Part 29

Also the harmless frog. It is a sin. Of brothers he told tales. It is a sin. The landmark stone he moved. It is a sin. Called in the Sircar's aid.[5] It is a sin. Put poison in the milk. It is a sin. To strangers straying on the hills, He offered aid but guided wrong. It is a sin. His sister's tender love he spurned And showed his teeth to her in rage. It is a sin. He dared to drain the pendent teats Of holy cow in sacred fold. It is a sin. The glorious sun shone warm and bright He turned its back towards its beams.[6] It is a sin. Ere drinking from the babbling brook, He made no bow of gratitude. It is a sin. His envy rose against the man Who owned a fruitful buffalo. It is a sin. He bound with cords and made to plough The budding ox too young to work. It is a sin. While yet his wife dwelt in his house He lusted for a younger bride. It is a sin. The hungry begged--he gave no meat, The cold asked warmth--he lent no fire. It is a sin. He turned relations from his door, Yet asked unworthy strangers home. It is a sin. The weak and poor called for his aid, He gave no alms, denied their woe. It is a sin. When caught by thorns, in useless rage He tore his cloth from side to side. It is a sin. The father of his wife sat on the floor Yet he reclined on bench or couch. It is a sin. He cut the bund around a tank, Set free the living water's store. It is a sin.

What though he sinned so much, Or that his parents sinned? What though the sins' long score Was thirteen hundred crimes? O let them every one, Fly swift to Bas'va's feet. Chorus--Fly swift.

The chamber dark of death Shall open to his soul. The sea shall rise in waves; Surround on every side, But yet that awful bridge No thicker than a thread, Shall stand both firm and strong. The dragon's yawning mouth Is shut--it brings no fear. The palaces of heaven Throw open wide their doors. Chorus--Open wide their doors.

The thorny path is steep, Yet shall his soul go safe. The silver pillar stands So near--he touches it. He may approach the wall The golden wall of heaven. The burning pillar's flame Shall have no heat for him. Chorus--Shall have no heat.

Oh let us never doubt That all his sins are gone, That Bassava forgives. May it be well with him! Chorus--May it be well! Let all be well with him! Chorus--Let all be well.

Surely an impressive burial service to have been found in use amongst a poor little obscure tribe of Indian mountaineers!

It cannot be said that this moral attitude is often reached. Research into funeral rites, of whatever nature, confronts us with much that would be ludicrous were it not so very pitiful, for humanity has displayed a fatal tendency to rush into the committal of ghastly absurdities by way of showing the most sacred kind of grief. Yet, take them all in all, the death laments of the people form a striking and beautiful manifestation of such homage as "Life may give for love to death."

[Footnote 1: "Calling the dead" was without doubt once general amongst all classes--which may be true of all the customs that we are now inclined to associate with only the very poor. In the striking mediaeval ceremonial performed at the entombment of King Alfonso in the vault at the Escurial, the final act was that of the Lord Chamberlain, who unlocked the coffin, and in the midst of profound silence shouted into the king's ear, "Senor, Senor, Senor." After which he rose, saying, "His majesty does not answer. Then it is true the king is dead."]

[Footnote 2: The child's "personal fate."]

[Footnote 3: The brother.]

[Footnote 4: A little sister had died before.]

[Footnote 5: He had recourse to the Rajahs, whose courts under the old regime, had become a byeword for oppression and corruption.]

[Footnote 6: Compare _Inferno_, Canto vii.]

BOOKS OF REFERENCE.

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Bernoni, Dom. Giuseppe. Canti Populari Veneziani. 1873.

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Blade, J. Poesies Populaires de la Gascogne. 3 vols.

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Burton, Richard. Wit and Wisdom from West Arica. 1865.

Cardona, Enrico. Dell' Antica Letteratura Catalana. 1878.

Champfleury. Chansons Populaires des Provinces de France. 1860.

Comparetti, Prof. D. Saggi de' Dialetti Greci dell' Italia Meridionale. 1866.

Constantinescu, Dr B. Probe de Limba si Literatura Tiganilor din Romania. 1878.

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---- Ninne-Nanne e Giuochi Infantile Veneziani. 1871.

Davies, William. The Pilgrimage of the Tiber. 1874. (Popular Songs of the Tiberine District.)

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Dozon, Auguste. Poesies Populaires Serbes. 1859. ---- Chansons Populaires Bulgares Inedites. 1875.

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Fissore, G. Canti Popolari dell' Allemagna. 1857.

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TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.

* * * * *

Transcriber's Note:

This book contains some dialect and/or older grammatical constructions, some old French (and bits of other languages), which have all been retained.

For example:

Footnote 2, Page l (from p. xvii): "Sire cuens," ... "C'est vilanie;" ('T was villany:) ... "Ma feme ne me rit mie." ... "Vez com vostre male plie, Ele est bien de vent farsie." ... Deux chapons por deporter A la sause aillie; etc.

Page 20: 'the girl leaning out of window to tell her piece of news' is as printed. The transcriber does not know if 'a window' or 'the window' or just 'window' was intended.

Page 24: 'Nella' would be the genitive of 'Nello'. In some European languages, the Proper nouns are also declined. ["... it is Count Nello, my father, he who fain would wed me." "Who speaks of Count Nella...."]

Page 145: "E te' cca 'na timpulata!" occurs in another document as: "E te 'cca 'na timpulata!", and in another as "E te' 'cca 'na timpulata!"

Many French accents are missing from the English text, e.g. Page 181: "Mistral ... paints the Provence of the valley of the Rhone, ..."

Page 335: 'compact' is correct; = 'agreement'. (Apparently she took the advice and kept the compact)

Page 348: "nni" in "Lu me rifugiu nni la sorti orrenna," is as printed. It may not be an error.

This book also contains some Greek words, and passages of Greek. which have been transliterated into Latin text, e.g. [Greek: nenitos]

Errata:

Sundry damaged or missing punctuation has been repaired.

Page 62: 'portait' corrected to 'portrait'. (he might at least possess his portrait).

Page 84: 'befel' corrected to 'befell'. (the fate that befell a French professorship of Armenian)

Page 172: 'hushand' corrected to 'husband'. (and shortly after her husband had extricated her she became a mother).

Page 226: 'daugher' corrected to 'daughter'. ("And a cup of poison, my daughter.")

Page 335: 'compact' is correct. = 'agreement'. (Apparently she took the advice and kept the compact,)

Page 335: n[~i]na corrected to nina. (A dormir va mi nina).

Page 337: "wee Willie Winkile" corrected to "wee Willie Winkie" ("wee Willie Winkie" who runs upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown:)

Page 341: 'cardle' corrected to 'cradle'. (aunt has taken baby from his cradle)

Page 343: 'The' corrected to 'They'. (They are often called "certi signuri,")