340

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

[DECEMBER, 1873.

action whereby he should not forfeit his word

was beneath the palace of Rani Jalku, stepmo

and yet that it should not be necessary to give his daughter, namely, to fix the wedding day

ther of Lakhâ Phulāni; Lākhā accused the sutār

of a criminal intimacy with Jalku, who was still

for a certain day and so arrange that the in

young and beautiful, as she had married Jhā

vitation should reach Chandan Sodă only the

rejā Phulji, father of Lākhī, when she was quite a child, and but a few years before Phulji's death. The sutār being now in prison, Lākhā

day before the day fixed for the wedding. As the distance was too great for Chandan Sodi to traverse in twenty-four hours, Likhâ would thus be freed from his promise. This plan was eventually determined on, and a day was fixed, namely, Samvat 1116 Vaishâk Sudh 13th, and the Brähman who delivered the kankotri (or

determined in about a month to seize on the

nylghai, when every one would have forgotten to whom they belonged. Râni Jalku, however, was extremely indignant at this false accusation, and considered that although the accusation invitation) was instructed to deliver it on the was false, still people would believe it, and she 12th. The Brahman accordingly delivered the would be eternally disgraced : she therefore de ſ: ºnkotri to Chandan Sodă on the 12th Vaishik termined to avoid false reproaches by actually Sudh. Chandan Soda at once perceived the running away with the sutár. Now she had a trick and was deeply grieved; he determined, favourite slave-girl named Muli; she sent Muli however, to reach Kelako, in time, if it were accordingly on some pretext to Dhārā Sutär, possible for man and horse to do it. He then and said to him : “Take me away, I am will inquired at once if any one in Nagar Pärkar ing to follow your fortunes, and as I will bring possessed a horse or camel capable of doing with me much wealth you will not be a sufferer the distance in the time, but none could be by doing so.” Dhārā Sutir replied: “How found. Just as Chandan was giving up in can I carry you off when I am here in prison P” despair, a sutār named Dhārā said: “I have two Râni Jalku then represented that she would free tame nylghai bulls which will travel three hun him from prison provided he would agree to dred miles in one day, and I will lend you them.” carry her off from Kelakot. To this Dhārā Chandan, after thanking the sutār, directed Sutir agreed. Rini Jalku then bribed the them to be harnessed in the dràngú (a two guard to release Dhārā Sutir, and she herself wheeled car). The sutār harnessed the bulls in putting on armour, and taking with her her the dràngú, and Chandan, after putting on the daughter Märu, an infant of three years of age, marriage-crown (mod), sat in the dringá, which and slave-girl Muli, she waited for Dhārā Sutär was driven by the sutār. They drove so fast outside the city gate. Dhārā Sutar after har that they reached Kelākot before dawn, and nessing his nylghai went out by a side gate un sent word to Lakhá Phulāni that Chandan Sodī observed and joined Rāni Jalku. The Râni had come to be married. As Chandan Sodă now dismissed her slave-girl Muli, and she and had arrived in time, Lākhāji determined to give her daughter Măru sat in the drängá, which was him his daughter, and made preparations for driven by Dhārā Sutär. They left Kelākot at the marriage. The nuptial ceremonies were then dusk, and the nylghai went so fast that they performed with great pomp, and a separate made their first halt at Shiagiin, a village then palace was allotted to Chandan Sodī and Phul belonging to the Solankhi tribe, and under the mati. Lākhā also provided a lodging for Dhārī Dhānerä Parganà. They halted near the village Sutfir, and a stable for his nylghai. After a few well, under the shade of some trees. Some boys days, Lākhī paid a visit to Chandan Sodi and were playing near the well, and they induced in the course of conversation asked him how two of them to accompany them. The name of he had managed to arrive so quickly. Chandan one of these boys was Viramji, son of Jetmälji Sodă then told him that his sutār had lent him Solankhi. The other boy was a Rabiri by his nylghai bulls, and that the sulár had yoked caste and was named Devrij. On leaving them in his drángó, and thus conveyed him so Shiagº in they took the two boys with them in quickly to Kelākot. Lakhâ Phulini considered the dràngú. They next alighted near the Jhāsor within himself that he must obtain possession of (or Jyerij) hill, and there Dhārā Sutfir found these nylghai; Dhārā, however, refused to sell ed a village and dug a tank, and named the vil thein. Now it so happened that the sutār's lodging lage Dhārāpura, and the tank Dhārāsar. With