TABULATION OF FOLKTALES. 99
[No. 36.]
Title of Story.— An Indian Tale.
Dramatis PersonSB— Sultan and son — Vizir and son— Vizirs — Sultan- Bedouin — People — Soldiers — God— Slaves.
Abstract of Story. — (l) An Indian sultan, with one son, when he was dying directed vizirs to give son kingdom and love him as himself. Lad governed. Vizir had one son, and he and sultan's son were very fond of one another ; they spent their property and then kingdom. One day sultan's son suggested to vizir's son that they should travel and see various towns ; they went in a ship, with provisions, money, and soldiers. (2) They were wrecked, many people dying, vizir's son eaten hy shark, slave of his carried away by water ; sultan's son and one of his slaves saved and fell in with a strange city ; before reaching town they stopped in field, son sending slave to look for food. (3) Slave arriving in town found many people collected and games going on, for the sultan of the town had died. Method of choosing sultan was to throw a lime, whoever it struck three times being sultan. Lime was thrown and each time struck slave, who was taken round city with rejoicing ; he was made ruler. (4) In that city was a Bedouin, who slaughtered animals and sold goats' flesh and killed people, mixing their flesh with his meat. This was his employment, but no one knew of it. (5) Sultan's son passing by Bedouin's door was seized and fastened in stocks; he saw many people bound with goats. In the morning a person, and goat were killed, flesh mixed together and sold by Bedouin on seat at door ; this happened every day. (6) Sultan's son, who became very ill through grief, called a slave of Bedouin's, gave him small coin with which to buy thread and little bit of cloth, and he stitched beautiful cap, writing verses in it, giving it to Bedouin, and telling him to sell it at sultan's house where he would get its price. (7) Bedouin sold it, and sultan knew it was his master's work and also meaning of verses.
" A wonder from God, One was taken by the water, One was taken by the shark, I, a freed man, am bound. My slave has got a kingdom, A wonder from God."
And he asked Bedouin where he got cap, who said his wife made it. Sultan gave him fifty dollars and order for another ; Bedouin went his way. — (8) Sultan chose soldiers, telling them to follow Bedouin and see what house he went into : they returned, saying they had seen it. A hundred soldiers were sent to his house, with orders to seize, bind him, and bring him, with all people in his house. They were brought, and he, being unable to deny his employment, people corroborating it, was imprisoned in fort.
Vol 7.— Part 4. 2 g
