1893.] S. C. Mitra — Some Beliefs in a Being or Animal. Ill 



over hidden treasure are also to be met with among other races of men. 

 The ancient Persians had a belief prevalent amongst them to the effect 

 that hidden treasure was guarded by a Mar ( jl* ) or snake. An allusion 

 to this belief is to be found in the Gulistan of Sheikh Sadi, which was 

 published in 656 A. H. (A. D. 1258). The story stands 13th in number, 

 in Chapter V. of that work, and is as follows : — 



*isw jd wX^ oi.*i ^yy^ cjjj)^ J * v^ii^j.5 jU-a. t-^Ls ^j )j ^J 



, <_^<>J<y/o| ^^-w;^ lylj^f Ls^jy '■* LS^i*'* 8)'^_jl ei^jtsr* jt &yo # ^.JUj c _ r £+£x> 



The above may be translated thus : A person had a beautiful wife, 

 who died. The mother-in-law, an old woman, remained a fixture iu the 

 house, on account of the dowry. His neighbours, perceiving no remedy, 

 came in a body to him on a visit of condolence. One of them asked 

 how he was faring in that state of separation from his beloved wife. 

 He replied that the separation from his wife was not so intolerable as 

 the presence of his mother-in-law. "The rose has been plucked and 

 the thorn left. The treasure has been carried aivay and the snake left." 



There was also another belief prevalent among the ancient Persians 

 to the effect that hidden treasure is guarded by a mythical creature 

 named *~i-b (Tilism), which neither enjoys the treasure nor permits 

 anyone else to enjoy it. There seems to be a difference of opinion about 

 the meaning of the word /*-J-i= | Tilism, from which is derived the English 

 word Talisman). Davy, in his well-known Persian-English Dictionary, 

 gives the following enplanation of this word : 



/♦—lis Tylsem. A Talisman, or magical image, upon which, under 

 a certain horoscope, are engraved mystical characters, as charms against 

 enchantment, or fascination. They use Talismans as preservatives in vari- 

 ous ways, particularly in burying them with treasure, to prevent it from 

 being discovered. 



There are allusions to this latter belief in Sheikh Sadi's Bustan, Chap- 

 ter II., on Beneficence (ii)I-*i».| ji, pj& ^J-j) in the story of the Miser and his 

 Prodigal Son (^Li j\$ c^jji j <J*si jiXj c^ 1 ^). The couplets are as follows : 



(J»j**ji o-^*-?*^-^ 3 ^)J ** * o")3 «^*j US' r^ cjU' 



They may be translated thus : 



The miser, rich in dinars and silver, 

 Is a tilism dwelling over the treasure. 

 His gold remained years, for the reason 



That such a tilism trembles over its head. 



