Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/95

Rh and light. He thus entered into the country of a rajah called Jesrat. This rajah was so particular about his water that he guarded his tanks very jealously, allowing no beasts to drink in them. Now the old folks, exhausted by their journey, clamoured for water, so Servan put them down and went to fetch them some. And just as he was reaching over the tank the rajah, who happened to be near and took him in the dark for a wild animal, struck him on the head with a bamboo and killed him. The poor old parents cried out all night for their son, and the next day died for want of food and drink, and the banghi turned into stone and is still to be seen at Pachmari. As to Servan's murderer, Jesrat, soon after the deed he felt a sharp pain in one of his fingers. A splint from the bamboo had pierced the flesh, and the place festered and hurt him very much.

The Rescue of Sita.

Now the Rajah Jesrat had three wives: Kassilla, who had a son called Rāmā; Kakahi, who had two boys, Churat and Bhurat; and Samantra who had one son, Lakshman. Jesrat's finger was so painful that in order to try and draw out the splint his three wives took it in turn to suck the place, each keeping awake several hours in the night to perform this office. And when Kakahi, his second wife, was sucking, the splint came out, and the rajah experienced much relief and fell asleep. The next day he was very pleased, and bade Kakahi ask for whatever she would like and he would grant her wish. Kakahi at first replied she had diamonds, pearls, and gold, and in fact all she cared for already. But upon being pressed by her husband she at last said, "I should like the sons of your other wives, the youths Rāmā and Lakshman, to be driven away into the jungle, and only my two boys to be rearad up and kept in the palace." At this the rajah grieved greatly, but as he had given his word to grant her wish he agreed it should be done. One evening when Rāmā and Lakshman returned home together from a two days' chase they were refused admittance into the