3. We have many early proofs that India possessed an indigenous
breed of hunting-dogs of noble and somewhat fierce character. They
were much esteemed as hunting-dogs by the Persians, and formed an
important article of commerce. Herodotus (i. 192) mentions their being
imported into Babylon; whether the mighty hunter Nimrod had a high
opinion of them, there is perhaps no means of ascertaining. Strabo
(xv. i. § 31) says they were not afraid to hunt lions. In the Ramajana,
(ii. 70, 21) Ashvapati gives Rama a present of "swift asses and dogs
bred in the palace, large in stature, with the strength of tigers,
and teeth meet to fight withal." Alexander found them sufficiently
superior to his own to take with him a present of them offered him
by Sopeithes. Aristobulos, Megasthenes, and Ælianus mention their
qualities with admiration. Their strength and courage led to the
erroneous tradition that they were suckled by tigers (see Pliny,
viii. 65, I). Plutarch (De Soc. Anim. x. 4) quotes a passage from an
earlier Greek writer, saying they were so noble, that though when they
caught a hare they gladly sucked his blood, yet that if one lay down
exhausted with the course, they would not kill it, but stood round
it in a circle, wagging their tails to show their enjoyment was not
in the blood, but in the victory.
The house-dog and herd-dog, however, was rather looked down upon; it
and the ass were the only animals the Kandala or lowest caste were
allowed to possess (Manu, x. 51), and it is still called Paria-dog
(Bp Heber's "Journey," i. 490).
4. A functionary invented by the Mongolian tale-repeater. The idea
evidently borrowed from his knowledge of the paramount authority of
the Talé Lama of Tibet, leading him to suppose there must exist a
corresponding dignity in India.
5. Barin Tschidaktschi Erdekctu, "The mighty one at taking distant
aim." (Jülg.)
6. Gesser Khan, the great hero of Mongolian tales; called also "The
mighty Destroyer of the root of the seven evils in the seven places
of the earth." (Jülg.)
7. Tschin-tâmani, Sanskrit, "Thought-jewel," is a jewel possessing the
magic power of producing whatever object the possessor of it sets his
heart upon. (Böhtlingk and Roth, Sanskrit Dict.) See infra, note 2,
to "The False Friend," and note 8 to "Vikramâditja's Youth."