SOME CURRENT PUSHTU FOLK STORIES. 
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“If I, instead, pay you their taxes, will you let them alone?” asked 
the prince. 
The chieftain of the mice was well pleased, and agreed. Then, having conferred 
with the other mice, he gave the prince (some hairs from) his whiskers, (together 
with sundry instructions) . 
The prince took his leave thence, and continued on his way for some days. 
He came to a desolate jungle, and there a lioness appeared, weeping. The prince 
was very sorry for her, and pitied her. 
“Why do you cry ? ” he asked. “ Tell me if there is anything you wish of 
me ? ” 
“O prince! ” exclaimed the animal, “ there is nothing else I want, only that in 
my foot a thorn has broken off; if you would show kindness, then I should wish this 
splinter withdrawn.” 
“ I would take it out,” said the prince, “only you would devour me! It may 
be that you are playing a trick on me.” 
“ Never will I devour you,’’ protested the lioness. “Pray, take out this thorn. 
And if (from the pain), anger should get the better of me, then will I bite upon this 
(block of) wood, and not harm you.” 
So they arranged matters thus, and the prince drew out the thorn. The lioness, 
in return, gave him one of her cubs. The prince resolved to rear him, and the cub 
grew strong. 
So once more the prince pursued his way, and when (at length) he arrived at 
the village (where lived) Laughing-Flower, he put up for the night at the house of an 
old crone. He gave her some ashrafis, saying, “ Arrange for my horse.” 
“ We are already without enough room in the house, and you bring horses with 
you ? ” haggled the old woman, “ I won’t allow you in ! Go ! Out you go ! ” 
But the prince gave her some more ashrafis, and she said, “May I be your 
atonement and your sacrifice! Wherefore should I drive you forth! ” 
Now, one night, he reflected to himself, “This is the village of Laughing - 
Flower; and the mice made a certain promise to me. So come and let us see 
whether they will fulfil their promise or not.” 
So he set fire to the whiskers of the mouse-chieftain, and a little while after the 
mice came in hosts. 
“ Prince,” said they, “ what service do you wish of us ? ” 
The prince gave his command, saying, “From beneath my bed drive a mine 
that shall emerge beneath the bed of Laughing-Flower. That is the service I require 
of you, — provided that you leave not the soil on my floor (to betray the mine). 
Hide it somewhere within doors.” 
Thus did they. Then, the next night, the prince set out. Through the mine 
he reached the dwelling of Laughing-Flower, and there he dressed himself in her 
clothes. His own cloak he cast over her. 
In the morning when Laughing-Flower awoke, she was very vexed, that, with 
