Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/143

Rh steps further, he came to a backwater, which was close to the castle-rock, and there he heard a voice proceeding from the cliff: "O, Sir, you have come to Kôt Bhitaur to play at chess with Rájá Sirikap. But I warn you that he is a magician." The astonished attendants looked about them, and cried, "What voice is this?" but they perceived no one. Then they saw on the sand a representation of the game, well-figured, and they rejoiced, saying to the King, "King, see, here is the game. It is an omen of good fortune; this is your conquering day." At this moment the mysterious voice again issued from the rock, "Prince, for such I perceive you to be, I have been witness of your humanity. To you I may confide my life, being satisfied that you will not betray me. Rájá Sirikap is a man of blood, deep, sudden, and treacherous; but observe what I say, and your life will be saved." "Speak on, hidden one," answered King Rasálu. "First of all," continued the voice, "do you walk along the bank until you see a rat with a black head. Catch him and bring him here!" The King obeyed, and returning to the crag he said, "The rat, friend, I have found as you said, but now I would find you." Climbing up the ledges of the steep rocks, he came to a roughly-fashioned cell in the face of the cliff, in which he discovered a lady of noble birth, chained by her foot to the floor. "Who are you," said he, "and whence came you here?" She answered him, "I am one of the five daughters of King Sirikap. My fault was one which I will not reveal to you now, but my punishment was imprisonment in this rocky cell. Yet I knew by my power of divination that a prince would come from a distant kingdom, strong and young, and that, having cut off my father's head, he would release me. In you I behold the prince of my prophetic dreams." "And I will release you," cried the King, "but first inform me how I am to be conqueror at the chess-board."

The Princess then gave him full instructions how he should proceed in the trial of skill which awaited him. "First of all," said she, "play with the King only on a Tuesday as to-day, and secondly, play only once, and let the stake be the head of him who loses. You will proceed thus. Tie the rat with a string, and keep him near you, as you both sit upon the floor, but keep him so that he may be visible. That King Sirikap may not suspect your design lean your cheek upon your hand, and call out now and then, 'O, Rajah Nul, Rajah Nul!' for he was the inventor of the game 'Choupour,' in