ON THE FESTIVALS AND FOLKLORE OF GILGIT. 127 



taken out by opening the belly of the mare, as otherwise she would die in a few days and 

 the colt would be lost as well as the mother. The Mir gave him permission to cut the mare's 

 belly. Thus obtaining the Mir's consent, he performed the operation and secured a magni- 

 ficent foal. On this success he received a handsome reward and a khillat from the Mir. 

 When the foal grew up Su Malik used to take it about with him. The animal is said to 

 have turned out so swift and strong a steed that Su Malik brought him back from 

 a round of ioo miles in four hours. Su Malik then requested Taj Mughal that, as the 

 animal had grown fit for riding, he should hold a Durbar to perform the ceremony of 

 riding the new steed. A day was fixed for the Durbar, and invitations were sent by the 

 Mir to all the officials and headmen of the district. On the appointed day the magni- 

 ficent Tullufar was brought by Su Malik to the crowded ground caparisoned with 

 gold. When everything was ready, Su Malik begged the Mir to give him permission 

 to show the spectators the animal's swiftness and merits. It was given, and Su Malik 

 who was attired neatly, addressed the Mir in the following way : — 



"I, who was brought by your men as a captive from Gilgit, am Su Malik, the Ra 

 of that country, and now I am going back to my native land on this tullufar pony of 

 yours. If it is in your power to arrest me now, pray try your utmost ! Adieu !" 



As soon as he had uttered the above words, he spurred the pony, and galloped 

 away at full speed from the assembly. A number of riders on good ponies were sent 

 after him by the Mir to arrest him wherever they could find him, but in vain, as no 

 one could catch him except one rider on a certain good mare. This man caught up Su 

 Malik in Gujhal ' territory. On seeing him Su Malik stopped to await his arrival, and 

 to satisfy his curiosity by seeing the excellent mare which had been able to compete with 

 the tullufar. As soon as the man approached Su Malik, the latter informed him that one 

 man like him was useless in attempting to arrest Su Malik, that he would lose his own 

 life, and that it was better for him to return with the happy news that his mare was in 

 foal with a tullufar colt. The rider was very pleased to hear this of his mare, and re- 

 turned to Badakhshan to tell to the Mir that he had come back unsuccessful. From 

 Gujhal Su Malik came to Yasin via the Darkot pass, and found that his sister was badly 

 treated by her husband Farmaish, who had no fear of Su Malik, thinking that he would 

 never return to his country. He was therefore severely punished by Su Malik. Now 

 Su Malik is said to have been given a piece of advice by an old man of Yasin who 

 was well aware of his sudden fits of rage. These he soon learnt to overcome by follow- 

 ing the advice, which was not to punish with the weapons at hand, but to start out and 

 search for others at a distance. When Su Malik reached Gilgit, he saw a stranger 

 sitting in his house by the side of his wife, and became so angry that he felt impelled 

 to kill both his wife and the man by means of a big stone which was lying quite close 

 to him. But he remembered the advice of the old Yasini and went out to search for 

 another weapon. In the meantime he came to know that the man whom he had thought 

 to be a stranger was his own son Khisrau Khan, whom he now embraced. In gratitude 

 he sent a good reward to his old Yasini adviser. 



1 Wakhan was formerly called Gujhal, and its people Guijhai. As some Guijhais have come and settled in the upper part of 

 -Hunza, that country is now called Gujhal. 



