1881.] 
BONG OF KING SALHES. 
17 
family, saying “ Go, and tell my wife, the faithful Dauna, with whom I have 
eloped, where she is sleeping on her bed in the garden. Tell her to come to 
the Kachahari to see me.” 
1G. When Dauna Malm heard the news she arose and gazed round 
in horror. She stood in the way, and smoothed a cubit and a quarter of the 
ground with cowdung, and, having called upon all the gods and saints, 
asked for a sign from the sun.* u 0 sun, tell me a true true sign, (that 
I may know) in what kingdom the thief dwelleth. Whose son is he, and 
whose nephew, what is his name P Tell me all this.” (The sun told 
her) and when she heard the sign she arose and went into the midst of the 
garden. She adorned herself in all the sixteen graces, and made a magio 
flower basket. She began to pluck flowers, and plucked them of varied 
hues. She plucked fresh cloves and cardamoms. She then went to look for 
her lord, and entered into the midst of the Kachahari. With clasped hands, 
she said humbly to king Bhim Sain, “Very tender is my lord Salhes. He 
cannot bear a beating, unloose his bonds for a time, and I will bring the 
thief and his booty from wherever he may be.” Then in a rage the Prime 
Minister said “ Whence can a woman bring a thief and his booty? Until 
thou bringest them, I tvill not release him.” Then said king Bhim Sain, 
“ I will have him released, but write a bond in my favour. £ I will bring 
the thief and his booty on the eighth day from this. If I do not bring 
him within that time, then, O king, I will marry thee.’ Write a bond to 
that effect.” And so he made her do. Then Dauna Malin said “ Within 
seven days will I bring the thief and booty.” And so each party ratified 
the bond. 
17. Then up rose Malin, and unloosed her lord’s bonds with her own 
hands, and they went away one behind the other. Then Salhes asked 
Malin how she had got his bonds unloosed; and she said, “ I gave my 
chastity in bond that Salhes would bring the thief within eight days. 
Thus I got thee unloosed.” Then Salhes asked her who the thief was, 
and she told him it was Chuhar Mai, who lived in Mokama, the nephew 
of Jagat, who had committed the theft. “Act like a man, Salhes, that 
thou mayest arrest the thief with his booty. He can be caught by no 
ordinary means; I tell thee an artifice. Go thou to the quarter of the 
nats , and* borrow all their goods and chattels, a drum, a club, a hoe, a 
jhiloni , a bed, a chair, a tent, and buffaloes.” Salhes then went and borrowed 
all those things, and made them over to Malin. Then said Malin “ All these 
further stratagems I tell thee. Shave off the pig tail from thy head, and 
let thy hair be short. Wear a tight silk waist cloth; put on thy head a 
0 
* Lit. Head of the sun. 
