballad, which I am sorry I have mislaid 
 and cannot therefore quote the verse, in which the love-lorn swain in 
 singing the praises of his mistress, among other charms enumerates, 
 that the flowers spring from the stones as she treads her way through 
 the streets. 
 
 The present story, too, reminds forcibly in all its leading details of 
 the legend I have entitled " The Ill-tempered Princess," in " Patrauas," 
 though so unlike in the denouement. 
 
 4. I have had occasion to speak in another place of the early Indian's 
 belief in the dwelling of the gods being situated among the inaccessible 
 heights which bound his sight and his fancy. The mountain of Meeru 
 was a spot so sacred that it was fabled the sun might not pass it. 
 Consult Lassen, i. 847, &c. &c.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 357 
 
 5. Churmusta = ludra. The ruler of the lower gods, king of the earth 
 and of the spirits of the air; his heaven is the place of earthly pleasures. 
 Dsemons often go to war with him to obtain entrance into his paradise, 
 and he can only fight them through the agency of an earthly hero 
 (Brockhaus, Somadeva Bhatta, i. 213) ; hence it is that he calls Massang 
 to fight the Schimuu-Khau for him. 
 
 According to Abbe Hue's spelling, Sormoustha, 
 
 TALE IV. 
 
 1. Here is one of the numerous instances where the Mongolian 
 tale-repeater introduces into the Indian story details drawn to the 
 life from the manners and customs around him of his own people. 
 Compare with it the following sketch from personal observation in 
 Mongolia, given in Abbe Hue's "Travels:" — "You sometimes come 
 upon a plain covered with animation ; tents and herds dotted all 
 over it. . . . It is a place whither the greater supply of water 
 and the choicer pastures have attracted for a time a number of 
 nomadic families; you see rising in all directions tents of various 
 dimensions, looking like balloons newly inflated and just about to take 
 flight ; children with a sort of hod upon their backs run about collecting 
 argols (dried dung for fuel), which they pile up in heaps round their re- 
 spective tents. The women look after the calves, make tea in the open 
 air, or prepare milk in various ways ; the men, mounted on fiery horses, 
 armed with a long pole, gallop about, guiding to the best pastures the 
 great herds of cattle which undulate over the surrounding country like 
 waves of the sea. All of a sudden these pictures, anon so full of anima- 
 tion, disappear. Men, tents, herds, all have vanished in the twinkling of 
 an eye. You see nothing left behind but deserted heaps of embers, half- 
 extinguished fires, and a few bones of which birds of prey are disputing 
 the possession. . Such ai'e the sole vestiges that a Mongol tribe has just 
 passed that way. The animals having devoured all the grass around, the 
 chief gives the signal for departure, and all the herdsmen, folding their 
 tents, drive their herds before them, no matter whither, in search of 
 fresh pastures." 
 
 This nomadic life, characteristic of the Mongols, would seem never at 
 any time to have entered into Indian manners and customs. Though in
 
 358 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 early times pastoral occupations so engrossed them that they have left 
 deep traces in their language (e. g. gotra, meaning originally a breed of 
 cows, came to stand for a family lineage ; and gopa, gopala, originally a 
 cowherd, for a prince), and the hymns of the Rig-Veda are full of invo- 
 cations of blessings on the herds (Rig V. 1. 42, 8. 67, 3. 118, 2); yet 
 wherever they came they occupied themselves with agi-iculture also, and 
 settled themselves down with social habits which early led to the foun- 
 dation of cities. Consult Lassen, i. 494, 685, 815, &c. 
 
 2. Abbe Hue incidentally mentions also this practice of carrying the 
 produce of the flocks and herds stored in sheep's paunches, as the present 
 common usage of the Mongolians, and adopted by himself among the 
 provisions for his journey ings among them (vol. ii. chap, iii., and other 
 places). 
 
 3. 3Iarmot. The sandy plains of Tibet are frequently inhabited by 
 marmots, who live together in holes, and w^hose fur is at the present day 
 an important article of the Tibetian trade both with India and China. 
 It is now generally allowed that it must be these beasts which were in- 
 tended in the marvellous accounts of the old Greek writers of the gold- 
 digging ants. Though the Indians themselves gave them the name of 
 ants, pipiUJca (e. g. Maha Bharata, i. p. 375, v. 1860), the description of 
 them would pass exactly for that of this little animal —in size somewhat 
 smaller than a fox, covered with fur, in habits social, living in holes un- 
 derground in the winter. 
 
 4. See note 3 to " The False Friend." 
 
 5. The number five is a favourite number in Buddhistic teaching, 
 ritual and ceremonies. (Wassiljew, quoted by Jiilg.) To Bodhidsarma, 
 the last Indian patriarch, on his removal to China, is ascribed this sen- 
 tence : " I came to this country to make known the law and to free men 
 from their passions. Every blossom that brings forth fruit hath^ce 
 petals, and thus have I fulfilled my undertaking." (Abel Remusat, Mel. 
 As. p. 125.) One of Buddha, or at least, Adi-Buddha's titles, particularly 
 in Tibet, is Pankagn'moimaka, or " him possessed of five kinds of gn (In a" 
 or knowledge (Notices of the Religion of the Bouddhas, by B. Hodgson), 
 and this formed the basis of the complicated system of the later Buddhists. 
 
 The Brahmans, too, had five sacred observances which they aimed at 
 exercising ; the study of their sacred bookg, to oSer sacrifice to the manes, 
 the gods and all creatures, hospitality, and thereby increase as well their 
 own virtue and renown as that of their fathers and mothers. The five 
 necessary things are clothes, food, drink, coverlets for sleeping, and medi- 
 ciuo.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 359 
 
 The five colours are blue, white, green, yellow, and red. (Koppen, ii. 
 307, note 3.) 
 
 6. Baling-cakes are figures made of dough or rice paste, generally py- 
 ramidal in form, covered with cotton wool or some inflammable material 
 smeared over with brown colour and then set^fire to. (Jiilg.) 
 
 7. Makschasas, Bopp (note to his translation of the Eaniajana) calls 
 them giants. In the mythology they are evil demons inimical to man ; 
 vampires in human form, generally of hideous aspect, but capable of 
 assuming beautiful appearances in order to tempt and deceive. 
 
 There is no doubt, however, it was the Raxasas, the wild people inhabit- 
 ing the country south of the Vindhja range at the time of the immigra- 
 tion of the Aryan Indians, whose fierce disposition, and cruel treatment 
 of the Brahmans gave rise to the above conception of the word. Consult 
 Lassen, Ind. Altert. i. 535, where passages giving them this character 
 are quoted ; also pp. 582, 583. 
 
 8. Manggus, Mongolian name for Rakschasas. (Jiilg.) 
 
 9. The present mode of treating the sick in Mongolia would seem much 
 the same. Abbe Hue thus describes what he himself witnessed : — " Me- 
 dicine is exclusively practised by the Lamas. When any one is ill the 
 friends run for a Lama, whose first proceeding is to run his fingers over 
 the pulse of both wrists simultaneously. . . . All illness is owing to the 
 visitation of a tchatgour or demon, but its expulsion is a matter of medi- 
 cine. . . He next prescribes a specific . . . the medical assault being applied, 
 the Lama next proceeds to spiritual artillery. If the patient be poor 
 the tchatgour visiting him can only be an inferior spirit, to be dislodged 
 by an interjectional exorcism . . . and the patient may get better or die ac- 
 cording to the decree of Hormoustha. . . But a devil who presumes to visit 
 an eminent personage must be a potent devil and cannot be expected to 
 travel away like a mere sprite ; the family are accordingly directed to 
 prepare for him a handsomes suit of clothes, a pair of rich boots, a fine 
 horse, sometimes also a number of attendants. . . . The aunt of Toukuna was 
 seized one evening with an intermittent fever. . . . The Lama pronounced 
 that a demon of considerable rank was present. Eight other Lamas were 
 called in, who set about the construction of a great puppet (baling) which 
 they entitled ' Demon of Intermittent Fevers,' and which they placed 
 erect by means of a stick in the patient's tent. The Lamas then 
 ranged themselves in a circle with cymbals, shells, bells, tambourines, and 
 other noisy instruments, the family squatting on the ground opposite the 
 puppet. The chief. Lama had before him a large copper basin, filled with 
 millet and some more little puppets. ... A diabolical discordant concert
 
 360 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 then commenced, the chief Lama now and then scattering grains of 
 millet towards the four quarters of the compass . . . ultimately he rose and 
 set the puppet on fire. As soon as the flames rose he uttered a great cry, 
 repeated with interest by the rest, who then also rose, seized the burning 
 figure, carried it away to thl$ plain, and consumed it. . . The patient was 
 then removed to another tent. . . . The probability is that the Lamas 
 having ascertained the time at which the fever-fit would recur meet it 
 by a counter excitement." 
 
 10. The respective occupations of men and women seem to remain at 
 the present pretty much the same in Mongolia as here introduced by the 
 tale-repeater. Abbe Hue writes : " Household and family cares rest en- 
 tirely upon the women ; it is she who milks the cows and prepares the 
 butter, cheese, &c. ; who goes no matter how far to draw water ; who 
 collects the argols (dried dung for fuel), dries it and piles it round the 
 tent. The tanning skins, fulling cloth, making clothes, all appertains to 
 her. . . Mongol women are perfect mistresses of the needle ; it is quite un- 
 intelligible how, with implements so rude, they can manufacture articles 
 so durable J they excel, too, in embroidery, which for taste and variety of 
 design and excellence of manipulation excited our astonishment. The 
 occupations of the men are of very limited range ; they consist wholly in 
 conducting flocks and herds to pasture. This to men accustomed from 
 infancy to the saddle is a mere amusement. The nearest approach to 
 fatigue they ever incur is in pursuing cattle which escape. They some- 
 times hunt ; when they go after roebucks, deer, or pheasants, as presents 
 for their chiefs, they take their bow and matchlock. Foxes they always 
 course. They squat all day in their tents, drinking tea and smoking. 
 When the fancy takes them they take down their whip, mount their horse, 
 always ready saddled at the door, and dash off across the broad plains, no 
 matter whither. When one sees another horseman he rides up to him ; 
 when he sees a tent he puts up at it, the only object being to have a 
 gossip with a new person." 
 
 TALE V. 
 
 1. Kun-Snang = " All-enlighteniug." (Jiilg.) The Mongolian tale- 
 repeater here gives the Khan a Tibetian name (Tibetian being the learned 
 and liturgical language of Mongolia), making one of the instances of which 
 the tales are full, of theu" transformation in process of transmission.
 
 SAGAS FEOJI THE FAR EAST. 361 
 
 2. Sesame-oil is mentioned by Pliny in many places as in use in 
 India for medicinal purposes : as, xiii. 2, 7 : xv. 9, 4 : xvii. 10, 1, &c. 
 
 3. 5aZ/H^-cakes.— See note 6, and note 9 to Tale IV. 
 
 4. The Brahmanical system of re-births was followed to a great 
 extent by Buddhists, notwithstanding that it had been one chief aim 
 and object of Shakjamuni's teaching to provide mankind with a remedy 
 against their necessity. (See Lassen, Indische AUerfhumskunde, ii. 60, 
 and other places. Burnouf, Introd. d I'Rist. du Biiddh. Lid. i. 153.) 
 By its teaching, every living being had to be born again a countless 
 number of times,''leading them to higher or lower regions according to 
 their dealings under each earlier form. The gods themselves were not 
 exempt from the operation of this law. 
 
 5. Serpent-god. See note 1 to Tale II., and note 4 to Tale XXII. 
 
 6. Tiger-year. The Mongols reckon time by a cycle of sixty years, 
 designated by a subdivision under the names of five necessary articles, 
 and twelve beasts with the further adjuncts of male and female. The 
 present cycle began in 1864 and will consequently go on till 1923. 
 
 The following may serve. as a specimen : — 
 
 1864, male Wood-mouse-year, Mato Tcliouloukliana po. 
 
 1865, female Wood-bullock-year, Moto oukhere mo. 
 
 1866, male Fire-tiger-year, Gal hara po. 
 
 1867, female Fire-hare-year, Gal tole mo. 
 
 1868, male Earth-dragon-year, Sheree lou po. 
 
 1869, female Earth-serpent-year, Sheree Molcliee mo. 
 
 1870, male Iron-horse-year, Temur mori po, 
 
 1871, female Iron-sheep-year, Temur hnoui mo. 
 
 1872, male Water-ape-year, Oussou betchi po. 
 
 1873, female Water-fowl-year, Oussou takia mo. 
 
 1874, male Wood-dog-year, Iloto nokhee po. 
 
 1875, female Wood-pig-year, Moto khakhee mo. 
 
 1876, male Fire-mouse-year, Gal khouloukhana po. 
 
 1877, female Fire-bullock-year, Gal oukhere mo. 
 
 1878, male Earth-tiger-year, Sheree bara po. 
 
 1879, female Earth- hare-year, Sheree tolee mo. 
 
 1880, male Iron-dragon-year, Temur lou po. 
 
 1881, female Iron-serpent-year, Temur mokhee mo. 
 
 And so on to the end. The date always being quoted in connexion 
 with the year of each sovereign reigning at the time, to make the 
 distinction more definite. 
 
 7. Nothing can be much more revolting to our minds than the idea of
 
 362 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 human sacrifices. Nevertheless, one of the grandest episodes of the 
 great epic poem called the Ramajana, is that in which King Ashokja 
 goes all the woi'ld over in search of a youth possessing all the marks 
 which prove him worthy to be sacrificed : " wandering through tracts 
 of country and villages, through town and wilderness alike, holy hermit- 
 ages also of high fame." When at last he has found one in the person 
 of Sunasepha, son of Ritschika, a great prince of seers, Visvamitra, the 
 great model penitent, calls on his own son to take his place, crying up 
 the honour of the thing in the most ardent language. " When a father 
 desires to have sons," he says to him, " it is in order that they may 
 adorn the world with their virtue and be worthy of eternal fame. The 
 opportunity for earning that fame has now come to thee." And when 
 his son refuses the exchange, he pronounces on him the following curse, 
 " Henceforth shalt thou be for many years a wanderer and outcast, and 
 despised like to a dealer in dog's flesh." 
 
 Concerning the serpent-cultus in general, see note 1, Tale II., and 
 note 4, Tale XXII. 
 
 8. Rice is the most ancient and most widespread object of Indian 
 agriculture; it is only not cultivated in those districts where either the 
 heat or the means of natural or artificial irrigation do not suffice for 
 its production ; and in easternmost islands of the Archipelago, where 
 the sago-palm replaces it. (Ritter iv. 1, 800.) The name, coming from 
 vrih, to grow, to spread (whence also vrihat, great), suggests that it 
 was regarded as the principal kind of corn. All the Greek writers on 
 India mention that an intoxicating drink was made from rice, and the 
 custom still prevails. 
 
 TALE VI. 
 
 1. BrscMss. I know not what country it is %vhich is thus designated, 
 unless the word be derived from hrizi, the ancient Persian for rice, and 
 is intended to denote a rice-producing territory. 
 
 2. Palm-tree. India grows a vast number of varieties of the palm- 
 tree ; the general name is trinadruma, " grass-tree " (Ritter iv. 1, 827). 
 The date-palm was only introduced by the Arabians (Lassen, iii. 312). 
 The fan-palm {lorassusflabelUformis) is called trinaraga — " the grass- 
 king," in Sanskrit also tala ; the Buddhist priests in Dekhan and also in 
 China and Mongolia use its leaves as fans and sunshades, and hence are 
 often called talapatri, palm -bearers. TdlanJca and Taladhvaga are also
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 363 
 
 titles of Krishna, when he carries a banner bearing a palm-tree in 
 memory of a legend which makes him the discoverer of the means of 
 utilizing the fruit of the cocoa-nut palm. " The mountain Govardhana 
 on the banks of the Jamuna was thickly grown over with the cocoa-nut 
 palm, but it was kept in guard by a daemon, named Dhenuka, in the 
 form of an ass, at the head of a great herd of asses, so that no one could 
 approach it. Krishna, however, in company with Rama, went through 
 the wood unarmed, but when they would have shaken down the fruit 
 from the trees, Dhenuka, who was sitting in its branches, kicked them 
 with his hoofs and bit them. Krishna pulled him down from off the tree, 
 and wrestled with him till he had crushed him to death ; in the same 
 way he dealt with the whole herd. A lurid light gleamed through the 
 whole wood from the bodies of the dead asses, but from that time 
 forward, all the people had free use of the trees." (Kari, v. 70, v. 3702 
 et seq. p. 577.) 
 
 3. The brandy spoken of is, probably, Jcoumis, distilled from mare's 
 milk, and makes a very intoxicating drink. Concerning its preparation, 
 see Pallas, Sammlung Mstorischer NachricMen ilher die Mongolen. 
 
 TALE VII. 
 
 1. Compare note 10, Tale IV. 
 
 2. Legends of transformed maidens being delivered from the power 
 of enchantment and married by heroes and knights are common enough, 
 but we less frequently meet with stories presenting a reversed plot. I 
 have met with one, however, nearly identical with that given in the 
 text, attached to a ruined castle of Walsch-Tirol. 
 
 3. The Buddhist idea of the soul is very difficult to define. In other 
 legends given later in the present volume (e. g. the episode of the 
 burying of Vikramadtja's body and the action of the fourth youth in 
 " Who invented Women ?") we find it, just as in the present one, spoken 
 of as a quite superfluous and fantastic adjunct without which a man 
 was to all intents and purposes the same as when he had it. Spence 
 Hardy affirms as the result of conversations with Buddhists during 
 half a life passed among them in Ceylon, as well as from the study of 
 their writings, that " according to Buddhism there is no soul." 
 
 4. Compare note 7 to " Vikramaditja's Birth." 
 
 5. Oho. " A heap of stones on which every traveller is expected of
 
 364 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 his piety to tlirow one or more as he goes by." (Jtilg-) Abbe Hue 
 describes them thus : " They consist simply of an enormous pile o£ 
 stones heaped up without any order, surmounted with dried branches 
 of trees, while from them hang other branches and strips of cloth 
 on which are inscribed verses in the Tibet and Mongol languages. 
 At its base is a large granite urn in which the devotees burn incense. 
 They offer besides pieces of money which the next Chinese traveller, 
 after sundry ceremonious genuflexions before the Oho, carefully collects 
 and pockets. These Obos are very numerous." 
 
 6. The sacred mountain of Meeru. See note 4, Tale III. 
 
 TALE VIII. 
 
 (Jiilg.) 
 
 1. Kun-smon, all- wishing (Tibetian). 
 
 2. '■Kun-snang, all-enlightening (Tibetian). 
 
 3. Chamtik-SsaMMsclii, all-protecting (Mongolian). 
 
 4. Ananda, gladness (Sanskrit). 
 
 5. Kun-clgah, all-rejoicing (Tibetian). 
 
 6. Chotolo has the same meaning as Chamuh, the one in Kalmuck and 
 the other in Tibetian. 
 
 7. See note 4 to Tale V., and note 7 to " Vikramaditja's Birth." 
 
 8. Kun-tscliong = all- protecting (Tibetian). (Jiilg.) 
 
 TALE IX. 
 
 1. Heaven-gods, sky -gods, devas. They hold a transition position be- 
 tween men and gods, between human and Buddha nature. Their etherial 
 body enables these lowest of gods, or genii, to withstand the effects of age 
 better than mortals ; also they can assume other forms and make them- 
 selves invisible, powers seldom allotted to mortals, but they are subject to 
 illusion, sin, and metempsychosis like every other creature. (Schott, 
 Buddhaismus in Hoch-Asien, p. 5, quoted by Jiilg.) 
 
 2. GarudA. — Garut'man (whence Garuda), means theioinged one. In 
 the epic mythology of India Garuda was son of Kashjapa and Vinata, 
 daughter of Daxa, king of the Suparn'a (" beautiful winged ones "), divine
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 365 
 
 birds, whose Labitation was in the lower heavens. They were the stand- 
 ing foes of the serpent-gods, on whose flesh they fed. In the Veda it is 
 spoken of as a bird with beautiful golden wings. A Gaudharha of high 
 degree, bearing shining weapons, was placed over the higher heaven. It 
 is said that inhaling the balmy vapours, he gave birth to the refreshing 
 rain ; and that when gazing through space with his eagle eye he broods 
 over the ocean, the rays of the sun pierce through the third heaven. 
 From this it may be gathered that the Garuda originally represented the 
 morning mist preceding the sunrise over land and sea. The Garudoj 
 was also the bearer of Vishnu, as the following legend from the Maha 
 Bharata tells : — " Matali, Indra's charioteer, had fixed his eyes on 
 Sumuka, grandson of the serpent-god Arjaka, to make him his son-in-law 
 by marrying his daughter, Gun'aka'shi, to him. Garuda, however, had 
 already devoted him for his food, purposing to kill him in a mouth's 
 time ; but at Matali's request ludra had given promise of long life to 
 Sumukha. "When GarudiX heard this he went and stood before Indra 
 and told him that by such a promise he had destroyed himself and his 
 race; that he Garudd, alone possessed the strength to bear him up 
 through all worlds, even as he bore up Vishuu, and that by his means he 
 might become lord of all and as great as Vishnu. But Vishuu made him 
 feel the weight of (only) his left arm, and straightway he fell down sense- 
 less before him. After this he acknowledged that he was only the ser- 
 vant of Vishnu, and promised not to talk rebellious words any more." 
 
 The descriptions of him do not give him entirely the form of a bird, 
 but rather of some combination with the human form ; in what he re- 
 sembles a bird he seems to partake of the eagle, the vulture, and the 
 crane. (Schlegel, Ind. Bibl. i. 81.) 
 
 TALE X. 
 
 1. That the Indians were apt to yield to the temptation of drink is 
 asserted by the Greek writers on India, who also mention that, in spite 
 of the prohibition of their religion, wine was an article of their import 
 trade. See Lassen, ii. 606 ; iii. 50, and 345, 346. 
 
 2. That the wife should give herself to be burned with the body of 
 her husband was a very ancient custom, as it is alluded to as such by the 
 Greek writers on India. Nevertheless it was far from universal.
 
 366 SAGAS PEOM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 3. Conip. Mdnu, dh. sh. viii. 29, concerning the punishment of the 
 false witness. 
 
 4, Shaving off the hair was reckoned the most degrading of punish- 
 ments. (Lassen, vi. 344.) 
 
 TALE XI. 
 
 1. Chongschim Bodhisattva. Chongschim is prohahly derived from 
 the Chinese, Kuan-schi-in, also by the Mongols, called Chutuku niduber 
 unek tschi (He looking with the sacred eye), the present representative of 
 Shakjamuni, the spiritual guardian and patron of the breathing world in 
 general ; but, as Lamaism teaches, the Particular Protector of the nor- 
 thern countries of Asia ; and each succeeding Dalai Lama is an incarnation 
 of him. (Schott, Buddhaismus, and Koppen, Die Religion des Buddha, i. 
 312 ; ii. 127.) Bodhisattva, from Bodhi, the highest wisdom or know- 
 ledge, and Sattva, being. It is the last but one in the long chain of re- 
 births. (See Schott, Budhaismus, quoted by Jiilg. ; also Koppen, i. 312 
 et scq., 422—426, and ii. 18 et seq. ; Wassiljew, p. 6, 106, 134.) 
 
 It designates a man who has reached the intelligence of a Buddha and 
 destined to be re-born as such when the actual Buddha dies. This inter- 
 mediate time some have to pass in the Tushita-heaven, and none of those 
 thus dignified can appear on earth so long as his predecessor lives. 
 (Burnouf, Introductioti a Vllistoire du Buddhisme Ind. i. 109.) 
 
 2. iSatJarwarf/iaH (Sanskr.), possessed of gold. (Jiilg.) 
 
 3. Chutuktu, holy, consecrated, reverend, honourable — the Mongo- 
 lian designation of the priesthood in general. (Schott, Buddhaismus, p. 
 36.) 
 
 4. It requires nothing less than the creative power of an Eastern ima- 
 gination first to see a difificulty in a situation simple enough in itself, and 
 then set to work to remove it by means of a proceeding calculated to 
 create the most actual difficulties : it is a leading characteristic of Indian 
 tales. It would seem much more rational to have made the poor man 
 keep up the original story of Buddha having design.ated him for the 
 girl's husband, which the people at the mouth of the stream would have 
 been as prone to believe as those at its source, than to resort to the pre- 
 posterous expedient of leaving her buried in a box.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 367 
 
 TALE XII. 
 
 1. Kikvon-ojotu, of child intellect. (Jiilg.) 
 
 2. Sandal-wood is a principal production of India. The finest grows on 
 the Malabar coast. Among its many names goshirsha is the only one in 
 use in the Buddhistic writings, being derived froija a cow's head, the smell 
 of which its scent was supposed to resemble. (Burnouf, Introd. a I'Hist. 
 du Buddhisme i. 619.) Kandana is the vulgar name. It was also called 
 valguJca = beautiful, and bhadrashri = surpassingly beautiful. Its use, 
 both as incense in the temples and for scent in private houses, particu- 
 larly by spreading a fine powdering of it on damp mats before the win- 
 dows, is very ancient and widespread. 
 
 3. Oegen iichatu, of bright intellect. (Jiilg.) 
 
 4. Cap woven of grass. Probably the Urtica (Boehmeria) utilis, 
 which is used for weaving and imported into Europe under the name of 
 China-grass. See Revue Horticole, vol. iv. aun. 1855. 
 
 TALE XIIL 
 
 1. ShriTcantha, " one whose cup contains good fortune " = born with 
 a silver spoon in his mouth. 
 
 2. The merchant class acquired an important position in India at an 
 early date, as the Manu concerns itself with laws for their guidance. 
 The Manu, however, distinctly defines trading as the occupation of the 
 third caste (i. 90), " The care of cattle, sacrifice, reading the Veda, the 
 career of a merchant, the lending of gold and silver, and the pursuit of 
 agriculture shall be the occupation of the Vaishja." Similarly in the 
 Jalimala legend given in Colebrooke's " Miscellaneous Essays," it is said 
 " The Lord of Creation viewing them (the various castes) said, ' What 
 shall be your occupation ? ' These replied, ' We are not our own masters, 
 God. Command what we shall undertake.' Viewing and comparing 
 their labours he made the first tribe superior over the rest. As the first 
 had great inclination for the divine sciences {hrahmaveda) it was called 
 Brahmana. The protector from ill was Kshatriga (warrior). Him whose 
 profession (vesa) consists in commerce, and in husbandry, and attendance 
 on cattle he called Vaisga. The other should voluntarily serve the three 
 tribes, and therefore he became Sudra." That a Brahman's son, there- 
 fore, should condescend to engage in trade must be ascribed either to the
 
 368 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 degeneracy of later times or to the ignorance of or indifference to Brah- 
 manical peculiarities of tlie Buddhist tale-repeater ; or else his parents 
 were of mixed castes. 
 
 In legendary tales Banig is a typical merchant, and the name ulti- 
 mately came to designate the subdivision of the Vaishja caste, in which 
 trading had become hereditary. The word is derived from pani, which 
 means both to buy and to play games of hazard, and ga, born or descended; 
 hence Banig meant, literally, merchant's son. This designation later be- 
 came corrupted into Banyan. 
 
 It is not possible to learn very much about the merchant's early status, 
 as the subject of trade would naturally seem unworthy of frequent men- 
 tion in the great epic poems; nevertheless the Ramajana (ii. 83, v. 11) 
 speaks of " the honourable merchants " (naigamdh). Mercantile expe- 
 ditions, especially by sea, however, partook of the heroic, and as such 
 find a place even in the Maha Bharata ; and there is a hymn in tlie 
 Veda (Rig. V. i. 116, 5) praising Asvin for protecting Bhugju's hun- 
 dred-oared ship through the immeasurable, fathomless ocean, and bring- 
 ing it back safely to land. 
 
 3. Apes enter frequently not only into the fables but into the epic 
 poetry of India. The Samajana, narrating the spreading of the Aryan 
 Indians over the south and far-east, speaks of the country as inhabited 
 by apes, and of Eama taking apes for his allies ; also, on one occasion, of 
 his re-establishing an ape-king in possession of his previous dominions. 
 Consult Lassen, Indische AlterthumsJcunde, i. 534, 535. Megasthenes 
 mentions various kinds of apes and monkeys, with, however, scarcely re- 
 cognizable descriptions, in his enumeration of the wild animals of India 
 (Fragm. x. p. 410). Kleitarchos tells that when Alexander had reached 
 a hill in the neighbourhood of the Hydaspes, he came upon a tribe of 
 apes arranged in battle array, looking so formidable that he was about to 
 give the signal for attacking them, but was withheld by the representa • 
 tions of Taxiles, king of the neighbouring country of Taxila, who ac- 
 companied him (Fragm. xvi. p. 80). The Pantcha-Tantra contains a 
 fable in which the King of Kamanapura establishes an ape for his body- 
 guard as more faithful and efficient than man ; a thief, however, brings 
 a serpent into the apartment, and at sight of the mortal enemy of his 
 kind, the ape runs away. Another fable of the same collection tells of a 
 Brahman who, having succeeded in rearing a flourishing garden of melons, 
 found them all devoured as soon as ripe by a party of apes, nor was he 
 able by awy means to get rid of them. One day he laid himself down 
 hid amid the leafage as if he bad been dead, but with a stick in his hand
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 369 
 
 ready to attack them when they approached. At first they indeed took him 
 for dead and were venturing close up to him, when one of them espied the 
 stick and cried to the others, " Dead men do not carry arms," and with 
 that they all escaped ; and it was the same with every trap he laid for 
 them, by their wariness they evaded them all. 
 
 4. The Indian world of story abounds in tales in which the low notion 
 of expecting some advantage to accrue in this life is proposed as the ob- 
 ject and reward of good actions. Instances will doubtless occur to the 
 reader. The Pantcha-Tantra Collection contains one in which an elephant 
 is caught by a Khan out hunting, by being driven into a deep dyke. 
 He asks advice of a Brahman who passes that way, as to how he is to ex- 
 tricate himself. " Now is the time," answers the Brahman, " to recall if 
 you have ever done good to any one, and if so to call him to your aid." 
 The elephant thereupon recalls that he once delivered a number of rats 
 whom a Khan had hunted and caught and shut up in earthen jars by 
 lifting the earthen jars with his trunk and gently breaking them. He 
 accordingly invokes the aid of these rats, who come and gnaw away at 
 the earth surrounding the dyke, till they have made so easy a slope of it 
 that the elephant can walk out. 
 
 Christianity fortunately proposes a higher motive for our good actions, 
 and the experience of life would make that derived from results to be ex- 
 pected from gratitude a very poor one. 
 
 5 A story, with a precisely similar episode of the recovery of a jewel by 
 ancillary beasts, comes into the legend of another ruin of the ItalianTirol. 
 
 6. See note 4 to " Vikram4ditja's Throne discovered." 
 
 TALE XIV. 
 
 1. I know not whether this placing together of lions and tigers is to be 
 ascribed to unacquaintance with their habits, or to idealism. Though 
 both natives of parts of India they have not even the same districts 
 assigned them by nature. So inimical are they also to each other, and so 
 unlikely to herd together, that it has been supposed the tiger has exter- 
 minated the lion wherever they have met. (Hitter, Asien, vol. iv. zweite 
 Halfte, 689, 703, 723.) Indian fable established the lion as the king of 
 beasts — Mrigaraga. Amara, the Indian Lexicographer, places him at 
 the head of all beasts. The oi'dinary Sanskrit name is Sinlia, which 
 some translate "the killer," from sibh, to kill. The same word {sin- 
 Tianada) stands for the roaring of the lion and for a war cry. Sinhasana, 
 
 B b
 
 370 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 literally a lion- seat, stands for a throne; for the lion was the typical 
 ruler. The fables always make him out as powerful, just, temperate, and 
 willing to take the advice of others, but often deceived by his counsellors. 
 The lion also gave its name to the island of Ceylon, which to the Greeks 
 was known as Taprobane, from Tambapanni or Tamrapani, the capital 
 built by Vigaja, its first historical settler (said by the natives to come 
 from tamra, red, and jpani, hand, because he and his companions being 
 worn out with fatigue on their arrival lay down upon the ground and 
 found it made their hands red ; but tamra (neut.) means also red sandal- 
 wood, and parna is a leaf, which makes a more probable interpretation, 
 but there is also another deriving from " a red swamp "). But this name 
 passed quite out of use both among native and Greek writers in the 
 early part of the first century. Ptolemy calls it SaAi/c??, the Indian word 
 being Sinhala, the Pali, Sihala = "resting-place of the lion" (i.e. the 
 courageous warriors, the companions of Vigaja). Kosmas has ^ieAeSiffa, 
 := Sinhaladvipa, " the island Sinhala." In the writings of the Chinese 
 pilgrims it is called Sengkiolo, which they render " lion's kingdom." In 
 the southern dialects of India I is often changed into r, and thus in Mar- 
 cellinus Ammianus we find the name has become Serendivus. Out of this 
 came zeilau and our Ceylon. In our word " Singhalese " we have a 
 plainer trace of the lion's share in the appellation. 
 
 The writers of the time of Alexander do not appear to have come across 
 any authentic account of the tiger, and his people seem to have known it 
 only from its skin bought as merchandize. Nearchos and Megasthenes both 
 quite overstate its size, as "twice as big as a lion," and "as big as a horse." 
 Augustus exhibited a tiger in Rome in the year 11 B.C., and that seems 
 the first seen there. Claudius imported four. Pliny remarks on the ex- 
 treme swiftness and wariness of the tiger and the difliculty of capturing 
 him. His place in the fable world is generally as representative of un- 
 mitigated cruelty. The Pantcha-Tantra contains a tale, however, in 
 which a Brahman, wearied of his existence by many reverses, goes to a 
 tiger who has a reputation for great ferocity and begs him to rid him of 
 his life. The tiger in this instance is so moved by the recital of the 
 man's afflictions that he not only spares his life, but nurtures him in his 
 den, enriching him also with the jewelled spoil of the many travellers who 
 fall victims to his voracity. In the end, however, the inevitable fox 
 comes in as a bad counsellor, and persuades him the Brahman is intending 
 to poison him, and thus overcoming his leniency, induces him to break 
 faith with the Brahman and devour him. 
 
 2. Dakinis were female evil genii, who committed all sorts of horrible
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 371 
 
 pranks, chiefly among the graves and at night. In this place it is 
 more probably Eaginis that are intended, beautiful beings who filled 
 the air with melody. (Schmidt, trans, of sSanang sSetser, p. 438, 
 quoted by Julg.) 
 
 3. Nupuras, gold rings set with jewels, worn by women of rank, 
 and also by dancing girls. 
 
 4. The custom of wearing quantities of jewelled ornaments seems to 
 have passed into Rome, along with the jewels themselves, and to such an 
 extent that Pliny tells us (book ix.), that Koman women would have 
 their feet covered with pearls, and a woman of rank would not go out 
 without having so many pearls dangling from her feet as to make a 
 noise as she walked along. The long-shaped pearls of India, too, were 
 specially prized for ear-rings ; he particularly mentions their being 
 made to bear the form of an alabaster vase, just as lately revived in 
 Rome. They particularly delighted in the noise of two or more of 
 these pendants together as a token of wealth, and gave it the name of 
 crotalia, which, however, they borrowed ftom the Greeks. They also 
 woi'e them pendant from their rings. The Singhalese pearls are the 
 most esteemed. The dangerous fishery of these forms the occupation of 
 a special division of the Faraioa or Fisher-Caste of the Southern Indians, 
 The pearl-oysters were said to swim in swarms, led by a king-oyster, 
 distinguished by his superiority in size and colouring. Fishers aimed 
 at capturing the " king," as then the whole swarm was dispersed and 
 easily caught ; as long as the king was free, he knew how to guide 
 the major part of his swarm of subjects out of danger (Pliny, ix. 55, 
 1). They thought the pearl was more directly under the influence of 
 the heavens than of the sea, so that if it was cloudy at the time of their 
 birth, they grew dull and tinted ; but if born under a bright sky, then 
 they were lustrous and well-tinted ; if it thundered at the time, they 
 were startled and grew small and stunted. Concerning the actualities 
 of pearl-fishery, see Colebrook's " Account " of the same in Trans, of R. 
 As. Soc. ii. 452, et seq. 
 
 Megasthenes, Diodorus, Arrianus, and others (quoted bj' Lassen, 1, 649, 
 n. 2), tell a curious legend by which Hercules as he parted from earth 
 gave to his young daughter Pandaia the whole of Southern India for 
 her portion, and that from her sprang the celebrated hero dynasty 
 of the Pandava ; Hercules found a beautiful female ornament called 
 pearls on his travels, and he collected them all and endowed his daughter's 
 kingdom with them. 
 
 5. It is impossible not to be struck by the similarity of construction 
 
 Bb 2
 
 372 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 between this tale and that of the Spanish colonial one I have given in 
 " Patraiias " with the title of " Matanzas," thus bringing the sagas of 
 the East and West Indies curiously together. 
 
 6. Lama, Buddhist priest : the tale-repeater again grafts a word of 
 his own language on to the Indian tale. 
 
 7. Tirtha, from tri, to cross a river. It denoted originally a ford ; 
 then, a bathing-place on the borders of sacred streams ; later its use 
 became extended to all manner of pilgrimage-places, but more frequently 
 those situated at the water's edge. They were the hermitages of Brah- 
 mans who gave themselves to the contemplative life before the rise of 
 Buddhism, while to many of them also were attached legends of 
 having been the dwellings of the mysterious Rishi, similarly before the 
 rise of Brahmanism. The fruits of the earth and beasts brought to them 
 as offerings at these holy places, as also the mere visiting such sjMts, was 
 taught to be among the most meritorious of acts. " From the poor can 
 the sacrifice, O king, not be offered, for it needs to have great possessions, 
 and to make great preparations. By kings and rich men can it be 
 offered. But not by the mean and needy and possessing nothing. But 
 hear, and I will tell thee what . is the pious dealing which is equal in its 
 fruits to the holy sacrifice, and can be carried out even by the poorest. This 
 is the deepest secret of the Rishi. Visits paid to the tirtha are more meri- 
 torious than even offerings " (made elsewhere). " He who has never fasted 
 for three nights, has never visited a tirtha, and never made offerings of 
 gold and cows, he will live in poor estate " (at his next re-birth). " But 
 so great advantage is not gained by the Agnishtoma or other most costly 
 sacrifice as by visiting tirthas." (Tirthagatra, iii. 82, v. 4055 et seq.) In 
 other places it is prescribed that visits paid to some one particular tirtha 
 are equal to an offering of one hundred cows ; to another, a thousand. To 
 visiting another, is attached the reward of being beautiful at the next re- 
 birth ; a visit to another, cleansed from the stain of murder, even the 
 murder of a Brahman ; that to the source of the Ganges, brings good 
 luck to a whole generation. Whoso passes a month at that on the 
 Kanshiki, where' Vishvamitra attained the highest perfection, does 
 equivalent to the offering of a horse-offering and obtains the same 
 advantage {jphala ■=. fruit). Several spots on the Indus or Sindhu, 
 reckon among the holiest of tirthas pointing to the course of the immi- 
 gration of the Ai-yan race into India. Uggana on its west bank is named 
 as the dwelling-place of the earliest Rishis and the scene of acts of the 
 gods. A visit to Gandharba at its source, or Sindliuttama the northern- 
 most tirtha on its banks, was equivalent to a horse -offering.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. Oi6 
 
 The Puranas are full of stories and legends eoncerniug tirthas note- 
 worthy for the deeds of ancient kings and gods. They tell us of one 
 on the Jumna, where Brahma himself offered sacrifice. At the Varaha- 
 ttrtha Vishnu had once appeared in the form of a wild boar. The 
 Maha Bharata and other epic poems speak of these visits being made 
 by princes as a matter of constant occurrence, as well as of numbers of 
 Brahmans making the occasion of their visits answer the purpose 
 of an armed escort, to pay their devotions at the same time without 
 incurring unnecessary danger by the way. The Manu also contains 
 prescriptions concerning these visits. In consequence of the amount of 
 travelling they entailed the tirthdmisai'tri or tirtha-y\sitov was quoted 
 as a geographical authority. 
 
 The Horse-sacrifice mentioned above was part of the early A'^edic 
 religion. In the songs of Dirghatamas, Sig- Veda i. 22, 6 and 7, it is 
 described with great particularity. And instances are mentioned of 
 horse -sacrifices being performed, in the Ramajana, i. 13, 34, and Mahd 
 Bharata, xiv. 89 v. 2644. There is also a medal existing struck by a 
 king of the Gupta dynasty, in the 3rd century of our era, commemora- 
 tive of one at that date. There do not appear altogether to be many 
 instances named however. The Zeudavesta (quoted by Burnouf, Yacna, 
 i. p. 444) mentions that it was common among the Turanian people, on 
 the other hand, to sacrifices horses to propitiate victory. 
 
 TALE XV. 
 
 1. " Diamond kingdom." It is probably Magadha (now Behar) that 
 is here thus designated (Julg.); though it might stand for any part 
 of Central India : " Diamonds were only found in India of all the king- 
 doms of antiquity " (Lassen, iii. 18), and (Lassen i. 240), " in India 
 between 14° and 25° ;" a wide range, but the fields are limited in extent 
 and sparsely scattered. The old world only knew the diamond through 
 the medium of India. In India itself they were the choicest ornaments 
 of the kings and of the statues of the gods. They thus became stored 
 up in great masses in royal and ecclesiastical treasuries j and became the 
 highest standard of value. The vast quantities of diamonds made booty 
 of during the Muhammedan invasion borders on the incredible. It was 
 thus that they first found their way in any quantity to the West of 
 Europe. Since the discovery of the diamond-fields of Brazil, they have 
 been little sought for in India. In Sanskrit, they were called vag'ra.
 
 374 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 "lightning;" also abhedja, "infrangible." It would appear, however, 
 that the Muhammedans were not the first to despoil the Eastern trea- 
 suries, for Pliny (book ix.) tells us that Lollia, wife of Claudius, was wont 
 to show herself, on all public occasions, literally covered from head to 
 foot with jewels, which her father, Marcus LoUius, had taken from the 
 kings of the East, and which were valued at forty million sesterces. He 
 adds, however, this noteworthy instance of retribution of rapacity, that 
 he ended by taking his own life to appease the Emperor's animosity, 
 which he had thereby incurred. 
 
 Hiuen Thsang, the Chinese pilgrim who visited India ^out a.d. 640, 
 particulai'ly mentions that in Malava and Magadha were chief seats of 
 learned studies. 
 
 2. AharascJiika ; magic word of no meaning. (Jiilg.) 
 
 3. Astrologers. Colebrooke (" Miscellaneous Essays," ii. 440) is of opi- 
 nion that astrology was a late introduction into India. Divination by 
 the relative position of the planets seems to have been in part at least of 
 foreign growth and comparatively recent introduction among the Hindus ; 
 (he explains this to refer to the Alexandrian Greeks). " The belief in 
 the influence of the planets and stars upon human aflairs is with them 
 indeed remotely ancient, and was a natural consequence of their early 
 creed making the sun and planets gods. But the notion that the ten- 
 dency of that supposed influence and the manner in which it is to be 
 exerted, may be foreseen by man, and the efliect to be produced by it 
 foretold through a knowledge of the position of the planets at a given 
 moment, is no necessary result of that belief ; for it takes from beings 
 believed divine their free agency." See also Weber, " Geschichte der 
 liidische Astrologie" in his Indische Studien, ii. 236 et seq. 
 
 TALE XVI. 
 
 1. Tabun Minggan =. " containing five thousand." (Jiilg.) The tale- 
 repeater again gives a name of his own language to a town which he 
 places in India. 
 
 2. Cows and oxen were always held in high estimation by the 
 ancient Indians. The same word that stood for " cow " expressed also 
 " the earth," and both stand equally in the Veda for symbols of fruit- 
 fulness and patient labouring for the benefit of others. The ox stands 
 in the Mauu for "uprightness" and "obedience to the laws." In
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 375 
 
 the Ramajana (ii. 74, 12) Surabhi, the cow-divinity (see the curious 
 accounts of her origin in Lassen, i. 792 and note), is represented as 
 lamenting that over the whole world her childi-en are . made to labour 
 from morning to night at the plough under the bui-ning sun. Cows 
 were fi-equently devoted to the gods and left to go whithersoever they 
 would, even in the midst of towns, their lives being held sacred 
 (Lassen, i. 298). Kiihn (Jahrbuch f. w. K. 1844, p. 102) quotes two or 
 three instances of sacrifices of cows but they were very rare ; either as 
 sacrifices to the gods or as rigagna (" sacrifices to the living ") i. e. the 
 offerings of hospitality to the living. The ox was reckoned peculiarly 
 sacred to Shiva, and images were set up to him in the temples (see 
 Lassen, i. 299). Butter was the most frequent object of sacrifice (ib. 
 298). The Mann (iii. 70) orders the Soma or butter-sacrifice to be 
 offered daily to the gods, and the custom still subsists (see Lassen, iii. 
 325). Other names for the cow were Gharmadhug — " giver of warm 
 milk;" BXidAghnja =z "the not to be slain ;" also Kamadhmu or Kama- 
 duJi = " the fulfiller of wishes," and (in the Maha Bharata) Nanduni = 
 " the making to rejoice " (Lassen, i. 721). See also the story of Sabala, 
 the heavenly cow of the Ramajana, in note 8 to "Vikramaditja's Youth." 
 Oxen were not only used for ploughing, but also for charioteering and 
 riding, and were trained to great swiftness. Jilianus {De Nat Anim, xv. 
 24) mentions that kings and great men did not think it beneath them 
 to strive together in the oxen-races, and that the oxen were better racers 
 than the horses, for the latter needed the spur while the former did 
 not. An ox and a hoi'se, and two oxen with a horse between them were 
 often harnessed together in a chariot. He also mentions that there was 
 a great deal of betting both by those whose animals were engaged in the 
 race and by the spectators. The Manu, however (d. p. c. ix. 221 — 225), 
 forbids every kind of betting under severe penalties. yElianus mentions 
 further the Kamara, the long-haired ox or yak, which the Indians received 
 from Tibet. 
 
 3. The " Three Precious Treasures " or "jewels " of Buddhism are Adi- 
 huddha, Dharma, and Sangha, which in later Buddhism became a 
 sort of triad, called triratna, of supreme divinities ; but, at the first, were 
 only honoured according to the actual meaning of the words (Schmidt, 
 Grundlehre der Buddhaismvs, in Mem. de I' Ac. des Sciences de S. 
 Fetershourg, i. 114), viz. Sangha, sacred assembly or synod ; Dharma, 
 laws (or more correctly perhaps, necessity, fate, Lassen, iii. 397), and 
 Buddha, the expounder of the same. (Burnouf, Introd. cl I'Hist. du 
 Budd. i. 221.)
 
 376 
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 Consult Schott, Buddhaismus, pp. 39, 127, and C. F. Koppen, Die Eeli- 
 gion des Buddha, i. 373, 550—553, and ii. 292 — 294. 
 
 4. See note 2, Tale IV. 
 
 5. Abbe Hue describes the huts of the Tibetian herdsmen as thus 
 constructed with a hole in the roof for the smoke. The Mongolians 
 live entirely in tents which, if more primitive, seem cleaner and alto- 
 gether preferable. 
 
 TALE XVII. 
 
 1. Probably it was some version of this story that bad travelled to 
 Spain, which suggested to Yriarte the following one of his many fables 
 directed against ignorant writers and bad critics. 
 
 Esta fabulilla. 
 Saiga bien d mal, 
 Me he occorrida ahora 
 Por casualidad. 
 
 2. 
 Cerca de uuos prados 
 Que bay en mi lugar, 
 Passaba un borrico 
 Por casualidad. 
 
 3. 
 Una flauta en ellos 
 Hallo que un zagal, 
 Se de.xd olvidado 
 Por casualidad. 
 
 4. 
 Acercdse a olerla. 
 El dicbo animal 
 
 Y did un resoplido 
 Por casualidad. 
 
 5. 
 En la flauta el ayre 
 Se hubo de colar 
 
 Y sond la flauta 
 Por casualidad. 
 
 This fablette I know it 
 
 Is not erudite ; 
 It occurr'd to my mind now 
 
 By accident quite. 
 2. 
 Through a meadow whose verdure 
 
 Fresh, seem'd to invite, 
 A donkey pass'd browsing 
 
 By accident quite. 
 3. 
 A flute lay in the grass, which 
 
 A swain over night 
 Had left there forgotten 
 
 By accident quite. 
 4. 
 Approaching to smell it 
 
 This quadruped wight 
 Just happen'd to bray then 
 
 By accident quite. 
 5. 
 The air ent'ring the mouthpiece 
 
 Pass'd through as of right, 
 And gave forth a cadence 
 
 By accident quite.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAK EAST. 377 
 
 6. 6. 
 
 "0 ! " dixo el borrico " Only bear ray fine playing ! " 
 
 " Que bien se tocar ! Cries Moke in delight, 
 
 Y diran que es mala "That dull folks vote my braying 
 
 La musica asnal." A nuisance, despite." 
 
 7. 7. 
 
 Sin reglas del arte It may happen some once, thus 
 
 Borriquitos hay Although they can't write. 
 
 Que una vez aciertan Human asses may hit off 
 
 Por casualidad ! By accident quite ! 
 
 2. The woman invents a name to frighten, and also as a trap for, her 
 husband. " Surja, is Sanskrit, and Bagatur, Mongolian for a ' Hero.' 
 Such combinations are not infrequent." (Jiilg.) 
 
 " Shura means a Hero in Sanscrit, agreeing not only in sense with the 
 Greek word ^pws, but also in derivation ; thus revealing a primeval 
 agreement in the estimation in which hero-nature was held. It is more 
 projjerly written Sura, because it comes from Svar, heaven, and means 
 literally ' heavenly.' It is used in that form as an appellation of the 
 Sun. Heroes are so called, because when they fell in battle, Svarga, the 
 he.aven of deified kings, was given them for their dwelling-place. ' Indra 
 shall give to those who fall in battle the world where all wishes are 
 fulfilled, for their portion. Neither by sacrifices, nor offerings to the 
 Brahmans, nor by contemplation, nor knowledge can mortals attain to 
 Svarga as securely as do heroes falling in battle.' Maha Bharata, xi. 2, 
 V. 60." (Lassen, i. 69.) 
 
 3. " The women of Tibet are not indeed tanght the use of the bow 
 and the matchlock, but in riding they are as expert and fearless as the 
 men, yet it is only on occasion that they mount a horse, such as when 
 travelling; or when there chances to be no man about the place to 
 look after a stray animal." (Abbe Hue's " Travels in China and Tibet," 
 vol. i. ch. iii.) 
 
 4. A very similar story may be found in Barbazan's, " Fabliaux et 
 Contes des Poetes Fran^ais des XI— XV Siecles," in 4 vols., Paris 1808, 
 vol. iv. pp. 287—295. (Jiilg.) 
 
 TALE XVIII. 
 1. Shanggasba is possibly a Tibetian word, Isang, grags,]pa — "of good
 
 378 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 
 
 fame," but more probably it is compounded from the Mongolian sSang, 
 " treasure." ( Jiilg.) 
 
 2. Garuda : see note 2, Tale I. The allusion in this place is to an 
 image of him over a shrine. 
 
 3. Silk was cultivated in India at a very early date, probably much 
 earlier than any records that remain to us can show ; there are twelve 
 indigenous species of silkworm. That of China was not introduced into 
 India before the year 419 of our era (Ritter, vol. vi. pt. 1, 698). The indi- 
 genous silkworms fed upon other trees besides the mulberry and notably 
 on the ficus religiosa. The Greeks would seem to have learnt the use 
 of silk from the Indians, or at least from the Persians. Nearchos is 
 the first Greek writer in whom mention of it is found ; he describes 
 it as like the finest weft of cotton-stufi", and says it was made 
 from fibre scraped from the bark of a tree ; an error in which he 
 was followed by other writers ; others again wrote that the fibres 
 were combed off the leaf of a tree ; yet Pausanias had mentioned 
 the worm as the intermediary of its production (C. Miiller, Pref. 
 to his Edition of Strabo, and notes). The Romans also carried on a 
 considerable trade in silk with India, and Pliny, vi. 20, 2, mentions 
 one kind of Indian silk texture that was so fine and light, you could see 
 through it, " ut in publico matrona transluceat." Horace also alludes 
 to the same. Sat. i. 2, 101. Pliny also complains of the luxury whereby 
 this costly stufi" was used, not only for dresses, but for coverings of 
 cushions. Vopiscus, in his life of the Emperor Aurelian, tells us that 
 at that time a pound weight of silk was worth a pound weight of gold. 
 In India itself the luxurious use of silk has restrictions put upon it 
 in the Manu. It was also prescribed that when men devoted themselves 
 to the hermit life in the jungle, they should lay aside their silken 
 clothing; and we find Rama {Rdmajana, ii. 37, 14) putting on a 
 penitential habit over his silken robe. The Maha Bharata (ii. cap. 50) 
 contains a passage in which among the objects brought in tribute to 
 Judhishthira is Mtaga, or the " insect-product," a word used to desig- 
 nate both silk and cochineal. 
 
 4. A similar episode occurs in a tale collected in the neighbourhood of 
 Schwaz in North Tirol which I have given under the name of " Prince 
 Radpot " in " Household Stories from the Land of Hofer." The rest 
 
 1 Virgil, Georg. ii. 121, " Velleraque ut foliis depectant tenuia Seres;" 
 and Pliny, H. N. vi. 20, 2, " Seres, lauicio silvarum nobiles, perfusam aqua 
 depectentes frondium canitiem." Also 24, 8 ; and xi. 26, 1.
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 379 
 
 of the story recalls that called " The three Black Dogs " in the same 
 collection, but there is much more grace and pathos about the Tirolean 
 version. 
 
 TALE XIX. 
 
 1. See note 2, Tale XVII. 
 
 2. The fox plays a similar part in many an Eastern fable. The first 
 book of the Pantscha Tantra Collection is entitled Mitrabheda, or the 
 Art of Mischief-making. A lion-king who has two foxes for his ministers 
 falls into gi'eat alarm one day, because he hears for the first time in 
 his life the roaring of an ox, which some merchants had left behind 
 them because it was lame aud sick. The lion consults his two ministers 
 in this strait, and the two while laughing at his fears determine to 
 entertain them in order to enhance their own usefulness. First they 
 visit the ox aud make sure he is quite infirm and harmless, and then 
 they go to the lion, and tell him it is the terrible Ox-king, the bearer of 
 Shiva, and that Shiva has sent him down into that forest to devour all 
 the animals in it small and great. The lion is not surprised to hear 
 his fears confirmed and entreats his ministers to find him a way out of 
 the ditficulty. The foxes pretend to undertake the negotiation and 
 then go back to the ox and tell him it is the command of the king that 
 he qiTit the forest. The ox pleads his age and infirmities aud desolate 
 condition, and the foxes having made him believe in the value of their 
 services as intermediaries bring him to the lion. Both parties arc 
 immensely grateful to the ministers for having as each thinks softened 
 the heart of the other, but the foxes begin to see they have taken a 
 false step in bringing the ox to the lion, as they become such fast 
 friends, that there is danger of their companionship being no longer 
 sought by their master. They determine, therefore, the ox must be 
 killed ; but how are they to kill so disproportioned a victim ? They 
 must make the lion do the execution himself. But how ? they are 
 such sworn friends. They find the lion alone and fill his mind with 
 alarm, assure him the ox is plotting to kill him. Thej' hardly gain 
 credit, but the lion promises to be on his guard ; while they are on the 
 watch also for any accident which may give colour to their design. 
 Meantime, they keep up each other's courage by the narration of
 
 380 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 fables showing how by perseverance in cunning any perfidy may be 
 accomplished. At last it happens one day that a frightful storm comes 
 on while the ox is out grazing. He comes galloping back to seek the 
 cover of the forest, shaking his head and sides to get rid of the heavy 
 raindrops, tearing up the ground with his heavy hoofs in his speed, and 
 his tail stretched out wildly behind. " See ! " say the foxes to the 
 lion ; " see if we were not right. Behold how he comes tramping 
 along ready to devour thee j see how his eyes glisten with fury, see 
 how he gnashes his teeth, see how he tears up the earth with his 
 powerful hoofs!" The lion cannot remain unconvinced in presence of 
 such evidence. " Now is your moment," cry the foxes ; " be beforehand 
 with him before he reaches you." Thus instigated the lion falls upon 
 the ox. The ox surprised at this extraordinary reception, and already 
 out of breath, is thrown upon the defensive, and in his efforts to save 
 himself the lion sees the proof of his intention to attack. Accordingly 
 he sets no bounds to his fury, and has soon torn him in pieces. The 
 foxes get the benefit of a feast for many days on his flesh, besides being 
 reinstated in the full empire over their master. In one of the fables, 
 however, the tables are cleverly turned on Reynard by " the sagacity of 
 the bearded goat." An old he-goat having remained behind on the 
 mountains, one day, when the rest of the herd went home, found himself 
 suddenly in presence of a lion. Remembering that a moment's hesitation 
 would be his death, he assumed a bold countenance and walked straight 
 up to the lion. The lion, astonished at this unwonted procedure, thinks 
 it must be some very extraordinary beast; and instead of setting upon 
 it, after his wont, speaks civilly to it, saying, "Thou of the long beard, 
 whence art thou ? " The goat answered, " I am a devout servant of 
 Shiva to whom I have promised to make sacrifice of twenty-one tigers, 
 twenty-five elephants, and ten lions ; the tigers and the elephants have 
 I already slain, and now I am seeking for ten lions to slay." The lion 
 hearing this formidable declaration, without waiting for more, turned 
 him and fled. As he ran he fell in with a fox, who asked him whither 
 he ran so fast. The lion gives a ridiculous description of the goat, 
 dictated by his terror ; the fox recognizes that it is only a goat, and 
 thinking to profit by the remains of his flesh perfidiously urges him to 
 go back and slaughter him. He accordingly goes back with this in- 
 tention, but the goat is equal to the occasion, and turning sharply upon 
 the fox, exclaims, " Did I not send thee out to fetch me ten lions for 
 the sacrifice ? How then darest thou to appear before me having only 
 snared me one 1" The lion thinking his reproaches genuine, once more
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 381 
 
 turns tail and makes good his escape. It has much similarity with the 
 episode of the hare and the wolf in the next tale. 
 3. Svarga. See note 2, Tale XVII. 
 
 TALE XX. 
 
 1. Siranjavati, "the gold- coloured river," also called Svarnavati, "the 
 yellow river," both names occurring oulj' in Buddhist writers : one of 
 the northern tributaries of the Ganges, into which it falls not far from 
 Patna, and the chief river of Nepaul. Its name was properly Ganda- 
 kavati = " Rhinoceros-river," or simply Gan'da'ki, whence its modern 
 name of the Goondook, as also that of Kondochates, into which it was 
 ti'ansformed by the Greek geographers. In its upper course it often 
 brings down ammonite petrifactions, which are believed to be incar- 
 nations or manifestations of Vishnu, hence it has a sacred character, 
 and on its banks are numerous spots of pilgrimage. 
 
 2. Concerning such distributions of alms, see Koppen, i. 581 et seq. 
 
 3. The story aifords no data on which to decide whether this cynical 
 speech is supposed to be a serious utterance representing the actual 
 motives on which the mendicant life was actually adopted under the 
 teaching of Buddhism, aflbrding a strong contrast from those which 
 have prompted to it under Christianity, or whether it is intended as a 
 satire on the Bhixu. (For Bhixu, see pp. 330, 332.) 
 
 4. I know not how the tufts of wool could have got caught off the 
 sheeps' backs on to ant-heaps, unless it be that the marmots being as we 
 have already seen (note 3, Tale IV.) called ants, the tale-repeater takes 
 it for granted there are marmot-holes in Nepaul like those familiar to 
 him in Mongolia, which Abbe Hue thus describes (vol. i. ch. ii.), 
 " These animals construct over the opening of their little dens a soi't 
 of miniature dome composed of grass artistically twisted, designed as a 
 shelter from wind and rain. These little heaps of dried grass are of the 
 size and shape of mole-hills. Cold made us cruel, and we proceeded to 
 level the house-domes of these poor little animals, which retreated into 
 their holes below, as we approached. By means of this Vandalism we 
 managed to collect a sackful of efficient fuel, and so warmed the water 
 which was our only aliment that day." 
 
 5. " Though there is so much gold and silver there is great destitution 
 in Tibet. At Lha-Ssa, for instance, the number of mendicants is
 
 382 SAGAS FROM THE TAE EAST. 
 
 enormous. They go from door to door soliciting a handful of tsamha 
 (barley-meal), and enter any one's house without ceremony. The 
 manner of asking alms is to hold out the closed hand with the thumb 
 raised. We must add in commendation of the Tibetians that they are 
 generally very kind and compassionate, rarely sending the mendicant 
 away unassisted." (Abbe Hue, vol. ii. ch. v.) 
 
 6. Indian tales often remind one of the frequent web of a dream 
 in which one imagines oneself starting in pursuit of a particular object, 
 but another and another fancy intervenes and the first purpose becomes 
 altogether lost sight of. This was particularly observable in the tale 
 entitled " How the Schimnu-Khan was slain," in which, after many 
 times intending it, Massang never goes back to thank his master at 
 last. The present is a still more striking instance, in its consequence 
 and repeated change of purport. In pursuing the mendicant's life, the 
 search for the man's parents is forgotten; and the man and his wife 
 are themselves lost sight of in the episode of the lamb. 
 
 7. Concerning the combination of the' Moon and the hare, see Lieb- 
 reclit, in Lazarus and Steinthal, Zeitschrift, vol. i. pt. 1. The Mongols 
 see in the spots in the moon the figure of a hare, and imagine it was 
 placed there in memory of Shakjamuni having once transformed himself 
 into a hare out of self-sacrifice, that he might serve a hungry wayfarer 
 for a meal. (Bergman, Nomadische Streifereien unter den Kalmiiken, in 
 1802-3, quoted by Jiilg.) 
 
 8. See note 5, Tale III. 
 
 TALE XXI. 
 
 1. Compare this story with the " Wunderharfe " in the " Mdhrchen- 
 saal " of Kletke. (Jiilg.) Its similarity with the story of King Midas 
 will strike every reader. 
 
 2. Chara Kitad = Black China ; the term designates the north of 
 China. 
 
 3. Daibang (in Chinese, Tai-ping = peace and happiness), the usual 
 Mongolian designation for the Chinese Emperor. (Jiilg.) 
 
 4. See note 9, Tale IV.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 TALE XXII. 
 
 1. Bagatur-Ssedkiltu, " of heroic capacity." (Jiilg.) See Note 2, Tale 
 XVII. 
 
 2. The Three Precious Treasures, see note 3, Tale XVI. 
 
 3. Pearls. Arrianus (Ind. viii. 8) quotes from Megasthenes, a legend in 
 which the discovery of pearls is ascribed to Crishna. The passage 
 further implies that the Greek name /uapyapiTij? was received from an 
 Indian name, which may be the case through the Dekhan dialect, 
 though there is nothing Hke it in Sanskrit, unless it be traced from 
 markara, a hollow vessel. The Sanskrit word for pearls is muhta, 
 " dropt " or " set free," " dropt by the rain-clouds." (See Lassen, Indisclie 
 AUerthumskunde, i. 244 n. 1. See also note 4, Tale XIV.) How the 
 Preserver of mother-o'-pearl shells comes to live up a river, I know not, 
 unless in his royal character he was supposed to have an outlying 
 country-villa. However Megasthenes (quoted by Lassen, ii. 680, n. 2) 
 tells us not only that there were many crocodiles and alligators in the 
 Indus, but also that many fishes and molluscs came up the stream out 
 of the sea as far as the confluence of the Akesines, and small ones as 
 far as the mountains. Onesikritos mentions the same concerning other 
 rivers. 
 
 4. The serpent-gods are spoken of sometimes as if they were supposed 
 to wear a human form and as often as in their reptile form. In the 
 present place in the text there is a strange confusion between the two 
 ideas, the "son " whom the White Serpent-king comes to seek evidently 
 wore a reptile form, as when he was in the owl's mouth he resembled 
 the Tamer's girdle, yet the king himself and his companion are said to 
 be riding on horses ; as it is also said they come out of the water it was 
 probably a crocodile that the story-teller had in his mind's eye, and 
 which might fancifully be conceived to be a serpent riding on horseback, 
 iis a centaur represents a man on horseback. The serpent-gods generally 
 would seem to be more properly termed reptile-gods, as not only ophidians 
 and saurians seem to belong to their empire, but batrachians also ; in this 
 very story the gold frog is reckoned the actual daughter of the White 
 Serpent-king, probably even emydians also, though I do not recall an 
 example. Water-snakes, however, are common in Asia, and there is also 
 there a group of batrachians called cselicise, which are cylindrical in form, 
 without feet and moving like serpents, and considered to form a link 
 between that family and their own. I do not know if this in any way
 
 384 SAGAS PROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 explains the symbolism whereby a creature that had any right to be 
 reckoned a frog could be called the daughter of a serpent-king. 
 
 When the stories of encounters of heroes with huge malevolent ser- 
 pents, or crocodiles, passed into the mythology of Europe, these were 
 generally replaced by " dragons," or monsters, such as " Grendel " in our 
 Anglo-Saxon " Lay of Beowulf." There are some, however, in which a 
 bond fide serpent figures. In parts of Tirol, a white serpent is spoken of 
 as a "serpent-queen" and as more dangerous than the others; various 
 are the legends in which the release of a spell-bound princess depends 
 on the deliverer suflering himself to be three times encircled, and the 
 third time, kissed by a serpent ; the trial frequently fails at the third 
 attempt. Sir Lancelot, if I remember right, accomplished it in the end. 
 
 Every collection of mediaeval legends contains stories of combats with 
 dragons, the groundwork probably brought from the East, and the 
 detail made to fit the hero of some local deliverance ; the mythology 
 of Tirol is particularly rich in this class, almost every valley has its 
 own ; at Wilten, near Innsbruck, the sting of a dragon is shown as of 
 that killed by the Christian giant Haymon ; the one I have given in 
 " Zovanin senza paura," from the Italian Tirol (p. 348, " Household 
 Stories from the Land of Hofer "), has this similarity with Tales II. and 
 v., that it is actually the water supply of the infested district which is 
 stopped by the dragon. There is this great difference, however, between 
 the Eastern and later Western versions of serpent myths. The Indians 
 having deified the serpent, their heroic tales have no further aim than 
 that of propitiating him. On the other hand, it was not long before the 
 religious influence under which the Christian myths were moulded had 
 connected and by degrees identified the serpent-axterior, under the 
 parable of which they set forth their local plague, with that under which 
 the adversary of souls is named in the sacred story of the garden of 
 Eden ; and thus it became a necessity of the case that the Christian hero 
 should destroy or at least vanquish it. 
 
 Though the Indian serpent-gods seem to have been generally feared 
 and hated, we have instances — and that even in this little volume — of 
 their harmlessness also and even beneficence. An innocuous and bene- 
 volent phase of dragon-character seems to have been adopted also in 
 the early heathen mythology of Europe. Nork {Mythologie der Yolks- 
 sagen) tells us the dragon was held sacred to Wodin, and its image was 
 placed over houses, town-gates, and towers, as a talisman against evil 
 influences ; and I have met with a popular superstition lingering yet 
 in Tirol that to meet a crested adder (the European representative, I
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 385 
 
 believe, of the Cobra di eapello, which is, as we have seen, the species 
 specially worshipped iu India) brings good luck. I have Said I do 
 not remember an instance in Indian mythology in which any member 
 of the emydian family comes under the empire of the serpent-god ; I 
 should expect there are such instances, however, as the counterpart 
 exists in Tirol, where there are stories of mysterious fascination exercised 
 by sacred shrines upon the little land-tortoises and wliich have in con- 
 sequence been regarded by the peasantry as representing wandering souls 
 waiting for the completion of their purgatorial penance. See also 
 concerning the serpent-gods, note 1 to Tale II. 
 
 5. Mirjalaktsclii. Jiilg says, " Fettmacher " (fat-maker) is the best 
 equivalent he can give, but he is not convinced of its correctness, and 
 then exposes what he understands by "Fettmacher" by two German 
 expressions, one, meaning " pot-bellied," and the other not renderable iu 
 English to ears polite. It would seem more in accordance with the use 
 of the name in the text to understand his own word Fettmacher, as " he 
 giving abundance," " he making fat." 
 
 6. Gambudvipa. I have already (page viii.) had occasion to explain 
 this native name of India ; otherwise spelt Dschamhudvipa and Jam- 
 hudvtpa and Jamhudlpa. But as I only there spoke of the actual 
 species of the gambu-tree, oue of the indigenous productions of India, 
 I ought further to mention that the name is rather derived from a 
 fabulous specimen of it, supposed to grow on the sacred mountain of 
 Meru. Spence Hardy (" Legends and Theories of the Buddhists," p. 95) 
 quotes the following description of it from one of the late commentaries 
 of the Sutras : " From the root to the highest part is a thousand miles ; 
 the space covered by its outspreading branches is three thousand miles 
 in circumference. The trunk is one hundred and fifty miles round, and 
 five hundred miles in height from the root to the place where the 
 branches begin to extend ; the four great branches of it are each five 
 hundred miles long, and from between these flow four great rivers. Where 
 the fruit of the tree falls, small plants of gold arise which are washed 
 into one of the rivers." Earlier descriptions are less exaggerated ; de- 
 tails remaining in this one suggest that it has not been invented with- 
 out aid from some lingering remnant of an early tradition of the Tree 
 of Life and the four rivers of Paradise, " the gold of" one of which "is 
 good." 
 
 The great continent of India being called an island is explained in a 
 parable from the Jinalankara, given at p. 87 of the same work, likening 
 the outer Sakwala ridge or boundary of the universe to the rim of a 
 
 C C
 
 386 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 jar or vessel ; the vessel filled with sauce representing the ocean and 
 the continents, like masses of cooked rice floating in the same. 
 
 At p. 82, he quotes from the first-mentioned commentary a description 
 of the mountain of Meru itself, illustrative of the habitual exaggeration 
 of the Indian sacred writers. " Between Maha Meru and the Sakwala 
 ridge are seven circles of rocks with seven seas between them. They are 
 circular because of the shape of Maha Meru. The first or innermost, 
 Yugandhara, is 210,000 miles broad; its inner circumference is 7,560,000 
 miles, and its outer, 8,220,000, miles ; from Maha Meru to Yugandhara 
 is 840,000 miles. Near Maha Meru, the depth of the sea is 840,000 
 miles, &c.," the seven circles being all described with analogous dimen- 
 sions. Also p. 42, " Buddha knows how many atoms there are in Maha 
 Meru, although it is a million miles in height." 
 
 TALE XXIII. 
 
 1. "The five colours," see note 5, Tale IV. 
 
 "The seven precious things," are variously stated. Sometimes they 
 are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, red pearls, diamond and coral. 
 Sometimes gold and silver are left out of the reckoning, and rubies and 
 emeralds substituted. See Koppen, i. 540 et seq. The extravagant and 
 incongruous description in the text is not artistic. 
 
 2, The month PitsJija. Before the time of Yikramaditja astronomy 
 (vas not studied in India as a science ; the course of the heavenly bodies 
 was observed, but only for the sake of determining the times and seasons 
 of feasts and sacrifices. The moon was the chief subject of observation 
 and of the more correct results of the same. Her path was divided 
 into twenty -eight " houses " or " mansions " called naxatra. This 
 division was invented by the Chinese, and India received it from them 
 about 1100 B.C. The naxatravidja or the knowledge of the moon- 
 mansions, is set down in one of the oldest Upanishad as a special kind of 
 knowledge. In the oldest enumeration extant of the moon-mansions 
 only twenty-seven are mentioned, and the first of them is called Kritfika, 
 and Abliigit, which is the 20th, according to the latest enumeration, is 
 wanting ; other lists have other discrepancies. It is worthy of notice 
 that Kandramas, the earliest name by which the moon is invoked in the 
 Veda, is composed of kandra, "shining," and mas, " to measure," because 
 the moon measured time, and the various names of the moon in all the
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 387 
 
 so-called Indo-European languages are supposed to come from this last 
 word. There were also four moon-diviuities invoked, as Kuhu, Sinivall, 
 RukCi, and Anumati, in the Rig Veda hymns j these are all feminine 
 deities. Soma, the later moon-divinity, however, was masculine, 
 and had twenty seven of the fifty daughters of Daxa for his wives. 
 Kandramas was also a male divinity. The worship of the four goddesses 
 1 have named was afterwards superseded by four (also femiuine) deifica- 
 tions of the phases of the moon. There seems a little difficulty, however, 
 about fitting their names to them. Pushja, with which we are more 
 particularly concerned, would properly imply " waxing," but she presided 
 nevertheless over the last quarter ; Krita, meaning the " finished " course, 
 over the new moon ; the appellations of the others fit better. Drajjura 
 (derived from dva, two) designated the second quarter, and Khan'a, 
 " the beginning to wane," the full moon. In the list given by Ama- 
 rasiuha of the moon-mansions, Pushja is the name of the eighth, in 
 the Maha Bharata it stands for the sixth. 
 
 The month Pauscha answers to our December. (Lassen, iii. 819.) 
 3. We have many early proofs that India possessed an indigenous 
 breed of hunting-dogs of noble and somewhat fierce character. They 
 wei'e much esteemed as hunting-dogs by the Persians, and formed an 
 important article of commerce. Herodotus (i. 192) mentions their 
 being imported into Babylon ; whether the mighty hunter Nimrod had 
 a high opinion of them, there is perhaps no means of ascertaining. Strabo 
 (xv. i. § 31) says they were not afraid to hunt lions. In the Ramajana, 
 (ii. 70, 21) Ashvapati gives Eama a present of " swift asses and dogs bred 
 in the palace, large in stature, with the strength of tigers, and teeth meet 
 to fight withal." Alexander found them sufficiently superior to his own 
 to take with him a present of them offered him by Sopeithes. Aristobulos, 
 Megasthenes, and Jj]lianus mention their qualities with admiration. 
 Their strength and courage led to the erroneous tradition that they 
 were suckled by tigers (see Pliny, viii. 65, ]). Plutarch {De Soc.Anim. 
 X. 4) quotes a passage fi-om an earlier Greek writer, saying they were . 
 so noble, that though when they caught a hare they gladly sucked his 
 blood, yet that if one lay down exhausted with the course, they would 
 not kill it, but stood round it in a circle, wagging their tails to show 
 their enjoyment was not in the blood, but in tlie victory. 
 
 The house-dog and herd- dog, however, was rather looked down upon ; 
 it and the ass were the only animals the Kaudala or lowest caste were 
 allowed to possess (Manu, y 51), and it is still called Paria-dog (Bp 
 Heber's "Journey," i. 490). 
 
 c c 2
 
 388 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 4. A functionary invented by the Mongolian tale-repeater. The idea 
 evidently borrowed from his knowledge of the paramount authority of 
 the Tale Lama of Tibet, leading him to suppose there must exist a corre- 
 sponding dignity in India. 
 
 5. Sarin Tschidaktschi Mrdelctu, " The mighty one at taking distant 
 aim." (Jiilg.) 
 
 6. Gesser Khan, the great hero of Mongolian tales ; called also " The 
 mighty Destroyer of the root of the seven evils in the seven places of the 
 
 ^arth." (Jiilg.) 
 
 7. Tschin-tamani, Sanskrit, " Thought-jewel,"is a jewel possessing the 
 magic power of producing whatever object the possessor of it sets his 
 heart upon. (Bohtlingk and Roth, Sanskrit Diet.) See infra, note 2, to 
 " The False Friend," and note 8 to " Vikramaditja's Youth." 
 
 8. Barss-Irbiss, "leopard-tiger." (Jiilg.)
 
 HISTORICAL NOTICE OF VIKEA:MADITJA. 
 
 1. Professor Wilson. 
 
 2. Rcinaud, Fragments relatifs d I'Inde. 
 
 3. See a most extraordinary instance of this noticed in note 11 of the 
 Tale in this volume entitled " Vikramaditja makes the Silent Speak." 
 
 4. Thus Reinaud {Memoire Geograpluque sur I'Inde, p. 80) speaks of a 
 king of this name who governed Cashmere a.d. 517, as if he were the 
 original Vikramaditja. 
 
 5. The honour of being the first to work this mine of information 
 belongs to H. Todd; see his "Account of Indian Medals," iu Trans, of 
 As. Soc. 
 
 6. The art of coining at all was, in all probability, introduced by the 
 Greeks. —Wilson, Ariana Antiqua, p. 403; also Prinsep, in Journ. of 
 As. Soc. i. 394. 
 
 7. In the list of kings given by Lassen, iv. 969, 970, there are eight 
 kings called Vikramaditja, either as a name or a surname, between A.D. 
 500 and 1000. 
 
 8. The kingdom of Malava answers to the present province of Malwa, 
 comprising the table-land enclosed between the Vindhja and Haravati 
 ranges. The amenity of its climate made it the favourite residence of 
 the rulers of this part of India, and we find in it a number of former 
 capitals of great empires. It lay near the commercial coast of Guzerat, 
 and through it were highways from Northern India over the Vindhja 
 range into the Dekhan. It is also well watered ; its chief river, the 
 Kharmanvati (now Kumbal), rises in the Vindhja mountains, and falls 
 into the Jumna. At its confluence with the Sipra, a little tributary, 
 was situated Uggajini = " the Victorious," now called Uggeni, Ozene,
 
 390 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 and Oojein, and still the first meridian of Indian astronomers. It also 
 bore the name of Avanti ^ " the Protecting," from the circumstance of 
 its having given refage to this Vikramaditja in his infancy. 
 
 9. This length of reign is actually ascribed to him in the Chronological 
 Table out of the Kalijuga-Eagakaritra, given in Journ. of the As. Soc. 
 p. 496. 
 
 10. This resolution was quite in conformity with the prevailing reli- 
 gious teaching. In the collection of laws and precepts called the Manu, 
 many rules are laid down for this kind of life, and were followed to a 
 prodigious extent both by solitaries and communities j e. g. " Wlien the 
 grihastha = ' father of the house,' finds wrinkles and grey hairs coming, 
 and when children's children are begotten to him, then it is time for 
 him to forsake inhabited places for the jungle." It is further prescribed 
 that he should expose himself there to all kinds of perils, privations, and 
 hardships. He is not to shrink from encounters with inimical tribes ; he 
 is to live on wild fruits, roots, and water. In summer he is to expose 
 himself to the heat of fierce fires, and in the rainy season to the wet, 
 without seeking shelter ; in the coldest winter he is to go clothed in 
 damp raiment. By these, and such means, he was to acquire indifl'erence 
 to all corpoi-eal considerations, and reach after union with the Highest 
 Being. Manu, v. 29; vii. 1—30; viii. 28; x. 5 ; xi. 48, 53; xvii. 5, 7, 
 24; xviii. 3 — 5, &c., &c. It is impossible not to be struck, in studying 
 such passages as these, with a reflection of the inferiority which every 
 other religious system, even in its sublimest aims, presents to Chris- 
 tianity. If, indeed, there were a first uniform limit appointed to the 
 hand of death at the age of threescore years and ten, then it might be 
 a clever rule to fix the appearance of wrinkles, grey hairs, and children's 
 children as the period for beginning to contemplate what is to come 
 after it; but, as the number of those who are summoned to actual 
 acquaintance with that futurity before that age is pretty nearly as 
 great as that of those who sixrpass it, the maxim carries on the face of 
 it that it is dictated by a very fallible, however well-intentioned, guide. 
 Christianity knows no such limit, but opens its perfect teaching to the 
 contemplation of "babes;" while, practically, experience shows that those 
 who are called early to a life of religion are far more numerous than 
 those in advanced years. 
 
 11. Given in W. Taylor's Orient. Hist. MSS., i. 199. 
 
 12. " The Indians have no actual history written by themselves." 
 (Lassen, Indische AlterthumsJcunde, i. 357, note 1.) 
 
 13. Klaproth, Wiirdlgung der Asiatischen Geschichtschreiber.
 
 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 391 
 
 14. Indien, p. 17. 
 
 15. Examen Critique, p. 347. 
 
 16. But only committed to memory. See supra, p. 333. 
 
 17. Buruouf, Introdttetion d VHist. dti Buddh., vol i. 
 
 18. Coucerning the late introduction of this idea, see supra, pp. 337-8. 
 
 19. Iiidische AUerthiimskunde, i. 839. 
 
 20. Lassen, iii., p. 44. 
 
 21. Mommsen (History of Rome, book iv., ch. viii.), writing of 
 Mithridates Eupator, who died within a few years of the date ascribed 
 to Vikramaditja's birth, says, "Although our accounts regarding him 
 are, in substance, traceable to wTitten records of contemporaries, yet the 
 legendary tradition, which is generated with lightning expedition in the 
 East, early adorned the mighty king with many superhuman traits. 
 These traits, however, belong to his character just as the crown of clouds 
 belongs to the character of the highest mountain peaks ; the outline of 
 the figure appears in both cases, only more coloured and fantastic, not 
 disturbed or essentially altered." 
 
 22. The legend from which the following is gathered has been given 
 by Wilford, in a paper entitled " Vikramaditja and Salivahana, their 
 respective eras." 
 
 23. See Lassen, IndiscTie AlterthumsJcunde, ii. 49 — 56. 
 
 24. Wilson, in Mackenzie Collection, p. 343. 
 
 25. A vetala is a kind of sprite, not always bad-natured, usually carry- 
 ing on a kind of weird existence in burial-places. " They can possess 
 themselves of the forms of those who die by the hand of justice, and 
 assume them. By the power of magic men can make them obedient, 
 and use them for all manner of difficult tasks above their own strength 
 and sufficiency." Brockhaus' Report of the R. Saxon Scientific Soc. 
 Philologico-historical Class, 1863, p. 181. " The Vetdlas were a late 
 introduction among the gods of popular veneration." (Lassen, iv. 570.) 
 "They came also to be regarded as incarnations of both Vishnu and 
 Shiva." (Lassen, iv. 159.) 
 
 26. Two interesting instances of the way in which traditionary legends 
 become attached to various persons as they float along the current of 
 time, have been brought to my notice while preparing these sheets for 
 the press. I cannot now recall where I picked up the story of " The 
 Balladmaker and the Bootmaker," which I have given in " Patraiias," 
 but I am sure it was told of a wandering minstrel, and as occurring on 
 Spanish soil, as i have given it. I have since met it in " The Hundred 
 Novels" of Sacchetti (written little after the time of Boccacio) as an
 
 392 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 episode in a no less celebrated life than that of Dante, thus : " . . . Going 
 out and passing by Porta S. Piero (Florence), he (Dante) heard a black- 
 smith beating on his anvil, and singing ' Dante ' just as one sings a 
 common ballad; mutilating here, and mixing in verses of his own there; 
 by which meaps Dante perceived that he sustained great injury. He 
 said nothing, however, but went into the workshop, to where were laid 
 ready many tools for use in the trade. Dante first took up the hammer 
 and flung it into the road ; took up the pincers and flung them into the 
 road ; took up the scales and flung them out into the road. When he 
 had thus flung many tools into the road, the blacksmith turned round 
 with a brutal air, crying out, ' Che diavol' fate voil Are you mad ?' 
 But Dante said, 'And thou; what hast thou done?' 'I am busied 
 about my craft,' said the blacksmith ; ' and you are spoiling my gear, 
 throwing it out into the road like that.' Said Dante, ' If you don't 
 want me to spoil your 'things, don't you spoil mine.' Said the smith. 
 ' What have I spoilt of yours ?' Said Dante, ' You sing my book, and 
 you say it not as I made it ; poem-making is my trade, and you have 
 spoilt it.' Then the blacksmith was full of fiiry, but he had nothing to 
 say ; so he went out and picked up his tools, and went on with his work, 
 And the next time he felt inclined to sing, he sang Tristano and Lan- 
 cellotte, and left Dante alone." "... Another day Dante was walk- 
 ing along, wearing the gorget and the hracciaiuola, according to 
 the custom of the time, when he met a man driving an ass having 
 a load of street sweepings, who, as he walked behind his ass, ever 
 and anon sang Dante's book, and when he had sung a line or 
 two, gave the donkej' a hit, and cried 'Arrri.'' Dante, coming up 
 with him, gave him a blow on his shoulder with his armlet (' con la 
 hracciaiuola gli diede una grande batacchiata,' literally ' bastonnade :' 
 hracciaiuola stands for both the armour covering the arm, and for the 
 tolerably formidable wooden instrument, fixed to the arm, with which 
 ^a/ZoMe-players strike the ball), saying, as he did so, ' That " arrri " was 
 never put in by me.' As soon as the ass-driver had got out of his way, 
 he tui-ned and made faces at Dante, saying, ' Take that !' But Dante, 
 without suffering himself to be led into an altercation with such a man, 
 replied, amid the applause of all, ' I would not give one of mine for a 
 hundred of thine !' " (2.) It was lately mentioned to me that there is a 
 narrow mountain-pass in the Lechthal, in Tirol, which is sometimes 
 called Mangtritt (or St. Magnus' step), and sometimes Jusalte (Saltus 
 Julii, the leap of Julius), because one tradition says Julius Caesar leapt 
 through it on horseback, and another that it opened to let St. Magnus 
 pass through when escaping from a heathen horde.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 393 
 
 27. Quoted by W. Taylor, in Jouru. of As. Soc. vli. p. 391. 
 
 28. Quoted by Wilford, as above. 
 
 29. Quoted iii Wilford's " Sacred Isles of the West." 
 
 30. Lassen. 
 
 31. Roth, Extrait du Vikrama- Charitram, p. 279. 
 
 32. Lassen, ii. p. 1151. 
 
 33. Lassen, ii. 1122—1129. 
 
 34. Abbe Hue narrates how enthusiastically the young Mongol tool- 
 holos, or bard, sang to him the Invocation of Timour, of which he 
 gives the refrain as follows : — " We have burned the sweet-smelling 
 wood at the feet of the divine Timour. Our foreheads bent to the 
 earth, we have oifered to him the green leaf of tea, and the milk of 
 our herds. We are ready : the Mongols are on foot, O Timour ! 
 
 " Divine Timour, when will thy great soul revive ? 
 Return ! Return ! We await thee, O Timour !" 
 
 35. See Note 11 to " Vikraraaditja makes the Silent Speak." 
 
 THE BOY-KING. 
 
 1. ArdscM-Bordsclii is a Mongolian corruption of King Bhoga. 
 (Jiilg.) 
 
 The name of Bhoga (also written Noe, Nauge, and Noza ; the iV^ having 
 entered from a careless following of the Persian historian Abulfazl, n 
 and b being only distinguished by a point in Persian writing ; and the z 
 through the Portuguese, who habitually rendered the Indian g thus) 
 seems to have been almost as favourite an appellation as that of Viki-am- 
 aditja itself, and pretty equally surrounded with confusion of fabulous 
 incident. 
 
 The Bhoga were one of the mightiest dynasties of ancient India, and 
 the name was given to the family on account of their unbounded pros- 
 perity ; being derived from hhiig = enjoyment. The most celebrated king 
 of the race bore a name which in our own day has become associated with 
 prosperous rule, Bhoga Bismarka, or Bhismai-ka, is celebrated iu ancient 
 Sagas for his resistless might in the field, and was also accounted the 
 type of a prudent and far-sighted sovereign. Many glories are fabled of 
 him which I have not space to narrate, and even he only reigned over a 
 fourth part of the Bhoga. 
 
 The individual Bhoga, however, who is probably the subject of the 
 present story, and the details of whose virtues and wisdom present par- 
 ticular analogies with the life of Vikrnmaditja is, comparatively speak-
 
 39*4 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 ing, modern, as he reigned from a.d. 1037 to 1093 according to some, 
 or from 997 to 1053 according to others. He was likewise originally 
 King of Malava or Malwa, and fabulous conquests and extensions of 
 dominion are likewise ascribed to him. 
 
 He was the greatest king of the Pramara dj'nasty, one of the four 
 so-called Agnihula, or " from-the-god-Agni-desceuded," or " fire-born " 
 tribes, and traced up his pedigree to a certain Paramara, " The destroyer 
 of adversaries," born at the prayer of the Hermit Rishi Vasichta on the 
 lofty mountain of Arbuda (Arboo). 
 
 The story of this Bhoga is contained in two somewhat legendary ac- 
 counts, called (1) the Hhogaprabandha, or poetical narrative concerning 
 Bhoga; and (2) the Bhogakaritra, or the deeds of Bhoga. The first was 
 written or collected by the Pandit Vallabha about 1340. The first part 
 relates the circumstances concerning Bhoga's mounting the throne, and 
 the second part is a history of the poets and learned men who flocked 
 from all parts of India to his court. It tells an intricate fable about his 
 having been persecuted in youth by a treacherous uncle who preceded 
 him on the throne, but who afterwards came to repentance, while a 
 supernatural interposition delivered Bhoga from all his machinations and 
 made him master of Gauda or Bengal, and many other parts of India. 
 Other legends mention his discovery of the throne of Vikramaditja, and 
 make the figures on the steps Apsarasas, or nymphs, who were delivered 
 and set free by him when he took possession of it and removed it to 
 Dhara, whither he had transferred his capital from Uggajini. An Inscrip- 
 tion (given at length, viii. 5, 6, in Journ. of As. Soc. of Bengal, v. p. 376) 
 speaks thus of him : — "The most prosperous king Bhogadeva was the 
 most illustrious of the whole generation of the Pramara. He attained 
 to glory as great as that of the destroyer (Crishna) and traversed the 
 universe to its utmost boundaries. His fame rose like the moonbeams 
 over the mountains and rivers of the regions of the earth, and before it 
 the renown of the inimical rulers faded away as the pale lotus-blossom is 
 closed up." The Persian historian Abulfazl testifies in somewhat more 
 sober language, that he greatly extended the frontiers of his kingdom. 
 
 His career was not one of unchecked prosperity however. According 
 to an Inscription he was at last subdued by his enemy, and it thus 
 gently tells the tale of his reverse : — " After he had attained to equality 
 with Vasava (ludra) and the land was well watered with streams, his rela- 
 tion Udajaditja became Ruler of the earth." His adversary being a re- 
 lation, and a Pramara like himself, the feud between them was considered 
 a scandal, and the inscription avoids perpetuating the details of it. A
 
 SAGAS PKOM THE FAR EAST. 395 
 
 legend in the Bhogakaritra supplies some. A hermit had been rather 
 severely judged by King Blioga for a misdemeanour, and condemned 
 to ride through the streets of the capital on an ass. To punish the king 
 for this scandal he went into Cashmere till he had acquired the power of 
 making the soul of a man pass into another body. Then he came back 
 and constrained the soul of the king to pass into the body of a parrot while 
 he made his own soul pass into the king's body ; then he issued a decree 
 commanding the slaughter of all the parrots in the kingdom. The royal 
 parrot, however, who was the object of the decree, effected his escape and 
 came to the court of Kandrasena, where he became the pet bird of the 
 princess his daughter; to her he revealed the story of his transformation. 
 At her instigation the hermit- king was persuaded to come to Kandra- 
 sena's court to sue for her hand, and there, by means of an intrigue of 
 hers he was put to death. Bhoga thus regained his original form and 
 his kingdom. 
 
 Abulfazl celebrates his moderation and uprightness, as well as his 
 liberality and the encouragement he gave to men of learning, of whom he 
 hadnot less than five hundred at one time lodged in his palace. This simi- 
 larity of pursuits helped so to foster the tendency of which I have already 
 spoken, to confuse the deeds of one hero with another, that one poet at 
 least (Vararuki by name), who flourished under Bhoga, is reckoned 
 among the nine "jewels" of Vikramaditja's court ! Kalidasa, who was 
 not very much, if at all later, is also put among the proteges of Bhoga 
 in the Bhogaprabandha. The actual writers of any note belonging to 
 Bhoga's age, whose names and works have come down to us are 
 chiefly Subandhu and Vana, authors of two poems entitled respectively 
 Vdsavadattd and Kddambari, of which a reprint was issued at Calcutta 
 in 1850. Dandi, who wrote a celebrated dramn calhd Das/iaJaimdraka- 
 ritra, aflbrding a useful picture of the manners prevailing in Hindustan 
 and the Dekhan in his time ; he also left a treatise on the art of poetry, 
 called Kdvjadarshx. Another poet of this date, named Shaukara, has 
 often been confounded with a philosophical writer of the same name in 
 the eighth century. The Harivausha, a mythological poem in continua- 
 tion of the Maha Bharata, also belongs to this reign. Among numerous 
 other works ascribed to it, many of which have not yet been examined 
 into by Europeans, are several treatises of mathematics and astronomy. 
 Bhoga himself is entered in a list of the astronomers of his time, and he 
 was said to be the author of a treatise on medicine, called Vriddha Bhoga, 
 and of one on jurisprudence, called SmritishXstra. 
 
 2. Boddhisattca. See p. 342 and p. 365.
 
 396 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 
 
 THE FALSE FRIEND. 
 
 1. Compare this story with that given. Kights 589—593 of Arabian 
 Nights. (Jiilg.) 
 
 2. That the jewel-merchant had no written proof of the trust he had 
 committed to his friend would appear quite in conformity with actual 
 custom, at least in primitive times. Megasthenes has left testimony 
 (Strabo xv. i. 53, p. 709), quoted by Schwanbeck (Megas. Ind. p. 113), 
 in favour of the general uprightness of the Indians and their little in- 
 clination to litigation, which he bases on the fact that it was the custom 
 to take no acknowledgment under seal or writing of money or jewels en- 
 trusted to another, or even to call witnesses to the fact ; that the word 
 of the man who had entrusted another w^ith such sufficed ; also ^lianus, 
 V. H. iv. i. This, notwithstanding that the Manu {dh. c. viii. 180) con- 
 tains provisions for regulating such transactions in due form and order ; 
 the man accordingly does not think of denying that he received the 
 jewel, which would seem the easier way of concealing his fraud, because 
 he knew the word of the jewel-merchant would be taken against his. 
 
 3. Stv.pa, a shrine ; often a natural cave ; often one artificially hewn ; 
 containing relics, or commemorating some incident considered sacred in 
 the life of a noted Buddhist teacher. We read of stupas instituted at a 
 spot where there was a tradition Shakjamuni had left a foot-print ; and 
 another at Kapilvastu, his native place, over the spot where, as we saw- 
 in his life, he was led to devote himself to serious contemplations by 
 meeting a sick man, &c. When of imposing proportion it was called a 
 miikasfiipa. When such monuments on the other hand were put to- 
 gether with stones (usually pyramidal in form) they were called dhdtu- 
 gopa, whence Europeans give them the name of Dagohas. The word 
 Pagoda, with which we are familiar, is probably derived from the Sans- 
 krit hhfigavaia = " Worthy to be venerated." The syllable ava was 
 transformed in Prakrit into o, and the ta into da. The Portuguese took 
 the word as applied to religious edifices as distinguished from the kaitja ', 
 or rock-hewn temples. The word pagoda, however, is usually reserved 
 foi- Brahmanical temples. The word stupa has now become corrupted 
 into tope, by which word you will find it designated by modern writers 
 on India. The etymology of the word makes it mean much the same as 
 tumulus, but Jcaitja conveys further the meaning that it was a sacred 
 place. 
 
 4. The notion of jewels being endowed with talismanic properties is 
 
 1 See infra, note 2 to "Vikramaditja's Birth."
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 397 
 
 common iu Eastern storj-. Ktesias (Fragm. Ivii. 2, p. 79) mentions a 
 celebrated Indian magic jewelled seal-ring called Pantarba, which had 
 the property when thrown into the wtiter of attracting to it other jewels, 
 and that a merchant once drew out one hundred and seventy-seven other 
 jewels and seals by its means. 
 
 THE PRETENDED SON. 
 
 1. Schimnu. See supra, note 2, Tale III. 
 
 2. Diamond, Sanski-it, vadscJira, originally the thunderbolt, Indra's 
 sceptre; then the praying-sceptre of the priests; the symbol of dura- 
 bility, immovability, and indestructibility. (Koppen i. 251, and ii. 271, 
 quoted by Jiilg.) It was permitted to none but kings to possess them. 
 (Lassen, iii. 18.) See also note 1, Tale XV. 
 
 ARDSCHI-BORDSCHI DISCOVERS VIKRAMADITJA'S 
 THRONE. 
 
 1. We read of a silver statue in one of the many temples founded by 
 Lalitaditja, King of Cashmere, whose bright golden cuirass " gave forth 
 a stream of light like a river of milk." Mentioned in Lassen, iii. p. 
 1000, and iv. 575. 
 
 2. It will be perceived the story is not without a certain meaning. It 
 inculcates regard for the example and experience of the ancient and 
 wise — the wisdom of the hero Vikramaditja (typified by his throne) was 
 to be the model and guide of other kings and dynasties. 
 
 3. Sounding of trumpet-shells. The shankha or concha .seems to 
 have been the earliest form of trumpet used in war. It often finds men- 
 tion in the heroic poems. Crishna used one in his warrior character ; 
 and Vishnu, from bearing one, had the appellation shankha and shankhin. 
 To the present day it is used in announcing festivals in Mongolia. 
 
 4. Siita, bard. To this order it is that we are indebted for the 
 preservation of so many myths and heroic tales. He was also the 
 charioteer of the kings. 
 
 5. The six classes, states, or stages of living beings, by passing through 
 which Buddhahood was to be attained — (1) Pure spirit or the devas 
 gods (Skr. Surds; Mongolian, Tegri ; Kalm. Tenggeri); (2) the unclean
 
 398 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 spirits, enemies of the gods (Skr. Asurds) ; (3) men ; (4) beasts ; (5) 
 Pretas, monsters surrounding the entrance of hell ; (6) the hell-gods. 
 (Koppen, i. 238, et seq., quoted by Jiilg.) 
 
 VIKRAMADITJA'S BIRTH. 
 
 1. Udsessliiilengtu-Goa-Chatun, a heaping up of synonyms of which 
 we had an example, note 2, Tale XVII. Both words mean " beautiful," 
 " charming." Goo. is a Mongolian expression by which royal women are 
 called (as also cliatun). Thus we sometimes meet with UdsessJciileng, 
 sometimes Udsessk iilengtu (the adjunct tu forming the adjective use of 
 the word) ; Udsesskulengtu-Goa, Udsesskulengtu-Chatun, or Udesskii- 
 leng-Goa-Chatun. (Jiilg.) 
 
 2. Kaitja or Chaitga is a sacred grotto where relics were preserved, 
 or marking a spot where some remarkable event of ancient date had 
 taken place. We are told that King Ashokja (2 i6 B.C.) caused kaitjas to be 
 built, or rather hewn, in every spot in his dominions rendered sacred by 
 any act of Shakjamuni's life i ; as also over the relics of many of the first 
 teachers (p. 390). The number of these is fabled in the Mahavansha (v. 
 p. 26) to have been not less than 84,000 ! He opened seven of the 
 shrines in which the relics of Shilkjamuni were originally placed, and 
 divided them into so many caskets of gold, silver, crystal, and lapis lazuli, 
 endowing every town of his dominion with one, and building a kaiija 
 over it. These were all completed by one given day at one and the same 
 time, and the authority of the Dliarma (law) of Buddha was proclaimed 
 in all. In process of time great labour came to be spent on their decora- 
 tion, till whole temples were hewn out of the living stone, forming 
 almost imperishable records of the earliest architecture of the country, 
 and to some extent of its history and religion too. The most astonishing 
 remains are to be seen of works of this kind, with files of columns and 
 elaborate bas-reliefs sculptured out of the solid rock. 
 
 3. Abbe Hue tells us that the Mongolians prepare their tea quite 
 differently from the Chinese. The leaves, instead of being carefully 
 picked as in China, are pressed all together along with the smaller tendrils 
 and stalks into a mould resembling an ordinary brick. When required 
 for use a piece of the brick is broken ofl', pulverized, and boiled 
 in a kettle until the water receives a reddish hue, some salt is then 
 
 1 Burnouf, i. 265.
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAE EAST. 399 
 
 thrown in, and when it has become almost black milk is added. It is a 
 great Tartar luxury, and also an article of commerce with Eussia ; but 
 the Chinese never touch it. 
 
 4. An accepted token of veneration and homage. (Jiilg.) 
 
 5. Sesame-oil. See note 2, Tale V. • 
 
 6. Kalavinka = Sanskrit, Sperling, belongs to the sacred order of 
 birds and scenes, in this place to be intended for the Kokila. (Jiilg.) 
 
 The Kokila, or India cuckoo, is as favourite a bird with Indians as 
 the nightingale is with us. For a description of it see " A Monograph 
 of Indian and Malayan Species of Cuculidae," in Journal of As. Soc. of 
 Bengal, xi. 908, by Edward Blyth. 
 
 7. You are not to imagine that by " four parts of the universe " is 
 meant any thing like what we have been used to call " the four quarters 
 of the globe." The division of the Indian cosmogony was very different 
 and refers to the distribution of the (supposed) known universe between 
 gods of various orders and men, to the latter being assigned the fourth 
 and lowest called Gambudvipai. 
 
 8. Concerning such religious gatherings, see Koppen, i. 396, 579 — 583 ; 
 ii. 115, 311. 
 
 At such a festival held by Aravala, King of Cashmere, on occasion of 
 celebrating the acceptance of the teaching of Shakjamuni as the religion 
 of his dominion, it is said in a legend that there were present 84,000 of 
 each order of the demigods, 100,000 priests, and 800,000 people. 
 
 9. The parrot naturally takes a prominent place in Indian fable, both 
 on account of his sagacity, his companionable uatui-e, and his extraordinary 
 length of days. He did not fail to attract much notice on the part of 
 the Greek writers on India ; and Ktesias, w-ho wrote about 370 B.C., 
 seems to have caught some of the peculiar Indian regard for his powers, 
 when he wrote that though he ordinarily spoke the Indian's language, 
 he could talk Greek if taught it. iElianus says they were esteemed by 
 the Brahmans above all other birds, and that the princes kept many of 
 them in their gardens and houses. 
 
 10. Bodhisattva. See p. 346 and note 1, Tale XI. 
 
 11. Concerning the serpent-gods, see supra, note 1 to Tale II. ; and 
 note 4, Tale XXII. 
 
 12. A legend containing curiously similar details is told in the 
 Mahavansha of Shishunaga, founder of an early dynasty of Magadha 
 (Behar). The king had married his chief dancer, and afterwards sent 
 
 ' See supra, p. 351 and p. 385.
 
 400 SAGAS FKOil THE FAR EAST. 
 
 her away. Partly out of distress and partly as a reproach she left her 
 infant son exposed on the dunghill of the royal dwelling. A serpent- 
 god, who was the tutelar genius of the place, took pity on the child, and 
 was found winding its body round the basket in which it was cradled, 
 holding its head raised ov«r the same and spreading out its hood (it was 
 the Cobra di capello species of serpent, which was the object of divine 
 honours) to protect him from the sun. The people drove away the 
 serpent-god (Naga) with the cry of Shu ! Shu ! whence they gave 
 the name of Shishuuaga to the child, who, on opening the basket, was 
 found to be endowed with qualities promising his future greatness. 
 In this case, however, the serpent-god seems to have borne his serpent- 
 shape, and in that of Vikramaditja, the eight are spoken of as in human 
 form. 
 
 TIKRAMADITJA'S YOUTH. 
 
 1. Nirvo.na. See supra, p. 330, note, p. 334, and p. 343. The word 
 is sometimes used however poetically, simply as an equivalent for death. 
 
 2. Kiitschun TschindaMschi = "One provided with might." (Jiilg.) 
 
 3. " The custom of requiring women to go abroad veiled was only intro- 
 duced after the Mussulman invasion, and was nearly the only important 
 circumstance in which Muhammedan influenced Indian manners." See 
 Lassen, Indische Alterthnmskunde, iii. p. 1157. In Mongolia, however, 
 Abbe Hue found that women have completely preserved their indepen- 
 dence. " Far from being kept down as among other Asiatic nations they 
 come and go at pleasure, ride out on horseback, and pay visits to each 
 other from tent to tent. In place of the soft languishing physiognomy 
 of the Chinese women, they present in their bearing and manners a sense 
 of power and free will in accordance with their active life and nomad 
 habits. Their attire augments the efiect of their masculine haughty 
 mien." 
 
 In chapter v. of vol. ii., however, he tells of a custom prevailing in part 
 of Tibet of a much more objectionable nature than the use of a veil : — 
 "Nearly 200 years ago the Nome-Khan, who ruled over Hither-Tibet, 
 was a man of rigid manners. ... To meet the libertinism prevailing at 
 his day he published an edict prohibiting women from appearing in 
 public otherwise than with their faces bedaubed with a hideous black 
 varnish. . . . The most extraordinary circumstanceconnected with it is 
 that the women are perfectly resigned to it. . . The women who bedaub 
 their faces most disgustingly are deemed the most pious. ... In country
 
 SAGAS FROM THE PAR EAST. 401 
 
 places the edict is still observed with exactitude, but at Lba-Ssa it is not 
 unusual to meet women who set it at defiance, . . . they are, however, 
 unfavourably regarded. In other respects they enjoy great liberty. In- 
 stead of vegetating prisoners in the depths of their houses they lead an 
 active and laborious life. . . . Besides household duties, they concentrate 
 in their own hands all the retail trade of the country, and in rural dis- 
 tricts perform most of the labours of agriculture." 
 
 4. Schalu. In another version of the legend he is called Sakori, the 
 soothsayer, because he made these predictions. (Journal of As. Soc. of 
 Bengal, vi. 350, in a paper by Lieut. W. Postans.) 
 
 5. The wolf-nurtured prince has a pi-ominent place in Mongolian 
 chronicles. Their dynasty was founded by Burte-Tscliinoa =. the Wolf in 
 winter-clothing. See I. J. Schmidt's Die VolJcer llitfel-Asiens, vorzug- 
 lieh die Mongolen und Tibeter, St. Petersburg, 1824, pp. 11 — 18, 33 et 
 seq. J 70—75; and sSanang sSetsen, 56 and 372. 
 
 6. I cannot forbear reference to notices of such sudden storms and 
 inundations in Mongolia made from personal experience by Abbe Hue 
 "Travels in China and Tartary," chapters vi. and vii. 
 
 7. The persistent removal of the child after such tender entreaties and 
 such faithful unrequited service carries an idea of heartlessness, but in 
 extenuation it should be mentioned that while the Indians honoured 
 every kind of animal by reason of their doctrine of metempsychosis, the 
 wolf was jvist the only beast with which they seem to have had no sym- 
 pathy, and they reckoned the sight of one brought ill-luck, a prejudice 
 probably derived from the days of their pastoral existence when their 
 approach was fraught with so much danger to their flocks. In Mongolia, 
 where the pastoral mode of life still continues in vogue, the dread of the 
 wolf was not likely to have diminished. Thus Abbe Hue says, " Al- 
 though the want of population might seem to abandon the interminable 
 deserts of Tartary to wild beasts, wolves are rarely met, owing to the in- 
 cessant and vindictive warfare the Mongolians wage against them. They 
 pursue them every where to the death, regarding them as their capital 
 enemy on account of the great damage they may inflict upon their flocks. 
 The announcement that a wolf has been seen is a signal for every one to 
 mount his horse . . . the wolf in vain attempts to flee in every direc- 
 tion J it meets horsemen from every side. There is no mountain so rugged 
 that the Tartar horses, agile as goats, cannot pursue it. The horseman 
 who has caught it with his lasso gallops oft", dragging it behind, to 
 the nearest tent ; there they strongly bind its muzzle, so that they may 
 torture it securely, and by way of finale skin it alive. In summer the 
 
 Dd
 
 402 ■ SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 wretched brute will live in tbis condition several days; in winter it soon 
 dies fi'ozen." The wolf seems fully to return the antipathy, for (chapter 
 xi.) he says, " It is remarkable wolves in Mongolia attack men rather 
 than animals. They may be seen sometimes passing at fuU gallop 
 through a flock of sheep in order to attack the shepherd." 
 
 8. Tschin-tamani, Sanskrit, " thought-jewel," ajewel having the magic 
 power of supplying all the possessor wishes for. Indian fable writers 
 revel in the idea of the possession of a talisman which can satisfy all de- 
 sire. The grandest and perhaps earliest remaining example of it occurs 
 in the Ramajaua, where King Yisvamitra = the universal friend, who 
 from a Xatrija (warrior caste) merited to become a Brahman, visits 
 Vasichtha, the chief of hermits, and finds him in possession of Sabala, a 
 beautiful cow, which has the quality of providing Vasichtha with every 
 thing whatever he may wish for. He wants to provide a banquet for 
 Visvamitra, and he has only to tell Sabala to lay the board with 
 worthy food, with food according to the six kinds of taste and drinks 
 worthy of a king of the world. She immediately provides sugar, and 
 honey, and rice, maireja or nectar, and wine, besides all manner of other 
 drinks and various kinds of food heaped up like mountains ; sweet fruits, 
 and cakes, and jars of milk ; all these things Sabala showered down for 
 the use of the hosts who accompanied Visvamitra. Visvamitra covets 
 the precious cow, and oifers a hundred thousand cows of earth in barter 
 for her. But Vasichtha refuses to part with her for a hundred million 
 other cows or for fulness of silver. The king oflers him next all manner 
 of ornaments of gold, fourteen thousand elephants, gold chariots with 
 four white steeds and eight hundred bells to them, eleven thousand 
 horses of noble race, full of courage, and a million cows. The seer still 
 remaining deaf to his offer s the king carries her off by force. 
 
 The heavenly cow, however, in virtue of her extraordinary qualities, 
 helps herself out of the difficulty. It is her part to fulfil her master's 
 wishes, and as it is his wish to have her by him she gallops back to him, 
 knocking over the soldiers of the earthly king by hundreds in her career. 
 Returned to her master, the Brahman hermit, she reproaches him ten- 
 derly for letting her be removed by the earthly king. He answers her 
 with equal affection, explaining that the earthly king has so much earthly 
 strength that it is vain for him to resist him. At this Sabala is fired 
 with holy indignation. She declares it must not be said that earthly 
 power should triumph over spiritual strength. She reminds him that 
 the power of Brahma, whom he represents, is unfailing in might, and 
 begs huu only to desire of her that she should destroy the Xatrija's host.
 
 SAGAS PROM THE PAK EAST. 
 
 403 
 
 He desires it, and she fortliwith furnishes a terrible army, and another, 
 and another, till Visvamitra is quite undone, all his hosts, and allies, 
 and childi-en killed in the fray. Then he goes into the wilderness and 
 prays to Mahadeva, the great god, to come to his aid and give him divme 
 weapons, spending a hundred years standing on the tips of his feet, and 
 living on air like the serpent. Mahadeva at last brings him weapons 
 from heaven, at sight of which he is so elated that " his heroic courage 
 rises like the tide of the ocean when the moon is at the fidl." With 
 these burniug arrows he devastates the whole of the beautiful garden 
 surrounding Vasichta's dwelling. Vasichta, in high indignation at this 
 wanton cruelty, raises his vadschra, the Brahma sceptre or staff, and all 
 Visvamitra's weapons serve him no more. Then owning the fault he 
 has committed in fighting against Brahma he goes into the wilderness 
 and lives a life of penance a thousand years or two, after which he is 
 permitted to become a Brahman. 
 
 9. Those who can see one and the same hero in the Sagas of Wodin, 
 the Wild Huntsman, and William Tell i, might well trace a connexion 
 between such a legend as this and the working of the modern law of 
 conscription. There is no country exposed to its action where such 
 scenes as that described in the text might not be found. There have 
 been plenty such brought under my own notice in Eome since this 
 " tribute of blood," as the Romans bitterly call it, was first established 
 there last year. 
 
 10. I have spoken elsewhere in these pages of the question of re- 
 birth in the Buddhist system. Though not holding so cardinal a place 
 as in Brahmanism the necessity for it remained to a certain extent. All 
 virtues were recommended in the one case as a means to obtaining a 
 higher degree at the next re-birth, and in the other the same, but less as 
 an end, than as a means to earlier attaining to Nirvana. Of all virtues 
 the most serviceable for this purpose was the sacrifice of self for the good 
 of the species. 
 
 11. Sinhasana, lit. Lion-throne ; a throne resting on lions, as before 
 described in the text. 
 
 12. At the exercise of such heaven- given powers nature was supposed 
 to testify her astonishment, and thus we are told of sacrifices and in- 
 cense offered for the pacification of the sam e. ( Jiilg.) 
 
 ' See Max Miiller's " Chips from a German Workshop." 
 
 Dd2
 
 404 SAGAS FEOM THE FAR EAST. 
 
 VIKRAMADITJA ACQUIRES ANOTHER KINGDOM. 
 
 1. Concerning such sacrifices, see Koppen, i. 246 and 560, and Trans, 
 of sSanang sSetzen, p. 352. 
 
 VIKRAMADITJA MAKES THE SILENT SPEAK. 
 
 1. The Kalmucks make the 8th, 15th, and 30th of every month fast- 
 days ; the Mongohans, the 13th, 14th, and 15th. (Koppen, i. 564—566; 
 ii. 307—316, quoted by Jiilg.) 
 
 2. DaJcini. See note 2, Tale XIV., infra. 
 
 3. Dakini Tegrijin Naran = the Dakini sun of the gods. (Jiilg.) 
 
 4. Aramdld, a string of beads used by Buddhists in their devotions. 
 
 5. Abbe Hue mentions frequently meeting with such wayside shrines, 
 furnished just as here described. 
 
 6. Chatun. See note 1 to " Vikramaditja's Birth." 
 
 7. This beautiful story, which does not profess to be original, but a re- 
 production of one of the sagas of old, is to be found under various ver- 
 sions in many Indian collections of myths. 
 
 8. Compare note 3, Tale VII. 
 
 9. This story also holds a certain place among Indian legends, but is 
 not so popular as the last. 
 
 10. Cup. No one travels or indeed goes about at all in Tibet and 
 Mongolia without a wooden cup stuck in his breast or in his girdle. 
 At every visit the guest holds out his cup and the host fills it with tea. 
 Abbe Hue supplies many details concerning their use. They are so in- 
 dispensable that they form a staple article of industry j their value varies 
 from a few pence up to as much as 40Z. 
 
 11. Tai-tsing = the all-purest, the name of the Mandschu or Mantschou 
 dynasty (or Mangu, according to the spelling of Lassen, iv. 742), who, 
 trom being called in by the last emperor of the Ming dynasty to help in 
 suppressing a rebellion, subsequently seized the throne (1644). This 
 dynasty has reigned in China ever since, while the Mantchou nationality 
 has become actually forced on the Chinese. 
 
 Previously, however, the Mantchous were a tribe of Eastern Tartars 
 long formidable to the Chinese. The introduction of a king of the 
 Mantchous, therefore, as identical with Vikramaditja, presents the most 
 remarkable instance that could be met with of what may be called the 
 confusion of heroes, in the migration of myths. 
 
 12. Tsetsen Budschiktschi = the clever dancer. (Jiilg.)
 
 SAGAS FROM THE FAR EAST. 405 
 
 THE WISE PARROT. 
 
 1. " At any former time," i. e. in a previous state of existence, accord- 
 ing to the doctrine of metempsychosis. 
 
 2. " The day will come " — similarly on occasion of a subsequent re- 
 birth. 
 
 3. Tsoktu^lagukssan = brilliant majesty. (Jiilg.) 
 
 4. Naran Gerel = simshiue. (Jlilg.) 
 
 5. Ssaran = moon. (Jiilg.)
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 A. 
 
 Abgarus, 338. 
 
 Abhedja, 374. 
 
 Abhigit, 386. 
 
 Abbignana-Shukxuitala, 249. 
 
 Abhimanju, 342. 
 
 Abulfazl, 393, 394, 395. 
 
 AdhibudcUia, Addi-Buddlia, in- 
 troduction of this develop- 
 ment of Buddhist doctrine, 
 346 ; Ms titles, 358. 375. 
 
 Agbnja, 375. 
 
 Agni, Agnikula, 394. 
 
 Agnisbtoma, 372. 
 
 Abidarma-pitaka, 333. 
 
 Abriman, xiii. 
 
 Airja, ix. 
 
 Airjanem-Yaego, xiii. 
 
 Akesines, tbe, 383. 
 
 Alexander's invasion of India, 
 233 ; attacked by apes, 368 ; 
 exports Indian bounds, 387. 
 
 Aloka (Alu), 383. 
 
 Albgators, 383. 
 
 Altan-Some = temple of gold. 
 Hue, 229. 
 
 Amaradeva, Amarasinba, 247. 
 387. 
 
 Amdo-country, 348-9. 
 
 Ammonites, sacred to Visbnu, 
 381. 
 
 Ants, gold-digging, 358. 
 
 Anumati, 387. 
 
 Ajjes, tbeir character in fable, 
 136; tbeir social organiza- 
 tion, 386 ; allies to Kama, 
 368. 
 
 Apsarasas, 247. 294. 
 
 Aramala, 5. 296. 404. 
 
 Aravala, 399. 
 
 Arbuda (Ai-boo),_394. 
 
 Ardscbi-Bordscbi, 252 et seq.; 
 meaning of name, 393 ; deri- 
 vation, ih.; bis lineage and 
 dynasty, ib.; bis date, 394; 
 bis pedigree, ih.; legends 
 concerning bim, ib. ; bis 
 character, ib.; bis literary 
 pursuits, ib. 
 
 Argols, 357. 360._ 
 
 Arbat, Arcbat, institution of 
 tbe rank, 330 ; Arbats com- 
 pile tbe Sutra, 333. 342.
 
 408 
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 Ariaka, ix. 
 
 ^rja, Arja-bliiimi, ix. 
 
 Arjadeva, 343. 
 
 Arjaka, 365. 
 
 Arjavata, viii., ix. 
 
 Aryans, origin of word, viii.-ix.; 
 their language, x. ; migra- 
 tions, ix. — xiv.; mentioned by 
 ^lianus, 354 ; their contests 
 with aborigines, 359 ; men- 
 tion of, in Eamajana, 368 ; 
 tirthas marking events of 
 their immigration, 372. 
 
 Ashadha, 333. 
 
 Ashokja, 238; inscriptions of 
 his reign, 334; his care of 
 the Mango, 351 ; serpent- 
 worship at his date, 355 ; 
 offers Wman sacrifice, 362 ; 
 builds 84,000 Jcaitjas in 
 honour of Shakjamuni, 398. 
 
 Ashvapati, 387. 
 
 Ashvattha, 328. 
 
 Astrology, late introduction of, 
 into India, 374. 
 
 Astronomy, first treated as a 
 science in India under Vik- 
 ramaditja, 247-8 and 386. 
 390 ; encouragement of 
 Bhoga to the study, 395. 
 
 Asuras, 335. 398. 
 
 Asvin, 368. 
 
 Attok, xi. 
 
 Avauti, 390. 
 
 Avatara (see Incarnations). 
 
 B. 
 
 Bagatur, 377. 383. 
 Baling-cakes, 25. 59. 74. 181. 
 
 359-60. 
 Ballabi-Gupta dynasty, 245. 
 Banig, 367. 
 
 Banjan, Banyan, 329 (note), 
 
 368. 
 Barss-Irbiss, 388. 
 Bartholomew (S.) in India, 339. 
 Bede = Tibet, 4. 344. 
 Behar, 328. 344 and note, 373 
 
 (see also under Magadha). 
 Benares, 328. 330. 
 Bengal, vii., 394. 
 Beowulf, the Lay of, 384. 
 Betting forbidden in the Manu, 
 
 375. 
 Bhadrashri, 367. 
 Bhagavata, 396. 
 Bhakti, 339. 
 Bharata, viii. 
 Bharatavarsha, viii., x. 
 Bharatides, viii. 
 Bhartrihari, 245. 
 Bhavishja-Purana, 246. 
 Bhilsa (see Bidisha). 
 Bhismarck, 393. 
 Bhixu, mode of life, 199 et seq.; 
 
 nickname of Buddhists, 330. 
 
 332. 381. 
 Bhoga, 393-5. 
 Bhogadeva, 394. 
 Bhogakaritra, 394. 
 Bhogaprabandha, 394. 
 Bhota, Bhotan, Bhotanga = 
 
 Tibet, 344 et seq. 
 Bhri, viii. 
 Bhug, 393. 
 Bhugji, 368. 
 Bidisha, 250. 
 
 Bodhiruma, Boddhi-tree, 329. 
 Bodhisarma, 358. 
 Bodhisattva, 253. 261. 271.275. 
 
 342. 346 ; definition of, 366. 
 Boudhan, Tibetian for Buddha. 
 Brahma, named in Siitra,i'-i4:; 
 
 first temple to him as chief 
 
 of Trimurti, 340; curious 
 
 doctrine of later Buddhists
 
 GLOSSAEY-INDEX. 
 
 409 
 
 concerning his creation, 346 ; 
 mode of addressing him in 
 Mongolia, 347 ; shrine on the 
 Jumna, 373 ; Visvamitra's 
 penance for offending him, 
 403. 
 
 Brahmans, 135; why their 
 order produced no histo- 
 rians, 236-8 ; Buddha, allied 
 to, 327; disciple of, 328; 
 their allegory of the fictis 
 religiosa, 330 (note) ; attend 
 Buddha's obsequies, 332 ; 
 their sacred books quoted in 
 the Sidra, 334, 335; friendli- 
 ness with Buddhists and sub- 
 sequent persecution, 335-6 
 and note ; fall in with Chris- 
 tian teachers, 339-40; dis- 
 courage serpent-worship, 
 355 ; creation of their caste, 
 367 ; their teaching on trans- 
 migration, 403. 
 
 Brandy, mare's milk-, 363; 
 rice-,11. 14. 77.131.166.199. 
 362. 
 
 Brschiss, 82. 362. 
 
 Brizi, 362. 
 
 Buddha, 248. 256. 266. 245. 
 327 et seq. 343. 345. 348 (see 
 also under Shdhjamuni). 
 
 Buddhism, its contributions to 
 history of India, 238-40 ; re- 
 ligion of the Kalmucks, 325; 
 its origin, 327; first fol- 
 lowers, 330-1 ; its spread and 
 organization, 332-3 ; its 
 sacred writings, 333; adop- 
 tion of Brahmanical mytho- 
 logy, 354-5 ; persecution and 
 banishment fi'om Hindustan, 
 336 ; its spread south and 
 east, 336 ; present numbers, 
 ih.; admixture of Christian 
 
 doctrines, 337-9 ; temporary 
 resistance to Brahmans' per- 
 secution, 343 ; Nagarg'una's 
 modifications of, 343; the 
 tripitaka, 343 ; introduction 
 into Tibet and Mongolia, 
 344-6; fresh developments 
 there, 346-50 ; the triratna, 
 375 (see Ceylon, China, 
 Japan, Mexico). 
 
 Biirte-Tschinoa, 401. 
 
 Butter-saciifice, 375. 
 
 C. 
 
 CabooHstan, xi. 
 
 Calmucks (see KalmouTcs). 
 
 Cashmere, 237. 246. 336. 341, 
 342. 355.389. 397. 399. 
 
 Castes, action on national de- 
 velopment, 236 ; disi'egarded 
 by Buddha, 334 ; legend of 
 their institution, 367 ; fisher- 
 caste, 371 ; lowest, 387. 
 
 Ceylon, history of, 237 ; intro- 
 duction of the Boddhi-tree, 
 329-30 (note) ; Buddhist chro- 
 nology of, 332 ; first written 
 collection of Siitra, 333 ; in- 
 troduction of Buddhism, 335 ; 
 legends of Christian Mission- 
 aries, 339. 351,352. 363; deri- 
 vation of name, 370. 
 
 Chaitgar (see Kaitja). 
 
 Chakdja, 349. 
 
 Chara, 382. 
 
 Chatun, 398. 
 
 China, introduction of Bud- 
 dhism into, 335. 348 ; popu- 
 lation of, 336. 
 
 Chinese pilgrims, 335-6. 374 ; 
 dynasties (see Ming, Mant- 
 chou, &c.). 
 
 Chongschim, 121. 366.
 
 410 
 
 GLOSSAET-INDEX. 
 
 Churmusta, 50. 204. 265. 357. 
 
 Chutuktu, 122. 366. 
 
 Chutuktu niduber tschi, 366. 
 
 Citavana, 6. 351. 
 
 Coins, aids to history, 232. 373. 
 389. 
 
 Concha, 264, 397. 
 
 Contemplative life, rules of the 
 Manu for, 390. 
 
 Cotton, early use of, in India, 
 334. 378. 
 
 Cow, estimation of Indians for, 
 374-5; names of, 375; the 
 heavenly cow, 402 ; allegory 
 of temporal and spiritual 
 might, 402-3. 
 
 Cranagore, 339. 
 
 Creation, account of, in Yeda, 
 336. 
 
 Crishna, late introduction of 
 his worship, 340-1 ; adapta- 
 tions of Christian doctrine 
 concerning him, 340 ; diver- 
 gences, ib. (note) ; delivers 
 the palm-tree, 363 ; discovers 
 pearls, 383 ; bears trumpet- 
 shell, 397. 
 
 Crocodiles, myths of, 383. 
 
 Cuculida3, 399. 
 
 Cups, Mongolian, 404. 
 
 Cycle, Mongolian, 76. 361. 
 
 D. 
 
 Daeva, xii. 
 
 Dagju, xii. 
 
 Dagoba, 396. 
 
 Daibang, 382. 
 
 Dakini, 148. 295. 370-1. 
 
 Dalai-Lama, origin of the name, 
 
 345 ; date of the first, 348 ; 
 
 considered an incarnation of 
 
 Buddha, 366. 388. 
 
 Danava, 335. 
 
 Dandi, 395. 
 
 Dante and the blacksmith, 391 ; 
 
 and the ass-driver, 392. 
 Dashakiimarakaritra, 390. 
 Dasju, xii. 
 Daxa, 364. 387. 
 Deluge, account of the, in Maha 
 
 Bharata, 336. 
 Dekhan, the, viii. ix. 238. 257. 
 
 362. 389 ; dialects, 324. 383. 
 
 395. 
 Deotsu, xi. 
 Deva, xii. 
 Devaki, 340. 
 Devar^a, 340. 
 Devas, 11. 128. 144. 162. 228. 
 
 271. 293. 327. 364. 397. 
 Devasarman, 244. 
 Dhara, 394. 
 Dharma, 375. 398. 
 Dhatugopa, 396. 
 Dhenuka, 363. 
 Diamond-kingdom, 158. 373-4; 
 
 seal, 260 ; sceptre, 397. 
 Dirghatamas, 373. 
 Divination, 374. 
 Djani, Djani-Buddha, Djani- 
 
 Bodhisattva, 346. 
 Dogs, hunting, 227. 387 ; house- 
 dogs, 387. 
 Dragons, myths concerning, 
 
 384. 
 Drapura, 387. 
 Dschambudvipa, 385. 
 Dtisjanta, viii. 
 Dvirada, 353. 
 Dynasty (see under Shahja, 
 
 Ballabhi, Ming, &c.). 
 
 E. 
 
 Elephants, 12 ; domesticated
 
 GLOSSAET-INDEX. 
 
 411 
 
 early, 352 ; place in mytho- 
 logy, ib. ; derivation of word, 
 352-3; Sanskrit appellations, 
 363; encounters witli ser- 
 pents, i J.; their reUgion, ih.; 
 uses in peace and war, ib.; 
 fable in Pantschatantra, 369. 
 402 ; white, 352. 
 
 Epic poems, Indian, 240. 338. 
 341. 368. 
 
 Erlik-khan, 14. 353. 
 
 Erliks, 14. 353. 
 
 Eugenia Jambolana, viii. 
 
 Exorcism, a Mongolian, 359-60. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fahien, 335. 
 
 Ficus indica, 329. 
 
 Ficus religiosa, 329 ; names, ih.; 
 description, ib. ; care, ih. ; 
 allegory, 330 ; food for silk- 
 worms, 378. 
 
 Five colours, the, 222. 299. 359. 
 
 Five, prevalence of the num- 
 ber in Buddhistic usages, 32. 
 34. 59. 64. 158. 163. 332. 346. 
 
 Five kinds or degrees of know- 
 ledge, 158. 163. 332. 346. 
 
 Four parts of the universe, 
 270-80. 399. _ 
 
 Fox, his place in Indian fable, 
 193 et seq. 379 ; outwitted, 
 380-1. 
 
 G. 
 
 Ga, 367. 
 
 Gag'a, 353. 
 
 Gaja (now Gaya), 328; situa- 
 tion, ih. (note) ; decay of 
 temple, 336 ; haitja, 343, 
 
 Gajadeva, 341. 
 
 Gajanagara, 341. 
 
 Gai'asena, 327. 
 
 Gajashiras, 328. 
 
 Gambu-tree,viii. 327; Buddhist 
 fable concerning, 385. 
 
 Gambudvij)a, viii. 6. 145. 219. 
 229. 297. 332. 351. 385. 
 
 Ganardana, 334. 
 
 Gandakavati, Gan'daTd, 381. 
 
 Gandha, 241. 274. 
 
 Gandhara, 355. 
 
 Gandharba, 244. 266 ; the, 335. 
 365 ; shrine, 372. 
 
 Ganesha, 340. 352. 
 
 Ganga (Ganges), 354. 372. 
 
 Gardabharapa, 231. 
 
 Gar ma, 246. 
 
 Garmadhug, 375. 
 
 Garuda, 110. 181. 218. 335. 
 364-5. 378. 
 
 Gatha, 354. 
 
 Gauda, 394. 
 
 Gautama, Gotama, 327. 
 
 Ge dun grub pa, 348. 
 
 Ge luges pa, 348. 
 
 Genghis Khan, 250. 345. 
 350. 
 
 GUgit, xi. 
 
 Gitagovinda, 341. 
 
 Gnana, 346. 358. 
 
 Goa, 398. 
 
 Goat, fable of, 380. 
 
 Gobi, 350. 
 
 Goondook, 381. 
 
 Goi^a, 358. 
 
 Goshirsha, 367. 
 
 Gotra, 358. 
 
 Govardana, 363. 
 
 Govinda, 234. 
 
 Greeks and Latins, informa- 
 tion on India derived from, 
 232-3 ; laws committed to 
 memory,Megasthenes, 333-4 ;
 
 412 
 
 GLOSSAEY-INDEX. 
 
 introduction of wi-iting, Me- 
 gasthenes and Nearchos, 334; 
 identification of Vislinu witli 
 Hercules, Megasthenes, 338 ; 
 concerning elephants, ^lia- 
 nus, 353 ; worship of god of 
 death, ^hanus, 354; ser- 
 pent-worship, Plutarch and 
 Ktesias, 355; apes and 
 monkeys, Kleitarchos, Me- 
 gasthenes, 368 ; name of 
 Ceylon, Ptolemy, Kosmas 
 MarcelUnus, 370 ; tigers 
 Nearchos, Megasthenes 
 
 Phny, 370; pearls, Pliny 
 371 ; myth of Pandaia, Me 
 gasthenes, Diodorus, Arria 
 nus, 371 ; diamonds, Pliny, 
 374 ; oxen used for chario 
 teering, jEHanus, 375 ; silk 
 Nearchos, Pausanius, Pliny 
 Vopiscus,378; Kondochates 
 381; pearl oysters, 383 
 Megasthenes, Onesikritos 
 ib. ; hounds, Megasthenes 
 Aristobulos, ^lianus, PUny 
 387 ; parrots, Ktesias, ^Ua 
 nus, 399. 
 
 Grendel, 384. 
 
 Grihastha, 390. 
 
 Gun'aka'shi, 365. 
 
 Gupta dynasty, 237. 373. 
 
 Gurgaramandala, 244. 
 
 H. 
 
 Haravati mountains, 389. 
 Hai-i, 334. 363. 382. 
 Harivansha, 395. 
 Hastin, 353. 
 
 Heaven, 60-3. 197. 337. 356. 
 377. 
 
 Hercules identified with Vishnu, 
 338 ; endows Pandaia with 
 pearls, 371. 
 
 Heroes, 175.186. 240. 338. 357. 
 377. 
 
 Himalajas, viii. x. 336. 351. 
 
 Hind, xii. 
 
 Hindukutsch, xii. 
 
 Hindustan, vii. 
 
 Hiranjavati, 198. 381. 
 
 Hiranjagarba, 340. 
 
 History, Indian, absence of, 
 390; reasons for deficiency, 
 320-43 ; aids from coins, 232. 
 389 ; from inscriptions (see 
 Inscriptions); from sagas and 
 chronicles, iv. is — xiv. 326. 
 232. 236. 238-40 ; from epic 
 poems, 240-3 ; influence of 
 Brahmans on, 235-8 ; of 
 Buddhists, 238-40; of Mu- 
 hammedans, 243. 
 
 Hitopadesha, 353. 
 
 Hiuen Thsang, 336. 374. 
 
 Homa, 375. 
 
 Hong-vu, 345. 
 
 Hormoustha, 357. 359. 
 
 Horse sacrifice, 372, 373. 
 
 Houm, 347. _ 
 
 Human sacrifice, 9. 66. 361-2. 
 355. 365 (see under Sacri- 
 fice). 
 
 Hungkara, 347. 
 
 Huts, Tibetian, 376. 
 
 Hydaspes, 368. 
 
 Ibhadanta, 352. 
 
 Incarnations of Indian deities, 
 
 238. 242. 249. 337-41. 348. 
 
 362.373.381.391; of Buddha, 
 
 336. 348. 366.
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 41; 
 
 India, origin of name, vii. ; 
 boundaries of, in Mann, ix. 
 
 Indra, 244. 247. 334, 335. 352. 
 365. 394. 397. 
 
 Indus, vii. 354. 372. 383. 
 
 Inscriptions, aids to laistory, 
 232. 248. 351. 394. 
 
 Iran, ix. 
 
 Iranian language, xii. ; tra- 
 ditions, xui. 
 
 Isa-Upanishad, 337. 
 
 Ixvaku, 327. 
 
 JaUmala, 367. 
 Jama, 353-5. 
 
 Jambudvipa(see Gamhudvipa). 
 Japan, introduction of Bud- 
 dhism, 335. 
 Jaxa, 335. 
 Jaxartes, xiii. 
 Jazur-Yeda, 337. 
 Jewels, as ornaments, 28. 149. 
 
 371. 374; supernatural, 58. 
 
 130. 133. 138. 257. 280. 388. 
 
 397-8. 402. 
 "Jewels," the nine, of Vikram- 
 
 aditja's court, 247-8. 395. 
 " Jewels, the three Precious," 
 
 167. 348. 375. 
 Jinalankara, 385. 
 Jogatscharja, 343. 
 Jong-lo, 345. 348-9. 
 Juan, Khanat of, 345. 
 Jumna, the, legend of, 241, 363, 
 
 373. 389. 
 Jusalte, 392. 
 
 K. 
 Kadambari, 395. 
 
 Kaitja, 267. 275. 332 and note, 
 
 343. 398. 
 Kakravai-tin, 332. 
 Kalavinka, 268. 399. 
 Kalhana Pandita, 238. 
 Kali, 234. 
 KaUdasa, 249. 396. 
 Kalijuga-Ragakaritra, 390. 
 Kalmouks, 324. 348. 382. 404. 
 Kama, god of love, 337. 356. 
 Kama, Thomas, 339. 
 Kamaduh, or Kamahenu, 375. 
 Kamanaptira, 369. 
 Kamara, 375. 
 Kampo, Tibetian for " Pontiff" 
 
 (see Ssrong Tsan Gampo). 
 Kandala, 387. 
 Kandana, 367. 
 Kandra, 387. 
 Kandramas, 386. 
 Kandrasena, 496. 
 Kanshiki, 372. 
 Kapilvastu, 396. 
 Karika, 343. 
 Karin, 353. 
 
 Karnataka Eagakula, 238. 
 Kashjopa, 364. 
 Kashmir (see Cashmere). 
 Kaushika, 335. 
 Kavjadarsha, 395. 
 Khaldan, 349. 
 Khalkas, 350. 
 Kharmanvati, 389. 
 Kharva, 387. 
 Kiakhtu, 347. 
 Kitad, 382. 
 Kitag'a, 378. 
 Kokila, 399. 
 Kolahola, 241. 
 Kolos, 324. 
 Komboun, 349. 
 Kondochates, 381. 
 Koumis, 363. 
 Krijavidja, 2. 344.
 
 414 
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 Krislina (see Crishna). 
 
 Krita, 387. 
 
 Krittika, 386. 
 
 Krotalia, 371. 
 
 Kshatriga, 367 (see Xatrija, 
 
 &c.). 
 Kuan-schi-in, 366. 
 Kublai-Khan, 345. 
 Kuhft, 387. 
 Kuku-noor, 325. 348. 
 Kumbal, 389. 
 Kim-snang, 360. 
 Kiiruxetra, 354. 
 Kushinagara, 331-2. 
 Kiitscliun, 400. 
 Kuvera, 335. 
 
 Kiiwon-ojotu, 367. 
 
 Lalitaditja, 341. 397. 
 
 Lama, 153. 208. 267. 345. 349- 
 50. 359. 372. 
 
 Lamaseri, 346. 348. 
 
 Lanka (see Ceylon). 
 
 Latin writers, information on 
 India derived from (see 
 Tinder Greeks and Latins). 
 
 Laxmana, 340. 
 
 Lha-Ssa, 348-50. 401. 
 
 Lion, geographical distribu- 
 tion, 148. 369 ; appellations, 
 ib.; character in allegory, 
 ^370.^327. 379-80. 
 
 Lokapala, 335. 
 
 LolHa, 374. 
 
 Lotus, 272. 347. 394. 
 
 Lung-shu, 342. 
 
 M. 
 
 Madbava, 336. 
 
 Madjamika, 1. 341. 343. 
 Madjana, 343. 
 Madjantika, 355. 
 Madura, 341. 
 
 Magadba, the countiy of, 2. 
 158. 241. 328 and note, 344. 
 
 373, 374. 399 ; other mean- 
 ings, 344. 
 
 Maghaduta, 249. 
 
 Maha Bharata, description of, 
 325-6. 240; collected by 
 Vjasa, 241-2; date, 242; 
 quoted on deluge, 336; on 
 Garuda, 365; on mercantile 
 exjjeditions, 368 ; on tirthas, 
 373; on horse-sacrifice, i6.; 
 on cows, 375; on heroes, 
 377 ; on silk, 378 ; continu- 
 ation of, 395. 
 
 Mahadeva, 403. 
 
 Mahadevapatma, 339. 
 
 Mahaj ana- Sutra, 239. 
 
 Maha Meeru, 386 (see also 
 under Meeru). 
 
 Mahastujja, 395. 
 
 Mahavansha, on genealogy of 
 Buddha, 327; on serpent- 
 worship, 355; on kaitjas, 
 398-400. 
 
 Maja, 327. 
 
 Maireja, 402. 
 
 Malava = Malwa, 234. 246. 
 
 374. 389. 394. 
 
 Malla people, the, 331 and note. 
 
 Mandala, 14. 355. 
 
 Manggu, 63. 359. 
 
 Mang-ku, 345. 
 
 Mani, 347. 
 
 Mang-tritt, 392. 
 
 Mango, 6 ; uses, 351 ; Sanskrit 
 
 and other names, 351. 
 Mangu, 404. 
 
 Mantschou dynasty, 350. 404. 
 Mantschouria, 404.
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 41^ 
 
 Manu, on boundaries, ix ; on 
 MagacLha, 34'4 ; on elephants, 
 352 ; on Jama, 354 ; on 
 penalties, 366 ; on merchants, 
 367 ; on tirthas, 373 ; on 
 oxen, 374 ; on butter-sacri- 
 fice, 375 ; on the use of silk, 
 378; on dogs, 387; on con- 
 templative life, 390; on 
 pledges, 396. 
 
 Mara, 356. 
 
 Markara, 383. 
 
 Mai-mots, 57. 201. 209. 358. 381. 
 
 Mas, 387. 
 
 Masajja, 239. 
 
 Matala, 365. 
 
 Matidhvaga, 345. 
 
 Matsja, 241. 
 
 Maui-ja dynasty, 237. 
 
 Meeru, sacred mountain of, 49. 
 95. 356. 385-6. 
 
 Mendicants, Mongolian, 38. 
 401. 405 (see also under 
 
 Merchants, 135; 277. 329.367-8. 
 
 Metempsychosis, 364 (see also 
 under Re-births and Trans- 
 migrations). 
 
 Mexico, introduction of Bud- 
 dhism, 335. 
 
 Migi-ations of myths, &c., v, vi. 
 xiii — xvii. 384 ; instances ; 
 xiii and 325 ; 49 and 346 ; 90 
 and 363; 144 and 369; 148 
 and 371-2; 174-5 and 376-7; 
 177 and 377; 190 and 378-9 
 (see also under Transfer). 
 
 Milk-broth, 39. 356. 
 
 Ming dynasty, 345. 349. 404. 
 
 Mirjalaktschi, 385. 
 
 Mitrabheda, 379. 
 
 Mlek'ha, viii. 
 
 Mongoha, character of the peo- 
 ple, iv. 356; customs, 11-12. 
 
 39. 56. 65. 168. 346-7. 359- 
 60. 362. 376. 400. 404; in- 
 troduction of Buddhism, 335. 
 345 ; later developments it 
 received there, 348 ; language 
 of, 347. 360, 361. 364; nomadic 
 life of, 357; present govern- 
 ment of, 350; reckoning of 
 time, 361. 
 
 Moon, the, 382. 386. 
 
 Mrigaraga, 369. 
 
 Mrikkhakatika, 350. 
 
 Mukta, 383. 
 
 Muni, 354. 
 
 Muhammedan invasion of 
 India, vii. ; history of India, 
 vii. 243 ; influence on Indian 
 manners, 403. 
 
 N. 
 
 Naga, 355. 400. 
 
 Nagarg'una, 1-10. 18. 36. &c. ; 
 145 ; 229 ; 341 ; his date and 
 works, 342; Chinese name, 
 ib.; legend of his conversion, 
 342-3 ; his school, 343. 
 
 Nagarg'uni, 343. 
 
 Naigamah, 368. 
 
 Nanda, 340. 
 
 Nanduni, 375. 
 
 Narajana, 334. 
 
 Naran Gerel, 405. 
 
 Naubandhana, 336. 
 
 Nauge (see Noe). 
 
 Naxatra, 386. 
 
 Nepaul, 381. 
 
 Niti, 250. 
 
 Nirvana, 275. 291. 331. 334. 
 400; parable of, 330 (note); 
 definitions of, by various 
 wiiters, 331 (note) ; teaching 
 of various schools on, 343 ; 
 means of attaining it, 403.
 
 416 
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 Njagrodha, 329 (note). 331. 
 Noe, jS^oza, 393. 
 Nupuras, 148. 371. 
 
 0. 
 
 Obo, 95. 363, 
 
 Om mani padme hum, 346-8. 
 
 Oma (see Homo). 
 
 Oojein (see Uggajini). 
 
 Orissa, 237. 246. 341. 
 
 Oysters, 371 ; legend of the 
 king-oyster, ib. 
 
 Ox, estimation of the Indians 
 for, 374; sacred to Shiva, 
 375; oxen-races, ib.; long- 
 haired ox, ib.; fable, 379-80. 
 
 " Ox, Indian," 353. 
 
 Oxus, xiii. 
 
 Ozene, 389. 
 
 Padmapani, 346. 
 
 Padma, 347. 
 
 Pagoda, 396. 
 
 Pah, 370. 
 
 Palm-tree, 362-3. 
 
 Pandaia, 371. 
 
 Pandava, 249. 371. _ 
 
 Pangkora valley, xi. 
 
 Pani, 367. 
 
 Pankaratra sect, 340. 
 
 Pankagnanatmaka, 358. 
 
 Panta3us, S., 339. 
 
 Pantarba, 397. 
 
 Pani, 370. 
 
 Pantscha-tantra, fables quoted 
 
 from, 368; 369; 370; 379. 
 Pan tschen ru po tche, 349. 
 Paramara, 394. 
 Paramartha, 1. 343. 
 
 Parasara, 241-2. 
 
 Parawa, 371. 
 
 Parna, 370. 
 
 Parrots, their fabled sagacity, 
 270. 309-15; Ktesians on 
 their speech, 399 ; pets of 
 antiquity, 399. 
 
 Patna, 381. 
 
 Pauscha (see Pushja). 
 
 Pearls, worn in profusion, 371 ; 
 the custom carried to Rome, 
 ib. ; pearl-fishery, ib. ; in- 
 fluences of their fonnation, 
 ib.; discovered by Crishna, 
 389; names, ib. 
 
 Pelamaha, 334. 
 
 Persian designation of India, 
 vii. 
 
 Phagss-pa, 345. 
 
 Phala, 372. 
 
 PipOika, 358. 
 
 Pippala, 329 (note). 
 
 Pitaka, 333. 
 
 Pleiades, 53. 
 
 Prakrit, 396. 
 
 Pramara, 394. 
 
 Pratitasena, 238. 
 
 Precious Things, the Seven,386. 
 
 Precious Treasures, the Three, 
 167. 370. 
 
 Pretas, 398. 
 
 Punjaub, 246. 
 
 Purana, 240. 340. 373. 
 
 Pushja, the month, 223. 386-7. 
 
 R. 
 
 Eaga-Taragini, 237 ; 342. 
 
 Eaghan, 345. 
 
 Eagini, 371. 
 
 Eajputana, 246. 
 
 Eaka, 387. 
 
 Eama, 242. 363. 378. 387.
 
 GLOSSAEY-INDEX. 
 
 417 
 
 Ramajana, scope, 242 ; date, 
 
 242-3; quoted, on human 
 
 sacrifice, 362 ; on apes, 368 ; 
 
 on horse-sacrifice, 373 ; myth 
 
 of Yisvamitra, 402-3. 347; 
 
 other quotations, 375. 378. 
 
 387. 
 Ravipati-Gurumurti, 233. 
 Raxasas, 359. 
 Re-births, 75. 98. 235. 287. 
 
 313. 334. 353. 361. 364. 403. 
 
 405 (see Transmigration, 
 
 Metempsych osis) . 
 Resa festival, 341. 
 Rigagna, 375. 
 
 Rice cultivation, 75. 78. 362. 
 Rice-brandy, 11. 14. 77. 131. 
 
 166. 
 Rig-Veda, viii. 337. 358. 
 
 368. 333. 387. 
 Ritschiia, 362. 
 Rock-cut temples (see under 
 
 Kaitja). 
 Roman writers on India (see 
 
 Greeks and Latins). 
 
 S. 
 
 Sabala, 375. 402-3. 
 Sacrifices, butter, 375 ; cow, 
 
 ib. ; to god of death, 354 ; 
 
 horse, 372-3 ; human, 18. 
 
 75. 355. 361-70 ; by strewing 
 
 grain, 7. 51-2. 360. 
 Sadowasena, 244. 
 Sakori, 401. 
 Sakwala, 385. 
 Sal-tree, 332. 
 Salwahana, 391. 
 Samatog, 343. 
 
 Sandal-wood, 28. 130. 274. 367. 
 Sangha, 239. 375. 
 Sanghasthavira, 332, 
 
 Sanghiti, 332. 
 
 Sanskrit, x., 247-8. 328 (note), 
 347, &c., similarities with 
 Iranian and divergencies, 
 xii. 
 
 Sanvrti, 343. 
 
 Sadvajati, 241-2. 
 
 Schalu, 278, et seq. ; 401. 
 
 Schimnu, 47. 50. 259. 269. 273. 
 285.307. 356. 
 
 Sengkiolo, 370. 
 
 Sesame-oil, 73. 268. 361. 
 
 Serendivus, 370. 
 
 Sattva, 366. 
 
 Serpent-gods and serpent-wor- 
 ship, 18. 75. 123. 216. 231. 
 272. 335. 355. 365. 383-5. 
 399-400.^ 
 
 Shakja, Shakj a dynasty (name 
 of the royal line whence 
 Buddha sprang ; and of the 
 dynasty for destroying which 
 Vikramaditja's surname is 
 supposed derived (see ShaJc- 
 jaditja) 231. 327. 
 
 Shakj adit j a, 231 and 389. 
 250. 
 
 Shakjamuni, who he was, 
 327 ; lineage and surnames 
 ih., 328. 333 ; reasons for be- 
 coming rehgious teacher, 
 328-9; preparation for it, 
 328-30 ; mission of disciples, 
 330-2 ; death and obsequies, 
 331-2 ; council of followers, 
 332-3 ; doctrines 333-5. 343. 
 361. 363 ; adoption of Vedic 
 mythology, 334-5. 337; traces 
 of true religion, develop- 
 ments, exaggerations, 333 
 and note, 336-41. 346. 347-8. 
 349. 375. 397. 403 ; struggle 
 wath Brahmans, 335-6 ; 
 spread, 335. 345 ; traditions 
 E e
 
 418 
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 of him, 343. 382. 396. 398; 
 mention of, 1. 342. 366. 
 399. 
 
 Shakjasinta, 327. 
 
 Sliakra, 335. 
 
 Shanka, 397. 
 
 Shankara, 334. 395. 
 
 Shankin, 397. 
 
 Shanggasba, 178. 377-8. 
 
 Shataka, 249. 
 
 Shesa, 21, 231, 355. 
 
 SMrktimati, 241. 
 
 Shishunaga, 399. 
 
 Shiva, 234. 250. 334. 340. 347, 
 348. 379, &c. 
 
 Shramana, 327. 
 
 Shrikantha, 135. 367. 
 
 Shringara, 249. 
 
 Shuddhodana, 327. 331. 
 
 Shudraka, 250. 
 
 Shnra, (see Surja). 
 
 Sibh, 369. 
 
 Siddhi-kiir, description, 6 ; be- 
 nefits of possessing him, 6. 
 229 ; definition, 351 ; mean- 
 ing of name, ?'6.; mention, 
 7-10. 16, 17. 35, &c. &c. 
 
 Sihala, 370. 
 
 Silk, early cultivation in India, 
 378 ; in China, ib. ; trade in, 
 with Greece, ih. ; luxurious 
 use of in Rome ib. ; restric- 
 tions in Manu, ib.; mention 
 of use, 126.136. 181. &c. 
 
 Sind, Sinde, vii. 
 
 Sindhu = Indus, which see. 
 
 Sindhuttama, 372. 
 
 Singhalese, 370-1. 
 
 Sinha, 369. 
 
 Sinhala, 370. 
 
 Sinhaladvipa, 370. 
 
 Sinhanada, 369. 
 
 Sinhasana. 288. 369. 403. 
 
 Siniuff-fu, 378. 
 
 SinivaH, 387. 
 
 Sipra, 389. 
 
 Six classes of beings, 145. 265. 
 
 348. 397. 
 Skja-Pandita, 345. 
 Sku-bun, 348. 
 Smriti, 334. 
 Smritishastra, 395. 
 Soma, 387. 
 Sopeithes, 387. 
 Soul, Buddhist idea of the, 
 
 93. 300. 363. 
 Sperling, 399. 
 Ssang, 378. 
 Ssanang Ssetsen, 344. 356. 
 
 371. 401. 404. 
 Ssaran, 405. 
 
 Ssrong Tsan Gampo, 344. 
 Sthavira, 332. 333. 355. 
 Stupa, 256. 396. 
 Siibandhu, 395. 
 Subhramati, 244. 
 Sudarsana, viii. 
 Sudra, 367. 
 Sumukha, 365. 
 Sunasepha, 362. 
 Suparn'a, 364. 
 Surabhi, 375. 
 Suija, 175. 377. 
 Sfita, 240. 264. 344. 397. 
 Sutra, 239. 333-4. 385. 
 Sutra-pitaka, 333. 
 Suttee, 365. 
 Suvarnadhari, 121. 
 Svadha, 337. 
 Svarga, 197. 377. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tabun-Minggan, 374. 
 Taiping, 382. 
 Taitsi, 350. 
 Tai-tsing, 307. 404.
 
 GLOSSARY-INDEX. 
 
 419 
 
 Talanka, Taladhvaga, 864. 
 
 Tala, Talaptri, 362. 
 
 Tale Lama (see Dalai Lama). 
 
 Talisman, 58. 130. 133. 138. 
 229. 388. 319. 280. 
 
 Tamralipta, 244. 
 
 Tamrapana, 370. 
 
 Taprobane, 339. 370. 
 
 Tathagato, appellation of Bud- 
 dha, 333. 
 
 Taxila, Taxiles, 368. 
 
 Tchatgour, 359-60. 
 
 Tchen kis khan (see Gengis 
 Khan). 
 
 Tchu-kor, 346. 
 
 Tea, 267, 393 ; Mongolian mode 
 of preparing, 398-9. 
 
 Tegri, Tenggeri, 397. 
 
 Thomas, St., in India, 338. 
 
 Thong-kha-pa (see Tsong 
 Kaha). 
 
 Tibet, 4.. 324. 343-4. 377. 
 400-1 ; introduction of Bud- 
 dhism, 344 ; mendicants of, 
 882. 
 
 Tiger, geograpliical distribu- 
 tion, 369; Greek exaggera- 
 tion, 370 ; imported to Kome, 
 ib. ; in Ind. fable, ii. ; men- 
 tion, 123. 148. 
 
 Timour, 250. 393. 
 
 Tirtha, 153. 372. 
 
 Tirthagatra, 372. 
 
 Tirthanusartri, 378. 
 
 Toolholos, 393. 
 
 Tope, 396 (see Stupa). 
 
 Transfer of personalities in 
 Myths, xiv. xv ; 230-2 ; 337; 
 338; 391-2; 393; 403; 404. 
 
 Transmigration, 75. 98. 235. 
 287. 313. 348. 361. 364. 896. 
 403 (see also Rebirths). 
 
 Treasures, the Three Precious, 
 167. 348. 375. 
 
 Tri, 372. 
 
 Trimfirti, 335. 339-40. 
 
 Trinadruma, 862. 
 
 Trinaraga, 362. 
 
 Tripitaka, 1. 338. 343. 
 
 Triratna, 167. 215. 375. 
 
 Tsamba, 382. 
 
 Tsan-lschhn, 348. 
 
 Tschindaktschi, 388. 400. 
 
 Tschin-Hba, 349. 
 
 Tschintamani, 388. 402. 
 
 Tsetsen Budschiktschi, 404. 
 
 Tsoktu-Ilagukssan, 405. 
 
 Tsong Kaba ; birthplace, 348 : 
 accounted incarnation of 
 Vishnu, ib. ; distinctive de- 
 velopments of Buddhism, 
 348-9 ; hierarchical reforms, 
 348 ; traditions of him. 
 349-50. 
 
 Turanians, 373. 
 
 Tushita, 366. 
 
 U. 
 
 Udajaditja, 394. 
 Udsesskiilengtu, 398. 
 Uggajini. Uggeni, 233. 245. 
 
 249_. 389-90. 894. 
 Upanishad, 887. 
 Upendra, 834. 
 
 Yadschra, 897. 403. 
 Vagra, 378. 
 Vaisga, Vaishja, 367-8. 
 Yairagja, 250. 
 Valguka, 367. 
 Vallabha, 395. 
 Vana, 895. 
 Vandin, 844.
 
 420 
 
 GLOSSAEY-INDEX. 
 
 Vang, 346. 
 
 Varahatirtha, 373. 
 
 Varanasa, 328. 330. 
 
 Vararuki, 395. 
 
 Varshavasana, 330. 333. 
 
 Vaniniia, 335. 
 
 Vasa, 241. 
 
 Vasava, 394. 
 
 Vasavadatta, 395. 
 
 Vasichta, 347. 394. 402-3. 
 
 Vasu, 241. 
 
 Veda xii. 241. 334. Quoted, 
 on Creation, 336-7; on ele- 
 phants, 352; on Garuda, 
 365 ; on horse sacrifice, 373 ; 
 the Trimurti not mentioned 
 in, 335 ; Incarnations of 
 Vishnu not mentioned in, 
 338 ; Crishna not mentioned 
 in, 341 (note). 
 
 Vedanarajapurana, 233. 
 
 Vesa, 367. 
 
 Vetala, 246. 391. 
 
 A^igaja, 376. 
 
 Vigajanagara, 340. 
 
 Vihara, 328. 331. 344 (see 
 Mac/adha and Behar). 
 
 Vikramaditja, many of the 
 name, 230 1 ; difficulty of 
 distinguishing, 231-3 ; le- 
 gends, 233-4. 243-5 ; length 
 of reign, 234. 250; domi- 
 nions, 245-6; culture, 247- 
 50; 'wisdom, 250-1, 272; 
 mention, 265 et seq., 391. 
 
 Vikramakaritra, 245. 
 
 Vikramavashi-Urvashi, 249. 
 
 Vinaja-pitaka, 333. 
 
 Vinata. 364. 
 
 Vindha, Vindhja mountains, 
 
 viii. ix. X. 359. 389. 
 Vishnu, 242. 248. 250. 336. 338. 
 
 340. 341. 347. 373. 391. 397. 
 Visvakarman, 335. 
 Visvamitra, 347. 362. 372. 402- 
 
 3. 
 Vivasvat, 354. 
 Vriddha Bhoga, 395. 
 Vrih, Vrihat, 362. 
 
 W. 
 
 Warrior-caste, 367. 
 
 Wodin, 403; dragons sacred 
 
 to, 384. 
 Wolves, 277. 401-2. 
 Writing ; when introduced into 
 
 India, 333-4. 
 
 Xatrija, 367. 402-3. 
 Y. 
 
 Tak, 375. 
 Yriarte, 376. 
 Yugandhara, 386. 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zeilan, 370. 
 Zend, ix. xii. 
 Zendavesta, xiii. 373. 
 
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 Fathers, Old English Poets, etc. Printed by Whittingham, with 
 Borders and Initials in lied. Square 8vo, price 10*. Qd. cloth 
 elegant, gilt edges ; 21*. Turkey morocco antique. 
 
 " This splendid book is a mai-vel of beautiful drawing and printing. The 
 Emblems have been so grouped as to give, as far as posbible, one consecu- 
 tive series of thoughts.' — Literary Churchman. 
 
 " A book of deep thought, and beautiful, yet quaint artistic work."— .4c< 
 Journal. 
 
 " One word of praise is due to the printers. It is by far the most complete 
 and beautiful specimen of modern black letter we have ever seen."— i'j-umi«er. 
 
 Approach to the Holy Altar. By Bishop Ken, from his "Manual 
 of Prayer," and " Practice of Divine Love." Beautifully prmted in 
 Red and Black. Royal 32mo, price ] *. 6d. cloth, red edges. 
 *^* May be had in Calf and Morocco lindings. 
 
 The Fifteen O's, and other Prayers. Printed by W^illiam 
 Caxton, and reproduced in Photo- Lithocrraphy, by special ]kt- 
 mission of the Trustees of the Biitish Museum, from the only 
 known copy, purchased of the kite Mr. Pickeeino for £250. 
 Small 4to, price 10*. Qd. bound in parchment.
 
 ^ /7o»-«^»-^ - V*'W'v<%.*x<%f Z^^./^*,
 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Santa Barbara 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW. 
 
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 14 
 
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 Series 9482
 
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 3 1205 00527 5704