A WILDERNESS LABORATORY 173 



knew " Dar-i-Parhadoor," this being my pho- 

 netic spelling of a certain ballad of ancient 

 India. 



" Koom, sahib," he said; and kneeling touched 

 my foot with his head. 



Then we talked as best we could, and I found 

 he was from the Hills, and knew and adored the 

 Parhadoor, and was even more homesick for the 

 Great Snows than I. But once something had 

 snapped in his head and he could not work in 

 the sun, and could dance but rarely; so now 

 he earned money for his daily rice only and 

 could never return. 



Then he gathered his musicians once more 

 and sang part of the majestic Parhadoor, which 

 is full of romance and royal wars, and has much 

 to do with the wonders of the early Rajputs. 

 And he sang more to me than to the groom, 

 who neither looked nor listened, but kept busy 

 with his clothes. 



Out of all the pressing throng a little coolie 

 boy came and squatted close, and his eyes grew 

 large as he listened to the tale, and from time 

 to time he smiled at me. He had once brought 

 me a coral snake, but I could not call him by 

 name. Now I knew him for the one unlike 



