142 
[Sp. No. 
G. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mai. 
own palace, where she lay down, and tightly fastened the doors. Morning 
and evening passed away, (610) and thither came Chalhld the barber’s 
wife, and sees the state in which Tilki is. She went to the queen, ‘ Hear, 
queen Maina, Tilki has passed a morning and an evening (shut up in 
her room), (615) now, give her leave to go.’ The queen gave leave for 
two half-hours. Up rose queen Maina and said, ‘ Chalhki, go and bathe 
and return by night.’ Away went Chalhki the barber’s wife (620) 
‘ Hear, princess, open your tightly shut doors. I have got you leave for 
two half-hours.’ The princess instantly opened the tightly shut doors, 
and collected five or ten of her friends and companions. (625) On her 
legs she placed anklets, and on her arms, armlets. On every hair she 
plaited a pearl, and adorned herself with the sixteen graces. A garment 
of the south she wore on her body, (630) and a velvet bodice. The very 
strings of her bodice were priceless. On her forehead she stuck a 
silver spot, and in her eyes she placed collyrium. (She was as beautiful 
as) the moon of the second day of the lunar fortnight, when it rises. 
(635) She looked at herself in a mirror, and struck her breast a heavy 
blow. ‘ 0 God, why did you give me so much beauty, when my husband 
is so pitiless. Shame upon my life !’ (640) All her friends and com¬ 
panions were ready and she stepped out of the first door. On her left 
side a crow cawed, and she drew back the foot which she had put for¬ 
ward saying, ‘ Hear, 0 crow with lucky marks, (645) I will give you 
a dish of rice and milk,f if you will show me the path of my husband.' 
As she stepped out of the second door, the silver st^r upon her forehead 
fell to the ground. Up rose the princess Tilki and said, (650) ‘ Hear, 
O my friends and companions, twelve years have passed (since my 
marriage) and never has my silver star sprung up (and fallen to the 
ground). Consider now all about this.’ ‘ O Princess, what can we con¬ 
sider about this ?’ (655) She passed the third door, and the strings of 
her bodice burst. ‘ O friends, why burst the strings of my bodice ? 
Consider now all about this.’ ‘ 0 Princess, your husband is come to the 
tank, (660) and for this reason do the strings of your bodice burst.’ 
She stepped through the fourth door, and lo the end of her sheet which 
was gathered and tied up in front slipped open. ‘ 0 friends, consider 
now all about this.’ ‘ Princess, you are thinking of him to whom you 
are married, (665) hence has the end of your sheet slipped open.’ Up 
^ is long form of ‘ front’. 
t These lines are constantly appearing in various songs. A crow is supposed 
to be able to tell the whereabouts of any person, because it is a great traveller, and 
because its caw is said to be * place, place,’ and hence it knows every 
place. 
