nour, by the gift of my spiritual guide, the forest is extremely fertile.' On hearing this, the Pundit having laughed, became silent.

"Or take the following, from which, I think, it will be equally difficult to extract any bright or useful moral :

"Once upon a time a preacher was making a discourse to a few men in a certain village, when a certain villager having come there also, sat down; and, having looked repeatedly at the face of the preacher, he became uneasy and began to weep. All the people, seeing him weeping, thought with themselves, that person is a very wax-hearted fellow who weeps so much. One of them asked him,

Brother, tell us the truth, what is it has come into your mind that causes you to weep so much ?' Pointing to the preacher with his finger, the fellow answered, When I see the beard of this gentleman wagging, a favourite goat of my own comes into my remembrance; for its beard also in this very manner was perpetually wagging: and it is on this account that I am weeping.' On hearing this, the whole congregation burst out with a loud laugh;

and the preacher, being abashed, remained eating his breath."*

"It must be confessed," said I, "that it is scarcely possible to deduce any fine moral from such stories as these; for, in fact, the last one seems to teach people a very bad lesson in regard to their behaviour in the place of public worship. But these are rather exceptions from the general rule; for I think the greater part of the Indian stories, such as those of the Pancha Tantra,t being taken from the works of the sage Bidpai, are rather remarkable in general for possessing something that may be turned into a good moral."

"You are right," said Bikram; "and in confirmation of the truth of what you have advanced,— as we seem now, some how or another, to have fall

i. e. Dumbfoundered.-ED.

+ The Pancha Tantra, so called from its being distributed into five tantras or sections, but better known, in common speech, by the title of Pancho-pac'hyana, or "Five Stories," is the oldest work of the kind extant in India, being more ancient than the collection called " Hitopadesa." Most of the tales in it are likewise to be found variously related in the work just mentioned, and also in the Persian Anvari. Soheily, and the Arabic Kalila Dawhich are modifications of the celebrated fables of Pilpai or

mana,

Bidpai.-ED.

en into the way of story-telling at any rate,-you may allow me to narrate the story of The Prince and the Shoemaker,' which is a very popular one in India, and deserves to be so; for it gives an excellent lesson in regard to the sort of company that young people in particular should be in the habit of keeping."

Before proceeding with the Rajpoot's tale, however, most illustrious Wilfred, I must take the opportunity to break off, and subscribe myself,

Your faithful friend,

Alexandria, 20th of the month Ab,

in the year 584.*

* i. e. 11th August, 1824.-ED.

I. N. O.

No X.

Story of the Prince and the Shoemaker, (Translation from the Hindoostanee)-The Rajpoots, Sepoys, or Native Soldiers of India-Influences of the Heavenly Bodies-Remarkable Horoscope of the Khalif Almotasem-Lucky and Unlucky Days.

I HAVE no doubt, most gracious Wilfred, that, at present, your soul is looking upon the road with expectation to receive from my character-producing pen, perfumed with affection, Bikram Dilwalee's narrative of the "Prince and the Shoemaker," which he proceeded to relate as follows:

"There is a story that, at the residence of an Emperor of Persia, a son was born, and on his shoulder there was a black mark as large as the palm of the hand. The Emperor having seen it, became astonished, and asked the meaning of it from the wise men. They all gave answer,That it has been established as a fact by the

sages, that whosoever is possessed of this kind of mark is to be an emperor; but very many dangers are to come before him.' With this answer the Emperor was somewhat pleased, and somewhat concerned; but made it his study always to take care of him.

6

"When the prince had attained the age of fourteen years, there happened to be a mean and bad-dispositioned fellow, a shoemaker, residing contiguous to his palace. The Emperor's son was continually coming and going into his house, and playing there, till at last he contracted a great liking to him. The vizier said, Protector of the World!* to put children into the company of mean people is, in fact, to render them corrupt. In a short space of time the odour of their disposition produces effects upon the children; for whatever company a man is in the habit of keeping, exactly such his disposition becomes. It is proper that the prince should be restrained from the company of the shoemaker.'

"The Emperor replied, That child is void of

* Persian sli-equivalent to "Please your Majesty.”

-En.