8  Narrator's  name,  Pandit  L^l  i"  Narrator's  name,  Ahmad  Jfi,  a
Chand  of  Khunamuh.              '  huckster  of  Srinagar.
9  Customers  nearly  always  oblige  "  BupeyiA  nish  chhSh  i-upe  wdidn.
the  goldsmith  to  test  the  metal  in  the  There  is  a  parallel  saying,  Pdnsa
fire  and  on  the  touchstone.  There  is  nishih  chhuh  pdnsa  nhaidn,  "  Pdnsa
a  Kashmiri  proverb,  "Gold  is  known  bursts  forth  from  pdnsas."

on  the  stone,  whether  it  is  alloyed  or
pure."


THE  STUPID  PEASANT.  325

Some  time  afterwards  he  met  the  person  who  had
quoted  the  saying  to  him,  and  told  him  how  he  had
proved  the  falsity  of  if.
"Not  at  all,"  said  the  man.  "I  spoke  correctly.  Your
rupee  went  to  the  money-changer's  rupees.  They,  being
the  more,  had  the  greater  power."


(    326    )


KARM  YA  DHARM}

A  CERTAIN  brahman  was  very  much  distressed  at  not
having  a  son.  Day  and  night  he  cried  unto  Parameshwar,
gave  much  alms  to  the  priests,  and  richly  endowed  many
temples,  in  the  hope  that  his  desire  would  be  granted.  At
length  a  son  was  born  in  his  house.  There  was  much
rejoicing,  and  many  and  liberal  were  the  gifts  that  were
lavished  upon  the  priests.
At  the  age  of  twelve  years  the  boy  was  sent  to  school,
soon  after  which  the  brahman  died.  And  then  the  boy
fell  sick,  and  was  nigh  unto  death  for  many  a  day.  It
was  a  terrible  time  for  the  poor  wife  and  mother.  She
had  just  lost  her  husband,  and  now  her  son  was  about  to
go.  "  0  Bhagawant,  have  mercy  and  save,  have  mercy
and  save ! "  she  cried  continually.  Her  prayer  was  heard.
A  jogi  visited  her  house,  and  promised  her  that  if  she
attended  to  his  instructions  the  boy  should  live.
