--- title: Opening, part 21 — The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 21, «The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient» by Penrhyn Wingfield Coussens: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: “Fair Prince, on the charger so gray, Turn thee back! --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/21/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Jade Story Book; Stories from the…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/) / Opening, part 21 # Opening, part 21 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/21/) **2** Hearing this, Rajah Sarkap frowned, and bade his slaves remove Bhanur, the Arab steed, since he gave his master advice in the game.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, when the slaves came to lead the faithful steed away, Rasalu could not refrain from tears, thinking over the long years during which Bhanur, the Arab steed, had been his companion.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") But the horse cried out again:[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") “Weep not, dear Prince\![63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall not eat my bread Of stranger hands, nor to strange stall be led.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") Take thy right hand, and place it as I said.”[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") These words roused some recollection in Rasalu’s mind, and when, just at this moment, the kitten in his pocket began to struggle, he remembered all about the warning, and the dice made from dead men’s bones.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") Then his heart rose up once more, and he called boldly to Rajah Sarkap: “Leave my horse and arms here for the present.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Time enough to take them away when you have won my head!”[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, Rajah Sarkap, seeing Rasalu’s confident bearing, began to be afraid, and ordered all the women of his palace to come forth in their gayest attire and stand before Rasalu, so as to distract his attention from the game.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") But he never even looked at them, and drawing the dice from his pocket, said to Sarkap, “We have played with your dice all this time.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") Now we will play with mine.”[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the kitten went and sat at the window through which the rat Dhol Rajah used to come, and the game began.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") After awhile, Sarkap, seeing Rajah Rasalu was winning, called to his rat, but when Dhol Rajah saw the kitten he was afraid, and would not go farther.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") So Rasalu won, and took back his arms.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Next he played for his horse, and once more Rajah Sarkap called for his rat; but Dhol Rajah, seeing the kitten keeping watch, was afraid.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") So Rasalu won the second stake, and took back Bhanur, the Arab steed.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Sarkap brought all his skill to bear on the third and last game, saying:[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, molded pieces\![78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") Favor me to-day\![79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") Forsooth this is a man with whom I play.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") No paltry risk—but life and death at stake; As Sarkap does, so do, for Sarkap’s sake!”[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") But Rasalu answered back:[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, molded pieces\![83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") Favor me to-day\![84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") Forsooth it is a man with whom I play.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") No paltry risk—but life and death at stake; As Heaven does, so do, for Heaven’s sake!”[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") So they began to play, whilst the women stood round in a circle, and the kitten watched Dhol Rajah, from the window.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Sarkap lost, first his kingdom, then the wealth of the whole world, and lastly his head.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Just then, a servant came in to announce the birth of a daughter to Rajah Sarkap, and he, overcome by misfortunes, said, “Kill her at once\![89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") For she has been born in an evil moment, and has brought her father ill luck!”[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") But Rasalu rose up in his shining armor, tender-hearted and strong, saying: “Not so, O King\![91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") She has done no evil.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") Give me this child to wife; and if you will vow, by all you hold sacred, never again to play chaupur for another’s head, I will spare yours now!”[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Sarkap vowed a solemn vow never to play for another’s head; and after that he took a fresh mango branch, and the newborn babe, and placing them on a golden dish, gave them to Rasalu.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, as he left the palace, carrying with him the newborn babe and the mango branch, he met a band of prisoners, and they called out to him:[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") “A royal hawk art thou, O King, the rest But timid wild-fowl.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") Grant us our request, Unloose these chains, and live forever blest!”[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") And Rajah Rasalu harkened to them, and bade King Sarkap set them at liberty.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he went to the Murti Hills, and placed the newborn babe, Kokilan, in an underground palace, and planted the mango branch at the door, saying, “In twelve years the mango tree will blossom; then will I return and marry Kokilan.”[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") And after twelve years, the mango tree began to flower, and Raja Rasalu married the Princess Kokilan, who he won from Sarkap when he played chaupur with the king.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") THE FOUR FRIENDS[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") Three great friends, a tortoise, a weasel and a crow, were talking together one fine day when they were disturbed by the noise of an animal who was coming their way in great haste.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") They soon saw that it was a goat, who was evidently being pursued, so, as a matter of safety, each of them sought a place of refuge.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") The goat stopped quite suddenly by the side of a pool, near which the three friends had been conversing together, but he seemed to be afraid to drink.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") The crow, who had flown to the upper branches of a high tree, saw that the man who had been hunting the goat had given up the chase, so he called to the tortoise, whose haven was the pool, that it was quite safe now for him to come out.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") The tortoise at once came to the surface, and seeing the goat standing there, evidently thirsty, but trembling and afraid to drink, spoke kindly to him, assuring him that there was no danger.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the goat drank, and the tortoise asked him why he was so distressed.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") The goat replied that he had reason to be, for he had barely escaped death at the hands of a hunter.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well,” said the tortoise, “you are quite safe now.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") There are three of us here, a weasel, a crow, and myself, who are great friends.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") How would you like to join our company?[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") It is our practice to stand by one another in all things, and to make our lives as pleasant as possible.”[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") By this time the weasel and the crow had joined them and they seconded the invitation, so the goat accepted, and each of them swore to be a true friend to the others.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") For a long time they lived pleasantly together; but one day the goat failed to be at their meeting-place, and this caused them great anxiety.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") They waited for some time, but as their friend didn’t appear, they decided to search for him, fearing that he was in trouble.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") So the crow flew up into the air, and looking round about saw the poor goat striving to release himself from the meshes of a hunter’s net.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") He at once reported his discovery to his friends, and their sorrow upon receiving the news of the goat’s capture was great.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") It was their duty now to see what could be done to help their comrade, and at length they hit upon a plan to rescue him.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") The weasel possessed very sharp teeth, and he was to gnaw the meshes of the net in which the goat was confined, and so set him at liberty.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") As this would take some time, it was necessary that the weasel get to work as soon as possible, because the hunter might return to his net at any minute.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") The crow and the weasel hastened to the spot, and such good work did the latter do with his teeth, that by the time the tortoise arrived, the goat was at liberty.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/21/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/21/) - next →: [Opening, part 22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/22/) - ↑ back to [The Jade Story Book; Stories from the Orient](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg65965/)