Catalogue of manuscripts in European languages belonging to the library of the India Office ... / Published by order of the secretary of state for India in council.

  • Great Britain. India Office. Library
Date:
1916-
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Catalogue of manuscripts in European languages belonging to the library of the India Office ... / Published by order of the secretary of state for India in council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    71/344 page 35
    28 tech a moral Tale. Begins: “ Naw randraw [= Narendra] cont. the Kmperor was a very wise and learned man, and was a famous Hero The neighbouring Kings held him in great respect and were very afraid of him.—The Papatteeh of Naw randraw was a very venerable old man, But was much wiser than his Master Naw randraw—The Emperor called the Papatteeh Rammah [=rama] (or father)—The Papatteeh had but only one Son—The Nawrandraw took a great liking to him so that he liked him much more than his father—The Papatteeh was at great pains in enstructing his Son himself in all the learning of his Country and intended to put him into the service of the Naw randraw Emperor—and when he was qualified, his father the Papatteeh was seized with a seveer fit of sickness—but his son paid every much attention to his father in his sick bed—” Thestory goes on to relate that the old Papatteeh advised his son not to put his trust in princes, not to impart his secrets to his wife, and never to take under his roof anyone with whose family he is unacquainted. After this the old Papatteeh dies and his son is appointed to succeed him. p. 292: In spite of his father’s advice, which he has not forgotten, he adopts a foundling. He also tells his wife that he has lost the Emperor’s favourite hawk. This was not quite true, for in fact he had taken the bird secretly and put it in a safe hiding place. His wife is much distressed, and her grief is noticed when she appears at Court the same evening. Eventually she tells the story, in the strictest confidence, to one of the Court ladies, and, of course, it comes round to the Emperor himself, who, on finding the hawk really missing from its cage, sends for his ministers, has the Papatteeh arrested, and orders him to be executed. p. 307-: As all the ministers and executioners refuse to carry out the sentence, the Emperor offers to confer the Papatteeh’s property and other rewards on any person who will. The only one who comes forward to do so is the Papatteeh’s adopted son, who then goes to the prison and informs his adopted father of his intention. The latter asks that he may have a last audience of the Emperor, and this request being granted he explains that the hawk is not lost at all. The bird having been duly restored to the Emperor, the latter asks the Papatteeh to explain the motives of his action. The Papatteeh says that it was done in order to test the value of his father’s advice, as to the soundness of which he is now entirely convinced. The Emperor is keenly conscious of the injustice of his hasty sentence and adopts the Papatteeh as his younger brother, but orders the Papatteeh’s adopted son to be executed immediately. Ends (p. 319): ‘‘When the Boopatties [=bupati] and Mantries [ =mantri| received their orders they left the Palace & carried (the Papatteeh adopted son) the young man to the C 2
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3