: The Baitâl Pachchisi; Or The Twenty-Five Tales of a Sprite Translated From the Hindi Text of Dr. Duncan Forbes by Lallu Lal Platts John T John Thompson Vila Mazhar Ali Khan Active Forbes Duncan Editor - Tales India; Vampires India Folklore

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THE BAIT?L PACHCHISI

Or, The Twenty-Five Tales Of a Sprite

Translated From The Hindi Text of Dr. Duncan Forbes

London: Wm. H. Allen & Co.

TRANSLATORS PREFACE.

The English translation of these tales has been made by special request, to meet repeated demands for a translation of the text as edited by the late Dr. Duncan Forbes. The aim of the Translator has been to produce a work which would enable the student to study the original with facility and accuracy. It being considered that few save students who are compelled to study the Hindi original would be likely to peruse the work, the translation has been made as literal as it was possible to make it without doing unpardonable violence to English idiom. All difficulties have been boldly, if not successfully, met; and explanatory and other notes have been added, wherever the text appeared to call for such. The study of the translation must not be supposed to dispense with that of the Grammar of the language; it will be found, however, to prove of the highest utility to a student who has mastered the elementary principles of Grammar, and uses it--not as a mere "crib" but--for the purpose of discovering what light it sheds on the application of those principles.

PREFACE THE origin of these tales is as follows:--In the reign of the Emperor Muhammad Shah, Raj? Jaisinh Saw?r ordered the eminent poet, named S?rat, to translate the Bait?l Pachisi into the Braj dialect. Thereupon he translated it into the dialect of Braj, in accordance with the king's command. And now, during the reign of the Emperor Sf?hi 'Alam, and in the time of the lord of lords, the cream of exalted princes, the Privy-Counsellor of the Monarch of England, whose court stands as high as Saturn; the noblest of the noble, the Governor-General, Marquis Wellesley ; and in accordance with the bidding of His Honour, Mr. John Gilchrist ; to the end that illustrious gentleman may learn and understand, the poet Mazhar Ali Khan , with the aid of the poet Shr? Lall? L?l, rendered the same into easy language, such as high and low use in speaking, and which the learned and the ignorant, the talented and the obtuse, would all comprehend, and which would be easy to the mind of every one, no difficulty of any kind presenting itself to the intellect, and wherein the dialect of Braj frequently occurs.

Now, in conformity with the command of the Professor of Hindi, the bounteous patron, His Honour, Captain James Mouat, T?rin?charan Mitra, for the press, has struck out such Sanskrit and Braj words as seldom occur in the Urdu dialect, and introduced words in current use. Some words, however, in use among the Hindus, the exclusion of which he regarded as detrimental, he has preserved intact. He trusts that the work may meet with a favourable reception.

INTRODUCTORY TALE.

A Brahman was practising austerities in that city. One day a deity brought and presented to him the fruit of immortality. He then took the fruit home and said to his wife, "Whoever shall eat this will become immortal; the deity told me this at the time of giving, the fruit." Hearing this, the Brahman's wife wept excessively, and began to say, "This is a great evil we have to suffer! For, becoming immortal, how long shall we go on begging alms? Nay, to die is better than this; if we die, then we escape from the trials of the world." Then the Brahman said, "I took the fruit and brought it; but, hearing your words, I am bereft of understanding. Now I will do whatever you bid." Then his wife said to him, "Give this fruit to the king, and in exchange for it take wealth, whereby we may enjoy the advantages of this world as well as that to come."

Hearing this speech, the Brahman went to the king and gave him his blessing; after explaining the circumstances of the fruit, said, "Great king! do you take this fruit and give me some wealth; there is happiness for me in your being long-lived." Theking having given the Brahman a lakh of rupees and dismissed him, entered the female apartments, and giving the fruit to the queen whom he loved most, said, "O queen! do thou eat this, for thou wilt become immortal, and wilt continue young for ever." The queen, hearing this, took the fruit from the king, he came out into his court.

A certain kotw?l was the paramour of that queen: to him she gave the fruit. It so happened that a courtesan was the kotw?l's mistress; he gave the fruit to her and described its virtues. That courtesan thought to herself that the fruit was a fitting present for the king. Determining this in her mind, she went and presented the fruit to the king. His majesty took the fruit and dismissed her with much wealth; and contemplating the fruit, and pondering within himself, he became sick of the world, and began to say, "The perishable wealth of this world is of no use whatever; for through it one must ultimately fall into hell. Preferable to this is the practising of religious duties and the biding, in the remembrance of the Deity, whereby it may be well in the future."

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