1879.] or a History of Hamir, prince of Bantliamlor. 225 



hopelessness, he gasped : " How many such skilful saints are there in the 

 ranks of Ala-uddin ?•" "Do not he alarmed, mighty Eao," said Muhammad 

 Shah. "I know the archer, he is my younger brother : none amongst the 

 troops of Ala-uddin can equal him in archery. Devotion can never be made 

 but by a devotee, neither can heroism be displayed but by a hero. May it 

 please you to order me, and this very moment the head of the emperor 

 shall I pierce, sitting as I am in this place. All your troubles will be over 

 and his troops dispersed." Hamir replied, smiling, " Never be guilty of 

 regicide, great hero, for an emperor, whatever his merits may be, is next to 

 God. Shoot away the state umbrella which is put up above his head." 

 The swift-winged arrow of Muhammad Shah shot the umbrella with such 

 a force that it fell on the ground. An AnalpanJc's (eagle's) keen eyes mis- 

 took it (umbrella) for an elephant. The bird swooped down upon it and was 

 disappointed. 



The Vazir Mihram Khan having joined his hands, said to the emperor, 

 " Praise be to God that your life has been saved owing to the consideration 

 of eating your salt in former years. Be sure that if the skilful archer shoot 

 a second arrow, it will be aimed at your life. How can that fort be captured 

 wherein lives such an expert hero ? As a serpent that has caught a mole is 

 on the two horns of a dilemma : if it swallows it, it dies, and if it vomits the 

 part eaten, it becomes blind. Such, exactly such has been your case, impe- 

 rial Majesty. I hear that the heroic Muhammad Shah asks for orders 

 daily to shoot you dead, but the kind Hamir does not consent to do so. If 

 he be ever given orders, he will put you in fetters, set his protector on the 

 throne of Dehli and proclaim his rule there. It behoves you, therefore, to 

 leave your determination and go back to 'the capital safe and sound, with 

 your head on your shoulders. On the other hand, if Hamir be victorious 

 and you fly away from here, your honour will be greatly hurt." 



The disappointed emperor, although very angry, had to withdraw his 

 camp backwards to Mullarna. 



Chapter IX. 



Sarjan Shah, a banid (merchant) of the Sharaoji sect of Buddhists, 

 made up his mind to avenge the death of his father. " The blood of my 

 father cries out ' Vengeance,' " said he, " and so I must forthwith go to the 

 imperial camp and by any means possible give Ala-uddin the possession of 

 the fort." He presented five mohurs to the emperor and bowed down at 

 his feet. He then joined his hands and thus addressed his Majesty : " I will 

 enable you, mighty monarch, to capture the fort. Only promise to give me 

 in return the territory of Eandhir." 



