Storia do Mogor 238.4.3

238.4.3

In Shahjahan's time a soldier went to draw his pay, and the official, who was a kayath, could not attend to him at once, as he was busy. The angry soldier threatened him, saying he should have to smash his teeth with his sword. The official said nothing, and paid him; then, jesting, said that with his pen he could do more than he with his sword. The sharp-witted scribe, to get his revenge for the menace, wrote in the book where was entered the soldier's descriptive-roll that he had lost [71] two of his front teeth. For it is the practice in the Mogul country to write the names and personal marks of those who are employed. Some months elapsed, and the soldier appeared again for his pay. The clerk opened the book, and found by the description that he was not the man entitled to that pay, for he had two front teeth more than were recorded in the register of descriptive-rolls. The soldier was put to confusion; his protests and arguments were unavailing; and seeing no other course if he would not lose his pay and his place, he was obliged to have two front teeth extracted to agree with the record, and in that way got his pay. Throughout the empire the king is obliged to maintain fosdars (faujdars)—that is, 'lords of an army'—for if he had no such officers no one would pay him either revenue or tribute.