140 
G. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mai. 
[Sp. Ko. 
me to tlie female apartments. Of what is written in onr fate there is 
no eraser. For yon and me it is written that we shall sleep pleasantly 
together.’ Prince Bijai went as she told him, and Sonmati (laid herself 
down beside him) and slept. (480) Bnt, behold, between them the 
prince lays a sword. Up rose the lady Sonmati and said, ‘ the red of 
dawn has begun, and morn is breaking. Prince, turn and look upon 
my face.’ When the prince heard these words, (485) he got up and 
stood, ‘ Up to to-day you have been my sister-in-law,* but from to-day 
you are to me as my mother.’ 
Sonmati went out followed by the prince, (490) who said, ‘ Sister- 
in-law, where is the colt Hichchhal ?’ Up rose the Lady Sonmati and 
said, ‘ the horse was in its stable.’ (495) Against the door of this stable 
she had placed a millstone. There the prince called to mind the goddess 
Durga. ‘ 0 Durga be a help to my arm.’ He went and upset the mill¬ 
stone, and his eyes fell upon the horse. (500) The colt Hichchhal 
began to weep, and up he spake, full of anger, and mad. ‘ Prince, why 
have you shown me your face ? Twelve yearsf have passed by, (505) 
and you have put me also into the stable.’ Again he said, ‘ Prince thus 
hast thou done in thine own castle.’ Up rose Prince Bijai and said, 
‘ Hichchhal, I did not know your condition. (510) To-day have I heard 
it for the first time, and I came to search for you.’ Then the prince took 
him out of the stable to his father’s tank, and th,ere he rubbed him 
down and made him ready. (515) He then went to his own doorway, 
tied up the horse under a mm tree, and gave him clarified butter and 
sweet cakes. He increased its allowance of grain, and then the horse 
became ready. (520) The prince went to the female apartments, where 
was his sister-in-law Sonmati. ‘ Sister, give me a horse’s saddle.’ 
She gave him a saddle, and he brought it to the horse (525) and girthed 
it on. He leaped upon its back and rode upon it. Up rose his sister- 
in-law Sonmati and said, ‘ My prince, you are going to the enemy’s land, 
go thou first to the platform of the goddess’s altar, (530) and kneelj! 
before her.’ He went to the platform, and prayed, saying, ‘ Goddess, I am 
going to the enemy’s land, remain a help over me.’ (535) Up rose 
the sister-in-law Sonmati and said, ‘ My prince, keep the goddess Durga 
in your heart. She further said, ‘You are going into the enemy’s land, 
how shall I know your welfare ?’ (540) Up rose prince Bijai and said 
‘ Get a green sandal tree cut, and have it planted in your courtyard. 
* According to native custom, it is allowable for a woman to joke with her 
husband’s younger brother. This sometimes leads to intrigues, which, when between 
these, are looked upon as almost venial, especially when the woman is a widow. 
f See note to verse 245. 
J Eegarding \/ see note to verse 215. 
