1940-05-10 — Page 16

Page 16.

SHORT STORY

THRONE OF NARSHINGH

small, happy procession made its way from the city of Narshingh to the green jungle beyond.

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 10, 1940.

By Dewan Sharar

council for many hours. Harassing do not wish him to inherit this land she said.

afoot. The cares: of when I-am-gone." matters were 'state weighed heavily.

only

"Yet whoever the Princess marries will have to do so, since your Majesty has no son," said the Pradhan.

"True; but I do not wish it to be Bhatbak," said the Rajah.

"Then he will take the throne by force," said the Pradhan,

"Is it not possible to find another suitor for the Princess-a strong one who will be willing, if need be, to

"I am called Nanda," said the young man.

"I am Rujni, daughter of the Rajah," said the Princess. "Will you not stay and join in our games?"

and*

"Now this is the position," said the The guards at the gates saluted as it went by. Young girls composed it: Rajah. "Erther we give my daughter

"Very gladly indeed," said Nanda. while, highborn maidens whose sole duty was in marriage to the Rajah of Bhalbak the in which case he will inherit the

So for the rest of the day to provide companigriship for

in the council-chamber of the palace, on throne. in due course or else we re- Rajah's daughter. The jewellery

the Rajah's brow grew darker their arms and ankles tinkled delicate fuse her to him; in which case he

darker, the faces of his ministers more ly as they walked; they laughed and will make war on us. If he makes chattered in fresh delicious voices, and war on us he will inevitably win, be-

and more grave-Rujni and her mai- swung in the jhoola, with Nan- In the centre, cause this land is divided against-it- some of them sang. four strapping Amazons of lasses bore self; even after twenty years the silken palanquin of the Princess. half its people are with me; the other fight for her and for the throne which da's strong arms plying the ropes; They were bound for a day's pic-nick- half are against me, holding that I will one day be his?" asked the Raj and played Ankh Macholl, which is all blindman's-buff; and pretended to go ing in the forest that fringed the jun- have no right to the throne. I main- Rishi, or Royal, Priest, whose auspici- the world-wide, immemorial game of

such conferences.

tiger-hunting, with Nanda, in the tain that I have, since I took it from ous presence was necessary at gle. They had not a care

Rajah Ghansham in fair fight which

"Is there time to find such a sul prey, easily eluding the spear flung by world.

The Rajah of Narshingh, seated on 'was not of my provoking. Yet should -his massive throne with its canopy of it come to war with Bhaibak, I do tor?" said the, Rajah. Will Bhaibak their unskilled hands; they played the

arms not like to think-how many of my

"If only your Majesty would yield its jewelled cloth-of-gold,

to the necessity of accepting Bhaibak fashioned like tigers with emeralds subjects would go over, to his side Were it

as a son-in-law!" sighed the Pradhan. said the for eyes, glanced out of a window, out of sheer hatred of me.

"That I will never do", 'saw the gay little procession, and con- not so he would not dare attack us;

Rajah. sidered it for a moment with some our weakness is his only strength." thing almost like, envy.

"They are the lucky ones," he said, His ministers agreed with him. It

was the first time they had been able to do so, and they had been sitting in

"Therefore we advise, Majesty, that you grant his request and give him the Princess Rujni to wife," said his

Pradhan (chief minister).

"And I say no,” said the Rajah. "I

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wait while we seek one?"

They wrangled on.

as the

mar.

sitar and danced; and they finished up the day with a mock-marriage, with Nanda for bridegroom, Rujni-for bride, and Saral, by virtue of being a Brahmini and a priest's daughter, performing the ceremony. In the long of late light and slanting shadows Out in the forest where the grass afternoon they danced in a solemn tree, was fresh and unparched, and the trees circle round the great mango generously shady, their daughters the end of Nanda's dhoti tied to the by end of Bujni's sari in the proper nup- themselves untroubled amused

the affairs of State. The bearers set

tial knot; Nanda chanted the and palanquin down, the Princess riage mantras, and the girls sang the the Rujni alighted from it, and having congratulatory wedding song at -surveyed the green glades with end, amid great gaiety. Only Saral, approval, commanded that the jhoola, keen-eyed, noticed that neither Nanda or great swing that could hold three nor Rujni was laughing quite as much or four girls at once, be hung straight as the rest; they kept looking at each way from the branches of a suitable other with shy, grave glances; and all un- mango tree. And there the first check her heart misgave her lest, to their day's pleasure occurred: for thinkingly, she had started a fire that Saral, daughter of the Raj Rishi, and could only be quenched with tears. "Rujni's greatest friend, had under-

taken, to see that the jhoola brought; and behold, there was jhoola, but not so much as an inch Princess as they helped her into the of rope whereby to hang it,

When they had bidden Nanda fare- was well (and he and Rujni parted reluct- teased the the antly), the other girls

palanquin.

"So now we cannot swing; and it

"Pity that the mock marriage `was would have been so pleasant out in not a real one, with such a handsome this cool shade," sighed the Princess, reproachfully.

"We will contrive to hang the Jhoola even yet, Highness," said Saral, very annoyed with herself. "It should be possible to borrow a rope."

"From whom, in this uninhabited place?" asked the Princess,

bridegroom!" they said gaily.

But Rujni was silent, and there was. no answering laughter in her eyes.

On the morrow her father called her before him. →

"My daughter, I have been driven. "All. "Highness, it is not wholly unin- to a grave decision," he said.

is a yesterday my ministers and I were. habited," said Saral. "There

Rajah of Bhaibak's. community of shepherds living here- discussing the

abouts; one in especial, their leader, offer for your hand; and we have had.

Rujni stood horror-stricken.

is very brave and has killed many to admit at last that there is nothing. fierce tigers. He is bound to have a for it but to consent." rope; all shepherds carry them."

"Where does he live and what is he called?" asked Rujni, interested.

"I am not sure where his hut is, save that it is somewhere near, nor do I know his name," Saral confessed, "but if we all scream "Tiger! Tiger" loudly enough, he is sure to come if he is anywhere within earshot."

"You told me, my father, that you. would. never do so!" she said,

"I never meant to," said the Rajah,. "but the kingdom is in desperate peril. of war, and this alone can avert it.”

Rujni's eyes flashed.

"Are we not Rajputs? Can we ́not. fight?" she said. "Are our men no longer capable of wielding sword?"

So they screamed, "Tiger! Tiger!"

"We could fight indeed; but to what with a will, and achieved such a fine convincing clamour that presently end when half our subjects would be.

her father re- they heard an answering shout, and on Bhalbak's side?". through the trees there came speeding torted. "You forget that they are still. Ghansham's men, though Ghansham. a tall, very personable young man, wearing a cotton dhoti and carrying has been dead twenty years; they still. a spear; the rope that all jungle she hate me as a usurper." pherds carry was round his waist; and about his neck was a long necklace of threaded tiger-claws.'-

"Who cried Tiger'?" he said. "Was

"But I will not marry Bhaibak!" said. the Princess.

The Rajah regarded her with amaze- Princess or no Princess, a ment.

"You will do as. I command!" he

it you, maidens? Where is the tiger?" Hindu maiden of those days did not.

"We have seen none and hope to see lightly defy her father. none, shepherd,” said Saral, “but we

His voice softened. "The Gods- could think of no quicker way to bring said. you here. We desire to hang our know I do not wish it," he said, "but: Jhoola, and we have forgotten to bring there is no other way to save the rope; will you be kind and lend us kingdom of Narshingh from fire and. yours?"

The young shepherd 'frowned. "You should not give the alarm of "tiger' falsely; it is no jesting matter," he said. "As for the rope, I will lend it to you willingly, and hang- the Jhoola for you also, if you will show me where you desire it."

་ *་

slaughter."

She looked him imploringly in the eyes, saw that he spoke truth, and bowed her head in despairing submis-- sion.

The envoy from Bhaibak came next. day, and the Rajah received him in. open Durbar, with his

and

court

He went with them to the great ministers present, and Rujni and her mango tree, and uncolled the rope and maidens in a curtained balcony close hung the jhools, and Saral laughed by, and the gates flung wide that all and fested with him, but the Princess the people of Narshingh might come if was rather quiet, watching him with they chose to hear matters of State her wide dark eyes (for he was very transacted and bring their own dis- after the comely); and he in his furn kept putes for his judgment, glancing her way, for she was most custom of the day. And the people. beautiful. When the fhoola was up came, filling the great outer court of and tested, he would have taken his the palace the unamiling, sulien-eyed.

people of Narshingh, looking in leave, but Rujni stopped him.

(Continued on Page 17) "What is your name," shepherd?”