1854.] On the Ballads and Legends oftJie Punjab, G3 



until such are wholly lost from memory. We must add to this, that 

 it was a virtue of the first water in the eyes of the Muhammadan 

 invaders to destroy all books excepting the Koraun, all temples 

 excepting the Musjid — all coins having images of man or of beast. 



About the 13th century, indeed the Muhammadans began to apply 

 themselves to the construction of history, but with the same ortho- 

 dox hatred of truth, whenever it appeared to them in any form but 

 that of their preconceived notions.* 



The devout historian, or the historian who wished to be read and 

 admired by the learned, i. e. the devout Moosulman, felt shame and 

 contamination in touching upon the filthy annals of Kawfurs. His 

 own righteousness was liable to question in condescending to inter- 

 est himself in the affairs of such sons of perdition. He would as 

 easily have turned to trace the genealogy of unclean beasts from the 

 days of Noah to the present. It follows that instead of seeking to 

 lengthen his pedigree after the example of other races, the Muham- 

 madan, if he be not a Pathan, (for Pathans fondly believe they have 

 been Moosulmans from the days of Jacob) takes care to go back no 

 farther than to the dawn of Islam, that he may interweave some 

 fable of the conversion of the founder of his race. The Gukkur 

 will be found no exception to this general rule : of which it is neces- 

 sary to caution the reader, previous to an examination of genealogy. 



The existing Gukkur ' histories give the following succession of 

 Gukkur Sooltauns, whom they believe to have held first their 

 Native province, styled by themf Kyan in Persia and Afghanistan : 



* Ferisbta may be cited as an exception to this rule in its more stringent 

 sense. 



f I cannot find in either Malcolm or Fraser's history of Persia any account of 

 the origin of the term Kaianian applied to the dynasty which commenced in Kai 

 Kobad. Dr. Herbelot derives it from the word Ky, in Pehlevi, signifying a giant 

 or a great king. The ancient Hindu kings have sometimes the affix Bir or hero, 

 as Bir Vikramaditiya. The province of Ghyn may possibly be the nursery of that 

 illustrious family. A native of Ghyn would be called Ghyani, which would easily 

 pass into Kyani, especially as there is no history or MS. of so early an age, and 

 the ear only gave law to the orthography. Ghayn may very well have been at times 

 a portion of Khorussaun ; though I rather think it is not within the limit usually 

 assigned to that extensive country. 



