132 On tlie Ballads and Legends of the Punjab. [No. 2. 



Full three-score leagues. With other eye Beera mark'd the foe, 

 "Who dares," cried she, "our wroth defy, thy name and lineage 

 show." 



Replied the prince " Great Salabyne, my sire, afar renown' d, 

 " High Sialkote's dominion mine, Russaloo nam'd and crown'd." 

 " Hoh ! brother," Chindia laughing cried, " our fate before us stands 

 " Shall we to glut his maw abide or nit to foreign lands." 

 His trident pois'd Pehoon and laugh'd, three roods advanc'd his 



stride, 

 But good Eussaloo's fatal shaft curb'd his presumptuous pride, 

 Where arm and cubit jointed grow, the broad shaft passage found, 

 Keen as the levin's fiery blow, it dealt a ghastly wound. 

 The ponderous trident plung'd to earth and where its fangs deep 



gore 

 Old Preetha Mata's* breast gush forth streams welling evermore. 



Enraged to view his brother's plight huge Chindia dealt a blow, 

 Had ground to dust the ranks of might of TJrjoon's countless foe. 

 Like fifty tempests hissing down the monstrous club held sway, 

 His gallant charger's speed alone Eussaloo's fate might stay; 

 Levell'd the crackling forest fell, as when on harvest morn, 

 "While shouts the reapers triumph tell, falls the ripe golden corn. 

 Eussaloo might not bide that blow, yet as he scour' d the plain, 

 Drew with full force his strong steel bow : the shaft sped not in vain ; 

 Crash thro' eye, scull and brain the steel held its dire way, — and 



thrown 

 Like mountain in the earthquake reel, the giant corse rush'd down. 

 With such a shock, (18) each river flood, of five that mightiest roll' d 

 Their waves surcharged, arrested stood, each o'er herf sands of gold ; 

 And Oodinugri's castled towers fell crumbling o'er the plain, 

 And trembling nations sought the powers of hell and fate in vain. 



Then Pugrputt in wild dismay slung, ere he turn'd in flight, 

 A ponderous rock, the landmark grey, where rival states unite ; 



* Preetli, the earth, Mata, mother. 



f The sands of all the Puujaub rivers abound in gold dust. According to Hin- 

 doo Mythology all rivers, even Sinde Rania, are female deities. 



