Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/614

600 wants. To return was certain misery; to proceed, apparent destruction. They had fasted three days, and to complete their distress a daughter was born to them, No travellers appeared, night was coming on, the place was the haunt of wild beasts. Chaja Aiass, in this extremity, having placed his wife on the horse, found himself so much exhausted he could hardly move. To carry the child was impossible; the mother could not even hold herself fast on the horse. A long contest began between humanity and necessity: the latter prevailed, and they agreed to expose the child on the highway. The infant, covered with leaves, was left under a tree, and the disconsolate parents proceeded in tears. But when they had advanced about a mile from the place, and the eyes of the mother could no longer distinguish the tree under which she had left her daughter, she gave way to grief, and throwing herself from the horse on the ground, exclaimed, "my child! my child!" She endeavoured to raise herself, but had not strength to move. Aiass was pierced to the heart. He prevailed upon his wife to sit down. He promised to bring her the infant. He returned to the place; but no sooner had his eyes reached the child, than he was almost struck dead with horror. A black snake was coiled round it; and Aiass believed he beheld him extending his fatal jaws to devour the infant. The father rushed forward. The serpent, alarmed at his vociferation, retired into the hollow tree. He took up his daughter unhurt, and returned to the mother; and, as he was informing her of the wonderful escape of the infant, some travellers appeared, and soon relieved them from all their wants. They proceeded gradually to Lahore, where the Emperor Akbar kept his court. Here he had the good fortune to find a distant relation of his, one of that monarch's principal