186 



THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



Down the trees here let us fell them; 



And the ground here let us dig it; 



Seed of rice here let us sow it. 



I will sleep here for a little 



While ye clear away the forest." 



Then slept Lingo, slept and dreamed 

 he, 



Dreamed he of twelve threshing-places, 



Threshing-floors that full of Gonds 

 were. 



And his soul was greatly troubled ; 



And he rose and looked about him. 



Found the Brothers sadly hewing, 



Hewing sadly at a big tree ; 



And their hands had blisters on them, 



Blisters large as fruit of Aola. 



And their hatchets down they threw 

 them; 



And went off and down they squatted. 

 Then our Lingo up an axe took, 



Took and hewed he at the big tree, 



Hewed and levelled all the forest, 



Felled the trees and grubbed their 

 roots out 



In an hour the field was finished. 



And the Gonds said, " Mighty Lingo ! 



Lo our hands were sore and blistered, 



Hewing sadly at one big tree, 



Which we left still undemolished. 



In an hour has Lingo done it ! 



He has levelled all the forest ; 



Black the land appears below it ; 



Thick the rice is sown upon it ; 



High a hedge is raised around it ; 



Single left an entrance to it ; 



Strong a gate is placed before it." 



Then they rose and turned them home- 

 wards, 



Homewards went they to their wig- 

 wams. 

 Soon the rainy season cometh, 



Black a little cloud appeareth, 



Strong the winds from heaven are 

 loosened. 



All the sky is clouded over ; 



Now the rain begins to patter. 



In a while the streams run knee- deep, 

 All the hollows flooded brimfull. 

 Thus three days and nights it raindd, 

 Then it stopped as it begun had. 

 And the rice began to shoot up ; 

 Green became the field of Lingo. 

 High as fingers four it sprouted, 

 Sprouted thus high in a day's time. 

 In a month 'twas somewhat higher, 

 With a man's knee it was level. 

 In the forest shade primeval 

 Sixteen scores of Deer were dwelling ; 

 Chief among them Uncle Maman ; 

 Nephew Bhasyal heir apparent. 

 Eich the odour reached their noses 

 Of that rice-field in the clearing. 

 First the Uncle sniffed the odour, 

 And the Nephew sniffed it after. 

 Then the Nephew fetched a gambol, 

 Upwards leaped he, joints all cracking, 

 And his ears with pleasure cocking. 

 To his Uncle near he trotted, 

 And he said, ' ' My ancient Uncle, 

 See this lovely field of green stuff. 

 May we have it for our dinner ? " 

 But the Uncle, ancient Maman, 

 Warning, chiding, spake in this wise 

 " Ere you leap 'twere wise to look well. 

 In the valleys of the forests 

 Many fields there are of green stuff; 

 Touch ye not the field of Lingo 

 Go and graze on some one else's. 

 Sixteen scores of Eohees are ye ; 

 But of all your noble sixteen 

 Neither buck nor doe will left be 

 If ye touch the field of Lingo." 

 Then spake Bhasyal the Nephew, 

 Spake disdainfully in this wise 

 " Old are you and somewhat feeble, 

 We are young and rather frisky ; 

 Seven- foot- six about the mark is 

 We can clear a running high jump 

 Stay behind, Old Ninkampupo ! 

 They might catch you if you tried 



it." 

 Then his ears pricked twitchy-witchy, 



