136 
G. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mai. 
[Sp. No. 
Now tlie prince’s sister-in-law* * * § Sonmati was sitting tliere, and her 
eyes fell upon the horse. She became mad with rage,t (235) and np 
she rose and said ‘ Hear, thon colt Hichchhal, what has happened to the 
procession ?’ Hear LadyJ Sonmati, said Hichchhal, ‘ The whole pro¬ 
cession is in jail.’ (240) Up rose Sonmati and said, ‘ 0 Hichchhal, what 
hind of corpse have yon hung to yourself ?’ 
(Here there is a pause during which the horse tells the story to Son¬ 
mati.) 
So Sonmati was fain to take the prince and console herself with 
him,—the one little grasshopper of the family. 
After hearing all these things, (246) the Prince became twelve years 
older, § and one day he went into his father’s garden, where the young 
boysII were playing tip-cat.^ Up rose Prince Bijai and said, (250) ‘ O 
boys, hear my little word. I also would play tip-cat with you.’ Up rose 
a young boy and said, ‘ Hear, Prince Bijai, you are the king of the 
city.’ (255) Up rose Prince Bijai and said, ‘ In boys’ sport, what kingship 
is there ? As a shopkeeper’s lad plays, so also would I play tip-cat.’ 
‘ Hear, 0 Prince Bijai, (260) in our play there will be abuse and quarrel- 
ing.** * * §§ If the Lady Sonmati hear, she will (kill us, and) fill our skins 
with chaff.’ Up rose Prince Bijai and said, ‘ Boys, trouble not yourself 
about this, (265) I will answer for that.’ ‘ Then bring your cat, and 
we will play with you.’ Away went Prince Bijai, (270) to the Lot 
Darwajd-ff ‘ Hear, 0 sister-in-law Sonmati, I want a cat and stick. 
‘ Hear, 0 Prince Bijai, what play is there in a cat for you ? (275) Play 
you at gambling, or on the chawpar.’^^ When the Prince heard these words? 
he went inside the Ldl Harwdjd and stretches a sheet over himself from 
head to foot. He forswears food and water, (280) ‘ as long as, 0 sister 
in-law, a cat is not ready for^me.’ On hearing these words, she says, 
* She was wife of Randhir who had been imprisoned with his father and the 
rest of the procession in Jirhul. 
f is instr. of which is long form of ‘ rage.’ 
X Lit. Sister-in-law. 
§ I. e., since hearing this story twelve years elapsed, or else time passed, and 
the prince became twelve years of age. The first interpretation is borne out by 
verse 385, and the second by verso 504. 
11 %^T = is long form of young.’ 
is a game closely resembling the English ‘ tip-cat,’ except that the 
opponent attempts to catch the ‘ cat ’ while it is in the air. 
-s'* 
is long form of 3131 ‘ quarrelling.’ 
ft The name of a part of his palace which had red doors. 
H is long form of ^IW, ‘ a yearning.” 
§§ Chaupar is the board or cloth divided into four portions on which the game 
called pachisi is played. 
