A LOVERS' FEAST 245 



keen eye and a quick ear, and many were the birds he 

 helped me get. 



One day, when we were out together, I shot several 

 birds, which were spoiled , so I gave them to Roboor, 

 thinking he would like them for his dinner. We were 

 sitting under a large wild fig-tree, where pigeons and 

 other birds came in numbers, to fill their crops. Ro- 

 boor seemed much pleased with the birds ; and, after 

 carefully picking and cleaning, wrapped them up in 

 leaves, and tying them round with vines, in lieu of 

 string, put the whole into his bush of hair, which was 

 his only pocket. I was curious to see what he did with 

 his birds, after taking so much pains with them ; so 

 after we arrived home, I observed that he went to a 

 house, at one end of the village, and called to a young 

 woman, who was talking with her mother. The young 

 girl laughingly received him, and they strolled away, 

 just outside the town, where they built a fire. Then 

 Roboor took the birds in their leaf-wrappers out of his 

 bushy hair and placed them on the fire ; and when they 

 were done, the lovers, for such they were, sat laughing 

 and talking together while they ate their birds. The 

 next day, when we went shooting, I asked Roboor if 

 he loved the girl. He bashfully admitted that he did ; 

 but drew a heavy sigh, as if his case was well-nigh 

 hopeless, saying that he was too poor to marry 

 her. 



" You are young and strong," said I. " Why do you 



