Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/148

140 Queen. They were very happy together; for the King was always what Mahommedans in the Punjáb name a "good" man, which means that he was faithful to the one lady of his choice, nor did he ever desire the companionship of another.

One evening, when he was in a merry mood, an odd fancy came into the mind of Rájá Rasálu, which was that his young wife should accompany him to the chase. Said she to him, "I have eaten so much venison in my life, that if I did go with you all the deer of the forest would follow me." But the proposal delighted her, and her young spirits became exhilarated at the prospect of liberty and of leaving the castle, if only for a day, to visit the wild jungle. "One promise make me," said she, "and keep it faithfully. Give me your word that if the deer come about me you will not shoot at them or molest them." The King readily granted her singular request, and said, "To-morrow then you and I will go hunting together."

In the morning they set out unattended, and came to the wooded hillocks and grassy ravines, where the deer loved to wander. But when these gentle creatures saw the Queen Koklán they all began to surround her. Amongst them came a great blue buck, which was the king of them all. Enchanted with her dazzling beauty, he walked up to her with stately steps, and made an obeisance by stooping down his noble twelve-tined head to the Ráni's feet.

King Rasálu, who had been filled with amazement at the power of his wife's beauty, no sooner saw the king of the deer at her feet than his jealous soul became black with resentment. "Never have I permitted a single creature of the male sex to approach her," said he to himself, "and now the king of the deer is at her feet!" His passionate nature was not proof against the anger with which such a spectacle inspired him. Drawing his sword, in forgetfulness or wilful disregard of his promise, he made a slash at the deer, and cut off part of his nose. "Rájá Rasálu," remonstrated the deer, "you are a monarch among men, and I am only an animal of the jungle. With your sword you have sliced off my nose; but know that your own nose shall one day be so gashed and slashed that until the day of judgment it never will heal again."

The indignant deer then departed, leaving the royal pair to themselves. But the Queen, whose feminine instincts had been gratified by the homage offered to her by the king of the forest, felt mortified and vexed to think that her husband and lord should have broken