Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/340

 304. BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [Chap. } having seen her moved in such a manner—and asked what was it that caused her so much pain. ‘You have no co-wife,” he said “and no sister-in-law nor mother-in-law to quarrel with you in the house. Why then, O my darling, do you weep?” Phullara replied, ‘I have none, my lord, to quarrel with. It is true that you are my all. But it is you who have caused me this pain. What fault did you find in me that you have become a villain like Ravana ! Whose wife have you brought to our house? The king of Kalinga is a cruel tyrant. He will kill you and rob me of my honour by force, if he gets the slight- est inkling of your act.’ Kalaketu stood wonder-struck for a moment and then said ‘‘ This is no time for joking. |! am dying of hunger. If what you charge me with is false, I shall cut off your nose with a knife. Kala- ketu’s address was rough but straight-forward, as befitted an illiterate huntsman of his class. It 15 difficult for the foreign reader to understand the abhorrence with which the huntsman is regarded in Bengal life. He is something of a poacher, some- thing of a trapper and altogether a savage. Through- out this poem, the poet seeks to deprive Kalaketu of any refinement as will appear from this coarse threat to his wife. Phullara, of course, was far from being sorry at his abuse ; for his words indicated his innocence. Both of them, therefore, burried home, and when near the hut, Kalaketu saw a strange sight, as though ten thousand moons illumined the vault of A Strange j. sight. night. A damsel whose beauty dazzled the eyes, was standing with gaze fixed on the sky. The glowing light of evening fell on her profuse black hair, tinting it with a golden hue. She looked like