160 On the Ballads and Legends of the Punjab. [No. 2. 



Neela ghorawallah shuksa, too moohndari sir pug, 

 Jereh zalum soohj deh aali! phiraini uj. 

 Then on the morrow, Eussaloo departed in company with the old 

 woman's only remaining son, who was mounted on a pony, and who 

 drove a buffaloe laden with bread. And they reached the Neel 

 Rao river, and Eussaloo stripped to bathe. And the sound of thun- 

 der was heard in the clear vault of heaven, and fear fell upon Eussa- 

 loo and the child. And from the forest appeared a column of cloud 

 stalking forward to the spot, and lightnings and thunders proceeded 

 from it. And it paused at the river brink, and an arm huge as a 

 palm-tree was stretched forth with its mighty hand to seize the 

 youth. But Eussaloo drew his sword and severed the hand from 

 the arm. And the Eakuss uttered a dreadful roar and fled, and his 

 brothers and sister came to see what was the matter — and as they 

 met their bleeding brother, they saw Eussaloo with his naked sword, 

 and fear fell upon them because of a prophecy, which said that the 

 son of Sal Byne should destroy them, and one of them said to Eus- 

 saloo — 



Kahan toomhari vutn hy, quon nugri shihr, graon ? 



Kis Eajah ka too bete ra, k'a toomhara nam ? 

 To which Eussaloo answers — 



Huz'rut Sialkot ma wutn, woohi nugri shihr, graon, 



Sala Byn da my bete ra, Eussaloo mera nam. 

 The answer causes great dismay, nevertheless one of the brothers 

 advances to the combat, but is slain by one of Eussaloo' s fatal arrows ; 

 and another, Pehoon, is wounded and flies to Gundgiirh. Pugrputt 

 also flies, but being hotly pursued, utters a spell and is instantly 

 enclosed in solid rock. 



And Eussaloo saw in a dream that the Eakussnie Bee'ra was 

 concealed in the forest, and he came upon her with a drawn sword, 

 and compelled her to teach him the spell by which Pugrputt her 

 brother might be drawn from the rock. And Eussaloo muttered the 

 spell, and thunders pealed and Pugrputt came forth, and Eussaloo 

 slew him with an arrow. 



And Beera said to Eussaloo, Behold I am beautiful, make me thy 

 wife. And Eussaloo consented, and as they walked with infolding 

 arms around the caldron of boiling oil (a nuptial ceremony of those 



