--- title: Opening, part 3 — Indian tales of the great ones among men, women,… · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 3, «Indian tales of the great ones among men, women, and bird-people» by Cornelia Sorabji: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: And Raziya said: “My brother has killed his brother, and now he would slay me.” --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg69647/3/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/) / [Indian tales of the great ones among m…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg69647/) / Opening, part 3 # Opening, part 3 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg69647/3/) **2** Everything that the doctors could do, was done; but Humayun was sick unto death.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") Then a holy man said to Baber: “If some precious thing were given to God in exchange for Humayun, God might let him live.”[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") And the holy man talked of the Kohinor, which Baber had got from Gwalior, and which is now in the crown of our King-Emperor of Britain.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") But Baber, who more than anyone we know had loved being alive, said: “No, that is not the most precious thing I have to give.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") There is my life.”[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") And he walked three times round Humayun’s bed, saying: “Oh, God! if a life may be given for a life, I, who am Baber, I give my life and my being for Humayun.”[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") And he went away and prayed and fasted, saying many times: “I have borne it away.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") I have prevailed.”[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") That night Baber fell ill, and Humayun began to get better.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Baber called his nobles together, and charged them to serve Humayun faithfully, for he himself would rule no more.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") And three days later he did indeed pass out from the life which he had loved so well, and had laid down so lovingly.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") The King who kept his Word[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") There is one story told of Humayun, the Moon-Lady’s son, which is worth remembering.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") Sher Khan, the Afghan, turned traitor, and the King was compelled to fly for his life.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") But there was no escape except across a river in flood; and his horse sank exhausted in mid-stream.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the King would have died; but a water-carrier on the opposite bank saw the King’s trouble, and brought him his own skin-bags, on which Humayun floated safely to land.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") “I have nothing to give thee now,” said the King; “but come to me in Agra, and if I live thou shalt sit on my throne for a whole day.”[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") The King did live, and got back his kingdom; and the water-carrier came to claim his reward.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Humayun kept his word, like the King that he was.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") For one whole day the water-carrier sat on the throne; and the skin that had saved the King’s life was cut into little pieces and stamped into money by the Royal Mint.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") Naila[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") Ghyas-ud-din Tughlak, the Moghul, had heard of the beauty of the daughters of Rana-Mal-Bhatti, the Rajput: and he wished a Rajput princess for the wife of his brother Rajab.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") But when he sent to ask this, Rana Mal made a haughty answer--“No daughter of the Moon could wed with a slayer of cows.”[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Tughlak demanded at once, and in cash, a whole year’s tribute to be paid to Delhi.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") And Rana Mal was sad, for though the people stripped themselves bare, it would not be easy.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") And the sound of the people’s crying reached the ears of Rana Mal’s old mother, who came to her son’s house weeping, with unbound hair, to plead for the people.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") And as she came Naila, the most beautiful of Rana Mal’s daughters, saw her and ran to open the door to her.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") “Why weeps my grandmother?” asked Naila.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") “Because of you,” said the old woman.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") “The Turk is taxing our people, because your father will not give you in marriage to the Turk as he desires.”[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") “If to give me to the Turk will save our people,” said Naila, “send me at once, grandmother.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") Think only that the robber Turks have carried off one of your jewels.”[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") So did Naila give herself for her country.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") And afterwards her only son Firoz Shah served his people in the same spirit.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") He was loved by them all.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Cruelty gave place to kindness, taking to giving, hating to loving--and for thirty-seven years there was peace and prosperity and goodwill in Delhi.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") The Lotus-Lady[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") In the days when Ala-ud-din, the Moslem, ruled at Delhi, the beautiful rock-fortress Chittore was the capital of Rajputana, and brave Prince Bhimsi was regent for his nephew the Baby-King.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") Now Bhimsi had a most beautiful wife, the Lotus-Lady, the fame of whose beauty had gone forth all over India.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") And in the old days men thought it not wrong to try and snatch away from others anything which they wished to possess--be this thing what it might, rich city or lovely lady or priceless jewel.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") So Ala-ud-din waged war on Chittore in order to capture the lovely Lotus-Lady.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") But the Rajput warriors laughed him to scorn, and defeated him, and kept safe their beauteous Lady of the Lotus.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Ala-ud-din pretended to be very much ashamed that he had ever even imagined that Prince Bhimsi would let the Princess be taken captive by an enemy.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") “But,” he added, “I have come a long way and have fought hard, and you have conquered.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Therefore before I go, let me look, I pray, but for one minute on the beauty of which I have heard so much.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") “Let me see the face of the Princess Lady, just for a breathing-space, not openly, but in a mirror--so that I may have in my soul a vision of the Perfectly Beautiful, to help me in the days that remain.”[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") And Bhimsi was so noble a knight that he was moved by these words to grant his enemy his desire.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Ala-ud-din pretended to be very grateful, and the courteous knight Bhimsi was sorry for the enemy whom he had defeated.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") Thinking him to be also a knight and bound by knightly courtesies and honour, he accompanied him alone outside the gates of the city, to set him on his way.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") But when Ala-ud-din got Bhimsi alone and at his mercy, he carried him captive to his own camp.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") Only in exchange for the Lotus-Lady herself, he declared, would he release the Rajput Prince-Regent.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") Then all the knights and warriors of Chittore took counsel with the Princess as to what should be done.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Lotus-Lady was brave: for she loved her lord very dearly.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") So in concert with her nobles, she arranged that word should be sent to Ala-ud-din that she was coming, as he commanded, to release her lord: but that she craved a few minutes’ speech of her lord, before parting with him for ever.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") And Ala-ud-din granted her request.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") So, for the camp of the enemy set forth a great procession of palanquins and mace-bearers; and Ala-ud-din was not afraid, for he knew that so great a lady might not be abroad without her waiting-women and her mistresses of the robes, and her mace-bearers and the slaves who did her bidding--one slave for each separate little duty of the care of her lovely person.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") And now the Lotus-Lady was at the prisoner’s tent of her lord; and now she had bid him farewell, and the long line of palanquins had turned once more towards Chittore.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") And Ala-ud-din said: “Ha! now will I have both the Prince and his bride!” and he ordered the palanquins to stop, thinking to make an easy capture of the prisoner whom he had just exchanged, among the palanquins of the women-folk.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") But the warriors of Chittore had prepared a surprise for Ala-ud-din, the traitor.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") Forth from every palanquin streamed the bravest of Chittore’s Rajput knights--the very palanquin-bearers were warriors: and they fought and routed Ala-ud-din and his hosts, and carried their Prince and his lady safely to the palace of their fortress home.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") And Ala-ud-din fled in haste to Delhi.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") But Ala-ud-din never forgot this second disgrace.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") Nor, it is said, could he forget the face of the Lotus-Lady.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg69647/3/) **2** - ← previous: [page 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