58 SOME ASSAMESE PROTERBS. descriptions of this kind of silk are to be obtained in the Jorhdt subdivision of the Sibsagar district. ^^^1% is either a scarf or waistcloth. These 'are often made of *^ pdt^* or " mezanhari " silk and are embroidered with red, or even very occasionally with gold thread. ^M I— Bhmya(n)s were, as their name implies, landholders, the word %M being derived from ^"^ or ^f^T (land) . Bronson says they were *' r^jbangshi," or of the royal family. They were, in addition to being landholders, entitled to certain privileges granted them in consideration for their performing certain judicial func- tions ; apparently, they were attached to the chief courts of justice in the times of the Rdj^s, and they acted as umpires or arbitrators in civil suits. Robinson mentions in his "Assam" the "Bdro Bhuiya," or 12 Bhuiyas. With reference to this pro- "^erb it will be interesting to compare Christian's Bihar proverb-— ^ Bap ke put sipahi ke gliora, Nau to thora thord. Which Christian translates—-
- ' A chip of the old block,
like the steed of the trooper, If he is not up to very much, still he is above the average-** •• 175 Bards. ^t^ ^5?^ ^'»t^ 'ftt^, ^^tc^Htf?^ C^t ^tf^i Bardr gharat tarar ga(n)thi, barano thakiba kei rdti. In the Bard's house the walls are fastened with " tard," How many nights will the Bard Uve in it ? '^'^{hard). — A." bard" was an inferior officer appointed by the Assam kings over 20 peons. The bard apparently looked after road-making and other public works, and used to move from place to place ; hence the saying " thakiba kei rati " (how many nights will he remain) . ^^1 {tard) or ^^ttt^ is the wild cardamom, which elephants are very fond of. The walls and roofs of temporary huts are fre- quently made of ^^1 {tard).
