Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/90

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Generic name of story.—(Not to be filled up.)

Specific name.—Panch-Phul Ranee (Five-flower Queen).

Dramatis personæ.—Rjah, two Ranees, two sons and a baby. Panch-Phul Ranee and her son, her father and mother. A carpenter, wife and daughter. Parbutee and Mahadeo (god and goddess), two malee's wives, conjurors, parrots and jackals.

Thread of story.—Rajah had two wives; preferred the second; did not treat the first Ranee's son kindly. The young Rajah, having a little money and a few clothes, left home. After travelling some time, he took lodgings with a carpenter. There was no wood in the house for the daughter to cook dinner by; the Rajah picked up a pair of new clogs and lighted a fire. Next morning he made others in their place much better. Carpenter seeing this, and that they sold for more money, asked the Rajah to marry his daughter, and live with them. This he did. After work he made wooden parrots for amusement; having made and varnished a thousand, put them out to dry. During the night Parbuttee and Mahadeo, the gods, endowed them with life. The carpenter's wife being afraid the food would not last with so many birds, told the Rajah he must live elsewhere. Taking the parrots with him he soon became rich, for they bought food, and his trade money. One night he dreamed that beyond the red sea was a kingdom surrounded by seven seas; here Panch-Phul Ranee lived with her father and mother in a house surrounded by seven ditches and seven hedges of palace, and sent people to seek his father, who was found amongst the conjurors. The prince sent for doctors, who restored his memory by destroying the charm. With his father's consent the Rajah fetched his first wife, the carpenter's daughter, and the rest of the parrots. On returning his father agreed to divide the kingdom between him and his half-brother. At her own desire he took Panch and son to her father's kingdom, the parrots carrying them. Until she explained his return to life, her father would not believe the Rajah was her husband he then desired them to stay and rule the land. The Rajah agreed, if he might first fetch his other wife, and give up his half of the kingdom at home to his half-brother, which was done.