1838.] On the Customs and Superstitions of the people. 99 



him and all the tribe, that she was spotless. They then lived together 

 in the bonds of affection. 



Susi and Panun. 

 2. In the city of Bahanpurweh, resided a rich man, whose wife 

 after remaining for many years childless, brought forth a daughter; the 

 father's happiness at the event was very great, but on consulting the 

 astrologers as to the future fate of the child, they predicted, that she 

 would marry one of the Muhammadan persuasion. In order to prevent 

 the disgrace which must attend such a connection, the father determined 

 to destroy the infant; and for this purpose, placed it in a box which he 

 threw into the river. By chance, it floated to the city of Bahanpore, and 

 was picked up by a man in the employ of a dhobi of that place. He 

 took it to his master who opened it and found the child alive. Being 

 without children himself, he adopted the girl as his own. In time Su'si', 

 (for so she was called,) became so renowned for her beauty, that when- 

 ever she went abroad, she was followed by a large concourse of the peo- 

 ple of that city. Now it happened, that a large caravan of merchants 

 from Kish and Makrdn halted at JBahanpore, and some of these, 

 having seen the girl, on their return, reported her beauty to Panivn, 

 the son of the governor of Kish. He became enamoured of her descrip- 

 tion, and disguising himself as a merchant, travelled with the next 

 caravan to the city of Baha?ipore, for the purpose of satisfying himself 

 as to the truth of the reports he had heard. The better to carry his pur- 

 pose into execution, he entered the service of the dhobi, and soon con- 

 trived to see S u's i ', whose real charms exceeded all description. In a 

 short time, he made her acquainted with his passion, which she returned ; 

 and by the consent of the dhobi, they were married. 



"When the intelligence of this reached Panu'n's father, he was 

 annoyed at the connection which his son had formed, and dispatched 

 other two of his sons to bring their brother back. They arrived at 

 Bahanpore, and took up their residence near the house of the dhobi 

 where their brother lived, until watching an opportunity, they one 

 night seized Panu'n, and placing him upon a swift camel, returned 

 with him to their father. The grief of Su'si' on discovering the 

 abduction of her husband knew no bounds; she determined to follow 

 him, and took the road to Kish. After travelling for about 40 kos 

 from the city, overcome with thirst and fatigue, she fell exhausted 

 to the ground, but in so doing, her foot struck a stone, and imme- 

 diately there gushed forth a spring of limpid water, with which she 

 quenched her thirst ; this same spring yet remains, nor was it ever 

 known to become dry, even in seasons of great drought, when all the 



