Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.15821

c10.15821

1875.—“Once upon a time it was announced that the Pádsháh was about to pass through a certain remote village of Upper India. And the village heads gathered in pancháyat to consider what offering they could present on such an unexampled occasion. Two products only of the village lands were deemed fit to serve as nazrána. One was the *custard-apple*, the other was the *wood-apple* . . . a wild fruit with a very hard shelly rind, something like a large lemon or small citron converted into wood. After many pros and cons, the custard-apple carried the day, and the village elders accordingly, when the king appeared, made salám, and presented a large basket of custard-apples. His Majesty did not accept the offering graciously, but with much abusive language at being stopped to receive such trash, pelted the simpletons with their offering, till the whole basketful had been squashed upon their venerable heads. They retired, abashed indeed, but devoutly thanking heaven that the offering had not been of wood-apples!”—*Some Unscientific Notes on the History of Plants* (by H. Y.) in *Geog. Mag.*, 1875, pp. 49-50. The story was heard many years ago from Major William Yule, for whom see under TOBACCO.