PAKHAL NADDI OF THE PALM TREES 127 



chequered patterns of a sunlight 

 filtering through the verdure arching, 

 glancing rare on placid pool-face. 

 There the branches very scratchy 

 of the prickliest sort of sendhi, 

 trailing downwards, form a bower, 

 sweep the earth with lowered lance-points. 

 'Neath this haven, ploughed and furrowed, 

 soft-tossed earth the moistest, coolest 

 resting-place for grey-boar lazy. 



Grey-boar stretched out on his belly, 

 hind legs trailing, snout soft " nuzzling," 

 snuff on sniff and sidewise " nuzzling," 

 turning up damp soil luxurious 

 comfort for a sleepy piggy ! 

 Not too near that nagging party 

 lean sow nagging, hoglet squeaking 

 Peaceful dreams of nightly visits, 

 long night visits to the sugar, 

 sugarcane or sweet-potato, 

 carrot yellow, onion juicy. 

 Not one earthly care he careth. 

 Not one enemy he feareth 

 finger's snap for. Panther, tiger, 

 when they mark him, cat-like, make as 

 though they failed at all to see him ; 

 feign some previous engagement ! 

 Grey-boar, therefore, scarcely stirreth 

 sleepy eyelid, ear slow twitching, 

 when a distance-mellowed clamour 

 throb of tom-tom, howl of beater 

 wafts so faintly on the breezes, 

 breezes balmy of the morning ; 

 but, in somnolence, contemptful, 

 grunts he, on his side reclining 

 " Nasty little shrill mosquitoes ! 

 how you bother with your pinging ! " 



'Length the beat, a corner turning, 

 coming near the likeliest covert, 

 swells out to a diapason, 



