38 
Sir Arthur P. Pliayre —On the History of Pegu. 
[No. 1, 
“ images and relics.” The maiden said, “ I will devote my life to the three 
“ treasures, and will endure death rather than forsake them.” She then care¬ 
fully washed the image, and set it up in a zayat which was close by. News 
of this was soon carried to the palace, and the king in a fierce rage called for 
Badra Devi. When the messengers arrived, the maiden was still employed 
in cleaning and decorating the holy image, and she entreated them to let her 
complete her pious work. Having finished, she then with her attendants 
proceeded to the palace. When the king heard the report of the messengers, 
he raged like a hungry lion at the sight of harmless animals. He ordered 
that the maiden should forthwith be trampled to death by a mad elephant. 
The master of the elephants having brought a mad one, the animal was urged 
on to crush the maiden. But she invoked the protection of the three trea¬ 
sures, and the seven good nats, while she prayed for blessings on the king, 
on the elephant, and on its driver. The elephant could not be made to hurt 
her. Again and again he was urged on with violence, but he would not 
obey. The king then ordered that she should he burnt with fire. She was 
thickly enveloped with straw, hut the straw could not be kindled. The king 
then ordered that she should he brought before him. She appeared with 
becoming modesty and respect, while the king bawled out contemptuously, 
“ Thou hast taken thy teacher’s image out of the water, and placed it in a 
“ zayat; if the image will fly through the air into my presence, I will spare 
“ thy life ; but if not, thy body shall be cut into seven pieces.” Badra Devi 
begged to be allowed to go to the zayat, and respectfully to invite the holy 
image. She and her attendants therefore went, and certain nobles of the 
court were sent to watch them. The maiden prayed to the three treasures 
and the seven good nats, that the image might fly through the air to the 
king’s palace. Then straightway the image, the maiden, her attendants, and 
the nobles, were borne through the air to the royal feet. The king much 
astonished, said : “ Let the Dewadat teachers fly through the air, so that all 
the people may see them.” But they could not do so. The king then 
believed the truth, and banished the false teachers from his country. Then 
asking the consent of her parents, he married Badra Devi, and she was con¬ 
secrated chief Queen. The pagodas and other holy buildings were now 
repaired, and the people rejoiced greatly. King Tiktha reigned for twenty 
years, and with him closes the line of seventeen kings who represent the 
three native dynasties of Pegu. 
A gap now occurs in the narrative of events which the native historians 
either have not attempted to bridge over, or have noticed with only a few 
general statements. In a preliminary sketch to the copy of the history 
which I possess, it is stated that the first seventeen kings, extending from 
the foundation of the city of Hanthawati to king Tiktha, reigned for a period 
of five hundred years. But in the detailed account of the reigns of those 
