Classic Poem

Of eight great beams the boat was wrought,
With four red row-pins; — Hu-ri-jee!
When Mirza Saheb spied at the Ghaut
Bhagbati bathing. — Hu-ri-jee!

" O girls! that hither your chatties bring,
Who is this bathing? " — Hu-ri-jee!
" The Head of our village is Horil Singh;
'T is the Raja's sister! " — Hu-ri-jee!

" Run thou, Barber! — and, Peon! run thou;
Bring hither that Rajpat! " — Hu-ri-jee!
" O girls! who carry the chatties, now,
Which is his dwelling? " — Hu-ri-jee!

" The dwelling of Horil Singh looks north,
And north of the door is a sandal-tree: " —
With arms fast-bound they brought him forth;
" Salaam to the Mirza! " — Hu-ri-jee!

" Take, Horil Singh, this basket of gold,
And give me thy sister, sweet Bhagbati. "
" Fire burn thy basket! " he answered, bold, —
" My sister 's a Rajpat! " — Hu-ri-jee!

Horil's wife came down from her house;
She weeps in the courtyard: " Cursed be,
O sister-in-law, thy beautiful brows!
My husband is chained for them! " — Hu-ri-jee!

" Now, sister-in-law! of thy house keep charge,
And the duties therein: " quoth Bhagbati;
" For Horil Singh shall be set at large,
I go to release him! " — Hu-ri-jee!

When Bhagbati came to the Mirza's hall
Low she salaamed to him: — Hu-ri-jee!
" The fetters of Horil Singh let fall,
If, Mirza, " she said, " thou desirest me. "

" If, Mirza, " she said, " thou wouldst have my love,
Dye me a bride-cloth; " — Hu-ri-jee!
" Saffron beneath and vermilion above,
Fit for a Rajpat! " — Hu-ri-jee!

" If, Mirza, " she said, " I am fair in thine eyes,
And mine is thy heart, now, " — Hu-ri-jee!
" Command me jewels of rich device,
Fit for a Rajpat! " — Hu-ri-jee!

" If, Mirza, " she said, " I must do this thing,
Quitting my people, " — Hu-ri-jee!
" The palanquin and the bearers bring,
That I go not afoot from them! " — Hu-ri-jee!

Smiling, he bade the dyers haste
To dye her a bride-cloth. — Hu-ri-jee!
Weeping — weeping, around her waist
Bhagbati bound it. — Hu-ri-jee!

Smiling, he bought, from the goldsmith's best,
Jewels unparalleled. — Hu-ri-jee!
Weeping, weeping — on neck and breast
Bhagbati clasped them. — Hu-ri-jee!

Joyously smiling, " Bring forth, " he cried,
" My gilded palanquin! " — Hu-ri-jee!
Bitterly sorrowing, entered the bride,
Beautiful Bhagbati. — Hu-ri-jee!

A koss and a half of a koss went they,
And another koss after; — Hu-ri-jee!
Then Bhagbati thirsted: " Bearers, stay!
I would drink at the tank here! " — Hu-ri-jee!

" Take from my cup, " the Mirza said:
" Oh, not to-day will I take! " quoth she:
" For this was my father's tank, who is dead,
And it soon will be distant! " — Hu-ri-jee!

She quaffed one draught from her hollowed palm,
And again she dipped it; — Hu-ri-jee!
Then leaped in the water, dark and calm,
And sank from the sight of them. — Hu-ri-jee!

Sorely the Mirza bewailed, and hid
His face in his cloth, for rage to be
So mocked: " See, now, in all she did
Bhagbati fooled me! " — Hu-ri-jee!

Grieving, the Mirza cast a net
Dragging the water; — Hu-ri-jee!
Only shells and weeds did he get,
Shells and bladder-weeds. — Hu-ri-jee!

Laughing, a net cast Horil Singh,
Dragging the water; — Hu-ri-jee!
Lo! at the first sweep, up they bring
Dead, cold Bhagbati — fair to see!

Laughing, homeward the Rajpat wends,
Chewing his betel; " For now, " quoth he,
" In honor this leap of Bhagbati ends
Ten generations! " — Hu-ri-jee!