Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/224

Rh which the learned Beschi considered as “worthy of Seneca himself,” have been most appropriately called “the Golden Alphabet of the Tamils.” Being a minstrel by profession, she acquired in her early youth considerable facility in expressing herself in verse, and possessing naturally a literary turn of mind and poetic feeling, she appears to have improved them by extensive learning, so much so that she was soon recognised by her contemporaries as an accomplished poetess. She describes herself as appearing “with a shining forehead, eyelids painted black and wearing a jewelled girdle on her waist.” The best part of her life was spent in the court of Athiyaman-Anchi, prince of Thskadûr, who held her in great regard. She says that the halls and towers of Athiyaman’s palace echoed many a day with her songs, which she sang to the accompaniment of a tabor. Her intimacy with Athiyaman is expressed very quaintly by her as follows :—

“Pleasant art thou prince ! to us, as the huge elephant is to village youths, when it lies down in the river and allows them to wash its white tusks: but ferocious art thou to thy enemies as the same elephant is when in rut.” When the fruit of a certain Nelli-tree (Phyllanthus emblica) which was reputed to possess the marvellous virtue of prolonging life, was presented to Athiyaman, he did not eat it himself: but gave it to Auvvaiyar : and the grateful minstrel thanks him in the following words

“Thou Anchi! king of the Athiyar! Resistless in war: who wearing a golden necklace and wielding the victorious sword in thy powerful arm which is adorned with armlets, slayest thy enemies on every battle field! may thou be eminent for ever as the matchless God (Siva) whose throat is blue and who wears the silvery crescent on his head! For thou hast given me the sweet fruit of the elli-tree which grew on the giddy height of a lofty mountain, knowing that it will save me from Death.” Athiyaman sent Auvvaiyar once on an embassy to Thondaiman, king