1829.] Tam Garai, the Good Banyan. 133 
could tell. He was bent upon one, however; but he was too “ just” 
to invade the neighbouring states, or to draw upon his loving subjects 
the terrible chances of battles, without some sort of pretext. In the hope 
there would arise one ere long, he thought he would amuse himself, in 
the interim, by building ; and so he laid the foundations of a vast palace 
in the middle of the Meidan, the great central square of Guzzerat. He 
watched over its progress in person. Every thing was planned with 
such admirable forethought, that, even if death had come upon him 
unawares, the building might have been carried on to its completion, 
intending that, if he never obtained a chance of conquest, posterity 
should at least have an intimation of what a prince he was from this 
superb monument. 
When it was completed, “ What do the people find to talk about now?” 
asked he of his veracious brahmin. 
“ The cistern of the good banyan,” replied the brahmin. 
« What cistern?” vociferated the prince, reddening with fury. 
« Your majesty is aware,” answered the brahmin with composure, 
« that, notwithstanding what the people suffer from the inundations of 
the Lambremetti, they are even more affiicted by the scarcity of water 
when it is dried up, as it is at present. Tam Garai, at is own expense, 
has constructed a vast cistern, which, by subterranean conduits, receives 
the superflux of the river in the time of rain, and preserves it for the 
time of drought.” 
“ But my palace!” interrupted the prince, in a choked voice ; “ what 
say the people of my palace ?” 
“ The people think you will be magnificently lodged there.” 
“ What! dare they weigh the finest monument of Indostan against a 
paltry cistern ?” 
«“ King of Guzzerat!” said the brahmin, raising his voice, “ the 
esteem of the people is won by services, and not by splendour : they value 
monuments only by their usefulness.” 
More than twenty poems, in most musically-balanced periods, were 
instantly composed in praise of the palace of Meidan, the wonder of 
India ; but the rajah heard them listlessly, for the people had composed 
a song about the banyan, whose burthen ran— 
«* May Brama watch o’er Tam Garai!” 
And often did those rude rhymes reach even the ear of the sovereign. 
His disgust did not escape the courtiers. One, who was sharper- 
sighted than the rest, soon divined its cause. He hastened to the prince, 
flung himself at his feet, placed his right hand on his breast, set the 
other on the earth, then drew it back on his head, and exclaimed— 
« Justice !—justice, in the name of Brama !—justice, in the name of 
the people!” 
The young rajah was not unaware that to be equitable was one of the 
ways to attain glory. Indeed, he had long wished for an opportunity 
of eclipsing, by some signal judgment, the renown of Mariadiramen, the 
Solomon of India. He commanded the courtier to speak out. 
“ Prince, a miscreant, a heresiarch, imbued with the detestable prin- 
ciples of Agamam, dares openly profess that all men are born equal.” 
“ His name?” 
«Tam Garai.” 
The banyan was brought before the king. He was found guilty of 
