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 340 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [December, 1873. action whereby he should not forfeit his word and yet that it should not be necessary to give his daughter, namely, to fix the wedding day for a certain day and so arrange that the in¬ vitation should reach Chandan Soda only the day before the day fixed for the wedding. As the distance was too great for Chandan Sodi to traverse in twenty-four hours, Lakha would thus be freed from his promise. This plan was eventually determined on, and a day was fixed, namely, Samvat 1116 Vaishak Sudh 13th, and the Brahman who delivered the kankotri (or invitation) was instructed to deliver it on the 12th. The Brahman accordingly delivered the hmhotri to Chandan Soda on the 12th Vaishak Sudh. Chandan Soda at once perceived the trick and was deeply grieved; he determined, however, to reach Kelakot in time, if it were possible for man and horse to do it. He then inquired at once if any one in Nagar Parkar possessed a horse or camel capable of doing the distance in the time, but none could be found. Just as Chandan was giving up in despair, a sutdr named Dhara said : “ I have two tame nylghai bulls which will travel three hun¬ dred miles in one day, and I will lend you them.” Chandan, after thanking tho sutdr, directed them to be harnessed in the drdngd (a two¬ wheeled car). The sutdr harnessed the bulls in the drdngd, and Chandan, after putting on the marriage-crown (mod), satin the drdngd, which was driven by the sutdr. They drove so fast that they reached Kelakot before dawn, and sent word to Lakha Phulani that Chandan Soda had come to be married. As Chandan Soda had arrived in time, Lakhfiji determined to give him his daughter, and made preparations for the marriage. Tho nuptial ceremonies were then performed with great pomp, and a separate palace was allotted to Chandan Soda and Phul¬ mati. Lakha also provided a lodging for Dhara Sutar, and a stable for his nylghai. After a few days, Lakha paid a visit to Chandan Soda and in the course of conversation asked him how he had managed to arrive so quickly. Chandan Soda then told him that his sutur had lent him his nylghai bulls, and that the sutdr had yoked them in his drdngd, and thus conveyed him so quickly to Kelakot. Lakha Phulani considered within himself that he must obtain possession of these nylghai; Dhara, however, refused to sell them. Now it so happened that the sutdr s lodging was beneath the palace of Rani Jalku, stepmo¬ ther of Lakha Phulani; Lakha accused the sutdr of a criminal intimacy with Jalku, who was still young and beautiful, as she had married Jha- reja Phulji, father of Lakha, when she was quite a child, and but a few years before Phulji’s death. The sutdr being now in prison, Lakha determined in about a month to seize on the nylghai, when every one would have forgotten to whom they belonged. Rani Jalku, however, was extremely indignant at this false accusation, and considered that although the accusation was false, still people would believe it, and she would be eternally disgraced: she therefore de¬ termined to avoid false reproaches by actually running away with the sutdr. Now she had a favourite slave-girl named Muli; she sent Muli accordingly on some pretext to Dhara Sutar, and said to him : “ Take me away, I am will¬ ing to follow your fortunes, and as I will bring with me much wealth you will not be a sufferer by doing so.” Dh.ira Sut.ir replied: How can I carry you off when I am here in prison ?*' Rani Jalku then represented that she would free him from prison provided he would agree to carry her off from Kelakot. To this Dhara Sut.ir agreed. Rani Jalku then bribed the guard to release Dh.ira Sut.ir, and she herself putting on armour, and taking with her her daughter Maru, an infant of three years of age, and slave-girl Muli, she waited for Dhara Sutar outside tho city gate. Dh.ira Sut.ir after har¬ nessing his nylghai went out by a side gate un¬ observed and joined Rani Jalku. The Rani now dismissed her slave-girl Muli, and she and her daughter Maru sat in the drdngd, which was driven by Dhara Sutar. They left Kelakot at dusk, and the nylghai went so fast that they made their first halt at Shiagam, a village then belonging to the Solankhi tribe, and under the Dhanera Pargana. They halted near the village well, under the shade of some trees. Some boys were playing near the well, and they induced two of them to accompany them. The name of one of these boys was Viramji, son of Jetmalji Solankhi. Tho other boy was a Rabari by caste and was named Devr.ij. On leaving Shiaglm they took the two boys with them in the drdngd. They next alighted near the Jhasor (or Jyeraj) hill, and there Dhara Sutar found¬ ed a village and dug a tank, and named the vil¬ lage Dharapura, and the tank Dharasar. With