1884.] 
G. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mai. 
137 
‘ Hear, 0 damsel Hemiya, go to Knsaliar (the blacksmith’s) shop, and 
quickly call him here.’ (285) Away went the damsel Hemiya to the 
blacksmith’s shop. ‘ Hear, O Knsahar the blacksmith. Queen Sonmati 
calls you.’ On hearing these words (290) Knsahar went to the principal 
chamber in the female apartments, and his eyes fell (on Sonmati) before 
him. ‘ 0 Lady, what fault have I committed, for never yet have I been 
called by you. To-day why have you called me ? (295) 0 Lady, quickly 
give your order.’ ‘ Hear, 0 Knsahar the blacksmith, the Prince is the 
support of my life. For his sake have I been patient, for he is the one 
grasshopper remaining in the family. (300) He it is who refuses food 
and water. Quickly make him ready a cat.’ Away went Knsahar the 
blacksmith, to where Prince Bijai was. Reverently he makes saluta¬ 
tion, (305) ‘ What kind of cat does your Highness want ?’ ‘0 gods ! I 
want a cat of eighty maunds, and a staff of eighty-four, and in eight 
days must you make it ready.’ On hearing these words, (310) Knsahar 
the blacksmith went home, and began to send for all his acquaintances 
and family. He invites all his friends and relations, and the casting of 
the cat began. They all set to work casting the cat and club, (315) 
but the cat could not be made ready by them. All the friends and 
relations ran away. Away ran Knsahar the blacksmith, for the cat was 
not made ready. Knsahar left his house and goes along. (320) On 
the way he meets Bihramajit."^ ‘ Hear, 0 Knsahar the blacksmith, into 
what difficulty have you fallen, that you are running away from here.’ 
‘ The chief man of the town is the Prince, (325) and he it is that 
asks for a cat to be made ready, a cat of eighty maunds, and a staff of 
eighty-four. He wants the cat made ready in eight days, and it is not 
so. If Prince Bijai hear of it, (330) on this account he will (kill me 
and) fill my skin with chaff. On this account I ran away.’ Up rose 
Bikramajit and said. ‘ Come along to your shop, and haste and blow 
up the furnace.’ (335) Bikramajit preceded him home, and Kusahar 
returned. Bikramajit touched the cat and staff, and behold they were 
made ready. Away went Kusahar the blacksmith (340) to where Prince 
Bijai was. ‘ Hear, 0 Prince Bijai, the cat is now ready.’ On hearing 
these words the prince went to Kusahar’s shop, (345) and inspected the 
cat and the staff. He returned to the Ldl Darwdjd, to the altar-platform 
of the goddess Durga. ‘ Hear, thou goddess Durga. 0 mother, thou 
hast been the guardian deity of my childhood. (350) O mother, trusting 
in thee have I laid this taskf upon myself. Mother, I am going to play 
tipcat. Mother, give thou strength to my arm.’ Prince Bijai went off 
* Vikramaditya survives in popular memory as a great enchanter still living 
in retirement. 
t Lit. covered my head with this net. 
