138 
G. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mai. 
[Sp. No. 
to where the young boys were playing, (355) and hid* * * § his cat and 
staff. When they saw him they held consnltationf and said, ‘ Yon 
first play against ns.’ On hearing these words the Prinee leaped into 
the field (360) and began to play against the yonng boys. He canght all 
their cats on the hop, and then came his turn to play. All the boys 
went into the field. He called the goddess Dnrga to his memory (365) 
^ 0 Dnrga, be my help,’ and now the prince strikes his cat with the clnb. 
All the boys who happened to be in front of it, stood senseless (with 
the wind caused by it). The cat fell to the ground eighty kos distant. 
(370) The boys began to consult together, and ran away. Up rose 
Prince Bijai and said, ‘ Hear, you base-born boys, I played against you. 
(375) Why do you not play against me ?’ On hearing these words, up 
rose one little boy and said, ‘ Hear, 0 Prince Bijai, He who has such 
strength in his arms, (380) hisj father is at this very time in prison, and 
so is his brother. Had you been born in a shopkeeper’s house, yon 
would now be supporting yourself weighing § goods. But yon were born 
from a Chhattri’s womb. (385) You are now twelve years old.|| Shame 
on your life. It was at your marriage that they were imprisoned.’^ 
When the Prince heard these words, he threw away his staff across the 
river Yamuna, (390) went home, and draws a sheet over himself from 
head to foot. 
Up rose the lady Sonmati and said, ‘ Hear, 0 Damsel Hemiya. His 
Highness went to play tip-cat; (395) half an hour more than a watch of 
the day has passed. He will get ill** if he does not get something to 
eat.’ Hemiya went to where the prince lay with his sheet drawn over 
him from head to foot. Up rose the Damsel Hemiya and said (400) 
‘ Your Highness, it is time to wash your teeth,ff to bathe in the Ganges, 
to worship the goddess, and to eat food.’ Up rose prince Bijai and said, 
‘ (405) Hemiya, then will I brush my teeth, when you tell me the name 
of my father and of my brother.’ Up rose the Damsel Hemiya and said 
‘ Prince, this thing your Highness’s sister-in-law knows.’ (410) Away 
went the damsel Hemiya to where w^as the Lady Sonmati, and saiv her 
* ‘ hidden’. 
is long form of 
X for is an nnnsnal form in Bhojpuri. It is more common in 
Magalii. In Bhojpuri it has only been noted south of the Ganges. 
§ is long form of ‘ the bar of a scale’. 
II Cf. note to verse 245. 
'S' 
is potential passive. 
** is the disease resulting from not eating at the proper time, 
ft is a tooth-brush, is the ceremony of brushing the teeth. 
