l natives of
Hindustan, and by no means to be despised, for in a good story there may
be implanted the kernel of a sound philosophy.

On a summer night in the year named eight men were assembled on the
veranda of the caravanserai. The full moon had just risen above a tope
of tamarind trees, and its silvern radiance revealed every detail of the
scene. A Rajput chief occupied the place of central prominence, cushions
arranged for his convenience, on one of which rested his scimitar, the
emblem of his soldierly profession. Not far from him, in a
half-reclining posture, was a general of the Afghans, also of the
bodyguard of the Emperor. A hakeem, or physician, and an astrologer,
both in the Moslem style of dress, were seated close together, legs
crossed beneath them; while a little apart were two Hindus, as the caste
marks on their foreheads showed, a tax-collector from the country and a
kotwal, or city magistrate. Just above the steps leading on to the
veranda, surrounded by his bales of merchandise, sat a merchant from
Bombay, a big and stalwart man, attired in spotless white raiment, on
his head a voluminous muslin turban. In striking contrast, squatting on
the ground below the steps, at his feet a wooden begging bowl, was a
fakir, or religious ascetic, a loin cloth his sole covering, his face
bedaubed with ashes, his lean chin resting on his upraised knees while
he listened to the dialogue and watched each speaker's face with eyes of
keen alertness.

There had been some desultory conversation, which finally resulted in
the Rajput chief being begged to relate in detail an experience at which
he had previously hinted. The first story led to another story, and the
third to yet another, and so on, until each member of the company had
contributed to the general entertainment. And these are the tales that
were told by the travellers on the veranda of the caravanserai outside
the walls of Fathpur-Sikri that moonlight night in the days of the
mighty Akbar:

I. THE MAID OF JHALNAGOR

TOLD BY THE RAJPUT CHIEF

Well, since you would have it so, listen to the story of Rukpur Singh,
hereditary chief of Jhalnagor, mansabdar of five hundred men, captain of
the bodyguard of Akbar the Great, King of Kings, Lord of the Earth.

"This day in the Hall of Assembly, in the presence of the great Padishah
himself, we have listened to the arguments of men of diverse faiths. It
is well. As Akbar, the Most High, himself has said, al