NO. 45.— 1894.] ANCIENT TAMIL POETS. 



195 



. Ever shali I remain faithful to my lord. Such shall be my constant 

 duty. Even if the gods grant not that in this life I become his 

 wedded wife, we shall surely, when death ends my sorrows, come 

 together in the next. 



Thus she remaineth weeping and wailing, helpless. 

 Through fear of thee and concern for her, I too am over- 

 whelmed with grief, even as the wise who seek to restore 

 peace between two great but passion-borne monarchs. 



The usual form of marriage solemnized after the moral 

 qualities of both spouses have been previously ascertained 

 and weighed, begetteth unto them unbroken happiness, and 

 unto their kith and kin friendship and help ; but the gdn- 

 dharva mode, though rare of occurrence and determined 

 upon in secret, unknown to parents and without previous con- 

 sultation with any one, is also sanctioned for the salvation of 

 the soul. Such a marriage having already taken place, I have 

 resolved to inform thee. Hear my story and be not angry. 



One day thou didst say unto us, " Like unto the elephant r s 

 trunk raised to despoil the tall bamboos of their seed, the 

 millet-stalks in our fields, their gray heads bent with the 

 weight of heavy ears, are swarming with parrots, eager for 

 the corn. Go ye and drive them away, and return when the 

 day has ended." Thither we went, and, scrambling up the 

 pretty ladder made of canes brought from hill-sides, seated 

 ourselves on the platform built by forest rangers on a tall tree, 

 and took up talal * and tattai f and kulir % in our hands, 

 and drove the birds, and remained there until the noonday 

 sun blazed fiercely hot. 



The heavy clouds having drunk the waters of the sea 

 so as even to diminish its quantity, with distant thunders 

 resembling the roll of drums gently beaten, causing birds 

 to seek their roosts, overspread the sky. Lightnings 

 flashed like unto the spear wielded by the war-god^ 

 against the asuras. The winds rose and drove the clouds 

 widely, until, trembling and confused, they sent the rains 

 down in torrents on the hills. From the mountains water- 

 falls came bounding down in foam like unto white lawn,|| 



* Talal is described by Naccinarlikiniyar as u <sq&luit jb <9r ppSlosi Sir 



t Tattai he says is u ^p'B@SoU^ <ss ssbr smi s <s sssr <z58)i 6fT&Tira> SB jj/<£E&)u 



I Kulir : u ^txr.eu'iutreoeult an /f t&l<oifi&<si. ^(75 a?." 

 § Muruga or Skanda, the Hindu, god of war. Asuras, the enemies of 

 the devas or celestials. 



|| Cf. " Slow dropping veils of thinnest lawn." — Tennyson's "Lotos-eaters." 



12—94 Q 



