147 
1884.] Q. A. Grierson —The Song of Bijai Mai. 
to tlie prison of mine own accord, my name is Prince Bijai.’ (925) Then 
said his father Gomkh Singh ‘ Have yon come of your own accord to 
the prison ? You who are the last grasshopper of your family. You 
have extinguished your family by doing so. How did you escape from 
Sonmati ? (930) You are the support of her life.’ Then the Prince called 
the goddess Durga to mind, and upset the millstone (which was laid 
against the door of their dungeon), and stood face to face with them. 
Prince Bijai began to weep, (935) ‘ 0 father has the Suba given you all 
these tortures ?’ Up rose his father Gorakh Singh and said, and he and 
Randhir began to weep,—up he rose and said, ‘ In a former life I got 
written in my fate, (940) the (troubles) which I suffered in Bawan’s 
fortress.’ He said, moreover, ‘ Go back. Prince, to your own country.’ 
‘ 0 father, up to now I have been but a single life, now we have become 
three princes, (945) and in whatever direction I can look, I will take"*^ 
possession of the fortress,’ so saying he set fire to Bawan’s prison and 
departed. He came to Bawan’s tank, (950)—to the tank called Bhawara. 
Just then a procession of barbers was passing by, and the Prince had 
them stopped and brought to him, and told them to shave all the pri¬ 
soners. He then bought them clothes, (955) and prepared food for them. 
They all bathed, and according to the rank of each he gave them suit¬ 
able apparel. Up rose Prince Bijai and said, (960) * All you go home to 
your houses together, my life (i. e. I) will remain here alone. Do you all 
unite in blessing me. I myself will conquer in the fight and come home 
today.’ Up rose the prisoners and said, (965) ‘ We will make a crowd 
behind your honour,’ but the Prince said, ‘ Ho, all go to your own 
country.’ So they all went away, only his father and his brother remained 
behind. (970) So up rose Prince Bijai and said, ‘ Hear, my colt Hich- 
chhal, take home my father and my brother.’ Away flew Hichchhal 
towards the sky, and arrived at the country of Ghunghun. (975) 
Sonmati’s gaze falls upon him, and she burns herself to ashes with 
anger. ‘ 0 Hichchhal, what kind of corpse have you hung to yourself ? 
Where have you left him who is my life. Hichchhal, haste and go to the 
prince, (980) and be victorious in the fight and come back at once. Then 
will I cover your hoofs with gold ’. Away went the colt Hichchhal to 
where the tiger {i. e. Bijai) is crouching and told him all that Sonmati 
had said. (985) Up rose the goddess Durga and said, ‘ Prince, now is 
your time, come to the well of Bhawaranan.’ So he (destroyed) the 
tank and mixed it up with dust, and took up his station by the well. (990) 
Thither came some of Bawan’s damsels to draw water, and he began to 
banter with them. ‘ Good sir, from what country are you a traveller ? 
If king Bawan Suba hear of this, (995) he will kill you and fill your skin 
see verse 215. 
