1885.] 
G. A. Grierson —Song of Gopi Ghand. 
51 
packets of betel. She placed them on a golden dish, and tyre and the 
bnrnt food in a saucer, and taking Ganges water started. ‘ Take, 
0 reverend ascetic, this food. May fire seize your luck.’ The night 
was pitch dark. Up rose Gopi Ghand in distress of mind. In a golden 
gourd he took the water, and in the golden saucer the food. 
12. When the ascetic heard the 
words of the damsel, he laughed, 
and the thirty-two teeth of his 
mouth gleamed. By their light 
he taketh the burnt food, saying, 
‘ what hath my sister given me ?’ 
The king {i. e., the ascetic) tieth 
up the burnt food in the corner of 
his garment, and eateth the ashes 
and dust of his fire. 
13. Morning cometh, and the 
dawn beginneth. He batheth in 
his sister’s tank. His cloth cover- 
eth the whole of his body, but 
the features of his face were not 
hidden. He mixeth ashes with 
water, applieth them (to his face), 
and standeth at his sister’s door¬ 
way. He foldeth his hands and 
maketh supplication, ‘ 0 queen, 
give me alms. Then will I leave 
thy door.’ 
12. The night was pitch dark 
and in order to see his food Gopi 
Chand smiled. It was night but 
thereby (through the flashing of 
his teeth) it became day. He 
opened his sheet and tied up the 
burnt food in his knot. He drew 
towards him his fire and mixed the 
ashes with water. He laid them 
upon five leaves, and behold it 
became the five different sorts 
(of food). 
13. As morning cometh he 
batheth in the tank. He kideth his 
body under his garment, and ap¬ 
plieth ashes and burnt cowdung to 
his face, that his sister should not 
recognize him, and that he might be¬ 
come as an ascetic. How the thirty- 
two teeth of Gopi Chand shine ! 
How Gopi Chand deceiveth her ! 
He had been all of one (dull grey) 
colour, but now (after bathing) his 
form became of eight colours. As 
the sun rose he went to his sister’s door, and asked for alms. ‘ May 
my sister’s children live long, and cause her to be happy.’ 
14. The damsel Mu'ga gazed at his garments, and seeing the 
form and appearance of the ascetic went singing into the inner apart¬ 
ments. Saitli she, £ 0 sister, as was thy brother Gopi Chand whom 
thou didst leave at home, such is the reverend ascetic.’ ‘ Mu/ga, 
may I eat up thy brother and nephew ! (a form of abuse). If it 
were my brother Gopi Chand who had come, then desolation itself 
would have been populated (with the crowd of his followers). (He 
would have taken with him) nine hundred horses, nine hundred 
elephants, nine hundred Mughal Paithans, and nine hundred Paithan 
princes.’ Said the damsel Mu'ga, ‘ if thou wilt not come with me 
