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diff --git a/old/11310-0.txt b/old/11310-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d8af92 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11310-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4815 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + +Author: + +Translator: S. M. Mitra + +Release Date: February 26, 2004 [eBook #11310] +[Most recently updated: March 15, 2021] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES FROM THE SANSKRIT *** + + + + +Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + + +Translated by +S. M. Mitra + +Adapted by +Mrs. Arthur Bell + +1919 + + +Contents + + INTRODUCTORY NOTE + + 1. The Magic Pitcher + 2. The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl + 3. A Royal Thief-Catcher + 4. The Magic Shoes and Staff + 5. The Jewelled Arrow + 6. The Beetle and the Silken Thread + 7. A Crow and His Three Friends + 8. A Clever Thief + 9. The Hermit’s Daughter + + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTE. + + +Thanks to Mr. S. M. Mitra, the well-known Hindu psychologist and +politician, who has done so much to draw more closely together the land +of his birth and that of his adoption, I am able to bring within reach +of English children a number of typical Hindu Tales, translated by him +from the Sanskrit, some of them culled from the ancient classics of +India, others from widely separated sources. The latter have hitherto +been quite inaccessible to western students, as they are not yet +embodied in literature, but have been transmitted orally from +generation to generation for many centuries. + +These tales are not only of a kind to enchain the attention of +children. They also illustrate well the close affinity between the two +chief branches of the great Aryan race, and are of considerable ethical +value, reflecting, as they do, the philosophy of self-realisation which +lies at the root of Hindu culture. They have been used from time +immemorial by the best teachers of India as a means of building up the +personalities of the young and maintaining the efficiency of the adult. +They serve in fact as text-books of the unique system of Mind-Training +which has been in use in India from remote Vedic times, the root +principle of which is as simple as it is effective. + +Hindu children become familiar at their mothers’ knees with these +stories, and are trained to answer questions on them, subtly chosen to +suit their ages and call into action their mental faculties. Appealing +to them as an amusing game, in which they vie with each other in trying +to solve the problems presented for their consideration, the boys and +girls, who are educated together till they are ten or twelve years old, +early learn to concentrate their attention; whilst the simultaneous +development of all their powers is encouraged and they are, +imperceptibly to themselves led to control their thoughts and emotions +from within, instead of having to obey orders which they do not +understand from without. They realize indeed, whilst still in the +nursery, the ideal suggested by the sage Vidura in the Mahabharata: +“Seek to know thyself by means of thyself, keeping thy mind, intellect +and senses, under control; for self is thy friend as it is also thy +foe.” + +Nancy Bell. + +Southbourne-on-Sea, 1918. + + + + +I. +The Magic Pitcher. + + +CHAPTER I + +Long, long ago there lived far away in India a woodcutter called Subha +Datta and his family, who were all very happy together. The father went +every day to the forest near his home to get supplies of wood, which he +sold to his neighbours, earning by that means quite enough to give his +wife and children all that they needed. Sometimes he took his three +boys with him, and now and then, as a special treat, his two little +girls were allowed to trot along beside him. The boys longed to be +allowed to chop wood for themselves, and their father told them that as +soon as they were old enough he would give each of them a little axe of +his own. The girls, he said, must be content with breaking off small +twigs from the branches he cut down, for he did not wish them to chop +their own fingers off. This will show you what a kind father he was, +and you will be very sorry for him when you hear about his troubles. + +All went well with Subha Datta for a long time. Each of the boys had +his own little axe at last, and each of the girls had a little pair of +scissors to cut off twigs; and very proud they all were when they +brought some wood home to their mother to use in the house. One day, +however, their father told them they could none of them come with him, +for he meant to go a very long way into the forest, to see if he could +find better wood there than nearer home. Vainly the boys entreated him +to take them with him. “Not to-day,” he said, “you would be too tired +to go all the way, and would lose yourselves coming back alone. You +must help your mother to-day and play with your sisters.” They had to +be content, for although Hindu children are as fond of asking questions +as English boys and girls, they are very obedient to their parents and +do all they are told without making any fuss about it. + +Of course, they expected their father would come back the day he +started for the depths of the forest, although they knew he would be +late. What then was their surprise when darkness came and there was no +sign of him! Again and again their mother went to the door to look for +him, expecting every moment to see him coming along the beaten path +which led to their door. Again and again she mistook the cry of some +night-bird for his voice calling to her. She was obliged at last to go +to bed with a heavy heart, fearing some wild beast had killed him and +that she would never see him again. + +1. What do you think had become of Subha Datta? + +2. What would you have done when he did not come back? + + +CHAPTER II + +When Subha Datta started for the forest, he fully intended to come back +the same evening; but as he was busy cutting down a tree, he suddenly +had a feeling that he was no longer alone. He looked up, and there, +quite close to him, in a little clearing where the trees had been cut +down by some other woodcutter, he saw four beautiful young girls +looking like fairies in their thin summer dresses and with their long +hair flowing down their backs, dancing round and round, holding each +other’s hands. Subha Datta was so astonished at the sight that he let +his axe fall, and the noise startled the dancers, who all four stood +still and stared at him. + +The woodcutter could not say a word, but just gazed and gazed at them, +till one of them said to him: “Who are you, and what are you doing in +the very depths of the forest where we have never before seen a man?” + +“I am only a poor woodcutter,” he replied, “come to get some wood to +sell, so as to give my wife and children something to eat and some +clothes to wear.” + +“That is a very stupid thing to do,” said one of the girls. “You can’t +get much money that way. If you will only stop with us we will have +your wife and children looked after for you much better than you can do +it yourself.” + +3. What would you have said if you had been the woodcutter? + +4. Do you think the fairies really meant that they could do as they +offered? + + +CHAPTER III + +Subha Datta, though he certainly did love his wife and children, was so +tempted at the idea of stopping in the forest with the beautiful girls +that, after hesitating a little while, he said, “Yes, I will stop with +you, if you are quite sure all will be well with my dear ones.” + +“You need not be afraid about that,” said another of the girls. “We are +fairies, you see, and we can do all sorts of wonderful things. It isn’t +even necessary for us to go where your dear ones are. We shall just +wish them everything they want, and they will get it. And the first +thing to be done is to give you some food. You must work for us in +return, of course.” + +Subha Datta at once replied, “I will do anything you wish.” + +“Well, begin by sweeping away all the dead leaves from the clearing, +and then we will all sit down and eat together.” + +Subha Datta was very glad that what he was asked to do was so easy. He +began by cutting a branch from a tree, and with it he swept the floor +of what was to be the dining-room. Then he looked about for the food, +but he could see nothing but a great big pitcher standing in the shade +of a tree, the branches of which hung over the clearing. So he said to +one of the fairies, “Will you show me where the food is, and exactly +where you would like me to set it out?” + +At these questions all the fairies began to laugh, and the sound of +their laughter was like the tinkling of a number of bells. + +5. What was there to laugh at in the questions of Subha Datta? + +6. What is your idea of a fairy? + + +CHAPTER IV + +When the fairies saw how astonished Subha Datta was at the way they +laughed, it made them laugh still more, and they seized each other’s +hands again and whirled round and round, laughing all the time. + +Poor Subha Datta, who was very tired and hungry, began to get unhappy +and to wish he had gone straight home after all. He stooped down to +pick up his axe, and was just about to turn away with it, when the +fairies stopped their mad whirl and cried to him to stop. So he waited, +and one of them said: + +“_We_ don’t have to bother about fetching this and fetching that. You +see that big pitcher. Well, we get all our food and everything else we +want out of it. We just have to wish as we put our hands in, and there +it is. It’s a magic pitcher—the only one there is in the whole wide +world. You get the food you would like to have first, and then we’ll +tell you what _we_ want.” + +Subha Datta could hardly believe his ears when he heard that. Down he +threw his axe, and hastened to put his hand in the pitcher, wishing for +the food he was used to. He loved curried rice and milk, lentils, fruit +and vegetables, and very soon he had a beautiful meal spread out for +himself on the ground. Then the fairies called out, one after the +other, what they wanted for food, things the woodcutter had never heard +of or seen, which made him quite discontented with what he had chosen +for himself. + +7. What would you have wished for if you had had a magic pitcher? + +8. Would it be a good thing, do you think, to be able to get food +without working for it or paying for it? + + +CHAPTER V + +The next few days passed away like a dream, and at first Subha Datta +thought he had never been so happy in his life. The fairies often went +off together leaving him alone, only coming back to the clearing when +they wanted something out of the pitcher. The woodcutter got all kinds +of things he fancied for himself, but presently he began to wish he had +his wife and children with him to share his wonderful meals. He began +to miss them terribly, and he missed his work too. It was no good +cutting trees down and chopping up wood when all the food was ready +cooked. Sometimes he thought he would slip off home when the fairies +were away, but when he looked at the pitcher he could not bear the +thought of leaving it. + +9. What sort of man do you think Subha Datta was from what this story +tells you about him? + +10. What do you think was the chief cause of his becoming discontented +after he had been in the service of the fairies for a few days? + + +CHAPTER VI + +Soon Subha Datta could not sleep well for thinking of the wife and +children he had deserted. Suppose they were hungry when he had plenty +to eat! It even came into his head that he might steal the pitcher and +take it home with him when the fairies were away. But he had not after +all the courage to do this; for even when the beautiful girls were not +in sight, he had a feeling that they would know if he tried to go off +with the pitcher, and that they would be able to punish him in some +terrible way. One night he had a dream that troubled him very much. He +saw his wife sitting crying bitterly in the little home he used to +love, holding the youngest child on her knee whilst the other three +stood beside her looking at her very, very sadly. He started up from +the ground on which he lay, determined to go home at once; but at a +little distance off he saw the fairies dancing in the moonlight, and +somehow he felt again he could not leave them and the pitcher. The next +day, however, he was so miserable that the fairies noticed it, and one +of them said to him: “Whatever is the matter? We don’t care to keep +unhappy people here. If you can’t enjoy life as we do, you had better +go home.” + +Then Subha Datta was very much frightened lest they should really send +him away; so he told them about his dream and that he was afraid his +dear ones were starving for want of the money he used to earn for them. + +“Don’t worry about them,” was the reply: “we will let your wife know +what keeps you away. We will whisper in her ear when she is asleep, and +she will be so glad to think of your happiness that she will forget her +own troubles.” + +11. Do you think what the fairies said to the woodcutter was likely to +comfort him about his wife and children? + +12. If you had been in Subha Datta’s place what would you have said to +the fairies when they made this promise? + + +CHAPTER VII + +Subha Datta was very much cheered by the sympathy of the fairies, so +much so that he decided to stop with them for a little longer at least. +Now and then he felt restless, but on the whole the time passed +pleasantly, and the pitcher was a daily delight to him. + +Meanwhile his poor wife was at her wits’ end how to feed her dear +children. If it had not been that the two boys were brave, plucky +little chaps, she really would have been in despair. When their father +did not come back and all their efforts to find him were in vain, these +boys set to work to help their mother. They could not cut down trees, +but they could climb them and chop off small branches with their axes; +and this they did, making up bundles of faggots and selling them to +their neighbours. These neighbours were touched by the courage they +showed, and not only paid them well for the wood but often gave them +milk and rice and other little things to help them. In time they +actually got used to being without Subha Datta, and the little girls +nearly forgot all about him. Little did they dream of the change that +was soon to come into their lives. + +13. Was it a good or a bad thing for the boys that their father did not +come back? + +14. If you think it was a good thing, will you explain why? and if it +was a bad thing, why you think it was? + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A month passed peacefully away in the depths of the forest, Subha Datta +waiting on the fairies and becoming every day more selfish and bent on +enjoying himself. Then he had another dream, in which he saw his wife +and children in the old home with plenty of food, and evidently so +happy without him that he felt quite determined to go and show them he +was still alive. When he woke he said to the fairies, “I will not stop +with you any longer. I have had a good time here, but I am tired of +this life away from my own people.” + +The fairies saw he was really in earnest this time, so they consented +to let him go; but they were kind-hearted people and felt they ought to +pay him in some way for all he had done for them. They consulted +together, and then one of them told him they wished to make him a +present before he went away, and they would give him whatever he asked +for. + +15. What do you think it was that made Subha Datta determine to go home +when he found his wife and children could do without him? + +16. What would you have chosen if the fairies had told you you could +have anything you liked? + + +CHAPTER IX + +Directly the woodcutter heard he could have anything he asked for, he +cried, “I will have the magic pitcher.” + +You can just imagine what a shock this was to the fairies! You know, of +course, that fairies always keep their word. If they could not persuade +Subha Datta to choose something else, they would have to give him their +beloved, their precious pitcher and would have to seek their food for +themselves. They all tried all they could to persuade the woodcutter to +choose something else. They took him to their own secret +treasure-house, in an old, old tree with a hollow trunk, even the +entrance to which no mortal had ever been allowed to see. They +blindfolded him before they started, so that he could never reveal the +way, and one of them led him by the hand, telling him where the steps +going down from the tree began. When at last the bandage was taken from +his eyes, he found himself in a lofty hall with an opening in the roof +through which the light came. Piled up on the floor were sparkling +stones worth a great deal of gold and silver money, and on the walls +hung beautiful robes. Subha Datta was quite dazed with all he saw, but +he was only an ignorant woodcutter and did not realize the value of the +jewels and clothes. So when the fairies, said to him, “Choose anything +you like here and let us keep our pitcher,” he shook his head and said: +“No! no! no! The pitcher! I will have the pitcher!” One fairy after +another picked up the rubies and diamonds and other precious stones and +held them in the light, that the woodcutter might see how lovely they +were; and when he still only shook his head, they got down the robes +and tried to make him put one of them on. “No! the pitcher! the +pitcher!” he said, and at last they had to give it up. They bound his +eyes again and led him back to the clearing and the pitcher. + +17. Would you have been tempted to give up the pitcher when you saw the +jewels and the robes? + +18. What made Subha Datta so determined to have the pitcher? + + +CHAPTER X + +Even when they were all back again in the clearing the fairies did not +quite give up hope of keeping their pitcher. This time they gave other +reasons why Subha Datta should not have it. “It will break very +easily,” they told him, “and then it will be no good to you or any one +else. But if you take some of the money, you can buy anything you like +with it. If you take some of the jewels you can sell them for lots of +money.” + +“No! no! no!” cried the woodcutter. “The pitcher! the pitcher! I will +have the pitcher!” + +“Very well then, take, the pitcher,” they sadly answered, “and never +let us see your face again!” + +So Subha Datta took the pitcher, carrying it very, very carefully, lest +he should drop it and break it before he got home. He did not think at +all of what a cruel thing it was to take it away from the fairies, and +leave them either to starve or to seek for food for themselves. The +poor fairies watched him till he was out of sight, and then they began +to weep and wring their hands. “He might at least have waited whilst we +got some food out for a few days,” one of them said. “He was too +selfish to think of that,” said another. “Come, let us forget all about +him and go and look for some fruit.” + +So they all left off crying and went away hand in hand. Fairies do not +want very much to eat. They can live on fruit and dew, and they never +let anything make them sad for long at a time. They go out of this +story now, but you need not be unhappy about them, because you may be +very sure that they got no real harm from their generosity to Subha +Datta in letting him take the pitcher. + +19. Do you think the woodcutter was wrong to ask for the pitcher? + +20. What would have been the best thing for Subha Datta to ask for, if +he had decided to let the fairies keep their pitcher? + + +CHAPTER XI + +You can just imagine what a surprise it was to Subha Datta’s wife and +children when they saw him coming along the path leading to his home. +He did not bring the pitcher with him, but had hidden it in a hollow +tree in the wood near his cottage, for he did not mean any one to know +that he had it. He told his wife that he had lost his way in the +forest, and had been afraid he would never see her or his children +again, but he said nothing about the fairies. When his wife asked him +how he had got food, he told her a long story about the fruits he had +found, and she believed all he said, and determined to make up to him +now for all she thought he had suffered. When she called the little +girls to come and help her get a nice meal for their father, Subha +Datta said: “Oh, don’t bother about that! I’ve brought something back +with me. I’ll go and fetch it, but no one is to come with me.” + +Subha Datta’s wife was sorely disappointed at this, because she loved +her husband so much that it was a joy to her to work for him. The +children too wanted, of course, to go with their father, but he ordered +them to stop where they were. He seized a big basket which was fall of +fuel for the fire, tumbled all the wood in it on the floor, and went +off alone to the pitcher. Very soon he was back again with his basket +full of all sorts of good things, the very names of which his wife and +children had no idea of. “There!” he cried; “what do you think of that? +Am I not a clever father to have found all that in the forest? Those +are the ‘fruits’ I meant when I told Mother about them.” + +21. What would you have thought about this wonderful supply of food, if +you had been one of the woodcutter’s children? + +22. Was it a good thing for those children to have all this food +without working for it? If not, why was it not a good thing? + + +CHAPTER XII + +Life was now, of course, completely changed for the family in the +forest. Subha Datta no longer went to cut wood to be sold, and the boys +also left off doing so. Every day their father fetched food for them +all, and the greatest desire of each one of the family was to find out +where it came from. They never could do so, for Subha Datta managed to +make them afraid to follow him when he went forth with his basket. The +secret he kept from the wife to whom he used to tell everything soon +began to spoil the happiness of the home. The children who had no +longer anything to do quarrelled with each other. Their mother got +sadder and sadder, and at last decided to tell Subha Datta that, unless +he would let her know where the food came from, she would go away from +him and take her little girls with her. She really did mean to do this, +but something soon happened to change everything again. Of course, the +neighbours in the wood, who had bought the fuel from the boys and +helped them by giving them fruit and rice, heard of the return of their +father and of the wonderful change in their lot. Now the whole family +had plenty to eat every day, though none of them knew where it all came +from. Subha Datta was very fond of showing off what he could do, and +sometimes asked his old friends amongst the woodcutters to come and +have a meal with him. When they arrived they would find all sorts of +good things spread out on the ground and different kinds of wines in +beautiful bottles. + +This went on for some months, Subha Datta getting prouder and prouder +of all that he could do, and it seemed likely that his secret would +never be discovered. Everybody tried to find it out, and many followed +him secretly when he set forth into the woods; but he was very clever +at dodging them, hiding his treasure constantly in a new place in the +dead of the night. If he had only been content with getting food out of +his pitcher and drinking pure water, all would most likely have been +well with him. But that was just what he could not do. Till he had his +pitcher he had never drunk anything but water, but now he often took +too much wine. It was this which led to the misfortune of losing his +beloved pitcher. He began to boast of his cleverness, telling his +friends there was nothing they wanted that he could not get for them; +and one day when he had given them a very grand feast, in which were +several rare kinds of food they had asked for, he drank too much +wine—so much that he no longer knew what he was saying. + +This was the chance his guests wanted. They began teasing him, telling +him they believed he was really a wicked robber, who had stolen the +food or the money to buy it. He got angry, and at last was actually +silly enough to tell them all to come with him, and he would show them +he was no robber. When his wife heard this, she was half pleased to +think that now at last the secret would come out of where the food came +from, and half afraid that something terrible would happen. The +children too were greatly excited, and went with the rest of the party, +who followed their father to the last hiding-place of the precious +pitcher. + +When they all got very near the place, however, some idea began to come +into Subha Datta’s head that he was doing a very foolish thing. He +stopped suddenly, turned round facing the crowd that followed him, and +said he would not go a step further till they all went back to the +cottage. His wife begged him to let her at least go with him, and the +children all clamoured not to be sent back, but it was no good. Back +they all had to go, the woodcutter watching till they were out of +sight. + +23. Would Subha Datta have been wise if he had told has wife about the +pitcher? + +24. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for the +secret to be found out? + + +CHAPTER XIII + +When the woodcutter was quite sure that every one was gone and nobody +could see where he had hidden the pitcher, he took it from the hole in +which it lay and carried it carefully to his home. You can imagine how +everybody rushed out to meet him when he came in sight, and crowded +round him, so that there was danger of the pitcher being thrown to the +ground and broken. Subha Datta however managed to get into the cottage +without any accident, and then he began to take things out of the +pitcher and fling them on the ground, shouting, “Am I a robber? Am I a +robber? Who dared to call me a robber?” Then, getting more and more +excited, he picked up the pitcher, and holding it on his shoulder began +to dance wildly about. His wife called out to him, “Oh, take care, take +care! You will drop it!” But he paid no attention to her. Suddenly, +however, he began to feel giddy and fell to the ground, dropping the +pitcher as he did so. It was broken to pieces, and a great cry of +sorrow went up from all who saw the accident. The woodcutter himself +was broken-hearted, for he knew that he had done the mischief himself, +and that if only he had resisted the temptation to drink the wine he +would still have his treasure. + +He was going to pick up the pieces to see if they could be stuck +together, but to his very great surprise he could not touch them. He +heard a silvery laugh, and what sounded like children clapping their +hands, and he thought he also heard the words, “Our pitcher is ours +again!” Could it all have been a dream? No: for there on the ground +were the fruits and cakes that had been in the pitcher, and there were +his wife, his children and his friends, all looking sadly and angrily +at him. One by one the friends went away, leaving Subha Datta alone +with his family. + +25. If you had been Subha Datta’s wife, what would you have done when +this misfortune came to her husband? + +26. What would you have done if you had been the woodcutter? + + +CHAPTER XIV + +This is the end of the story of the Magic Pitcher, but it was the +beginning of a new chapter in the lives of Subha Datta and his family. +They never forgot the wonder-working pitcher, and the children were +never tired of hearing the story of how their father came to get it. +They often wandered about in the forest, hoping that they too would +meet with some wonderful adventure, but they never saw the fairies or +found a magic pitcher. By slow degrees the woodcutter returned to his +old ways, but he had learnt one lesson. He never again kept a secret +from his wife; because he felt sure that, if he had told her the truth +about the pitcher when he first came home, she would have helped him to +save the precious treasure. + +27. What lesson can be learnt from this story? + +28. Do you think it is easier for a boy or a girl to keep a secret? + +29. Why is it wrong to let out a secret you have been told? + +30. What do you think was the chief fault in the character of Subha +Datta? + + + + +II. +The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl. + + +CHAPTER I + +This is the story of four creatures, none of whom loved each other, who +lived in the same banyan tree in a forest in India. Banyan trees are +very beautiful and very useful, and get their name from the fact that +“banians,” as merchants are called in India, often gather together in +their shade to sell their goods. Banyan trees grow to a very great +height, spreading their branches out so widely that many people can +stand beneath them. From those branches roots spring forth, which, when +they reach the ground, pierce it, and look like, columns holding up a +roof. If you have never seen a banyan tree, you can easily find a +picture of one in some dictionary; and when you have done so, you will +understand that a great many creatures can live in one without seeing +much of each other. + +In an especially fine banyan tree, outside the walls of a town called +Vidisa, a cat, an owl, a lizard and a mouse, had all taken up their +abode. The cat lived in a big hole in the trunk some little distance +from the ground, where she could sleep very cosily, curled up out of +sight with her head resting on her forepaws, feeling perfectly safe +from harm; for no other creature, she thought, could possibly discover +her hiding-place. The owl roosted in a mass of foliage at the top of +the tree, near the nest in which his wife had brought up their +children, before those children flew away to seek mates for themselves. +He too felt pretty secure as long as he remained up there; but he had +seen the cat prowling about below him more than once, and was very sure +that, if she should happen to catch sight of him when he was off his +guard seeking his prey and obliged to give all his attention to what he +was doing, she might spring out upon him and kill him. Cats do not +generally attack such big birds as owls, but they will sometimes kill a +mother sitting in her nest, as well as the little ones, if the father +is too far off to protect them. + +The lizard loved to lie and bask in the sunshine, catching the flies on +which he lived, lying so still that they did not notice him, and +darting out his long tongue suddenly to suck them into his mouth. Yet +he hid from the owl and the cat, because he knew full well that, tough +though he was, they would gobble him up if they happened to be hungry. +He made his home amongst the roots on the south side of the tree where +it was hottest, but the mouse had his hole on the other side amongst +damp moss and dead leaves. The mouse was in constant fear of the cat +and the owl. He knew that both of them could see in the dark, and he +would have no chance of escape if they once caught sight of him. + +1. Which of these four creatures do you think was most to be pitied? + +2. Do you think that animals ever hate or love each as human creatures +do? + + +CHAPTER II + +The lizard and the mouse could only get food in daylight; but the +lizard did not have to go far for the flies on which he lived, whilst +the mouse had a very dangerous journey to take to his favourite feeding +place. This was a barley field a short distance from the banyan tree, +where he loved to nibble the full ears, running up the stalks to get at +them. The mouse was the only one of the four creatures in the banyan +tree who did not feed on others; for, like the rest of his family, he +was a vegetarian, that is to say, he ate nothing but vegetables and +fruit. + +Now the cat knew full well how fond the mouse was of the barley-field, +and she used to keep watch amongst the tall stems, creeping stealthily +about with her tail in the air and her green eyes glistening, expecting +any moment to see the poor little mouse darting hastily along. The cat +never dreamt that any danger could come to her, and she trod down the +barley, making quite a clear path through it. She was quite wrong in +thinking herself so safe, for that path got her into very serious +trouble. + +It so happened that a hunter, whose great delight was to kill wild +creatures, and who was very clever in finding them, noticing every +little thing which could shew him where they had passed by, came one +day into the barley-field. He spied the path directly and cried, “Ha! +ha! Some wild animal has been here; not a very big one; let’s have a +look for the footprints!” So he stooped down to the ground, and very +soon saw the marks of pussy’s feet. “A cat, I do believe,” he said to +himself, “spoiling the barley she doesn’t want to eat herself. I’ll +soon pay her out.” The hunter waited until the evening lest the +creature should see what he was going to do, and then in the twilight +he set snares all over the barley-field. A snare, you know, is a string +with a slip-knot at the end of it; and if an animal puts his head or +one of his paws into this slip-knot and goes on without noticing it, +the string is pulled tight and the poor creature cannot get free. + +3. Was it right or wrong of the hunter to set the snare? + +4. Do you think the cat was wrong to lie in wait for the mouse? + + +CHAPTER III + +Exactly what the hunter expected happened. The cat came as usual to +watch for the mouse, and caught sight of him running across the end of +the path. Puss dashed after him; and just as she thought she really had +got him this time, she found herself caught by the neck, for she had +put her head into one of the snares. She was nearly strangled and could +scarcely even mew. The mouse was so close that he heard the feeble mew, +and in a terrible fright, thinking the cat was after him, he peeped +through the stems of the barley to make sure which way to run to get +away from her. What was his delight when he saw his enemy in such +trouble and quite unable to do him any harm! + +Now it so happened that the owl and the lizard were also in the +barley-field, not very far away from the cat, and they too saw the +distress their hated enemy was in. They also caught sight of the little +mouse peeping through the barley; and the owl thought to himself, “I’ll +have you, my little friend, now puss cannot do me any harm,” whilst the +lizard darted away into the sunshine, feeling glad that the cat and the +owl were neither of them now likely to trouble their heads about him. +The owl flew quietly to a tree hard by to watch what would happen, +feeling so sure of having the mouse for his dinner that he was in no +hurry to catch him. + +5. What would you have done if you had been the mouse, when you saw the +cat in the snare? + +6. Was the owl wise or foolish to wait before he caught the mouse? + + +CHAPTER IV + +The mouse, small and helpless though he was, was a wise little +creature. He saw the owl fly up into the tree, and knew quite well that +if he did not take care he would serve as dinner to that great strong +bird. He knew too that, if he went within reach of the claws of the +cat, he would suffer for it. “How I do wish,” he thought to himself, “I +could make friends with the cat, now she is in distress, and get her to +promise not to hurt me if ever she gets free. As long as I am near the +cat, the owl will not dare to come after me.” As he thought and +thought, his eyes got brighter and brighter, and at last he decided +what he would do. He had, you see, kept his presence of mind; that is +to say, he did not let his fright of the cat or the owl prevent him +from thinking clearly. He now ventured forth from amongst the barley, +and coming near enough to the cat for her to see him quite clearly, but +not near enough for her to reach him with her claws, or far enough away +for the owl to get him without danger from those terrible claws, he +said to the cat in a queer little squeaky voice: “Dear Puss, I do not +like to see you in such a fix. It is true we have never been exactly +friends, but I have always looked up to you as a strong and noble +enemy. If you will promise never to do me any harm, I will do my best +to help you. I have very sharp teeth, and I might perhaps be able to +nibble through the string round your beautiful neck and set you free. +What do you think about it?” + +7. Do you think there was any chance of a cat and a mouse becoming real +friends? + +8. Can you give two or three instances you know of presence of mind in +danger? + + +CHAPTER V + +When the cat heard what the mouse said, she could hardly believe her +ears. She was of course ready to promise anything to anyone who would +help her, so she said at once: + +“You dear little mouse, to wish to help me. If only you will nibble +through that string which is killing me, I promise that I will always +love you, always be your friend, and however hungry I may be, I will +starve rather than hurt your tender little body.” + +On hearing this, the mouse, without hesitating a moment, climbed up on +to the cat’s back, and cuddled down in the soft fur near her neck, +feeling very safe and warm there. The owl would certainly not attack +him there, he thought, and the cat could not possibly hurt him. It was +one thing to pounce down on a defenceless little creature running on +the ground amongst the barley, quite another to try and snatch him from +the very neck of a cat. + +The cat of course expected the mouse to begin to nibble through the +string at once, and became very uneasy when she felt the little +creature nestle down as if to go to sleep, instead of helping her. Poor +Pussy could not turn her head so as to see the mouse without drawing +the string tighter, and she did not dare to speak angrily lest she +should offend him. “My dear little friend,” she said, “do you not think +it is high time to keep your promise and set me free?” + +Hearing this, the mouse pretended to bite the string, but took care not +to do so really; and the cat waited and waited, getting more miserable +every minute. All through the long night the same thing went on: the +mouse taking a little nap now and then, the cat getting weaker and +weaker. “Oh,” she thought to herself, “if only I could get free, the +first thing I would do would be to gobble up that horrid little mouse.” +The moon rose, the stars came out, the wind murmured amongst the +branches of the banyan tree, making the unfortunate cat long to be safe +in her cosy home in the trunk. The cries of the wild animals which +prowl about at night seeking their food were heard, and the cat feared +one of them might find her and kill her. A mother tiger perhaps would +snatch her, and take her to her hungry cubs, hidden away in the deep +forest, or a bird of prey might swoop down on her and grip her in his +terrible claws. Again and again she entreated the mouse to be quick, +promising that, if only he would set her at liberty, she would never, +never, never forget it or do any harm to her beloved friend. + +9. What do you suppose the mouse was thinking all this time? + +10. If you had been the mouse, would you have trusted to what the cat +said in her misery? + + +CHAPTER VI + +It was not until the moon had set and the light of the dawn had put out +that of the stars that the mouse, made any real effort to help the cat. +By this time the hunter who had set the snare came to see if he had +caught the cat; and the poor cat, seeing him in the distance, became so +wild with terror that she nearly killed herself in the struggle to get +away. “Keep still! keep still,” cried the mouse, “and I will really +save you.” Then with a few quick bites with his sharp teeth he cut +through the string, and the next moment the cat was hidden amongst the +barley, and the mouse was running off in the opposite direction, +determined to keep well out of sight of the creature he had kept in +such misery for so many hours. Full well he knew that all the cat’s +promises would be forgotten, and that she would eat him up if she could +catch him. The owl too flew away, and the lizard went off to hunt flies +in the sunshine, and there was not a sign of any of the four +inhabitants of the banyan tree when the hunter reached the snare. He +was very much surprised and puzzled to find the string hanging loose in +two pieces, and no sign of there having been anything caught in it, +except two white hairs lying on the ground close to the trap. He had a +good look round, and then went home without having found out anything. + +When the hunter was quite out of sight, the cat came forth from the +barley, and hastened back to her beloved home in the banyan tree. On +her way there she spied the mouse also hurrying along in the same +direction, and at first she felt inclined to hunt him and eat him then +and there. On second thoughts however she decided to try and keep +friends with him, because he might help her again if she got caught a +second time. So she took no notice of the mouse until the next day, +when she climbed down the tree and went to the roots in which she knew +the mouse was hidden. There she began to purr as loud as she could, to +show the mouse she was in a good humour, and called out, “Dear good +little mouse, come out of your hole and let me tell you how very, very +grateful I am to you for saving my life. There is nothing in the world +I will not do for you, if you will only be friends with me.” + +The mouse only squeaked in answer to this speech, and took very good +care not to show himself, till he was quite sure the cat was gone +beyond reach of him. He stayed quietly in his hole, and only ventured +forth after he had heard the cat climb up into the tree again. “It is +all very well,” thought the mouse, “to pretend to make friends with an +enemy when that enemy is helpless, but I should indeed be a silly mouse +to trust a cat when she is free to kill me.” + +The cat made a good many other efforts to be friends with the mouse, +but they were all unsuccessful. In the end the owl caught the mouse, +and the cat killed the lizard. The owl and the cat both lived for the +rest of their lives in the banyan tree, and died in the end at a good +old age. + +11. Do you think it is ever possible to make a real friend of an enemy? + +12. What do you think the mouse deserved most praise for in his +behaviour? + +13. Which of the four animals in this story do you like best and which +do you dislike most? + +14. Can an animal be blamed for acting according to its nature? For +instance, can you call it cruel for a cat or an owl to kill and eat a +mouse? + +15. Is it always right to forgive an injury? + +16. Can you give an example from history of the forgiveness of an +injury? + + + + +III. +A Royal Thief-Catcher. + + +CHAPTER I + +In one of the smaller cities of India called Sravasti the people +gathered together on a very hot day to stare at and talk about a +stranger, who had come in to the town, looking very weary and walking +with great difficulty because his feet were sore with tramping for a +long distance on the rough roads. He was a Brahman, that is to say, a +man who devoted his whole life to prayer, and had promised to give up +everything for the sake of pleasing the god in whom he believed, and to +care nothing for comfort, for riches, or for good food. + +This Brahman carried nothing with him but a staff to help him along, +and a bowl in which to receive the offerings of those who thought it +their duty to help him and hoped by doing so to win favour in the sight +of God. He was naked, except for a cloth worn about his loins, and his +long hair was all matted together for want of combing and brushing. He +made his way very slowly and painfully through the crowds, till he came +to a shady corner, and there he sank down exhausted, holding out his +bowl for the gifts of the people. Very soon his bowl would have been +full of all sorts of good things, but he made it clear that he would +accept nothing to eat except rice still in the husk, and nothing to +drink but pure water. He was however willing to take money; and when +the people who wished to help him found that out, they brought him a +good many silver and gold pieces. Some who had no money to spare gave +him jewels and other things which could be sold for money. + +1. Can you explain why the Brahman would only accept such food as rice +in the husk and water? + +2. Do you think it was right or wrong of the Brahman to take money and +jewels? + + +CHAPTER II + +As time went on, the Brahman became very well known in Sravasti. His +fame indeed spread far beyond the town, and people came from far away +to consult him about all sorts of things, and he gave them good advice, +for he was a very wise man. Those who wanted him to tell them what to +do paid him for his advice, and as some of them had plenty of money and +were glad to help him, he soon became quite rich. He might have done a +great deal of good with all this money by helping the poor and +suffering, but unfortunately he never thought of doing so. Instead of +that, he got to love the money for its own sake. At night, when all +those who had come to see him had gone to rest, and there was no fear +of his being found out, he used to steal away into the forest, and +there he dug a deep hole at the root of a great tree, to which he took +all his money and jewels. + +In India everybody has a siesta, that is to say, a sleep in the middle +of the day, because the heat is so great it is difficult to keep well +and strong without this extra rest. So, although it is quite light at +the time, the streets are deserted, except for the dogs who prowl +about, trying to find something to eat. Now the Brahman loved his money +and other treasures so much, that he used very often to do without this +siesta and go to the forest to enjoy the pleasure of looking at them. +When he got to the tree, he would bend down, clear away the earth and +leaves with which he had hidden his secret hole, take out the money and +let it slip through his fingers, and hold up the jewels to the light, +to watch how they gleamed and glistened. He was never so happy as when +he was alone with his riches, and it was all he could do to tear +himself away from them when the time came to go back to his shady +corner. In fact he was becoming a selfish miser instead of the holy man +the people of Sravasti thought he was. By the time the siesta was over +he was always back again in his place beneath the tree, holding out his +bowl and looking as poor and thin as ever, so that nobody had the least +idea of the truth. + +3. Why was it wrong for the Brahman to hide away his money and jewels? + +4. Can anyone be a miser about other things as well as money and +jewels? If so, what other things? + + +CHAPTER III + +For many months the Brahman led this double life; until one day, when +he went as usual to his hiding-place, he saw at once that some one had +been there before him. Eagerly he knelt down, full of fear of exactly +what had actually happened. All his care in concealing the hole had +been wasted, for it was quite empty. The poor man could not at first +believe his own eyes. He rubbed them hard, thinking that there was +something the matter with them. Then he felt round and round the hole, +hoping that after all he was mistaken; and when at last he was obliged +to believe the terrible truth that there really was not a sign of his +money and jewels, he became almost mad with misery. He began to run +from tree to tree, peering into their roots, and when there was nothing +to be seen, he rushed back again to his empty hole, to look into it +once more. Then he wept and tore at his hair, stamped about and cried +aloud to all the gods he believed in, making all kinds of promises, of +what he would do if only they would give him back his treasures. No +answer came, and he began to wonder who could have done such a terrible +thing. It must, he felt sure, have been one of the people of Sravasti; +and he now remembered he had noticed that a good many of them had +looked into his bowl with longing eyes, when they saw the money and +precious stones in it. “What horrible, wicked people they are,” he said +to himself. “I hate them. I should like to hurt them as they have hurt +me.” As he thought in this way he got more and more angry, until he +became quite worn out with giving way to his rage. + +5. What would you have done if you had been the Brahman when he lost +his treasure? + +6. Is it wrong to be angry when any one has done you an injury? + + +CHAPTER IV + +After roaming about in the forest for a long time, the Brahman went +back to the house in Sravasti where some kind people had lent him a +room, glad and proud to have such a holy man, as they thought he was, +living under their roof. He felt sure they had had nothing to do with +the loss of his treasure, because they had given him many proofs of +their goodness and honesty. Soon he was pouring out all his grief to +them, and they did all they could to comfort him, telling him that he +would very soon have plenty more money and jewels. They let him see +however that they thought it was mean of him to hide away his riches, +instead of using them to help the poor and suffering; and this added +very much to his rage. At last he lost all self-control and cried, “It +is not worth while for me to live any longer. I will go to some holy +place of pilgrimage by the banks of the river, and there I will starve +myself to death.” + +A place of pilgrimage, you know, is one where some great event, +generally connected with religion, has taken place, to which pilgrims +go to pray in the hope of winning some special favour from God. The +word pilgrim means a wanderer, but it has come in course of time to +signify any traveller who comes from a distance to some such place. +Benares in India is a very famous place of pilgrimage, because it is on +the River Ganges, which the Hindus worship and love, believing that its +waters can wash away their sins. Hundreds and thousands of Hindus go +there every year to bathe in it, and many who know that they have not +long to live wait on its banks to die, so that after their bodies have +been burnt, as is the custom with the Hindus, their ashes may be thrown +into the sacred stream. + +7. Can you name two other places of pilgrimage, one held sacred by +Christians and one by Hindus? + +8. Will you explain exactly why the two places you have thought of are +considered holy? + + +CHAPTER V + +The news of the Brahman’s loss spread very quickly through Sravasti; +and as is so often the case, every one who told the story made it a +little different, so that it became very difficult to know what the +truth really was. There was great distress in the town, because the +people thought the Brahman would go away, and they did not want him to +do that. They were proud of having a man they thought so holy, living +amongst them, and ashamed that he should have been robbed whilst he was +with them. When they heard that he meant to starve himself to death, +they were dreadfully shocked, and determined to do all they possibly +could to prevent it. One after another of the chief men of Sravasti +came to see him, and entreated him not to be in such a hurry to be sure +that his treasure would never be found. They said they would all do +everything they possibly could to get it back for him. Some of them +thought it was very wrong of him to make such a fuss about it, and +blamed him for being a miser. They told him it was foolish to care so +much for what he could not take with him when he died, and one +specially wise old man gave him a long lecture on the wickedness of +taking away the life which had been given to him by God to prepare for +that in the other world. “Put the idea of starving yourself out of your +head,” he said, “and whilst we are seeking your treasure, go on as you +did before you lost it. Next time you have any money and jewels, turn +them to good account instead of hoarding them up.” + +9. Do you think the Brahman was of any real use to the people of +Sravasti? + +10. In what qualities do you think the Brahman was wanting when he made +up his mind to starve himself to death? + + +CHAPTER VI + +In spite of all that any one could say to him, the Brahman was quite +determined that he would not live any longer. He set off to the place +of pilgrimage he had chosen, taking no notice of any one he met, but +just marching steadily on. At first a number of people followed him, +but by degrees they left off doing so, and soon he was quite alone. +Presently however he could not help noticing a man approaching from the +direction in which he was going. Very tall, very handsome, very +dignified, this man was one whom no one could fail to admire, even if +he had been only an ordinary person. But he was the king of the whole +country, whose name was Prasnajit; and a little distance behind him +were a number of his attendants, waiting to obey his orders. Everybody, +even the Brahman, loved the king, because he took such a very great +interest in his people and was always trying to do them good. He had +heard all about the loss of the money, and was very much vexed that +such a thing should have happened in his land. He had also heard that +the Brahman meant to kill himself, and this distressed him more than +anything else, because he thought it a very wicked and terrible thing +to do. + +The king stood so exactly in the path of the Brahman that it was +impossible to pass him by without taking any notice of him, and the +unhappy man stood still, hanging down his head and looking very +miserable. Without waiting for a moment, Prasnajit said to the Brahman: +“Do not grieve any more. I will find your treasure for you, and give it +back to you; or if I fail to do so I will pay you as much as it was +worth out of my own purse: for I cannot bear to think of your killing +yourself. Now tell me very carefully where you hid your gold and +jewels, and everything about the place, to help me to make sure of it.” + +The Brahman was greatly delighted to hear this, because he knew full +well that the king would keep his word, and that, even if his own +treasure was never found, he would have plenty of money given to him by +the king. He at once told Prasnajit exactly where he had put his store, +and offered to take him there. The king agreed to go with him at once, +and he and the Brahman went straight away to the big hole in the +forest, the attendants following them a little way behind. + +11. If you had been the king, how would you have set about finding the +treasure? + +12. Was it a good or a bad thing for the Brahman to have secured the +help of the king? + + +CHAPTER VII + +After the king had seen the big empty hole, and noticed exactly where +it was, and the nearest way to it from the town, he returned to his +palace, first telling the Brahman to go back to the house he lived in, +and wait there till he received a message from him. He promised to see +that he wanted for nothing, and sent one of his attendants to a rich +merchant of Sravasti, who had already done a good deal for the Brahman, +to order him to supply the holy man with all he needed. Very glad that +after all he was not going to die, the Brahman obeyed willingly, and +for the next few days he was taken care of by the merchant, who +supplied him with plenty of food. + +As soon as Prasnajit was back in his palace, he pretended that he was +taken suddenly ill. His head ached badly, he said, and he could not +make out what was the matter with him. He ordered a proclamation to be +sent all round the town, telling all the doctors to come to the palace +to see him. All the doctors in the place at once hastened to obey, each +of them hoping that he would be the one to cure the king and win a +great reward. So many were they that the big reception room was full of +them, and they all glared at each other so angrily that the attendants +kept careful watch lest they should begin to fight. One at a time they +were taken to the king’s private room, but very much to their surprise +and disappointment he seemed quite well and in no need of help from +them. Instead of talking about his own illness, he asked each doctor +who his patients were in the town, and what medicines he was giving to +them. Of course Prasnajit’s questions were carefully answered; but the +king said nothing more, just waving his hand to shew that the interview +was at an end. Then the attendants led the visitor out. At last however +a doctor came, who said something which led the king to keep him longer +than he had kept any of the others. This doctor was a very famous +healer who had saved the lives of many of Prasnajit’s subjects. He told +the king that a merchant named Matri-Datta was very ill, suffering +greatly, but that he hoped to cure him by giving him the juice of a +certain plant called nagaballa. At the time this story was written, +doctors in India did not give their patients medicine, or write +prescriptions for them to take to chemists to be made up, because there +were no chemists in those days, such as there are in all the towns of +Europe, who keep the materials in stock for making medicines. A doctor +just said to his patient, “you must take the juice of this or that +plant”; and the suffering person had to go into the fields or woods to +find the plant or else to send a servant to do so. + +When the king heard that the doctor had ordered Matri-Datta to take the +juice of the nagaballa plant, he cried “No more doctors need come to +see me!” and after sending away the one who had told him what he wanted +to know, he gave orders that Matri-Datta should be sent for at once. + +13. Can you guess why the king sent for the doctors? + +14. Do you think Matri-Datta had anything to do with stealing the +Brahman’s treasure? + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Ill and suffering though he was, Matri-Datta did not dare disobey the +king: so he came at once. As soon as he appeared, Prasnajit asked him +how he was, and said he was sorry to have to make him leave his home +when he was ill, but the matter on which he wished to see him was of +very great importance. Then he suddenly added: “When your doctor +ordered you to take the juice of the nagaballa plant whom did you send +to find it?” + +To this Matri-Datta replied trembling with fear: “My servant, O king, +sought it in the forest; and having found it, brought it to me.” + +“Go back and send that servant to me immediately,” was the reply; and +the merchant hurried away, wondering very much why the king wanted to +see the man, and hoping that he himself would not get into disgrace on +account of anything he had done to make Prasnajit angry. + +15. Have you any idea why the king wanted the servant sent to him? + +16. From what the story tells you so far, do you think Prasnajit was a +good ruler of his kingdom? + + +CHAPTER IX + +When Matri-Datta told his servant that he was to go to the palace to +see the king, the man was dreadfully frightened, and begged his master +not to make him go. This made Matri-Datta pretty sure that he had done +something wrong and was afraid of being found out. “Go at once,” he +said, “and whatever you do, speak the truth to the king. That will be +your only chance if you have offended him.” Again and again the servant +entreated Matri-Datta not to insist, and when he found it was no good, +he asked him at least to come with him to the palace and plead for him +with Prasnajit. The merchant knew then for certain that something was +seriously wrong, and he consented to go to the palace with his servant, +partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear for himself. When the +two got to the palace, the attendants at once led the servant to the +presence of the king, but they would not let the master go with him. + +Directly the servant entered the room and saw the king sitting on his +throne, he fell upon his face at the foot of the steps, crying, “Mercy! +mercy!” He was right to be afraid, for Prasnajit said to him in a loud +voice: “Where are the gold and the jewels you took from the hole in the +roots of a tree when you went to find the nagaballa plant for your +master?” The servant, who really had taken the money and jewels, was so +terrified when he found that the king knew the truth, that he had not a +word to say at first, but just remained lying on the ground, trembling +all over. Prasnajit too was silent, and the attendants waiting for +orders behind the throne looked on, wondering what would happen now. + +17. Have you guessed what the nagaballa plant had to do with finding +out who had stolen the money and jewels? + +18. If you had been the king, what punishment would you have ordered +for the thief? + + +CHAPTER X + +When the silence had lasted about ten minutes, the thief raised his +head from the ground and looked at the king, who still said not a word. +Something in his face however made the wicked servant hope that he +would not be punished by death in spite of the great wrong he had done. +The king looked very stern, it is true, but not enraged against him. So +the servant rose to his feet, and clasping his hands together as he +held them up to Prasnajit, said in a trembling voice: “I will fetch the +treasure, I will fetch the treasure.” “Go then at once,” said the king, +“and bring it here”: and as he said it, there was a beautiful +expression in his eyes, which made the thief more sorry for what he had +done than he would have been if Prasnajit had said, “Off with his +head!” or had ordered him to be beaten. + +19. What do you think is the best way to make wicked people good? + +20. What is the most powerful reason a man or woman or a child can have +for trying to be good? + + +CHAPTER XI + +As soon as the king said, “Go at once,” the servant started to his feet +and hastened away, as eager now to restore what he had stolen as he had +been to hide it. He had put it in another hole in the very depths of +the forest; and it was a long time before he got back to the palace +with it, for it was very heavy. He had thought the king would send some +guards with him, to see that he did not run away, and that they would +have helped him to carry the sack full of gold and jewels; but nobody +followed him. It was hard work to drag the heavy load all the way +alone; but at last, quite late in the evening, he was back at the +palace gates. The soldiers standing there let him pass without a word, +and soon he was once more in the room in which the king had received +him. Prasnajit still sat on his throne, and the attendants still waited +behind him, when the thief, so tired he could hardly stand, once more +lay prostrate at the bottom of the steps leading up to the throne, with +the sack beside him. How his heart did beat as he waited for what the +king would say! It seemed a very long time before Prasnajit spoke, +though it was only two or three minutes; and when he did, this is what +he said, “Go back to your home now, and be a thief no more.” + +Very, very thankfully the man obeyed, scarcely able to believe that he +was free to go and that he was not to be terribly punished. Never again +in the rest of his life did he take what did not belong to him, and he +was never tired of telling his children and his friends of the goodness +of the king who had forgiven him. + +21. Do you think it would have been better for the thief to have been +punished? + +22. What lesson did the thief learn from what had happened to him? + + +CHAPTER XII + +The Brahman, who had spent the time of waiting in prayers that his +treasure should be given back to him, and was still determined that, if +it were not, he would starve himself to death, was full of delight when +he heard that it had been found. He hastened to the palace and was +taken before the king, who said to him: “There is your treasure. Take +it away, and make a better use of it than before. If you lose it again, +I shall not try to recover it for you.” + +The Brahman, glad as he was to have his money and jewels restored, did +not like to be told by the king to make a better use of them. Besides +this he wanted to have the thief punished; and he began talking about +that, instead of thanking Prasnajit and promising to follow his advice. +The king looked at him much as he had looked at the thief and said: +“The matter is ended so far as I have anything to do with it: go in +peace.” + +The Brahman, who was accustomed to be honoured by every one from the +king on his throne to the beggars in the street, was astonished at the +way in which Prasnajit spoke to him. He would have said more, but the +king made a sign to his attendants, two of whom dragged the sack to the +entrance of the palace and left it there, so that there was nothing for +the Brahman to do but to take it away with him. Every one who has read +this wonderful story would, of courses like to know what became of him +after that, but nothing more is told about him. + +23. Do you think that the Brahman learnt anything from his loss and +recovery of his treasure? + +24. Was the Brahman more wicked than, the thief or the thief than the +Brahman? + +25. Do you think the Brahman continued to be a miser for the rest of +his life? + +26. What were the chief characteristics of the king—that is to say, +what sort of man do you think he was? + +27. Which of the people who are spoken of in this story do you like and +admire most, and which do you dislike most? + + + + +IV. +The Magic Shoes and Staff. + + +CHAPTER I + +Far, far away in a town of India called Chinchini, where in days long +gone by the ancient gods in whom the people believed are said sometimes +to have appeared to those who called upon them for help, there lived +three brothers of noble birth, who had never known what it was to want +for food, or clothes, or a house to live in. Each was married to a wife +he loved, and for many years they were all as happy as the day was +long. Presently however a great misfortune in which they all shared +befell their native country. There was no rain for many, many weeks; +and this is a very serious thing in a hot country like India, because, +when it does not rain for a long time, the ground becomes so parched +and hard that nothing can grow in it. The sun is very much stronger in +India than it is in England; and it sent forth its burning rays, drying +up all the water in the tanks and changing what had been a beautiful +country, covered with green crops good for food, into a dreary desert, +where neither men nor animals could get anything to eat. The result of +this was that there was a terrible famine, in which hundreds of people +and animals died, little children being the first to suffer. + +Now the three brothers, who had none of them any children, got +frightened at the state of things, and thought to themselves, “If we do +not escape from this dreadful land, we shall die.” They said to each +other: “Let us flee away from here, and go somewhere where we are sure +of being able to get plenty to eat and drink. We will not take our +wives with us; they would only make things worse for us; let us leave +them to look after themselves.” + +1. What do you think of the behaviour of the three brothers? Was there +any excuse for their leaving their wives behind them? + +2. Do you think the wives themselves can have been to blame in any way +in the matter? + + +CHAPTER II + +So the three wives were deserted, and had to manage as best they could +without their husbands, who did not even trouble to wish them goodbye. +The wives were at first very sad and lonely, but presently a great joy +came to one of them which made the other two very happy as well. This +joy was the birth of a little boy, whose two aunts loved him almost as +much as his mother did. The story does not tell how they all got food +whilst the famine was going on, though it is very evident that they +were not starved, for the baby boy grew fast and was a strong healthy +little fellow. + +One night all the three wives had the same dream, a very wonderful one, +in which the god Siva, who is very much honoured in India, appeared to +them. He told them that, looking down from Heaven, he had noticed how +tenderly they cared for the new-born baby, and that he wished them to +call him Putraka. Besides this he astonished them by adding that, as a +reward for the unselfish way in which they had behaved, they would find +one hundred thousand gold pieces under the little child’s pillow every +morning, and that one day that little child would be a king. + +3. Do you think the three women wanted to be rewarded for loving the +baby? + +4. Is it a good thing to have a great deal of money? + + +CHAPTER III + +The wonderful dream was fulfilled, and the mother and aunts called the +boy Putraka. Every morning they found the gold pieces under his pillow, +and they took care of the money for him, so that when he grew up he was +the very richest man in the whole country. He had a happy childhood and +boyhood, his only trouble being that he did not like having never seen +his father. His mother told him about the famine before he was born, +and how his father and uncles had gone away and never come back. He +often said, “When I am a man I will find my father and bring him home +again.” He used his money to help others, and one of the best things he +did was to irrigate the land; that is to say, he made canals into which +water was made to flow in times when there was plenty of rain, so that +there was no danger of there being another famine, such as that which +had driven his father and uncles away. The country in which he lived +became very fruitful; everybody had enough to eat and drink; and +Putraka was very much loved, especially by the poor and unhappy. When +the king who ruled over the land died, everybody wanted Putraka to take +his place, and he was chosen at once. + +5. Will you describe the kind of man you think Putraka was? + +6. Do you know of any other country besides India in which everything +depends on irrigation? + + +CHAPTER IV + +One of the other wise things Putraka did, when he became king, was to +make great friends with his Brahman subjects. Brahmans are always very +fond of travelling, and Putraka thought, if he were good and generous +to them, they would talk about him wherever they went, and that perhaps +through them his father and uncles would hear about him. He felt sure +that, if they knew he was now a king ruling over their native land, +they would want to come back. He gave the Brahmans plenty of money, and +told them to try and find his father and uncles. If they did, they were +to say how anxious he was to see them, and promise them everything they +wanted, if only they would return. + +7. Do you think it was wise of Putraka to be so anxious to get his +father and uncles back, when he knew how selfish they had been in +leaving his mother and aunts behind them? + +8. Can you suggest anything else Putraka might have done in the matter? + + +CHAPTER V + +Just what the young king hoped came to pass. Wherever the Brahmans went +they talked about the country they came from and the wonderful young +king who ruled over it. Putraka’s father and uncles, who were after all +not so very far off, heard the stories about him, and asked the +Brahmans many questions. The answers made them very eager to see +Putraka, but they did not at first realize that he was closely related +to them. Only when they heard the name of his mother did they guess the +truth. Putraka’s father knew, when he deserted his wife, that God was +going to give her a child soon; which made it even more wicked of him +to leave her. Now, however, he forgot all about that, only thinking how +he could make as much use as possible of the son who had become a king. +He wanted to go back at once alone, but the uncles were not going to +allow that. They meant to get all they could out of Putraka too; and +the three selfish men, who were now quite old, set off together for the +land they had left so long ago. + +They arrived safely, and made their way to the palace, where they were +received, with great rejoicings. None of the wives said a word of +reproach to the husbands who had deserted them; and as for Putraka, he +was so overjoyed at having his father back, that he gave him a +beautiful house to live in and a great deal of money. He was very good +to his uncles too, and felt that he had now really nothing left to wish +for. + +9. Do you think Putraka showed strength or weakness of character in the +way he received the travellers? + +10. How do you think the king ought to have behaved to his father and +uncles? + + +CHAPTER VI + +The three wives very soon had good reason to wish their husbands had +stayed away. Instead of being grateful for all Putraka’s generosity, +they were very unkind and exacting, never pleased with anything; and +whatever they had given them, they were always trying to get more. In +fact, they were silly as well as wicked; for they did not realize that +this was not the way to make the king love them or wish to keep them +with him. Presently they became jealous of Putraka, and began to wish +to get rid of him. His father hated to feel that his son was king, +whilst he was only one of that king’s subjects; and he made up his mind +to kill him, hoping that if he could only get rid of him he might rule +over the country in his stead. He thought and thought how best to +manage this, and did not at first mean to tell his brothers anything +about it; but in the end he decided he had better have them on his +side. So he invited them to go with him to a secret place to talk the +matter over. + +11. What qualities did Putraka’s father show in this plot against his +son? + +12. Was there any other way in which the king’s father could have +gained a share in governing the land? + + +CHAPTER VII + +After many meetings the three wicked men decided that they would pay +some one to kill the king, first making the murderer they chose swear +that he would never tell who had ordered him to do the terrible deed. +It was not very difficult to find a man bad enough to take money for +such an evil purpose, and the next thing to do was to decide where and +when the deed was to be done. Putraka had been very well brought up by +his mother, and he often went to a beautiful temple near his palace to +pray alone. He would sometimes stop there a long time, winning fresh +wisdom and strength to do the work he was trusted with, and praying not +only for himself, but for his father, his mother, his aunts and uncles, +and for the people he loved so much. + +The murderer was told to wait in this temple, and when the young king +was absorbed in prayer, to fall suddenly upon him and kill him. Then, +when Putraka was dead, he was to take his body and bury it far away in +the depths of the forest where it could never be found. At first it +seemed likely that this cruel plot would succeed. To make quite sure, +the murderer got two other men as wicked as himself to come and help +him, promising to give them a share in the reward. But the god who had +taken care of Putraka ever since he was born, did not forget him now. +As the young king prayed, forgetting everything in his earnest pleading +for those he loved, he did not see or hear the evil men drawing +stealthily close to him. Their arms were uplifted to slay him, and the +gleam of the weapons in the light that was always kept burning flashed +upon him, when suddenly the heavenly guardian of the temple, who never +left it day or night, but was generally invisible, appeared and cast a +spell upon the wicked men, whose hands were arrested in the very act to +strike. + +What a wonderful sight that must have been, when Putraka, disturbed in +his prayers, looked round and saw the men who had come to kill him, +with the shadowy form of the guardian threatening them! He knew at once +that he had been saved from a dreadful death by a messenger from the +god he had been worshipping. As he gazed at the men, the guardian faded +away and he was left alone with them. Slowly the spell cast on them was +broken, and they dropped their weapons, prostrated themselves, and +clasped their hands in an appeal for mercy to the man they had meant to +destroy. Putraka looked at them quietly and sadly. He felt no anger +against them, only a great thankfulness for his escape. He spoke to the +men very sternly, asking them why they wished to harm him; and the +chief murderer told him who had sent them. + +The knowledge that his father wished to kill him shocked and grieved +the young king terribly, but he controlled himself even when he learnt +the sad truth. He told the men that he forgave them, for they were not +the most to blame; and he made them promise never to betray who had +bribed them to kill him. He then gave them some money and told them to +leave him. + +13. What do you think the most beautiful incident in this account of +the scene in the temple? + +14. What do you suppose were the thoughts of the murderers when they +left the temple after Putraka forgave them? + + +CHAPTER VIII + +When Putraka was alone, he threw himself upon the ground and wept very +bitterly. He felt that he could never be happy again, never trust +anyone again. He had so loved his father and uncles. It had been such a +joy to him to give them pleasure, and yet they hated him and wished to +kill him. He wondered whether he was himself to blame for what had +happened, and began to think he was not worthy to be king, if he could +make such a mistake as he now feared he had made in being so generous +to those who could have such hard thoughts of him as to want to take +his life. Perhaps after all it would be better for his country to have +another king. He did not feel as if he could go back to his palace and +meet his father and uncles again. “What shall I do? What shall I do?” +he cried, his sobs choking his voice. Never in all his life had he +thought it possible to be so miserable as he was now. Everything seemed +changed and he felt as if he were himself a different person. The only +thing that comforted him at all was the thought of his mother, whose +love had never failed him; but even that was spoiled by the remembrance +that it was her husband who had wished to kill him. She must never know +that, for it would break her heart: yet how could he keep it from her? +Then the idea came to him that the best thing he could do would be to +go away and never see his own people again. + +15. What do you think was wrong in Putraka’s way of looking at the +past? + +16. Was his idea of leaving his country and his people a sign of +weakness or of strength? + + +CHAPTER IX + +In the end the poor young king decided that he would go right away as +his father and uncles had done; and his mind being made up, he became +more cheerful and began to think he might meet with some interesting +adventures in a new country, where nobody knew anything about him. As +soon as it was light, he wandered off into the forest, feeling, it is +true, very lonely, but at the same time taking a certain pleasure in +being entirely his own master; which a king can never really be, +because he has to consider so many other people and to keep so many +rules. + +After all Putraka did not find the forest so very lonely; for he had +not gone far in it before his sad thoughts were broken in upon by his +coming suddenly to a little clearing, where the trees had been cut down +and two strong-looking men were wrestling together. The king watched +them for a little while, wondering what they were fighting about. Then +he called out, “What are you doing here? What are you quarrelling +about?” + +The men were greatly surprised to hear Putraka’s voice, for they +thought that they were quite alone. They stopped fighting for a minute +or two, and one of them said: “We are fighting for three very precious +things which were left behind him by our father.” + +“What are those things?” asked Putraka. + +“A bowl, a stick and a pair of shoes,” was the reply. “Whoever wins the +fight will get them all. There they lie on the ground.” + +“Well, I never!” cried the king, laughing as he looked at the things, +which seemed to him worth very little. “I shouldn’t trouble to fight +about such trifles, if I were you.” + +“Trifles!” exclaimed one of the men angrily. “You don’t know what you +are talking about. They are worth more than their weight in gold. +Whoever gets the bowl will find plenty of food in it whenever he wants +it; the owner of the stick has only to write his wishes on the ground +with it and he will get them; and whoever puts on the shoes can fly +through the air in them to any distance.” + +17. Which of these things would you rather have had? + +18. What lesson do you learn from what the men said about the things on +the ground? + + +CHAPTER X + +When Putraka heard the wonders which, could be done with what he had +thought not worth having, he determined to get possession of the three +treasures for himself; not considering that it would be very wrong to +take what did not belong to him. “It seems a pity to fight,” he said, +“why don’t you race for the things, and let whichever wins the race +have them? That banyan tree over there would make a good winning post +and I will be the umpire.” + +Instead of guessing what Putraka had in his mind, the brothers, who +were very simple fellows, said at once: “All right. We won’t fight, +we’ll race instead, and you can give us the start.” Putraka agreed, and +directly they were off he lost not a moment, but picked up the bowl and +the staff, put on the shoes, and flew straight up into the air with the +treasures. When the brothers came back, disputing about which of them +had won, there was not a sign of Putraka, the bowl, the stick, or the +shoes. They guessed at once what had happened; and after staring up in +the air for a long time, they went home, feeling very much enraged with +the man who had cheated them, and ashamed of having been so stupid as +to trust him. + +19. What do you think of Putraka’s behaviour in this matter? + +20. If you could have had one of the three things Putraka stole, which +would you have chosen? + + +CHAPTER XI + +On and on flew Putraka, full of eager delight in the new power of +flight. How he loved rushing through the air, cleaving it like a bird +on the wing! All he wanted to make him perfectly happy was someone to +enjoy his new powers with him. Presently he found himself above a +beautiful city with towers and pinnacles and minarets gleaming in the +sunshine. “Ah!” he thought, “that is the place for me. I will go down +there, and see if I can find a nice house to live in, and some people +to make friends with, who will not try to kill me or to cheat me, but +love me and be grateful to me for any kindness I show them.” + +As Putraka was hovering in the air above the town to which he had taken +such a fancy, he noticed a little house which rather pleased him; for +though it was poor-looking, there was something cheerful and home-like +about it. Down he sped and alighted at the door. Only one poor old +woman lived in the house, and when Putraka knocked and asked if he +might come in, she said “Yes” at once. He gave her some money, and told +her he would like to live with her, if she would let him do so. She was +only too glad to consent, for she was very lonely; and the two lived +happily together for a long time. + +21. Do you think that if Putraka had flown home on his wonderful shoes, +taking his staff and bowl with him, his, father and uncles would still +have tried to kill him? + +22. How could Putraka have prevented them from doing him harm if he had +returned to his home? + + +CHAPTER XII + +The old woman grew very fond of Putraka, caring for him and waiting on +him as if he had been her own son. She was so anxious that he should be +happy that she became afraid he would become tired of living alone with +her. So she said to him one day: “My dear adopted son, you ought to +have a wife to keep you company. I know the very one for you, the only +one really worthy of you. She is a princess, and her name is Patala. +She is so very lovely that every man who sees her falls in love with +her and wants to carry her off. So she is most carefully guarded in the +top rooms of a great palace, as high as the summits of the loftiest +mountains.” When Putraka heard this he was all eagerness to see the +princess, and at once determined to go forth to seek her. He was more +than ever glad now that he had stolen the shoes, because he knew that +they would carry him even to the top of the highest mountains. + +23. What qualities did the old woman show when she told Putraka about +the Princess? + +24. What faults of character did the young king show when he decided at +once to leave the old woman who had been so good to him? + + +CHAPTER XIII + +The very evening of the day when Putraka heard about the princess, he +started on his journey, taking with him his bowl and staff. The old +woman gave him very careful instructions which way to go, and begged +him to come back to tell her how he had got on. He promised he would, +thanked her for all she had done for him, and flew away in a great +state of excitement. She watched him till he was quite out of sight, +and then went sadly into her lonely home, wondering if she would ever +see him again. + +It was not long before Putraka came in sight of the palace. It was a +beautiful night, and the moon was shining full upon the room in which +the princess was asleep. It was a very big one, with costly furniture +and priceless tapestry hung round the walls, and there were doors +behind the tapestry leading to other apartments, in some of which the +attendants on Patala slept, whilst others kept watch lest anyone should +intrude upon their mistress. No one thought of guarding the windows, +for they were so high up that only a bird could reach them. + +The young king alighted on the ledge of the window of the princess’ +room, and looked in. There, on a golden bed, amongst soft cushions and +embroidered coverings, lay the most lovely creature he had ever beheld, +so lovely that he fell in love with her at once and gave a loud cry of +delight. This woke the princess, who started up and was about to scream +out aloud in her terror at seeing a man looking in at the window, when +Putraka with the aid of his magic staff made himself invisible. Then, +thinking she had been dreaming, Patala lay down again, and the king +began talking to her in a low voice, telling her he had heard of her +beauty and had flown from far away to see her. He begged her to allow +him to show himself to her, and added: “I will go away again directly +afterwards if you wish it.” + +Putraka’s voice was so gentle, and it seemed to Patala so wonderful +that a man could fly and make himself invisible, that she was full of +curiosity to see him and find out all about him. So she gave her +consent, and immediately afterwards the young king stood within the +room, looking so noble and so handsome that she too fell in love at +first sight. Putraka told her all about his life and adventures, which +interested her very much. She was glad, she said, that he was a king; +but she would have loved him just as well, whoever he might have been. + +After a long talk, Patala begged him to leave her for fear her +attendants should discover him and tell her father about him. “My +father would never let me marry you,” she declared, “unless you were to +come with many followers as a king to ask my hand; and how can you do +that when you are only a wandering exile?” + +25. Was there any reason to fear that Putraka would be discovered when +he could make himself invisible at any moment? + +26. What do you think would have been the right thing for Putraka and +Patala to do when they found out that they loved each other? + + +CHAPTER XIV + +It was very difficult to persuade Putraka to go, but at last he flew +away. Every night after that, however, he came to see Patala, spending +the days sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, and using his +magic bowl to supply himself with food. Alas, he forgot all about the +dear old woman to whom he owed all his happiness, and she slowly gave +up hope of ever seeing him again. He might quite easily have flown to +her cottage and cheered her with his presence; but he was so wrapped up +in his love for Patala that everything else went out of his head. This +selfishness on his part presently got him into serious trouble, for he +became careless about making himself invisible when he flew up to the +princess’ window. So that one night he was discovered by a guardian of +the palace. The matter was at once reported to the king, who could not +at first believe such a thing was possible. The man must have seen a +big bird, that was all. The king, however, ordered one of his +daughter’s ladies to keep watch every night in an ante-room, leaving +the door open with the tapestry, in which there was a slit, drawn +carefully over it, and to come and tell him in the morning if she had +seen or heard anything unusual. + +Now the lady chosen loved the princess, and, like many of her +fellow-attendants, thought it was very cruel of the king to punish his +own child for being so beautiful, by shutting her up as he did. It so +happened that the very first night she was on guard, Putraka had flown +a very, very long way, not noticing where he was going, because he was +thinking so earnestly of Patala. When at last he flew in at her window, +he was so weary that he sank down on a couch and fell fast asleep. The +princess too was tired, because she had lain awake talking to her lover +so many nights running that she had had hardly any rest. So when the +lady peeped through the slit in the tapestry, there, by the light of +the night lamp, she saw the young king lying unconscious, whilst the +princess also was asleep. + +Very cautiously the attendant crept to the side of Putraka, and took a +long, long look at him. She noticed how handsome he was, and that he +was dressed in beautiful clothes. She especially remarked the turban he +wore, because in India the rank to which men belong is shown by the +kind of turbans they wear. “This is no common man,” she thought, “but a +prince or king in disguise. What shall I do now? I will not raise an +alarm which might lead to this beautiful young lover being killed and +the heart of my dear mistress broken.” + +27. If you had been the lady who found Putraka in Patala’s room, what +would you have done? + +28. What could Putraka have done to guard against being discovered? + + +CHAPTER XV + +After hesitating a long time, the lady made up her mind that she would +only put some mark in the turban of Putraka, so that he could be known +again, and let him escape that night at least. So she stole back to her +room, fetched a tiny brooch, and fastened it in the folds of the +turban, where the wearer was not likely to notice it himself. This +done, she went back to listen at the door. + +It was nearly morning when Putraka woke up, very much surprised at +finding himself lying on the couch, for he did not remember throwing +himself down on it. Starting up, he woke Patala, who was terribly +frightened, for she expected her ladies to come in any minute to help +her to dress. She entreated Putraka to make himself invisible and fly +away at once. He did so; and, as usual, wandered about until the time +should come to go back to the palace. But he still felt too tired to +fly, and instead walked about in the town belonging to Patala’s father. + +The lady who had been on guard had half a mind to tell her mistress +that her secret was discovered. But before she could get a chance to do +so, she was sent for by the king, who asked her if she had seen or +heard anything during the night. She tried very hard to escape from +betraying Patala; but she hesitated so much in her answers that the +king guessed there was something she wanted to hide, and told her, if +she did not reveal the whole truth, he would have her head shaved and +send her to prison. So she told how she had found a handsome man, +beautifully dressed, fast asleep in Patala’s room; but she did not +believe her mistress knew anything about it, because she too was +asleep. + +The king was of course in a terrible rage, and the lady was afraid he +would order her to be punished; but he only went on questioning her +angrily about what the man was like, so that he might be found and +brought before him. Then the lady confessed that she had put the brooch +in the turban, comforting herself with the thought that, when the king +saw Putraka and knew that Patala loved him, he might perhaps relent and +let them be married. + +When the king heard about the brooch, he was greatly pleased; and +instead of ordering the lady to be punished, he told her that, when the +man who had dared to approach his daughter was found, he would give her +a great reward. He then sent forth hundreds of spies to hunt for the +man with a brooch in his turban, and Putraka was very soon found, +strolling quietly about in the market-place. He was so taken by +surprise that, though he had his staff in his hand and his shoes and +bowl in the pocket of his robes, he had no time to write his wishes +with the staff, or to put on the shoes, so he was obliged to submit to +be dragged to the palace. He did all he could to persuade those who had +found him to let him go, telling them he was a king and would reward +them well. They only laughed at him and dragged him along with them to +the palace, where he was at once taken before the king, who was sitting +on his throne, surrounded by his court, in a great hall lined with +soldiers. The big windows were wide open; and noticing this, Putraka +did not feel at all afraid, for he knew he had only to slip on his +shoes and fly out of one of the windows, if he could not persuade the +king to let him marry Patala. So he stood quietly at the foot of the +throne, and looked bravely into the face of his dear one’s father. + +This only made the king more angry, and he began calling Putraka all +manner of names and asking him how he dared to enter the room of his +daughter. Putraka answered quietly that he loved Patala and wished to +marry her. He was himself a king, and would give her all she had been +used to. But it was all no good, for it only made the king more angry. +He rose from his throne, and stretching out his hand, he cried: + +“Let him be scourged and placed in close confinement!” + +Then Putraka with his staff wrote rapidly on the ground his wish that +no one should be able to touch him, and stooping down slipped on his +magic shoes. The king, the courtiers and the soldiers all remained +exactly as they were, staring at him in astonishment, as he rose up in +the air and flew out of one of the windows. Straight away he sped to +the palace of Patala and into her room, where she was pacing to and fro +in an agony of anxiety about him; for she had heard of his having been +taken prisoner and feared that her father would order him to be killed. + +29. What do you think would have been the best thing for the king to do +when Putraka was brought before him? + +30. If Putraka had not had his shoes with him, how could he have +escaped from the king’s palace? + + +CHAPTER XVI + +Great indeed was the delight of Patala when her beloved Putraka once +more flew in at her window; but she was still trembling with fear for +him and begged him to go away back to his own land as quickly as +possible. + +“I will not go without you,” replied Putraka. “Wrap yourself up warmly, +for it is cold flying through the air, and we will go away together, +and your cruel father shall never see you again.” + +Patala wept at hearing this, for it seemed terrible to her to have to +choose between the father she loved and Putraka. But in the end her +lover got his own way, and just as those who were seeking him were +heard approaching, he seized his dear one in his arms and flew off with +her. He did not return to his own land even then, but directed his +course to the Ganges, the grand and beautiful river which the people of +India love and worship, calling it their Mother Ganga. By the banks of +the sacred stream the lovers rested, and with the aid of his magic bowl +Putraka soon had a good and delicious meal ready, which they both +enjoyed very much. As they ate, they consulted together what they had +better do now, and Patala, who was as clever as she was beautiful, +said: + +“Would it not be a good thing to build a new city in this lovely place? +You could do it with your marvellous staff, could you not?” + +“Why, of course, I could,” said Putraka laughing. “Why didn’t I think +of it myself?” Very soon a wonderful town rose up, which the young king +wished to be as much as possible like the home he had left, only larger +and fuller of fine buildings than it. When the town was made, he wished +it to be full of happy inhabitants, with temples in which they might +worship, priests to teach them how to be good, markets in which food +and all that was needed could be bought, tanks and rivulets full of +pure water, soldiers and officers to defend the gates, elephants on +which he and his wife could ride, everything in fact that the heart of +man or woman could desire. + +The first thing Putraka and Patala did after the rise of their own +town, which they named Patali-Putra[1] after themselves, was to get +married in accordance with the rites of their religion; and for many, +many years they reigned wisely over their people, who loved them and +their children with all their hearts. Amongst the attendants on those +children was the old woman who had shown kindness to Putraka in his +loneliness and trouble. For when he told Patala the story of his life, +she reproached him for his neglect of one to whom he owed so much. She +made him feel quite ashamed of himself, and he flew away and brought +the dear old lady back with him, to her very great delight. + +31. Which of the people in this story do you like best? + +32. Do you think Putraka deserved all the happiness which came to him +through stealing the wand, the shoes and the bowl? + +33. Can you suggest any way in which he could have atoned for the wrong +he did to the brothers whose property he took? + +34. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + + + + +V. +The Jewelled Arrow. + + +CHAPTER I + +In the city of Vardhamana in India there lived a powerful king named +Vira-Bhuja, who, as was the custom in his native land, had many wives, +each of whom had several sons. Of all his wives this king loved best +the one named Guna-Vara, and of all his sons her youngest-born, called +Sringa-Bhuja, was his favourite. Guna-Vara was not only very beautiful +but very good. She was so patient that nothing could make her angry, so +unselfish that she always thought of others before herself, and so wise +that she was able to understand how others were feeling, however +different their natures were from her own. + +Sringa-Bhuja, the son of Guna-Vara, resembled his mother in her beauty +and her unselfishness; he was also very strong and very clever, whilst +his brothers were quite unlike him. They wanted to have everything +their own way, and they were very jealous indeed of their father’s love +for him. They were always trying to do him harm, and though they often +quarrelled amongst themselves, they would band together to try and hurt +him. + +It was very much the same with the king’s wives. They hated Guna-Vara, +because their husband loved her more than he did them, and they +constantly came to him with stories they had made up of the wicked +things she had done. Amongst other things they told the king that +Guna-Vara did not really love him but cared more for some one else than +she did for him. The most bitter of all against her was the wife called +Ayasolekha, who was cunning enough to know what sort of tale the king +was likely to believe. The very fact that Vira-Bhuja loved Guna-Vara so +deeply made him more ready to think that perhaps after all she did not +return his affection, and he longed to find out the truth. So he in his +turn made up a story, thinking by its means to find out how she felt +for him. He therefore went one day to her private apartments, and +having sent all her attendants away, he told her he had some very sad +news for her which he had heard from his chief astrologer. Astrologers, +you know, are wise men, who are supposed to be able to read the secrets +of the stars, and learn from them things which are hidden from ordinary +human beings. Guna-Vara therefore did not doubt that what her husband +was about to tell her was true, and she listened eagerly, her heart +beating very fast in her fear that some trouble was coming to those she +loved. + +Great indeed was her sorrow and surprise, when Vira-Bhuja went on to +say that the astrologer had told him that a terrible misfortune +threatened him and his kingdom and the only way to prevent it was to +shut Guna-Vara up in prison for the rest of her life. The poor queen +could hardly believe that she had heard rightly. She knew she had done +no wrong, and could not understand how putting her in prison could help +anybody. She was quite sure that her husband loved her, and no words +could have expressed her pain at the thought of being sent away from +him and her dear son. Yet she made no resistance, not even asking +Vira-Bhuja to let her see Sringa-Bhuja again. She just bowed her +beautiful head and said: “Be it unto me as my Lord wills. If he wishes +my death, I am ready to lay down my life.” + +This submission made the king feel even more unhappy than before. He +longed to take his wife in his arms and tell her he would never let her +go; and perhaps if she had looked at him then, he would have seen all +her love for him in her eyes, but she remained perfectly still with +bowed head, waiting to hear what her fate was to be. Then the thought +entered Vira-Bhuja’s mind: “She is afraid to look at me: what +Ayasolekha said was true.” + +1. Can true love suspect the loved one of evil? + +2. Is true love ever jealous? + + +CHAPTER II + +So the king summoned his guards and ordered them to take his wife to a +strong prison and leave her there. She went with them without making +any resistance, only turning once to look lovingly at her husband as +she was led away. Vira-Bhuja returned to his own palace and had not +been there very long when he got a message from Ayasolekha, begging him +to give her an interview, for she had something of very great +importance to tell him. The king consented at once, thinking to +himself, “perhaps she has found out that what she told me about my dear +Guna-Vara is not true.” + +Great then was his disappointment when the wicked woman told him she +had discovered a plot against his life. The son of Guna-Vara and some +of the chief men of the kingdom, she said, had agreed together to kill +him, so that Sringa-Bhuja might reign in his stead. She and some of the +other wives had overheard conversations between them, and were +terrified lest their beloved Lord should be hurt. The young prince, she +declared, had had some trouble in persuading the nobles to help him, +but he had succeeded at last. + +Vira-Bhuja simply could not believe this story, for he trusted his son +as much as he loved him; and he sent the mischief maker away, telling +her not to dare to enter his presence again. For all that he could not +get the matter out of his head. He had Sringa-Bhuja carefully watched; +and as nothing against him was found out, he was beginning to feel more +easy in his mind, and even to think of going to see Guna-Vara in her +prison to ask her to confide in him, when something happened which led +him to fear that after all his dear son was not true to him. This was +what made him uneasy. He had a wonderful arrow, set with precious +jewels, which had been given to him by a magician, and had the power of +hitting without fail whatever it was aimed at from however great a +distance. The very day he had meant to visit his ill-treated wife, he +missed this arrow from the place in which he kept it concealed. This +distressed him very much; and after seeking it in vain, he summoned all +those who were employed in the palace to his presence, and asked if any +of them knew anything about the arrow. He promised that he would +forgive any one who helped him to get it back, even if it were the +thief himself; but added that, if it was not found in three days, he +would have all the servants beaten until the one who had stolen it +confessed. + +3. Do you think this was the best way to find out who had taken the +arrow? + +4. How would you have set about learning the truth if you had been the +king? + + +CHAPTER III + +Now the fact of the matter was that Ayasolekha, who had told the wicked +story about Guna-Vara, knew where the king kept the arrow, had taken it +to her private rooms, and had sent for her own sons and those of the +other wives, all of whom hated Sringa-Bhuja, to tell them of a plot to +get their brother into disgrace. “You know,” she said to them, “how +much better your father loves Sringa-Bhuja than he does any of you; and +that, when he dies, he will leave the kingdom and all his money to him. +Now I will help you to prevent this by getting rid of Sringa-Bhuja. + +“You must have a great shooting match, in which your brother will be +delighted to take part, for he is very proud of his skill with the bow +and arrow. On the day of the match, I will send for him and give him +the jewelled arrow belonging to your father to shoot with, telling him +the king had said I might lend it to him. Your father will then think +he stole it and order him to be killed.” + +The brothers were all delighted at what they thought a very clever +scheme, and did just what Ayasolekha advised. When the day came, great +crowds assembled to see the shooting at a large target set up near the +palace. The king himself and all his court were watching the scene from +the walls, and it was difficult for the guards to keep the course +clear. The brothers, beginning at the eldest, all pretended to try and +hit the target; but none of them really wished to succeed, because they +thought that, when Sringa-Bhuja’s turn came, as their father’s youngest +son, he would win the match with the jewelled arrow. Then the king +would order him to be brought before him, and he would be condemned to +death or imprisonment for life. + +Now, as very often happens, something no one in the least expected +upset the carefully planned plot. Just as Sringa-Bhuja was about to +shoot at the target, a big crane flew on to the ground between him and +it, so that it was impossible for him to take proper aim. The brothers, +seeing the bird and anxious to shoot it for themselves, all began to +clamour that they should be allowed to shoot again. Nobody made any +objection, and Sringa-Bhuja stood aside, with the jewelled arrow in the +bow, waiting to see what they would do, but feeling sure that he would +be the one to kill the bird. Brother after brother tried, but the great +creature still remained untouched, when a travelling mendicant stepped +forward and cried aloud: + +“That is no bird, but an evil magician who has taken that form to +deceive you all. If he is not killed before he takes his own form +again, he will bring misery and ruin upon this town and the surrounding +country.” + +You know perhaps that mendicants or beggars in India are often holy men +whose advice even kings are glad to listen to; so that, when everyone +heard what this beggar said, there was great excitement and terror. For +many were the stories told of the misfortunes Rakshas or evil magicians +had brought on other cities. The brothers all wanted to try their luck +once more, but the beggar checked them, saying: + +“No, no. Where is your youngest brother Sringa-Bhuja? He alone will be +able to save your homes, your wives and your children, from +destruction,” + +Then Sringa-Bhuja came forward; and as the sun flashed upon the jewels +in the stolen arrow, revealing to the watching king that it was his own +beloved son who had taken it, the young prince let it fly straight for +the bird. It wounded but did not kill the crane, which flew off with +the arrow sticking in its breast, the blood dripping from it in its +flight, which became gradually slower and slower. At the sight of the +bird going off with the precious jewelled arrow, the king was filled +with rage, and sent orders that Sringa-Bhuja should be fetched to his +presence immediately. But before the messengers reached him, he had +started in pursuit of the bird, guided by the blood-drops on the +ground. + +5. Did the brothers show wisdom in the plot they laid against their +brother? + +6. What do you think from this story, so far as you have read it, were +the chief qualities of Sringa-Bhuja? + + +CHAPTER IV + +As Sringa-Bhuja sped along after the crane, the beggar made some +strange signs in the air with the staff he used to help him along; and +such clouds of dust arose that no one could see in which direction the +young prince had gone. The brothers and Ayasolekha were very much +dismayed at the way things had turned out, and greatly feared that the +king’s anger would vent itself on them, now that Sringa-Bhuja had +disappeared. Vira-Bhuja did send for them, and asked them many +questions; but they all kept the secret of how Sringa-Bhuja had got the +arrow, and promised to do all they could to help to get it back. Again +the king thought he would go and see the mother of his dear youngest +son; but again something held him back, and poor Guna-Vara was left +alone, no one ever going near her except the gaoler who took her her +daily food. After trying everything possible to find out where +Sringa-Bhuja had gone, the king began to show special favour to another +of his sons; and as the months passed by, it seemed as if the young +prince and the jewelled arrow were both forgotten. + +Meanwhile Sringa-Bhuja travelled on and on in the track of the drops of +blood, till he came to the outskirts of a fine forest, through which +many beaten paths led to a very great city. He sat down to rest at the +foot of a wide-spreading tree, and was gazing up at the towers and +pinnacles of the town, rising far upwards towards the sky, when he had +a feeling that he was no longer alone. He was right: for, coming slowly +along one of the paths, was a lovely young girl, singing softly to +herself in a beautiful voice. Her eyes were like those of a young doe, +and her features were perfect in their form and expression, reminding +Sringa-Bhuja of his mother, whom he was beginning to fear he would +never see again. + +When the young girl was quite close to him, he startled her by saying, +“Can you tell me what is the name of this city?” + +“Of course, I can,” she replied, “for I live in it. It is called +Dhuma-Pura, and it belongs to my father: he is a great magician named +Agni-Sikha, who loves not strangers. Now tell me who you are and whence +you come?” + +Then Sringa-Bhuja told the maiden all about himself, and why he was +wandering so far from home. The girl, whose name was Rupa-Sikha, +listened very attentively; and when he came to the shooting of the +crane, and how he had followed the bleeding bird in the hope of getting +back his father’s jewelled arrow, she began to tremble. + +“Alas, alas!” she said. “The bird you shot was my father, who can take +any form he chooses. He returned home but yesterday, and I drew the +arrow from his wound and dressed the hurt myself. He gave me the +jewelled arrow to keep, and I will never part with it. As for you, the +sooner you depart the better; for my father never forgives, and he is +so powerful that you would have no chance of escape if he knew you were +here.” + +Hearing this, Sringa-Bhuja became very sad, not because he was afraid +of Agni-Sikha, but because he knew that he already loved the fair +maiden who stood beside him, and was resolved to make her his wife. She +too felt drawn towards him and did not like to think of his going away. +Besides this, she had much to fear from her father, who was as cruel as +he was mighty, and had caused the death already of many lovers who had +wished to marry her. She had never cared for any of them, and had been +content to live without a husband, spending her life in wandering about +near her home and winning the love of all who lived near her, even that +of the wild creatures of the forest, who would none of them dream of +hurting her. Often and often she stood between the wrath of her father +and those he wished to injure; for, wicked as he was, he loved her and +wanted her to be happy. + +7. Do you think that a really wicked man is able to love any one truly? + +8. What would have been the best thing for Sringa-Bhuja to do, when he +found out who the bird he had shot really was? + + +CHAPTER V + +Rupa-Sikha did not take long to decide what was best for her to do. She +said to the prince, “I will give you back your golden arrow, and you +must make all possible haste out of our country before my father +discovers you are here.” + +“No! no! no! a thousand times no!” cried the prince. “Now I have once +seen you, I can never, never leave you. Can you not learn to love me +and be my wife?” Then he fell prostrate at her feet, and looked up into +her face so lovingly that she could not resist him. She bent down +towards him, and the next moment they were clasped in each other’s +arms, quite forgetting all the dangers that threatened them. Rupa-Sikha +was the first to remember her father, and drawing herself away from her +lover, she said to him: + +“Listen to me, and I will tell you what we must do. My father is a +magician, it is true, but I am his daughter, and I inherit some of his +powers. If only you will promise to do exactly as I tell you, I think I +may be able to save you, and perhaps even become your wife. I am the +youngest of a large family and my father’s favourite. I will go and +tell him that a great and mighty prince, hearing of his wonderful +gifts, has come to our land to ask for an interview with him. Then I +will tell him that I have seen you, fallen in love with you, and want +to marry you. He will be flattered to think his fame has spread so far, +and will want to see you, even if he refuses to let me be your wife. I +will lead you to his presence and leave you with him alone. If you +really love me, you will find the way to win his consent; but you must +keep out of his sight till I have prepared the way for you. Come with +me now, and I will show you a hiding-place.” + +Rupa-Sikha then led the prince far away into the depths of the forest, +and showed him a large tree, the wide-spreading branches of which +touched the ground, completely hiding the trunk, in which there was an +opening large enough for a man to pass through. Steps cut in the inside +of the trunk led down to a wide space underground; and there the +magician’s daughter told her lover to wait for her return. “Before I +go,” she said, “I will tell you my own password, which will save you +from death if you should be discovered. It is LOTUS FLOWER; and +everyone to whom you say it, will know that you are under my +protection.” + +When Rupa-Sikha reached the palace she found her father in a very bad +humour, because she had not been to ask how the wound in his breast was +getting on. She did her best to make up for her neglect; and when she +had dressed the wound very carefully, she prepared a dainty meal for +her father with her own hands, waiting upon him herself whilst he ate +it. All this pleased him, and he was in quite an amiable mood when she +said to him: + +“Now I must tell you that I too have had an adventure. As I was +gathering herbs in the forest, I met a man I had never seen before, a +tall handsome young fellow looking like a prince, who told me he was +seeking the palace of a great and wonderful magician, of whose +marvellous deeds he had heard. Who could that magician have been but +you, my father?” She added, “I told him I was your daughter, and he +entreated me to ask you to grant him an interview.” + +Agni-Sikha listened to all this without answering a word. He was +pleased at this fresh proof that his fame had spread far and wide; but +he guessed at once that Rupa-Sikha had not told him the whole truth. He +waited for her to go on, and as she said no more, he suddenly turned +angrily upon her and in a loud voice asked her: + +“And what did my daughter answer?” + +Then Rupa-Sikha knew that her secret had been discovered. And rising to +her full height, she answered proudly, “I told him I would seek you and +ask you to receive him. And now I will tell you, my father, that I have +seen the only man I will ever marry; and if you forbid me to do so, I +will take my own life, for I cannot live without him.” + +“Send for the man immediately,” cried the magician, “and you shall hear +my answer when he appears before me.” + +“I cannot send,” replied Rupa-Sikha, “for none knows where I have left +him; nor will I fetch him till you promise that no evil shall befall +him.” + +At first Agni-Sikha laughed aloud and declared that he would do no such +thing. But his daughter was as obstinate as he was; and finding that he +could not get his own way unless he yielded to her, he said crossly: + +“He shall keep his fine head on his shoulders, and leave the palace +alive; but that is all I will say.” + +“But that is not enough,” said Rupa-Sikha. “Say after me, _Not a hair +of his head shall be harmed, and I will treat him as an honoured +guest_, or your eyes will never rest on him.” + +At last the magician promised, thinking to himself that he would find +some way of disposing of Sringa-Bhuja, if he did not fancy him for a +son-in-law. The words she wanted to hear were hardly out of her +father’s mouth before Rupa-Sikha sped away, as if on the wings of the +wind, full of hope that all would be well. She found her lover +anxiously awaiting her, and quickly explained how matters stood. “You +had better say nothing about me to my father at first,” she said; “but +only talk about him and all you have heard of him. If only you could +get him to like you and want to keep you with him, it would help us +very much. Then you could pretend that you must go back to your own +land; and rather than allow you to do so, he will be anxious for us to +be married and to live here with him.” + +9. Do you think the advice Rupa-Sikha gave to Sringa-Bhuja was good? + +10. Can you suggest anything else she might have done? + + +CHAPTER VI + +Sringa-Bhuja loved Rupa-Sikha so much that he was ready to obey her in +whatever she asked. So he at once went with her to the palace. On every +side he saw signs of the strength and power of the magician. Each gate +was guarded by tall soldiers in shining armour, who saluted Rupa-Sikha +but scowled fiercely at him. He knew full well that, if he had tried to +pass alone, they would have prevented him from doing so. At last the +two came to the great hall, where the magician was walking backwards +and forwards, working himself into a rage at being kept waiting. +Directly he looked at the prince, he knew him for the man who had shot +the jewelled arrow at him when he had taken the form of a crane, and he +determined that he would be revenged. He was too cunning to let +Sringa-Bhuja guess that he knew him, and pretended to be very glad to +see him. He even went so far as to say that he had long wished to find +a prince worthy to wed his youngest and favourite daughter. “You,” he +added, “seem to me the very man, young, handsome and—to judge from the +richness of your dress and jewels—able to give my beloved one all she +needs.” + +The prince could hardly believe his ears, and Rupa-Sikha also was very +much surprised. She guessed however that her father had some evil +purpose in what he said, and looked earnestly at Sringa-Bhuja in the +hope of making him understand. But the prince was so overjoyed at the +thought that she was to be his wife that he noticed nothing. So when +Agni-Sikha added, “I only make one condition: you must promise that you +will never disobey my commands, but do whatever I tell you without a +moment’s hesitation,” Sringa-Bhuja, without waiting to think, said at +once, “Only give me your daughter and I will serve you in any way you +wish.” + +“That’s settled then!” cried the magician, and he clapped his hands +together. In a moment a number of attendants appeared, and their master +ordered them to lead the prince to the best apartments in the palace, +to prepare a bath for him, and do everything he asked them. + +11. What great mistake did the prince make when he gave this promise? + +12. What answer should he have made? + + +CHAPTER VII + +As Sringa-Bhuja followed the servants, Rupa-Sikha managed to whisper to +him, “Beware! await a message from me!” When he had bathed and was +arraying himself in fresh garments provided by his host, waited on, +hand and foot, by servants who treated him with the greatest respect, a +messenger arrived, bearing a sealed letter which he reverently handed +to the prince. Sringa-Bhuja guessed at once from whom it came; and +anxious to read it alone, he hastily finished his toilette and +dismissed the attendants. + +“My beloved,” said the letter—which was, of course, from Rupa-Sikha—“My +father is plotting against you; and very foolish were you to promise +you would obey him in all things. I have ten sisters all exactly like +me, all wearing dresses and necklaces which are exact copies of each +other, so that few can tell me from the others. Soon you will be sent +for to the great Hall and we shall all be together there. My father +will bid you choose your bride from amongst us; and if you make a +mistake all will be over for us. But I will wear my necklace on my head +instead of round my neck, and thus will you know your own true love. +And remember, my dearest, to obey no future command without hearing +from me, for I alone am able to outwit my terrible father.” + +Everything happened exactly as Rupa-Sikha described. The prince was +sent for by Agni-Sikha, who, as soon as he appeared, gave him a garland +of flowers and told him to place it round the neck of the maiden who +was his promised bride. Without a moment’s hesitation Sringa-Bhuja +picked out the right sister; and the magician, though inwardly enraged, +pretended to be so delighted at this proof of a lover’s +clear-sightedness that he cried: + +“You are the son-in-law for me! The wedding shall take place +to-morrow!” + +13. Can you understand how it was that the magician did not notice the +trick Rupa-Sikha had played upon him? + +14. What fault blinds people to the truth more than any other? + + +CHAPTER VIII + +When Sringa-Bhuja heard what Agni-Sikha said, he was full of joy; but +Rupa-Sikha knew well that her father did not mean a word of it. She +waited quietly beside her lover, till the magician bade all the sisters +but herself leave the hall. Then the magician, with a very wicked look +on his face, said: + +“Before the ceremony there is just one little thing you must do for me, +dear son-in-law that is to be. Go outside the town, and near the most +westerly tower you will find a team of oxen and a plough awaiting you. +Close to them is a pile of three hundred bushels of sesame seed. This +you must sow this very day, or instead of a bridegroom you will be a +dead man to-morrow.” + +Great was the dismay of Sringa-Bhuja when he heard this. But Rupa-Sikha +whispered to him, “Fear not, for I will help you.” Sadly the prince +left the palace alone, to seek the field outside the city; the guards, +who knew he was the accepted lover of their favourite mistress, letting +him pass unhindered. There, sure enough, near the western tower were +the oxen, the plough and a great pile of seed. Never before had poor +Sringa-Bhuja had to work for himself, but his great love for Rupa-Sikha +made him determine to do his best. So he was about to begin to guide +the oxen across the field, when, behold, all was suddenly changed. +Instead of an unploughed tract of land, covered with weeds, was a field +with rows and rows of regular furrows. The piles of seed were gone, and +flocks of birds were gathering in the hope of securing some of it as it +lay in the furrows. + +As Sringa-Bhuja was staring in amazement at this beautiful scene, he +saw Rupa-Sikha, looking more lovely than ever, coming towards him. “Not +in vain,” she said to him, “am I my father’s daughter. I too know how +to compel even nature to do my will; but the danger is not over yet. Go +quickly back to the palace, and tell Agni-Sikha that his wishes are +fulfilled.” + +15. Can the laws of nature ever really be broken? + +16. What is the only way in which man can conquer nature? + + +CHAPTER IX + +The magician was very angry indeed when he heard that the field was +ploughed and the seed sown. He knew at once that some magic had been at +work, and suspected that Rupa-Sikha was the cause of his +disappointment. Without a moment’s hesitation he said to the prince: +“No sooner were you gone than I decided not to have that seed sown. Go +back at once, and pile it up where it was before.” + +This time Sringa-Bhuja felt no fear or hesitation, for he was sure of +the power and will to help him of his promised bride. So back he went +to the field, and there he found the whole vast space covered with +millions and millions of ants, busily collecting the seed and piling it +up against the wall of the town. Again Rupa-Sikha came to cheer him, +and again she warned him that their trials were not yet over. She +feared, she said, that her father might prove stronger than herself; +for he had many allies at neighbouring courts ready to help him in his +evil purposes. “Whatever else he orders you to do, you _must_ see me +before you leave the palace. I will send my faithful messenger to +appoint a meeting in some secret place.” + +Agni-Sikha was not much surprised when the prince told him that his +last order had been obeyed, and thought to himself, “I must get this +tiresome fellow out of my domain, where that too clever child of mine +will not be able to help him.” “Well,” he said, “I suppose the wedding +must take place to-morrow after all, for I am a man of my word. We must +now set about inviting the guests. You shall have the pleasure of doing +this yourself: then my friends will know beforehand what a handsome +young son-in-law I shall have. The first person to summon to the +wedding is my brother Dhuma Sikha, who has taken up his abode in a +deserted temple a few miles from here. You must ride at once to that +temple, rein up your steed opposite it, and cry, ‘Dhuma Sikha, your +brother Agni-Sikha has sent me hither to invite you to witness my +marriage with his daughter Rupa-Sikha to-morrow. Come without delay!’ +Your message given, ride back to me; and I will tell you what farther +tasks you must perform before the happy morrow dawns.” + +When Sringa-Bhuja left the palace, he knew not where to seek a horse to +bear him on this new errand. But as he was nearing the gateway by which +he had gone forth to sow the field with seed, a handsome boy approached +him and said, “If my lord will follow me, I will tell him what to do.” +Somehow the voice sounded familiar; and when the guards were left far +enough behind to be out of hearing, the boy looked up at Sringa-Bhuja +with a smile that revealed Rupa-Sikha herself. “Come with me,” she +said; and taking his hand, she led him to a tree beneath which stood a +noble horse, richly caparisoned, which pawed the ground and whinnied to +its mistress, as she drew near. + +“You must ride this horse,” said Rupa-Sikha, “who will obey you if you +but whisper in his ear; and you must take earth, water, wood and fire +with you, which I will give you. You must go straight to the temple, +and when you have called out your message, turn without a moment’s +delay, and ride for your life as swiftly as your steed will go, looking +behind you all the time. No guidance will be necessary; for Marut—that +is my horse’s name—knows well what he has to do.” + +Then Rupa-Sikha gave Sringa-Bhuja a bowl of earth, a jar of water, a +bundle of thorns and a brazier full of burning charcoal, hanging them +by strong thongs upon the front of his saddle so that he could reach +them easily. “My father,” she told him, “has given my uncle +instructions to kill you, and he will follow you upon his swift Arab +steed. When you hear him behind you, fling earth in his path; if that +does not stop him, pour out some of the water; and if he still +perseveres, scatter the burning charcoal before him.” + +17. Can you discover any hidden meaning in the use of earth, water, +thorns and fire, to stop the course of the wicked magician? + +18. Do you think the prince loved Rupa-Sikha better than he loved +himself? + + +CHAPTER X + +Away went the prince after he had received these instructions; and very +soon he found himself opposite the temple, with the images of three of +the gods worshipped in India to prove that it had been a sanctuary +before the magician took up his abode in it. Directly Sringa-Bhuja +shouted out his message to Dhuma-Sikha, the wicked dweller in the +temple came rushing forth from the gateway, mounted on a huge horse, +which seemed to be belching forth flames from its nostrils as it +bounded along. For one terrible moment Sringa-Bhuja feared that he was +lost; but Marut, putting forth all his strength, kept a little in +advance of the enemy, giving the prince time to scatter earth behind +him. Immediately a great mountain rose up, barring the road, and +Sringa-Bhuja felt that he was saved. He was mistaken: for, as he looked +back, he saw Dhuma-Sikha coming over the top of the mountain. The next +moment the magician was close upon him. So he emptied his bowl of +water: and, behold, a huge river with great waves hid pursuer and +pursued from each other. Even this did not stop the mighty Arab horse, +which swam rapidly across, the rider loudly shouting out orders to the +prince to stop. When the prince heard the hoofs striking on the dry +ground behind him again, he threw out the thorns, and a dense wood +sprouted up as if by magic, which for a few moments gave fresh hope of +safety to Sringa-Bhuja; for it seemed as if even the powerful magician +would be unable to get through it. He did succeed however; but his +clothes were nearly torn off his back, and his horse was bleeding from +many wounds made by the cruel thorns. Sringa-Bhuja too was getting +weary, and remembered that he had only one more chance of checking his +relentless enemy. He could almost feel the breath of the panting steed +as it drew near; and with a loud cry to his beloved Rupa-Sikha, he +threw the burning charcoal on the road. In an instant the grass by the +wayside, the trees overshadowing it, and the magic wood which had +sprung from the thorns, were alight, burning so fiercely that no living +thing could approach them safely. The wicked magician was beaten at +last, and was soon himself fleeing away, as fast as he could, with the +flames following after him as if they were eager to consume him. + +Whether his enemy ever got back to his temple, Sringa-Bhuja never knew. +Exhausted with all he had been through, the young prince was taken back +to the palace by the faithful Marut, and there he found his dear +Rupa-Sikha awaiting him. She told him that her father had promised her +that, if the prince came back, he would oppose her marriage no longer. +“For,” he said, “if he can escape your uncle, he must be more than +mortal, and worthy even of my daughter.” “He does not in the least +expect to see you again,” added Rupa-Sikha; “and even if he allows us +to marry, he will never cease to hate you; for I am quite sure he knows +that you shot the jewelled arrow at him when he was in the form of a +crane. If I ever am your wife, he will try to punish you through me. +But have no fear: I shall know how to manage him. Fresh powers have +been lately given to me by another uncle whose magic is stronger than +that of any of my other relations.” + +When Sringa-Bhuja had bathed and rested, he robed himself once more in +the garments he had worn the day he first saw Rupa-Sikha; and together +the lovers went to the great hall to seek an interview with Agni-Sikha. +The magician, who had made quite sure that he had now got rid of the +unwelcome suitor for his daughter’s hand, could not contain his rage, +at seeing him walk in with her as if the two were already wedded. + +He stamped about, pouring out abuse, until he had quite exhausted +himself, the lovers looking on quietly without speaking. At last, +coming close to them, Agni-Sikha shouted, in a loud harsh voice: “So +you have not obeyed my orders. You have not bid my brother to the +wedding. Your life is forfeit, and you will die to-morrow instead of +marrying Rupa-Sikha. Describe the temple in which Dhuma Sikha lives and +the appearance of its owner.” + +Then Sringa-Bhuja gave such an exact account of the temple, naming the +gods whose images still adorned it, and of the terrible man riding the +noble steed who had pursued him, that the magician was convinced +against his will; and knowing that he must keep his word to Rupa-Sikha, +he gave his consent for the preparations for the marriage on the morrow +to begin. + +19. What is your opinion of the character of Agni-Sikha? + +20. Do you think he was at all justified in the way in which he treated +his daughter and Sringa-Bhuja? + + +CHAPTER XI + +The marriage was celebrated the next day with very great pomp; and a +beautiful suite of rooms was given to the bride and bridegroom, who +could not in spite of this feel safe or happy, because they knew full +well that Agni-Sikha hated them. The prince soon began to feel +home-sick and anxious to introduce his beautiful wife to his own +people. He remembered that he had left his dear mother in prison, and +reproached himself for having forgotten her for so long. So he said to +Rupa-Sikha: + +“Let us go, beloved, to my native city, Vardhamana. My heart yearns +after my dear ones there, and I would fain introduce you to them.” + +“My lord,” replied Rupa-Sikha, “I will go with you whither you will, +were it even to the ends of the earth. But we must not let my father +guess we mean to go; for he would forbid us to leave the country and +set spies to watch our every movement. We will steal away secretly, +riding together on my faithful Marut and taking with us only what we +can carry.” “And my jewelled arrow,” said the prince, “that I may give +it back to my father and explain to him how I lost it. Then shall I be +restored to his favour, and maybe he will forgive my mother also.” + +“Have no fear,” answered Rupa-Sikha: “all will surely go well with us. +Forget not that new powers have been given to me, which will save us +from my father and aid me to rescue my dear one’s mother from her evil +fate.” + +Before the dawn broke on the next day, the two set forth unattended, +Marut seeming to take pride in his double burden and bearing them along +so swiftly that they had all but reached the bounds of the country +under the dominion of Agni-Sikha as the sun rose. Just as they thought +they were safe from pursuit, they heard a loud rushing noise behind; +and looking round, they saw the father of the bride close upon them on +his Arab steed, with sword uplifted in his hand to strike. “Fear not,” +whispered Rupa-Sikha to her husband. “I will show you now what I can +do.” And waving her arms to and fro, as she muttered some strange +words, she changed herself into an old woman and Sringa-Bhuja into an +old man, whilst Marut became a great pile of wood by the road-side. + +When the angry father reached the spot, the bride and bridegroom were +busily gathering sticks to add to the pile, seemingly too absorbed in +their work to take any notice of the angry magician, who shouted out to +them: + +“Have you seen a man and a woman pass along this way?” + +The old woman straightened herself, and peering, up into his face, +said: + +“No; we are too busy over our work to notice anything else.” + +“And what, pray, are you doing in my wood?” asked Agni-Sikha. + +“We are helping to collect the fuel for the pyre of the great magician +Agni-Sikha,” answered Rupa-Sikha. “Do you not know that he died +yesterday?” + +The Hindus of India do not bury but burn the dead; so that it was quite +a natural thing for the people of the land over which the magician +ruled to collect the materials for the pyre or heap of wood on which +his body would be laid to be burnt. What surprised Agni-Sikha, and in +fact nearly took his breath away, was to be quietly told that he was +dead. He began to think that he was dreaming, and said to himself, “I +cannot really be dead without knowing it, so I must be asleep.” And he +quietly turned his horse round and rode slowly home again. This was +just what his daughter wanted; and as soon as he was out of sight, she +turned herself, her husband and Marut, into their natural forms again, +laughing merrily, as she did so, at the thought of the ease with which +she had got rid of her father. + +21. Do you think it was clever of Rupa-Sikha to make up this story? + +22. Do you think it is better to believe all that you are told or to be +more ready to doubt when anything you hear seems to be unusual? + + +CHAPTER XII + +Once more the bride and bridegroom set forth on their way, and once +more they soon heard Agni-Sikha coming after them. For when he got back +to his palace, and the servants hastened out to take his horse, he +guessed that a trick had been played on him. He did not even dismount, +but just turned his horse’s head round and galloped back again. “If +ever,” he thought to himself, “I catch those two young people, I’ll +make them wish they had obeyed me. Yes, they shall suffer for it. I am +not going to stand being defied like this.” + +This time Rupa-Sikha contented herself with making her husband and +Marut invisible, whilst she changed herself into a letter-carrier, +hurrying along the road as if not a moment was to be lost. She took no +notice of her father, till he reined up his steed and shouted to her: + +“Have you seen a man and woman on horseback pass by?” + +“No, indeed,” she said: “I have a very important letter to deliver, and +could think of nothing but making all the haste possible.” + +“And what is this important letter about?” asked Agni-Sikha. “Can you +tell me that?” + +“Oh, yes, I can tell you that,” she said. “But where can you have been, +not to have heard the terrible news about the ruler of this land?” + +“You can’t tell me anything I don’t know about him,” answered the +magician, “for he is my greatest friend.” + +“Then you know that he is dying from a wound he got in a battle with +his enemies only yesterday. I am to take this letter to his brother +Dhuma-Sikha, bidding him come to see him before the end.” + +Again Agni-Sikha wondered if he were dreaming, or if he were under some +strange spell and did not really know who he was? Being able, as he +was, to cast spells on other people, he was ready to fancy the same +thing had befallen him. He said nothing when he heard that he was +wounded, and was about to turn back again when Rupa-Sikha said to him: + +“As you are on horseback and can get to Dhuma-Sikha’s temple quicker +than I can, will you carry the message of his brother’s approaching +death to him for me, and bid him make all possible haste if he would +see him alive?” + +This was altogether too much for the magician, who became sure that +there was something very wrong about him. He knew he was not wounded or +dying, but he thought he must be ill of fever, fancying he heard what +he did not. He stared fixedly at his daughter, and she stared up at +him, half-afraid he might find out who she was, but he never guessed. + +“Do your own errands,” he said at last; and slashing his poor innocent +horse with his whip, he wheeled round and dashed home again as fast as +he could. Again his servants ran out to receive him, and he gloomily +dismounted, telling them to send his chief councillor to him in his +private apartments. Shut up with him, he poured out all his troubles, +and the councillor advised him to see his physician without any delay, +for he felt sure that these strange fancies were caused by illness. + +The doctor, when he came, was very much puzzled, but he looked as wise +as he could, ordered perfect rest and all manner of disagreeable +medicines. He was very much surprised at the change he noticed in his +patient, who, instead of angrily declaring that there was nothing the +matter with him, was evidently in a great fright about his health. He +shut himself up for many days, and it was a long time before he got +over the shock he had received, and then it was too late for him to be +revenged or the lovers. + +23. Can you explain what casting a spell means? + +24. Can you give an instance of a spell being cast on any one you have +heard of? + + +CHAPTER XIII + +Having really got rid of Agni-Sikha, Rupa-Sikha and her husband were +very soon out of his reach and in the country belonging to +Sringa-Bhuja’s father, who had bitterly mourned the loss of his +favourite son. When the news was brought to him that two strangers, a +handsome young man and a beautiful woman, who appeared to be husband +and wife, had entered his capital, he hastened forth to meet them, +hoping that perhaps they could give him news of Sringa-Bhuja. What was +his joy when he recognised his dear son, holding the jewelled arrow, +which had led him into such trouble, in his right hand, as he guided +Marut with his left! The king flung himself from his horse, and +Sringa-Bhuja, giving the reins to Rupa-Sikha, also dismounted. The next +moment he was in his father’s arms, everything forgotten and forgiven +in the happy reunion. + +Great was the rejoicing over Sringa-Bhuja’s return and hearty was the +welcome given to his beautiful bride, who quickly won all hearts but +those of the wicked wives and sons who had tried to harm her husband +and his mother. They feared the anger of the king, when he found out +how they had deceived him, and they were right to fear. Sringa-Bhuja’s +very first act was to plead for his mother to be set free. He would not +tell any of his adventures, he said, till she could hear them too; and +the king, full of remorse for the way he had treated her, went with him +to the prison in which she had been shut up all this time. What was +poor Guna-Vara’s joy, when the two entered the place in which she had +shed so many tears! She could not at first believe her eyes or ears, +but soon she realised that her sufferings were indeed over. She could +not be quite happy till her beloved husband said he knew she had never +loved any one but him. She had been accused falsely, she said, and she +wanted the woman who had told a lie about her to be made to own the +truth. + +This was done in the presence of the whole court, and when judgment had +been passed upon Ayasolekha, the brothers of Sringa-Bhuja were also +brought before their father, who charged them with having deceived him. +They too were condemned, and all the culprits would have been taken to +prison and shut up for the rest of their lives, if those they had +injured had not pleaded for their forgiveness. Guna-Vara and her son +prostrated themselves at the foot of the throne, and would not rise +till they had won pardon for their enemies. Ayasolekha and the brothers +were allowed to go free; but Sringa-Bhuja, though he was the youngest +of all the princes, was proclaimed heir to the crown after his father’s +death. His brothers, however, never ceased to hate him; and when he +came to the throne, they gave him a great deal of trouble. He had many +years of happiness with his wife and parents before that, and never +regretted the mistake about the jewelled arrow; since but for it he +would, he knew, never have seen his beloved Rupa-Sikha. + +25. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +26. Do you think it was good for those who had told lies about +Guna-Vara and her son to be forgiven so easily? + +27. Can you give any instances of good coming out of evil and of evil +coming out of what seemed good? + +28. Do you think Rupa-Sikha deserved all the happiness that came to +her? + + + + +VI. +The Beetle and the Silken Thread.[2] + + +CHAPTER I + +The strange adventures related in the story of the Beetle and the +Silken Thread took place in the town of Allahabad, “the City of God,” +so called because it is situated near the point of meeting of the two +sacred rivers of India, the Ganges, which the Hindus lovingly call +Mother Ganga because they believe its waters can wash away their sins, +and the Jumna, which they consider scarcely less holy. + +The ruler of Allahabad was a very selfish and hot-tempered Raja named +Surya Pratap, signifying “Powerful as the Sun,” who expected everybody +to obey him without a moment’s delay, and was ready to punish in a very +cruel manner those who hesitated to do so. He would never listen to a +word of explanation, or own that he had been mistaken, even when he +knew full well that he was in the wrong. He had a mantri, that is to +say, a chief vizier or officer, whom he greatly trusted, and really +seemed to be fond of, for he liked to have him always near him. The +vizier was called Dhairya-Sila, or “the Patient One,” because he never +lost his temper, no matter what provocation he received. He had a +beautiful house, much money and many jewels, carriages to drive about +in, noble horses to ride and many servants to wait upon him, all given +to him by his master. But what he loved best of all was his faithful +wife, Buddhi-Mati, or “the Sensible One,” whom he had chosen for +himself, and who would have died for him. + +Many of the Raja’s subjects were jealous of Dhairya-Sila, and +constantly brought accusations against him, of none of which his master +took any notice, except to punish those who tried to set him against +his favourite. It really seemed as if nothing would ever bring harm to +Dhairya-Sila; but he often told his wife that such good fortune was not +likely to last, and that she must be prepared for a change before long. + +It turned out that he was right. For one day Surya Pratap ordered him +to do what he considered would be a shameful deed. He refused; telling +his master that he was wrong to think of such a thing, and entreating +him to give up his purpose. “All your life long,” he said, “you will +wish you had listened to me; for your conscience will never let you +rest!” + +On hearing these brave words, Surya Pratap flew into a terrible rage, +summoned his guards, and ordered them to take Dhairya-Sila outside the +city to a very lofty tower, and leave him at the top of it, without +shelter from the sun and with nothing to eat or drink. The guards were +at first afraid to touch the vizier, remembering how others had been +punished for only speaking against him. Seeing their unwillingness, the +Raja got more and more angry; but Dhairya-Sila himself kept quite calm, +and said to the soldiers: + +“I go with you gladly. It is for the master to command and for me to +obey.” + +1. What is the best way to learn to keep calm in an emergency? + +2. Why does too much power have a bad influence on those who have it? + + +CHAPTER II + +The guards were relieved to find they need not drag the vizier away; +for they admired his courage and felt sure that the Raja would soon +find he could not get on without him. It might go hardly with them if +he suffered harm at their hands. So they only closed in about him; and +holding himself very upright, Dhairya-Sila walked to the tower as if he +were quite glad to go. In his heart however he knew full well that it +would need all his skill to escape with his life. + +When her husband did not come home at night, Buddhi-Mati was very much +distressed. She guessed at once that something had gone wrong, and set +forth to try and find out what had happened. This was easy enough; for +as she crept along, with her veil closely held about her lest she +should be recognised, she passed groups of people discussing the +terrible fate that had befallen the favourite. She decided that she +must wait until midnight, when the streets would be deserted and she +could reach the tower unnoticed. It was almost dark when she got there, +but in the dim light of the stars she made out the form of him she +loved better than herself, leaning over the edge of the railing at the +top. + +“Is my dear lord still alive?” she whispered, “and is there anything I +can do to help him?” + +“You can do everything that is needed to help me,” answered +Dhairya-Sila quietly, “if you only obey every direction I give you. Do +not for one moment suppose that I am in despair. I am more powerful +even now than my master, who has but shown his weakness by attempting +to harm me. Now listen to me. Come to-morrow night at this very hour, +bringing with you the following things: first, a beetle; secondly, +sixty yards of the finest silk thread, as thin as a spider’s web; +thirdly, sixty yards of cotton thread, as thin as you can get it, but +very strong; fourthly, sixty yards of good stout twine; fifthly, sixty +yards of rope, strong enough to carry my weight; and last, but +certainly not least, one drop of the purest bees’ honey.” + +3. Do you think the vizier thought of all these things before or after +he was taken to the tower? + +4. What special quality did he display in the way in which he faced his +position on the tower? + + +CHAPTER III + +Buddhi-Mati listened very attentively to these strange instructions, +and began to ask questions about them. “Why do you want the beetle? Why +do you want the honey?” and so on. But her husband checked her. “I have +no strength to waste in explanations,” he said. “Go home in peace, +sleep well, and dream of me.” So the anxious wife went meekly away; and +early the next day she set to work to obey the orders she had received. +She had some trouble in obtaining fine enough silk, so very, very thin +it had to be, like a spider’s web; but the cotton, twine and rope were +easily bought; and to her surprise she was not asked what she wanted +them for. It took her a good while to choose the beetle. For though she +had a vague kind of idea that the silk, the cotton, twine, and rope, +were to help her husband get down from the tower, she could not imagine +what share the beetle and the honey were to take. In the end she chose +a very handsome, strong-looking, brilliantly coloured fellow who lived +in the garden of her home and whom she knew to be fond of honey. + +5. Can you guess how the beetle and the honey were to help in saving +Dhairya-Sila? + +6. Do you think it would have been better if the vizier had told his +wife how all the things he asked for were to be used? + + +CHAPTER IV + +All the time Buddhi-Mati was at work for her husband, she was thinking +of him and looking forward to the happy day of his return home. She had +such faith in him that she did not for a moment doubt that he would +escape; but she was anxious about the future, feeling sure that the +Raja would never forgive Dhairya-Sila for being wiser than himself. +Exactly at the time fixed the faithful wife appeared at the foot of the +tower, with all the things she had been told to bring with her. + +“Is all well with my lord?” she whispered, as she gazed up through the +darkness. “I have the silken thread as fine as gossamer, the cotton +thread, the twine, the rope, the beetle and the honey.” + +“Yes,” answered Dhairya-Sila, “all is still well with me. I have slept +well, feeling confident that my dear one would bring all that is needed +for my safety; but I dread the great heat of another day, and we must +lose no time in getting away from this terrible tower. Now attend most +carefully to all I bid you do; and remember not to speak loud, or the +sentries posted within hearing will take alarm and drive you away. +First of all, tie the end of the silken thread round the middle of the +beetle, leaving all its legs quite free. Then rub the drop of honey on +its nose, and put the little creature on the wall, with its nose turned +upwards towards me. It will smell the honey, but will not guess that it +carries it itself, and it will crawl upwards in the hope of getting to +the hive from which that honey came. Keep the rest of the silk firmly +held, and gradually unwind it as the beetle climbs up. Mind you do not +let it slip, for my very life depends on that slight link with you.” + +7. Which do you think had the harder task to perform—the husband at the +top of the tower or the wife at the foot of it? + +8. Do you think the beetle was likely to imagine it was on the way to a +hive of bees when it began to creep up the tower? + + +CHAPTER V + +Buddhi-Mati, though her hands shook and her heart beat fast as she +realized all that depended on her, kept the silk from becoming +entangled; and when it was nearly all unwound, she heard her husband’s +voice saying to her: “Now tie the cotton thread to the end of the silk +that you hold, and let it gradually unwind.” She obeyed, fully +understanding now what all these preparations were for. + +When the little messenger of life reached the top of the tower, +Dhairya-Sila took it up in his hand and very gently unfastened the +silken thread from its body. Then he placed the beetle carefully in a +fold of his turban, and began to pull the silken thread up—very, very +slowly, for if it had broken, his wonderful scheme would have come to +an end. Presently he had the cotton thread in his fingers, and he broke +off the silk, wound it up, and placed it too in his turban. It had done +its duty well, and he would not throw it away. + +“Half the work is done now,” he whispered to his faithful wife. “You +have all but saved me now. Take the twine and tie it to the end of the +cotton thread.” + +Very happily Buddhi-Mati obeyed once more; and soon the cotton thread +and twine were also laid aside, and the strong rope tied to the last +was being quickly dragged up by the clever vizier, who knew that all +fear of death from sunstroke or hunger was over. When he had all the +rope on the tower, he fastened one end of it to the iron railing which +ran round the platform on which he stood, and very quickly slid down to +the bottom, where his wife was waiting for him, trembling with joy. + +9. Do you see anything very improbable in the account of what the +beetle did? + +10. If the beetle had not gone straight up the tower, what do you think +would have happened? + + +CHAPTER VI + +After embracing his wife and thanking her for saving him, the vizier +said to her: “Before we return home, let us give thanks to the great +God who helped me in my need by putting into my head the device by +which I escaped.” The happy pair then prostrated themselves on the +ground, and in fervent words of gratitude expressed their sense of what +the God they worshipped had done for them. “And now,” said +Dhairya-Sila, “the next thing we have to do is to take the dear little +beetle which was the instrument of my rescue back to the place it came +from.” And taking off his turban, he showed his wife the tiny creature +lying in the soft folds. + +Buddhi-Mati led her husband to the garden where she had found the +beetle, and Dhairya-Sila laid it tenderly on the ground, fetched some +food for it, such as he knew it loved, and there left it to take up its +old way of life. The rest of the day he spent quietly in his own home +with his wife, keeping out of sight of his servants, lest they should +report his return to his master. “You must never breathe a word to any +one of how I escaped,” Dhairya-Sila said, and his wife promised that +she never would. + +11. When the vizier got this promise, what did he forget which could +betray how he got down from the tower, if any one went to look at it? + +12. Do you think there was any need for the vizier to tell his wife to +keep his secret? + + +CHAPTER VII + +All this time the Raja was feeling very unhappy, for he thought he had +himself caused the death of the one man he could trust. He was too +proud to let anybody know that he missed Dhairya-Sila, and was longing +to send for him from the tower before it was too late. What then was +his relief and surprise when a message was brought to him that the +vizier was at the door of the palace and begged for an interview. + +“Bring him in at once,” cried Surya Pratap. And the next moment +Dhairya-Sila stood before his master, his hands folded on his breast +and his head bent in token of his submission. The attendants looked on, +eager to know how he had got down from the tower, some of them anything +but glad to see him back. The Raja took care not to show how delighted +he was to see him, and pretending to be angry, he said: + +“How dare you come into my presence, and which of my subjects has +ventured to help you to escape the death on the tower you so richly +deserved?” + +“None of your subjects, great and just and glorious ruler,” replied +Dhairya-Sila, “but the God who created us both, making you my master +and me your humble servant. It was that God,” he went on, “who saved +me, knowing that I was indeed guiltless of any crime against you. I had +not been long on the tower when help came to me in the form of a great +and noble eagle, which appeared above me, hovering with outspread +wings, as if about to swoop down upon me and tear me limb from limb. I +trembled greatly, but I need have had no fear; for instead of harming +me, the bird suddenly lifted me up in its talons and, flying rapidly +through the air, landed me upon the balcony of my home and disappeared. +Great indeed was the joy of my wife at my rescue from what seemed to be +certain death; but I tore myself away from her embraces, to come and +tell my lord how heaven had interfered to prove my innocence.” + +Fully believing that a miracle had taken place, Surya Pratap asked no +more questions, but at once restored Dhairya-Sila to his old place as +vizier, taking care not again to ill-treat the man he now believed to +be under the special care of God. Though he certainly did not deserve +it, the vizier prospered greatly all the rest of his life and as time +went on he became the real ruler of the kingdom, for the Raja depended +on his advice in everything. He grew richer and richer, but he was +never really happy again, remembering the lie he had told to the master +to whom he owed so much. Buddhi-Mati could never understand why he made +up the story about the eagle, and constantly urged him to tell the +truth. She thought it was really far more wonderful that a little +beetle should have been the means of rescuing him, than that a strong +bird should have done so; and she wanted everyone to know what a very +clever husband she had. She kept her promise never to tell anyone what +really happened, but the secret came out for all that. By the time it +was known, however, Dhairya-Sila was so powerful that no one could harm +him, and when he died his son took his place as vizier. + +13. What lessons can be learnt from this story? + +14. What do you think was Dhairya-Sila’s motive for telling the Raja +the lie about the eagle? + +15. What did Surya Pratap’s ready belief in the story show? + +16. How do you think the secret the husband and wife kept so well was +discovered? + + + + +VII. +A Crow and His Three Friends + + +CHAPTER I + +In the branches of a great tree, in a forest in India, lived a wise old +crow in a very comfortable, well-built nest. His wife was dead, and all +his children were getting their own living; so he had nothing to do but +to look after himself. He led a very easy existence, but took a great +interest in the affairs of his neighbours. One day, popping his head +over the edge of his home, he saw a fierce-looking man stalking along, +carrying a stick in one hand and a net in the other. + +“That fellow is up to some mischief, I’ll be bound,” thought the crow: +“I will keep my eye on him.” The man stopped under the tree, spread the +net on the ground; and taking a bag of rice out of his pocket, he +scattered the grains amongst the meshes of the net. Then he hid himself +behind the trunk of the tree from which the crow was watching, +evidently intending to stop there and see what would happen. The crow +felt pretty sure that the stranger had designs against birds, and that +the stick had something to do with the matter. He was quite right; and +it was not long before just what he expected came to pass. + +A flock of pigeons, led by a specially fine bird who had been chosen +king because of his size and the beauty of his plumage, came flying +rapidly along, and noticed the white rice, but did not see the net, +because it was very much the same colour as the ground. Down swooped +the king, and down swept all the other pigeons, eager to enjoy a good +meal without any trouble to themselves. Alas, their joy was short +lived! They were all caught in the net and began struggling to escape, +beating the air with their wings and uttering loud cries of distress. + +The crow and the man behind the tree kept very quiet, watching them; +the man with his stick ready to beat the poor helpless birds to death, +the crow watching out of mere curiosity. Now a very strange and +wonderful thing came to pass. The king of the pigeons, who had his wits +about him, said to the imprisoned birds: + +“Take the net up in your beaks, all of you spread out your wings at +once, and fly straight up into the air as quickly as possible.” + +1. What special qualities did the king display when he gave these +orders to his subjects? + +2. Can you think of any other advice the king might have given? + + +CHAPTER II + +In a moment all the pigeons, who were accustomed to obey their leader, +did as they were bid; each little bird seized a separate thread of the +net in his beak and up, up, up, they all flew, looking very beautiful +with the sunlight gleaming on their white wings. Very soon they were +out of sight; and the man, who thought he had hit upon a very clever +plan, came forth from his hiding-place, very much surprised at what had +happened. He stood gazing up after his vanished net for a little time, +and then went away muttering to himself, whilst the wise old crow +laughed at him. + +When the pigeons had flown some distance, and were beginning to get +exhausted, for the net was heavy and they were quite unused to carrying +loads, the king bade them rest awhile in a clearing of the forest; and +as they all lay on the ground panting for breath, with the cruel net +still hampering them, he said: + +“What we must do now is to take this horrible net to my old friend +Hiranya the mouse, who will, I am quite sure, nibble through the +strings for me and set us all free. He lives, as you all know, near the +tree where the net was spread, deep underground; but there are many +passages leading to his home, and we shall easily find one of the +openings. Once there, we will all lift up our voices, and call to him +at once, when he will be sure to hear us.” So the weary pigeons took up +their burden once more, and sped back whence they had come, greatly to +the surprise of the crow, who wondered at their coming back to the very +place where misfortune had overtaken them. He very soon learnt the +reason, and got so excited watching what was going on, that he hopped +out of his nest and perched upon a branch where he could see better. +Presently a great clamour arose, one word being repeated again and +again: “Hiranya! Hiranya! Hiranya.” + +“Why, that’s the name of the mouse who lives down below there!” thought +the crow. “Now, what good can he do? I know, I know,” he added, as he +remembered the sharp teeth of Hiranya. “That king of the pigeons is a +sensible fellow. I must make friends with him.” + +Very soon, as the pigeons lay fluttering and struggling outside one of +the entrances to Hiranya’s retreat, the mouse came out. He didn’t even +need to be told what was wanted, but at once began to nibble the +string, first setting free the king, and then all the rest of the +birds. “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” cried the king; “a +thousand thousand thanks!” And away he flew up into the beautiful free +air of heaven, followed by the happy pigeons, none of them ever likely +to forget the adventure or to pick up food from the ground without a +good look at it first. + +3. What was the chief virtue displayed by the mouse on this occasion? + +4. Do you think it is easier to obey than to command? + + +CHAPTER III + +The mouse did not at once return to his hole when the birds were gone, +but went for a little stroll, which brought him to the ground still +strewn with rice, which he began to eat with great relish. “It’s an ill +wind,” he said to himself, “which brings nobody any good. There’s many +a good meal for my whole family here.” + +Presently he was joined by the old crow, who had flown down from his +perch unnoticed by Hiranya, and now addressed him in his croaky voice: + +“Hiranya,” he said, “for that I know is your name, I am called +Laghupatin and I would gladly have you for a friend. I have seen all +that you did for the pigeons, and have come to the conclusion that you +are a mouse of great wisdom, ready to help those who are in trouble, +without any thought of yourself.” + +“You are quite wrong,” squeaked Hiranya. “I am not so silly as you make +out. I have no wish to be your friend. If you were hungry, you wouldn’t +hesitate to gobble me up. I don’t care for that sort of affection.” + +With that Hiranya whisked away to his hole, pausing at the entrance, +when he knew the crow could not get at him, to cry, “You be off to your +nest and leave me alone!” + +The feelings of the crow were very much hurt at this speech, the more +that he knew full well it was not exactly love for the mouse, which had +led him to make his offer, but self-interest: for who could tell what +difficulties he himself might some day be in, out of which the mouse +might help him? Instead of obeying Hiranya, and going back to his nest, +he hopped to the mouse’s hole, and putting his head on one side in what +he thought was a very taking manner, he said: + +“Pray do not misjudge me so. Never would I harm you! Even if I did not +wish to have you for a friend, I should not dream of gobbling you up, +as you say, however hungry I might be. Surely you are aware that I am a +strict vegetarian, and never eat the flesh of other creatures. At least +give me a trial. Let us share a meal together, and talk the matter +over.” + +5. Can a friendship be a true one if the motive for it is +self-interest? + +6. Would it have been wise or foolish for the mouse to agree to be +friends with the crow? + + +CHAPTER IV + +Hiranya, on hearing the last remark of Laghupatin, hesitated, and in +the end he agreed that he would have supper with the crow that very +evening. “There is plenty of rice here,” he said, “which we can eat on +the spot. It would be impossible for you to get into my hole, and I am +certainly not disposed to visit you in your nest.” So the two at once +began their meal, and before it was over they had become good friends. +Not a day passed without a meeting, and when all the rice was eaten up, +each of the two would bring something to the feast. This had gone on +for some little time, when the crow, who was fond of adventure and +change, said one day to the mouse: “Don’t you think we might go +somewhere else for a time? I am rather tired of this bit of the forest, +every inch of which we both know well. I’ve got another great friend +who lives beside a fine river a few miles away, a tortoise named +Mandharaka; a thoroughly good, trustworthy fellow he is, though rather +slow and cautious in his ways. I should like to introduce you to him. +There are quantities of food suitable for us both where he lives, for +it is a very fruitful land. What do you say to coming with me to pay +him a visit?” + +“How in the world should I get there?” answered Hiranya. “It’s all very +well for you, who can fly. I can’t walk for miles and miles. For all +that I too am sick of this place and would like a change.” + +“Oh, there’s no difficulty about that,” replied Laghupatin. “I will +carry you in my beak, and you will get there without any fatigue at +all.” To this Hiranya consented, and very early one morning the two +friends started off together. + +7. Is love of change a good or a bad thing? + +8. What did Hiranya’s readiness to let Laghupatin carry him show? + + +CHAPTER V + +After flying along for several hours, the crow began to feel very +tired. He was seized too with a great desire to hear his own voice +again. So he flew to the ground, laid his little companion gently down, +and gave vent to a number of hoarse cries, which quite frightened +Hiranya, who timidly asked him what was the matter. + +“Nothing whatever,” answered Laghupatin, “except that you are not quite +so light as I thought you were, and that I need a rest; besides which, +I am hungry and I expect you are. We had better stop here for the +night, and start again early to-morrow morning.” Hiranya readily agreed +to this, and after a good meal, which was easily found, the two settled +down to sleep, the crow perched in a tree, the mouse hidden amongst its +roots. Very early the next day they were off again, and soon arrived at +the river, where they were warmly welcomed by the tortoise. The three +had a long talk together, and agreed never to part again. The tortoise, +who had lived a great deal longer than either the mouse or the crow, +was a very pleasant companion; and even Laghupatin, who was very fond +of talking himself, liked to listen to his stories of long ago. + +“I wonder,” said the tortoise, whose name was Mandharaka, to the mouse, +“that you are not afraid to travel about as you have done, with your +soft little body unprotected by any armour. Look how different it is +for me; it is almost impossible for any of the wild creatures who live +near this river to hurt me, and they know it full well. See how thick +and strong my armour is. The claws even of a tiger, a wild cat or an +eagle, could not penetrate it. I am very much afraid, my little friend, +that you will be gobbled up some fine day, and Laghupatin and I will +seek for you in vain.” + +“Of course,” said the mouse, “I know the truth of what you say; but I +can very easily hide from danger—much more easily than you or +Laghupatin. A tuft of moss or a few dead leaves are shelter enough for +me, but big fellows like you and the crow can be quite easily seen. +Nobody saw me when the pigeons were all caught except Laghupatin; and I +would have kept out of his sight if I had not known that he did not +care to eat mice.” + +In spite of the fears of Mandharaka, the mouse and the crow lived as +his guests for a long time without any accident; and one day they were +suddenly joined by a new companion, a creature as unlike any one of the +three friends as could possibly be imagined. This was a very beautiful +deer, who came bounding out of the forest, all eager to escape from the +hunters, by whom he had been pursued, but too weary to reach the river, +across which he had hoped to be able to swim to safety. Just as he +reached the three friends, he fell to the ground, almost crushing the +mouse, who darted away in the nick of time. Strange to say, the hunters +did not follow the deer; and it was evident that they had not noticed +the way he had gone. + +The tortoise, the crow and the mouse were all very sorry for the deer, +and, as was always the case, the crow was the first to speak. “Whatever +has happened to you?” he asked. And the deer made answer: + +“I thought my last hour had come this time, for the hunters were close +upon me; and even now I do not feel safe.” + +“I’ll fly up and take a look ’round,” said Laghupatin; and off he went +to explore, coming back soon, to say he had seen the hunters +disappearing a long distance off, going in quite another direction from +the river. Gradually the deer was reassured, and lay still where he had +fallen; whilst the three friends chatted away to him, telling him of +their adventures. “What you had better do,” said the tortoise, “is to +join us. When you have had a good meal, and a drink from the river, you +will feel a different creature. My old friend Laghupatin will be the +one to keep watch for us all, and warn us of any danger approaching; I +will give you the benefit of my long experience; and little Hiranya, +though he is not likely to be of any use to you, will certainly never +do you any harm.” + +9. Is it a good thing to make friends easily? + +10. What was the bond of union between the crow, the mouse, the +tortoise and the deer? + + +CHAPTER VI + +The deer was so touched by the kind way in which he had been received, +that he agreed to stop with the three friends; and for some weeks after +his arrival all went well. Each member of the party went his own way +during the day-time, but all four met together in the evening, and took +it in turns to tell their adventures. The crow always had the most to +say, and was very useful to the deer in warning him of the presence of +hunters in the forest. One beautiful moonlight night the deer did not +come back as usual, and the other three became very anxious about him. +The crow flew up to the highest tree near and eagerly sought for some +sign of his lost friend, of whom he had grown very fond. Presently he +noticed a dark mass by the river-side, just where the deer used to go +down to drink every evening. “That must be he,” thought the crow; and +very soon he was hovering above the deer, who had been caught in a net +and was struggling in vain to get free. + +The poor deer was very glad indeed to see the crow, and cried to him in +a piteous voice: “Be quick, be quick, and help me, before the terrible +hunters find me and kill me.” + +“I can do nothing for you myself,” said the crow, “but I know who can. +Remember who saved the pigeons!” And away he flew to fetch little +Hiranya, who with the tortoise was anxiously awaiting his return. Very +soon Laghupatin was back by the river-side with the little mouse in his +beak; and it did not take long for Hiranya, who had been despised by +the deer and the tortoise as a feeble little thing, to nibble through +the cords and save the life of the animal a hundred times as big as +himself. + +How happy the deer was when the cruel cords were loosed and he could +stretch out his limbs again! He bounded up, but took great care not to +crush the mouse, who had done him such a service. “Never, never, +never,” he said, “shall I forget what you have done for me. Ask +anything in my power, and I will do it.” + +“I want nothing,” said Hiranya, “except the joyful thought of having +saved you.” + +By this time the tortoise had crept to the riverbank, and he too was +glad that the deer had been saved. He praised the mouse, and declared +that he would never again look down upon him. Then the four started to +go back to their usual haunt in the forest; the deer, the crow, and the +mouse soon arriving there quite safely, whilst the tortoise, who could +only get along very slowly, lagged behind. Now came the time for him to +find out that armour was not the only thing needed to save him from +danger. He had not got very far from the riverbank before the cruel +hunter who had set the net to catch the deer, came to see if he had +succeeded. Great was his rage when he found the net lying on the +ground, but not exactly where he had left it. He guessed at once that +some animal had been caught in it and escaped after a long struggle. He +looked carefully about and noticed that the cords had been bitten +through here and there. So he suspected just what had happened, and +began to search about for any creature who could have done the +mischief. + +There was not a sign of the mouse, but the slow-moving tortoise was +soon discovered, and pouncing down upon him, the hunter rolled him up +in another net he had with him, and carried him off, “It’s not much of +a prize,” said the hunter to himself, “but better than nothing. I’ll +have my revenge on the wretched creature anyhow, as I have lost the +prey I sought.” + +11. Which of the four friends concerned in this adventure do you admire +most? + +12. What was the chief mistake made by the tortoise? + + +CHAPTER VII + +When the tortoise in his turn did not come home, the deer, the crow and +the mouse were very much concerned. They talked the matter over +together and decided that, however great the risk to themselves, they +must go back and see what had become of their friend. This time the +mouse travelled in one of the ears of the deer, from which he peeped +forth with his bright eyes, hoping to see the tortoise toiling along in +his usual solemn manner; whilst the crow, also on the watch, flew along +beside them. Great was the surprise and terror of all three when, as +they came out of the forest, they saw the hunter striding along towards +them, with the tortoise in the net under his arm. Once more the little +mouse showed his wisdom. Without a moment’s hesitation he said to the +deer: “Throw yourself on the ground and pretend to be dead; and _you_,” +he added to the crow, “perch on his head and bend over as if you were +going to peck out his eyes.” + +Without any idea what Hiranya meant by these strange orders, but +remembering how he had helped in other dangers, the two did as they +were told; the poor deer feeling anything but happy lying still where +his enemy was sure to see him, and thereby proving what a noble +creature he was. The hunter did, see him very soon, and thinking to +himself, “After all I shall get that deer,” he let the tortoise fall, +and came striding along as fast as he could. + +Up jumped the deer without waiting to see what became of the tortoise, +and sped away like the wind. The hunter rushed after him, and the two +were soon out of sight. The tortoise, whose armour had saved him from +being hurt by his fall, was indeed pleased when he saw little Hiranya +running towards him. “Be quick, be quick!” he cried, “and set me free.” +Very soon the sharp teeth of the mouse had bitten through the meshes of +the net, and before the hunter came back, after trying in vain to catch +the deer, the tortoise was safely swimming across the river, leaving +the net upon the ground, whilst the crow and the mouse were back in the +shelter of the forest. + +“There’s some magic at work here,” said the hunter when, expecting to +find the tortoise where he had left him, he discovered that his +prisoner had escaped. “The stupid beast could not have got out alone,” +he added, as he picked up the net and walked off with it. “But he +wasn’t worth keeping anyhow.” + +That evening the four friends met once more, and talked over all they +had gone through together. The deer and the tortoise were full of +gratitude to the mouse, and could not say enough in his praise, but the +crow was rather sulky, and remarked: “If it had not been for me, +neither of you would ever have seen Hiranya. He was my friend before he +was yours.” + +“You are right,” said the tortoise, “and you must also remember that it +was my armour which saved me from being killed in that terrible fall.” + +“Your armour would not have been of much use to you, if the hunter had +been allowed to carry you to his home,” said the deer. “In my opinion +you and I both owe our lives entirely to Hiranya. He is small and weak, +it is true, but he has better brains than any of the rest of us, and I +for one admire him with all my heart. I am glad I trusted him and +obeyed him, when he ordered me to pretend to be dead, for I had not the +least idea how that could help the tortoise.” + +“Have it your own way,” croaked the crow, “but I keep my own opinion +all the same. But for me you would never have known my dear little +Hiranya.” + +In spite of this little dispute the four friends were soon as happy +together as before the adventure of the tortoise. They once more agreed +never to part and lived happily together for many years, as they had +done ever since they first met. + +13. What were the chief differences in the characters of the four +friends? + +14. Are those who are alike or unlike in character more likely to +remain friends? + +15. How would you describe a true friend? + +16. What fault is more likely than any other to lead to loss of +friendship? + + + + +VIII. +A Clever Thief. + + +CHAPTER I + +A certain man, named Hari-Sarman, who lived in a little village in +India, where there were no rich people and everyone had to work hard to +get his daily bread, got very weary of the life he had to lead. He had +a wife whose name was Vidya, and a large family; and even if he had +been very industrious it would have been difficult for him to get +enough food for them all. Unfortunately he was not a bit industrious, +but very lazy, and so was his wife. Neither of them made any attempt to +teach their boys and girls to earn their own living; and if the other +poor people in the village had not helped them, they would have +starved. Hari-Sarman used to send his children out in different +directions to beg or steal, whilst he and Vidya stayed at home doing +nothing. + +One day he said to his wife: “Let us leave this stupid place, and go to +some big city where we can pick up a living of some kind. I will +pretend to be a wise man, able to find out secrets; and you can say +that you know all about children, having had so many of your own.” +Vidya gladly agreed to this, and the whole party set out, carrying the +few possessions they had with them. In course of time they came to a +big town, and Hari-Sarman went boldly to the chief house in it, leaving +his wife and children outside. He asked to see the master, and was +taken into his presence. This master was a very rich merchant, owning +large estates in the country; but he cannot have been very clever, for +he was at once quite taken in by the story Hari-Sarman told him. He +said that he would find work for him and his wife, and that the +children could be sent to a farm he had in the country, where they +could be made very useful. + +Overjoyed at this, Hari-Sarman hastened out to tell his wife the good +news; and the two were at once received into the grand residence, in +which a small room was given to them for their own, whilst the children +were taken away to the farm, fall of eager delight at the change from +the wretched life they had been leading. + +1. Would it have been better for Hari-Sarman and Vidya if their +neighbours had not helped them? + +2. Do you think Hari-Sarman was the only person to blame for his +poverty? + + +CHAPTER II + +Soon after the arrival of the husband and wife at the merchant’s house, +a very important event took place, namely, the marriage of the eldest +daughter. Great were the preparations beforehand, in which Vidya took +her full share, helping in the kitchen to make all manner of delicious +dishes, and living in great luxury herself. For there was no stint in +the wealthy home; even the humblest servants were well cared for. Vidya +was happier than she had ever been before, now that she had plenty to +do and plenty of good food. She became in fact quite a different +creature, and began to wish she had been a better mother to her +children. “When the wedding is over,” she thought, “I will go and see +how they are getting on.” On the other hand she forgot all about her +husband and scarcely ever saw him. + +It was all very different with Hari-Sarman himself. He had no special +duties to perform and nobody seemed to want him. If he went into the +kitchen, the busy servants ordered him to get out of their way; and he +was not made welcome by the owner of the house or his guests. The +merchant too forgot all about him, and he felt very lonely and +miserable. He had been thinking to himself how much he would enjoy all +the delicious food he would get after the wedding; and now he began to +grumble: “I’m starving in the midst of plenty, that’s what I am. +Something will have to be done to change this horrible state of +things.” + +Whilst the preparations for the wedding were going on, Vidya never came +near her husband, and he lay awake a long time thinking, “What in the +world can I do to make the master send for me?” All of a sudden an idea +came into his head. “I’ll steal something valuable, and hide it away; +and when everyone is being asked about the loss, the merchant will +remember the man who can reveal secrets. Now what can I take that is +sure to be missed? I know, I know!” And springing out of bed, he +hastily dressed himself and crept out of the house. + +3. What would you have done if you had been Hari-Sarman? + +4. Do you think Vidya ever had any real love for her husband? + + +CHAPTER III + +This was what Hari-Sarman decided to do. The merchant had a great many +very beautiful horses, which lived in splendid stables and were taken +the greatest possible care of. Amongst them was a lovely little Arab +mare, the special favourite of the bride, who often went to pet it and +give it sugar. “I’ll steal that mare and hide it away in the forest,” +said the wicked man to himself. “Then, when every one is hunting for +her, the master will remember the man who can reveal secrets and send +for me. Ah! Ah! What a clever fellow I am! All the stablemen and grooms +are feasting, I know; for I saw them myself when I tried to get hold of +my wife. I can climb through a window that is always left open.” It +turned out that he was right. He met no one on his way to the stables, +which ware quite deserted. He got in easily, opened, the door from +inside, and led out the little mare, which made no resistance; she had +always been so kindly treated that she was not a bit afraid. He took +the beautiful creature far into the depths of the forest, tied her up +there, and got safely back to his own room without being seen. + +Early the next morning the merchant’s daughter, attended by her +maidens, went to see her dear little mare, taking with her an extra +supply of sugar. What was her distress when she found the stall empty! +She guessed at once that a thief had got in during the night, and +hurried home to tell her father, who was very, very angry with the +stablemen who had deserted their posts, and declared they should all be +flogged for it. “But the first thing to do is to get the mare back,” he +said; and he ordered messengers to be sent in every direction, +promising a big reward to anyone who brought news of the mare. + +Vidya of course heard all there was to hear, and at once suspected that +Hari-Sarman had had something to do with the matter. “I expect he has +hidden the mare,” she thought to herself, “and means to get the reward +for finding it.” So she asked to see the master of the house, and when +leave was granted to her she said to him: + +“Why do you not send for my husband, the man who can reveal secrets, +because of the wonderful power that has been given him of seeing what +is hidden from others? Many a time has he surprised me by what he has +been able to do.” + +5. Do you think Vidya had any wish to help Hari-Sarman for his own +sake? + +6. Is there anything you think she should have done before seeing the +master? + + +CHAPTER IV + +On hearing what Vidya said, the merchant at once told her to go and +fetch her husband. But to her surprise Hari-Sarman refused to go back +with her. “You can tell the master what you like,” he said, angrily. +“You all forgot me entirely yesterday; and now you want me to help you, +you suddenly remember my existence. I am not going to be at your beck +and call or anyone else’s.” + +Vidya entreated him to listen to reason, but it was no good. She had to +go back and tell the merchant that he would not come. Instead of being +made angry by this, however, the master surprised her by saying: “Your +husband is right. I have treated him badly. Go and tell him I +apologise, and will reward him well, if only he will come and help me.” + +Back again went Vidya and this time she was more successful. But though +Hari-Sarman said he would go back with her, he was very sulky and would +not answer any of her questions. She could not understand him, and +wished she had not left him to himself for so long. He behaved very +strangely too when the master, who received him very kindly, asked him +if he could tell him where the mare was. “I know,” he said, “what a +wise and clever man you are.” + +“It didn’t seem much like it yesterday,” grumbled Hari-Sarman. “Nobody +took any notice of me then, but now you want something of me, you find +out that I am wise and clever. I am just the same person that I was +yesterday.” + +“I know, I know,” said the merchant, “and I apologise for my neglect; +but when a man’s daughter is going to be married, it’s no wonder some +one gets neglected.” + +7. Do you think Hari-Sarman was wise to treat his wife and the merchant +as he did? + +8. If the mare had been found whilst Hari-Sarman was talking to the +master, what effect do you think the discovery would have had upon them +both? + + +CHAPTER V + +Hari-Sarman now thought it was time to take a different tone. So he put +his hand in his pocket, and brought out a map he had got ready whilst +waiting to be sent for, as he had felt sure he would be. He spread it +out before the merchant, and pointed to a dark spot in the midst of +many lines crossing each other in a bewildering manner, which he +explained were pathways through the forest. “Under a tree, where that +dark spot is, you will find the mare,” he said. + +Overjoyed at the good news, the merchant at once sent a trusted servant +to test the truth; and when the mare was brought back, nothing seemed +too good for the man who had led to her recovery. At the wedding +festivities Hari-Sarman was treated as an honoured guest, and no longer +had he any need to complain of not having food enough. His wife of +course thought he would forgive her now for having neglected him. But +not a bit of it: he still sulked with her, and she could never feel +quite sure what the truth was about the mare. + +All went well with Hari-Sarman for a long time. But presently something +happened which seemed likely to get him into very great trouble. A +quantity of gold and many valuable jewels disappeared in the palace of +the king of the country; and when the thief could not be discovered, +some one told the king the story of the stolen mare, and how a man +called Hari-Sarman, living in the house of a rich merchant in the chief +city, had found her when everyone else had failed. + +“Fetch that man here at once,” ordered the king, and very soon +Hari-Sarman was brought before him. “I hear you are so wise, you can +reveal all secrets,” said the king. “Now tell me immediately who has +stolen the gold and jewels and where they are to be found.” + +Poor Hari-Sarman did not know what to say or do. “Give me till +to-morrow,” he replied in a faltering voice; “I must have a little time +to think.” + +“I will not give you a single hour,” answered the king. For seeing the +man before him was frightened, he began to suspect he was a deceiver. +“If you do not at once tell me where the gold and jewels are, I will +have you flogged until you find your tongue.” + +Hearing this, Hari-Sarman, though more terrified than ever, saw that +his only chance of gaining time to make up some story was to get the +king to believe in him. So he drew himself up and answered: “The wisest +magicians need to employ means to find out the truth. Give me +twenty-four hours, and I will name the thieves.” + +“You are not much of a magician if you cannot find out such a simple +thing as I ask of you,” said the king. And turning to the guards, he +ordered them to take Hari-Sarman to prison, and shut him up there +without food or drink till he came to his senses. The man was dragged +away, and very soon he found himself alone in a dark and gloomy room +from which he saw no hope of escape. + +He was in despair and walked up and down, trying in vain to think of +some way of escape. “I shall die here of starvation, unless my wife +finds some means of setting me free,” he said. “I wish I had treated +her better instead of being so sulky with her.” He tried the bars of +the window, but they were very strong: he could not hope to move them. +And he beat against the door, but no notice was taken of that. + +9. What lesson does the trouble Hari-Sarman was in teach? + +10. Do you think it would have been better for him to tell the king he +could not reveal secrets? + + +CHAPTER VI + +When it got quite dark in the prison, Hari-Sarman began to talk to +himself aloud. “Oh,” he said, “I wish I had bitten my tongue out before +I told that lie about the mare. It is all my foolish tongue which has +got me into this trouble. Tongue! Tongue!” he went on, “it is all your +fault.” + +Now a very strange thing happened. The money and jewels had been stolen +by a man, who had been told where they were by a young servant girl in +the palace whose name was Jihva, which is the Sanskrit word for tongue; +and this girl was in a great fright when she heard that a revealer of +secrets had been taken before the king. “He will tell of my share in +the matter,” she thought, “and I shall get into trouble,” It so +happened that the guard at the prison door was fond of her, as well as +the thief who had stolen the money and jewels. So when all was quiet in +the palace, Jihva slipped away to see if she could get that guard to +let her see the prisoner. “If I promise to give him part of the money,” +she thought, “he will undertake not to betray me.” + +The guard was glad enough when Jihva came to talk to him, and he let +her listen at the key-hole to what Hari-Sarman was saying. Just imagine +her astonishment when she heard him repeating her name again and again. +“Jihva! Jihva! Thou,” he cried, “art the cause of this suffering. Why +didst thou behave in such a foolish manner, just for the sake of the +good things of this life? Never can I forgive thee, Jihva, thou wicked, +wicked one!” + +“Oh! oh!” cried Jihva in an agony of terror, “he knows the truth; he +knows that I helped the thief.” And she entreated the guard to let her +into the prison that she might plead with Hari-Sarman not to tell the +king what she had done. The man hesitated at first, but in the end she +persuaded him to consent by promising him a large reward. + +When the key grated in the lock, Hari-Sarman stopped talking aloud, +wondering whether what he had been saying had been overheard by the +guard, and half hoping that his wife had got leave to come and see him. +As the door opened and he saw a woman coming in by the light of a +lantern held up by the guard, he cried, “Vidya my beloved!” But he soon +realized that it was a stranger. He was indeed surprised and relieved, +when Jihva suddenly threw herself at his feet and, clinging to his +knees, began to weep and moan “Oh, most holy man,” she cried between +her sobs, “who knowest the very secrets of the heart, I have come to +confess that it was indeed I, Jihva, your humble servant, who aided the +thief to take the jewels and the gold and to hide them beneath the big +pomegranate tree behind the palace.” + +“Rise,” replied Hari-Sarman, overjoyed at hearing this. “You have told +me nothing that I did not know, for no secret is hidden from me. What +reward will you give me if I save you from the wrath of the king?” + +“I will give you all the money I have,” said Jihva; “and that is not a +little.” + +“That also I knew,” said Hari-Sarman. “For you have good wages, and +many a time you have stolen money that did not belong to you. Go now +and fetch it all, and have no fear that I will betray you.” + +11. What mistakes do you think Jihva made in what she said to +Hari-Sarman? + +12. What would have been the best thing for her to do when she thought +she was found out? + + +CHAPTER VII + +Without waiting a moment Jihva hurried away to fetch the money; but +when she got back with it, the man on guard, who had heard everything +that had passed between her and Hari-Sarman, would not let her in to +the prison again till she gave him ten gold pieces. Thinking that +Hari-Sarman really knew exactly how much money she had, Jihva was +afraid he would be angry when he missed some of it; and again she let +out the truth, which he might never have guessed. For she began at once +to say, “I brought all I had, but the man at the door has taken ten +pieces.” This did vex Hari-Sarman very much, and he told her he would +let the king know what she had done, unless she fetched the thief who +had taken the money and jewels. “I cannot do that,” said Jihva, “for he +is very far away. He lives with his brother, Indra Datta, in the forest +beyond the river, more than a day’s journey from here.” “I did but try +you,” said the clever Hari-Sarman, who now knew who the thief was; “for +I can see him where he is at this moment. Now go home and wait there +till I send for you.” + +But Jihva, who loved the thief and did not want him to be punished, +refused to go until Hari-Sarman promised that he would not tell the +king who the man was or where he lived. “I would rather,” she said, +“bear all the punishment than that he should suffer.” Even Hari-Sarman +was touched at this, and fearing that if he kept Jihva longer, she +would be found in the prison by messengers from the king, he promised +that no harm should come to her or the thief, and let her go. + +Very soon after this, messengers came to take Hari-Sarman once more +before the king; who received him very coldly and began at once to +threaten him with a terrible punishment, if he did not say who the +thief was, and where the gold and jewels were. Even now Hari-Sarman +pretended to be unwilling to speak. But when he saw that the king would +put up with no more delay, he said, “I will lead you to the spot where +the treasure is buried, but the name of the thief, though I know it, I +will never betray.” The king, who did not really care much who the +thief was, so long as he got back his money, lost not a moment, but +ordered his attendants to get spades and follow him. Very soon +Hari-Sarman brought them to the pomegranate tree. And there, sure +enough, deep down in the ground, was all that had been lost. + +Nothing was now too good for Hari-Sarman: the king was greatly +delighted, and heaped riches and honours upon him. But some of the wise +men at the court suspected that he was really a deceiver, and set about +trying to find out all they could about him. They sent for the man who +had been on guard at the prison, and asked him many questions. He did +not dare tell the truth, for he knew he would be terribly punished if +he let out that Jihva had been allowed to see his prisoner; but he +hesitated so much that the wise men knew he was not speaking the truth. +One of them, whom the king loved, and trusted very much, whose name was +Deva-Jnanin, said to his master: “I do not like to see that man, about +whom we really know nothing, treated as he is. He might easily have +found out where the treasure was hidden without any special power. Will +you not test him in some other way in my presence and that of your +chief advisers?” + +The king, who was always ready to listen to reason, agreed to this; and +after a long consultation with Deva-Jnanin, he decided on a very clever +puzzle with which to try Hari-Sarman. A live frog was put into a +pitcher; the lid was shut down, and the man who pretended to know +everything was brought into the great reception room, where all the +wise men of the court were gathered together round the throne, on which +sat the king in his royal robes. Deva-Jnanin had been chosen by his +master to speak for him; and coming forward, he pointed to the small +pitcher on the ground, and said: “Great as are the honours already +bestowed on you, they shall be increased if you can say at once what is +in that pitcher.” + +13. What kind of man do you think the king was from his behaviour to +Hari-Sarman? + +14. Was it wise or foolish of Hari-Sarman to remain in the city after +his very narrow escape? + + +CHAPTER VIII + +Hari-Sarman thought when he looked at the pitcher: “Alas, alas, it is +all over with me now! Never can I find out what is in it. Would that I +had left this town with the money I had from Jihva before it was too +late!” Then he began to mutter to himself, as it was always his habit +to do when he was in trouble. It so happened that, when he was a little +boy, his father used to call him frog, and now his thoughts went back +to the time when he was a happy innocent child, and he said aloud: “Oh, +frog, what trouble has come to you! That pitcher will be the death of +you!” + +Even Deva-Jnanin was astonished when he heard that; and so were all the +other wise men. The king was delighted to find that after all he had +made no mistake; and all the people who had been allowed to come in to +see the trial were greatly excited. Shouting for joy the king called +Hari-Sarman to come to the foot of the throne, and told him he would +never, never doubt him again. He should have yet more money, a +beautiful house in the country as well as the one he already had in the +town, and his children should be brought from the farm to live with him +and their mother, who should have lovely dresses and ornaments to wear. + +Nobody was more surprised than Hari-Sarman himself. He guessed, of +course, that there was a frog in the pitcher. And when the king had +ended his speech, he said: “One thing I ask in addition to all that has +been given me, that I may keep the pitcher in memory of this day, when +my truth has been proved once more beyond a doubt.” + +His request was, of course, granted; and he went off with the pitcher +under his arm, full of rejoicing over his narrow escape. At the same +time he was also full of fear for the future. He knew only too well +that it had only been by a lucky chance that he had used the word Jihva +in his first danger and Frog in the second. He was not likely to get +off a third time; and he made up his mind that he would skip away some +dark night soon, with all the money and jewels he could carry, and be +seen no more where such strange adventures had befallen him. He did not +even tell his wife what he meant to do, but pretended to have forgiven +her entirely for the way she had neglected him when he was poor, and to +be glad that their children were to be restored to them. Before they +came from the farm their father had disappeared, and nobody ever found +out what had become of him; but the king let his family keep what had +been given to him, and to the end believed he really had been what he +had pretended to be. Only Deva-Jnanin had his doubts; but he kept them +to himself, for he thought, “Now the man is gone, it really does not +matter who or what he was.” + +15. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +16. What do you think it was that made Hari-Sarman think of his boyhood +when he was in trouble? + +17. Do you think he took the pitcher and frog with him when he left the +city? + +18. Do you think there was anything good in the character of +Hari-Sarman? + + + + +IX. +The Hermit’s Daughter. + + +CHAPTER I + +Near a town in India called Ikshumati, on a beautiful wide river, with +trees belonging to a great forest near its banks, there dwelt a holy +man named Mana Kanaka, who spent a great part of his life praying to +God. He had lost his wife when his only child, a lovely girl called +Kadali-Garbha, was only a few months old. Kadali-Garbha was a very +happy girl, with many friends in the woods round her home, not children +like herself, but wild creatures, who knew she would not do them any +harm. They loved her and she loved them. The birds were so tame that +they would eat out of her hand, and the deer used to follow her about +in the hope of getting the bread she carried in her pocket for them. +Her father taught her all she knew, and that was a great deal; for she +could read quite learned books in the ancient language of her native +land. Better even than what she found out in those books was what Mana +Kanaka told her about the loving God of all gods who rules the world +and all that live in it. Kadali-Garbha also learnt a great deal through +her friendship with wild animals. She knew where the birds built their +nests, where the baby deer were born, where the squirrels hid their +nuts, and what food all the dwellers in the forest liked best. She +helped her father to work in their garden in which all their own food +was grown; and she loved to cook the fruit and vegetables for Mana +Kanaka and herself. Her clothes were made of the bark of the trees in +the forest, which she herself wove into thin soft material suitable for +wearing in a hot climate. + +1. What do you think it was which made the animals trust Kadali-Garbha? + +2. Could you have been happy in the forest with no other children to +play with? + + +CHAPTER II + +Kadali-Garbha never even thought about other children, because she had +not been used to having them with her. She was just as happy as the day +was long, and never wished for any change. But when she was about +sixteen something happened which quite altered her whole life. One day +her father had gone into the forest to cut wood, and had left her +alone. She had finished tidying the house, and got everything ready for +the midday meal, and was sitting at the door of her home, reading to +herself, with birds fluttering about her head and a pet doe lying +beside her, when she heard the noise of a horse’s feet approaching. She +looked up, and there on the other side of the fence was a very handsome +young man seated on a great black horse, which he had reined up when he +caught sight of her. He looked at her without speaking, and she looked +back at him with her big black eyes full of surprise at his sudden +appearance. She made a beautiful picture, with the green creepers +covering the hut behind her, and the doe, which had started up in fear +of the horse, pressing against her. + +The man was the king of the country, whose name was Dridha-Varman. He +had been hunting and had got separated from his attendants. He was very +much surprised to find anyone living in the very depths of the forest, +and was going to ask the young girl who she was, when Kadali-Garbha saw +her father coming along the path leading to his home. Jumping up, she +ran to meet him, glad that he had come; for she had never before seen a +young man and was as shy as any of the wild creatures of the woods. Now +that Mana Kanaka was with her, she got over her fright, and felt quite +safe, clinging to his arm as he and the king talked together. + +3. Can you describe just how Kadali-Garbha felt when she saw the king? + +4. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for her to +live all the rest of her life in the forest? + + +CHAPTER III + +Mana Kanaka knew at once that the man on the horse was the king; and a +great fear entered his heart when he saw how Dridha-Varman looked at +his beloved only child. + +“Who are you, and who is that lovely girl?” asked the king. And Mana +Kanaka answered, “I am only a humble woodcutter; and this is my only +child, whose mother has long been dead.” + +“Her mother must have been a very lovely woman, if her daughter is like +her,” said the king. “Never before have I seen such perfect beauty.” + +“Her mother,” replied Mana Kanaka, “was indeed what you say; and her +soul was as beautiful as the body in which it dwelt all too short a +time.” + +“I would have your daughter for my wife,” said the king; “and if you +will give her to me, she shall have no wish ungratified. She shall have +servants to wait on her and other young girls to be her companions; +beautiful clothes to wear, the best of food to eat, horses and +carriages as many as she will, and no work to do with her own hands.” + +5. If you had been Kadali-Garbha, what would you have said when you +heard all these promises? + +6. Of all the things the king said she should have, which would you +have liked best? + + +CHAPTER IV + +What Kadali-Garbha did was to cling closely to her father, hiding her +face on his arm and whispering, “I will not leave you: do not send me +away from you, dear father.” + +Mana Kanaka stroked her hair, and said in a gentle voice: + +“But, dear child, your father is old, and must leave you soon. It is a +great honour for his little girl to be chosen by the king for his +bride. Do not be afraid, but look at him and see how handsome he is and +how kind he looks.” + +Then Kadali-Garbha looked at the king, who smiled at her and looked so +charming that her fear began to leave her. She still clung to her +father, but no longer hid her face; and Mana Kanaka begged +Kadali-Garbha to let him send her away, so that he might talk with the +king alone about the wish he had expressed to marry her. The king +consented to this, and Kadali-Garbha gladly ran away. But when she +reached the door of her home, she looked back, and knew in her heart +that she already loved the king and did not want him to go away. + +It did not take long for the matter of the marriage to be settled. For +Mana Kanaka, sad though he was to lose his dear only child, was glad +that she should be a queen, and have some one to take care of her when +he was gone. After this first visit to the little house in the forest +the king came every day to see Kadali-Garbha, bringing all kinds of +presents for her. She learnt to love him so much that she became as +eager as he was for the wedding to be soon. When the day was fixed, the +king sent several ladies of his court to dress the bride in clothes +more beautiful that she had ever dreamt of; and in them she looked more +lovely even than the first day her lover had seen her. + +Now amongst these ladies was a very wise woman who could see what was +going to happen; and she knew that there would be troubles for the +young queen in the palace, because many would be jealous of her +happiness. She was very much taken with the beautiful innocent girl, +and wanted to help her so much that she managed to get her alone for a +few minutes, when she said to her: “I want you to promise me something. +It is to take this packet of mustard seeds, hide it in the bosom of +your dress, and when you ride to the palace with your husband, strew +the seed along the path as you go. You know how quickly mustard grows. +Well, it will spring up soon; and if you want to come home again, you +can easily find the way by following the green shoots. Alas, I fear +they will not have time to wither before you need their help!” + +Kadali-Garbha laughed when the wise woman talked about trouble coming +to her. She was so happy, she could not believe she would want to come +home again so soon. “My father can come to me when I want him,” she +said. “I need only tell my dear husband to send for him.” But for all +that she took the packet of seeds and hid it in her dress. + +7. Would you have done as the wise woman told you if you had been the +bride? + +8. Ought Kadali-Garbha to have told the king about the mustard seed? + + +CHAPTER V + +After the wedding was over, the king mounted his beautiful horse, and +bending down, took his young wife up before him. Holding her close to +him with his right arm, he held the reins in his left hand; and away +they went, soon leaving all the attendants far behind them, the queen +scattering the mustard seed as she had promised to do. When they +arrived at the palace there were great rejoicings, and everybody seemed +charmed with the queen, who was full of eager interest in all that she +saw. + +For several weeks there was nobody in the wide world so happy and +light-hearted as the bride. The king spent many hours a day with her, +and was never tired of listening to all she had to tell him about her +life in the forest with her father. Every day he gave her some fresh +proof of his love, and he never refused to do anything she asked him to +do. But presently a change came. Amongst the ladies of the court there +was a beautiful woman, who had hoped to be queen herself, and hated +Kadali-Garbha so much that she made up her mind to get her into +disgrace with the king. She asked first one powerful person and then +another to help her; but everybody loved the queen, and the wicked +woman began to be afraid that those she had told about her wish to harm +her would warn the king. So she sought about for some one who did not +know Kadali-Garbha, and suddenly remembered a wise woman named +Asoka-Mala, who lived in a cave not far from the town, to whom many +people used to go for advice in their difficulties. She went to this +woman one night, and told her a long story in which there was not one +word of truth. The young queen, she said, did not really love the king; +and with the help of her father, who was a magician, she meant to +poison him. How could this terrible thing be prevented, she asked; and +she promised that if only Asoka-Mala would help to save Dridha-Varman, +she would give her a great deal of money. + +Asoka-Mala guessed at once that the story was not true, and that it was +only because the woman was jealous of the beautiful young queen that +she wished to hurt her. But she loved money very much. Instead +therefore of at once refusing to have anything to do with the matter, +she said: “Bring me fifty gold pieces now, and promise me another fifty +when the queen is sent away from the palace, and I will tell you what +to do.” + +The wicked woman promised all this at once. The very next night she +brought the first fifty pieces of gold to the cave, and Asoka-Mala told +her that she must get the barber, who saw the king alone every day, to +tell him he had found out a secret about the queen. “You must tell the +barber all you have already told me. But be very careful to give some +proof of your story. For if you do not do so, you will only have wasted +the fifty gold pieces you have already given to me; and, more than +that, you will be terribly punished for trying to hurt the queen, whom +everybody loves.” + +9. Do you think this plot against Kadali-Garbha was likely to succeed? + +10. Can you think of any way in which the wise woman might have helped +the queen and also have gained a reward for herself? + + +CHAPTER VI + +The wicked woman went back to the palace, thinking all the way to +herself, “How can I get a proof of what is not true?” At last an idea +came into her head. She knew that the queen loved to wander in the +forest, and that she was not afraid of the wild creatures, but seemed +to understand their language. She would tell the barber that +Kadali-Garbha was a witch and knew the secrets of the woods; that she +had been seen gathering wild herbs, some of them poisonous, and had +been heard muttering strange words to herself as she did so. + +Early the next morning the cruel woman went to see the barber, and +promised him a reward if he would tell the king what she had found out +about his wife. “He won’t believe you at first,” she said; “but you +must go on telling him till he does. You are clever, enough,” she +added, “to make up something he will believe if what I have thought of +is no good.” + +The barber, who had served the king for many years, would not at first +agree to help to make him unhappy. But he too liked money very much, +and in the end he promised to see what he could do if he was well paid +for it. He was, as the wicked woman had said, clever enough; and he +knew from long experience just how to talk to his master. He began by +asking the king if he had heard of the lovely woman who was sometimes +seen by the woodmen wandering about alone in the forest, with wild +creatures following her. Remembering how he had first seen +Kadali-Garbha, Dridha-Varman at once guessed that she was the lovely +woman. But he did not tell the barber so; for he was so proud of his +dear wife’s beauty that he liked to hear her praised, and wanted the +man to go on talking about her. He just said: “What is she like? Is she +tall or short, fair or dark?” The barber answered the questions +readily. Then he went on to say that it was easy to see that the lady +was as clever as she was beautiful; for she knew not only all about +animals but also about plants. “Every day,” he said, “she gathers +quantities of herbs, and I have been told she makes healing medicines +of them. Some even go so far as to say she also makes poisons. But, for +my part, I do not believe that; she is too beautiful to be wicked.” + +The king listened, and a tiny little doubt crept into his mind about +his wife. She had never told him about the herbs she gathered, although +she often chattered about her friends in the forest. Perhaps after all +it was not Kadali-Garbha the barber was talking about. He would ask her +if she knew anything about making medicines from herbs. He did so when +they were alone together, and she said at once, “Oh, yes! My father +taught me. But I have never made any since I was married.” + +“Are you sure?” asked the king; and she answered laughing, “Of course, +I am: how could I be anything but sure? I have no need to think of +medicine-making, now I am the queen.” + +Dridha-Varman said no more at the time. But he was troubled; and when +the barber came again, he began at once to ask about the woman who had +been seen in the woods. The wicked man was delighted, and made up a +long story. He said one of the waiting women had told him of what she +had seen. The woman, he said, had followed the lady home one day, and +that home was not far from the palace. She had seen her bending over a +fire above which hung a great sauce-pan full of water, into which she +flung some of the herbs she had gathered, singing as she did so, in a +strange language. + +“Could it possibly be,” thought the king, “that Kadali-Garbha had +deceived him? Was she perhaps a witch after all?” He remembered that he +really did not know who she was, or who her father was. He had loved +her directly he saw her, just because she was so beautiful. What was he +to do now? He was quite sure, from the description the barber had given +of the woman in the forest, that she was his wife. He would watch her +himself in future, and say nothing to her that would make her think he +was doing so. + +11. What should the king have done when he heard the barber’s story? + +12. Can you really love anybody truly whom you do not trust? + + +CHAPTER VII + +Although the king said nothing to his wife about what the barber had +told him, he could not treat her exactly as he did before he heard it, +and she very soon began to wonder what she had done to vex him. The +first thing she noticed was that one of the ladies of the court always +followed her when she went into the forest. She did not like this; +because she so dearly loved to be alone with the wild creatures, and +they did not come to her when any one else was near. She told the lady +to go away, and she pretended to do so; but she only kept a little +further off. And though the queen could no longer see her, she knew she +was there, and so did the birds and the deer. This went on for a little +time; and then Kadali-Garbha asked her husband to tell every one that +she was not to be disturbed when she went to see her friends in the +forest. + +“I am afraid,” said the king, “that some harm will come to you. There +are wild beasts in the depths of the wood who might hurt you. And what +should I do if any harm came to my dear one?” + +Kadali-Garbha was grieved when Dridha-Varman said this, for she knew it +was not true; and she looked at him so sadly that he felt ashamed of +having doubted her. All would perhaps have been well even now, if he +had told her of the story he had heard about her, because then she +could have proved that it was not true. But he did not do that; he only +said, “I cannot let you be alone so far from home. Why not be content +with the lovely gardens all round the palace? If you still wish to go +to the woods, I will send one of the game-keepers with you instead of +the lady who has been watching you. Then he can protect you if any +harmful creature should approach.” + +“If my lord does not wish me to be alone in the forest,” answered the +queen, “I will be content with the gardens. For no birds or animals +would come near me if one of their enemies were with me. But,” she +added, as her eyes filled with tears, “will not my lord tell me why he +no longer trusts his wife, who loves him with all her heart?” + +The king was very much touched by what Kadali-Garbha said, but still +could not make up his mind to tell her the truth. So he only embraced +her fondly, and said she was a good little wife to be so ready to obey +him. The queen went away very sadly, wondering to herself what she +could do to prove to her dear lord that she loved him as much as ever. +She took care never to go outside the palace gardens, but she longed +very much for her old freedom, and began to grow pale and thin. + +The wicked woman who had tried to do her harm was very much +disappointed that she had only succeeded in making her unhappy; so she +went again to Asoka-Mala, and promised her more money if only she would +think of some plan to get the king to send his wife away. The wise +woman considered a long time, and then she said: “You must use the +barber again. He goes from house to house, and he must tell the king +that the beautiful woman, who used to roam about in the forest +collecting herbs, has been seen there again in the dead of the night, +when she could be sure no one would find out what she was doing.” + +Now it so happened that Kadali-Garbha was often unable to sleep because +of her grief that the king did not love her so much as he used to do. +One night she got so tired of lying awake that she got up very quietly, +so as not to disturb her husband, and putting on her sari, she went out +into the gardens, hoping that the fresh air might help her to sleep. +Presently the king too woke up, and finding that his wife was no longer +beside him, he became very uneasy, and was about to go and seek her, +when she came back. He asked her where she had been; and she told him +exactly what had happened, but she did not explain why she could not +sleep. + +13. What mistake did the queen make in her treatment of the king? + +14. Do you think it is more hurtful to yourself and to others to talk +too much or too little? + + +CHAPTER VIII + +When the barber was shaving the king the next morning, he told him he +had heard that people were saying the beautiful woman had been seen +again one night, gathering herbs and muttering to herself. “They talk, +my lord,” said the man, “of your own name having been on her lips; and +those who love and honour you are anxious for your safety. Maybe the +woman is indeed a witch, who for some reason of her own will try to +poison you.” + +Now Dridha-Varman remembered that Kadali-Garbha had left him the night +before, “and perhaps,” he thought, “at other times when I was asleep.” +He could scarcely wait until the barber had finished shaving him, so +eager was he to find out the truth. He hurried to his wife’s private +room, but she was not there; and her ladies told him she had not been +seen by them that day. This troubled him terribly, and he roused the +whole palace to seek her. Messengers were soon hurrying to and fro, but +not a trace of her could be found. Dridha-Varman was now quite sure +that the woman the barber had talked about was Kadali-Garbha, the wife +he had so loved and trusted. “Perhaps,” he thought, “she has left +poison in my food, and has gone away so as not to see me die.” He would +neither eat nor drink, and he ordered all the ladies whose duty it was +to wait on the queen to be locked up till she was found. Amongst them +was the wicked woman who had done all the mischief because of her +jealousy of the beautiful young queen, and very much she wished she had +never tried to harm her. + +15. Where do you suppose the queen had gone? + +16. What mistake did the king make when he heard the queen was missing? + + +CHAPTER IX + +In her trouble about the loss of the king’s love Kadali-Garbha longed +for her father, for she felt sure he would be able to help her. So she +determined to go to him. With the aid of the wise woman who had given +her the packet of mustard seed, and who had been her best friend at +court, she disguised herself as a messenger, and, mounted on a strong +little pony, she sped along the path marked out by the young shoots of +mustard, reaching her old home in the forest before the night fell. +Great indeed was the joy of Mana Kanaka at the sight of his beloved +child, and very soon she had poured out all her sorrow to him. The +hermit was at first very much enraged with his son-in-law for the way +in which he had treated Kadali-Garbha, and declared that he would use +all the powers he had to punish him. “Never,” he said, “shall he see +your dear face again; but I will go to him and call down on him all +manner of misfortunes. You know not, dear child, I have never wished +you to know, that I am a magician and can make the very beasts of the +field and the winds of heaven obey me. I know full well who has made +this mischief between you and your husband, and I will see that +punishment overtakes them.” + +“No, no, father,” cried Kadali-Garbha; “I will not have any harm done +to my dear one, for I love him with all my heart. All I ask of you is +to prove to him that I am innocent of whatever fault he thinks I have +committed, and to make him love and trust me again.” + +It was hard work to persuade Mana Kanaka to promise not to harm the +king, but in the end he yielded. Together the father and daughter rode +back to the palace, and together they were brought before +Dridha-Varman, who, in spite of the anger he had felt against his wife, +was overjoyed to see her. When he looked at her clinging to Mana +Kanaka’s arm, as she had done the first time they met, all his old love +returned, and he would have taken her in his arms and told her so +before the whole court, if she had not drawn back. It was Mana Kanaka +who was the first to speak. Drawing himself up to his full height, and +pointing to the king, he charged him with having broken his vow to love +and protect his wife. “You have listened to lying tongues,” he said, +“and I will tell you to whom those tongues belong, that justice may be +done to them.” + +Once more Kadali-Garbha interfered. “No, father,” she said; “let their +names be forgotten: only prove to my lord that I am his loving faithful +wife, and I will be content.” + +“I need no proof,” cried Dridha-Varman; “but lest others should follow +their evil example, I will have vengeance on the slanderers. Name them, +and their doom shall be indeed a terrible one.” + +Then Mana Kanaka told the king the whole sad story; and when it was +ended the wicked woman who had first thought of injuring the queen, and +the barber who had helped her, were sent for to hear their doom, which +was—to be shut up for the rest of their lives in prison. This was +changed to two years only, because Kadali-Garbha was generous enough to +plead for them. As for the third person in the plot, the old witch of +the cave, not a word was said about her by anybody. Mana Kanaka knew +well enough what her share in the matter had been; but magicians and +witches are careful not to make enemies of each other, and so he held +his peace. + +Dridha-Varman was so grateful to his father-in-law for bringing his +wife back to him, that he wanted him to stop at court, and said he +would give him a very high position there. But Mana Kanaka refused +every reward, declaring that he loved his little home in the forest +better than the grand rooms he might have had in the palace. “All I +wish for,” he said, “is my dear child’s happiness. I hope you will +never again listen to stories against your wife. If you do, you may be +very sure that I shall hear of it; and next time I know that you have +been unkind to her I will punish you as you deserve.” + +The king was obliged to let Mana Kanaka go, but after this he took +Kadali-Garbha to see her father in the forest very often. Later, when +the queen had some children of her own, their greatest treat was to go +to the little home, in the depths of the wood. They too learnt to love +animals, and had a great many pets, but none of those pets were kept in +cages. + +17. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +18. Which of all the people in this tale do you like best? + +19. What do you think is the greatest power in all the world? + +20. If you had been Kadali-Garbha would you have forgiven those who +tried to do you harm? + + + + +NOTES + + + [1] The city which occupied the site of present Patna was known as + Patali-Putra in the time of Alexander the Great. + + [2] There are seventy-two versions of this tale in vogue amongst the + high castes of India; the one here given is taken from Raj-Yoga, the + highest form of Hindu ascetic philosophy. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES FROM THE SANSKRIT *** + +***** This file should be named 11310-0.txt or 11310-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/3/1/11310/ + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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Mitra and Nancy Bell</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 175%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.footnote {font-size: 90%; + text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +sup { vertical-align: top; font-size: 0.6em; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold;'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author:</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: S. M. Mitra</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 26, 2004 [eBook #11310]<br /> +[Most recently updated: March 15, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HINDU TALES FROM THE SANSKRIT ***</div> + +<h1>Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">Translated by<br />S. M. Mitra</h2> + +<h2 class="no-break">Adapted by<br />Mrs. Arthur Bell</h2> + +<h4>1919</h4> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap00">INTRODUCTORY NOTE</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">1. The Magic Pitcher</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">2. The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">3. A Royal Thief-Catcher</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">4. The Magic Shoes and Staff</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">5. The Jewelled Arrow</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">6. The Beetle and the Silken Thread</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">7. A Crow and His Three Friends</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">8. A Clever Thief</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">9. The Hermit’s Daughter</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap00"></a>INTRODUCTORY NOTE.</h2> + +<p> +Thanks to Mr. S. M. Mitra, the well-known Hindu psychologist and politician, +who has done so much to draw more closely together the land of his birth and +that of his adoption, I am able to bring within reach of English children a +number of typical Hindu Tales, translated by him from the Sanskrit, some of +them culled from the ancient classics of India, others from widely separated +sources. The latter have hitherto been quite inaccessible to western students, +as they are not yet embodied in literature, but have been transmitted orally +from generation to generation for many centuries. +</p> + +<p> +These tales are not only of a kind to enchain the attention of children. They +also illustrate well the close affinity between the two chief branches of the +great Aryan race, and are of considerable ethical value, reflecting, as they +do, the philosophy of self-realisation which lies at the root of Hindu culture. +They have been used from time immemorial by the best teachers of India as a +means of building up the personalities of the young and maintaining the +efficiency of the adult. They serve in fact as text-books of the unique system +of Mind-Training which has been in use in India from remote Vedic times, the +root principle of which is as simple as it is effective. +</p> + +<p> +Hindu children become familiar at their mothers’ knees with these +stories, and are trained to answer questions on them, subtly chosen to suit +their ages and call into action their mental faculties. Appealing to them as an +amusing game, in which they vie with each other in trying to solve the problems +presented for their consideration, the boys and girls, who are educated +together till they are ten or twelve years old, early learn to concentrate +their attention; whilst the simultaneous development of all their powers is +encouraged and they are, imperceptibly to themselves led to control their +thoughts and emotions from within, instead of having to obey orders which they +do not understand from without. They realize indeed, whilst still in the +nursery, the ideal suggested by the sage Vidura in the Mahabharata: “Seek +to know thyself by means of thyself, keeping thy mind, intellect and senses, +under control; for self is thy friend as it is also thy foe.” +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Nancy Bell. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +Southbourne-on-Sea, 1918. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>I.<br /> +The Magic Pitcher.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +Long, long ago there lived far away in India a woodcutter called Subha Datta +and his family, who were all very happy together. The father went every day to +the forest near his home to get supplies of wood, which he sold to his +neighbours, earning by that means quite enough to give his wife and children +all that they needed. Sometimes he took his three boys with him, and now and +then, as a special treat, his two little girls were allowed to trot along +beside him. The boys longed to be allowed to chop wood for themselves, and +their father told them that as soon as they were old enough he would give each +of them a little axe of his own. The girls, he said, must be content with +breaking off small twigs from the branches he cut down, for he did not wish +them to chop their own fingers off. This will show you what a kind father he +was, and you will be very sorry for him when you hear about his troubles. +</p> + +<p> +All went well with Subha Datta for a long time. Each of the boys had his own +little axe at last, and each of the girls had a little pair of scissors to cut +off twigs; and very proud they all were when they brought some wood home to +their mother to use in the house. One day, however, their father told them they +could none of them come with him, for he meant to go a very long way into the +forest, to see if he could find better wood there than nearer home. Vainly the +boys entreated him to take them with him. “Not to-day,” he said, +“you would be too tired to go all the way, and would lose yourselves +coming back alone. You must help your mother to-day and play with your +sisters.” They had to be content, for although Hindu children are as fond +of asking questions as English boys and girls, they are very obedient to their +parents and do all they are told without making any fuss about it. +</p> + +<p> +Of course, they expected their father would come back the day he started for +the depths of the forest, although they knew he would be late. What then was +their surprise when darkness came and there was no sign of him! Again and again +their mother went to the door to look for him, expecting every moment to see +him coming along the beaten path which led to their door. Again and again she +mistook the cry of some night-bird for his voice calling to her. She was +obliged at last to go to bed with a heavy heart, fearing some wild beast had +killed him and that she would never see him again. +</p> + +<p> +1. What do you think had become of Subha Datta? +</p> + +<p> +2. What would you have done when he did not come back? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +When Subha Datta started for the forest, he fully intended to come back the +same evening; but as he was busy cutting down a tree, he suddenly had a feeling +that he was no longer alone. He looked up, and there, quite close to him, in a +little clearing where the trees had been cut down by some other woodcutter, he +saw four beautiful young girls looking like fairies in their thin summer +dresses and with their long hair flowing down their backs, dancing round and +round, holding each other’s hands. Subha Datta was so astonished at the +sight that he let his axe fall, and the noise startled the dancers, who all +four stood still and stared at him. +</p> + +<p> +The woodcutter could not say a word, but just gazed and gazed at them, till one +of them said to him: “Who are you, and what are you doing in the very +depths of the forest where we have never before seen a man?” +</p> + +<p> +“I am only a poor woodcutter,” he replied, “come to get some +wood to sell, so as to give my wife and children something to eat and some +clothes to wear.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is a very stupid thing to do,” said one of the girls. +“You can’t get much money that way. If you will only stop with us +we will have your wife and children looked after for you much better than you +can do it yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +3. What would you have said if you had been the woodcutter? +</p> + +<p> +4. Do you think the fairies really meant that they could do as they offered? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +Subha Datta, though he certainly did love his wife and children, was so tempted +at the idea of stopping in the forest with the beautiful girls that, after +hesitating a little while, he said, “Yes, I will stop with you, if you +are quite sure all will be well with my dear ones.” +</p> + +<p> +“You need not be afraid about that,” said another of the girls. +“We are fairies, you see, and we can do all sorts of wonderful things. It +isn’t even necessary for us to go where your dear ones are. We shall just +wish them everything they want, and they will get it. And the first thing to be +done is to give you some food. You must work for us in return, of +course.” +</p> + +<p> +Subha Datta at once replied, “I will do anything you wish.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, begin by sweeping away all the dead leaves from the clearing, and +then we will all sit down and eat together.” +</p> + +<p> +Subha Datta was very glad that what he was asked to do was so easy. He began by +cutting a branch from a tree, and with it he swept the floor of what was to be +the dining-room. Then he looked about for the food, but he could see nothing +but a great big pitcher standing in the shade of a tree, the branches of which +hung over the clearing. So he said to one of the fairies, “Will you show +me where the food is, and exactly where you would like me to set it out?” +</p> + +<p> +At these questions all the fairies began to laugh, and the sound of their +laughter was like the tinkling of a number of bells. +</p> + +<p> +5. What was there to laugh at in the questions of Subha Datta? +</p> + +<p> +6. What is your idea of a fairy? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +When the fairies saw how astonished Subha Datta was at the way they laughed, it +made them laugh still more, and they seized each other’s hands again and +whirled round and round, laughing all the time. +</p> + +<p> +Poor Subha Datta, who was very tired and hungry, began to get unhappy and to +wish he had gone straight home after all. He stooped down to pick up his axe, +and was just about to turn away with it, when the fairies stopped their mad +whirl and cried to him to stop. So he waited, and one of them said: +</p> + +<p> +“<i>We</i> don’t have to bother about fetching this and fetching +that. You see that big pitcher. Well, we get all our food and everything else +we want out of it. We just have to wish as we put our hands in, and there it +is. It’s a magic pitcher—the only one there is in the whole wide +world. You get the food you would like to have first, and then we’ll tell +you what <i>we</i> want.” +</p> + +<p> +Subha Datta could hardly believe his ears when he heard that. Down he threw his +axe, and hastened to put his hand in the pitcher, wishing for the food he was +used to. He loved curried rice and milk, lentils, fruit and vegetables, and +very soon he had a beautiful meal spread out for himself on the ground. Then +the fairies called out, one after the other, what they wanted for food, things +the woodcutter had never heard of or seen, which made him quite discontented +with what he had chosen for himself. +</p> + +<p> +7. What would you have wished for if you had had a magic pitcher? +</p> + +<p> +8. Would it be a good thing, do you think, to be able to get food without +working for it or paying for it? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +The next few days passed away like a dream, and at first Subha Datta thought he +had never been so happy in his life. The fairies often went off together +leaving him alone, only coming back to the clearing when they wanted something +out of the pitcher. The woodcutter got all kinds of things he fancied for +himself, but presently he began to wish he had his wife and children with him +to share his wonderful meals. He began to miss them terribly, and he missed his +work too. It was no good cutting trees down and chopping up wood when all the +food was ready cooked. Sometimes he thought he would slip off home when the +fairies were away, but when he looked at the pitcher he could not bear the +thought of leaving it. +</p> + +<p> +9. What sort of man do you think Subha Datta was from what this story tells you +about him? +</p> + +<p> +10. What do you think was the chief cause of his becoming discontented after he +had been in the service of the fairies for a few days? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +Soon Subha Datta could not sleep well for thinking of the wife and children he +had deserted. Suppose they were hungry when he had plenty to eat! It even came +into his head that he might steal the pitcher and take it home with him when +the fairies were away. But he had not after all the courage to do this; for +even when the beautiful girls were not in sight, he had a feeling that they +would know if he tried to go off with the pitcher, and that they would be able +to punish him in some terrible way. One night he had a dream that troubled him +very much. He saw his wife sitting crying bitterly in the little home he used +to love, holding the youngest child on her knee whilst the other three stood +beside her looking at her very, very sadly. He started up from the ground on +which he lay, determined to go home at once; but at a little distance off he +saw the fairies dancing in the moonlight, and somehow he felt again he could +not leave them and the pitcher. The next day, however, he was so miserable that +the fairies noticed it, and one of them said to him: “Whatever is the +matter? We don’t care to keep unhappy people here. If you can’t +enjoy life as we do, you had better go home.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Subha Datta was very much frightened lest they should really send him +away; so he told them about his dream and that he was afraid his dear ones were +starving for want of the money he used to earn for them. +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t worry about them,” was the reply: “we will let +your wife know what keeps you away. We will whisper in her ear when she is +asleep, and she will be so glad to think of your happiness that she will forget +her own troubles.” +</p> + +<p> +11. Do you think what the fairies said to the woodcutter was likely to comfort +him about his wife and children? +</p> + +<p> +12. If you had been in Subha Datta’s place what would you have said to +the fairies when they made this promise? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +Subha Datta was very much cheered by the sympathy of the fairies, so much so +that he decided to stop with them for a little longer at least. Now and then he +felt restless, but on the whole the time passed pleasantly, and the pitcher was +a daily delight to him. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile his poor wife was at her wits’ end how to feed her dear +children. If it had not been that the two boys were brave, plucky little chaps, +she really would have been in despair. When their father did not come back and +all their efforts to find him were in vain, these boys set to work to help +their mother. They could not cut down trees, but they could climb them and chop +off small branches with their axes; and this they did, making up bundles of +faggots and selling them to their neighbours. These neighbours were touched by +the courage they showed, and not only paid them well for the wood but often +gave them milk and rice and other little things to help them. In time they +actually got used to being without Subha Datta, and the little girls nearly +forgot all about him. Little did they dream of the change that was soon to come +into their lives. +</p> + +<p> +13. Was it a good or a bad thing for the boys that their father did not come +back? +</p> + +<p> +14. If you think it was a good thing, will you explain why? and if it was a bad +thing, why you think it was? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<p> +A month passed peacefully away in the depths of the forest, Subha Datta waiting +on the fairies and becoming every day more selfish and bent on enjoying +himself. Then he had another dream, in which he saw his wife and children in +the old home with plenty of food, and evidently so happy without him that he +felt quite determined to go and show them he was still alive. When he woke he +said to the fairies, “I will not stop with you any longer. I have had a +good time here, but I am tired of this life away from my own people.” +</p> + +<p> +The fairies saw he was really in earnest this time, so they consented to let +him go; but they were kind-hearted people and felt they ought to pay him in +some way for all he had done for them. They consulted together, and then one of +them told him they wished to make him a present before he went away, and they +would give him whatever he asked for. +</p> + +<p> +15. What do you think it was that made Subha Datta determine to go home when he +found his wife and children could do without him? +</p> + +<p> +16. What would you have chosen if the fairies had told you you could have +anything you liked? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IX</h3> + +<p> +Directly the woodcutter heard he could have anything he asked for, he cried, +“I will have the magic pitcher.” +</p> + +<p> +You can just imagine what a shock this was to the fairies! You know, of course, +that fairies always keep their word. If they could not persuade Subha Datta to +choose something else, they would have to give him their beloved, their +precious pitcher and would have to seek their food for themselves. They all +tried all they could to persuade the woodcutter to choose something else. They +took him to their own secret treasure-house, in an old, old tree with a hollow +trunk, even the entrance to which no mortal had ever been allowed to see. They +blindfolded him before they started, so that he could never reveal the way, and +one of them led him by the hand, telling him where the steps going down from +the tree began. When at last the bandage was taken from his eyes, he found +himself in a lofty hall with an opening in the roof through which the light +came. Piled up on the floor were sparkling stones worth a great deal of gold +and silver money, and on the walls hung beautiful robes. Subha Datta was quite +dazed with all he saw, but he was only an ignorant woodcutter and did not +realize the value of the jewels and clothes. So when the fairies, said to him, +“Choose anything you like here and let us keep our pitcher,” he +shook his head and said: “No! no! no! The pitcher! I will have the +pitcher!” One fairy after another picked up the rubies and diamonds and +other precious stones and held them in the light, that the woodcutter might see +how lovely they were; and when he still only shook his head, they got down the +robes and tried to make him put one of them on. “No! the pitcher! the +pitcher!” he said, and at last they had to give it up. They bound his +eyes again and led him back to the clearing and the pitcher. +</p> + +<p> +17. Would you have been tempted to give up the pitcher when you saw the jewels +and the robes? +</p> + +<p> +18. What made Subha Datta so determined to have the pitcher? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER X</h3> + +<p> +Even when they were all back again in the clearing the fairies did not quite +give up hope of keeping their pitcher. This time they gave other reasons why +Subha Datta should not have it. “It will break very easily,” they +told him, “and then it will be no good to you or any one else. But if you +take some of the money, you can buy anything you like with it. If you take some +of the jewels you can sell them for lots of money.” +</p> + +<p> +“No! no! no!” cried the woodcutter. “The pitcher! the +pitcher! I will have the pitcher!” +</p> + +<p> +“Very well then, take, the pitcher,” they sadly answered, +“and never let us see your face again!” +</p> + +<p> +So Subha Datta took the pitcher, carrying it very, very carefully, lest he +should drop it and break it before he got home. He did not think at all of what +a cruel thing it was to take it away from the fairies, and leave them either to +starve or to seek for food for themselves. The poor fairies watched him till he +was out of sight, and then they began to weep and wring their hands. “He +might at least have waited whilst we got some food out for a few days,” +one of them said. “He was too selfish to think of that,” said +another. “Come, let us forget all about him and go and look for some +fruit.” +</p> + +<p> +So they all left off crying and went away hand in hand. Fairies do not want +very much to eat. They can live on fruit and dew, and they never let anything +make them sad for long at a time. They go out of this story now, but you need +not be unhappy about them, because you may be very sure that they got no real +harm from their generosity to Subha Datta in letting him take the pitcher. +</p> + +<p> +19. Do you think the woodcutter was wrong to ask for the pitcher? +</p> + +<p> +20. What would have been the best thing for Subha Datta to ask for, if he had +decided to let the fairies keep their pitcher? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XI</h3> + +<p> +You can just imagine what a surprise it was to Subha Datta’s wife and +children when they saw him coming along the path leading to his home. He did +not bring the pitcher with him, but had hidden it in a hollow tree in the wood +near his cottage, for he did not mean any one to know that he had it. He told +his wife that he had lost his way in the forest, and had been afraid he would +never see her or his children again, but he said nothing about the fairies. +When his wife asked him how he had got food, he told her a long story about the +fruits he had found, and she believed all he said, and determined to make up to +him now for all she thought he had suffered. When she called the little girls +to come and help her get a nice meal for their father, Subha Datta said: +“Oh, don’t bother about that! I’ve brought something back +with me. I’ll go and fetch it, but no one is to come with me.” +</p> + +<p> +Subha Datta’s wife was sorely disappointed at this, because she loved her +husband so much that it was a joy to her to work for him. The children too +wanted, of course, to go with their father, but he ordered them to stop where +they were. He seized a big basket which was fall of fuel for the fire, tumbled +all the wood in it on the floor, and went off alone to the pitcher. Very soon +he was back again with his basket full of all sorts of good things, the very +names of which his wife and children had no idea of. “There!” he +cried; “what do you think of that? Am I not a clever father to have found +all that in the forest? Those are the ‘fruits’ I meant when I told +Mother about them.” +</p> + +<p> +21. What would you have thought about this wonderful supply of food, if you had +been one of the woodcutter’s children? +</p> + +<p> +22. Was it a good thing for those children to have all this food without +working for it? If not, why was it not a good thing? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XII</h3> + +<p> +Life was now, of course, completely changed for the family in the forest. Subha +Datta no longer went to cut wood to be sold, and the boys also left off doing +so. Every day their father fetched food for them all, and the greatest desire +of each one of the family was to find out where it came from. They never could +do so, for Subha Datta managed to make them afraid to follow him when he went +forth with his basket. The secret he kept from the wife to whom he used to tell +everything soon began to spoil the happiness of the home. The children who had +no longer anything to do quarrelled with each other. Their mother got sadder +and sadder, and at last decided to tell Subha Datta that, unless he would let +her know where the food came from, she would go away from him and take her +little girls with her. She really did mean to do this, but something soon +happened to change everything again. Of course, the neighbours in the wood, who +had bought the fuel from the boys and helped them by giving them fruit and +rice, heard of the return of their father and of the wonderful change in their +lot. Now the whole family had plenty to eat every day, though none of them knew +where it all came from. Subha Datta was very fond of showing off what he could +do, and sometimes asked his old friends amongst the woodcutters to come and +have a meal with him. When they arrived they would find all sorts of good +things spread out on the ground and different kinds of wines in beautiful +bottles. +</p> + +<p> +This went on for some months, Subha Datta getting prouder and prouder of all +that he could do, and it seemed likely that his secret would never be +discovered. Everybody tried to find it out, and many followed him secretly when +he set forth into the woods; but he was very clever at dodging them, hiding his +treasure constantly in a new place in the dead of the night. If he had only +been content with getting food out of his pitcher and drinking pure water, all +would most likely have been well with him. But that was just what he could not +do. Till he had his pitcher he had never drunk anything but water, but now he +often took too much wine. It was this which led to the misfortune of losing his +beloved pitcher. He began to boast of his cleverness, telling his friends there +was nothing they wanted that he could not get for them; and one day when he had +given them a very grand feast, in which were several rare kinds of food they +had asked for, he drank too much wine—so much that he no longer knew what +he was saying. +</p> + +<p> +This was the chance his guests wanted. They began teasing him, telling him they +believed he was really a wicked robber, who had stolen the food or the money to +buy it. He got angry, and at last was actually silly enough to tell them all to +come with him, and he would show them he was no robber. When his wife heard +this, she was half pleased to think that now at last the secret would come out +of where the food came from, and half afraid that something terrible would +happen. The children too were greatly excited, and went with the rest of the +party, who followed their father to the last hiding-place of the precious +pitcher. +</p> + +<p> +When they all got very near the place, however, some idea began to come into +Subha Datta’s head that he was doing a very foolish thing. He stopped +suddenly, turned round facing the crowd that followed him, and said he would +not go a step further till they all went back to the cottage. His wife begged +him to let her at least go with him, and the children all clamoured not to be +sent back, but it was no good. Back they all had to go, the woodcutter watching +till they were out of sight. +</p> + +<p> +23. Would Subha Datta have been wise if he had told has wife about the pitcher? +</p> + +<p> +24. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for the secret to be +found out? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XIII</h3> + +<p> +When the woodcutter was quite sure that every one was gone and nobody could see +where he had hidden the pitcher, he took it from the hole in which it lay and +carried it carefully to his home. You can imagine how everybody rushed out to +meet him when he came in sight, and crowded round him, so that there was danger +of the pitcher being thrown to the ground and broken. Subha Datta however +managed to get into the cottage without any accident, and then he began to take +things out of the pitcher and fling them on the ground, shouting, “Am I a +robber? Am I a robber? Who dared to call me a robber?” Then, getting more +and more excited, he picked up the pitcher, and holding it on his shoulder +began to dance wildly about. His wife called out to him, “Oh, take care, +take care! You will drop it!” But he paid no attention to her. Suddenly, +however, he began to feel giddy and fell to the ground, dropping the pitcher as +he did so. It was broken to pieces, and a great cry of sorrow went up from all +who saw the accident. The woodcutter himself was broken-hearted, for he knew +that he had done the mischief himself, and that if only he had resisted the +temptation to drink the wine he would still have his treasure. +</p> + +<p> +He was going to pick up the pieces to see if they could be stuck together, but +to his very great surprise he could not touch them. He heard a silvery laugh, +and what sounded like children clapping their hands, and he thought he also +heard the words, “Our pitcher is ours again!” Could it all have +been a dream? No: for there on the ground were the fruits and cakes that had +been in the pitcher, and there were his wife, his children and his friends, all +looking sadly and angrily at him. One by one the friends went away, leaving +Subha Datta alone with his family. +</p> + +<p> +25. If you had been Subha Datta’s wife, what would you have done when +this misfortune came to her husband? +</p> + +<p> +26. What would you have done if you had been the woodcutter? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XIV</h3> + +<p> +This is the end of the story of the Magic Pitcher, but it was the beginning of +a new chapter in the lives of Subha Datta and his family. They never forgot the +wonder-working pitcher, and the children were never tired of hearing the story +of how their father came to get it. They often wandered about in the forest, +hoping that they too would meet with some wonderful adventure, but they never +saw the fairies or found a magic pitcher. By slow degrees the woodcutter +returned to his old ways, but he had learnt one lesson. He never again kept a +secret from his wife; because he felt sure that, if he had told her the truth +about the pitcher when he first came home, she would have helped him to save +the precious treasure. +</p> + +<p> +27. What lesson can be learnt from this story? +</p> + +<p> +28. Do you think it is easier for a boy or a girl to keep a secret? +</p> + +<p> +29. Why is it wrong to let out a secret you have been told? +</p> + +<p> +30. What do you think was the chief fault in the character of Subha Datta? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>II.<br /> +The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +This is the story of four creatures, none of whom loved each other, who lived +in the same banyan tree in a forest in India. Banyan trees are very beautiful +and very useful, and get their name from the fact that “banians,” +as merchants are called in India, often gather together in their shade to sell +their goods. Banyan trees grow to a very great height, spreading their branches +out so widely that many people can stand beneath them. From those branches +roots spring forth, which, when they reach the ground, pierce it, and look +like, columns holding up a roof. If you have never seen a banyan tree, you can +easily find a picture of one in some dictionary; and when you have done so, you +will understand that a great many creatures can live in one without seeing much +of each other. +</p> + +<p> +In an especially fine banyan tree, outside the walls of a town called Vidisa, a +cat, an owl, a lizard and a mouse, had all taken up their abode. The cat lived +in a big hole in the trunk some little distance from the ground, where she +could sleep very cosily, curled up out of sight with her head resting on her +forepaws, feeling perfectly safe from harm; for no other creature, she thought, +could possibly discover her hiding-place. The owl roosted in a mass of foliage +at the top of the tree, near the nest in which his wife had brought up their +children, before those children flew away to seek mates for themselves. He too +felt pretty secure as long as he remained up there; but he had seen the cat +prowling about below him more than once, and was very sure that, if she should +happen to catch sight of him when he was off his guard seeking his prey and +obliged to give all his attention to what he was doing, she might spring out +upon him and kill him. Cats do not generally attack such big birds as owls, but +they will sometimes kill a mother sitting in her nest, as well as the little +ones, if the father is too far off to protect them. +</p> + +<p> +The lizard loved to lie and bask in the sunshine, catching the flies on which +he lived, lying so still that they did not notice him, and darting out his long +tongue suddenly to suck them into his mouth. Yet he hid from the owl and the +cat, because he knew full well that, tough though he was, they would gobble him +up if they happened to be hungry. He made his home amongst the roots on the +south side of the tree where it was hottest, but the mouse had his hole on the +other side amongst damp moss and dead leaves. The mouse was in constant fear of +the cat and the owl. He knew that both of them could see in the dark, and he +would have no chance of escape if they once caught sight of him. +</p> + +<p> +1. Which of these four creatures do you think was most to be pitied? +</p> + +<p> +2. Do you think that animals ever hate or love each as human creatures do? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +The lizard and the mouse could only get food in daylight; but the lizard did +not have to go far for the flies on which he lived, whilst the mouse had a very +dangerous journey to take to his favourite feeding place. This was a barley +field a short distance from the banyan tree, where he loved to nibble the full +ears, running up the stalks to get at them. The mouse was the only one of the +four creatures in the banyan tree who did not feed on others; for, like the +rest of his family, he was a vegetarian, that is to say, he ate nothing but +vegetables and fruit. +</p> + +<p> +Now the cat knew full well how fond the mouse was of the barley-field, and she +used to keep watch amongst the tall stems, creeping stealthily about with her +tail in the air and her green eyes glistening, expecting any moment to see the +poor little mouse darting hastily along. The cat never dreamt that any danger +could come to her, and she trod down the barley, making quite a clear path +through it. She was quite wrong in thinking herself so safe, for that path got +her into very serious trouble. +</p> + +<p> +It so happened that a hunter, whose great delight was to kill wild creatures, +and who was very clever in finding them, noticing every little thing which +could shew him where they had passed by, came one day into the barley-field. He +spied the path directly and cried, “Ha! ha! Some wild animal has been +here; not a very big one; let’s have a look for the footprints!” So +he stooped down to the ground, and very soon saw the marks of pussy’s +feet. “A cat, I do believe,” he said to himself, “spoiling +the barley she doesn’t want to eat herself. I’ll soon pay her +out.” The hunter waited until the evening lest the creature should see +what he was going to do, and then in the twilight he set snares all over the +barley-field. A snare, you know, is a string with a slip-knot at the end of it; +and if an animal puts his head or one of his paws into this slip-knot and goes +on without noticing it, the string is pulled tight and the poor creature cannot +get free. +</p> + +<p> +3. Was it right or wrong of the hunter to set the snare? +</p> + +<p> +4. Do you think the cat was wrong to lie in wait for the mouse? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +Exactly what the hunter expected happened. The cat came as usual to watch for +the mouse, and caught sight of him running across the end of the path. Puss +dashed after him; and just as she thought she really had got him this time, she +found herself caught by the neck, for she had put her head into one of the +snares. She was nearly strangled and could scarcely even mew. The mouse was so +close that he heard the feeble mew, and in a terrible fright, thinking the cat +was after him, he peeped through the stems of the barley to make sure which way +to run to get away from her. What was his delight when he saw his enemy in such +trouble and quite unable to do him any harm! +</p> + +<p> +Now it so happened that the owl and the lizard were also in the barley-field, +not very far away from the cat, and they too saw the distress their hated enemy +was in. They also caught sight of the little mouse peeping through the barley; +and the owl thought to himself, “I’ll have you, my little friend, +now puss cannot do me any harm,” whilst the lizard darted away into the +sunshine, feeling glad that the cat and the owl were neither of them now likely +to trouble their heads about him. The owl flew quietly to a tree hard by to +watch what would happen, feeling so sure of having the mouse for his dinner +that he was in no hurry to catch him. +</p> + +<p> +5. What would you have done if you had been the mouse, when you saw the cat in +the snare? +</p> + +<p> +6. Was the owl wise or foolish to wait before he caught the mouse? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +The mouse, small and helpless though he was, was a wise little creature. He saw +the owl fly up into the tree, and knew quite well that if he did not take care +he would serve as dinner to that great strong bird. He knew too that, if he +went within reach of the claws of the cat, he would suffer for it. “How I +do wish,” he thought to himself, “I could make friends with the +cat, now she is in distress, and get her to promise not to hurt me if ever she +gets free. As long as I am near the cat, the owl will not dare to come after +me.” As he thought and thought, his eyes got brighter and brighter, and +at last he decided what he would do. He had, you see, kept his presence of +mind; that is to say, he did not let his fright of the cat or the owl prevent +him from thinking clearly. He now ventured forth from amongst the barley, and +coming near enough to the cat for her to see him quite clearly, but not near +enough for her to reach him with her claws, or far enough away for the owl to +get him without danger from those terrible claws, he said to the cat in a queer +little squeaky voice: “Dear Puss, I do not like to see you in such a fix. +It is true we have never been exactly friends, but I have always looked up to +you as a strong and noble enemy. If you will promise never to do me any harm, I +will do my best to help you. I have very sharp teeth, and I might perhaps be +able to nibble through the string round your beautiful neck and set you free. +What do you think about it?” +</p> + +<p> +7. Do you think there was any chance of a cat and a mouse becoming real +friends? +</p> + +<p> +8. Can you give two or three instances you know of presence of mind in danger? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +When the cat heard what the mouse said, she could hardly believe her ears. She +was of course ready to promise anything to anyone who would help her, so she +said at once: +</p> + +<p> +“You dear little mouse, to wish to help me. If only you will nibble +through that string which is killing me, I promise that I will always love you, +always be your friend, and however hungry I may be, I will starve rather than +hurt your tender little body.” +</p> + +<p> +On hearing this, the mouse, without hesitating a moment, climbed up on to the +cat’s back, and cuddled down in the soft fur near her neck, feeling very +safe and warm there. The owl would certainly not attack him there, he thought, +and the cat could not possibly hurt him. It was one thing to pounce down on a +defenceless little creature running on the ground amongst the barley, quite +another to try and snatch him from the very neck of a cat. +</p> + +<p> +The cat of course expected the mouse to begin to nibble through the string at +once, and became very uneasy when she felt the little creature nestle down as +if to go to sleep, instead of helping her. Poor Pussy could not turn her head +so as to see the mouse without drawing the string tighter, and she did not dare +to speak angrily lest she should offend him. “My dear little +friend,” she said, “do you not think it is high time to keep your +promise and set me free?” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing this, the mouse pretended to bite the string, but took care not to do +so really; and the cat waited and waited, getting more miserable every minute. +All through the long night the same thing went on: the mouse taking a little +nap now and then, the cat getting weaker and weaker. “Oh,” she +thought to herself, “if only I could get free, the first thing I would do +would be to gobble up that horrid little mouse.” The moon rose, the stars +came out, the wind murmured amongst the branches of the banyan tree, making the +unfortunate cat long to be safe in her cosy home in the trunk. The cries of the +wild animals which prowl about at night seeking their food were heard, and the +cat feared one of them might find her and kill her. A mother tiger perhaps +would snatch her, and take her to her hungry cubs, hidden away in the deep +forest, or a bird of prey might swoop down on her and grip her in his terrible +claws. Again and again she entreated the mouse to be quick, promising that, if +only he would set her at liberty, she would never, never, never forget it or do +any harm to her beloved friend. +</p> + +<p> +9. What do you suppose the mouse was thinking all this time? +</p> + +<p> +10. If you had been the mouse, would you have trusted to what the cat said in +her misery? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +It was not until the moon had set and the light of the dawn had put out that of +the stars that the mouse, made any real effort to help the cat. By this time +the hunter who had set the snare came to see if he had caught the cat; and the +poor cat, seeing him in the distance, became so wild with terror that she +nearly killed herself in the struggle to get away. “Keep still! keep +still,” cried the mouse, “and I will really save you.” Then +with a few quick bites with his sharp teeth he cut through the string, and the +next moment the cat was hidden amongst the barley, and the mouse was running +off in the opposite direction, determined to keep well out of sight of the +creature he had kept in such misery for so many hours. Full well he knew that +all the cat’s promises would be forgotten, and that she would eat him up +if she could catch him. The owl too flew away, and the lizard went off to hunt +flies in the sunshine, and there was not a sign of any of the four inhabitants +of the banyan tree when the hunter reached the snare. He was very much +surprised and puzzled to find the string hanging loose in two pieces, and no +sign of there having been anything caught in it, except two white hairs lying +on the ground close to the trap. He had a good look round, and then went home +without having found out anything. +</p> + +<p> +When the hunter was quite out of sight, the cat came forth from the barley, and +hastened back to her beloved home in the banyan tree. On her way there she +spied the mouse also hurrying along in the same direction, and at first she +felt inclined to hunt him and eat him then and there. On second thoughts +however she decided to try and keep friends with him, because he might help her +again if she got caught a second time. So she took no notice of the mouse until +the next day, when she climbed down the tree and went to the roots in which she +knew the mouse was hidden. There she began to purr as loud as she could, to +show the mouse she was in a good humour, and called out, “Dear good +little mouse, come out of your hole and let me tell you how very, very grateful +I am to you for saving my life. There is nothing in the world I will not do for +you, if you will only be friends with me.” +</p> + +<p> +The mouse only squeaked in answer to this speech, and took very good care not +to show himself, till he was quite sure the cat was gone beyond reach of him. +He stayed quietly in his hole, and only ventured forth after he had heard the +cat climb up into the tree again. “It is all very well,” thought +the mouse, “to pretend to make friends with an enemy when that enemy is +helpless, but I should indeed be a silly mouse to trust a cat when she is free +to kill me.” +</p> + +<p> +The cat made a good many other efforts to be friends with the mouse, but they +were all unsuccessful. In the end the owl caught the mouse, and the cat killed +the lizard. The owl and the cat both lived for the rest of their lives in the +banyan tree, and died in the end at a good old age. +</p> + +<p> +11. Do you think it is ever possible to make a real friend of an enemy? +</p> + +<p> +12. What do you think the mouse deserved most praise for in his behaviour? +</p> + +<p> +13. Which of the four animals in this story do you like best and which do you +dislike most? +</p> + +<p> +14. Can an animal be blamed for acting according to its nature? For instance, +can you call it cruel for a cat or an owl to kill and eat a mouse? +</p> + +<p> +15. Is it always right to forgive an injury? +</p> + +<p> +16. Can you give an example from history of the forgiveness of an injury? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>III.<br /> +A Royal Thief-Catcher.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +In one of the smaller cities of India called Sravasti the people gathered +together on a very hot day to stare at and talk about a stranger, who had come +in to the town, looking very weary and walking with great difficulty because +his feet were sore with tramping for a long distance on the rough roads. He was +a Brahman, that is to say, a man who devoted his whole life to prayer, and had +promised to give up everything for the sake of pleasing the god in whom he +believed, and to care nothing for comfort, for riches, or for good food. +</p> + +<p> +This Brahman carried nothing with him but a staff to help him along, and a bowl +in which to receive the offerings of those who thought it their duty to help +him and hoped by doing so to win favour in the sight of God. He was naked, +except for a cloth worn about his loins, and his long hair was all matted +together for want of combing and brushing. He made his way very slowly and +painfully through the crowds, till he came to a shady corner, and there he sank +down exhausted, holding out his bowl for the gifts of the people. Very soon his +bowl would have been full of all sorts of good things, but he made it clear +that he would accept nothing to eat except rice still in the husk, and nothing +to drink but pure water. He was however willing to take money; and when the +people who wished to help him found that out, they brought him a good many +silver and gold pieces. Some who had no money to spare gave him jewels and +other things which could be sold for money. +</p> + +<p> +1. Can you explain why the Brahman would only accept such food as rice in the +husk and water? +</p> + +<p> +2. Do you think it was right or wrong of the Brahman to take money and jewels? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +As time went on, the Brahman became very well known in Sravasti. His fame +indeed spread far beyond the town, and people came from far away to consult him +about all sorts of things, and he gave them good advice, for he was a very wise +man. Those who wanted him to tell them what to do paid him for his advice, and +as some of them had plenty of money and were glad to help him, he soon became +quite rich. He might have done a great deal of good with all this money by +helping the poor and suffering, but unfortunately he never thought of doing so. +Instead of that, he got to love the money for its own sake. At night, when all +those who had come to see him had gone to rest, and there was no fear of his +being found out, he used to steal away into the forest, and there he dug a deep +hole at the root of a great tree, to which he took all his money and jewels. +</p> + +<p> +In India everybody has a siesta, that is to say, a sleep in the middle of the +day, because the heat is so great it is difficult to keep well and strong +without this extra rest. So, although it is quite light at the time, the +streets are deserted, except for the dogs who prowl about, trying to find +something to eat. Now the Brahman loved his money and other treasures so much, +that he used very often to do without this siesta and go to the forest to enjoy +the pleasure of looking at them. When he got to the tree, he would bend down, +clear away the earth and leaves with which he had hidden his secret hole, take +out the money and let it slip through his fingers, and hold up the jewels to +the light, to watch how they gleamed and glistened. He was never so happy as +when he was alone with his riches, and it was all he could do to tear himself +away from them when the time came to go back to his shady corner. In fact he +was becoming a selfish miser instead of the holy man the people of Sravasti +thought he was. By the time the siesta was over he was always back again in his +place beneath the tree, holding out his bowl and looking as poor and thin as +ever, so that nobody had the least idea of the truth. +</p> + +<p> +3. Why was it wrong for the Brahman to hide away his money and jewels? +</p> + +<p> +4. Can anyone be a miser about other things as well as money and jewels? If so, +what other things? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +For many months the Brahman led this double life; until one day, when he went +as usual to his hiding-place, he saw at once that some one had been there +before him. Eagerly he knelt down, full of fear of exactly what had actually +happened. All his care in concealing the hole had been wasted, for it was quite +empty. The poor man could not at first believe his own eyes. He rubbed them +hard, thinking that there was something the matter with them. Then he felt +round and round the hole, hoping that after all he was mistaken; and when at +last he was obliged to believe the terrible truth that there really was not a +sign of his money and jewels, he became almost mad with misery. He began to run +from tree to tree, peering into their roots, and when there was nothing to be +seen, he rushed back again to his empty hole, to look into it once more. Then +he wept and tore at his hair, stamped about and cried aloud to all the gods he +believed in, making all kinds of promises, of what he would do if only they +would give him back his treasures. No answer came, and he began to wonder who +could have done such a terrible thing. It must, he felt sure, have been one of +the people of Sravasti; and he now remembered he had noticed that a good many +of them had looked into his bowl with longing eyes, when they saw the money and +precious stones in it. “What horrible, wicked people they are,” he +said to himself. “I hate them. I should like to hurt them as they have +hurt me.” As he thought in this way he got more and more angry, until he +became quite worn out with giving way to his rage. +</p> + +<p> +5. What would you have done if you had been the Brahman when he lost his +treasure? +</p> + +<p> +6. Is it wrong to be angry when any one has done you an injury? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +After roaming about in the forest for a long time, the Brahman went back to the +house in Sravasti where some kind people had lent him a room, glad and proud to +have such a holy man, as they thought he was, living under their roof. He felt +sure they had had nothing to do with the loss of his treasure, because they had +given him many proofs of their goodness and honesty. Soon he was pouring out +all his grief to them, and they did all they could to comfort him, telling him +that he would very soon have plenty more money and jewels. They let him see +however that they thought it was mean of him to hide away his riches, instead +of using them to help the poor and suffering; and this added very much to his +rage. At last he lost all self-control and cried, “It is not worth while +for me to live any longer. I will go to some holy place of pilgrimage by the +banks of the river, and there I will starve myself to death.” +</p> + +<p> +A place of pilgrimage, you know, is one where some great event, generally +connected with religion, has taken place, to which pilgrims go to pray in the +hope of winning some special favour from God. The word pilgrim means a +wanderer, but it has come in course of time to signify any traveller who comes +from a distance to some such place. Benares in India is a very famous place of +pilgrimage, because it is on the River Ganges, which the Hindus worship and +love, believing that its waters can wash away their sins. Hundreds and +thousands of Hindus go there every year to bathe in it, and many who know that +they have not long to live wait on its banks to die, so that after their bodies +have been burnt, as is the custom with the Hindus, their ashes may be thrown +into the sacred stream. +</p> + +<p> +7. Can you name two other places of pilgrimage, one held sacred by Christians +and one by Hindus? +</p> + +<p> +8. Will you explain exactly why the two places you have thought of are +considered holy? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +The news of the Brahman’s loss spread very quickly through Sravasti; and +as is so often the case, every one who told the story made it a little +different, so that it became very difficult to know what the truth really was. +There was great distress in the town, because the people thought the Brahman +would go away, and they did not want him to do that. They were proud of having +a man they thought so holy, living amongst them, and ashamed that he should +have been robbed whilst he was with them. When they heard that he meant to +starve himself to death, they were dreadfully shocked, and determined to do all +they possibly could to prevent it. One after another of the chief men of +Sravasti came to see him, and entreated him not to be in such a hurry to be +sure that his treasure would never be found. They said they would all do +everything they possibly could to get it back for him. Some of them thought it +was very wrong of him to make such a fuss about it, and blamed him for being a +miser. They told him it was foolish to care so much for what he could not take +with him when he died, and one specially wise old man gave him a long lecture +on the wickedness of taking away the life which had been given to him by God to +prepare for that in the other world. “Put the idea of starving yourself +out of your head,” he said, “and whilst we are seeking your +treasure, go on as you did before you lost it. Next time you have any money and +jewels, turn them to good account instead of hoarding them up.” +</p> + +<p> +9. Do you think the Brahman was of any real use to the people of Sravasti? +</p> + +<p> +10. In what qualities do you think the Brahman was wanting when he made up his +mind to starve himself to death? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +In spite of all that any one could say to him, the Brahman was quite determined +that he would not live any longer. He set off to the place of pilgrimage he had +chosen, taking no notice of any one he met, but just marching steadily on. At +first a number of people followed him, but by degrees they left off doing so, +and soon he was quite alone. Presently however he could not help noticing a man +approaching from the direction in which he was going. Very tall, very handsome, +very dignified, this man was one whom no one could fail to admire, even if he +had been only an ordinary person. But he was the king of the whole country, +whose name was Prasnajit; and a little distance behind him were a number of his +attendants, waiting to obey his orders. Everybody, even the Brahman, loved the +king, because he took such a very great interest in his people and was always +trying to do them good. He had heard all about the loss of the money, and was +very much vexed that such a thing should have happened in his land. He had also +heard that the Brahman meant to kill himself, and this distressed him more than +anything else, because he thought it a very wicked and terrible thing to do. +</p> + +<p> +The king stood so exactly in the path of the Brahman that it was impossible to +pass him by without taking any notice of him, and the unhappy man stood still, +hanging down his head and looking very miserable. Without waiting for a moment, +Prasnajit said to the Brahman: “Do not grieve any more. I will find your +treasure for you, and give it back to you; or if I fail to do so I will pay you +as much as it was worth out of my own purse: for I cannot bear to think of your +killing yourself. Now tell me very carefully where you hid your gold and +jewels, and everything about the place, to help me to make sure of it.” +</p> + +<p> +The Brahman was greatly delighted to hear this, because he knew full well that +the king would keep his word, and that, even if his own treasure was never +found, he would have plenty of money given to him by the king. He at once told +Prasnajit exactly where he had put his store, and offered to take him there. +The king agreed to go with him at once, and he and the Brahman went straight +away to the big hole in the forest, the attendants following them a little way +behind. +</p> + +<p> +11. If you had been the king, how would you have set about finding the +treasure? +</p> + +<p> +12. Was it a good or a bad thing for the Brahman to have secured the help of +the king? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +After the king had seen the big empty hole, and noticed exactly where it was, +and the nearest way to it from the town, he returned to his palace, first +telling the Brahman to go back to the house he lived in, and wait there till he +received a message from him. He promised to see that he wanted for nothing, and +sent one of his attendants to a rich merchant of Sravasti, who had already done +a good deal for the Brahman, to order him to supply the holy man with all he +needed. Very glad that after all he was not going to die, the Brahman obeyed +willingly, and for the next few days he was taken care of by the merchant, who +supplied him with plenty of food. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as Prasnajit was back in his palace, he pretended that he was taken +suddenly ill. His head ached badly, he said, and he could not make out what was +the matter with him. He ordered a proclamation to be sent all round the town, +telling all the doctors to come to the palace to see him. All the doctors in +the place at once hastened to obey, each of them hoping that he would be the +one to cure the king and win a great reward. So many were they that the big +reception room was full of them, and they all glared at each other so angrily +that the attendants kept careful watch lest they should begin to fight. One at +a time they were taken to the king’s private room, but very much to their +surprise and disappointment he seemed quite well and in no need of help from +them. Instead of talking about his own illness, he asked each doctor who his +patients were in the town, and what medicines he was giving to them. Of course +Prasnajit’s questions were carefully answered; but the king said nothing +more, just waving his hand to shew that the interview was at an end. Then the +attendants led the visitor out. At last however a doctor came, who said +something which led the king to keep him longer than he had kept any of the +others. This doctor was a very famous healer who had saved the lives of many of +Prasnajit’s subjects. He told the king that a merchant named Matri-Datta +was very ill, suffering greatly, but that he hoped to cure him by giving him +the juice of a certain plant called nagaballa. At the time this story was +written, doctors in India did not give their patients medicine, or write +prescriptions for them to take to chemists to be made up, because there were no +chemists in those days, such as there are in all the towns of Europe, who keep +the materials in stock for making medicines. A doctor just said to his patient, +“you must take the juice of this or that plant”; and the suffering +person had to go into the fields or woods to find the plant or else to send a +servant to do so. +</p> + +<p> +When the king heard that the doctor had ordered Matri-Datta to take the juice +of the nagaballa plant, he cried “No more doctors need come to see +me!” and after sending away the one who had told him what he wanted to +know, he gave orders that Matri-Datta should be sent for at once. +</p> + +<p> +13. Can you guess why the king sent for the doctors? +</p> + +<p> +14. Do you think Matri-Datta had anything to do with stealing the +Brahman’s treasure? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<p> +Ill and suffering though he was, Matri-Datta did not dare disobey the king: so +he came at once. As soon as he appeared, Prasnajit asked him how he was, and +said he was sorry to have to make him leave his home when he was ill, but the +matter on which he wished to see him was of very great importance. Then he +suddenly added: “When your doctor ordered you to take the juice of the +nagaballa plant whom did you send to find it?” +</p> + +<p> +To this Matri-Datta replied trembling with fear: “My servant, O king, +sought it in the forest; and having found it, brought it to me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Go back and send that servant to me immediately,” was the reply; +and the merchant hurried away, wondering very much why the king wanted to see +the man, and hoping that he himself would not get into disgrace on account of +anything he had done to make Prasnajit angry. +</p> + +<p> +15. Have you any idea why the king wanted the servant sent to him? +</p> + +<p> +16. From what the story tells you so far, do you think Prasnajit was a good +ruler of his kingdom? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IX</h3> + +<p> +When Matri-Datta told his servant that he was to go to the palace to see the +king, the man was dreadfully frightened, and begged his master not to make him +go. This made Matri-Datta pretty sure that he had done something wrong and was +afraid of being found out. “Go at once,” he said, “and +whatever you do, speak the truth to the king. That will be your only chance if +you have offended him.” Again and again the servant entreated Matri-Datta +not to insist, and when he found it was no good, he asked him at least to come +with him to the palace and plead for him with Prasnajit. The merchant knew then +for certain that something was seriously wrong, and he consented to go to the +palace with his servant, partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear for +himself. When the two got to the palace, the attendants at once led the servant +to the presence of the king, but they would not let the master go with him. +</p> + +<p> +Directly the servant entered the room and saw the king sitting on his throne, +he fell upon his face at the foot of the steps, crying, “Mercy! +mercy!” He was right to be afraid, for Prasnajit said to him in a loud +voice: “Where are the gold and the jewels you took from the hole in the +roots of a tree when you went to find the nagaballa plant for your +master?” The servant, who really had taken the money and jewels, was so +terrified when he found that the king knew the truth, that he had not a word to +say at first, but just remained lying on the ground, trembling all over. +Prasnajit too was silent, and the attendants waiting for orders behind the +throne looked on, wondering what would happen now. +</p> + +<p> +17. Have you guessed what the nagaballa plant had to do with finding out who +had stolen the money and jewels? +</p> + +<p> +18. If you had been the king, what punishment would you have ordered for the +thief? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER X</h3> + +<p> +When the silence had lasted about ten minutes, the thief raised his head from +the ground and looked at the king, who still said not a word. Something in his +face however made the wicked servant hope that he would not be punished by +death in spite of the great wrong he had done. The king looked very stern, it +is true, but not enraged against him. So the servant rose to his feet, and +clasping his hands together as he held them up to Prasnajit, said in a +trembling voice: “I will fetch the treasure, I will fetch the +treasure.” “Go then at once,” said the king, “and bring +it here”: and as he said it, there was a beautiful expression in his +eyes, which made the thief more sorry for what he had done than he would have +been if Prasnajit had said, “Off with his head!” or had ordered him +to be beaten. +</p> + +<p> +19. What do you think is the best way to make wicked people good? +</p> + +<p> +20. What is the most powerful reason a man or woman or a child can have for +trying to be good? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XI</h3> + +<p> +As soon as the king said, “Go at once,” the servant started to his +feet and hastened away, as eager now to restore what he had stolen as he had +been to hide it. He had put it in another hole in the very depths of the +forest; and it was a long time before he got back to the palace with it, for it +was very heavy. He had thought the king would send some guards with him, to see +that he did not run away, and that they would have helped him to carry the sack +full of gold and jewels; but nobody followed him. It was hard work to drag the +heavy load all the way alone; but at last, quite late in the evening, he was +back at the palace gates. The soldiers standing there let him pass without a +word, and soon he was once more in the room in which the king had received him. +Prasnajit still sat on his throne, and the attendants still waited behind him, +when the thief, so tired he could hardly stand, once more lay prostrate at the +bottom of the steps leading up to the throne, with the sack beside him. How his +heart did beat as he waited for what the king would say! It seemed a very long +time before Prasnajit spoke, though it was only two or three minutes; and when +he did, this is what he said, “Go back to your home now, and be a thief +no more.” +</p> + +<p> +Very, very thankfully the man obeyed, scarcely able to believe that he was free +to go and that he was not to be terribly punished. Never again in the rest of +his life did he take what did not belong to him, and he was never tired of +telling his children and his friends of the goodness of the king who had +forgiven him. +</p> + +<p> +21. Do you think it would have been better for the thief to have been punished? +</p> + +<p> +22. What lesson did the thief learn from what had happened to him? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XII</h3> + +<p> +The Brahman, who had spent the time of waiting in prayers that his treasure +should be given back to him, and was still determined that, if it were not, he +would starve himself to death, was full of delight when he heard that it had +been found. He hastened to the palace and was taken before the king, who said +to him: “There is your treasure. Take it away, and make a better use of +it than before. If you lose it again, I shall not try to recover it for +you.” +</p> + +<p> +The Brahman, glad as he was to have his money and jewels restored, did not like +to be told by the king to make a better use of them. Besides this he wanted to +have the thief punished; and he began talking about that, instead of thanking +Prasnajit and promising to follow his advice. The king looked at him much as he +had looked at the thief and said: “The matter is ended so far as I have +anything to do with it: go in peace.” +</p> + +<p> +The Brahman, who was accustomed to be honoured by every one from the king on +his throne to the beggars in the street, was astonished at the way in which +Prasnajit spoke to him. He would have said more, but the king made a sign to +his attendants, two of whom dragged the sack to the entrance of the palace and +left it there, so that there was nothing for the Brahman to do but to take it +away with him. Every one who has read this wonderful story would, of courses +like to know what became of him after that, but nothing more is told about him. +</p> + +<p> +23. Do you think that the Brahman learnt anything from his loss and recovery of +his treasure? +</p> + +<p> +24. Was the Brahman more wicked than, the thief or the thief than the Brahman? +</p> + +<p> +25. Do you think the Brahman continued to be a miser for the rest of his life? +</p> + +<p> +26. What were the chief characteristics of the king—that is to say, what +sort of man do you think he was? +</p> + +<p> +27. Which of the people who are spoken of in this story do you like and admire +most, and which do you dislike most? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>IV.<br /> +The Magic Shoes and Staff.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +Far, far away in a town of India called Chinchini, where in days long gone by +the ancient gods in whom the people believed are said sometimes to have +appeared to those who called upon them for help, there lived three brothers of +noble birth, who had never known what it was to want for food, or clothes, or a +house to live in. Each was married to a wife he loved, and for many years they +were all as happy as the day was long. Presently however a great misfortune in +which they all shared befell their native country. There was no rain for many, +many weeks; and this is a very serious thing in a hot country like India, +because, when it does not rain for a long time, the ground becomes so parched +and hard that nothing can grow in it. The sun is very much stronger in India +than it is in England; and it sent forth its burning rays, drying up all the +water in the tanks and changing what had been a beautiful country, covered +with green crops good for food, into a dreary desert, where neither men nor +animals could get anything to eat. The result of this was that there was a +terrible famine, in which hundreds of people and animals died, little children +being the first to suffer. +</p> + +<p> +Now the three brothers, who had none of them any children, got frightened at +the state of things, and thought to themselves, “If we do not escape from +this dreadful land, we shall die.” They said to each other: “Let us +flee away from here, and go somewhere where we are sure of being able to get +plenty to eat and drink. We will not take our wives with us; they would only +make things worse for us; let us leave them to look after themselves.” +</p> + +<p> +1. What do you think of the behaviour of the three brothers? Was there any +excuse for their leaving their wives behind them? +</p> + +<p> +2. Do you think the wives themselves can have been to blame in any way in the +matter? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +So the three wives were deserted, and had to manage as best they could without +their husbands, who did not even trouble to wish them goodbye. The wives were +at first very sad and lonely, but presently a great joy came to one of them +which made the other two very happy as well. This joy was the birth of a little +boy, whose two aunts loved him almost as much as his mother did. The story does +not tell how they all got food whilst the famine was going on, though it is +very evident that they were not starved, for the baby boy grew fast and was a +strong healthy little fellow. +</p> + +<p> +One night all the three wives had the same dream, a very wonderful one, in +which the god Siva, who is very much honoured in India, appeared to them. He +told them that, looking down from Heaven, he had noticed how tenderly they +cared for the new-born baby, and that he wished them to call him Putraka. +Besides this he astonished them by adding that, as a reward for the unselfish +way in which they had behaved, they would find one hundred thousand gold pieces +under the little child’s pillow every morning, and that one day that +little child would be a king. +</p> + +<p> +3. Do you think the three women wanted to be rewarded for loving the baby? +</p> + +<p> +4. Is it a good thing to have a great deal of money? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +The wonderful dream was fulfilled, and the mother and aunts called the boy +Putraka. Every morning they found the gold pieces under his pillow, and they +took care of the money for him, so that when he grew up he was the very richest +man in the whole country. He had a happy childhood and boyhood, his only +trouble being that he did not like having never seen his father. His mother +told him about the famine before he was born, and how his father and uncles had +gone away and never come back. He often said, “When I am a man I will +find my father and bring him home again.” He used his money to help +others, and one of the best things he did was to irrigate the land; that is to +say, he made canals into which water was made to flow in times when there was +plenty of rain, so that there was no danger of there being another famine, such +as that which had driven his father and uncles away. The country in which he +lived became very fruitful; everybody had enough to eat and drink; and Putraka +was very much loved, especially by the poor and unhappy. When the king who +ruled over the land died, everybody wanted Putraka to take his place, and he +was chosen at once. +</p> + +<p> +5. Will you describe the kind of man you think Putraka was? +</p> + +<p> +6. Do you know of any other country besides India in which everything depends +on irrigation? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +One of the other wise things Putraka did, when he became king, was to make +great friends with his Brahman subjects. Brahmans are always very fond of +travelling, and Putraka thought, if he were good and generous to them, they +would talk about him wherever they went, and that perhaps through them his +father and uncles would hear about him. He felt sure that, if they knew he was +now a king ruling over their native land, they would want to come back. He gave +the Brahmans plenty of money, and told them to try and find his father and +uncles. If they did, they were to say how anxious he was to see them, and +promise them everything they wanted, if only they would return. +</p> + +<p> +7. Do you think it was wise of Putraka to be so anxious to get his father and +uncles back, when he knew how selfish they had been in leaving his mother and +aunts behind them? +</p> + +<p> +8. Can you suggest anything else Putraka might have done in the matter? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +Just what the young king hoped came to pass. Wherever the Brahmans went they +talked about the country they came from and the wonderful young king who ruled +over it. Putraka’s father and uncles, who were after all not so very far +off, heard the stories about him, and asked the Brahmans many questions. The +answers made them very eager to see Putraka, but they did not at first realize +that he was closely related to them. Only when they heard the name of his +mother did they guess the truth. Putraka’s father knew, when he deserted +his wife, that God was going to give her a child soon; which made it even more +wicked of him to leave her. Now, however, he forgot all about that, only +thinking how he could make as much use as possible of the son who had become a +king. He wanted to go back at once alone, but the uncles were not going to +allow that. They meant to get all they could out of Putraka too; and the three +selfish men, who were now quite old, set off together for the land they had +left so long ago. +</p> + +<p> +They arrived safely, and made their way to the palace, where they were +received, with great rejoicings. None of the wives said a word of reproach to +the husbands who had deserted them; and as for Putraka, he was so overjoyed at +having his father back, that he gave him a beautiful house to live in and a +great deal of money. He was very good to his uncles too, and felt that he had +now really nothing left to wish for. +</p> + +<p> +9. Do you think Putraka showed strength or weakness of character in the way he +received the travellers? +</p> + +<p> +10. How do you think the king ought to have behaved to his father and uncles? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +The three wives very soon had good reason to wish their husbands had stayed +away. Instead of being grateful for all Putraka’s generosity, they were +very unkind and exacting, never pleased with anything; and whatever they had +given them, they were always trying to get more. In fact, they were silly as +well as wicked; for they did not realize that this was not the way to make the +king love them or wish to keep them with him. Presently they became jealous of +Putraka, and began to wish to get rid of him. His father hated to feel that his +son was king, whilst he was only one of that king’s subjects; and he made +up his mind to kill him, hoping that if he could only get rid of him he might +rule over the country in his stead. He thought and thought how best to manage +this, and did not at first mean to tell his brothers anything about it; but in +the end he decided he had better have them on his side. So he invited them to +go with him to a secret place to talk the matter over. +</p> + +<p> +11. What qualities did Putraka’s father show in this plot against his +son? +</p> + +<p> +12. Was there any other way in which the king’s father could have gained +a share in governing the land? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +After many meetings the three wicked men decided that they would pay some one +to kill the king, first making the murderer they chose swear that he would +never tell who had ordered him to do the terrible deed. It was not very +difficult to find a man bad enough to take money for such an evil purpose, and +the next thing to do was to decide where and when the deed was to be done. +Putraka had been very well brought up by his mother, and he often went to a +beautiful temple near his palace to pray alone. He would sometimes stop there a +long time, winning fresh wisdom and strength to do the work he was trusted +with, and praying not only for himself, but for his father, his mother, his +aunts and uncles, and for the people he loved so much. +</p> + +<p> +The murderer was told to wait in this temple, and when the young king was +absorbed in prayer, to fall suddenly upon him and kill him. Then, when Putraka +was dead, he was to take his body and bury it far away in the depths of the +forest where it could never be found. At first it seemed likely that this cruel +plot would succeed. To make quite sure, the murderer got two other men as +wicked as himself to come and help him, promising to give them a share in the +reward. But the god who had taken care of Putraka ever since he was born, did +not forget him now. As the young king prayed, forgetting everything in his +earnest pleading for those he loved, he did not see or hear the evil men +drawing stealthily close to him. Their arms were uplifted to slay him, and the +gleam of the weapons in the light that was always kept burning flashed upon +him, when suddenly the heavenly guardian of the temple, who never left it day +or night, but was generally invisible, appeared and cast a spell upon the +wicked men, whose hands were arrested in the very act to strike. +</p> + +<p> +What a wonderful sight that must have been, when Putraka, disturbed in his +prayers, looked round and saw the men who had come to kill him, with the +shadowy form of the guardian threatening them! He knew at once that he had been +saved from a dreadful death by a messenger from the god he had been +worshipping. As he gazed at the men, the guardian faded away and he was left +alone with them. Slowly the spell cast on them was broken, and they dropped +their weapons, prostrated themselves, and clasped their hands in an appeal for +mercy to the man they had meant to destroy. Putraka looked at them quietly and +sadly. He felt no anger against them, only a great thankfulness for his escape. +He spoke to the men very sternly, asking them why they wished to harm him; and +the chief murderer told him who had sent them. +</p> + +<p> +The knowledge that his father wished to kill him shocked and grieved the young +king terribly, but he controlled himself even when he learnt the sad truth. He +told the men that he forgave them, for they were not the most to blame; and he +made them promise never to betray who had bribed them to kill him. He then gave +them some money and told them to leave him. +</p> + +<p> +13. What do you think the most beautiful incident in this account of the scene +in the temple? +</p> + +<p> +14. What do you suppose were the thoughts of the murderers when they left the +temple after Putraka forgave them? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<p> +When Putraka was alone, he threw himself upon the ground and wept very +bitterly. He felt that he could never be happy again, never trust anyone again. +He had so loved his father and uncles. It had been such a joy to him to give +them pleasure, and yet they hated him and wished to kill him. He wondered +whether he was himself to blame for what had happened, and began to think he +was not worthy to be king, if he could make such a mistake as he now feared he +had made in being so generous to those who could have such hard thoughts of him +as to want to take his life. Perhaps after all it would be better for his +country to have another king. He did not feel as if he could go back to his +palace and meet his father and uncles again. “What shall I do? What shall +I do?” he cried, his sobs choking his voice. Never in all his life had he +thought it possible to be so miserable as he was now. Everything seemed changed +and he felt as if he were himself a different person. The only thing that +comforted him at all was the thought of his mother, whose love had never failed +him; but even that was spoiled by the remembrance that it was her husband who +had wished to kill him. She must never know that, for it would break her heart: +yet how could he keep it from her? Then the idea came to him that the best +thing he could do would be to go away and never see his own people again. +</p> + +<p> +15. What do you think was wrong in Putraka’s way of looking at the past? +</p> + +<p> +16. Was his idea of leaving his country and his people a sign of weakness or of +strength? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IX</h3> + +<p> +In the end the poor young king decided that he would go right away as his +father and uncles had done; and his mind being made up, he became more cheerful +and began to think he might meet with some interesting adventures in a new +country, where nobody knew anything about him. As soon as it was light, he +wandered off into the forest, feeling, it is true, very lonely, but at the same +time taking a certain pleasure in being entirely his own master; which a king +can never really be, because he has to consider so many other people and to +keep so many rules. +</p> + +<p> +After all Putraka did not find the forest so very lonely; for he had not gone +far in it before his sad thoughts were broken in upon by his coming suddenly to +a little clearing, where the trees had been cut down and two strong-looking men +were wrestling together. The king watched them for a little while, wondering +what they were fighting about. Then he called out, “What are you doing +here? What are you quarrelling about?” +</p> + +<p> +The men were greatly surprised to hear Putraka’s voice, for they thought +that they were quite alone. They stopped fighting for a minute or two, and one +of them said: “We are fighting for three very precious things which were +left behind him by our father.” +</p> + +<p> +“What are those things?” asked Putraka. +</p> + +<p> +“A bowl, a stick and a pair of shoes,” was the reply. +“Whoever wins the fight will get them all. There they lie on the +ground.” +</p> + +<p> +“Well, I never!” cried the king, laughing as he looked at the +things, which seemed to him worth very little. “I shouldn’t trouble +to fight about such trifles, if I were you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Trifles!” exclaimed one of the men angrily. “You don’t +know what you are talking about. They are worth more than their weight in gold. +Whoever gets the bowl will find plenty of food in it whenever he wants it; the +owner of the stick has only to write his wishes on the ground with it and he +will get them; and whoever puts on the shoes can fly through the air in them to +any distance.” +</p> + +<p> +17. Which of these things would you rather have had? +</p> + +<p> +18. What lesson do you learn from what the men said about the things on the +ground? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER X</h3> + +<p> +When Putraka heard the wonders which, could be done with what he had thought +not worth having, he determined to get possession of the three treasures for +himself; not considering that it would be very wrong to take what did not +belong to him. “It seems a pity to fight,” he said, “why +don’t you race for the things, and let whichever wins the race have them? +That banyan tree over there would make a good winning post and I will be the +umpire.” +</p> + +<p> +Instead of guessing what Putraka had in his mind, the brothers, who were very +simple fellows, said at once: “All right. We won’t fight, +we’ll race instead, and you can give us the start.” Putraka agreed, +and directly they were off he lost not a moment, but picked up the bowl and the +staff, put on the shoes, and flew straight up into the air with the treasures. +When the brothers came back, disputing about which of them had won, there was +not a sign of Putraka, the bowl, the stick, or the shoes. They guessed at once +what had happened; and after staring up in the air for a long time, they went +home, feeling very much enraged with the man who had cheated them, and ashamed +of having been so stupid as to trust him. +</p> + +<p> +19. What do you think of Putraka’s behaviour in this matter? +</p> + +<p> +20. If you could have had one of the three things Putraka stole, which would +you have chosen? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XI</h3> + +<p> +On and on flew Putraka, full of eager delight in the new power of flight. How +he loved rushing through the air, cleaving it like a bird on the wing! All he +wanted to make him perfectly happy was someone to enjoy his new powers with +him. Presently he found himself above a beautiful city with towers and +pinnacles and minarets gleaming in the sunshine. “Ah!” he thought, +“that is the place for me. I will go down there, and see if I can find a +nice house to live in, and some people to make friends with, who will not try +to kill me or to cheat me, but love me and be grateful to me for any kindness I +show them.” +</p> + +<p> +As Putraka was hovering in the air above the town to which he had taken such a +fancy, he noticed a little house which rather pleased him; for though it was +poor-looking, there was something cheerful and home-like about it. Down he sped +and alighted at the door. Only one poor old woman lived in the house, and when +Putraka knocked and asked if he might come in, she said “Yes” at +once. He gave her some money, and told her he would like to live with her, if +she would let him do so. She was only too glad to consent, for she was very +lonely; and the two lived happily together for a long time. +</p> + +<p> +21. Do you think that if Putraka had flown home on his wonderful shoes, taking +his staff and bowl with him, his, father and uncles would still have tried to +kill him? +</p> + +<p> +22. How could Putraka have prevented them from doing him harm if he had +returned to his home? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XII</h3> + +<p> +The old woman grew very fond of Putraka, caring for him and waiting on him as +if he had been her own son. She was so anxious that he should be happy that she +became afraid he would become tired of living alone with her. So she said to +him one day: “My dear adopted son, you ought to have a wife to keep you +company. I know the very one for you, the only one really worthy of you. She is +a princess, and her name is Patala. She is so very lovely that every man who +sees her falls in love with her and wants to carry her off. So she is most +carefully guarded in the top rooms of a great palace, as high as the summits of +the loftiest mountains.” When Putraka heard this he was all eagerness to +see the princess, and at once determined to go forth to seek her. He was more +than ever glad now that he had stolen the shoes, because he knew that they +would carry him even to the top of the highest mountains. +</p> + +<p> +23. What qualities did the old woman show when she told Putraka about the +Princess? +</p> + +<p> +24. What faults of character did the young king show when he decided at once to +leave the old woman who had been so good to him? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XIII</h3> + +<p> +The very evening of the day when Putraka heard about the princess, he started +on his journey, taking with him his bowl and staff. The old woman gave him very +careful instructions which way to go, and begged him to come back to tell her +how he had got on. He promised he would, thanked her for all she had done for +him, and flew away in a great state of excitement. She watched him till he was +quite out of sight, and then went sadly into her lonely home, wondering if she +would ever see him again. +</p> + +<p> +It was not long before Putraka came in sight of the palace. It was a beautiful +night, and the moon was shining full upon the room in which the princess was +asleep. It was a very big one, with costly furniture and priceless tapestry +hung round the walls, and there were doors behind the tapestry leading to other +apartments, in some of which the attendants on Patala slept, whilst others kept +watch lest anyone should intrude upon their mistress. No one thought of +guarding the windows, for they were so high up that only a bird could reach +them. +</p> + +<p> +The young king alighted on the ledge of the window of the princess’ room, +and looked in. There, on a golden bed, amongst soft cushions and embroidered +coverings, lay the most lovely creature he had ever beheld, so lovely that he +fell in love with her at once and gave a loud cry of delight. This woke the +princess, who started up and was about to scream out aloud in her terror at +seeing a man looking in at the window, when Putraka with the aid of his magic +staff made himself invisible. Then, thinking she had been dreaming, Patala lay +down again, and the king began talking to her in a low voice, telling her he +had heard of her beauty and had flown from far away to see her. He begged her +to allow him to show himself to her, and added: “I will go away again +directly afterwards if you wish it.” +</p> + +<p> +Putraka’s voice was so gentle, and it seemed to Patala so wonderful that +a man could fly and make himself invisible, that she was full of curiosity to +see him and find out all about him. So she gave her consent, and immediately +afterwards the young king stood within the room, looking so noble and so +handsome that she too fell in love at first sight. Putraka told her all about +his life and adventures, which interested her very much. She was glad, she +said, that he was a king; but she would have loved him just as well, whoever he +might have been. +</p> + +<p> +After a long talk, Patala begged him to leave her for fear her attendants +should discover him and tell her father about him. “My father would never +let me marry you,” she declared, “unless you were to come with many +followers as a king to ask my hand; and how can you do that when you are only a +wandering exile?” +</p> + +<p> +25. Was there any reason to fear that Putraka would be discovered when he could +make himself invisible at any moment? +</p> + +<p> +26. What do you think would have been the right thing for Putraka and Patala to +do when they found out that they loved each other? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XIV</h3> + +<p> +It was very difficult to persuade Putraka to go, but at last he flew away. +Every night after that, however, he came to see Patala, spending the days +sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, and using his magic bowl to +supply himself with food. Alas, he forgot all about the dear old woman to whom +he owed all his happiness, and she slowly gave up hope of ever seeing him +again. He might quite easily have flown to her cottage and cheered her with his +presence; but he was so wrapped up in his love for Patala that everything else +went out of his head. This selfishness on his part presently got him into +serious trouble, for he became careless about making himself invisible when he +flew up to the princess’ window. So that one night he was discovered by a +guardian of the palace. The matter was at once reported to the king, who could +not at first believe such a thing was possible. The man must have seen a big +bird, that was all. The king, however, ordered one of his daughter’s +ladies to keep watch every night in an ante-room, leaving the door open with +the tapestry, in which there was a slit, drawn carefully over it, and to come +and tell him in the morning if she had seen or heard anything unusual. +</p> + +<p> +Now the lady chosen loved the princess, and, like many of her +fellow-attendants, thought it was very cruel of the king to punish his own +child for being so beautiful, by shutting her up as he did. It so happened that +the very first night she was on guard, Putraka had flown a very, very long way, +not noticing where he was going, because he was thinking so earnestly of +Patala. When at last he flew in at her window, he was so weary that he sank +down on a couch and fell fast asleep. The princess too was tired, because she +had lain awake talking to her lover so many nights running that she had had +hardly any rest. So when the lady peeped through the slit in the tapestry, +there, by the light of the night lamp, she saw the young king lying +unconscious, whilst the princess also was asleep. +</p> + +<p> +Very cautiously the attendant crept to the side of Putraka, and took a long, +long look at him. She noticed how handsome he was, and that he was dressed in +beautiful clothes. She especially remarked the turban he wore, because in India +the rank to which men belong is shown by the kind of turbans they wear. +“This is no common man,” she thought, “but a prince or king +in disguise. What shall I do now? I will not raise an alarm which might lead to +this beautiful young lover being killed and the heart of my dear mistress +broken.” +</p> + +<p> +27. If you had been the lady who found Putraka in Patala’s room, what +would you have done? +</p> + +<p> +28. What could Putraka have done to guard against being discovered? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XV</h3> + +<p> +After hesitating a long time, the lady made up her mind that she would only put +some mark in the turban of Putraka, so that he could be known again, and let +him escape that night at least. So she stole back to her room, fetched a tiny +brooch, and fastened it in the folds of the turban, where the wearer was not +likely to notice it himself. This done, she went back to listen at the door. +</p> + +<p> +It was nearly morning when Putraka woke up, very much surprised at finding +himself lying on the couch, for he did not remember throwing himself down on +it. Starting up, he woke Patala, who was terribly frightened, for she expected +her ladies to come in any minute to help her to dress. She entreated Putraka to +make himself invisible and fly away at once. He did so; and, as usual, wandered +about until the time should come to go back to the palace. But he still felt +too tired to fly, and instead walked about in the town belonging to +Patala’s father. +</p> + +<p> +The lady who had been on guard had half a mind to tell her mistress that her +secret was discovered. But before she could get a chance to do so, she was sent +for by the king, who asked her if she had seen or heard anything during the +night. She tried very hard to escape from betraying Patala; but she hesitated +so much in her answers that the king guessed there was something she wanted to +hide, and told her, if she did not reveal the whole truth, he would have her +head shaved and send her to prison. So she told how she had found a handsome +man, beautifully dressed, fast asleep in Patala’s room; but she did not +believe her mistress knew anything about it, because she too was asleep. +</p> + +<p> +The king was of course in a terrible rage, and the lady was afraid he would +order her to be punished; but he only went on questioning her angrily about +what the man was like, so that he might be found and brought before him. Then +the lady confessed that she had put the brooch in the turban, comforting +herself with the thought that, when the king saw Putraka and knew that Patala +loved him, he might perhaps relent and let them be married. +</p> + +<p> +When the king heard about the brooch, he was greatly pleased; and instead of +ordering the lady to be punished, he told her that, when the man who had dared +to approach his daughter was found, he would give her a great reward. He then +sent forth hundreds of spies to hunt for the man with a brooch in his turban, +and Putraka was very soon found, strolling quietly about in the market-place. +He was so taken by surprise that, though he had his staff in his hand and his +shoes and bowl in the pocket of his robes, he had no time to write his wishes +with the staff, or to put on the shoes, so he was obliged to submit to be +dragged to the palace. He did all he could to persuade those who had found him +to let him go, telling them he was a king and would reward them well. They only +laughed at him and dragged him along with them to the palace, where he was at +once taken before the king, who was sitting on his throne, surrounded by his +court, in a great hall lined with soldiers. The big windows were wide open; and +noticing this, Putraka did not feel at all afraid, for he knew he had only to +slip on his shoes and fly out of one of the windows, if he could not persuade +the king to let him marry Patala. So he stood quietly at the foot of the +throne, and looked bravely into the face of his dear one’s father. +</p> + +<p> +This only made the king more angry, and he began calling Putraka all manner of +names and asking him how he dared to enter the room of his daughter. Putraka +answered quietly that he loved Patala and wished to marry her. He was himself a +king, and would give her all she had been used to. But it was all no good, for +it only made the king more angry. He rose from his throne, and stretching out +his hand, he cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Let him be scourged and placed in close confinement!” +</p> + +<p> +Then Putraka with his staff wrote rapidly on the ground his wish that no one +should be able to touch him, and stooping down slipped on his magic shoes. The +king, the courtiers and the soldiers all remained exactly as they were, staring +at him in astonishment, as he rose up in the air and flew out of one of the +windows. Straight away he sped to the palace of Patala and into her room, where +she was pacing to and fro in an agony of anxiety about him; for she had heard +of his having been taken prisoner and feared that her father would order him to +be killed. +</p> + +<p> +29. What do you think would have been the best thing for the king to do when +Putraka was brought before him? +</p> + +<p> +30. If Putraka had not had his shoes with him, how could he have escaped from +the king’s palace? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XVI</h3> + +<p> +Great indeed was the delight of Patala when her beloved Putraka once more flew +in at her window; but she was still trembling with fear for him and begged him +to go away back to his own land as quickly as possible. +</p> + +<p> +“I will not go without you,” replied Putraka. “Wrap yourself +up warmly, for it is cold flying through the air, and we will go away together, +and your cruel father shall never see you again.” +</p> + +<p> +Patala wept at hearing this, for it seemed terrible to her to have to choose +between the father she loved and Putraka. But in the end her lover got his own +way, and just as those who were seeking him were heard approaching, he seized +his dear one in his arms and flew off with her. He did not return to his own +land even then, but directed his course to the Ganges, the grand and beautiful +river which the people of India love and worship, calling it their Mother +Ganga. By the banks of the sacred stream the lovers rested, and with the aid of +his magic bowl Putraka soon had a good and delicious meal ready, which they +both enjoyed very much. As they ate, they consulted together what they had +better do now, and Patala, who was as clever as she was beautiful, said: +</p> + +<p> +“Would it not be a good thing to build a new city in this lovely place? +You could do it with your marvellous staff, could you not?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, of course, I could,” said Putraka laughing. “Why +didn’t I think of it myself?” Very soon a wonderful town rose up, +which the young king wished to be as much as possible like the home he had +left, only larger and fuller of fine buildings than it. When the town was made, +he wished it to be full of happy inhabitants, with temples in which they might +worship, priests to teach them how to be good, markets in which food and all +that was needed could be bought, tanks and rivulets full of pure water, +soldiers and officers to defend the gates, elephants on which he and his wife +could ride, everything in fact that the heart of man or woman could desire. +</p> + +<p> +The first thing Putraka and Patala did after the rise of their own town, which +they named Patali-Putra<a href="#fn-1" name="fnref-1" id="fnref-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> +after themselves, was to get married in accordance with the rites of their +religion; and for many, many years they reigned wisely over their people, who +loved them and their children with all their hearts. Amongst the attendants on +those children was the old woman who had shown kindness to Putraka in his +loneliness and trouble. For when he told Patala the story of his life, she +reproached him for his neglect of one to whom he owed so much. She made him +feel quite ashamed of himself, and he flew away and brought the dear old lady +back with him, to her very great delight. +</p> + +<p> +31. Which of the people in this story do you like best? +</p> + +<p> +32. Do you think Putraka deserved all the happiness which came to him through +stealing the wand, the shoes and the bowl? +</p> + +<p> +33. Can you suggest any way in which he could have atoned for the wrong he did +to the brothers whose property he took? +</p> + +<p> +34. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>V.<br /> +The Jewelled Arrow.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +In the city of Vardhamana in India there lived a powerful king named +Vira-Bhuja, who, as was the custom in his native land, had many wives, each of +whom had several sons. Of all his wives this king loved best the one named +Guna-Vara, and of all his sons her youngest-born, called Sringa-Bhuja, was his +favourite. Guna-Vara was not only very beautiful but very good. She was so +patient that nothing could make her angry, so unselfish that she always thought +of others before herself, and so wise that she was able to understand how +others were feeling, however different their natures were from her own. +</p> + +<p> +Sringa-Bhuja, the son of Guna-Vara, resembled his mother in her beauty and her +unselfishness; he was also very strong and very clever, whilst his brothers +were quite unlike him. They wanted to have everything their own way, and they +were very jealous indeed of their father’s love for him. They were always +trying to do him harm, and though they often quarrelled amongst themselves, +they would band together to try and hurt him. +</p> + +<p> +It was very much the same with the king’s wives. They hated Guna-Vara, +because their husband loved her more than he did them, and they constantly came +to him with stories they had made up of the wicked things she had done. Amongst +other things they told the king that Guna-Vara did not really love him but +cared more for some one else than she did for him. The most bitter of all +against her was the wife called Ayasolekha, who was cunning enough to know what +sort of tale the king was likely to believe. The very fact that Vira-Bhuja +loved Guna-Vara so deeply made him more ready to think that perhaps after all +she did not return his affection, and he longed to find out the truth. So he in +his turn made up a story, thinking by its means to find out how she felt for +him. He therefore went one day to her private apartments, and having sent all +her attendants away, he told her he had some very sad news for her which he had +heard from his chief astrologer. Astrologers, you know, are wise men, who are +supposed to be able to read the secrets of the stars, and learn from them +things which are hidden from ordinary human beings. Guna-Vara therefore did not +doubt that what her husband was about to tell her was true, and she listened +eagerly, her heart beating very fast in her fear that some trouble was coming +to those she loved. +</p> + +<p> +Great indeed was her sorrow and surprise, when Vira-Bhuja went on to say that +the astrologer had told him that a terrible misfortune threatened him and his +kingdom and the only way to prevent it was to shut Guna-Vara up in prison for +the rest of her life. The poor queen could hardly believe that she had heard +rightly. She knew she had done no wrong, and could not understand how putting +her in prison could help anybody. She was quite sure that her husband loved +her, and no words could have expressed her pain at the thought of being sent +away from him and her dear son. Yet she made no resistance, not even asking +Vira-Bhuja to let her see Sringa-Bhuja again. She just bowed her beautiful head +and said: “Be it unto me as my Lord wills. If he wishes my death, I am +ready to lay down my life.” +</p> + +<p> +This submission made the king feel even more unhappy than before. He longed to +take his wife in his arms and tell her he would never let her go; and perhaps +if she had looked at him then, he would have seen all her love for him in her +eyes, but she remained perfectly still with bowed head, waiting to hear what +her fate was to be. Then the thought entered Vira-Bhuja’s mind: +“She is afraid to look at me: what Ayasolekha said was true.” +</p> + +<p> +1. Can true love suspect the loved one of evil? +</p> + +<p> +2. Is true love ever jealous? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +So the king summoned his guards and ordered them to take his wife to a strong +prison and leave her there. She went with them without making any resistance, +only turning once to look lovingly at her husband as she was led away. +Vira-Bhuja returned to his own palace and had not been there very long when he +got a message from Ayasolekha, begging him to give her an interview, for she +had something of very great importance to tell him. The king consented at once, +thinking to himself, “perhaps she has found out that what she told me +about my dear Guna-Vara is not true.” +</p> + +<p> +Great then was his disappointment when the wicked woman told him she had +discovered a plot against his life. The son of Guna-Vara and some of the chief +men of the kingdom, she said, had agreed together to kill him, so that +Sringa-Bhuja might reign in his stead. She and some of the other wives had +overheard conversations between them, and were terrified lest their beloved +Lord should be hurt. The young prince, she declared, had had some trouble in +persuading the nobles to help him, but he had succeeded at last. +</p> + +<p> +Vira-Bhuja simply could not believe this story, for he trusted his son as much +as he loved him; and he sent the mischief maker away, telling her not to dare +to enter his presence again. For all that he could not get the matter out of +his head. He had Sringa-Bhuja carefully watched; and as nothing against him was +found out, he was beginning to feel more easy in his mind, and even to think of +going to see Guna-Vara in her prison to ask her to confide in him, when +something happened which led him to fear that after all his dear son was not +true to him. This was what made him uneasy. He had a wonderful arrow, set with +precious jewels, which had been given to him by a magician, and had the power +of hitting without fail whatever it was aimed at from however great a distance. +The very day he had meant to visit his ill-treated wife, he missed this arrow +from the place in which he kept it concealed. This distressed him very much; +and after seeking it in vain, he summoned all those who were employed in the +palace to his presence, and asked if any of them knew anything about the arrow. +He promised that he would forgive any one who helped him to get it back, even +if it were the thief himself; but added that, if it was not found in three +days, he would have all the servants beaten until the one who had stolen it +confessed. +</p> + +<p> +3. Do you think this was the best way to find out who had taken the arrow? +</p> + +<p> +4. How would you have set about learning the truth if you had been the king? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +Now the fact of the matter was that Ayasolekha, who had told the wicked story +about Guna-Vara, knew where the king kept the arrow, had taken it to her +private rooms, and had sent for her own sons and those of the other wives, all +of whom hated Sringa-Bhuja, to tell them of a plot to get their brother into +disgrace. “You know,” she said to them, “how much better your +father loves Sringa-Bhuja than he does any of you; and that, when he dies, he +will leave the kingdom and all his money to him. Now I will help you to prevent +this by getting rid of Sringa-Bhuja. +</p> + +<p> +“You must have a great shooting match, in which your brother will be +delighted to take part, for he is very proud of his skill with the bow and +arrow. On the day of the match, I will send for him and give him the jewelled +arrow belonging to your father to shoot with, telling him the king had said I +might lend it to him. Your father will then think he stole it and order him to +be killed.” +</p> + +<p> +The brothers were all delighted at what they thought a very clever scheme, and +did just what Ayasolekha advised. When the day came, great crowds assembled to +see the shooting at a large target set up near the palace. The king himself and +all his court were watching the scene from the walls, and it was difficult for +the guards to keep the course clear. The brothers, beginning at the eldest, all +pretended to try and hit the target; but none of them really wished to succeed, +because they thought that, when Sringa-Bhuja’s turn came, as their +father’s youngest son, he would win the match with the jewelled arrow. +Then the king would order him to be brought before him, and he would be +condemned to death or imprisonment for life. +</p> + +<p> +Now, as very often happens, something no one in the least expected upset the +carefully planned plot. Just as Sringa-Bhuja was about to shoot at the target, +a big crane flew on to the ground between him and it, so that it was impossible +for him to take proper aim. The brothers, seeing the bird and anxious to shoot +it for themselves, all began to clamour that they should be allowed to shoot +again. Nobody made any objection, and Sringa-Bhuja stood aside, with the +jewelled arrow in the bow, waiting to see what they would do, but feeling sure +that he would be the one to kill the bird. Brother after brother tried, but the +great creature still remained untouched, when a travelling mendicant stepped +forward and cried aloud: +</p> + +<p> +“That is no bird, but an evil magician who has taken that form to deceive +you all. If he is not killed before he takes his own form again, he will bring +misery and ruin upon this town and the surrounding country.” +</p> + +<p> +You know perhaps that mendicants or beggars in India are often holy men whose +advice even kings are glad to listen to; so that, when everyone heard what this +beggar said, there was great excitement and terror. For many were the stories +told of the misfortunes Rakshas or evil magicians had brought on other cities. +The brothers all wanted to try their luck once more, but the beggar checked +them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“No, no. Where is your youngest brother Sringa-Bhuja? He alone will be +able to save your homes, your wives and your children, from destruction,” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sringa-Bhuja came forward; and as the sun flashed upon the jewels in the +stolen arrow, revealing to the watching king that it was his own beloved son +who had taken it, the young prince let it fly straight for the bird. It wounded +but did not kill the crane, which flew off with the arrow sticking in its +breast, the blood dripping from it in its flight, which became gradually slower +and slower. At the sight of the bird going off with the precious jewelled +arrow, the king was filled with rage, and sent orders that Sringa-Bhuja should +be fetched to his presence immediately. But before the messengers reached him, +he had started in pursuit of the bird, guided by the blood-drops on the ground. +</p> + +<p> +5. Did the brothers show wisdom in the plot they laid against their brother? +</p> + +<p> +6. What do you think from this story, so far as you have read it, were the +chief qualities of Sringa-Bhuja? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +As Sringa-Bhuja sped along after the crane, the beggar made some strange signs +in the air with the staff he used to help him along; and such clouds of dust +arose that no one could see in which direction the young prince had gone. The +brothers and Ayasolekha were very much dismayed at the way things had turned +out, and greatly feared that the king’s anger would vent itself on them, +now that Sringa-Bhuja had disappeared. Vira-Bhuja did send for them, and asked +them many questions; but they all kept the secret of how Sringa-Bhuja had got +the arrow, and promised to do all they could to help to get it back. Again the +king thought he would go and see the mother of his dear youngest son; but again +something held him back, and poor Guna-Vara was left alone, no one ever going +near her except the gaoler who took her her daily food. After trying everything +possible to find out where Sringa-Bhuja had gone, the king began to show +special favour to another of his sons; and as the months passed by, it seemed +as if the young prince and the jewelled arrow were both forgotten. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile Sringa-Bhuja travelled on and on in the track of the drops of blood, +till he came to the outskirts of a fine forest, through which many beaten paths +led to a very great city. He sat down to rest at the foot of a wide-spreading +tree, and was gazing up at the towers and pinnacles of the town, rising far +upwards towards the sky, when he had a feeling that he was no longer alone. He +was right: for, coming slowly along one of the paths, was a lovely young girl, +singing softly to herself in a beautiful voice. Her eyes were like those of a +young doe, and her features were perfect in their form and expression, +reminding Sringa-Bhuja of his mother, whom he was beginning to fear he would +never see again. +</p> + +<p> +When the young girl was quite close to him, he startled her by saying, +“Can you tell me what is the name of this city?” +</p> + +<p> +“Of course, I can,” she replied, “for I live in it. It is +called Dhuma-Pura, and it belongs to my father: he is a great magician named +Agni-Sikha, who loves not strangers. Now tell me who you are and whence you +come?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sringa-Bhuja told the maiden all about himself, and why he was wandering +so far from home. The girl, whose name was Rupa-Sikha, listened very +attentively; and when he came to the shooting of the crane, and how he had +followed the bleeding bird in the hope of getting back his father’s +jewelled arrow, she began to tremble. +</p> + +<p> +“Alas, alas!” she said. “The bird you shot was my father, who +can take any form he chooses. He returned home but yesterday, and I drew the +arrow from his wound and dressed the hurt myself. He gave me the jewelled arrow +to keep, and I will never part with it. As for you, the sooner you depart the +better; for my father never forgives, and he is so powerful that you would have +no chance of escape if he knew you were here.” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing this, Sringa-Bhuja became very sad, not because he was afraid of +Agni-Sikha, but because he knew that he already loved the fair maiden who stood +beside him, and was resolved to make her his wife. She too felt drawn towards +him and did not like to think of his going away. Besides this, she had much to +fear from her father, who was as cruel as he was mighty, and had caused the +death already of many lovers who had wished to marry her. She had never cared +for any of them, and had been content to live without a husband, spending her +life in wandering about near her home and winning the love of all who lived +near her, even that of the wild creatures of the forest, who would none of them +dream of hurting her. Often and often she stood between the wrath of her father +and those he wished to injure; for, wicked as he was, he loved her and wanted +her to be happy. +</p> + +<p> +7. Do you think that a really wicked man is able to love any one truly? +</p> + +<p> +8. What would have been the best thing for Sringa-Bhuja to do, when he found +out who the bird he had shot really was? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +Rupa-Sikha did not take long to decide what was best for her to do. She said to +the prince, “I will give you back your golden arrow, and you must make +all possible haste out of our country before my father discovers you are +here.” +</p> + +<p> +“No! no! no! a thousand times no!” cried the prince. “Now I +have once seen you, I can never, never leave you. Can you not learn to love me +and be my wife?” Then he fell prostrate at her feet, and looked up into +her face so lovingly that she could not resist him. She bent down towards him, +and the next moment they were clasped in each other’s arms, quite +forgetting all the dangers that threatened them. Rupa-Sikha was the first to +remember her father, and drawing herself away from her lover, she said to him: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen to me, and I will tell you what we must do. My father is a +magician, it is true, but I am his daughter, and I inherit some of his powers. +If only you will promise to do exactly as I tell you, I think I may be able to +save you, and perhaps even become your wife. I am the youngest of a large +family and my father’s favourite. I will go and tell him that a great and +mighty prince, hearing of his wonderful gifts, has come to our land to ask for +an interview with him. Then I will tell him that I have seen you, fallen in +love with you, and want to marry you. He will be flattered to think his fame +has spread so far, and will want to see you, even if he refuses to let me be +your wife. I will lead you to his presence and leave you with him alone. If you +really love me, you will find the way to win his consent; but you must keep out +of his sight till I have prepared the way for you. Come with me now, and I will +show you a hiding-place.” +</p> + +<p> +Rupa-Sikha then led the prince far away into the depths of the forest, and +showed him a large tree, the wide-spreading branches of which touched the +ground, completely hiding the trunk, in which there was an opening large enough +for a man to pass through. Steps cut in the inside of the trunk led down to a +wide space underground; and there the magician’s daughter told her lover +to wait for her return. “Before I go,” she said, “I will tell +you my own password, which will save you from death if you should be +discovered. It is LOTUS FLOWER; and everyone to whom you say it, will know that +you are under my protection.” +</p> + +<p> +When Rupa-Sikha reached the palace she found her father in a very bad humour, +because she had not been to ask how the wound in his breast was getting on. She +did her best to make up for her neglect; and when she had dressed the wound +very carefully, she prepared a dainty meal for her father with her own hands, +waiting upon him herself whilst he ate it. All this pleased him, and he was in +quite an amiable mood when she said to him: +</p> + +<p> +“Now I must tell you that I too have had an adventure. As I was gathering +herbs in the forest, I met a man I had never seen before, a tall handsome young +fellow looking like a prince, who told me he was seeking the palace of a great +and wonderful magician, of whose marvellous deeds he had heard. Who could that +magician have been but you, my father?” She added, “I told him I +was your daughter, and he entreated me to ask you to grant him an +interview.” +</p> + +<p> +Agni-Sikha listened to all this without answering a word. He was pleased at +this fresh proof that his fame had spread far and wide; but he guessed at once +that Rupa-Sikha had not told him the whole truth. He waited for her to go on, +and as she said no more, he suddenly turned angrily upon her and in a loud +voice asked her: +</p> + +<p> +“And what did my daughter answer?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Rupa-Sikha knew that her secret had been discovered. And rising to her +full height, she answered proudly, “I told him I would seek you and ask +you to receive him. And now I will tell you, my father, that I have seen the +only man I will ever marry; and if you forbid me to do so, I will take my own +life, for I cannot live without him.” +</p> + +<p> +“Send for the man immediately,” cried the magician, “and you +shall hear my answer when he appears before me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I cannot send,” replied Rupa-Sikha, “for none knows where I +have left him; nor will I fetch him till you promise that no evil shall befall +him.” +</p> + +<p> +At first Agni-Sikha laughed aloud and declared that he would do no such thing. +But his daughter was as obstinate as he was; and finding that he could not get +his own way unless he yielded to her, he said crossly: +</p> + +<p> +“He shall keep his fine head on his shoulders, and leave the palace +alive; but that is all I will say.” +</p> + +<p> +“But that is not enough,” said Rupa-Sikha. “Say after me, +<i>Not a hair of his head shall be harmed, and I will treat him as an honoured +guest</i>, or your eyes will never rest on him.” +</p> + +<p> +At last the magician promised, thinking to himself that he would find some way +of disposing of Sringa-Bhuja, if he did not fancy him for a son-in-law. The +words she wanted to hear were hardly out of her father’s mouth before +Rupa-Sikha sped away, as if on the wings of the wind, full of hope that all +would be well. She found her lover anxiously awaiting her, and quickly +explained how matters stood. “You had better say nothing about me to my +father at first,” she said; “but only talk about him and all you +have heard of him. If only you could get him to like you and want to keep you +with him, it would help us very much. Then you could pretend that you must go +back to your own land; and rather than allow you to do so, he will be anxious +for us to be married and to live here with him.” +</p> + +<p> +9. Do you think the advice Rupa-Sikha gave to Sringa-Bhuja was good? +</p> + +<p> +10. Can you suggest anything else she might have done? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +Sringa-Bhuja loved Rupa-Sikha so much that he was ready to obey her in whatever +she asked. So he at once went with her to the palace. On every side he saw +signs of the strength and power of the magician. Each gate was guarded by tall +soldiers in shining armour, who saluted Rupa-Sikha but scowled fiercely at him. +He knew full well that, if he had tried to pass alone, they would have +prevented him from doing so. At last the two came to the great hall, where the +magician was walking backwards and forwards, working himself into a rage at +being kept waiting. Directly he looked at the prince, he knew him for the man +who had shot the jewelled arrow at him when he had taken the form of a crane, +and he determined that he would be revenged. He was too cunning to let +Sringa-Bhuja guess that he knew him, and pretended to be very glad to see him. +He even went so far as to say that he had long wished to find a prince worthy +to wed his youngest and favourite daughter. “You,” he added, +“seem to me the very man, young, handsome and—to judge from the +richness of your dress and jewels—able to give my beloved one all she +needs.” +</p> + +<p> +The prince could hardly believe his ears, and Rupa-Sikha also was very much +surprised. She guessed however that her father had some evil purpose in what he +said, and looked earnestly at Sringa-Bhuja in the hope of making him +understand. But the prince was so overjoyed at the thought that she was to be +his wife that he noticed nothing. So when Agni-Sikha added, “I only make +one condition: you must promise that you will never disobey my commands, but do +whatever I tell you without a moment’s hesitation,” Sringa-Bhuja, +without waiting to think, said at once, “Only give me your daughter and I +will serve you in any way you wish.” +</p> + +<p> +“That’s settled then!” cried the magician, and he clapped his +hands together. In a moment a number of attendants appeared, and their master +ordered them to lead the prince to the best apartments in the palace, to +prepare a bath for him, and do everything he asked them. +</p> + +<p> +11. What great mistake did the prince make when he gave this promise? +</p> + +<p> +12. What answer should he have made? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +As Sringa-Bhuja followed the servants, Rupa-Sikha managed to whisper to him, +“Beware! await a message from me!” When he had bathed and was +arraying himself in fresh garments provided by his host, waited on, hand and +foot, by servants who treated him with the greatest respect, a messenger +arrived, bearing a sealed letter which he reverently handed to the prince. +Sringa-Bhuja guessed at once from whom it came; and anxious to read it alone, +he hastily finished his toilette and dismissed the attendants. +</p> + +<p> +“My beloved,” said the letter—which was, of course, from +Rupa-Sikha—“My father is plotting against you; and very foolish +were you to promise you would obey him in all things. I have ten sisters all +exactly like me, all wearing dresses and necklaces which are exact copies of +each other, so that few can tell me from the others. Soon you will be sent for +to the great Hall and we shall all be together there. My father will bid you +choose your bride from amongst us; and if you make a mistake all will be over +for us. But I will wear my necklace on my head instead of round my neck, and +thus will you know your own true love. And remember, my dearest, to obey no +future command without hearing from me, for I alone am able to outwit my +terrible father.” +</p> + +<p> +Everything happened exactly as Rupa-Sikha described. The prince was sent for by +Agni-Sikha, who, as soon as he appeared, gave him a garland of flowers and told +him to place it round the neck of the maiden who was his promised bride. +Without a moment’s hesitation Sringa-Bhuja picked out the right sister; +and the magician, though inwardly enraged, pretended to be so delighted at this +proof of a lover’s clear-sightedness that he cried: +</p> + +<p> +“You are the son-in-law for me! The wedding shall take place +to-morrow!” +</p> + +<p> +13. Can you understand how it was that the magician did not notice the trick +Rupa-Sikha had played upon him? +</p> + +<p> +14. What fault blinds people to the truth more than any other? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<p> +When Sringa-Bhuja heard what Agni-Sikha said, he was full of joy; but +Rupa-Sikha knew well that her father did not mean a word of it. She waited +quietly beside her lover, till the magician bade all the sisters but herself +leave the hall. Then the magician, with a very wicked look on his face, said: +</p> + +<p> +“Before the ceremony there is just one little thing you must do for me, +dear son-in-law that is to be. Go outside the town, and near the most westerly +tower you will find a team of oxen and a plough awaiting you. Close to them is +a pile of three hundred bushels of sesame seed. This you must sow this very +day, or instead of a bridegroom you will be a dead man to-morrow.” +</p> + +<p> +Great was the dismay of Sringa-Bhuja when he heard this. But Rupa-Sikha +whispered to him, “Fear not, for I will help you.” Sadly the prince +left the palace alone, to seek the field outside the city; the guards, who knew +he was the accepted lover of their favourite mistress, letting him pass +unhindered. There, sure enough, near the western tower were the oxen, the +plough and a great pile of seed. Never before had poor Sringa-Bhuja had to work +for himself, but his great love for Rupa-Sikha made him determine to do his +best. So he was about to begin to guide the oxen across the field, when, +behold, all was suddenly changed. Instead of an unploughed tract of land, +covered with weeds, was a field with rows and rows of regular furrows. The +piles of seed were gone, and flocks of birds were gathering in the hope of +securing some of it as it lay in the furrows. +</p> + +<p> +As Sringa-Bhuja was staring in amazement at this beautiful scene, he saw +Rupa-Sikha, looking more lovely than ever, coming towards him. “Not in +vain,” she said to him, “am I my father’s daughter. I too +know how to compel even nature to do my will; but the danger is not over yet. +Go quickly back to the palace, and tell Agni-Sikha that his wishes are +fulfilled.” +</p> + +<p> +15. Can the laws of nature ever really be broken? +</p> + +<p> +16. What is the only way in which man can conquer nature? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IX</h3> + +<p> +The magician was very angry indeed when he heard that the field was ploughed +and the seed sown. He knew at once that some magic had been at work, and +suspected that Rupa-Sikha was the cause of his disappointment. Without a +moment’s hesitation he said to the prince: “No sooner were you gone +than I decided not to have that seed sown. Go back at once, and pile it up +where it was before.” +</p> + +<p> +This time Sringa-Bhuja felt no fear or hesitation, for he was sure of the power +and will to help him of his promised bride. So back he went to the field, and +there he found the whole vast space covered with millions and millions of ants, +busily collecting the seed and piling it up against the wall of the town. Again +Rupa-Sikha came to cheer him, and again she warned him that their trials were +not yet over. She feared, she said, that her father might prove stronger than +herself; for he had many allies at neighbouring courts ready to help him in his +evil purposes. “Whatever else he orders you to do, you <i>must</i> see me +before you leave the palace. I will send my faithful messenger to appoint a +meeting in some secret place.” +</p> + +<p> +Agni-Sikha was not much surprised when the prince told him that his last order +had been obeyed, and thought to himself, “I must get this tiresome fellow +out of my domain, where that too clever child of mine will not be able to help +him.” “Well,” he said, “I suppose the wedding must take +place to-morrow after all, for I am a man of my word. We must now set about +inviting the guests. You shall have the pleasure of doing this yourself: then +my friends will know beforehand what a handsome young son-in-law I shall have. +The first person to summon to the wedding is my brother Dhuma Sikha, who has +taken up his abode in a deserted temple a few miles from here. You must ride at +once to that temple, rein up your steed opposite it, and cry, ‘Dhuma +Sikha, your brother Agni-Sikha has sent me hither to invite you to witness my +marriage with his daughter Rupa-Sikha to-morrow. Come without delay!’ +Your message given, ride back to me; and I will tell you what farther tasks you +must perform before the happy morrow dawns.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sringa-Bhuja left the palace, he knew not where to seek a horse to bear +him on this new errand. But as he was nearing the gateway by which he had gone +forth to sow the field with seed, a handsome boy approached him and said, +“If my lord will follow me, I will tell him what to do.” Somehow +the voice sounded familiar; and when the guards were left far enough behind to +be out of hearing, the boy looked up at Sringa-Bhuja with a smile that revealed +Rupa-Sikha herself. “Come with me,” she said; and taking his hand, +she led him to a tree beneath which stood a noble horse, richly caparisoned, +which pawed the ground and whinnied to its mistress, as she drew near. +</p> + +<p> +“You must ride this horse,” said Rupa-Sikha, “who will obey +you if you but whisper in his ear; and you must take earth, water, wood and +fire with you, which I will give you. You must go straight to the temple, and +when you have called out your message, turn without a moment’s delay, and +ride for your life as swiftly as your steed will go, looking behind you all the +time. No guidance will be necessary; for Marut—that is my horse’s +name—knows well what he has to do.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Rupa-Sikha gave Sringa-Bhuja a bowl of earth, a jar of water, a bundle of +thorns and a brazier full of burning charcoal, hanging them by strong thongs +upon the front of his saddle so that he could reach them easily. “My +father,” she told him, “has given my uncle instructions to kill +you, and he will follow you upon his swift Arab steed. When you hear him behind +you, fling earth in his path; if that does not stop him, pour out some of the +water; and if he still perseveres, scatter the burning charcoal before +him.” +</p> + +<p> +17. Can you discover any hidden meaning in the use of earth, water, thorns and +fire, to stop the course of the wicked magician? +</p> + +<p> +18. Do you think the prince loved Rupa-Sikha better than he loved himself? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER X</h3> + +<p> +Away went the prince after he had received these instructions; and very soon he +found himself opposite the temple, with the images of three of the gods +worshipped in India to prove that it had been a sanctuary before the magician +took up his abode in it. Directly Sringa-Bhuja shouted out his message to +Dhuma-Sikha, the wicked dweller in the temple came rushing forth from the +gateway, mounted on a huge horse, which seemed to be belching forth flames from +its nostrils as it bounded along. For one terrible moment Sringa-Bhuja feared +that he was lost; but Marut, putting forth all his strength, kept a little in +advance of the enemy, giving the prince time to scatter earth behind him. +Immediately a great mountain rose up, barring the road, and Sringa-Bhuja felt +that he was saved. He was mistaken: for, as he looked back, he saw Dhuma-Sikha +coming over the top of the mountain. The next moment the magician was close +upon him. So he emptied his bowl of water: and, behold, a huge river with great +waves hid pursuer and pursued from each other. Even this did not stop the +mighty Arab horse, which swam rapidly across, the rider loudly shouting out +orders to the prince to stop. When the prince heard the hoofs striking on the +dry ground behind him again, he threw out the thorns, and a dense wood sprouted +up as if by magic, which for a few moments gave fresh hope of safety to +Sringa-Bhuja; for it seemed as if even the powerful magician would be unable to +get through it. He did succeed however; but his clothes were nearly torn off +his back, and his horse was bleeding from many wounds made by the cruel thorns. +Sringa-Bhuja too was getting weary, and remembered that he had only one more +chance of checking his relentless enemy. He could almost feel the breath of the +panting steed as it drew near; and with a loud cry to his beloved Rupa-Sikha, +he threw the burning charcoal on the road. In an instant the grass by the +wayside, the trees overshadowing it, and the magic wood which had sprung from +the thorns, were alight, burning so fiercely that no living thing could +approach them safely. The wicked magician was beaten at last, and was soon +himself fleeing away, as fast as he could, with the flames following after him +as if they were eager to consume him. +</p> + +<p> +Whether his enemy ever got back to his temple, Sringa-Bhuja never knew. +Exhausted with all he had been through, the young prince was taken back to the +palace by the faithful Marut, and there he found his dear Rupa-Sikha awaiting +him. She told him that her father had promised her that, if the prince came +back, he would oppose her marriage no longer. “For,” he said, +“if he can escape your uncle, he must be more than mortal, and worthy +even of my daughter.” “He does not in the least expect to see you +again,” added Rupa-Sikha; “and even if he allows us to marry, he +will never cease to hate you; for I am quite sure he knows that you shot the +jewelled arrow at him when he was in the form of a crane. If I ever am your +wife, he will try to punish you through me. But have no fear: I shall know how +to manage him. Fresh powers have been lately given to me by another uncle whose +magic is stronger than that of any of my other relations.” +</p> + +<p> +When Sringa-Bhuja had bathed and rested, he robed himself once more in the +garments he had worn the day he first saw Rupa-Sikha; and together the lovers +went to the great hall to seek an interview with Agni-Sikha. The magician, who +had made quite sure that he had now got rid of the unwelcome suitor for his +daughter’s hand, could not contain his rage, at seeing him walk in with +her as if the two were already wedded. +</p> + +<p> +He stamped about, pouring out abuse, until he had quite exhausted himself, the +lovers looking on quietly without speaking. At last, coming close to them, +Agni-Sikha shouted, in a loud harsh voice: “So you have not obeyed my +orders. You have not bid my brother to the wedding. Your life is forfeit, and +you will die to-morrow instead of marrying Rupa-Sikha. Describe the temple in +which Dhuma Sikha lives and the appearance of its owner.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Sringa-Bhuja gave such an exact account of the temple, naming the gods +whose images still adorned it, and of the terrible man riding the noble steed +who had pursued him, that the magician was convinced against his will; and +knowing that he must keep his word to Rupa-Sikha, he gave his consent for the +preparations for the marriage on the morrow to begin. +</p> + +<p> +19. What is your opinion of the character of Agni-Sikha? +</p> + +<p> +20. Do you think he was at all justified in the way in which he treated his +daughter and Sringa-Bhuja? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XI</h3> + +<p> +The marriage was celebrated the next day with very great pomp; and a beautiful +suite of rooms was given to the bride and bridegroom, who could not in spite of +this feel safe or happy, because they knew full well that Agni-Sikha hated +them. The prince soon began to feel home-sick and anxious to introduce his +beautiful wife to his own people. He remembered that he had left his dear +mother in prison, and reproached himself for having forgotten her for so long. +So he said to Rupa-Sikha: +</p> + +<p> +“Let us go, beloved, to my native city, Vardhamana. My heart yearns after +my dear ones there, and I would fain introduce you to them.” +</p> + +<p> +“My lord,” replied Rupa-Sikha, “I will go with you whither +you will, were it even to the ends of the earth. But we must not let my father +guess we mean to go; for he would forbid us to leave the country and set spies +to watch our every movement. We will steal away secretly, riding together on my +faithful Marut and taking with us only what we can carry.” “And my +jewelled arrow,” said the prince, “that I may give it back to my +father and explain to him how I lost it. Then shall I be restored to his +favour, and maybe he will forgive my mother also.” +</p> + +<p> +“Have no fear,” answered Rupa-Sikha: “all will surely go well +with us. Forget not that new powers have been given to me, which will save us +from my father and aid me to rescue my dear one’s mother from her evil +fate.” +</p> + +<p> +Before the dawn broke on the next day, the two set forth unattended, Marut +seeming to take pride in his double burden and bearing them along so swiftly +that they had all but reached the bounds of the country under the dominion of +Agni-Sikha as the sun rose. Just as they thought they were safe from pursuit, +they heard a loud rushing noise behind; and looking round, they saw the father +of the bride close upon them on his Arab steed, with sword uplifted in his hand +to strike. “Fear not,” whispered Rupa-Sikha to her husband. +“I will show you now what I can do.” And waving her arms to and +fro, as she muttered some strange words, she changed herself into an old woman +and Sringa-Bhuja into an old man, whilst Marut became a great pile of wood by +the road-side. +</p> + +<p> +When the angry father reached the spot, the bride and bridegroom were busily +gathering sticks to add to the pile, seemingly too absorbed in their work to +take any notice of the angry magician, who shouted out to them: +</p> + +<p> +“Have you seen a man and a woman pass along this way?” +</p> + +<p> +The old woman straightened herself, and peering, up into his face, said: +</p> + +<p> +“No; we are too busy over our work to notice anything else.” +</p> + +<p> +“And what, pray, are you doing in my wood?” asked Agni-Sikha. +</p> + +<p> +“We are helping to collect the fuel for the pyre of the great magician +Agni-Sikha,” answered Rupa-Sikha. “Do you not know that he died +yesterday?” +</p> + +<p> +The Hindus of India do not bury but burn the dead; so that it was quite a +natural thing for the people of the land over which the magician ruled to +collect the materials for the pyre or heap of wood on which his body would be +laid to be burnt. What surprised Agni-Sikha, and in fact nearly took his breath +away, was to be quietly told that he was dead. He began to think that he was +dreaming, and said to himself, “I cannot really be dead without knowing +it, so I must be asleep.” And he quietly turned his horse round and rode +slowly home again. This was just what his daughter wanted; and as soon as he +was out of sight, she turned herself, her husband and Marut, into their natural +forms again, laughing merrily, as she did so, at the thought of the ease with +which she had got rid of her father. +</p> + +<p> +21. Do you think it was clever of Rupa-Sikha to make up this story? +</p> + +<p> +22. Do you think it is better to believe all that you are told or to be more +ready to doubt when anything you hear seems to be unusual? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XII</h3> + +<p> +Once more the bride and bridegroom set forth on their way, and once more they +soon heard Agni-Sikha coming after them. For when he got back to his palace, +and the servants hastened out to take his horse, he guessed that a trick had +been played on him. He did not even dismount, but just turned his horse’s +head round and galloped back again. “If ever,” he thought to +himself, “I catch those two young people, I’ll make them wish they +had obeyed me. Yes, they shall suffer for it. I am not going to stand being +defied like this.” +</p> + +<p> +This time Rupa-Sikha contented herself with making her husband and Marut +invisible, whilst she changed herself into a letter-carrier, hurrying along the +road as if not a moment was to be lost. She took no notice of her father, till +he reined up his steed and shouted to her: +</p> + +<p> +“Have you seen a man and woman on horseback pass by?” +</p> + +<p> +“No, indeed,” she said: “I have a very important letter to +deliver, and could think of nothing but making all the haste possible.” +</p> + +<p> +“And what is this important letter about?” asked Agni-Sikha. +“Can you tell me that?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes, I can tell you that,” she said. “But where can you +have been, not to have heard the terrible news about the ruler of this +land?” +</p> + +<p> +“You can’t tell me anything I don’t know about him,” +answered the magician, “for he is my greatest friend.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then you know that he is dying from a wound he got in a battle with his +enemies only yesterday. I am to take this letter to his brother Dhuma-Sikha, +bidding him come to see him before the end.” +</p> + +<p> +Again Agni-Sikha wondered if he were dreaming, or if he were under some strange +spell and did not really know who he was? Being able, as he was, to cast spells +on other people, he was ready to fancy the same thing had befallen him. He said +nothing when he heard that he was wounded, and was about to turn back again +when Rupa-Sikha said to him: +</p> + +<p> +“As you are on horseback and can get to Dhuma-Sikha’s temple +quicker than I can, will you carry the message of his brother’s +approaching death to him for me, and bid him make all possible haste if he +would see him alive?” +</p> + +<p> +This was altogether too much for the magician, who became sure that there was +something very wrong about him. He knew he was not wounded or dying, but he +thought he must be ill of fever, fancying he heard what he did not. He stared +fixedly at his daughter, and she stared up at him, half-afraid he might find +out who she was, but he never guessed. +</p> + +<p> +“Do your own errands,” he said at last; and slashing his poor +innocent horse with his whip, he wheeled round and dashed home again as fast as +he could. Again his servants ran out to receive him, and he gloomily +dismounted, telling them to send his chief councillor to him in his private +apartments. Shut up with him, he poured out all his troubles, and the +councillor advised him to see his physician without any delay, for he felt sure +that these strange fancies were caused by illness. +</p> + +<p> +The doctor, when he came, was very much puzzled, but he looked as wise as he +could, ordered perfect rest and all manner of disagreeable medicines. He was +very much surprised at the change he noticed in his patient, who, instead of +angrily declaring that there was nothing the matter with him, was evidently in +a great fright about his health. He shut himself up for many days, and it was a +long time before he got over the shock he had received, and then it was too +late for him to be revenged or the lovers. +</p> + +<p> +23. Can you explain what casting a spell means? +</p> + +<p> +24. Can you give an instance of a spell being cast on any one you have heard +of? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER XIII</h3> + +<p> +Having really got rid of Agni-Sikha, Rupa-Sikha and her husband were very soon +out of his reach and in the country belonging to Sringa-Bhuja’s father, +who had bitterly mourned the loss of his favourite son. When the news was +brought to him that two strangers, a handsome young man and a beautiful woman, +who appeared to be husband and wife, had entered his capital, he hastened forth +to meet them, hoping that perhaps they could give him news of Sringa-Bhuja. +What was his joy when he recognised his dear son, holding the jewelled arrow, +which had led him into such trouble, in his right hand, as he guided Marut with +his left! The king flung himself from his horse, and Sringa-Bhuja, giving the +reins to Rupa-Sikha, also dismounted. The next moment he was in his +father’s arms, everything forgotten and forgiven in the happy reunion. +</p> + +<p> +Great was the rejoicing over Sringa-Bhuja’s return and hearty was the +welcome given to his beautiful bride, who quickly won all hearts but those of +the wicked wives and sons who had tried to harm her husband and his mother. +They feared the anger of the king, when he found out how they had deceived him, +and they were right to fear. Sringa-Bhuja’s very first act was to plead +for his mother to be set free. He would not tell any of his adventures, he +said, till she could hear them too; and the king, full of remorse for the way +he had treated her, went with him to the prison in which she had been shut up +all this time. What was poor Guna-Vara’s joy, when the two entered the +place in which she had shed so many tears! She could not at first believe her +eyes or ears, but soon she realised that her sufferings were indeed over. She +could not be quite happy till her beloved husband said he knew she had never +loved any one but him. She had been accused falsely, she said, and she wanted +the woman who had told a lie about her to be made to own the truth. +</p> + +<p> +This was done in the presence of the whole court, and when judgment had been +passed upon Ayasolekha, the brothers of Sringa-Bhuja were also brought before +their father, who charged them with having deceived him. They too were +condemned, and all the culprits would have been taken to prison and shut up for +the rest of their lives, if those they had injured had not pleaded for their +forgiveness. Guna-Vara and her son prostrated themselves at the foot of the +throne, and would not rise till they had won pardon for their enemies. +Ayasolekha and the brothers were allowed to go free; but Sringa-Bhuja, though +he was the youngest of all the princes, was proclaimed heir to the crown after +his father’s death. His brothers, however, never ceased to hate him; and +when he came to the throne, they gave him a great deal of trouble. He had many +years of happiness with his wife and parents before that, and never regretted +the mistake about the jewelled arrow; since but for it he would, he knew, never +have seen his beloved Rupa-Sikha. +</p> + +<p> +25. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? +</p> + +<p> +26. Do you think it was good for those who had told lies about Guna-Vara and +her son to be forgiven so easily? +</p> + +<p> +27. Can you give any instances of good coming out of evil and of evil coming +out of what seemed good? +</p> + +<p> +28. Do you think Rupa-Sikha deserved all the happiness that came to her? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>VI.<br /> +The Beetle and the Silken Thread.<a href="#fn-2" name="fnref-2" id="fnref-2"><sup>[2]</sup></a></h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +The strange adventures related in the story of the Beetle and the Silken Thread +took place in the town of Allahabad, “the City of God,” so called +because it is situated near the point of meeting of the two sacred rivers of +India, the Ganges, which the Hindus lovingly call Mother Ganga because they +believe its waters can wash away their sins, and the Jumna, which they consider +scarcely less holy. +</p> + +<p> +The ruler of Allahabad was a very selfish and hot-tempered Raja named Surya +Pratap, signifying “Powerful as the Sun,” who expected everybody to +obey him without a moment’s delay, and was ready to punish in a very +cruel manner those who hesitated to do so. He would never listen to a word of +explanation, or own that he had been mistaken, even when he knew full well that +he was in the wrong. He had a mantri, that is to say, a chief vizier or +officer, whom he greatly trusted, and really seemed to be fond of, for he liked +to have him always near him. The vizier was called Dhairya-Sila, or “the +Patient One,” because he never lost his temper, no matter what +provocation he received. He had a beautiful house, much money and many jewels, +carriages to drive about in, noble horses to ride and many servants to wait +upon him, all given to him by his master. But what he loved best of all was his +faithful wife, Buddhi-Mati, or “the Sensible One,” whom he had +chosen for himself, and who would have died for him. +</p> + +<p> +Many of the Raja’s subjects were jealous of Dhairya-Sila, and constantly +brought accusations against him, of none of which his master took any notice, +except to punish those who tried to set him against his favourite. It really +seemed as if nothing would ever bring harm to Dhairya-Sila; but he often told +his wife that such good fortune was not likely to last, and that she must be +prepared for a change before long. +</p> + +<p> +It turned out that he was right. For one day Surya Pratap ordered him to do +what he considered would be a shameful deed. He refused; telling his master +that he was wrong to think of such a thing, and entreating him to give up his +purpose. “All your life long,” he said, “you will wish you +had listened to me; for your conscience will never let you rest!” +</p> + +<p> +On hearing these brave words, Surya Pratap flew into a terrible rage, summoned +his guards, and ordered them to take Dhairya-Sila outside the city to a very +lofty tower, and leave him at the top of it, without shelter from the sun and +with nothing to eat or drink. The guards were at first afraid to touch the +vizier, remembering how others had been punished for only speaking against him. +Seeing their unwillingness, the Raja got more and more angry; but Dhairya-Sila +himself kept quite calm, and said to the soldiers: +</p> + +<p> +“I go with you gladly. It is for the master to command and for me to +obey.” +</p> + +<p> +1. What is the best way to learn to keep calm in an emergency? +</p> + +<p> +2. Why does too much power have a bad influence on those who have it? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +The guards were relieved to find they need not drag the vizier away; for they +admired his courage and felt sure that the Raja would soon find he could not +get on without him. It might go hardly with them if he suffered harm at their +hands. So they only closed in about him; and holding himself very upright, +Dhairya-Sila walked to the tower as if he were quite glad to go. In his heart +however he knew full well that it would need all his skill to escape with his +life. +</p> + +<p> +When her husband did not come home at night, Buddhi-Mati was very much +distressed. She guessed at once that something had gone wrong, and set forth to +try and find out what had happened. This was easy enough; for as she crept +along, with her veil closely held about her lest she should be recognised, she +passed groups of people discussing the terrible fate that had befallen the +favourite. She decided that she must wait until midnight, when the streets +would be deserted and she could reach the tower unnoticed. It was almost dark +when she got there, but in the dim light of the stars she made out the form of +him she loved better than herself, leaning over the edge of the railing at the +top. +</p> + +<p> +“Is my dear lord still alive?” she whispered, “and is there +anything I can do to help him?” +</p> + +<p> +“You can do everything that is needed to help me,” answered +Dhairya-Sila quietly, “if you only obey every direction I give you. Do +not for one moment suppose that I am in despair. I am more powerful even now +than my master, who has but shown his weakness by attempting to harm me. Now +listen to me. Come to-morrow night at this very hour, bringing with you the +following things: first, a beetle; secondly, sixty yards of the finest silk +thread, as thin as a spider’s web; thirdly, sixty yards of cotton thread, +as thin as you can get it, but very strong; fourthly, sixty yards of good stout +twine; fifthly, sixty yards of rope, strong enough to carry my weight; and +last, but certainly not least, one drop of the purest bees’ honey.” +</p> + +<p> +3. Do you think the vizier thought of all these things before or after he was +taken to the tower? +</p> + +<p> +4. What special quality did he display in the way in which he faced his +position on the tower? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +Buddhi-Mati listened very attentively to these strange instructions, and began +to ask questions about them. “Why do you want the beetle? Why do you want +the honey?” and so on. But her husband checked her. “I have no +strength to waste in explanations,” he said. “Go home in peace, +sleep well, and dream of me.” So the anxious wife went meekly away; and +early the next day she set to work to obey the orders she had received. She had +some trouble in obtaining fine enough silk, so very, very thin it had to be, +like a spider’s web; but the cotton, twine and rope were easily bought; +and to her surprise she was not asked what she wanted them for. It took her a +good while to choose the beetle. For though she had a vague kind of idea that +the silk, the cotton, twine, and rope, were to help her husband get down from +the tower, she could not imagine what share the beetle and the honey were to +take. In the end she chose a very handsome, strong-looking, brilliantly +coloured fellow who lived in the garden of her home and whom she knew to be +fond of honey. +</p> + +<p> +5. Can you guess how the beetle and the honey were to help in saving +Dhairya-Sila? +</p> + +<p> +6. Do you think it would have been better if the vizier had told his wife how +all the things he asked for were to be used? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +All the time Buddhi-Mati was at work for her husband, she was thinking of him +and looking forward to the happy day of his return home. She had such faith in +him that she did not for a moment doubt that he would escape; but she was +anxious about the future, feeling sure that the Raja would never forgive +Dhairya-Sila for being wiser than himself. Exactly at the time fixed the +faithful wife appeared at the foot of the tower, with all the things she had +been told to bring with her. +</p> + +<p> +“Is all well with my lord?” she whispered, as she gazed up through +the darkness. “I have the silken thread as fine as gossamer, the cotton +thread, the twine, the rope, the beetle and the honey.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” answered Dhairya-Sila, “all is still well with me. I +have slept well, feeling confident that my dear one would bring all that is +needed for my safety; but I dread the great heat of another day, and we must +lose no time in getting away from this terrible tower. Now attend most +carefully to all I bid you do; and remember not to speak loud, or the sentries +posted within hearing will take alarm and drive you away. First of all, tie the +end of the silken thread round the middle of the beetle, leaving all its legs +quite free. Then rub the drop of honey on its nose, and put the little creature +on the wall, with its nose turned upwards towards me. It will smell the honey, +but will not guess that it carries it itself, and it will crawl upwards in the +hope of getting to the hive from which that honey came. Keep the rest of the +silk firmly held, and gradually unwind it as the beetle climbs up. Mind you do +not let it slip, for my very life depends on that slight link with you.” +</p> + +<p> +7. Which do you think had the harder task to perform—the husband at the +top of the tower or the wife at the foot of it? +</p> + +<p> +8. Do you think the beetle was likely to imagine it was on the way to a hive of +bees when it began to creep up the tower? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +Buddhi-Mati, though her hands shook and her heart beat fast as she realized all +that depended on her, kept the silk from becoming entangled; and when it was +nearly all unwound, she heard her husband’s voice saying to her: +“Now tie the cotton thread to the end of the silk that you hold, and let +it gradually unwind.” She obeyed, fully understanding now what all these +preparations were for. +</p> + +<p> +When the little messenger of life reached the top of the tower, Dhairya-Sila +took it up in his hand and very gently unfastened the silken thread from its +body. Then he placed the beetle carefully in a fold of his turban, and began to +pull the silken thread up—very, very slowly, for if it had broken, his +wonderful scheme would have come to an end. Presently he had the cotton thread +in his fingers, and he broke off the silk, wound it up, and placed it too in +his turban. It had done its duty well, and he would not throw it away. +</p> + +<p> +“Half the work is done now,” he whispered to his faithful wife. +“You have all but saved me now. Take the twine and tie it to the end of +the cotton thread.” +</p> + +<p> +Very happily Buddhi-Mati obeyed once more; and soon the cotton thread and twine +were also laid aside, and the strong rope tied to the last was being quickly +dragged up by the clever vizier, who knew that all fear of death from sunstroke +or hunger was over. When he had all the rope on the tower, he fastened one end +of it to the iron railing which ran round the platform on which he stood, and +very quickly slid down to the bottom, where his wife was waiting for him, +trembling with joy. +</p> + +<p> +9. Do you see anything very improbable in the account of what the beetle did? +</p> + +<p> +10. If the beetle had not gone straight up the tower, what do you think would +have happened? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +After embracing his wife and thanking her for saving him, the vizier said to +her: “Before we return home, let us give thanks to the great God who +helped me in my need by putting into my head the device by which I +escaped.” The happy pair then prostrated themselves on the ground, and in +fervent words of gratitude expressed their sense of what the God they +worshipped had done for them. “And now,” said Dhairya-Sila, +“the next thing we have to do is to take the dear little beetle which was +the instrument of my rescue back to the place it came from.” And taking +off his turban, he showed his wife the tiny creature lying in the soft folds. +</p> + +<p> +Buddhi-Mati led her husband to the garden where she had found the beetle, and +Dhairya-Sila laid it tenderly on the ground, fetched some food for it, such as +he knew it loved, and there left it to take up its old way of life. The rest of +the day he spent quietly in his own home with his wife, keeping out of sight of +his servants, lest they should report his return to his master. “You must +never breathe a word to any one of how I escaped,” Dhairya-Sila said, and +his wife promised that she never would. +</p> + +<p> +11. When the vizier got this promise, what did he forget which could betray how +he got down from the tower, if any one went to look at it? +</p> + +<p> +12. Do you think there was any need for the vizier to tell his wife to keep his +secret? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +All this time the Raja was feeling very unhappy, for he thought he had himself +caused the death of the one man he could trust. He was too proud to let anybody +know that he missed Dhairya-Sila, and was longing to send for him from the +tower before it was too late. What then was his relief and surprise when a +message was brought to him that the vizier was at the door of the palace and +begged for an interview. +</p> + +<p> +“Bring him in at once,” cried Surya Pratap. And the next moment +Dhairya-Sila stood before his master, his hands folded on his breast and his +head bent in token of his submission. The attendants looked on, eager to know +how he had got down from the tower, some of them anything but glad to see him +back. The Raja took care not to show how delighted he was to see him, and +pretending to be angry, he said: +</p> + +<p> +“How dare you come into my presence, and which of my subjects has +ventured to help you to escape the death on the tower you so richly +deserved?” +</p> + +<p> +“None of your subjects, great and just and glorious ruler,” replied +Dhairya-Sila, “but the God who created us both, making you my master and +me your humble servant. It was that God,” he went on, “who saved +me, knowing that I was indeed guiltless of any crime against you. I had not +been long on the tower when help came to me in the form of a great and noble +eagle, which appeared above me, hovering with outspread wings, as if about to +swoop down upon me and tear me limb from limb. I trembled greatly, but I need +have had no fear; for instead of harming me, the bird suddenly lifted me up in +its talons and, flying rapidly through the air, landed me upon the balcony of +my home and disappeared. Great indeed was the joy of my wife at my rescue from +what seemed to be certain death; but I tore myself away from her embraces, to +come and tell my lord how heaven had interfered to prove my innocence.” +</p> + +<p> +Fully believing that a miracle had taken place, Surya Pratap asked no more +questions, but at once restored Dhairya-Sila to his old place as vizier, taking +care not again to ill-treat the man he now believed to be under the special +care of God. Though he certainly did not deserve it, the vizier prospered +greatly all the rest of his life and as time went on he became the real ruler +of the kingdom, for the Raja depended on his advice in everything. He grew +richer and richer, but he was never really happy again, remembering the lie he +had told to the master to whom he owed so much. Buddhi-Mati could never +understand why he made up the story about the eagle, and constantly urged him +to tell the truth. She thought it was really far more wonderful that a little +beetle should have been the means of rescuing him, than that a strong bird +should have done so; and she wanted everyone to know what a very clever husband +she had. She kept her promise never to tell anyone what really happened, but +the secret came out for all that. By the time it was known, however, +Dhairya-Sila was so powerful that no one could harm him, and when he died his +son took his place as vizier. +</p> + +<p> +13. What lessons can be learnt from this story? +</p> + +<p> +14. What do you think was Dhairya-Sila’s motive for telling the Raja the +lie about the eagle? +</p> + +<p> +15. What did Surya Pratap’s ready belief in the story show? +</p> + +<p> +16. How do you think the secret the husband and wife kept so well was +discovered? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>VII.<br /> +A Crow and His Three Friends</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +In the branches of a great tree, in a forest in India, lived a wise old crow in +a very comfortable, well-built nest. His wife was dead, and all his children +were getting their own living; so he had nothing to do but to look after +himself. He led a very easy existence, but took a great interest in the affairs +of his neighbours. One day, popping his head over the edge of his home, he saw +a fierce-looking man stalking along, carrying a stick in one hand and a net in +the other. +</p> + +<p> +“That fellow is up to some mischief, I’ll be bound,” thought +the crow: “I will keep my eye on him.” The man stopped under the +tree, spread the net on the ground; and taking a bag of rice out of his pocket, +he scattered the grains amongst the meshes of the net. Then he hid himself +behind the trunk of the tree from which the crow was watching, evidently +intending to stop there and see what would happen. The crow felt pretty sure +that the stranger had designs against birds, and that the stick had something +to do with the matter. He was quite right; and it was not long before just what +he expected came to pass. +</p> + +<p> +A flock of pigeons, led by a specially fine bird who had been chosen king +because of his size and the beauty of his plumage, came flying rapidly along, +and noticed the white rice, but did not see the net, because it was very much +the same colour as the ground. Down swooped the king, and down swept all the +other pigeons, eager to enjoy a good meal without any trouble to themselves. +Alas, their joy was short lived! They were all caught in the net and began +struggling to escape, beating the air with their wings and uttering loud cries +of distress. +</p> + +<p> +The crow and the man behind the tree kept very quiet, watching them; the man +with his stick ready to beat the poor helpless birds to death, the crow +watching out of mere curiosity. Now a very strange and wonderful thing came to +pass. The king of the pigeons, who had his wits about him, said to the +imprisoned birds: +</p> + +<p> +“Take the net up in your beaks, all of you spread out your wings at once, +and fly straight up into the air as quickly as possible.” +</p> + +<p> +1. What special qualities did the king display when he gave these orders to his +subjects? +</p> + +<p> +2. Can you think of any other advice the king might have given? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +In a moment all the pigeons, who were accustomed to obey their leader, did as +they were bid; each little bird seized a separate thread of the net in his beak +and up, up, up, they all flew, looking very beautiful with the sunlight +gleaming on their white wings. Very soon they were out of sight; and the man, +who thought he had hit upon a very clever plan, came forth from his +hiding-place, very much surprised at what had happened. He stood gazing up +after his vanished net for a little time, and then went away muttering to +himself, whilst the wise old crow laughed at him. +</p> + +<p> +When the pigeons had flown some distance, and were beginning to get exhausted, +for the net was heavy and they were quite unused to carrying loads, the king +bade them rest awhile in a clearing of the forest; and as they all lay on the +ground panting for breath, with the cruel net still hampering them, he said: +</p> + +<p> +“What we must do now is to take this horrible net to my old friend +Hiranya the mouse, who will, I am quite sure, nibble through the strings for me +and set us all free. He lives, as you all know, near the tree where the net was +spread, deep underground; but there are many passages leading to his home, and +we shall easily find one of the openings. Once there, we will all lift up our +voices, and call to him at once, when he will be sure to hear us.” So the +weary pigeons took up their burden once more, and sped back whence they had +come, greatly to the surprise of the crow, who wondered at their coming back to +the very place where misfortune had overtaken them. He very soon learnt the +reason, and got so excited watching what was going on, that he hopped out of +his nest and perched upon a branch where he could see better. Presently a great +clamour arose, one word being repeated again and again: “Hiranya! +Hiranya! Hiranya.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, that’s the name of the mouse who lives down below +there!” thought the crow. “Now, what good can he do? I know, I +know,” he added, as he remembered the sharp teeth of Hiranya. “That +king of the pigeons is a sensible fellow. I must make friends with him.” +</p> + +<p> +Very soon, as the pigeons lay fluttering and struggling outside one of the +entrances to Hiranya’s retreat, the mouse came out. He didn’t even +need to be told what was wanted, but at once began to nibble the string, first +setting free the king, and then all the rest of the birds. “A friend in +need is a friend indeed,” cried the king; “a thousand thousand +thanks!” And away he flew up into the beautiful free air of heaven, +followed by the happy pigeons, none of them ever likely to forget the adventure +or to pick up food from the ground without a good look at it first. +</p> + +<p> +3. What was the chief virtue displayed by the mouse on this occasion? +</p> + +<p> +4. Do you think it is easier to obey than to command? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +The mouse did not at once return to his hole when the birds were gone, but went +for a little stroll, which brought him to the ground still strewn with rice, +which he began to eat with great relish. “It’s an ill wind,” +he said to himself, “which brings nobody any good. There’s many a +good meal for my whole family here.” +</p> + +<p> +Presently he was joined by the old crow, who had flown down from his perch +unnoticed by Hiranya, and now addressed him in his croaky voice: +</p> + +<p> +“Hiranya,” he said, “for that I know is your name, I am +called Laghupatin and I would gladly have you for a friend. I have seen all +that you did for the pigeons, and have come to the conclusion that you are a +mouse of great wisdom, ready to help those who are in trouble, without any +thought of yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are quite wrong,” squeaked Hiranya. “I am not so silly +as you make out. I have no wish to be your friend. If you were hungry, you +wouldn’t hesitate to gobble me up. I don’t care for that sort of +affection.” +</p> + +<p> +With that Hiranya whisked away to his hole, pausing at the entrance, when he +knew the crow could not get at him, to cry, “You be off to your nest and +leave me alone!” +</p> + +<p> +The feelings of the crow were very much hurt at this speech, the more that he +knew full well it was not exactly love for the mouse, which had led him to make +his offer, but self-interest: for who could tell what difficulties he himself +might some day be in, out of which the mouse might help him? Instead of obeying +Hiranya, and going back to his nest, he hopped to the mouse’s hole, and +putting his head on one side in what he thought was a very taking manner, he +said: +</p> + +<p> +“Pray do not misjudge me so. Never would I harm you! Even if I did not +wish to have you for a friend, I should not dream of gobbling you up, as you +say, however hungry I might be. Surely you are aware that I am a strict +vegetarian, and never eat the flesh of other creatures. At least give me a +trial. Let us share a meal together, and talk the matter over.” +</p> + +<p> +5. Can a friendship be a true one if the motive for it is self-interest? +</p> + +<p> +6. Would it have been wise or foolish for the mouse to agree to be friends with +the crow? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +Hiranya, on hearing the last remark of Laghupatin, hesitated, and in the end he +agreed that he would have supper with the crow that very evening. “There +is plenty of rice here,” he said, “which we can eat on the spot. It +would be impossible for you to get into my hole, and I am certainly not +disposed to visit you in your nest.” So the two at once began their meal, +and before it was over they had become good friends. Not a day passed without a +meeting, and when all the rice was eaten up, each of the two would bring +something to the feast. This had gone on for some little time, when the crow, +who was fond of adventure and change, said one day to the mouse: +“Don’t you think we might go somewhere else for a time? I am rather +tired of this bit of the forest, every inch of which we both know well. +I’ve got another great friend who lives beside a fine river a few miles +away, a tortoise named Mandharaka; a thoroughly good, trustworthy fellow he is, +though rather slow and cautious in his ways. I should like to introduce you to +him. There are quantities of food suitable for us both where he lives, for it +is a very fruitful land. What do you say to coming with me to pay him a +visit?” +</p> + +<p> +“How in the world should I get there?” answered Hiranya. +“It’s all very well for you, who can fly. I can’t walk for +miles and miles. For all that I too am sick of this place and would like a +change.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, there’s no difficulty about that,” replied Laghupatin. +“I will carry you in my beak, and you will get there without any fatigue +at all.” To this Hiranya consented, and very early one morning the two +friends started off together. +</p> + +<p> +7. Is love of change a good or a bad thing? +</p> + +<p> +8. What did Hiranya’s readiness to let Laghupatin carry him show? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +After flying along for several hours, the crow began to feel very tired. He was +seized too with a great desire to hear his own voice again. So he flew to the +ground, laid his little companion gently down, and gave vent to a number of +hoarse cries, which quite frightened Hiranya, who timidly asked him what was +the matter. +</p> + +<p> +“Nothing whatever,” answered Laghupatin, “except that you are +not quite so light as I thought you were, and that I need a rest; besides +which, I am hungry and I expect you are. We had better stop here for the night, +and start again early to-morrow morning.” Hiranya readily agreed to this, +and after a good meal, which was easily found, the two settled down to sleep, +the crow perched in a tree, the mouse hidden amongst its roots. Very early the +next day they were off again, and soon arrived at the river, where they were +warmly welcomed by the tortoise. The three had a long talk together, and agreed +never to part again. The tortoise, who had lived a great deal longer than +either the mouse or the crow, was a very pleasant companion; and even +Laghupatin, who was very fond of talking himself, liked to listen to his +stories of long ago. +</p> + +<p> +“I wonder,” said the tortoise, whose name was Mandharaka, to the +mouse, “that you are not afraid to travel about as you have done, with +your soft little body unprotected by any armour. Look how different it is for +me; it is almost impossible for any of the wild creatures who live near this +river to hurt me, and they know it full well. See how thick and strong my +armour is. The claws even of a tiger, a wild cat or an eagle, could not +penetrate it. I am very much afraid, my little friend, that you will be gobbled +up some fine day, and Laghupatin and I will seek for you in vain.” +</p> + +<p> +“Of course,” said the mouse, “I know the truth of what you +say; but I can very easily hide from danger—much more easily than you or +Laghupatin. A tuft of moss or a few dead leaves are shelter enough for me, but +big fellows like you and the crow can be quite easily seen. Nobody saw me when +the pigeons were all caught except Laghupatin; and I would have kept out of his +sight if I had not known that he did not care to eat mice.” +</p> + +<p> +In spite of the fears of Mandharaka, the mouse and the crow lived as his guests +for a long time without any accident; and one day they were suddenly joined by +a new companion, a creature as unlike any one of the three friends as could +possibly be imagined. This was a very beautiful deer, who came bounding out of +the forest, all eager to escape from the hunters, by whom he had been pursued, +but too weary to reach the river, across which he had hoped to be able to swim +to safety. Just as he reached the three friends, he fell to the ground, almost +crushing the mouse, who darted away in the nick of time. Strange to say, the +hunters did not follow the deer; and it was evident that they had not noticed +the way he had gone. +</p> + +<p> +The tortoise, the crow and the mouse were all very sorry for the deer, and, as +was always the case, the crow was the first to speak. “Whatever has +happened to you?” he asked. And the deer made answer: +</p> + +<p> +“I thought my last hour had come this time, for the hunters were close +upon me; and even now I do not feel safe.” +</p> + +<p> +“I’ll fly up and take a look ’round,” said Laghupatin; +and off he went to explore, coming back soon, to say he had seen the hunters +disappearing a long distance off, going in quite another direction from the +river. Gradually the deer was reassured, and lay still where he had fallen; +whilst the three friends chatted away to him, telling him of their adventures. +“What you had better do,” said the tortoise, “is to join us. +When you have had a good meal, and a drink from the river, you will feel a +different creature. My old friend Laghupatin will be the one to keep watch for +us all, and warn us of any danger approaching; I will give you the benefit of +my long experience; and little Hiranya, though he is not likely to be of any +use to you, will certainly never do you any harm.” +</p> + +<p> +9. Is it a good thing to make friends easily? +</p> + +<p> +10. What was the bond of union between the crow, the mouse, the tortoise and +the deer? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +The deer was so touched by the kind way in which he had been received, that he +agreed to stop with the three friends; and for some weeks after his arrival all +went well. Each member of the party went his own way during the day-time, but +all four met together in the evening, and took it in turns to tell their +adventures. The crow always had the most to say, and was very useful to the +deer in warning him of the presence of hunters in the forest. One beautiful +moonlight night the deer did not come back as usual, and the other three became +very anxious about him. The crow flew up to the highest tree near and eagerly +sought for some sign of his lost friend, of whom he had grown very fond. +Presently he noticed a dark mass by the river-side, just where the deer used to +go down to drink every evening. “That must be he,” thought the +crow; and very soon he was hovering above the deer, who had been caught in a +net and was struggling in vain to get free. +</p> + +<p> +The poor deer was very glad indeed to see the crow, and cried to him in a +piteous voice: “Be quick, be quick, and help me, before the terrible +hunters find me and kill me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I can do nothing for you myself,” said the crow, “but I know +who can. Remember who saved the pigeons!” And away he flew to fetch +little Hiranya, who with the tortoise was anxiously awaiting his return. Very +soon Laghupatin was back by the river-side with the little mouse in his beak; +and it did not take long for Hiranya, who had been despised by the deer and the +tortoise as a feeble little thing, to nibble through the cords and save the +life of the animal a hundred times as big as himself. +</p> + +<p> +How happy the deer was when the cruel cords were loosed and he could stretch +out his limbs again! He bounded up, but took great care not to crush the mouse, +who had done him such a service. “Never, never, never,” he said, +“shall I forget what you have done for me. Ask anything in my power, and +I will do it.” +</p> + +<p> +“I want nothing,” said Hiranya, “except the joyful thought of +having saved you.” +</p> + +<p> +By this time the tortoise had crept to the riverbank, and he too was glad that +the deer had been saved. He praised the mouse, and declared that he would never +again look down upon him. Then the four started to go back to their usual haunt +in the forest; the deer, the crow, and the mouse soon arriving there quite +safely, whilst the tortoise, who could only get along very slowly, lagged +behind. Now came the time for him to find out that armour was not the only +thing needed to save him from danger. He had not got very far from the +riverbank before the cruel hunter who had set the net to catch the deer, came +to see if he had succeeded. Great was his rage when he found the net lying on +the ground, but not exactly where he had left it. He guessed at once that some +animal had been caught in it and escaped after a long struggle. He looked +carefully about and noticed that the cords had been bitten through here and +there. So he suspected just what had happened, and began to search about for +any creature who could have done the mischief. +</p> + +<p> +There was not a sign of the mouse, but the slow-moving tortoise was soon +discovered, and pouncing down upon him, the hunter rolled him up in another net +he had with him, and carried him off, “It’s not much of a +prize,” said the hunter to himself, “but better than nothing. +I’ll have my revenge on the wretched creature anyhow, as I have lost the +prey I sought.” +</p> + +<p> +11. Which of the four friends concerned in this adventure do you admire most? +</p> + +<p> +12. What was the chief mistake made by the tortoise? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +When the tortoise in his turn did not come home, the deer, the crow and the +mouse were very much concerned. They talked the matter over together and +decided that, however great the risk to themselves, they must go back and see +what had become of their friend. This time the mouse travelled in one of the +ears of the deer, from which he peeped forth with his bright eyes, hoping to +see the tortoise toiling along in his usual solemn manner; whilst the crow, +also on the watch, flew along beside them. Great was the surprise and terror of +all three when, as they came out of the forest, they saw the hunter striding +along towards them, with the tortoise in the net under his arm. Once more the +little mouse showed his wisdom. Without a moment’s hesitation he said to +the deer: “Throw yourself on the ground and pretend to be dead; and +<i>you</i>,” he added to the crow, “perch on his head and bend over +as if you were going to peck out his eyes.” +</p> + +<p> +Without any idea what Hiranya meant by these strange orders, but remembering +how he had helped in other dangers, the two did as they were told; the poor +deer feeling anything but happy lying still where his enemy was sure to see +him, and thereby proving what a noble creature he was. The hunter did, see him +very soon, and thinking to himself, “After all I shall get that +deer,” he let the tortoise fall, and came striding along as fast as he +could. +</p> + +<p> +Up jumped the deer without waiting to see what became of the tortoise, and sped +away like the wind. The hunter rushed after him, and the two were soon out of +sight. The tortoise, whose armour had saved him from being hurt by his fall, +was indeed pleased when he saw little Hiranya running towards him. “Be +quick, be quick!” he cried, “and set me free.” Very soon the +sharp teeth of the mouse had bitten through the meshes of the net, and before +the hunter came back, after trying in vain to catch the deer, the tortoise was +safely swimming across the river, leaving the net upon the ground, whilst the +crow and the mouse were back in the shelter of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +“There’s some magic at work here,” said the hunter when, +expecting to find the tortoise where he had left him, he discovered that his +prisoner had escaped. “The stupid beast could not have got out +alone,” he added, as he picked up the net and walked off with it. +“But he wasn’t worth keeping anyhow.” +</p> + +<p> +That evening the four friends met once more, and talked over all they had gone +through together. The deer and the tortoise were full of gratitude to the +mouse, and could not say enough in his praise, but the crow was rather sulky, +and remarked: “If it had not been for me, neither of you would ever have +seen Hiranya. He was my friend before he was yours.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are right,” said the tortoise, “and you must also +remember that it was my armour which saved me from being killed in that +terrible fall.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your armour would not have been of much use to you, if the hunter had +been allowed to carry you to his home,” said the deer. “In my +opinion you and I both owe our lives entirely to Hiranya. He is small and weak, +it is true, but he has better brains than any of the rest of us, and I for one +admire him with all my heart. I am glad I trusted him and obeyed him, when he +ordered me to pretend to be dead, for I had not the least idea how that could +help the tortoise.” +</p> + +<p> +“Have it your own way,” croaked the crow, “but I keep my own +opinion all the same. But for me you would never have known my dear little +Hiranya.” +</p> + +<p> +In spite of this little dispute the four friends were soon as happy together as +before the adventure of the tortoise. They once more agreed never to part and +lived happily together for many years, as they had done ever since they first +met. +</p> + +<p> +13. What were the chief differences in the characters of the four friends? +</p> + +<p> +14. Are those who are alike or unlike in character more likely to remain +friends? +</p> + +<p> +15. How would you describe a true friend? +</p> + +<p> +16. What fault is more likely than any other to lead to loss of friendship? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>VIII.<br /> +A Clever Thief.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +A certain man, named Hari-Sarman, who lived in a little village in India, where +there were no rich people and everyone had to work hard to get his daily bread, +got very weary of the life he had to lead. He had a wife whose name was Vidya, +and a large family; and even if he had been very industrious it would have been +difficult for him to get enough food for them all. Unfortunately he was not a +bit industrious, but very lazy, and so was his wife. Neither of them made any +attempt to teach their boys and girls to earn their own living; and if the +other poor people in the village had not helped them, they would have starved. +Hari-Sarman used to send his children out in different directions to beg or +steal, whilst he and Vidya stayed at home doing nothing. +</p> + +<p> +One day he said to his wife: “Let us leave this stupid place, and go to +some big city where we can pick up a living of some kind. I will pretend to be +a wise man, able to find out secrets; and you can say that you know all about +children, having had so many of your own.” Vidya gladly agreed to this, +and the whole party set out, carrying the few possessions they had with them. +In course of time they came to a big town, and Hari-Sarman went boldly to the +chief house in it, leaving his wife and children outside. He asked to see the +master, and was taken into his presence. This master was a very rich merchant, +owning large estates in the country; but he cannot have been very clever, for +he was at once quite taken in by the story Hari-Sarman told him. He said that +he would find work for him and his wife, and that the children could be sent to +a farm he had in the country, where they could be made very useful. +</p> + +<p> +Overjoyed at this, Hari-Sarman hastened out to tell his wife the good news; and +the two were at once received into the grand residence, in which a small room +was given to them for their own, whilst the children were taken away to the +farm, fall of eager delight at the change from the wretched life they had been +leading. +</p> + +<p> +1. Would it have been better for Hari-Sarman and Vidya if their neighbours had +not helped them? +</p> + +<p> +2. Do you think Hari-Sarman was the only person to blame for his poverty? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +Soon after the arrival of the husband and wife at the merchant’s house, a +very important event took place, namely, the marriage of the eldest daughter. +Great were the preparations beforehand, in which Vidya took her full share, +helping in the kitchen to make all manner of delicious dishes, and living in +great luxury herself. For there was no stint in the wealthy home; even the +humblest servants were well cared for. Vidya was happier than she had ever been +before, now that she had plenty to do and plenty of good food. She became in +fact quite a different creature, and began to wish she had been a better mother +to her children. “When the wedding is over,” she thought, “I +will go and see how they are getting on.” On the other hand she forgot +all about her husband and scarcely ever saw him. +</p> + +<p> +It was all very different with Hari-Sarman himself. He had no special duties to +perform and nobody seemed to want him. If he went into the kitchen, the busy +servants ordered him to get out of their way; and he was not made welcome by +the owner of the house or his guests. The merchant too forgot all about him, +and he felt very lonely and miserable. He had been thinking to himself how much +he would enjoy all the delicious food he would get after the wedding; and now +he began to grumble: “I’m starving in the midst of plenty, +that’s what I am. Something will have to be done to change this horrible +state of things.” +</p> + +<p> +Whilst the preparations for the wedding were going on, Vidya never came near +her husband, and he lay awake a long time thinking, “What in the world +can I do to make the master send for me?” All of a sudden an idea came +into his head. “I’ll steal something valuable, and hide it away; +and when everyone is being asked about the loss, the merchant will remember the +man who can reveal secrets. Now what can I take that is sure to be missed? I +know, I know!” And springing out of bed, he hastily dressed himself and +crept out of the house. +</p> + +<p> +3. What would you have done if you had been Hari-Sarman? +</p> + +<p> +4. Do you think Vidya ever had any real love for her husband? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +This was what Hari-Sarman decided to do. The merchant had a great many very +beautiful horses, which lived in splendid stables and were taken the greatest +possible care of. Amongst them was a lovely little Arab mare, the special +favourite of the bride, who often went to pet it and give it sugar. +“I’ll steal that mare and hide it away in the forest,” said +the wicked man to himself. “Then, when every one is hunting for her, the +master will remember the man who can reveal secrets and send for me. Ah! Ah! +What a clever fellow I am! All the stablemen and grooms are feasting, I know; +for I saw them myself when I tried to get hold of my wife. I can climb through +a window that is always left open.” It turned out that he was right. He +met no one on his way to the stables, which ware quite deserted. He got in +easily, opened, the door from inside, and led out the little mare, which made +no resistance; she had always been so kindly treated that she was not a bit +afraid. He took the beautiful creature far into the depths of the forest, tied +her up there, and got safely back to his own room without being seen. +</p> + +<p> +Early the next morning the merchant’s daughter, attended by her maidens, +went to see her dear little mare, taking with her an extra supply of sugar. +What was her distress when she found the stall empty! She guessed at once that +a thief had got in during the night, and hurried home to tell her father, who +was very, very angry with the stablemen who had deserted their posts, and +declared they should all be flogged for it. “But the first thing to do is +to get the mare back,” he said; and he ordered messengers to be sent in +every direction, promising a big reward to anyone who brought news of the mare. +</p> + +<p> +Vidya of course heard all there was to hear, and at once suspected that +Hari-Sarman had had something to do with the matter. “I expect he has +hidden the mare,” she thought to herself, “and means to get the +reward for finding it.” So she asked to see the master of the house, and +when leave was granted to her she said to him: +</p> + +<p> +“Why do you not send for my husband, the man who can reveal secrets, +because of the wonderful power that has been given him of seeing what is hidden +from others? Many a time has he surprised me by what he has been able to +do.” +</p> + +<p> +5. Do you think Vidya had any wish to help Hari-Sarman for his own sake? +</p> + +<p> +6. Is there anything you think she should have done before seeing the master? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +On hearing what Vidya said, the merchant at once told her to go and fetch her +husband. But to her surprise Hari-Sarman refused to go back with her. +“You can tell the master what you like,” he said, angrily. +“You all forgot me entirely yesterday; and now you want me to help you, +you suddenly remember my existence. I am not going to be at your beck and call +or anyone else’s.” +</p> + +<p> +Vidya entreated him to listen to reason, but it was no good. She had to go back +and tell the merchant that he would not come. Instead of being made angry by +this, however, the master surprised her by saying: “Your husband is +right. I have treated him badly. Go and tell him I apologise, and will reward +him well, if only he will come and help me.” +</p> + +<p> +Back again went Vidya and this time she was more successful. But though +Hari-Sarman said he would go back with her, he was very sulky and would not +answer any of her questions. She could not understand him, and wished she had +not left him to himself for so long. He behaved very strangely too when the +master, who received him very kindly, asked him if he could tell him where the +mare was. “I know,” he said, “what a wise and clever man you +are.” +</p> + +<p> +“It didn’t seem much like it yesterday,” grumbled +Hari-Sarman. “Nobody took any notice of me then, but now you want +something of me, you find out that I am wise and clever. I am just the same +person that I was yesterday.” +</p> + +<p> +“I know, I know,” said the merchant, “and I apologise for my +neglect; but when a man’s daughter is going to be married, it’s no +wonder some one gets neglected.” +</p> + +<p> +7. Do you think Hari-Sarman was wise to treat his wife and the merchant as he +did? +</p> + +<p> +8. If the mare had been found whilst Hari-Sarman was talking to the master, +what effect do you think the discovery would have had upon them both? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +Hari-Sarman now thought it was time to take a different tone. So he put his +hand in his pocket, and brought out a map he had got ready whilst waiting to be +sent for, as he had felt sure he would be. He spread it out before the +merchant, and pointed to a dark spot in the midst of many lines crossing each +other in a bewildering manner, which he explained were pathways through the +forest. “Under a tree, where that dark spot is, you will find the +mare,” he said. +</p> + +<p> +Overjoyed at the good news, the merchant at once sent a trusted servant to test +the truth; and when the mare was brought back, nothing seemed too good for the +man who had led to her recovery. At the wedding festivities Hari-Sarman was +treated as an honoured guest, and no longer had he any need to complain of not +having food enough. His wife of course thought he would forgive her now for +having neglected him. But not a bit of it: he still sulked with her, and she +could never feel quite sure what the truth was about the mare. +</p> + +<p> +All went well with Hari-Sarman for a long time. But presently something +happened which seemed likely to get him into very great trouble. A quantity of +gold and many valuable jewels disappeared in the palace of the king of the +country; and when the thief could not be discovered, some one told the king the +story of the stolen mare, and how a man called Hari-Sarman, living in the house +of a rich merchant in the chief city, had found her when everyone else had +failed. +</p> + +<p> +“Fetch that man here at once,” ordered the king, and very soon +Hari-Sarman was brought before him. “I hear you are so wise, you can +reveal all secrets,” said the king. “Now tell me immediately who +has stolen the gold and jewels and where they are to be found.” +</p> + +<p> +Poor Hari-Sarman did not know what to say or do. “Give me till +to-morrow,” he replied in a faltering voice; “I must have a little +time to think.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will not give you a single hour,” answered the king. For seeing +the man before him was frightened, he began to suspect he was a deceiver. +“If you do not at once tell me where the gold and jewels are, I will have +you flogged until you find your tongue.” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing this, Hari-Sarman, though more terrified than ever, saw that his only +chance of gaining time to make up some story was to get the king to believe in +him. So he drew himself up and answered: “The wisest magicians need to +employ means to find out the truth. Give me twenty-four hours, and I will name +the thieves.” +</p> + +<p> +“You are not much of a magician if you cannot find out such a simple +thing as I ask of you,” said the king. And turning to the guards, he +ordered them to take Hari-Sarman to prison, and shut him up there without food +or drink till he came to his senses. The man was dragged away, and very soon he +found himself alone in a dark and gloomy room from which he saw no hope of +escape. +</p> + +<p> +He was in despair and walked up and down, trying in vain to think of some way +of escape. “I shall die here of starvation, unless my wife finds some +means of setting me free,” he said. “I wish I had treated her +better instead of being so sulky with her.” He tried the bars of the +window, but they were very strong: he could not hope to move them. And he beat +against the door, but no notice was taken of that. +</p> + +<p> +9. What lesson does the trouble Hari-Sarman was in teach? +</p> + +<p> +10. Do you think it would have been better for him to tell the king he could +not reveal secrets? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +When it got quite dark in the prison, Hari-Sarman began to talk to himself +aloud. “Oh,” he said, “I wish I had bitten my tongue out +before I told that lie about the mare. It is all my foolish tongue which has +got me into this trouble. Tongue! Tongue!” he went on, “it is all +your fault.” +</p> + +<p> +Now a very strange thing happened. The money and jewels had been stolen by a +man, who had been told where they were by a young servant girl in the palace +whose name was Jihva, which is the Sanskrit word for tongue; and this girl was +in a great fright when she heard that a revealer of secrets had been taken +before the king. “He will tell of my share in the matter,” she +thought, “and I shall get into trouble,” It so happened that the +guard at the prison door was fond of her, as well as the thief who had stolen +the money and jewels. So when all was quiet in the palace, Jihva slipped away +to see if she could get that guard to let her see the prisoner. “If I +promise to give him part of the money,” she thought, “he will +undertake not to betray me.” +</p> + +<p> +The guard was glad enough when Jihva came to talk to him, and he let her listen +at the key-hole to what Hari-Sarman was saying. Just imagine her astonishment +when she heard him repeating her name again and again. “Jihva! Jihva! +Thou,” he cried, “art the cause of this suffering. Why didst thou +behave in such a foolish manner, just for the sake of the good things of this +life? Never can I forgive thee, Jihva, thou wicked, wicked one!” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh! oh!” cried Jihva in an agony of terror, “he knows the +truth; he knows that I helped the thief.” And she entreated the guard to +let her into the prison that she might plead with Hari-Sarman not to tell the +king what she had done. The man hesitated at first, but in the end she +persuaded him to consent by promising him a large reward. +</p> + +<p> +When the key grated in the lock, Hari-Sarman stopped talking aloud, wondering +whether what he had been saying had been overheard by the guard, and half +hoping that his wife had got leave to come and see him. As the door opened and +he saw a woman coming in by the light of a lantern held up by the guard, he +cried, “Vidya my beloved!” But he soon realized that it was a +stranger. He was indeed surprised and relieved, when Jihva suddenly threw +herself at his feet and, clinging to his knees, began to weep and moan +“Oh, most holy man,” she cried between her sobs, “who knowest +the very secrets of the heart, I have come to confess that it was indeed I, +Jihva, your humble servant, who aided the thief to take the jewels and the gold +and to hide them beneath the big pomegranate tree behind the palace.” +</p> + +<p> +“Rise,” replied Hari-Sarman, overjoyed at hearing this. “You +have told me nothing that I did not know, for no secret is hidden from me. What +reward will you give me if I save you from the wrath of the king?” +</p> + +<p> +“I will give you all the money I have,” said Jihva; “and that +is not a little.” +</p> + +<p> +“That also I knew,” said Hari-Sarman. “For you have good +wages, and many a time you have stolen money that did not belong to you. Go now +and fetch it all, and have no fear that I will betray you.” +</p> + +<p> +11. What mistakes do you think Jihva made in what she said to Hari-Sarman? +</p> + +<p> +12. What would have been the best thing for her to do when she thought she was +found out? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +Without waiting a moment Jihva hurried away to fetch the money; but when she +got back with it, the man on guard, who had heard everything that had passed +between her and Hari-Sarman, would not let her in to the prison again till she +gave him ten gold pieces. Thinking that Hari-Sarman really knew exactly how +much money she had, Jihva was afraid he would be angry when he missed some of +it; and again she let out the truth, which he might never have guessed. For she +began at once to say, “I brought all I had, but the man at the door has +taken ten pieces.” This did vex Hari-Sarman very much, and he told her he +would let the king know what she had done, unless she fetched the thief who had +taken the money and jewels. “I cannot do that,” said Jihva, +“for he is very far away. He lives with his brother, Indra Datta, in the +forest beyond the river, more than a day’s journey from here.” +“I did but try you,” said the clever Hari-Sarman, who now knew who +the thief was; “for I can see him where he is at this moment. Now go home +and wait there till I send for you.” +</p> + +<p> +But Jihva, who loved the thief and did not want him to be punished, refused to +go until Hari-Sarman promised that he would not tell the king who the man was +or where he lived. “I would rather,” she said, “bear all the +punishment than that he should suffer.” Even Hari-Sarman was touched at +this, and fearing that if he kept Jihva longer, she would be found in the +prison by messengers from the king, he promised that no harm should come to her +or the thief, and let her go. +</p> + +<p> +Very soon after this, messengers came to take Hari-Sarman once more before the +king; who received him very coldly and began at once to threaten him with a +terrible punishment, if he did not say who the thief was, and where the gold +and jewels were. Even now Hari-Sarman pretended to be unwilling to speak. But +when he saw that the king would put up with no more delay, he said, “I +will lead you to the spot where the treasure is buried, but the name of the +thief, though I know it, I will never betray.” The king, who did not +really care much who the thief was, so long as he got back his money, lost not +a moment, but ordered his attendants to get spades and follow him. Very soon +Hari-Sarman brought them to the pomegranate tree. And there, sure enough, deep +down in the ground, was all that had been lost. +</p> + +<p> +Nothing was now too good for Hari-Sarman: the king was greatly delighted, and +heaped riches and honours upon him. But some of the wise men at the court +suspected that he was really a deceiver, and set about trying to find out all +they could about him. They sent for the man who had been on guard at the +prison, and asked him many questions. He did not dare tell the truth, for he +knew he would be terribly punished if he let out that Jihva had been allowed to +see his prisoner; but he hesitated so much that the wise men knew he was not +speaking the truth. One of them, whom the king loved, and trusted very much, +whose name was Deva-Jnanin, said to his master: “I do not like to see +that man, about whom we really know nothing, treated as he is. He might easily +have found out where the treasure was hidden without any special power. Will +you not test him in some other way in my presence and that of your chief +advisers?” +</p> + +<p> +The king, who was always ready to listen to reason, agreed to this; and after a +long consultation with Deva-Jnanin, he decided on a very clever puzzle with +which to try Hari-Sarman. A live frog was put into a pitcher; the lid was shut +down, and the man who pretended to know everything was brought into the great +reception room, where all the wise men of the court were gathered together +round the throne, on which sat the king in his royal robes. Deva-Jnanin had +been chosen by his master to speak for him; and coming forward, he pointed to +the small pitcher on the ground, and said: “Great as are the honours +already bestowed on you, they shall be increased if you can say at once what is +in that pitcher.” +</p> + +<p> +13. What kind of man do you think the king was from his behaviour to +Hari-Sarman? +</p> + +<p> +14. Was it wise or foolish of Hari-Sarman to remain in the city after his very +narrow escape? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<p> +Hari-Sarman thought when he looked at the pitcher: “Alas, alas, it is all +over with me now! Never can I find out what is in it. Would that I had left +this town with the money I had from Jihva before it was too late!” Then +he began to mutter to himself, as it was always his habit to do when he was in +trouble. It so happened that, when he was a little boy, his father used to call +him frog, and now his thoughts went back to the time when he was a happy +innocent child, and he said aloud: “Oh, frog, what trouble has come to +you! That pitcher will be the death of you!” +</p> + +<p> +Even Deva-Jnanin was astonished when he heard that; and so were all the other +wise men. The king was delighted to find that after all he had made no mistake; +and all the people who had been allowed to come in to see the trial were +greatly excited. Shouting for joy the king called Hari-Sarman to come to the +foot of the throne, and told him he would never, never doubt him again. He +should have yet more money, a beautiful house in the country as well as the one +he already had in the town, and his children should be brought from the farm to +live with him and their mother, who should have lovely dresses and ornaments to +wear. +</p> + +<p> +Nobody was more surprised than Hari-Sarman himself. He guessed, of course, that +there was a frog in the pitcher. And when the king had ended his speech, he +said: “One thing I ask in addition to all that has been given me, that I +may keep the pitcher in memory of this day, when my truth has been proved once +more beyond a doubt.” +</p> + +<p> +His request was, of course, granted; and he went off with the pitcher under his +arm, full of rejoicing over his narrow escape. At the same time he was also +full of fear for the future. He knew only too well that it had only been by a +lucky chance that he had used the word Jihva in his first danger and Frog in +the second. He was not likely to get off a third time; and he made up his mind +that he would skip away some dark night soon, with all the money and jewels he +could carry, and be seen no more where such strange adventures had befallen +him. He did not even tell his wife what he meant to do, but pretended to have +forgiven her entirely for the way she had neglected him when he was poor, and +to be glad that their children were to be restored to them. Before they came +from the farm their father had disappeared, and nobody ever found out what had +become of him; but the king let his family keep what had been given to him, and +to the end believed he really had been what he had pretended to be. Only +Deva-Jnanin had his doubts; but he kept them to himself, for he thought, +“Now the man is gone, it really does not matter who or what he +was.” +</p> + +<p> +15. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? +</p> + +<p> +16. What do you think it was that made Hari-Sarman think of his boyhood when he +was in trouble? +</p> + +<p> +17. Do you think he took the pitcher and frog with him when he left the city? +</p> + +<p> +18. Do you think there was anything good in the character of Hari-Sarman? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>IX.<br /> +The Hermit’s Daughter.</h2> + +<h3>CHAPTER I</h3> + +<p> +Near a town in India called Ikshumati, on a beautiful wide river, with trees +belonging to a great forest near its banks, there dwelt a holy man named Mana +Kanaka, who spent a great part of his life praying to God. He had lost his wife +when his only child, a lovely girl called Kadali-Garbha, was only a few months +old. Kadali-Garbha was a very happy girl, with many friends in the woods round +her home, not children like herself, but wild creatures, who knew she would not +do them any harm. They loved her and she loved them. The birds were so tame +that they would eat out of her hand, and the deer used to follow her about in +the hope of getting the bread she carried in her pocket for them. Her father +taught her all she knew, and that was a great deal; for she could read quite +learned books in the ancient language of her native land. Better even than what +she found out in those books was what Mana Kanaka told her about the loving God +of all gods who rules the world and all that live in it. Kadali-Garbha also +learnt a great deal through her friendship with wild animals. She knew where +the birds built their nests, where the baby deer were born, where the squirrels +hid their nuts, and what food all the dwellers in the forest liked best. She +helped her father to work in their garden in which all their own food was +grown; and she loved to cook the fruit and vegetables for Mana Kanaka and +herself. Her clothes were made of the bark of the trees in the forest, which +she herself wove into thin soft material suitable for wearing in a hot climate. +</p> + +<p> +1. What do you think it was which made the animals trust Kadali-Garbha? +</p> + +<p> +2. Could you have been happy in the forest with no other children to play with? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER II</h3> + +<p> +Kadali-Garbha never even thought about other children, because she had not been +used to having them with her. She was just as happy as the day was long, and +never wished for any change. But when she was about sixteen something happened +which quite altered her whole life. One day her father had gone into the forest +to cut wood, and had left her alone. She had finished tidying the house, and +got everything ready for the midday meal, and was sitting at the door of her +home, reading to herself, with birds fluttering about her head and a pet doe +lying beside her, when she heard the noise of a horse’s feet approaching. +She looked up, and there on the other side of the fence was a very handsome +young man seated on a great black horse, which he had reined up when he caught +sight of her. He looked at her without speaking, and she looked back at him +with her big black eyes full of surprise at his sudden appearance. She made a +beautiful picture, with the green creepers covering the hut behind her, and the +doe, which had started up in fear of the horse, pressing against her. +</p> + +<p> +The man was the king of the country, whose name was Dridha-Varman. He had been +hunting and had got separated from his attendants. He was very much surprised +to find anyone living in the very depths of the forest, and was going to ask +the young girl who she was, when Kadali-Garbha saw her father coming along the +path leading to his home. Jumping up, she ran to meet him, glad that he had +come; for she had never before seen a young man and was as shy as any of the +wild creatures of the woods. Now that Mana Kanaka was with her, she got over +her fright, and felt quite safe, clinging to his arm as he and the king talked +together. +</p> + +<p> +3. Can you describe just how Kadali-Garbha felt when she saw the king? +</p> + +<p> +4. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for her to live all +the rest of her life in the forest? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER III</h3> + +<p> +Mana Kanaka knew at once that the man on the horse was the king; and a great +fear entered his heart when he saw how Dridha-Varman looked at his beloved only +child. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you, and who is that lovely girl?” asked the king. And +Mana Kanaka answered, “I am only a humble woodcutter; and this is my only +child, whose mother has long been dead.” +</p> + +<p> +“Her mother must have been a very lovely woman, if her daughter is like +her,” said the king. “Never before have I seen such perfect +beauty.” +</p> + +<p> +“Her mother,” replied Mana Kanaka, “was indeed what you say; +and her soul was as beautiful as the body in which it dwelt all too short a +time.” +</p> + +<p> +“I would have your daughter for my wife,” said the king; “and +if you will give her to me, she shall have no wish ungratified. She shall have +servants to wait on her and other young girls to be her companions; beautiful +clothes to wear, the best of food to eat, horses and carriages as many as she +will, and no work to do with her own hands.” +</p> + +<p> +5. If you had been Kadali-Garbha, what would you have said when you heard all +these promises? +</p> + +<p> +6. Of all the things the king said she should have, which would you have liked +best? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IV</h3> + +<p> +What Kadali-Garbha did was to cling closely to her father, hiding her face on +his arm and whispering, “I will not leave you: do not send me away from +you, dear father.” +</p> + +<p> +Mana Kanaka stroked her hair, and said in a gentle voice: +</p> + +<p> +“But, dear child, your father is old, and must leave you soon. It is a +great honour for his little girl to be chosen by the king for his bride. Do not +be afraid, but look at him and see how handsome he is and how kind he +looks.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Kadali-Garbha looked at the king, who smiled at her and looked so charming +that her fear began to leave her. She still clung to her father, but no longer +hid her face; and Mana Kanaka begged Kadali-Garbha to let him send her away, so +that he might talk with the king alone about the wish he had expressed to marry +her. The king consented to this, and Kadali-Garbha gladly ran away. But when +she reached the door of her home, she looked back, and knew in her heart that +she already loved the king and did not want him to go away. +</p> + +<p> +It did not take long for the matter of the marriage to be settled. For Mana +Kanaka, sad though he was to lose his dear only child, was glad that she should +be a queen, and have some one to take care of her when he was gone. After this +first visit to the little house in the forest the king came every day to see +Kadali-Garbha, bringing all kinds of presents for her. She learnt to love him +so much that she became as eager as he was for the wedding to be soon. When the +day was fixed, the king sent several ladies of his court to dress the bride in +clothes more beautiful that she had ever dreamt of; and in them she looked more +lovely even than the first day her lover had seen her. +</p> + +<p> +Now amongst these ladies was a very wise woman who could see what was going to +happen; and she knew that there would be troubles for the young queen in the +palace, because many would be jealous of her happiness. She was very much taken +with the beautiful innocent girl, and wanted to help her so much that she +managed to get her alone for a few minutes, when she said to her: “I want +you to promise me something. It is to take this packet of mustard seeds, hide +it in the bosom of your dress, and when you ride to the palace with your +husband, strew the seed along the path as you go. You know how quickly mustard +grows. Well, it will spring up soon; and if you want to come home again, you +can easily find the way by following the green shoots. Alas, I fear they will +not have time to wither before you need their help!” +</p> + +<p> +Kadali-Garbha laughed when the wise woman talked about trouble coming to her. +She was so happy, she could not believe she would want to come home again so +soon. “My father can come to me when I want him,” she said. +“I need only tell my dear husband to send for him.” But for all +that she took the packet of seeds and hid it in her dress. +</p> + +<p> +7. Would you have done as the wise woman told you if you had been the bride? +</p> + +<p> +8. Ought Kadali-Garbha to have told the king about the mustard seed? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER V</h3> + +<p> +After the wedding was over, the king mounted his beautiful horse, and bending +down, took his young wife up before him. Holding her close to him with his +right arm, he held the reins in his left hand; and away they went, soon leaving +all the attendants far behind them, the queen scattering the mustard seed as +she had promised to do. When they arrived at the palace there were great +rejoicings, and everybody seemed charmed with the queen, who was full of eager +interest in all that she saw. +</p> + +<p> +For several weeks there was nobody in the wide world so happy and light-hearted +as the bride. The king spent many hours a day with her, and was never tired of +listening to all she had to tell him about her life in the forest with her +father. Every day he gave her some fresh proof of his love, and he never +refused to do anything she asked him to do. But presently a change came. +Amongst the ladies of the court there was a beautiful woman, who had hoped to +be queen herself, and hated Kadali-Garbha so much that she made up her mind to +get her into disgrace with the king. She asked first one powerful person and +then another to help her; but everybody loved the queen, and the wicked woman +began to be afraid that those she had told about her wish to harm her would +warn the king. So she sought about for some one who did not know Kadali-Garbha, +and suddenly remembered a wise woman named Asoka-Mala, who lived in a cave not +far from the town, to whom many people used to go for advice in their +difficulties. She went to this woman one night, and told her a long story in +which there was not one word of truth. The young queen, she said, did not +really love the king; and with the help of her father, who was a magician, she +meant to poison him. How could this terrible thing be prevented, she asked; and +she promised that if only Asoka-Mala would help to save Dridha-Varman, she +would give her a great deal of money. +</p> + +<p> +Asoka-Mala guessed at once that the story was not true, and that it was only +because the woman was jealous of the beautiful young queen that she wished to +hurt her. But she loved money very much. Instead therefore of at once refusing +to have anything to do with the matter, she said: “Bring me fifty gold +pieces now, and promise me another fifty when the queen is sent away from the +palace, and I will tell you what to do.” +</p> + +<p> +The wicked woman promised all this at once. The very next night she brought the +first fifty pieces of gold to the cave, and Asoka-Mala told her that she must +get the barber, who saw the king alone every day, to tell him he had found out +a secret about the queen. “You must tell the barber all you have already +told me. But be very careful to give some proof of your story. For if you do +not do so, you will only have wasted the fifty gold pieces you have already +given to me; and, more than that, you will be terribly punished for trying to +hurt the queen, whom everybody loves.” +</p> + +<p> +9. Do you think this plot against Kadali-Garbha was likely to succeed? +</p> + +<p> +10. Can you think of any way in which the wise woman might have helped the +queen and also have gained a reward for herself? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VI</h3> + +<p> +The wicked woman went back to the palace, thinking all the way to herself, +“How can I get a proof of what is not true?” At last an idea came +into her head. She knew that the queen loved to wander in the forest, and that +she was not afraid of the wild creatures, but seemed to understand their +language. She would tell the barber that Kadali-Garbha was a witch and knew the +secrets of the woods; that she had been seen gathering wild herbs, some of them +poisonous, and had been heard muttering strange words to herself as she did so. +</p> + +<p> +Early the next morning the cruel woman went to see the barber, and promised him +a reward if he would tell the king what she had found out about his wife. +“He won’t believe you at first,” she said; “but you +must go on telling him till he does. You are clever, enough,” she added, +“to make up something he will believe if what I have thought of is no +good.” +</p> + +<p> +The barber, who had served the king for many years, would not at first agree to +help to make him unhappy. But he too liked money very much, and in the end he +promised to see what he could do if he was well paid for it. He was, as the +wicked woman had said, clever enough; and he knew from long experience just how +to talk to his master. He began by asking the king if he had heard of the +lovely woman who was sometimes seen by the woodmen wandering about alone in the +forest, with wild creatures following her. Remembering how he had first seen +Kadali-Garbha, Dridha-Varman at once guessed that she was the lovely woman. But +he did not tell the barber so; for he was so proud of his dear wife’s +beauty that he liked to hear her praised, and wanted the man to go on talking +about her. He just said: “What is she like? Is she tall or short, fair or +dark?” The barber answered the questions readily. Then he went on to say +that it was easy to see that the lady was as clever as she was beautiful; for +she knew not only all about animals but also about plants. “Every +day,” he said, “she gathers quantities of herbs, and I have been +told she makes healing medicines of them. Some even go so far as to say she +also makes poisons. But, for my part, I do not believe that; she is too +beautiful to be wicked.” +</p> + +<p> +The king listened, and a tiny little doubt crept into his mind about his wife. +She had never told him about the herbs she gathered, although she often +chattered about her friends in the forest. Perhaps after all it was not +Kadali-Garbha the barber was talking about. He would ask her if she knew +anything about making medicines from herbs. He did so when they were alone +together, and she said at once, “Oh, yes! My father taught me. But I have +never made any since I was married.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you sure?” asked the king; and she answered laughing, +“Of course, I am: how could I be anything but sure? I have no need to +think of medicine-making, now I am the queen.” +</p> + +<p> +Dridha-Varman said no more at the time. But he was troubled; and when the +barber came again, he began at once to ask about the woman who had been seen in +the woods. The wicked man was delighted, and made up a long story. He said one +of the waiting women had told him of what she had seen. The woman, he said, had +followed the lady home one day, and that home was not far from the palace. She +had seen her bending over a fire above which hung a great sauce-pan full of +water, into which she flung some of the herbs she had gathered, singing as she +did so, in a strange language. +</p> + +<p> +“Could it possibly be,” thought the king, “that Kadali-Garbha +had deceived him? Was she perhaps a witch after all?” He remembered that +he really did not know who she was, or who her father was. He had loved her +directly he saw her, just because she was so beautiful. What was he to do now? +He was quite sure, from the description the barber had given of the woman in +the forest, that she was his wife. He would watch her himself in future, and +say nothing to her that would make her think he was doing so. +</p> + +<p> +11. What should the king have done when he heard the barber’s story? +</p> + +<p> +12. Can you really love anybody truly whom you do not trust? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> + +<p> +Although the king said nothing to his wife about what the barber had told him, +he could not treat her exactly as he did before he heard it, and she very soon +began to wonder what she had done to vex him. The first thing she noticed was +that one of the ladies of the court always followed her when she went into the +forest. She did not like this; because she so dearly loved to be alone with the +wild creatures, and they did not come to her when any one else was near. She +told the lady to go away, and she pretended to do so; but she only kept a +little further off. And though the queen could no longer see her, she knew she +was there, and so did the birds and the deer. This went on for a little time; +and then Kadali-Garbha asked her husband to tell every one that she was not to +be disturbed when she went to see her friends in the forest. +</p> + +<p> +“I am afraid,” said the king, “that some harm will come to +you. There are wild beasts in the depths of the wood who might hurt you. And +what should I do if any harm came to my dear one?” +</p> + +<p> +Kadali-Garbha was grieved when Dridha-Varman said this, for she knew it was not +true; and she looked at him so sadly that he felt ashamed of having doubted +her. All would perhaps have been well even now, if he had told her of the story +he had heard about her, because then she could have proved that it was not +true. But he did not do that; he only said, “I cannot let you be alone so +far from home. Why not be content with the lovely gardens all round the palace? +If you still wish to go to the woods, I will send one of the game-keepers with +you instead of the lady who has been watching you. Then he can protect you if +any harmful creature should approach.” +</p> + +<p> +“If my lord does not wish me to be alone in the forest,” answered +the queen, “I will be content with the gardens. For no birds or animals +would come near me if one of their enemies were with me. But,” she added, +as her eyes filled with tears, “will not my lord tell me why he no longer +trusts his wife, who loves him with all her heart?” +</p> + +<p> +The king was very much touched by what Kadali-Garbha said, but still could not +make up his mind to tell her the truth. So he only embraced her fondly, and +said she was a good little wife to be so ready to obey him. The queen went away +very sadly, wondering to herself what she could do to prove to her dear lord +that she loved him as much as ever. She took care never to go outside the +palace gardens, but she longed very much for her old freedom, and began to grow +pale and thin. +</p> + +<p> +The wicked woman who had tried to do her harm was very much disappointed that +she had only succeeded in making her unhappy; so she went again to Asoka-Mala, +and promised her more money if only she would think of some plan to get the +king to send his wife away. The wise woman considered a long time, and then she +said: “You must use the barber again. He goes from house to house, and he +must tell the king that the beautiful woman, who used to roam about in the +forest collecting herbs, has been seen there again in the dead of the night, +when she could be sure no one would find out what she was doing.” +</p> + +<p> +Now it so happened that Kadali-Garbha was often unable to sleep because of her +grief that the king did not love her so much as he used to do. One night she +got so tired of lying awake that she got up very quietly, so as not to disturb +her husband, and putting on her sari, she went out into the gardens, hoping +that the fresh air might help her to sleep. Presently the king too woke up, and +finding that his wife was no longer beside him, he became very uneasy, and was +about to go and seek her, when she came back. He asked her where she had been; +and she told him exactly what had happened, but she did not explain why she +could not sleep. +</p> + +<p> +13. What mistake did the queen make in her treatment of the king? +</p> + +<p> +14. Do you think it is more hurtful to yourself and to others to talk too much +or too little? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER VIII</h3> + +<p> +When the barber was shaving the king the next morning, he told him he had heard +that people were saying the beautiful woman had been seen again one night, +gathering herbs and muttering to herself. “They talk, my lord,” +said the man, “of your own name having been on her lips; and those who +love and honour you are anxious for your safety. Maybe the woman is indeed a +witch, who for some reason of her own will try to poison you.” +</p> + +<p> +Now Dridha-Varman remembered that Kadali-Garbha had left him the night before, +“and perhaps,” he thought, “at other times when I was +asleep.” He could scarcely wait until the barber had finished shaving +him, so eager was he to find out the truth. He hurried to his wife’s +private room, but she was not there; and her ladies told him she had not been +seen by them that day. This troubled him terribly, and he roused the whole +palace to seek her. Messengers were soon hurrying to and fro, but not a trace +of her could be found. Dridha-Varman was now quite sure that the woman the +barber had talked about was Kadali-Garbha, the wife he had so loved and +trusted. “Perhaps,” he thought, “she has left poison in my +food, and has gone away so as not to see me die.” He would neither eat +nor drink, and he ordered all the ladies whose duty it was to wait on the queen +to be locked up till she was found. Amongst them was the wicked woman who had +done all the mischief because of her jealousy of the beautiful young queen, and +very much she wished she had never tried to harm her. +</p> + +<p> +15. Where do you suppose the queen had gone? +</p> + +<p> +16. What mistake did the king make when he heard the queen was missing? +</p> + +<h3>CHAPTER IX</h3> + +<p> +In her trouble about the loss of the king’s love Kadali-Garbha longed for +her father, for she felt sure he would be able to help her. So she determined +to go to him. With the aid of the wise woman who had given her the packet of +mustard seed, and who had been her best friend at court, she disguised herself +as a messenger, and, mounted on a strong little pony, she sped along the path +marked out by the young shoots of mustard, reaching her old home in the forest +before the night fell. Great indeed was the joy of Mana Kanaka at the sight of +his beloved child, and very soon she had poured out all her sorrow to him. The +hermit was at first very much enraged with his son-in-law for the way in which +he had treated Kadali-Garbha, and declared that he would use all the powers he +had to punish him. “Never,” he said, “shall he see your dear +face again; but I will go to him and call down on him all manner of +misfortunes. You know not, dear child, I have never wished you to know, that I +am a magician and can make the very beasts of the field and the winds of heaven +obey me. I know full well who has made this mischief between you and your +husband, and I will see that punishment overtakes them.” +</p> + +<p> +“No, no, father,” cried Kadali-Garbha; “I will not have any +harm done to my dear one, for I love him with all my heart. All I ask of you is +to prove to him that I am innocent of whatever fault he thinks I have +committed, and to make him love and trust me again.” +</p> + +<p> +It was hard work to persuade Mana Kanaka to promise not to harm the king, but +in the end he yielded. Together the father and daughter rode back to the +palace, and together they were brought before Dridha-Varman, who, in spite of +the anger he had felt against his wife, was overjoyed to see her. When he +looked at her clinging to Mana Kanaka’s arm, as she had done the first +time they met, all his old love returned, and he would have taken her in his +arms and told her so before the whole court, if she had not drawn back. It was +Mana Kanaka who was the first to speak. Drawing himself up to his full height, +and pointing to the king, he charged him with having broken his vow to love and +protect his wife. “You have listened to lying tongues,” he said, +“and I will tell you to whom those tongues belong, that justice may be +done to them.” +</p> + +<p> +Once more Kadali-Garbha interfered. “No, father,” she said; +“let their names be forgotten: only prove to my lord that I am his loving +faithful wife, and I will be content.” +</p> + +<p> +“I need no proof,” cried Dridha-Varman; “but lest others +should follow their evil example, I will have vengeance on the slanderers. Name +them, and their doom shall be indeed a terrible one.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Mana Kanaka told the king the whole sad story; and when it was ended the +wicked woman who had first thought of injuring the queen, and the barber who +had helped her, were sent for to hear their doom, which was—to be shut +up for the rest of their lives in prison. This was changed to two years only, +because Kadali-Garbha was generous enough to plead for them. As for the third +person in the plot, the old witch of the cave, not a word was said about her by +anybody. Mana Kanaka knew well enough what her share in the matter had been; +but magicians and witches are careful not to make enemies of each other, and so +he held his peace. +</p> + +<p> +Dridha-Varman was so grateful to his father-in-law for bringing his wife back +to him, that he wanted him to stop at court, and said he would give him a very +high position there. But Mana Kanaka refused every reward, declaring that he +loved his little home in the forest better than the grand rooms he might have +had in the palace. “All I wish for,” he said, “is my dear +child’s happiness. I hope you will never again listen to stories against +your wife. If you do, you may be very sure that I shall hear of it; and next +time I know that you have been unkind to her I will punish you as you +deserve.” +</p> + +<p> +The king was obliged to let Mana Kanaka go, but after this he took +Kadali-Garbha to see her father in the forest very often. Later, when the queen +had some children of her own, their greatest treat was to go to the little +home, in the depths of the wood. They too learnt to love animals, and had a +great many pets, but none of those pets were kept in cages. +</p> + +<p> +17. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? +</p> + +<p> +18. Which of all the people in this tale do you like best? +</p> + +<p> +19. What do you think is the greatest power in all the world? +</p> + +<p> +20. If you had been Kadali-Garbha would you have forgiven those who tried to do +you harm? +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>NOTES</h2> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-1" id="fn-1"></a> <a href="#fnref-1">[1]</a> +The city which occupied the site of present Patna was known as Patali-Putra in +the time of Alexander the Great. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="fn-2" id="fn-2"></a> <a href="#fnref-2">[2]</a> +There are seventy-two versions of this tale in vogue amongst the high +castes of India; the one here given is taken from Raj-Yoga, the highest form of +Hindu ascetic philosophy. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block;margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES FROM THE SANSKRIT ***</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0;'>This file should be named 11310-h.htm or 11310-h.zip</div> +<div style='display:block;margin:1em 0;'>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/3/1/11310/</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + +Author: S. M. Mitra and Nancy Bell + +Release Date: February 26, 2004 [EBook #11310] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HINDU TALES FROM THE SANSKRIT *** + + + + + + +Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + + +Translated by + +S. M. Mitra + +Adapted by + +Mrs. Arthur Bell + + + +1919 + + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTE. + +Thanks to Mr. S.M. Mitra, the well-known Hindu psychologist and +politician, who has done so much to draw more closely together +the land of his birth and that of his adoption, I am able to bring +within reach of English children a number of typical Hindu Tales, +translated by him from the Sanskrit, some of them culled from the +ancient classics of India, others from widely separated sources. The +latter have hitherto been quite inaccessible to western students, +as they are not yet embodied in literature, but have been transmitted +orally from generation to generation for many centuries. + +These tales are not only of a kind to enchain the attention of +children. They also illustrate well the close affinity between the two +chief branches of the great Aryan race, and are of considerable ethical +value, reflecting, as they do, the philosophy of self-realisation +which lies at the root of Hindu culture. They have been used from +time immemorial by the best teachers of India as a means of building +up the personalities of the young and maintaining the efficiency of +the adult. They serve in fact as text-books of the unique system of +Mind-Training which has been in use in India from remote Vedic times, +the root principle of which is as simple as it is effective. + +Hindu children become familiar at their mothers' knees with these +stories, and are trained to answer questions on them, subtly chosen to +suit their ages and call into action their mental faculties. Appealing +to them as an amusing game, in which they vie with each other in +trying to solve the problems presented for their consideration, +the boys and girls, who are educated together till they are ten or +twelve years old, early learn to concentrate their attention; whilst +the simultaneous development of all their powers is encouraged and +they are, imperceptibly to themselves led to control their thoughts +and emotions from within, instead of having to obey orders which +they do not understand from without. They realize indeed, whilst +still in the nursery, the ideal suggested by the sage Vidura in the +Mahabharata: "Seek to know thyself by means of thyself, keeping thy +mind, intellect and senses, under control; for self is thy friend as +it is also thy foe." + +Nancy Bell. + +Southbourne-on-Sea, 1918. + + + +CONTENTS. + + +1. The Magic Pitcher +2. The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl +3. A Royal Thief-Catcher +4. The Magic Shoes and Staff +5. The Jewelled Arrow +6. The Beetle and the Silken Thread +7. A Crow and His Three Friends +8. A Clever Thief +9. The Hermit's Daughter + + + + + + +STORY I + +The Magic Pitcher. + + +CHAPTER I + + +Long, long ago there lived far away in India a woodcutter called Subha +Datta and his family, who were all very happy together. The father +went every day to the forest near his home to get supplies of wood, +which he sold to his neighbours, earning by that means quite enough +to give his wife and children all that they needed. Sometimes he took +his three boys with him, and now and then, as a special treat, his two +little girls were allowed to trot along beside him. The boys longed to +be allowed to chop wood for themselves, and their father told them that +as soon as they were old enough he would give each of them a little axe +of his own. The girls, he said, must be content with breaking off small +twigs from the branches he cut down, for he did not wish them to chop +their own fingers off. This will show you what a kind father he was, +and you will be very sorry for him when you hear about his troubles. + +All went well with Subha Datta for a long time. Each of the boys had +his own little axe at last, and each of the girls had a little pair +of scissors to cut off twigs; and very proud they all were when they +brought some wood home to their mother to use in the house. One day, +however, their father told them they could none of them come with him, +for he meant to go a very long way into the forest, to see if he could +find better wood there than nearer home. Vainly the boys entreated him +to take them with him. "Not to-day," he said, "you would be too tired +to go all the way, and would lose yourselves coming back alone. You +must help your mother to-day and play with your sisters." They had +to be content, for although Hindu children are as fond of asking +questions as English boys and girls, they are very obedient to their +parents and do all they are told without making any fuss about it. + +Of course, they expected their father would come back the day he +started for the depths of the forest, although they knew he would +be late. What then was their surprise when darkness came and there +was no sign of him! Again and again their mother went to the door +to look for him, expecting every moment to see him coming along the +beaten path which led to their door. Again and again she mistook the +cry of some night-bird for his voice calling to her. She was obliged +at last to go to bed with a heavy heart, fearing some wild beast had +killed him and that she would never see him again. + +1. What do you think had become of Subha Datta? + +2. What would you have done when he did not come back? + + + +CHAPTER II + + +When Subha Datta started for the forest, he fully intended to come +back the same evening; but as he was busy cutting down a tree, he +suddenly had a feeling that he was no longer alone. He looked up, and +there, quite close to him, in a little clearing where the trees had +been cut down by some other woodcutter, he saw four beautiful young +girls looking like fairies in their thin summer dresses and with +their long hair flowing down their backs, dancing round and round, +holding each other's hands. Subha Datta was so astonished at the +sight that he let his axe fall, and the noise startled the dancers, +who all four stood still and stared at him. + +The woodcutter could not say a word, but just gazed and gazed at them, +till one of them said to him: "Who are you, and what are you doing in +the very depths of the forest where we have never before seen a man?" + +"I am only a poor woodcutter," he replied, "come to get some wood to +sell, so as to give my wife and children something to eat and some +clothes to wear." + +"That is a very stupid thing to do," said one of the girls. "You can't +get much money that way. If you will only stop with us we will have +your wife and children looked after for you much better than you can +do it yourself." + +3. What would you have said if you had been the woodcutter? + +4. Do you think the fairies really meant that they could do as they +offered? + + + +CHAPTER III + + +Subha Datta, though he certainly did love his wife and children, was +so tempted at the idea of stopping in the forest with the beautiful +girls that, after hesitating a little while, he said, "Yes, I will stop +with you, if you are quite sure all will be well with my dear ones." + +"You need not be afraid about that," said another of the girls. "We +are fairies, you see, and we can do all sorts of wonderful things. It +isn't even necessary for us to go where your dear ones are. We shall +just wish them everything they want, and they will get it. And the +first thing to be done is to give you some food. You must work for +us in return, of course." + +Subha Datta at once replied, "I will do anything you wish." + +"Well, begin by sweeping away all the dead leaves from the clearing, +and then we will all sit down and eat together." + +Subha Datta was very glad that what he was asked to do was so easy. He +began by cutting a branch from a tree, and with it he swept the floor +of what was to be the dining-room. Then he looked about for the food, +but he could see nothing but a great big pitcher standing in the +shade of a tree, the branches of which hung over the clearing. So +he said to one of the fairies, "Will you show me where the food is, +and exactly where you would like me to set it out?" + +At these questions all the fairies began to laugh, and the sound of +their laughter was like the tinkling of a number of bells. + +5. What was there to laugh at in the questions of Subha Datta? + +6. What is your idea of a fairy? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +When the fairies saw how astonished Subha Datta was at the way they +laughed, it made them laugh still more, and they seized each other's +hands again and whirled round and round, laughing all the time. + +Poor Subha Datta, who was very tired and hungry, began to get unhappy +and to wish he had gone straight home after all. He stooped down to +pick up his axe, and was just about to turn away with it, when the +fairies stopped their mad whirl and cried to him to stop. So he waited, +and one of them said: + +"We don't have to bother about fetching this and fetching that. You +see that big pitcher. Well, we get all our food and everything else +we want out of it. We just have to wish as we put our hands in, +and there it is. It's a magic pitcher--the only one there is in the +whole wide world. You get the food you would like to have first, +and then we'll tell you what we want." + +Subha Datta could hardly believe his ears when he heard that. Down he +threw his axe, and hastened to put his hand in the pitcher, wishing +for the food he was used to. He loved curried rice and milk, lentils, +fruit and vegetables, and very soon he had a beautiful meal spread +out for himself on the ground. Then the fairies called out, one after +the other, what they wanted for food, things the woodcutter had never +heard of or seen, which made him quite discontented with what he had +chosen for himself. + +7. What would you have wished for if you had had a magic pitcher? + +8. Would it be a good thing, do you think, to be able to get food +without working for it or paying for it? + + +CHAPTER V + + +The next few days passed away like a dream, and at first Subha Datta +thought he had never been so happy in his life. The fairies often went +off together leaving him alone, only coming back to the clearing when +they wanted something out of the pitcher. The woodcutter got all kinds +of things he fancied for himself, but presently he began to wish he +had his wife and children with him to share his wonderful meals. He +began to miss them terribly, and he missed his work too. It was no +good cutting trees down and chopping up wood when all the food was +ready cooked. Sometimes he thought he would slip off home when the +fairies were away, but when he looked at the pitcher he could not +bear the thought of leaving it. + +9. What sort of man do you think Subha Datta was from what this story +tells you about him? + +10. What do you think was the chief cause of his becoming discontented +after he had been in the service of the fairies for a few days? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +Soon Subha Datta could not sleep well for thinking of the wife and +children he had deserted. Suppose they were hungry when he had plenty +to eat! It even came into his head that he might steal the pitcher +and take it home with him when the fairies were away. But he had not +after all the courage to do this; for even when the beautiful girls +were not in sight, he had a feeling that they would know if he tried +to go off with the pitcher, and that they would be able to punish him +in some terrible way. One night he had a dream that troubled him very +much. He saw his wife sitting crying bitterly in the little home he +used to love, holding the youngest child on her knee whilst the other +three stood beside her looking at her very, very sadly. He started up +from the ground on which he lay, determined to go home at once; but +at a little distance off he saw the fairies dancing in the moonlight, +and somehow he felt again he could not leave them and the pitcher. The +next day, however, he was so miserable that the fairies noticed it, +and one of them said to him: "Whatever is the matter? We don't care +to keep unhappy people here. If you can't enjoy life as we do, you +had better go home." + +Then Subha Datta was very much frightened lest they should really +send him away; so he told them about his dream and that he was afraid +his dear ones were starving for want of the money lie used to earn +for them. + +"Don't worry about them," was the reply: "we will let your wife know +what keeps you away. We will whisper in her ear when she is asleep, +and she will be so glad to think of your happiness that she will +forget her own troubles." + +11. Do you think what the fairies said to the woodcutter was likely +to comfort him about his wife and children? + +12. If you had been in Subha Datta's place what would you have said +to the fairies when they made this promise? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Subha Datta was very much cheered by the sympathy of the fairies, +so much so that he decided to stop with them for a little longer +at least. Now and then he felt restless, but on the whole the time +passed pleasantly, and the pitcher was a daily delight to him. + +Meanwhile his poor wife was at her wits' end how to feed her dear +children. If it had not been that the two boys were brave, plucky +little chaps, she really would have been in despair. When their father +did not come back and all their efforts to find him were in vain, +these boys set to work to help their mother. They could not cut +down trees, but they could climb them and chop off small branches +with their axes; and this they did, making up bundles of faggots and +selling them to their neighbours. These neighbours were touched by +the courage they showed, and not only paid them well for the wood +but often gave them milk and rice and other little things to help +them. In time they actually got used to being without Subha Datta, +and the little girls nearly forgot all about him. Little did they +dream of the change that was soon to come into their lives. + +13. Was it a good or a bad thing for the boys that their father did +not come back? + +14. If you think it was a good thing, will you explain why? and if +it was a bad thing, why you think it was? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +A month passed peacefully away in the depths of the forest, Subha +Datta waiting on the fairies and becoming every day more selfish +and bent on enjoying himself. Then he had another dream, in which he +saw his wife and children in the old home with plenty of food, and +evidently so happy without him that he felt quite determined to go and +show them he was still alive. When he woke he said to the fairies, +"I will not stop with you any longer. I have had a good time here, +but I am tired of this life away from my own people." + +The fairies saw he was really in earnest this time, so they consented +to let him go; but they were kind-hearted people and felt they ought +to pay him in some way for all he had done for them. They consulted +together, and then one of them told him they wished to make him a +present before he went away, and they would give him whatever he +asked for. + +15. What do you think it was that made Subha Datta determine to go +home when he found his wife and children could do without him? + +16. What would you have chosen if the fairies had told you you could +have anything you liked? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +Directly the woodcutter heard he could have anything he asked for, +he cried, "I will have the magic pitcher." + +You can just imagine what a shock this was to the fairies! You know, +of course, that fairies always keep their word. If they could not +persuade Subha Datta to choose something else, they would have to +give him their beloved, their precious pitcher and would have to +seek their food for themselves. They all tried all they could to +persuade the woodcutter to choose something else. They took him to +their own secret treasure-house, in an old, old tree with a hollow +trunk, even the entrance to which no mortal had ever been allowed +to see. They blindfolded him before they started, so that he could +never reveal the way, and one of them led him by the hand, telling +him where the steps going down from the tree began. When at last the +bandage was taken from his eyes, he found himself in a lofty hall +with an opening in the roof through which the light came. Piled up +on the floor were sparkling stones worth a great deal of gold and +silver money, and on the walls hung beautiful robes. Subha Datta was +quite dazed with all lie saw, but he was only an ignorant woodcutter +and did not realize the value of the jewels and clothes. So when the +fairies, said to him, "Choose anything you like here and let us keep +our pitcher," he shook his head and said: "No! no! no! The pitcher! I +will have the pitcher!" One fairy after another picked up the rubies +and diamonds and other precious stones and held them in the light, +that the woodcutter might see how lovely they were; and when he still +only shook his head, they got down the robes and tried to make him +put one of them on. "No! the pitcher! the pitcher!" he said, and at +last they had to give it up. They bound his eyes again and led him +back to the clearing and the pitcher. + +17. Would you have been tempted to give up the pitcher when you saw +the jewels and the robes? + +18. What made Subha Datta so determined to have the pitcher? + + +CHAPTER X + + +Even when they were all back again in the clearing the fairies did +not quite give up hope of keeping their pitcher. This time they gave +other reasons why Subha Datta should not have it. "It will break very +easily," they told him, "and then it will be no good to you or any +one else. But if you take some of the money, you can buy anything +you like with it. If you take some of the jewels you can sell them +for lots of money." + +"No! no! no!" cried the woodcutter. "The pitcher! the pitcher! I will +have the pitcher!" + +"Very well then, take, the pitcher," they sadly answered, "and never +let us see your face again!" + +So Subha Datta took the pitcher, carrying it very, very carefully, +lest he should drop it and break it before he got home. He did not +think at all of what a cruel thing it was to take it away from the +fairies, and leave them either to starve or to seek for food for +themselves. The poor fairies watched him till he was out of sight, +and then they began to weep and wring their hands. "He might at least +have waited whilst we got some food out for a few days," one of them +said. "He was too selfish to think of that," said another. "Come, +let us forget all about him and go and look for some fruit." + +So they all left off crying and went away hand in hand. Fairies do +not want very much to eat. They can live on fruit and dew, and they +never let anything make them sad for long at a time. They go out of +this story now, but you need not be unhappy about them, because you +may be very sure that they got no real harm from their generosity to +Subha Datta in letting him take the pitcher. + +19. Do you think the woodcutter was wrong to ask for the pitcher? + +20. What would have been the best thing for Subha Datta to ask for, +if he had decided to let the fairies keep their pitcher? + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +You can just imagine what a surprise it was to Subha Datta's wife +and children when they saw him coming along the path leading to his +home. He did not bring the pitcher with him, but had hidden it in a +hollow tree in the wood near his cottage, for he did not mean any one +to know that he had it. He told his wife that he had lost his way in +the forest, and had been afraid he would never see her or his children +again, but he said nothing about the fairies. When his wife asked him +how he had got food, he told her a long story about the fruits he +had found, and she believed all he said, and determined to make up +to him now for all she thought he had suffered. When she called the +little girls to come and help her get a nice meal for their father, +Subha Datta said: "Oh, don't bother about that! I've brought something +back with me. I'll go and fetch it, but no one is to come with me." + +Subha Datta's wife was sorely disappointed at this, because she loved +her husband so much that it was a joy to her to work for him. The +children too wanted, of course, to go with their father, but he +ordered them to stop where they were. He seized a big basket which was +fall of fuel for the fire, tumbled all the wood in it on the floor, +and went off alone to the pitcher. Very soon he was back again with +his basket full of all sorts of good things, the very names of which +his wife and children had no idea of. "There!" he cried; "what do you +think of that? Am I not a clever father to have found all that in the +forest? Those are the 'fruits' I meant when I told Mother about them." + +21. What would you have thought about this wonderful supply of food, +if you had been one of the woodcutter's children? + +22. Was it a good thing for those children to have all this food +without working for it? If not, why was it not a good thing? + + +CHAPTER XII + + +Life was now, of course, completely changed for the family in the +forest. Subha Datta no longer went to cut wood to be sold, and the +boys also left off doing so. Every day their father fetched food for +them all, and the greatest desire of each one of the family was to +find out where it came from. They never could do so, for Subha Datta +managed to make them afraid to follow him when he went forth with +his basket. The secret he kept from the wife to whom he used to tell +everything soon began to spoil the happiness of the home. The children +who had no longer anything to do quarrelled with each other. Their +mother got sadder and sadder, and at last decided to tell Subha Datta +that, unless he would let her know where the food came from, she would +go away from him and take her little girls with her. She really did +mean to do this, but something soon happened to change everything +again. Of course, the neighbours in the wood, who had bought the +fuel from the boys and helped them by giving them fruit and rice, +heard of the return of their father and of the wonderful change in +their lot. Now the whole family had plenty to eat every day, though +none of them knew where it all came from. Subha Datta was very fond +of showing off what he could do, and sometimes asked his old friends +amongst the woodcutters to come and have a meal with him. When they +arrived they would find all sorts of good things spread out on the +ground and different kinds of wines in beautiful bottles. + +This went on for some months, Subha Datta getting prouder and prouder +of all that he could do, and it seemed likely that his secret would +never be discovered. Everybody tried to find it out, and many followed +him secretly when he set forth into the woods; but he was very clever +at dodging them, hiding his treasure constantly in a new place in the +dead of the night. If he had only been content with getting food out +of his pitcher and drinking pure water, all would most likely have +been well with him. But that was just what he could not do. Till he +had his pitcher he had never drunk anything but water, but now he +often took too much wine. It was this which led to the misfortune +of losing his beloved pitcher. He began to boast of his cleverness, +telling his friends there was nothing they wanted that he could not +get for them; and one day when he had given them a very grand feast, +in which were several rare kinds of food they had asked for, he drank +too much wine--so much that he no longer knew what he was saying. + +This was the chance his guests wanted. They began teasing him, +telling him they believed he was really a wicked robber, who had +stolen the food or the money to buy it. He got angry, and at last +was actually silly enough to tell them all to come with him, and +he would show them he was no robber. When his wife heard this, she +was half pleased to think that now at last the secret would come out +of where the food came from, and half afraid that something terrible +would happen. The children too were greatly excited, and went with the +rest of the party, who followed their father to the last hiding-place +of the precious pitcher. + +When, they all got very near the place, however, some idea began to +come into Subha Datta's head that he was doing a very foolish thing. He +stopped suddenly, turned round facing the crowd that followed him, +and said he would not go a step further till they all went back to +the cottage. His wife begged him to let her at least go with him, +and the children all clamoured not to be sent back, but it was no +good. Back they all had to go, the woodcutter watching till they were +out of sight. + +23. Would Subha Datta have been wise if he had told has wife about +the pitcher? + +24. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for the +secret to be found out? + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +When the woodcutter was quite sure that every one was gone and +nobody could see where he had hidden the pitcher, he took it from the +hole in which it lay and carried it carefully to his home. You can +imagine how everybody rushed out to meet him when he came in sight, +and crowded round him, so that there was danger of the pitcher being +thrown to the ground and broken. Subha Datta however managed to get +into the cottage without any accident, and then he began to take +things out of the pitcher and fling them on the ground, shouting, +"Am I a robber? Am I a robber? Who dared to call me a robber?" Then, +getting more and more excited, he picked up the pitcher, and holding +it on his shoulder began to dance wildly about. His wife called out +to him, "Oh, take care, take care! You will drop it!" But he paid no +attention to her. Suddenly, however, he began to feel giddy and fell to +the ground, dropping the pitcher as he did so. It was broken to pieces, +and a great cry of sorrow went up from all who saw the accident. The +woodcutter himself was broken-hearted, for he knew that he had done +the mischief himself, and that if only he had resisted the temptation +to drink the wine he would still have his treasure. + +He was going to pick up the pieces to see if they could be stuck +together, but to his very great surprise lie could not touch them. He +heard a silvery laugh, and what sounded like children clapping their +hands, and he thought he also heard the words, "Our pitcher is ours +again!" Could it all have been a dream? No: for there on the ground +were the fruits and cakes that had been in the pitcher, and there +were his wife, his children and his friends, all looking sadly and +angrily at him. One by one the friends went away, leaving Subha Datta +alone with his family. + +25. If you had been Subha Datta's wife, what would you have done when +this misfortune came to her husband? + +26. What would you have done if you had been the woodcutter? + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +This is the end of the story of the Magic Pitcher, but it was +the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of Subha Datta and +his family. They never forgot the wonder-working pitcher, and the +children were never tired of hearing the story of how their father +came to get it. They often wandered about in the forest, hoping that +they too would meet with some wonderful adventure, but they never saw +the fairies or found a magic pitcher. By slow degrees the woodcutter +returned to his old ways, but he had learnt one lesson. He never +again kept a secret from his wife; because he felt sure that, if he +had told her the truth about the pitcher when he first came home, +she would have helped him to save the precious treasure. + +27. What lesson can be learnt from this story? + +28. Do you think it is easier for a boy or a girl to keep a secret? + +29. Why is it wrong to let out a secret you have been told? + +30. What do you think was the chief fault in the character of Subha +Datta? + + + +STORY II + +The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl. + + +CHAPTER I + + +This is the story of four creatures, none of whom loved each other, +who lived in the same banyan tree in a forest in India. Banyan trees +are very beautiful and very useful, and get their name from the fact +that "banians," as merchants are called in India, often gather together +in their shade to sell their goods. Banyan trees grow to a very great +height, spreading their branches out so widely that many people can +stand beneath them. From those branches roots spring forth, which, +when they reach the ground, pierce it, and look like, columns holding +up a roof. If you have never seen a banyan tree, you can easily find +a picture of one in some dictionary; and when you have done so, you +will understand that a great many creatures can live in one without +seeing much of each other. + +In an especially fine banyan tree, outside the walls of a town called +Vidisa, a cat, an owl, a lizard and a mouse, had all taken up their +abode. The cat lived in a big hole in the trunk some little distance +from the ground, where she could sleep very cosily, curled up out +of sight with her head resting on her forepaws, feeling perfectly +safe from harm; for no other creature, she thought, could possibly +discover her hiding-place. The owl roosted in a mass of foliage at +the top of the tree, near the nest in which his wife had brought up +their children, before those children flew away to seek mates for +themselves. He too felt pretty secure as long as he remained up there; +but he had seen the cat prowling about below him more than once, +and was very sure that, if she should happen to catch sight of him +when he was off his guard seeking his prey and obliged to give all +his attention to what he was doing, she might spring out upon him +and kill him. Cats do not generally attack such big birds as owls, +but they will sometimes kill a mother sitting in her nest, as well +as the little ones, if the father is too far off to protect them. + +The lizard loved to lie and bask in the sunshine, catching the flies +on which he lived, lying so still that they did not notice him, and +darting out his long tongue suddenly to suck them into his mouth. Yet +he hid from the owl and the cat, because he knew full well that, +tough though he was, they would gobble him up if they happened to be +hungry. He made his home amongst the roots on the south side of the +tree where it was hottest, but the mouse had his hole on the other side +amongst damp moss and dead leaves. The mouse was in constant fear of +the cat and the owl. He knew that both of them could see in the dark, +and he would have no chance of escape if they once caught sight of him. + +1. Which of these four creatures do you think was most to be pitied? + +2. Do you think that animals ever hate or love each as human +creatures do? + + +CHAPTER II + + +The lizard and the mouse could only get food in daylight; but the +lizard did not have to go far for the flies on which he lived, whilst +the mouse had a very dangerous journey to take to his favourite feeding +place. This was a barley field a short distance from the banyan tree, +where he loved to nibble the full ears, running up the stalks to get at +them. The mouse was the only one of the four creatures in the banyan +tree who did not feed on others; for, like the rest of his family, +he was a vegetarian, that is to say, he ate nothing but vegetables +and fruit. + +Now the cat knew full well how fond the mouse was of the barley-field, +and she used to keep watch amongst the tall stems, creeping stealthily +about with her tail in the air and her green eyes glistening, +expecting any moment to see the poor little mouse darting hastily +along. The cat never dreamt that any danger could come to her, and +she trod down the barley, making quite a clear path through it. She +was quite wrong in thinking herself so safe, for that path got her +into very serious trouble. + +It so happened that a hunter, whose great delight was to kill wild +creatures, and who was very clever in finding them, noticing every +little thing which could shew him where they had passed by, came +one day into the barley-field. He spied the path directly and cried, +"Ha! ha! Some wild animal has been here; not a very big one; let's +have a look for the footprints!" So he stooped down to the ground, +and very soon saw the marks of pussy's feet. "A cat, I do believe," +he said to himself, "spoiling the barley she doesn't want to eat +herself. I'll soon pay her out." The hunter waited until the evening +lest the creature should see what he was going to do, and then in the +twilight he set snares all over the barley-field. A snare, you know, +is a string with a slip-knot at the end of it; and if an animal puts +his head or one of his paws into this slip-knot and goes on without +noticing it, the string is pulled tight and the poor creature cannot +get free. + +3. Was it right or wrong of the hunter to set the snare? + +4. Do you think the cat was wrong to lie in wait for the mouse? + + +CHAPTER III + + +Exactly what the hunter expected happened. The cat came as usual to +watch for the mouse, and caught sight of him running across the end of +the path. Puss dashed after him; and just as she thought she really +had got him this time, she found herself caught by the neck, for she +had put her head into one of the snares. She was nearly strangled +and could scarcely even mew. The mouse was so close that he heard the +feeble mew, and in a terrible fright, thinking the cat was after him, +he peeped through the stems of the barley to make sure which way to +run to get away from her. What was his delight when he saw his enemy +in such trouble and quite unable to do him any harm! + +Now it so happened that the owl and the lizard were also in the +barley-field, not very far away from the cat, and they too saw the +distress their hated enemy was in. They also caught sight of the little +mouse peeping through the barley; and the owl thought to himself, +"I'll have you, my little friend, now puss cannot do me any harm," +whilst the lizard darted away into the sunshine, feeling glad that +the cat and the owl were neither of them now likely to trouble their +heads about him. The owl flew quietly to a tree hard by to watch what +would happen, feeling so sure of having the mouse for his dinner that +he was in no hurry to catch him. + +5. What would you have done if you had been the mouse, when you saw +the cat in the snare? + +6. Was the owl wise or foolish to wait before he caught the mouse? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +The mouse, small and helpless though he was, was a wise little +creature. He saw the owl fly up into the tree, and knew quite well +that if he did not take care he would serve as dinner to that great +strong bird. He knew too that, if he went within reach of the claws +of the cat, he would suffer for it. "How I do wish," he thought to +himself, "I could make friends with the cat, now she is in distress, +and get her to promise not to hurt me if ever she gets free. As long +as I am near the cat, the owl will not dare to come after me." As he +thought and thought, his eyes got brighter and brighter, and at last +he decided what he would do. He had, you see, kept his presence of +mind; that is to say, he did not let his fright of the cat or the owl +prevent him from thinking clearly. He now ventured forth from amongst +the barley, and coming near enough to the cat for her to see him quite +clearly, but not near enough for her to reach him with her claws, +or far enough away for the owl to get him without danger from those +terrible claws, he said to the cat in a queer little squeaky voice: +"Dear Puss, I do not like to see you in such a fix. It is true we have +never been exactly friends, but I have always looked up to you as a +strong and noble enemy. If you will promise never to do me any harm, +I will do my best to help you. I have very sharp teeth, and I might +perhaps be able to nibble through the string round your beautiful +neck and set you free. What do you think about it?" + +7. Do you think there was any chance of a cat and a mouse becoming +real friends? + +8. Can you give two or three instances you know of presence of mind +in danger? + + + +CHAPTER V + + +When the cat heard what the mouse said, she could hardly believe her +ears. She was of course ready to promise anything to anyone who would +help her, so she said at once: + +"You dear little mouse, to wish to help me. If only you will nibble +through that string which is killing me, I promise that I will always +love you, always be your friend, and however hungry I may be, I will +starve rather than hurt your tender little body." + +On hearing this, the mouse, without hesitating a moment, climbed up +on to the cat's back, and cuddled down in the soft fur near her neck, +feeling very safe and warm there. The owl would certainly not attack +him there, he thought, and the cat could not possibly hurt him. It was +one thing to pounce down on a defenceless little creature running on +the ground amongst the barley, quite another to try and snatch him +from the very neck of a cat. + +The cat of course expected the mouse to begin to nibble through +the string at once, and became very uneasy when she felt the little +creature nestle down as if to go to sleep, instead of helping her. Poor +Pussy could not turn her head so as to see the mouse without drawing +the string tighter, and she did not dare to speak angrily lest she +should offend him. "My dear little friend," she said, "do you not +think it is high time to keep your promise and set me free?" + +Hearing this, the mouse pretended to bite the string, but took care not +to do so really; and the cat waited and waited, getting more miserable +every minute. All through the long night the same thing went on: +the mouse taking a little nap now and then, the cat getting weaker +and weaker. "Oh," she thought to herself, "if only I could get free, +the first thing I would do would be to gobble up that horrid little +mouse." The moon rose, the stars came out, the wind murmured amongst +the branches of the banyan tree, making the unfortunate cat long to be +safe in her cosy home in the trunk. The cries of the wild animals which +prowl about at night seeking their food were heard, and the cat feared +one of them might find her and kill her. A mother tiger perhaps would +snatch her, and take her to her hungry cubs, hidden away in the deep +forest, or a bird of prey might swoop down on her and grip her in his +terrible claws. Again and again she entreated the mouse to be quick, +promising that, if only he would set her at liberty, she would never, +never, never forget it or do any harm to her beloved friend. + +9. What do you suppose the mouse was thinking all this time? + +10. If you had been the mouse, would you have trusted to what the +cat said in her misery? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +It was not until the moon had set and the light of the dawn had put +out that of the stars that the mouse, made any real effort to help +the cat. By this time the hunter who had set the snare came to see if +he had caught the cat; and the poor cat, seeing him in the distance, +became so wild with terror that she nearly killed herself in the +struggle to get away. "Keep still! keep still," cried the mouse, +"and I will really save you." Then with a few quick bites with his +sharp teeth he cut through the string, and the next moment the cat +was hidden amongst the barley, and the mouse was running off in +the opposite direction, determined to keep well out of sight of the +creature he had kept in such misery for so many hours. Full well he +knew that all the cat's promises would be forgotten, and that she +would eat him up if she could catch him. The owl too flew away, +and the lizard went off to hunt flies in the sunshine, and there +was not a sign of any of the four inhabitants of the banyan tree +when the hunter reached the snare. He was very much surprised and +puzzled to find the string hanging loose in two pieces, and no sign +of there having been anything caught in it, except two white hairs +lying on the ground close to the trap. He had a good look round, +and then went home without having found out anything. + +When the hunter was quite out of sight, the cat came forth from the +barley, and hastened back to her beloved home in the banyan tree. On +her way there she spied the mouse also hurrying along in the same +direction, and at first she felt inclined to hunt him and eat him +then and there. On second thoughts however she decided to try and keep +friends with him, because he might help her again if she got caught a +second time. So she took no notice of the mouse until the next day, +when she climbed down the tree and went to the roots in which she +knew the mouse was hidden. There she began to purr as loud as she +could, to show the mouse she was in a good humour, and called out, +"Dear good little mouse, come out of your hole and let me tell you how +very, very grateful I am to you for saving my life. There is nothing in +the world I will not do for you, if you will only be friends with me." + +The mouse only squeaked in answer to this speech, and took very good +care not to show himself, till he was quite sure the cat was gone +beyond reach of him. He stayed quietly in his hole, and only ventured +forth after he had heard the cat climb up into the tree again. "It +is all very well," thought the mouse, "to pretend to make friends +with an enemy when that enemy is helpless, but I should indeed be a +silly mouse to trust a cat when she is free to kill me." + +The cat made a good many other efforts to be friends with the mouse, +but they were all unsuccessful. In the end the owl caught the mouse, +and the cat killed the lizard. The owl and the cat both lived for +the rest of their lives in the banyan tree, and died in the end at +a good old age. + +11. Do you think it is ever possible to make a real friend of an enemy? + +12. What do you think the mouse deserved most praise for in his +behaviour? + +13. Which of the four animals in this story do you like best and +which do you dislike most? + +14. Can an animal be blamed for acting according to its nature? For +instance, can you call it cruel for a cat or an owl to kill and eat +a mouse? + +15. Is it always right to forgive an injury? + +16. Can you give an example from history of the forgiveness of +an injury? + + + +STORY III + +A Royal Thief-Catcher. + + +CHAPTER I + + +In one of the smaller cities of India called Sravasti the people +gathered together on a very hot day to stare at and talk about a +stranger, who had come in to the town, looking very weary and walking +with great difficulty because his feet were sore with tramping for a +long distance on the rough roads. He was a Brahman, that is to say, +a man who devoted his whole life to prayer, and had promised to give +up everything for the sake of pleasing the god in whom he believed, +and to care nothing for comfort, for riches, or for good food. + +This Brahman carried nothing with him but a staff to help him along, +and a bowl in which to receive the offerings of those who thought it +their duty to help him and hoped by doing so to win favour in the sight +of God. He was naked, except for a cloth worn about his loins, and his +long hair was all matted together for want of combing and brushing. He +made his way very slowly and painfully through the crowds, till he came +to a shady corner, and there he sank down exhausted, holding out his +bowl for the gifts of the people. Very soon his bowl would have been +full of all sorts of good things, but he made it clear that he would +accept nothing to eat except rice still in the husk, and nothing to +drink but pure water. He was however willing to take money; and when +the people who wished to help him found that out, they brought him +a good many silver and gold pieces. Some who had no money to spare +gave him jewels and other things which could be sold for money. + +1. Can you explain why the Brahman would only accept such food as +rice in the husk and water? + +2. Do you think it was right or wrong of the Brahman to take money +and jewels? + + +CHAPTER II + + +As time went on, the Brahman became very well known in Sravasti. His +fame indeed spread far beyond the town, and people came from far away +to consult him about all sorts of things, and he gave them good advice, +for he was a very wise man. Those who wanted him to tell them what to +do paid him for his advice, and as some of them had plenty of money +and were glad to help him, he soon became quite rich. He might have +done a great deal of good with all this money by helping the poor and +suffering, but unfortunately he never thought of doing so. Instead +of that, he got to love the money for its own sake. At night, when +all those who had come to see him had gone to rest, and there was no +fear of his being found out, he used to steal away into the forest, +and there he dug a deep hole at the root of a great tree, to which +he took all his money and jewels. + +In India everybody has a siesta, that is to say, a sleep in the +middle of the day, because the heat is so great it is difficult to +keep well and strong without this extra rest. So, although it is quite +light at the time, the streets are deserted, except for the dogs who +prowl about, trying to find something to eat. Now the Brahman loved +his money and other treasures so much, that he used very often to +do without this siesta and go to the forest to enjoy the pleasure of +looking at them. When he got to the tree, he would bend down, clear +away the earth and leaves with which he had hidden his secret hole, +take out the money and let it slip through his fingers, and hold up +the jewels to the light, to watch how they gleamed and glistened. He +was never so happy as when he was alone with his riches, and it was +all he could do to tear himself away from them when the time came to +go back to his shady corner. In fact he was becoming a selfish miser +instead of the holy man the people of Sravasti thought he was. By the +time the siesta was over he was always back again in his place beneath +the tree, holding out his bowl and looking as poor and thin as ever, +so that nobody had the least idea of the truth. + +3. Why was it wrong for the Brahman to hide away his money and jewels? + +4. Can anyone be a miser about other things as well as money and +jewels? If so, what other things? + + + +CHAPTER III + + +For many months the Brahman led this double life; until one day, +when he went as usual to his hiding-place, he saw at once that some +one had been there before him. Eagerly he knelt down, full of fear +of exactly what had actually happened. All his care in concealing the +hole had been wasted, for it was quite empty. The poor man could not +at first believe his own eyes. He rubbed them hard, thinking that +there was something the matter with them. Then he felt round and +round the hole, hoping that after all he was mistaken; and when at +last he was obliged to believe the terrible truth that there really +was not a sign of his money and jewels, he became almost mad with +misery. He began to run from tree to tree, peering into their roots, +and when there was nothing to be seen, he rushed back again to his +empty hole, to look into it once more. Then he wept and tore at his +hair, stamped about and cried aloud to all the gods he believed in, +making all kinds of promises, of what he would do if only they would +give him back his treasures. No answer came, and he began to wonder who +could have done such a terrible thing. It must, he felt sure, have been +one of the people of Sravasti; and he now remembered he had noticed +that a good many of them had looked into his bowl with longing eyes, +when they saw the money and precious stones in it. "What horrible, +wicked people they are," he said to himself. "I hate them. I should +like to hurt them as they have hurt me." As he thought in this way he +got more and more angry, until he became quite worn out with giving +way to his rage. + +5. What would you have done if you had been the Brahman when he lost +his treasure? + +6. Is it wrong to be angry when any one has done you an injury? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +After roaming about in the forest for a long time, the Brahman went +back to the house in Sravasti where some kind people had lent him a +room, glad and proud to have such a holy man, as they thought he was, +living under their roof. He felt sure they had had nothing to do with +the loss of his treasure, because they had given him many proofs of +their goodness and honesty. Soon he was pouring out all his grief to +them, and they did all they could to comfort him, telling him that he +would very soon have plenty more money and jewels. They let him see +however that they thought it was mean of him to hide away his riches, +instead of using them to help the poor and suffering; and this added +very much to his rage. At last he lost all self-control and cried, +"It is not worth while for me to live any longer. I will go to some +holy place of pilgrimage by the banks of the river, and there I will +starve myself to death." + +A place of pilgrimage, you know, is one where some great event, +generally connected with religion, has taken place, to which +pilgrims go to pray in the hope of winning some special favour from +God. The word pilgrim means a wanderer, but it has come in course +of time to signify any traveller who comes from a distance to some +such place. Benares in India is a very famous place of pilgrimage, +because it is on the River Ganges, which the Hindus worship and love, +believing that its waters can wash away their sins. Hundreds and +thousands of Hindus go there every year to bathe in it, and many +who know that they have not long to live wait on its banks to die, +so that after their bodies have been burnt, as is the custom with +the Hindus, their ashes may be thrown into the sacred stream. + +7. Can you name two other places of pilgrimage, one held sacred by +Christians and one by Hindus? + +8. Will you explain exactly why the two places you have thought of +are considered holy? + + +CHAPTER V + + +The news of the Brahman's loss spread very quickly through Sravasti; +and as is so often the case, every one who told the story made it a +little different, so that it became very difficult to know what the +truth really was. There was great distress in the town, because the +people thought the Brahman would go away, and they did not want him to +do that. They were proud of having a man they thought so holy, living +amongst them, and ashamed that he should have been robbed whilst he was +with them. When they heard that he meant to starve himself to death, +they were dreadfully shocked, and determined to do all they possibly +could to prevent it. One after another of the chief men of Sravasti +came to see him, and entreated him not to be in such a hurry to be +sure that his treasure would never be found. They said they would +all do everything they possibly could to get it back for him. Some of +them thought it was very wrong of him to make such a fuss about it, +and blamed him for being a miser. They told him it was foolish to +care so much for what he could not take with him when he died, and +one specially wise old man gave him a long lecture on the wickedness +of taking away the life which had been given to him by God to prepare +for that in the other world. "Put the idea of starving yourself out +of your head," he said, "and whilst we are seeking your treasure, +go on as you did before you lost it. Next time you have any money +and jewels, turn them to good account instead of hoarding them up." + +9. Do you think the Brahman was of any real use to the people of +Sravasti? + +10. In what qualities do you think the Brahman was wanting when he +made up his mind to starve himself to death? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +In spite of all that any one could say to him, the Brahman was quite +determined that he would not live any longer. He set off to the place +of pilgrimage he had chosen, taking no notice of any one he met, +but just marching steadily on. At first a number of people followed +him, but by degrees they left off doing so, and soon he was quite +alone. Presently however he could not help noticing a man approaching +from the direction in which he was going. Very tall, very handsome, +very dignified, this man was one whom no one could fail to admire, +even if he had been only an ordinary person. But he was the king of +the whole country, whose name was Prasnajit; and a little distance +behind him were a number of his attendants, waiting to obey his +orders. Everybody, even the Brahman, loved the king, because he took +such a very great interest in his people and was always trying to do +them good. He had heard all about the loss of the money, and was very +much vexed that such a thing should have happened in his land. He had +also heard that the Brahman meant to kill himself, and this distressed +him more than anything else, because he thought it a very wicked and +terrible thing to do. + +The king stood so exactly in the path of the Brahman that it was +impossible to pass him by without taking any notice of him, and +the unhappy man stood still, hanging down his head and looking very +miserable. Without waiting for a moment, Prasnajit said to the Brahman: +"Do not grieve any more. I will find your treasure for you, and give +it back to you; or if I fail to do so I will pay you as much as it was +worth out of my own purse: for I cannot bear to think of your killing +yourself. Now tell me very carefully where you hid your gold and +jewels, and everything about the place, to help me to make sure of it." + +The Brahman was greatly delighted to hear this, because he knew full +well that the king would keep his word, and that, even if his own +treasure was never found, he would have plenty of money given to him +by the king. He at once told Prasnajit exactly where he had put his +store, and offered to take him there. The king agreed to go with him +at once, and he and the Brahman went straight away to the big hole +in the forest, the attendants following them a little way behind. + +11. If you had been the king, how would you have set about finding +the treasure? + +12. Was it a good or a bad thing for the Brahman to have secured the +help of the king? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +After the king had seen the big empty hole, and noticed exactly where +it was, and the nearest way to it from the town, he returned to his +palace, first telling the Brahman to go back to the house he lived +in, and wait there till he received a message from him. He promised +to see that he wanted for nothing, and sent one of his attendants +to a rich merchant of Sravasti, who had already done a good deal +for the Brahman, to order him to supply the holy man with all he +needed. Very glad that after all he was not going to die, the Brahman +obeyed willingly, and for the next few days he was taken care of by +the merchant, who supplied him with plenty of food. + +As soon as Prasnajit was back in his palace, he pretended that he was +taken suddenly ill. His head ached badly, he said, and he could not +make out what was the matter with him. He ordered a proclamation to +be sent all round the town, telling all the doctors to come to the +palace to see him. All the doctors in the place at once hastened to +obey, each of them hoping that he would be the one to cure the king +and win a great reward. So many were they that the big reception +room was full of them, and they all glared at each other so angrily +that the attendants kept careful watch lest they should begin to +fight. One at a time they were taken to the king's private room, +but very much to their surprise and disappointment he seemed quite +well and in no need of help from them. Instead of talking about his +own illness, he asked each doctor who his patients were in the town, +and what medicines he was giving to them. Of course Prasnajit's +questions were carefully answered; but the king said nothing more, +just waving his hand to shew that the interview was at an end. Then +the attendants led the visitor out. At last however a doctor came, +who said something which led the king to keep him longer than he had +kept any of the others. This doctor was a very famous healer who had +saved the lives of many of Prasnajit's subjects. He told the king +that a merchant named Matri-Datta was very ill, suffering greatly, +but that he hoped to cure him by giving him the juice of a certain +plant called nagaballa. At the time this story was written, doctors +in India did not give their patients medicine, or write prescriptions +for them to take to chemists to be made up, because there were no +chemists in those days, such as there are in all the towns of Europe, +who keep the materials in stock for making medicines. A doctor just +said to his patient, "you must take the juice of this or that plant"; +and the suffering person had to go into the fields or woods to find +the plant or else to send a servant to do so. + +When the king heard that the doctor had ordered Matri-Datta to take the +juice of the nagaballa plant, he cried "No more doctors need come to +see me!" and after sending away the one who had told him what he wanted +to know, he gave orders that Matri-Datta should be sent for at once. + +13. Can you guess why the king sent for the doctors? + +14. Do you think Matri-Datta had anything to do with stealing the +Brahman's treasure? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +Ill and suffering though he was, Matri-Datta did not dare disobey the +king: so he came at once. As soon as he appeared, Prasnajit asked him +how he was, and said he was sorry to have to make him leave his home +when he was ill, but the matter on which he wished to see him was +of very great importance. Then he suddenly added: "When your doctor +ordered you to take the juice of the nagaballa plant whom did you +send to find it?" + +To this Matri-Datta replied trembling with fear: "My servant, O king, +sought it in the forest; and having found it, brought it to me." + +"Go back and send that servant to me immediately," was the reply; and +the merchant hurried away, wondering very much why the king wanted to +see the man, and hoping that he himself would not get into disgrace +on account of anything he had done to make Prasnajit angry. + +15. Have you any idea why the king wanted the servant sent to him? + +16. From what the story tells you so far, do you think Prasnajit was +a good ruler of his kingdom? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +When Matri-Datta told his servant that he was to go to the palace to +see the king, the man was dreadfully frightened, and begged his master +not to make him go. This made Matri-Datta pretty sure that he had done +something wrong and was afraid of being found out. "Go at once," he +said, "and whatever you do, speak the truth to the king. That will be +your only chance if you have offended him." Again and again the servant +entreated Matri-Datta not to insist, and when he found it was no good, +he asked him at least to come with him to the palace and plead for him +with Prasnajit. The merchant knew then for certain that something was +seriously wrong, and he consented to go to the palace with his servant, +partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear for himself. When the +two got to the palace, the attendants at once led the servant to the +presence of the king, but they would not let the master go with him. + +Directly the servant entered the room and saw the king sitting on +his throne, he fell upon his face at the foot of the steps, crying, +"Mercy! mercy!" He was right to be afraid, for Prasnajit said to him +in a loud voice: "Where are the gold and the jewels you took from +the hole in the roots of a tree when you went to find the nagaballa +plant for your master?" The servant, who really had taken the money +and jewels, was so terrified when he found that the king knew the +truth, that he had not a word to say at first, but just remained +lying on the ground, trembling all over. Prasnajit too was silent, +and the attendants waiting for orders behind the throne looked on, +wondering what would happen now. + +17. Have you guessed what the nagaballa plant had to do with finding +out who had stolen the money and jewels? + +18. If you had been the king, what punishment would you have ordered +for the thief? + + +CHAPTER X + + +When the silence had lasted about ten minutes, the thief raised his +head from the ground and looked at the king, who still said not a +word. Something in his face however made the wicked servant hope that +he would not be punished by death in spite of the great wrong he had +done. The king looked very stern, it is true, but not enraged against +him. So the servant rose to his feet, and clasping his hands together +as he held them up to Prasnajit, said in a trembling voice: "I will +fetch the treasure, I will fetch the treasure." "Go then at once," +said the king, "and bring it here": and as he said it, there was a +beautiful expression in his eyes, which made the thief more sorry +for what he had done than he would have been if Prasnajit had said, +"Off with his head!" or had ordered him to be beaten. + +19. What do you think is the best way to make wicked people good? + +20. What is the most powerful reason a man or woman or a child can +have for trying to be good? + + +CHAPTER XI + + +As soon as the king said, "Go at once," the servant started to his +feet and hastened away, as eager now to restore what he had stolen +as he had been to hide it. He had put it in another hole in the very +depths of the forest; and it was a long time before he got back to +the palace with it, for it was very heavy. He had thought the king +would send some guards with him, to see that he did not run away, +and that they would have helped him to carry the sack full of gold +and jewels; but nobody followed him. It was hard work to drag the +heavy load all the way alone; but at last, quite late in the evening, +he was back at the palace gates. The soldiers standing there let him +pass without a word, and soon he was once more in the room in which +the king had received him. Prasnajit still sat on his throne, and +the attendants still waited behind him, when the thief, so tired he +could hardly stand, once more lay prostrate at the bottom of the steps +leading up to the throne, with the sack beside him. How his heart did +beat as he waited for what the king would say! It seemed a very long +time before Prasnajit spoke, though it was only two or three minutes; +and when he did, this is what he said, "Go back to your home now, +and be a thief no more." + +Very, very thankfully the man obeyed, scarcely able to believe that +he was free to go and that he was not to be terribly punished. Never +again in the rest of his life did he take what did not belong to him, +and he was never tired of telling his children and his friends of +the goodness of the king who had forgiven him. + +21. Do you think it would have been better for the thief to have +been punished? + +22. What lesson did the thief learn from what had happened to him? + + +CHAPTER XII + + +The Brahman, who had spent the time of waiting in prayers that his +treasure should be given back to him, and was still determined that, +if it were not, he would starve himself to death, was full of delight +when he heard that it had been found. He hastened to the palace and was +taken before the king, who said to him: "There is your treasure. Take +it away, and make a better use of it than before. If you lose it again, +I shall not try to recover it for you." + +The Brahman, glad as he was to have his money and jewels restored, did +not like to be told by the king to make a better use of them. Besides +this he wanted to have the thief punished; and he began talking +about that, instead of thanking Prasnajit and promising to follow his +advice. The king looked at him much as he had looked at the thief and +said: "The matter is ended so far as I have anything to do with it: +go in peace." + +The Brahman, who was accustomed to be honoured by every one from the +king on his throne to the beggars in the street, was astonished at +the way in which Prasnajit spoke to him. He would have said more, +but the king made a sign to his attendants, two of whom dragged the +sack to the entrance of the palace and left it there, so that there +was nothing for the Brahman to do but to take it away with him. Every +one who has read this wonderful story would, of courses like to know +what became of him after that, but nothing more is told about him. + +23. Do you think that the Brahman learnt anything from his loss and +recovery of his treasure? + +24. Was the Brahman more wicked than, the thief or the thief than +the Brahman? + +25. Do you think the Brahman continued to be a miser for the rest of +his life? + +26. What were the chief characteristics of the king--that is to say, +what sort of man do you think he was? + +27. Which of the people who are spoken of in this story do you like +and admire most, and which do you dislike most? + + + +STORY IV + +The Magic Shoes and Staff. + + +CHAPTER I + + +Far, far away in a town of India called Chinchini, where in days +long gone by the ancient gods in whom the people believed are said +sometimes to have appeared to those who called upon them for help, +there lived three brothers of noble birth, who had never known what +it was to want for food, or clothes, or a house to live in. Each +was married to a wife he loved, and for many years they were all +as happy as the day was long. Presently however a great misfortune +in which they all shared befell their native country. There was no +rain for many, many weeks; and this is a very serious thing in a hot +country like India, because, when it does not rain for a long time, +the ground becomes so parched and hard that nothing can grow in +it. The sun is very much stronger in India than it is in England; +and it sent forth its burning rays, drying up all the water in the +tanks and changing what had been, a beautiful country, covered with +green crops good for food, into a dreary desert, where neither men nor +animals could get anything to eat. The result of this was that there +was a terrible famine, in which hundreds of people and animals died, +little children being the first to suffer. + +Now the three brothers, who had none of them any children, got +frightened at the state of things, and thought to themselves, "If we +do not escape from this dreadful land, we shall die." They said to +each other: "Let us flee away from here, and go somewhere where we +are sure of being able to get plenty to eat and drink. We will not +take our wives with us; they would only make things worse for us; +let us leave them to look after themselves." + +1. What do you think of the behaviour of the three brothers? Was +there any excuse for their leaving their wives behind them? + +2. Do you think the wives themselves can have been to blame in any +way in the matter? + + +CHAPTER II + + +So the three wives were deserted, and had to manage as best they +could without their husbands, who did not even trouble to wish them +goodbye. The wives were at first very sad and lonely, but presently a +great joy came to one of them which made the other two very happy as +well. This joy was the birth of a little boy, whose two aunts loved +him almost as much as his mother did. The story does not tell how +they all got food whilst the famine was going on, though it is very +evident that they were not starved, for the baby boy grew fast and +was a strong healthy little fellow. + +One night all the three wives had the same dream, a very wonderful one, +in which the god Siva, who is very much honoured in India, appeared to +them. He told them that, looking down from Heaven, he had noticed how +tenderly they cared for the new-born baby, and that he wished them to +call him Putraka. Besides this he astonished them by adding that, as +a reward for the unselfish way in which they had behaved, they would +find one hundred thousand gold pieces under the little child's pillow +every morning, and that one day that little child would be a king. + +3. Do you think the three women wanted to be rewarded for loving +the baby? + +4. Is it a good thing to have a great deal of money? + + +CHAPTER III + + +The wonderful dream was fulfilled, and the mother and aunts called +the boy Putraka. Every morning they found the gold pieces under his +pillow, and they took care of the money for him, so that when he grew +up he was the very richest man in the whole country. He had a happy +childhood and boyhood, his only trouble being that he did not like +having never seen his father. His mother told him about the famine +before he was born, and how his father and uncles had gone away and +never come back. He often said, "When I am a man I will find my father +and bring him home again." He used his money to help others, and one +of the best things he did was to irrigate the land; that is to say, +he made canals into which water was made to flow in times when there +was plenty of rain, so that there was no danger of there being another +famine, such as that which had driven his father and uncles away. The +country in which he lived became very fruitful; everybody had enough +to eat and drink; and Putraka was very much loved, especially by +the poor and unhappy. When the king who ruled over the land died, +everybody wanted Putraka to take his place, and he was chosen at once. + +5. Will you describe the kind of man you think Putraka was? + +6. Do you know of any other country besides India in which everything +depends on irrigation? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +One of the other wise things Putraka did, when he became king, was to +make great friends with his Brahman subjects. Brahmans are always very +fond of travelling, and Putraka thought, if he were good and generous +to them, they would talk about him wherever they went, and that perhaps +through them his father and uncles would hear about him. He felt sure +that, if they knew he was now a king ruling over their native land, +they would want to come back. He gave the Brahmans plenty of money, +and told them to try and find his father and uncles. If they did, +they were to say how anxious he was to see them, and promise them +everything they wanted, if only they would return. + +7. Do you think it was wise of Putraka to be so anxious to get his +father and uncles back, when he knew how selfish they had been in +leaving his mother and aunts behind them? + +8. Can you suggest anything else Putraka might have done in the matter? + + +CHAPTER V + + +Just what the young king hoped came to pass. Wherever the Brahmans +went they talked about the country they came from and the wonderful +young king who ruled over it. Putraka's father and uncles, who were +after all not so very far off, heard the stories about him, and +asked the Brahmans many questions. The answers made them very eager +to see Putraka, but they did not at first realize that he was closely +related to them. Only when they heard the name of his mother did they +guess the truth. Putraka's father knew, when he deserted his wife, +that God was going to give her a child soon; which made it even more +wicked of him to leave her. Now, however, he forgot all about that, +only thinking how he could make as much use as possible of the son +who had become a king. He wanted to go back at once alone, but the +uncles were not going to allow that. They meant to get all they could +out of Putraka too; and the three selfish men, who were now quite old, +set off together for the land they had left so long ago. + +They arrived safely, and made their way to the palace, where they were +received, with great rejoicings. None of the wives, said a word of +reproach to, the husbands who had deserted them; and as for Putraka, +he was so overjoyed at having his father back, that he gave him a +beautiful house to live in and a great deal of money. He was very +good to his uncles too, and felt that he had now really nothing left +to wish for. + +9. Do you think Putraka showed strength or weakness of character in +the way he received the travellers? + +10. How do you think the king ought to have behaved to his father +and uncles? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +The three wives very soon had good reason to wish their husbands had +stayed away. Instead of being grateful for all Putraka's generosity, +they were very unkind and exacting, never pleased with anything; +and whatever they had given them, they were always trying to get +more. In fact, they were silly as well as wicked; for they did not +realize that this was not the way to make the king love them or wish +to keep them with him. Presently they became jealous of Putraka, +and began to wish to get rid of him. His father hated to feel that +his son was king, whilst he was only one of that king's subjects; +and he made up his mind to kill him, hoping that if he could only get +rid of him he might rule over the country in his stead. He thought +and thought how best to manage this, and did not at first mean to +tell his brothers anything about it; but in the end he decided he +had better have them on his side. So he invited them to go with him +to a secret place to talk the matter over. + +11. What qualities did Putraka's father show in this plot against +his son? + +12. Was there any other way in which the king's father could have +gained a share in governing the land? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +After many meetings the three wicked men decided that they would +pay some one to kill the king, first making the murderer they chose +swear that he would never tell who had ordered him to do the terrible +deed. It was not very difficult to find a man bad enough to take money +for such an evil purpose, and the next thing to do was to decide +where and when the deed was to be done. Putraka had been very well +brought up by his mother, and he often went to a beautiful temple near +his palace to pray alone. He would sometimes stop there a long time, +winning fresh wisdom and strength to do the work he was trusted with, +and praying not only for himself, but for his father, his mother, +his aunts and uncles, and for the people he loved so much. + +The murderer was told to wait in this temple, and when the young king +was absorbed in prayer, to fall suddenly upon him and kill him. Then, +when Putraka was dead, he was to take his body and bury it far away +in the depths of the forest where it could never be found. At first it +seemed likely that this cruel plot would succeed. To make quite sure, +the murderer got two other men as wicked as himself to come and help +him, promising to give them a share in the reward. But the god who +had taken care of Putraka ever since he was born, did not forget him +now. As the young king prayed, forgetting everything in his earnest +pleading for those he loved, he did not see or hear the evil men +drawing stealthily close to him. Their arms were uplifted to slay him, +and the gleam of the weapons in the light that was always kept burning +flashed upon him, when suddenly the heavenly guardian of the temple, +who never left it day or night, but was generally invisible, appeared +and cast a spell upon the wicked men, whose hands were arrested in +the very act to strike. + +What a wonderful sight that must have been, when Putraka, disturbed in +his prayers, looked round and saw the men who had come to kill him, +with the shadowy form of the guardian threatening them! He knew at +once that he had been saved from a dreadful death by a messenger from +the god he had been worshipping. As he gazed at the men, the guardian +faded away and he was left alone with them. Slowly the spell cast on +them was broken, and they dropped their weapons, prostrated themselves, +and clasped their hands in an appeal for mercy to the man they had +meant to destroy. Putraka looked at them quietly and sadly. He felt +no anger against them, only a great thankfulness for his escape. He +spoke to the men very sternly, asking them why they wished to harm him; +and the chief murderer told him who had sent them. + +The knowledge that his father wished to kill him shocked and grieved +the young long terribly, but he controlled himself even when he learnt +the sad truth. He told the men that he forgave them, for they were +not the most to blame; and he made them promise never to betray who +had bribed them to kill him. He then gave them some money and told +them to leave him. + +13. What do you think the most beautiful incident in this account of +the scene in the temple? + +14. What do you suppose were the thoughts of the murderers when they +left the temple after Putraka forgave them? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +When Putraka was alone, he threw himself upon the ground and wept very +bitterly. He felt that he could never be happy again, never trust +anyone again. He had so loved his father and uncles. It had been +such a joy to him to give them pleasure, and yet they hated him and +wished to kill him. He wondered whether he was himself to blame for +what had happened, and began to think he was not worthy to be king, +if he could make such a mistake as he now feared he had made in being +so generous to those who could have such hard thoughts of him as +to want to take his life. Perhaps after all it would be better for +his country to have another king. He did not feel as if he could go +back to his palace and meet his father and uncles again. "What shall +I do? What shall I do?" he cried, his sobs choking his voice. Never +in all his life had he thought it possible to be so miserable as he +was now. Everything seemed changed and he felt as if he were himself +a different person. The only thing that comforted him at all was the +thought of his mother, whose love had never failed him; but even that +was spoiled by the remembrance that it was her husband who had wished +to kill him. She must never know that, for it would break her heart: +yet how could he keep it from her? Then the idea came to him that +the best thing he could do would be to go away and never see his own +people again. + +15. What do you think was wrong in Putraka's way of looking at +the past? + +16. Was his idea of leaving his country and his people a sign of +weakness or of strength? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +In the end the poor young king decided that he would go right away +as his father and uncles had done; and his mind being made up, +he became more cheerful and began to think he might meet with some +interesting adventures in a new country, where nobody knew anything +about him. As soon as it was light, he wandered off into the forest, +feeling, it is true, very lonely, but at the same time taking a +certain pleasure in being entirely his own master; which a king can +never really be, because he has to consider so many other people and +to keep so many rules. + +After all Putraka did not find the forest so very lonely; for he +had not gone far in it before his sad thoughts were broken in upon +by his coming suddenly to a little clearing, where the trees had +been cut down and two strong-looking men were wrestling together, +the king watched them for a little while, wondering what they were +fighting about. Then he called out, "What are you doing here? What +are you quarrelling about?" + +The men were greatly surprised to hear Putraka's voice, for they +thought that they were quite alone. They stopped fighting for a minute +or two, and one of them said: "We are fighting for three very precious +things which were left behind him by our father." + +"What are those things?" asked Putraka. + +"A bowl, a stick and a pair of shoes," was the reply. "Whoever wins +the fight will get them all. There they lie on the ground." + +"Well, I never!" cried the king, laughing as he looked at the things, +which seemed to him worth very little. "I shouldn't trouble to fight +about such trifles, if I were you." + +"Trifles!" exclaimed one of the men angrily. "You don't know what +you are talking about. They are worth more than their weight in +gold. Whoever gets the bowl will find plenty of food in it whenever he +wants it; the owner of the stick has only to write his wishes on the +ground with it and he will get them; and whoever puts on the shoes +can fly through the air in them to any distance." + +17. Which of these things would you rather have had? + +18. What lesson do you learn from what the men said about the things +on the ground? + + + +CHAPTER X + + +When Putraka heard the wonders which, could be done with what he had +thought not worth having, he determined to get possession of the three +treasures for himself; not considering that it would he very wrong to +take what did not belong to him. "It seems a pity to fight," he said, +"why don't you race for the things, and let whichever wins the race +have them? That banyan tree over there would make a good winning post +and I will be the umpire." + +Instead of guessing what Putraka had in his mind, the brothers, who +were very simple fellows, said at once: "All right. We won't fight, +we'll race instead, and you can give us the start." Putraka agreed, +and directly they were off he lost not a moment, but picked up the +bowl and the staff, put on the shoes, and flew straight up into the +air with the treasures. When the brothers came back, disputing about +which of them had won, there was not a sign of Putraka, the bowl, +the stick, or the shoes. They guessed at once what had happened; +and after staring up in the air for a long time, they went home, +feeling very much enraged with the man who had cheated them, and +ashamed of having been so stupid as to trust him. + +19. What do you think of Putraka's behaviour in this matter? + +20. If you could have had one of the three things Putraka stole, +which would you have chosen? + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +On and on flew Putraka, full of eager delight in the new power of +flight. How he loved rushing through the air, cleaving it like a bird +on the wing! All he wanted to make him perfectly happy was someone +to enjoy his new powers with him. Presently he found himself above +a beautiful city with towers and pinnacles and minarets gleaming in +the sunshine. "Ah!" he thought, "that is the place for me. I will go +down there, and see if I can find a nice house to live in, and some +people to make friends with, who will not try to kill me or to cheat +me, but love me and be grateful to me for any kindness I show them." + +As Putraka was hovering in the air above the town to which he had +taken such a fancy, he noticed a little house which rather pleased +him; for though it was poor-looking, there was something cheerful and +home-like about it. Down he sped and alighted at the door. Only one +poor old woman lived in the house, and when Putraka knocked and asked +if he might come in, she said "Yes" at once. He gave her some money, +and told her he would like to live with her, if she would let him +do so. She was only too glad to consent, for she was very lonely; +and the two lived happily together for a long time. + +21. Do you think that if Putraka had flown home on his wonderful +shoes, taking his staff and bowl with him, his, father and uncles +would still have tried to kill him? + +22. How could Putraka have prevented them from doing him harm if he +had returned to his home? + + + +CHAPTER XII + + +The old woman grew very fond of Putraka, caring for him and waiting +on him as if he had been her own son. She was so anxious that he +should be happy that she became afraid he would become tired of +living alone with her. So she said to him one day: "My dear adopted +son, you ought to have a wife to keep you company. I know the very +one for you, the only one really worthy of you. She is a princess, +and her name is Patala. She is so very lovely that every man who sees +her falls in love with her and wants to carry her off. So she is most +carefully guarded in the top rooms of a great palace, as high as +the summits of the loftiest mountains." When Putraka heard this he +was all eagerness to see the princess, and at once determined to go +forth to seek her. He was more than ever glad now that he had stolen +the shoes, because he knew that they would carry him even to the top +of the highest mountains. + +23. What qualities did the old woman show when she told Putraka about +the Princess? + +24. What faults of character did the young king show when he decided +at once to leave the old woman who had been so good to him? + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +The very evening of the day when Putraka heard about the princess, +he started on his journey, taking with him his bowl and staff. The old +woman gave him very careful instructions which way to go, and begged +him to come back to tell her how he had got on. He promised he would, +thanked her for all she had done for him, and flew away in a great +state of excitement. She watched him till he was quite out of sight, +and then went sadly into her lonely home, wondering if she would ever +see him again. + +It was not long before Putraka came in sight of the palace. It was a +beautiful night, and the moon was shining full upon the room in which +the princess was asleep. It was a very big one, with costly furniture +and priceless tapestry hung round the walls, and there were doors +behind the tapestry leading to other apartments, in some of which the +attendants on Patala slept, whilst others kept watch lest anyone should +intrude upon their mistress. No one thought of guarding the windows, +for they were so high up that only a bird could reach them. + +The young king alighted on the ledge of the window of the princess' +room, and looked in. There, on a golden bed, amongst soft cushions +and embroidered coverings, lay the most lovely creature he had ever +beheld, so lovely that he fell in love with her at once and gave +a loud cry of delight. This woke the princess, who started up and +was about to scream out aloud in her terror at seeing a man looking +in at the window, when Putraka with the aid of his magic staff made +himself invisible. Then, thinking she had been dreaming, Patala lay +down again, and the king began talking to her in a low voice, telling +her he had heard of her beauty and had flown from far away to see +her. He begged her to allow him to show himself to her, and added: +"I will go away again directly afterwards if you wish it." + +Putraka's voice was so gentle, and it seemed to Patala so wonderful +that a man could fly and make himself invisible, that she was full +of curiosity to see him and find out all about him. So she gave her +consent, and immediately afterwards the young king stood within the +room, looking so noble and so handsome that she too fell in love at +first sight. Putraka told her all about his life and adventures, which +interested her very much. She was glad, she said, that he was a king; +but she would have loved him just as well, whoever he might have been. + +After a long talk, Patala begged him to leave her for fear her +attendants should discover him and tell her father about him. "My +father would never let me marry you," she declared, "unless you were +to come with many followers as a king to ask my hand; and how can +you do that when you are only a wandering exile?" + +25. Was there any reason to fear that Putraka would be discovered +when he could make himself invisible at any moment? + +26. What do you think would have been the right thing for Putraka +and Patala to do when they found out that they loved each other? + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +It was very difficult to persuade Putraka to go, but at last he +flew away. Every night after that, however, he came to see Patala, +spending the days sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, and +using his magic bowl to supply himself with food. Alas, he forgot +all about the dear old woman to whom he owed all his happiness, +and she slowly gave up hope of ever seeing him again. He might quite +easily have flown to her cottage and cheered her with his presence; +but he was so wrapped up in his love for Patala that everything else +went out of his head. This selfishness on his part presently got him +into serious trouble, for he became careless about making himself +invisible when he flew up to the princess' window. So that one night +he was discovered by a guardian of the palace. The matter was at once +reported to the king, who could not at first believe such a thing +was possible. The man must have seen a big bird, that was all. The +king, however, ordered one of his daughter's ladies to keep watch +every night in an ante-room, leaving the door open with the tapestry, +in which there was a slit, drawn carefully over it, and to come and +tell him in the morning if she had seen or heard anything unusual. + +Now the lady chosen loved the princess, and, like many of her +fellow-attendants, thought it was very cruel of the king to punish his +own child for being so beautiful, by shutting her up as he did. It +so happened that the very first night she was on guard, Putraka had +flown a very, very long way, not noticing where he was going, because +he was thinking so earnestly of Patala. When at last he flew in at +her window, he was so weary that he sank down on a couch and fell +fast asleep. The princess too was tired, because she had lain awake +talking to her lover so many nights running that she had had hardly +any rest. So when the lady peeped through the slit in the tapestry, +there, by the light of the night lamp, she saw the young king lying +unconscious, whilst the princess also was asleep. + +Very cautiously the attendant crept to the side of Putraka, and took a +long, long look at him. She noticed how handsome he was, and that he +was dressed in beautiful clothes. She especially remarked the turban +he wore, because in India the rank to which men belong is shown by +the kind of turbans they wear. "This is no common man," she thought, +"but a prince or king in disguise. What shall I do now? I will not +raise an alarm which might lead to this beautiful young lover being +killed and the heart of my dear mistress broken." + +27. If you had been the lady who found Putraka in Patala's room, +what would you have done? + +28. What could Putraka have done to guard against being discovered? + + +CHAPTER XV + + +After hesitating a long time, the lady made up her mind that she would +only put some mark in the turban of Putraka, so that he could be known +again, and let him escape that night at least. So she stole back to +her room, fetched a tiny, brooch, and fastened it in the folds of the +turban, where the wearer was not likely to notice it himself. This +done, she went back to listen at the door. + +It was nearly morning when Putraka woke up, very much surprised at +finding himself lying on the couch, for he did not remember throwing +himself down on it. Starting up, he woke Patala, who was terribly +frightened, for she expected her ladies to come in any minute to help +her to dress. She entreated Putraka to make himself invisible and fly +away at once. He did so; and, as usual, wandered about until the time +should come to go back to the palace. But he still felt too tired to +fly, and instead walked about in the town belonging to Patala's father. + +The lady who had been on guard had half a mind to tell her mistress +that her secret was discovered. But before she could get a chance to +do so, she was sent for by the king, who asked her if she had seen +or heard anything during the night. She tried very hard to escape +from betraying Patala; but she hesitated so much in her answers +that the king guessed there was something she wanted to hide, and +told her, if she did not reveal the whole truth, he would have her +head shaved and send her to prison. So she told how she had found +a handsome man, beautifully dressed, fast asleep in Patala's room; +but she did not believe her mistress knew anything about it, because +she too was asleep. + +The king was of course in a terrible rage, and the lady was afraid +he would order her to be punished; but he only went on questioning +her angrily about what the man was like, so that he might be found +and brought before him. Then the lady confessed that she had put +the brooch in the turban, comforting herself with the thought that, +when the king saw Putraka and knew that Patala loved him, he might +perhaps relent and let them be married. + +When the king heard about the brooch, he was greatly pleased; and +instead of ordering the lady to be punished, he told her that, when +the man who had dared to approach his daughter was found, he would +give her a great reward. He then sent forth hundreds of spies to +hunt for the man with a brooch in his turban, and Putraka was very +soon found, strolling quietly about in the market-place. He was so +taken by surprise that, though he had his staff in his hand and his +shoes and bowl in the pocket of his robes, he had no time to write +his wishes with the staff, or to put on the shoes, so he was obliged +to submit to be dragged to the palace. He did all he could to persuade +those who had found him to let him go, telling them he was a king and +would reward them well. They only laughed at him and dragged him along +with them to the palace, where he was at once taken before the king, +who was sitting on his throne, surrounded by his court, in a great hall +lined with soldiers. The big windows were wide open; and noticing this, +Putraka did not feel at all afraid, for he knew he had only to slip on +his shoes and fly out of one of the windows, if he could not persuade +the king to let him marry Patala. So he stood quietly at the foot of +the throne, and looked bravely into the face of his dear one's father. + +This only made the king more angry, and he began calling Putraka all +manner of names and asking him how he dared to enter the room of his +daughter. Putraka answered quietly that he loved Patala and wished +to marry her. He was himself a king, and would give her all she had +been used to. But it was all no good, for it only made the king more +angry. He rose from his throne, and stretching out his hand, he cried: + +"Let him be scourged and placed in close confinement!" + +Then Putraka with his staff wrote rapidly on the ground his wish that +no one should be able to touch him, and stooping down slipped on his +magic shoes. The king, the courtiers and the soldiers all remained +exactly as they were, staring at him in astonishment, as he rose up in +the air and flew out of one of the windows. Straight away he sped to +the palace of Patala and into her room, where she was pacing to and fro +in an agony of anxiety about him; for she had heard of his having been +taken prisoner and feared that her father would order him to be killed. + +29. What do you think would have been the best thing for the king to +do when Putraka was brought before him? + +30. If Putraka had not had his shoes with him, how could he have +escaped from the king's palace? + + +CHAPTER XVI + + +Great indeed was the delight of Patala when her beloved Putraka once +more flew in at her window; but she was still trembling with fear +for him and begged him to go away back to his own land as quickly +as possible. + +"I will not go without you," replied Putraka. "Wrap yourself up warmly, +for it is cold flying through the air, and we will go away together, +and your cruel father shall never see you again." + +Patala wept at hearing this, for it seemed terrible to her to have to +choose between the father she loved and Putraka. But in the end her +lover got his own way, and just as those who were seeking him were +heard approaching, he seized his dear one in his arms and flew off +with her. He did not return to his own land even then, but directed +his course to the Ganges, the grand and beautiful river which the +people of India love and worship, calling it their Mother Ganga. By +the banks of the sacred stream the lovers rested, and with the aid of +his magic bowl Putraka soon had a good and delicious meal ready, which +they both enjoyed very much. As they ate, they consulted together +what they had better do now, and Patala, who was as clever as she +was beautiful, said: + +"Would it not be a good thing to build a new city in this lovely +place? You could do it with your marvellous staff, could you not?" + +"Why, of course, I could," said Putraka laughing. "Why didn't I think +of it myself?" Very soon a wonderful town rose up, which the young +king wished to be as much as possible like the home he had left, +only larger and fuller of fine buildings than it. When the town was +made, he wished it to be full of happy inhabitants, with temples +in which they might worship, priests to teach them how to be good, +markets in which food and all that was needed could be bought, tanks +and rivulets full of pure water, soldiers and officers to defend the +gates, elephants on which he and his wife could ride, everything in +fact that the heart of man or woman could desire. + +The first thing Putraka and Patala did after the rise of their own +town, which they named Patali-Putra [1] after themselves, was to get +married in accordance with the rites of their religion; and for many, +many years they reigned wisely over their people, who loved them and +their children with all their hearts. Amongst the attendants on those +children was the old woman who had shown kindness to Putraka in his +loneliness and trouble. For when he told Patala the story of his life, +she reproached him for his neglect of one to whom he owed so much. She +made him feel quite ashamed of himself, and he flew away and brought +the dear old lady back with him, to her very great delight. + +31. Which of the people in this story do you like best? + +32. Do you think Putraka deserved all the happiness which came to +him through stealing the wand, the shoes and the bowl? + +33. Can you suggest any way in which he could have atoned for the +wrong he did to the brothers whose property he took? + +34. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + + + +STORY V + +The Jewelled Arrow. + + +CHAPTER I + + +In the city of Vardhamana in India there lived a powerful king named +Vira-Bhuja, who, as was the custom in his native land, had many wives, +each of whom had several sons. Of all his wives this king loved best +the one named Guna-Vara, and of all his sons her youngest-born, called +Sringa-Bhuja, was his favourite. Guna-Vara was not only very beautiful +but very good. She was so patient that nothing could make her angry, +so unselfish that she always thought of others before herself, and +so wise that she was able to understand how others were feeling, +however different their natures were from her own. + +Sringa-Bhuja, the son of Guna-Vara, resembled his mother in her beauty +and her unselfishness; he was also very strong and very clever, whilst +his brothers were quite unlike him. They wanted to have everything +their own way, and they were very jealous indeed of their father's +love for him. They were always trying to do him harm, and though they +often quarrelled amongst themselves, they would band together to try +and hurt him. + +It was very much the same with the king's wives. They hated Guna-Vara, +because their husband loved her more than he did them, and they +constantly came to him with stories they had made up of the wicked +things she had done. Amongst other things they told the king that +Guna-Vara did not really love him but cared more for some one else +than she did for him. The most bitter of all against her was the +wife called Ayasolekha, who was cunning enough to know what sort of +tale the king was likely to believe. The very fact that Vira-Bhuja +loved Guna-Vara so deeply made him more ready to think that perhaps +after all she did not return his affection, and he longed to find +out the truth. So he in his turn made up a story, thinking by its +means to find out how she felt for him. He therefore went one day +to her private apartments, and having sent all her attendants away, +he told her he had some very sad news for her which he had heard from +his chief astrologer. Astrologers, you know, are wise men, who are +supposed to be able to read the secrets of the stars, and learn from +them things which are hidden from ordinary human beings. Guna-Vara +therefore did not doubt that what her husband was about to tell her +was true, and she listened eagerly, her heart beating very fast in +her fear that some trouble was coming to those she loved. + +Great indeed was her sorrow and surprise, when Vira-Bhuja went on +to say that the astrologer had told him that a terrible misfortune +threatened him and his kingdom and the only way to prevent it was to +shut Guna-Vara up in prison for the rest of her life. The poor queen +could hardly believe that she had heard rightly. She knew she had +done no wrong, and could not understand how putting her in prison +could help anybody. She was quite sure that her husband loved her, +and no words could have expressed her pain at the thought of being +sent away from him and her dear son. Yet she made no resistance, +not even asking Vira-Bhuja to let her see Sringa-Bhuja again. She +just bowed her beautiful head and said: "Be it unto me as my Lord +wills. If he wishes my death, I am ready to lay down my life." + +This submission made the king feel even more unhappy than before. He +longed to take his wife in his arms and tell her he would never let +her go; and perhaps if she had looked at him then, he would have +seen all her love for him in her eyes, but she remained perfectly +still with bowed head, waiting to hear what her fate was to be. Then +the thought entered Vira-Bhuja's mind: "She is afraid to look at me: +what Ayasolekha said was true." + +1. Can true love suspect the loved one of evil? + +2. Is true love ever jealous? + + +CHAPTER II + + +So the king summoned his guards and ordered them to take his wife +to a strong prison and leave her there. She went with them without +making any resistance, only turning once to look lovingly at her +husband as she was led away. Vira-Bhuja returned to his own palace and +had not been there very long when he got a message from Ayasolekha, +begging him to give her an interview, for she had something of very +great importance to tell him. The king consented at once, thinking +to himself, "perhaps she has found out that what she told me about +my dear Guna-Vara is not true." + +Great then was his disappointment when the wicked woman told him she +had discovered a plot against his life. The son of Guna-Vara and some +of the chief men of the kingdom, she said, had agreed together to kill +him, so that Sringa-Bhuja might reign in his stead. She and some of +the other wives had overheard conversations between them, and were +terrified lest their beloved Lord should be hurt. The young prince, +she declared, had had some trouble in persuading the nobles to help +him, but he had succeeded at last. + +Vira-Bhuja simply could not believe this story, for he trusted his +son as much as he loved him; and he sent the mischief maker away, +telling her not to dare to enter his presence again. For all that +he could not get the matter out of his head. He had Sringa-Bhuja +carefully watched; and as nothing against him was found out, he +was beginning to feel more easy in his mind, and even to think of +going to see Guna-Vara in her prison to ask her to confide in him, +when something happened which led him to fear that after all his +dear son was not true to him. This was what made him uneasy. He had +a wonderful arrow, set with precious jewels, which had been given to +him by a magician, and had the power of hitting without fail whatever +it was aimed at from however great a distance. The very day he had +meant to visit his ill-treated wife, he missed this arrow from the +place in which he kept it concealed. This distressed him very much; +and after seeking it in vain, he summoned all those who were employed +in the palace to his presence, and asked if any of them knew anything +about the arrow. He promised that he would forgive any one who helped +him to get it back, even if it were the thief himself; but added that, +if it was not found in three days, he would have all the servants +beaten until the one who had stolen it confessed. + +3. Do you think this was the best way to find out who had taken +the arrow? + +4. How would you have set about learning the truth if you had been +the king? + + +CHAPTER III + + +Now the fact of the matter was that Ayasolekha, who had told the +wicked story about Guna-Vara, knew where the king kept the arrow, +had taken it to her private rooms, and had sent for her own sons +and those of the other wives, all of whom hated Sringa-Bhuja, to +tell them of a plot to get their brother into disgrace, "You know," +she said to them, "how much better your father loves Sringa-Bhuja +than he does any of you; and that, when be dies, he will leave the +kingdom and all his money to him. Now I will help you to prevent this +by getting rid of Sringa-Bhuja. + +"You must have a great shooting match, in which your brother will +be delighted to take part, for he is very proud of his skill with +the bow and arrow. On the day of the match, I will send for him and +give him the jewelled arrow belonging to your father to shoot with, +telling him the king had said I might lend it to him. Your father +will then think he stole it and order him to be killed." + +The brothers were all delighted at what they thought a very clever +scheme, and did just what Ayasolekha advised. When the day came, +great crowds assembled to see the shooting at a large target set up +near the palace. The king himself and all his court were watching the +scene from the walls, and it was difficult for the guards to keep the +course clear. The brothers, beginning at the eldest, all pretended to +try and hit the target; but none of them really wished to succeed, +because they thought that, when Sringa-Bhuja's turn came, as their +father's youngest son, he would win the match with the jewelled +arrow. Then the king would order him to be brought before him, and +he would be condemned to death or imprisonment for life. + +Now, as very often happens, something no one in the least expected +upset the carefully planned plot. Just as Sringa-Bhuja was about to +shoot at the target, a big crane flew on to the ground between him and +it, so that it was impossible for him to take proper aim. The brothers, +seeing the bird and anxious to shoot it for themselves, all began to +clamour that they should be allowed to shoot again. Nobody made any +objection, and Sringa-Bhuja stood aside, with the jewelled arrow in +the bow, waiting to see what they would do, but feeling sure that +he would be the one to kill the bird. Brother after brother tried, +but the great creature still remained untouched, when a travelling +mendicant stepped forward and cried aloud: + +"That is no bird, but an evil magician who has taken that form +to deceive you all. If he is not killed before he takes his own +form again, he will bring misery and ruin upon this town and the +surrounding country." + +You know perhaps that mendicants or beggars in India are often holy +men whose advice even kings are glad to listen to; so that, when +everyone heard what this beggar said, there was great excitement and +terror. For many were the stories told of the misfortunes Rakshas or +evil magicians had brought on other cities. The brothers all wanted +to try their luck once more, but the beggar checked them, saying: + +"No, no. Where is your youngest brother Sringa-Bhuja? He alone +will be able to save your homes, your wives and your children, +from destruction," + +Then Sringa-Bhuja came forward; and as the sun flashed upon the jewels +in the stolen arrow, revealing to the watching king that it was his +own beloved son who had taken it, the young prince let it fly straight +for the bird. It wounded but did not kill the crane, which flew off +with the arrow sticking in its breast, the blood dripping from it in +its flight, which became gradually slower and slower. At the sight +of the bird going off with the precious jewelled arrow, the king was +filled with rage, and sent orders that Sringa-Bhuja should be fetched +to his presence immediately. But before the messengers reached him, +he had started in pursuit of the bird, guided by the blood-drops on +the ground. + +5. Did the brothers show wisdom in the plot they laid against their +brother? + +6. What do you think from this story, so far as you have read it, +were the chief qualities of Sringa-Bhuja? + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +As Sringa-Bhuja sped along after the crane, the beggar made some +strange signs in the air with the staff he used to help him along; +and such clouds of dust arose that no one could see in which direction +the young prince had gone. The brothers and Ayasolekha were very much +dismayed at the way things had turned out, and greatly feared that +the king's anger would vent itself on them, now that Sringa-Bhuja +had disappeared. Vira-Bhuja did send for them, and asked them many +questions; but they all kept the secret of how Sringa-Bhuja had got the +arrow, and promised to do all they could to help to get it back. Again +the king thought he would go and see the mother of his dear youngest +son; but again something held him back, and poor Guna-Vara was left +alone, no one ever going near her except the gaoler who took her +her daily food. After trying everything possible to find out where +Sringa-Bhuja had gone, the king began to show special favour to +another of his sons; and as the months passed by, it seemed as if +the young prince and the jewelled arrow were both forgotten. + +Meanwhile Sringa-Bhuja travelled on and on in the track of the drops +of blood, till he came to the outskirts of a fine forest, through +which many beaten paths led to a very great city. He sat down to +rest at the foot of a wide-spreading tree, and was gazing up at the +towers and pinnacles of the town, rising far upwards towards the sky, +when he had a feeling that he was no longer alone. He was right: +for, coming slowly along one of the paths, was a lovely young girl, +singing softly to herself in a beautiful voice. Her eyes were like +those of a young doe, and her features were perfect in their form +and expression, reminding Sringa-Bhuja of his mother, whom he was +beginning to fear he would never see again. + +When the young girl was quite close to him, he startled her by saying, +"Can you tell me what is the name of this city?" + +"Of course, I can," she replied, "for I live in it. It is called +Dhuma-Pura, and it belongs to my father: he is a great magician +named Agni-Sikha, who loves not strangers. Now tell me who you are +and whence you come?" + +Then Sringa-Bhuja told the maiden all about himself, and why he was +wandering so far from home. The girl, whose name was Rupa-Sikha, +listened very attentively; and when he came to the shooting of the +crane, and how he had followed the bleeding bird in the hope of +getting back his father's jewelled arrow, she began to tremble. + +"Alas, alas!" she said. "The bird you shot was my father, who can +take any form he chooses. He returned home but yesterday, and I drew +the arrow from his wound and dressed the hurt myself. He gave me the +jewelled arrow to keep, and I will never part with it. As for you, +the sooner you depart the better; for my father never forgives, and +he is so powerful that you would have no chance of escape if he knew +you were here." + +Hearing this, Sringa-Bhuja became very sad, not because he was +afraid of Agni-Sikha, but because he knew that he already loved the +fair maiden who stood beside him, and was resolved to make her his +wife. She too felt drawn towards him and did not like to think of +his going away. Besides this, she had much to fear from her father, +who was as cruel as he was mighty, and had caused the death already +of many lovers who had wished to marry her. She had never cared for +any of them, and had been content to live without a husband, spending +her life in wandering about near her home and winning the love of all +who lived near her, even that of the wild creatures of the forest, +who would none of them dream of hurting her. Often and often she stood +between the wrath of her father and those he wished to injure; for, +wicked as he was, he loved her and wanted her to be happy, + +7. Do you think that a really wicked man is able to love any one truly? + +8. What would have been the best thing for Sringa-Bhuja to do, when +he found out who the bird he had shot really was? + + + +CHAPTER V + + +Rupa-Sikha did not take long to decide what was best for her to +do. She said to the prince, "I will give you back your golden arrow, +and you must make all possible haste out of our country before my +father discovers you are here." + +"No! no! no! a thousand times no!" cried the prince. "Now I have once +seen you, I can never, never leave you. Can you not learn to love +me and be my wife?" Then he fell prostrate at her feet, and looked +up into her face so lovingly that she could not resist him. She +bent down towards him, and the next moment they were clasped in +each other's arms, quite forgetting all the dangers that threatened +them. Rupa-Sikha was the first to remember her father, and drawing +herself away from her lover, she said to him: + +"Listen to me, and I will tell you what we must do. My father is a +magician, it is true, but I am his daughter, and I inherit some of +his powers. If only you will promise to do exactly as I tell you, +I think I may be able to save you, and perhaps even become your +wife. I am the youngest of a large family and my father's favourite. I +will go and tell him that a great and mighty prince, hearing of his +wonderful gifts, has come to our land to ask for an interview with +him. Then I will tell him that I have seen you, fallen in love with +you, and want to marry you. He will be flattered to think his fame +has spread so far, and will want to see you, even if he refuses to +let me be your wife. I will lead you to his presence and leave you +with him alone. If you really love me, you will find the way to win +his consent; but you must keep out of his sight till I have prepared +the way for you. Come with me now, and I will show you a hiding-place." + +Rupa-Sikha then led the prince far away into the depths of the forest, +and showed him a large tree, the wide-spreading branches of which +touched the ground, completely hiding the trunk, in which there +was an opening large enough for a man to pass through. Steps cut +in the inside of the trunk led down to a wide space underground; +and there the magician's daughter told her lover to wait for her +return. "Before I go," she said, "I will tell you my own password, +which will save you from death if you should be discovered. It is +LOTUS FLOWER; and everyone to whom you say it, will know that you +are under my protection." + +When Rupa-Sikha reached the palace she found her father in a very bad +humour, because she had not been to ask how the wound in his breast +was getting on. She did her best to make up for her neglect; and when +she had dressed the wound very carefully, she prepared a dainty meal +for her father with her own hands, waiting upon him herself whilst +he ate it. All this pleased him, and he was in quite an amiable mood +when she said to him: + +"Now I must tell you that I too have had an adventure. As I was +gathering herbs in the forest, I met a man I had never seen before, +a tall handsome young fellow looking like a prince, who told me he +was seeking the palace of a great and wonderful magician, of whose +marvellous deeds he had heard. Who could that magician have been but +you, my father?" She added, "I told him I was your daughter, and he +entreated me to ask you to grant him an interview." + +Agni-Sikha listened to all this without answering a word. He was +pleased at this fresh proof that his fame had spread far and wide; +but he guessed at once that Rupa-Sikha had not told him the whole +truth. He waited for her to go on, and as she said no more, he suddenly +turned angrily upon her and in a loud voice asked her: + +"And what did my daughter answer?" + +Then Rupa-Sikha knew that her secret had been discovered. And rising +to her full height, she answered proudly, "I told him I would seek +you and ask you to receive him. And now I will tell you, my father, +that I have seen the only man I will ever marry; and if you forbid +me to do so, I will take my own life, for I cannot live without him." + +"Send for the man immediately," cried the magician, "and you shall +hear my answer when he appears before me." + +"I cannot send," replied Rupa-Sikha, "for none knows where I have +left him; nor will I fetch him till you promise that no evil shall +befall him." + +At first Agni-Sikha laughed aloud and declared that he would do no such +thing. But his daughter was as obstinate as he was; and finding that +he could not get his own way unless he yielded to her, he said crossly: + +"He shall keep his fine head on his shoulders, and leave the palace +alive; but that is all I will say." + +"But that is not enough," said Rupa-Sikha. "Say after me, Not a hair +of his head shall be harmed, and I will treat him as an honoured guest, +or your eyes will never rest on him." + +At last the magician promised, thinking to himself that he would find +some way of disposing of Sringa-Bhuja, if he did not fancy him for +a son-in-law. The words she wanted to hear were hardly out of her +father's mouth before Rupa-Sikha sped away, as if on the wings of +the wind, full of hope that all would be well. She found her lover +anxiously awaiting her, and quickly explained how matters stood. "You +had better say nothing about me to my father at first," she said; +"but only talk about him and all you have heard of him. If only you +could get him to like you and want to keep you with him, it would +help us very much. Then you could pretend that you must go back to +your own land; and rather than allow you to do so, he will be anxious +for us to be married and to live here with him." + +9. Do you think the advice Rupa-Sikha gave to Sringa-Bhuja was good? + +10. Can you suggest anything else she might have done? + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +Sringa-Bhuja loved Rupa-Sikha so much that he was ready to obey her +in whatever she asked. So he at once went with her to the palace. On +every side he saw signs of the strength and power of the magician. Each +gate was guarded by tall soldiers in shining armour, who saluted +Rupa-Sikha but scowled fiercely at him. He knew full well that, if +he had tried to pass alone, they would have prevented him from doing +so. At last the two came to the great hall, where the magician was +walking backwards and forwards, working himself into a rage at being +kept waiting. Directly he looked at the prince, he knew him for the +man who had shot the jewelled arrow at him when he had taken the form +of a crane, and he determined that he would be revenged. He was too +cunning to let Sringa-Bhuja guess that he knew him, and pretended to +be very glad to see him. He even went so far as to say that he had +long wished to find a prince worthy to wed his youngest and favourite +daughter. "You," he added, "seem to me the very man, young, handsome +and--to judge from the richness of your dress and jewels--able to +give my beloved one all she needs." + +The prince could hardly believe his ears, and Rupa-Sikha also was +very much surprised. She guessed however that her father had some evil +purpose in what he said, and looked earnestly at Sringa-Bhuja in the +hope of making him understand. But the prince was so overjoyed at the +thought that she was to be his wife that he noticed nothing. So when +Agni-Sikha added, "I only make one condition: you must promise that +you will never disobey my commands, but do whatever I tell you without +a moment's hesitation," Sringa-Bhuja, without waiting to think, said +at once, "Only give me your daughter and I will serve you in any way +you wish." + +"That's settled then!" cried the magician, and he clapped his hands +together. In a moment a number of attendants appeared, and their master +ordered them to lead the prince to the best apartments in the palace, +to prepare a bath for him, and do everything he asked them. + +11. What great mistake did the prince make when he gave this promise? + +12. What answer should he have made? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +As Sringa-Bhuja followed the servants, Rupa-Sikha managed to whisper +to him, "Beware! await a message from me!" When he had bathed and was +arraying himself in fresh garments provided by his host, waited on, +hand and foot, by servants who treated him with the greatest respect, +a messenger arrived, bearing a sealed letter which he reverently +handed to the prince. Sringa-Bhuja guessed at once from whom it came; +and anxious to read it alone, he hastily finished his toilette and +dismissed the attendants. + +"My beloved," said the letter--which was, of course, from +Rupa-Sikha--"My father is plotting against you; and very foolish were +you to promise you would obey him in all things. I have ten sisters +all exactly like me, all wearing dresses and necklaces which are exact +copies of each other, so that few can tell me from the others, Soon +you will be sent for to the great Hall and we shall all be together +there. My father will bid you choose your bride from amongst us; and if +you make a mistake all will be over for us. But I will wear my necklace +on my head instead of round my neck, and thus will you know your own +true love. And remember, my dearest, to obey no future command without +hearing from me, for I alone am able to outwit my terrible father," + +Everything happened exactly as Rupa-Sikha described. The prince +was sent for by Agni-Sikha, who, as soon as he appeared, gave him a +garland of flowers and told him to place it round the neck of the +maiden who was his promised bride. Without a moment's hesitation +Sringa-Bhuja picked out the right sister; and the magician, though +inwardly enraged, pretended to be so delighted at this proof of a +lover's clear-sightedness that he cried: + +"You are the son-in-law for me! The wedding shall take place +to-morrow!" + +13. Can you understand how it was that the magician did not notice +the trick Rupa-Sikha had played upon him? + +14. What fault blinds people to the truth more than any other? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +When Sringa-Bhuja heard what Agni-Sikha said, he was full of joy; +but Rupa-Sikha knew well that her father did not mean a word of +it. She waited quietly beside her lover, till the magician bade all +the sisters but herself leave the hall. Then the magician, with a +very wicked look on his face, said: + +"Before the ceremony there is just one little thing you must do for me, +dear son-in-law that is to be. Go outside the town, and near the most +westerly tower you will find a team of oxen and a plough awaiting +you. Close to them is a pile of three hundred bushels of sesame +seed. This you must sow this very day, or instead of a bridegroom +you will be a dead man to-morrow." + +Great was the dismay of Sringa-Bhuja when he heard this. But Rupa-Sikha +whispered to him, "Fear not, for I will help you." Sadly the prince +left the palace alone, to seek the field outside the city; the guards, +who knew he was the accepted lover of their favourite mistress, +letting him pass unhindered. There, sure enough, near the western +tower were the oxen, the plough and a great pile of seed. Never before +had poor Sringa-Bhuja had to work for himself, but his great love for +Rupa-Sikha made him determine to do his best. So he was about to begin +to guide the oxen across the field, when, behold, all was suddenly +changed. Instead of an unploughed tract of land, covered with weeds, +was a field with rows and rows of regular furrows. The piles of seed +were gone, and flocks of birds were gathering in the hope of securing +some of it as it lay in the furrows. + +As Sringa-Bhuja was staring in amazement at this beautiful scene, +he saw Rupa-Sikha, looking more lovely than ever, coming towards +him. "Not in vain," she said to him, "am I my father's daughter. I +too know how to compel even nature to do my will; but the danger is +not over yet. Go quickly back to the palace, and tell Agni-Sikha that +his wishes are fulfilled." + +15. Can the laws of nature ever really be broken? + +16. What is the only way in which man can conquer nature? + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +The magician was very angry indeed when he heard that the field was +ploughed and the seed sown. He knew at once that some magic had +been at work, and suspected that Rupa-Sikha was the cause of his +disappointment. Without a moment's hesitation he said to the prince: +"No sooner were you gone than I decided not to have that seed sown. Go +back at once, and pile it up where it was before." + +This time Sringa-Bhuja felt no fear or hesitation, for he was sure +of the power and will to help him of his promised bride. So back he +went to the field, and there he found the whole vast space covered +with millions and millions of ants, busily collecting the seed and +piling it up against the wall of the town. Again Rupa-Sikha came +to cheer him, and again she warned him that their trials were not +yet over. She feared, she said, that her father might prove stronger +than herself; for he had many allies at neighbouring courts ready to +help him in his evil purposes. "Whatever else he orders you to do, +you must see me before you leave the palace. I will send my faithful +messenger to appoint a meeting in some secret place." + +Agni-Sikha was not much surprised when the prince told him that his +last order had been obeyed, and thought to himself, "I must get this +tiresome fellow out of my domain, where that too clever child of mine +will not be able to help him." "Well," he said, "I suppose the wedding +must take place to-morrow after all, for I am a man of my word. We +must now set about inviting the guests. You shall have the pleasure +of doing this yourself: then my friends will know beforehand what a +handsome young son-in-law I shall have. The first person to summon +to the wedding is my brother Dhuma Sikha, who has taken up his abode +in a deserted temple a few miles from here. You must ride at once to +that temple, rein up your steed opposite it, and cry, 'Dhuma Sikha, +your brother Agni-Sikha has sent me hither to invite you to witness +my marriage with his daughter Rupa-Sikha to-morrow. Come without +delay!' Your message given, ride back to me; and I will tell you what +farther tasks you must perform before the happy morrow dawns." + +When Sringa-Bhuja left the palace, he knew not where to seek a horse +to bear him on this new errand. But as he was nearing the gateway by +which he had gone forth to sow the field with seed, a handsome boy +approached him and said, "If my lord will follow me, I will tell him +what to do." Somehow the voice sounded familiar; and when the guards +were left far enough behind to be out of hearing, the boy looked up +at Sringa-Bhuja with a smile that revealed Rupa-Sikha herself. "Come +with me," she said; and taking his hand, she led him to a tree beneath +which stood a noble horse, richly caparisoned, which pawed the ground +and whinnied to its mistress, as she drew near. + +"You must ride this horse," said Rupa-Sikha, "who will obey you if +you but whisper in his ear; and you must take earth, water, wood and +fire with you, which I will give you. You must go straight to the +temple, and when you have called out your message, turn without a +moment's delay, and ride for your life as swiftly as your steed will +go, looking behind you all the time. No guidance will be necessary; +for Marut--that is my horse's name--knows well what he has to do." + +Then Rupa-Sikha gave Sringa-Bhuja a bowl of earth, a jar of water, +a bundle of thorns and a brazier full of burning charcoal, hanging +them by strong thongs upon the front of his saddle so that he could +reach them easily. "My father," she told him, "has given my uncle +instructions to kill you, and he will follow you upon his swift +Arab steed. When you hear him behind you, fling earth in his path; +if that does not stop him, pour out some of the water; and if he +still perseveres, scatter the burning charcoal before him." + +17. Can you discover any hidden meaning in the use of earth, water, +thorns and fire, to stop the course of the wicked magician? + +18. Do you think the prince loved Rupa-Sikha better than he loved +himself? + + + +CHAPTER X + + +Away went the prince after he had received these instructions; and +very soon he found himself opposite the temple, with the images of +three of the gods worshipped in India to prove that it had been a +sanctuary before the magician took up his abode in it. Directly +Sringa-Bhuja shouted out his message to Dhuma-Sikha, the wicked +dweller in the temple came rushing forth from the gateway, mounted +on a huge horse, which seemed to be belching forth flames from its +nostrils as it bounded along. For one terrible moment Sringa-Bhuja +feared that he was lost; but Marut, putting forth all his strength, +kept a little in advance of the enemy, giving the prince time to +scatter earth behind him. Immediately a great mountain rose up, +barring the road, and Sringa-Bhuja felt that he was saved. He was +mistaken: for, as he looked back, he saw Dhuma-Sikha coming over +the top of the mountain. The next moment the magician was close +upon him. So he emptied his bowl of water: and, behold, a huge river +with great waves hid pursuer and pursued from each other. Even this +did not stop the mighty Arab horse, which swam rapidly across, the +rider loudly shouting out orders to the prince to stop. When the +prince heard the hoofs striking on the dry ground behind him again, +he threw out the thorns, and a dense wood sprouted up as if by magic, +which for a few moments gave fresh hope of safety to Sringa-Bhuja; +for it seemed as if even the powerful magician would be unable to get +through it. He did succeed however; but his clothes were nearly torn +off his back, and his horse was bleeding from many wounds made by +the cruel thorns. Sringa-Bhuja too was getting weary, and remembered +that he had only one more chance of checking his relentless enemy. He +could almost feel the breath of the panting steed as it drew near; +and with a loud cry to his beloved Rupa-Sikha, he threw the burning +charcoal on the road. In an instant the grass by the wayside, the +trees overshadowing it, and the magic wood which had sprung from the +thorns, were alight, burning so fiercely that no living thing could +approach them safely. The wicked magician was beaten at last, and +was soon himself fleeing away, as fast as he could, with the flames +following after him as if they were eager to consume him. + +Whether his enemy ever got back to his temple, Sringa-Bhuja never +knew. Exhausted with all he had been through, the young prince was +taken back to the palace by the faithful Marut, and there he found +his dear Rupa-Sikha awaiting him. She told him that her father had +promised her that, if the prince came back, he would oppose her +marriage no longer. "For," he said, "if he can escape your uncle, +he must be more than mortal, and worthy even of my daughter." "He +does not in the least expect to see you again," added Rupa-Sikha; +"and even if he allows us to marry, he will never cease to hate you; +for I am quite sure he knows that you shot the jewelled arrow at him +when he was in the form of a crane. If I ever am your wife, he will +try to punish you through me. But have no fear: I shall know how +to manage him. Fresh powers have been lately given to me by another +uncle whose magic is stronger than that of any of my other relations." + +When Sringa-Bhuja had bathed and rested, he robed himself once +more in the garments he had worn the day he first saw Rupa-Sikha; +and together the lovers went to the great hall to seek an interview +with Agni-Sikha. The magician, who had made quite sure that he had +now got rid of the unwelcome suitor for his daughter's hand, could +not contain his rage, at seeing him walk in with her as if the two +were already wedded. + +He stamped about, pouring out abuse, until he had quite exhausted +himself, the lovers looking on quietly without speaking. At last, +coming close to them, Agni-Sikha shouted, in a loud harsh voice: +"So you have not obeyed my orders. You have not bid my brother to the +wedding. Your life is forfeit, and you will die to-morrow instead of +marrying Rupa-Sikha. Describe the temple in which Dhuma Sikha lives +and the appearance of its owner." + +Then Sringa-Bhuja gave such an exact account of the temple, naming +the gods whose images still adorned it, and of the terrible man +riding the noble steed who had pursued him, that the magician was +convinced against his will; and knowing that he must keep his word to +Rupa-Sikha, he gave his consent for the preparations for the marriage +on the morrow to begin. + +19. What is your opinion of the character of Agni-Sikha? + +20. Do you think he was at all justified in the way in which he +treated his daughter and Sringa-Bhuja? + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +The marriage was celebrated the next day with very great pomp; and +a beautiful suite of rooms was given to the bride and bridegroom, +who could not in spite of this feel safe or happy, because they knew +full well that Agni-Sikha hated them. The prince soon began to feel +home-sick and anxious to introduce his beautiful wife to his own +people. He remembered that he had left his dear mother in prison, +and reproached himself for having forgotten her for so long. So he +said to Rupa-Sikha: + +"Let us go, beloved, to my native city, Vardhamana. My heart yearns +after my dear ones there, and I would fain introduce you to them." + +"My lord," replied Rupa-Sikha, "I will go with you whither you will, +were it even to the ends of the earth. But we must not let my father +guess we mean to go; for he would forbid us to leave the country and +set spies to watch our every movement. We will steal away secretly, +riding together on my faithful Marut and taking with us only what we +can carry." "And my jewelled arrow," said the prince, "that I may give +it back to my father and explain to him how I lost it. Then shall I +be restored to his favour, and maybe he will forgive my mother also." + +"Have no fear," answered Rupa-Sikha: "all will surely go well with +us. Forget not that new powers have been given to me, which will save +us from my father and aid me to rescue my dear one's mother from her +evil fate." + +Before the dawn broke on the next day, the two set forth unattended, +Marut seeming to take pride in his double burden and bearing them along +so swiftly that they had all but reached the bounds of the country +under the dominion of Agni-Sikha as the sun rose. Just as they thought +they were safe from pursuit, they heard a loud rushing noise behind; +and looking round, they saw the father of the bride close upon them on +his Arab steed, with sword uplifted in his hand to strike. "Fear not," +whispered Rupa-Sikha to her husband. "I will show you now what I can +do." And waving her arms to and fro, as she muttered some strange +words, she changed herself into an old woman and Sringa-Bhuja into +an old man, whilst Marut became a great pile of wood by the road-side. + +When the angry father reached the spot, the bride and bridegroom were +busily gathering sticks to add to the pile, seemingly too absorbed +in their work to take any notice of the angry magician, who shouted +out to them: + +"Have you seen a man and a woman pass along this way?" + +The old woman straightened herself, and peering, up into his face, +said: + +"No; we are too busy over our work to notice anything else." + +"And what, pray, are you doing in my wood?" asked Agni-Sikha. + +"We are helping to collect the fuel for the pyre of the great +magician Agni-Sikha." answered Rupa-Sikha. "Do you not know that he +died yesterday?" + +The Hindus of India do not bury but burn the dead; so that it was quite +a natural thing for the people of the land over which the magician +ruled to collect the materials for the pyre or heap of wood on which +his body would be laid to be burnt. What surprised Agni-Sikha, and +in fact nearly took his breath away, was to be quietly told that he +was dead. He began to think that he was dreaming, and said to himself, +"I cannot really be dead without knowing it, so I must be asleep." And +he quietly turned his horse round and rode slowly home again. This was +just what his daughter wanted; and as soon as he was out of sight, +she turned herself, her husband and Marut, into their natural forms +again, laughing merrily, as she did so, at the thought of the ease +with which she had got rid of her father. + +21. Do you think it was clever of Rupa-Sikha to make up this story? + +22. Do you think it is better to believe all that you are told or to +be more ready to doubt when anything you hear seems to be unusual? + + +CHAPTER XII + + +Once more the bride and bridegroom set forth on their way, and once +more they soon heard Agni-Sikha coming after them. For when he got +back to his palace, and the servants hastened out to take his horse, he +guessed that a trick had been played on him. He did not even dismount, +but just turned his horse's head round and galloped back again. "If +ever," he thought to himself, "I catch those two young people, I'll +make them wish they had obeyed me. Yes, they shall suffer for it. I +am not going to stand being defied like this." + +This time Rupa-Sikha contented herself with making her husband and +Marut invisible, whilst she changed herself into a letter-carrier, +hurrying along the road as if not a moment was to be lost. She took no +notice of her father, till he reined up his steed and shouted to her: + +"Have you seen a man and woman on horseback pass by?" + +"No, indeed," she said: "I have a very important letter to deliver, +and could think of nothing but making all the haste possible." + +"And what is this important letter about?" asked Agni-Sikha. "Can +you tell me that?" + +"Oh, yes, I can tell you that," she said. "But where can you have been, +not to have heard the terrible news about the ruler of this land?" + +"You can't tell me anything I don't know about him," answered the +magician, "for he is my greatest friend." + +"Then you know that he is dying from a wound he got in a battle with +his enemies only yesterday. I am to take this letter to his brother +Dhuma-Sikha, bidding him come to see him before the end." + +Again Agni-Sikha wondered if he were dreaming, or if he were under +some strange spell and did not really know who he was? Being able, +as he was, to cast spells on other people, he was ready to fancy the +same thing had befallen him. He said nothing when he heard that he was +wounded, and was about to turn back again when Rupa-Sikha said to him: + +"As you are on horseback and can get to Dhuma-Sikha's temple quicker +than I can, will you carry the message of his brother's approaching +death to him for me, and bid him make all possible haste if he would +see him alive?" + +This was altogether too much for the magician, who became sure that +there was something very wrong about him. He knew he was not wounded or +dying, but he thought he must be ill of fever, fancying he heard what +he did not. He stared fixedly at his daughter, and she stared up at +him, half-afraid he might find out who she was, but he never guessed. + +"Do your own errands," he said at last; and slashing his poor innocent +horse with his whip, he wheeled round and dashed home again as fast as +he could. Again his servants ran out to receive him, and he gloomily +dismounted, telling them to send his chief councillor to him in his +private apartments. Shut up with him, he poured out all his troubles, +and the councillor advised him to see his physician without any delay, +for he felt sure that these strange fancies were caused by illness. + +The doctor, when he came, was very much puzzled, but he looked as +wise as he could, ordered perfect rest and all manner of disagreeable +medicines. He was very much surprised at the change he noticed in his +patient, who, instead of angrily declaring that there was nothing the +matter with him, was evidently in a great fright about his health. He +shut himself up for many days, and it was a long time before he got +over the shock he had received, and then it was too late for him to +be revenged or the lovers. + +23. Can you explain what casting a spell means? + +24. Can you give an instance of a spell being cast on any one you +have heard of? + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +Having really got rid of Agni-Sikha, Rupa-Sikha and her husband +were very soon out of his reach and in the country belonging to +Sringa-Bhuja's father, who had bitterly mourned the loss of his +favourite son. When the news was brought to him that two strangers, +a handsome young man and a beautiful woman, who appeared to be husband +and wife, had entered his capital, he hastened forth to meet them, +hoping that perhaps they could give him news of Sringa-Bhuja. What +was his joy when he recognised his dear son, holding the jewelled +arrow, which had led him into such trouble, in his right hand, as he +guided Marat with his left! The king flung himself from his horse, +and Sringa-Bhuja, giving the reins to Rupa-Sikha, also dismounted. The +next moment he was in his father's arms, everything forgotten and +forgiven in the happy reunion. + +Great was the rejoicing over Sringa-Bhuja's return and hearty was the +welcome given to his beautiful bride, who quickly won all hearts but +those of the wicked wives and sons who had tried to harm her husband +and his mother. They feared the anger of the king, when he found out +how they had deceived him, and they were right to fear. Sringa-Bhuja's +very first act was to plead for his mother to be set free. He would +not tell any of his adventures, he said, till she could hear them +too; and the king, full of remorse for the way he had treated her, +went with him to the prison in which she had been shut up all this +time. What was poor Guna-Vara's joy, when the two entered the place in +which she had shed so many tears! She could not at first believe her +eyes or ears, but soon she realised that her sufferings were indeed +over. She could not be quite happy till her beloved husband said +he knew she had never loved any one but him. She had been accused +falsely, she said, and she wanted the woman who had told a lie about +her to be made to own the truth. + +This was done in the presence of the whole court, and when judgment had +been passed upon Ayasolekha, the brothers of Sringa-Bhuja were also +brought before their father, who charged them with having deceived +him. They too were condemned, and all the culprits would have been +taken to prison and shut up for the rest of their lives, if those they +had injured had not pleaded for their forgiveness. Guna-Vara and her +son prostrated themselves at the foot of the throne, and would not +rise till they had won pardon for their enemies. Ayasolekha and the +brothers were allowed to go free; but Sringa-Bhuja, though he was the +youngest of all the princes, was proclaimed heir to the crown after his +father's death. His brothers, however, never ceased to hate him; and +when he came to the throne, they gave him a great deal of trouble. He +had many years of happiness with his wife and parents before that, +and never regretted the mistake about the jewelled arrow; since but +for it he would, he knew, never have seen his beloved Rupa-Sikha. + +25. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +26. Do yon think it was good for those who had told lies about +Guna-Vara and her son to be forgiven so easily? + +27. Can you give any instances of good coming out of evil and of evil +coming out of what seemed good? + +28. Do you think Rupa-Sikha deserved all the happiness that came +to her? + + + +STORY VI + +The Beetle and the Silken Thread. [2] + + +CHAPTER I + + +The strange adventures related in the story of the Beetle and the +Silken Thread took place in the town of Allahabad, "the City of God," +so called because it is situated near the point of meeting of the two +sacred rivers of India, the Ganges, which the Hindus lovingly call +Mother Ganga because they believe its waters can wash away their sins, +and the Jumna, which they consider scarcely less holy. + +The ruler of Allahabad was a very selfish and hot-tempered Raja named +Surya Pratap, signifying "Powerful as the Sun," who expected everybody +to obey him without a moment's delay, and was ready to punish in +a very cruel manner those who hesitated to do so. He would never +listen to a word of explanation, or own that he had been mistaken, +even when he knew full well that he was in the wrong. He had a mantri, +that is to say, a chief vizier or officer, whom he greatly trusted, +and really seemed to be fond of, for he liked to have him always near +him. The vizier was called Dhairya-Sila, or "the Patient One," because +he never lost his temper, no matter what provocation he received. He +had a beautiful house, much money and many jewels, carriages to drive +about in, noble horses to ride and many servants to wait upon him, +all given to him by his master. But what he loved best of all was +his faithful wife, Buddhi-Mati, or "the Sensible One," whom he had +chosen for himself, and who would have died for him. + +Many of the Raja's subjects were jealous of Dhairya-Sila, and +constantly brought accusations against him, of none of which his master +took any notice, except to punish those who tried to set him against +his favourite. It really seemed as if nothing would ever bring harm to +Dhairya-Sila; but he often told his wife that such good fortune was not +likely to last, and that she must be prepared for a change before long. + +It turned out that he was right. For one day Surya Pratap ordered +him to do what he considered would be a shameful deed. He refused; +telling his master that he was wrong to think of such a thing, and +entreating him to give up his purpose. "All your life long," he said, +"you will wish you had listened to me; for your conscience will never +let you rest!" + +On hearing these brave words, Surya Pratap flew into a terrible rage, +summoned his guards, and ordered them to take Dhairya-Sila outside the +city to a very lofty tower, and leave him at the top of it, without +shelter from the sun and with nothing to eat or drink. The guards were +at first afraid to touch the vizier, remembering how others had been +punished for only speaking against him. Seeing their unwillingness, +the Raja got more and more angry; but Dhairya-Sila himself kept quite +calm, and said to the soldiers: + +"I go with you gladly. It is for the master to command and for me +to obey." + +1. What is the best way to learn to keep calm in an emergency? + +2. Why does too much power have a bad influence on those who have it? + + +CHAPTER II + + +The guards were relieved to find they need not drag the vizier away; +for they admired his courage and felt sure that the Raja would soon +find he could not get on without him. It might go hardly with them if +he suffered harm at their hands. So they only closed in about him; +and holding himself very upright, Dhairya-Sila walked to the tower +as if he were quite glad to go. In his heart however he knew full +well that it would need all his skill to escape with his life. + +When her husband did not come home at night, Buddhi-Mati was very +much distressed. She guessed at once that something had gone wrong, +and set forth to try and find out what had happened. This was easy +enough; for as she crept along, with her veil closely held about her +lest she should be recognised, she passed groups of people discussing +the terrible fate that had befallen the favourite. She decided that +she must wait until midnight, when the streets would be deserted and +she could reach the tower unnoticed. It was almost dark when she got +there, but in the dim light of the stars she made out the form of him +she loved better than herself, leaning over the edge of the railing +at the top. + +"Is my dear lord still alive?" she whispered, "and is there anything +I can do to help him?" + +"You can do everything that is needed to help me," answered +Dhairya-Sila quietly, "if you only obey every direction I give you. Do +not for one moment suppose that I am in despair. I am more powerful +even now than my master, who has but shown his weakness by attempting +to harm me. Now listen to me. Come to-morrow night at this very hour, +bringing with you the following things: first, a beetle; secondly, +sixty yards of the finest silk thread, as thin as a spider's web; +thirdly, sixty yards of cotton thread, as thin as you can get it, +but very strong; fourthly, sixty yards of good stout twine; fifthly, +sixty yards of rope, strong enough to carry my weight; and last, +but certainly not least, one drop of the purest bees' honey." + +3. Do you think the vizier thought of all these things before or +after he was taken to the tower? + +4. What special quality did he display in the way in which he faced +his position on the tower? + + + +CHAPTER III + + +Buddhi-Mati listened very attentively to these strange instructions, +and began to ask questions about them. "Why do you want the beetle? Why +do you want the honey?" and so on. But her husband checked her. "I have +no strength to waste in explanations," he said. "Go home in peace, +sleep well, and dream of me." So the anxious wife went meekly away; +and early the next day she set to work to obey the orders she had +received. She had some trouble in obtaining fine enough silk, so +very, very thin it had to be, like a spider's web; but the cotton, +twine and rope were easily bought; and to her surprise she was not +asked what she wanted them for. It took her a good while to choose +the beetle. For though she had a vague kind of idea that the silk, +the cotton, twine, and rope, were to help her husband get down from +the tower, she could not imagine what share the beetle and the honey +were to take. In the end she chose a very handsome, strong-looking, +brilliantly coloured fellow who lived in the garden of her home and +whom she knew to be fond of honey. + +5. Can you guess how the beetle and the honey were to help in saving +Dhairya-Sila? + +6. Do you think it would have been better if the vizier had told his +wife how all the things he asked for were to be used? + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +All the time Buddhi-Mati was at work for her husband, she was thinking +of him and looking forward to the happy day of his return home. She +had such faith in him that she did not for a moment doubt that he +would escape; but she was anxious about the future, feeling sure +that the Raja would never forgive Dhairya-Sila for being wiser than +himself. Exactly at the time fixed the faithful wife appeared at the +foot of the tower, with all the things she had been told to bring +with her. + +"Is all well with my lord?" she whispered, as she gazed up through +the darkness. "I have the silken thread as fine as gossamer, the +cotton thread, the twine, the rope, the beetle and the honey." + +"Yes," answered Dhairya-Sila, "all is still well with me. I have +slept well, feeling confident that my dear one would bring all that +is needed for my safety; but I dread the great heat of another day, +and we must lose no time in getting away from this terrible tower. Now +attend most carefully to all I bid you do; and remember not to speak +loud, or the sentries posted within hearing will take alarm and drive +you away. First of all, tie the end of the silken thread round the +middle of the beetle, leaving all its legs quite free. Then rub the +drop of honey on its nose, and put the little creature on the wall, +with its nose turned upwards towards me. It will smell the honey, but +will not guess that it carries it itself, and it will crawl upwards in +the hope of getting to the hive from which that honey came. Keep the +rest of the silk firmly held, and gradually unwind it as the beetle +climbs up. Mind you do not let it slip, for my very life depends on +that slight link with you." + +7. Which do you think had the harder task to perform--the husband at +the top of the tower or the wife at the foot of it? + +8. Do you think the beetle was likely to imagine it was on the way +to a hive of bees when it began to creep up the tower? + + + +CHAPTER V + + +Buddhi-Mati, though her hands shook and her heart beat fast as +she realized all that depended on her, kept the silk from becoming +entangled; and when it was nearly all unwound, she heard her husband's +voice saying to her: "Now tie the cotton thread to the end of the +silk that you hold, and let it gradually unwind." She obeyed, fully +understanding now what all these preparations were for. + +When the little messenger of life reached the top of the tower, +Dhairya-Sila took it up in his hand and very gently unfastened the +silken thread from its body. Then he placed the beetle carefully in +a fold of his turban, and began to pull the silken thread up--very, +very slowly, for if it had broken, his wonderful scheme would have +come to an end. Presently he had the cotton thread in his fingers, +and he broke off the silk, wound it up, and placed it too in his +turban. It had done its duty well, and he would not throw it away. + +"Half the work is done now," he whispered to his faithful wife. "You +have all but saved me now. Take the twine and tie it to the end of +the cotton thread." + +Very happily Buddhi-Mati obeyed once more; and soon the cotton thread +and twine were also laid aside, and the strong rope tied to the last +was being quickly dragged up by the clever vizier, who knew that all +fear of death from sunstroke or hunger was over. When he had all the +rope on the tower, he fastened one end of it to the iron railing which +ran round the platform on which he stood, and very quickly slid down +to the bottom, where his wife was waiting for him, trembling with joy. + +9. Do you see anything very improbable in the account of what the +beetle did? + +10. If the beetle had not gone straight up the tower, what do you +think would have happened? + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +After embracing his wife and thanking her for saving him, the vizier +said to her: "Before we return home, let us give thanks to the great +God who helped me in my need by putting into my head the device +by which I escaped." The happy pair then prostrated themselves +on the ground, and in fervent words of gratitude expressed their +sense of what the God they worshipped had done for them. "And now," +said Dhairya-Sila, "the next thing we have to do is to take the dear +little beetle which was the instrument of my rescue back to the place +it came from." And taking off his turban, he showed his wife the tiny +creature lying in the soft folds. + +Buddhi-Mati led her husband to the garden where she had found the +beetle, and Dhairya-Sila laid it tenderly on the ground, fetched some +food for it, such as he knew it loved, and there left it to take up +its old way of life. The rest of the day he spent quietly in his own +home with his wife, keeping out of sight of his servants, lest they +should report his return to his master. "You must never breathe a +word to any one of how I escaped," Dhairya-Sila said, and his wife +promised that she never would. + +11. When the vizier got this promise, what did he forget which could +betray how he got down from the tower, if any one went to look at it? + +12. Do you think there was any need for the vizier to tell his wife +to keep his secret? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +All this time the Raja was feeling very unhappy, for he thought he +had himself caused the death of the one man he could trust. He was too +proud to let anybody know that he missed Dhairya-Sila, and was longing +to send for him from the tower before it was too late. What then was +his relief and surprise when a message was brought to him that the +vizier was at the door of the palace and begged for an interview. + +"Bring him in at once," cried Surya Pratap. And the next moment +Dhairya-Sila stood before his master, his hands folded on his breast +and his head bent in token of his submission. The attendants looked +on, eager to know how he had got down from the tower, some of them +anything but glad to see him back. The Raja took care not to show +how delighted he was to see him, and pretending to be angry, he said: + +"How dare you come into my presence, and which of my subjects has +ventured to help you to escape the death on the tower you so richly +deserved?" + +"None of your subjects, great and just and glorious ruler," replied +Dhairya-Sila, "but the God who created us both, making you my +master and me your humble servant. It was that God," he went on, +"who saved me, knowing that I was indeed guiltless of any crime +against you. I had not been long on the tower when help came to me +in the form of a great and noble eagle, which appeared above me, +hovering with outspread wings, as if about to swoop down upon me and +tear me limb from limb. I trembled greatly, but I need have had no +fear; for instead of harming me, the bird suddenly lifted me up in +its talons and, flying rapidly through the air, landed me upon the +balcony of my home and disappeared. Great indeed was the joy of my +wife at my rescue from what seemed to be certain death; but I tore +myself away from her embraces, to come and tell my lord how heaven +had interfered to prove my innocence." + +Fully believing that a miracle had taken place, Surya Pratap asked +no more questions, but at once restored Dhairya-Sila to his old +place as vizier, taking care not again to ill-treat the man he now +believed to be under the special care of God. Though he certainly did +not deserve it, the vizier prospered greatly all the rest of his life +and as time went on he became the real ruler of the kingdom, for the +Raja depended on his advice in everything. He grew richer and richer, +but he was never really happy again, remembering the lie he had told to +the master to whom he owed so much. Buddhi-Mati could never understand +why he made up the story about the eagle, and constantly urged him to +tell the truth. She thought it was really far more wonderful that a +little beetle should have been the means of rescuing him, than that +a strong bird should have done so; and she wanted everyone to know +what a very clever husband she had. She kept her promise never to tell +anyone what really happened, but the secret came out for all that. By +the time it was known, however, Dhairya-Sila was so powerful that no +one could harm him, and when he died his son took his place as vizier, + +13. What lessons can be learnt from this story? + +14. What do you think was Dhairya-Sila's motive for telling the Raja +the lie about the eagle? + +15. What did Surya Pratap's ready belief in the story show? + +16. How do you think the secret the husband and wife kept so well +was discovered? + + + +STORY VII + +A Crow and His Three Friends + + +CHAPTER I + + +In the branches of a great tree, in a forest in India, lived a +wise old crow in a very comfortable, well-built nest. His wife was +dead, and all his children were getting their own living; so he had +nothing to do but to look after himself. He led a very easy existence, +but took a great interest in the affairs of his neighbours. One day, +popping his head over the edge of his home, he saw a fierce-looking man +stalking along, carrying a stick in one hand and a net in the other. + +"That fellow is up to some mischief, I'll be bound," thought the crow: +"I will keep my eye on him." The man stopped under the tree, spread +the net on the ground; and taking a bag of rice out of his pocket, +he scattered the grains amongst the meshes of the net. Then he hid +himself behind the trunk of the tree from which the crow was watching, +evidently intending to stop there and see what would happen. The +crow felt pretty gore that the stranger had designs against birds, +and that the stick had something to do with the matter. He was quite +right; and it was not long before just what he expected came to pass. + +A flock of pigeons, led by a specially fine bird who had been chosen +king because of his size and the beauty of his plumage, came flying +rapidly along, and noticed the white rice, but did not see the net, +because it was very much the same colour as the ground. Down swooped +the king, and down swept all the other pigeons, eager to enjoy a good +meal without any trouble to themselves. Alas, their joy was short +lived! They were all caught in the net and began struggling to escape, +beating the air with their wings and uttering loud cries of distress. + +The crow and the man behind the tree kept very quiet, watching them; +the man with his stick ready to beat the poor helpless birds to +death, the crow watching out of mere curiosity. Now a very strange +and wonderful thing came to pass. The king of the pigeons, who had +his wits about him, said to the imprisoned birds: + +"Take the net up in your beaks, all of you spread out your wings at +once, and fly straight up into the air as quickly as possible." + +1. What special qualities did the king display when he gave these +orders to his subjects? + +2. Can you think of any other advice the king might have given? + + +CHAPTER II + + +In a moment all the pigeons, who were accustomed to obey their leader, +did as they were bid; each little bird seized a separate thread of the +net in his beak and up, up, up, they all flew, looking very beautiful +with the sunlight gleaming on their white wings. Very soon they were +out of sight; and the man, who thought he had hit upon a very clever +plan, came forth from his hiding-place, very much surprised at what +had happened. He stood gazing up after his vanished net for a little +time, and then went away muttering to himself, whilst the wise old +crow laughed at him. + +When the pigeons had flown some distance, and were beginning to +get exhausted, for the net was heavy and they were quite unused to +carrying loads, the king bade them rest awhile in a clearing of the +forest; and as they all lay on the ground panting for breath, with +the cruel net still hampering them, he said: + +"What we must do now is to take this horrible net to my old friend +Hiranya the mouse, who will, I am quite sure, nibble through the +strings for me and set us all free. He lives, as you all know, near +the tree where the net was spread, deep underground; but there are +many passages leading to his home, and we shall easily find one of +the openings. Once there, we will all lift up our voices, and call to +him at once, when he will be sure to hear us." So the weary pigeons +took up their burden once more, and sped back whence they had come, +greatly to the surprise of the crow, who wondered at their coming +back to the very place where misfortune had overtaken them. He very +soon learnt the reason, and got so excited watching what was going +on, that he hopped out of his nest and perched upon a branch where +he could see better. Presently a great clamour arose, one word being +repeated again and again: "Hiranya! Hiranya! Hiranya." + +"Why, that's the name of the mouse who lives down below there!" thought +the crow. "Now, what good can he do? I know, I know," he added, as +he remembered the sharp teeth of Hiranya. "That king of the pigeons +is a sensible fellow. I must make friends with him." + +Very soon, as the pigeons lay fluttering and struggling outside one +of the entrances to Hiranya's retreat, the mouse came out. He didn't +even need to be told what was wanted, but at once began to nibble +the string, first setting free the king, and then all the rest of +the birds. "A friend in need is a friend indeed," cried the king; +"a thousand thousand thanks!" And away he flew up into the beautiful +free air of heaven, followed by the happy pigeons, none of them ever +likely to forget the adventure or to pick up food from the ground +without a good look at it first. + +3. What was the chief virtue displayed by the mouse on this occasion? + +4. Do you think it is easier to obey than to command? + + +CHAPTER III + + +The mouse did not at once return to his hole when the birds were gone, +but went for a little stroll, which brought him to the ground still +strewn with rice, which he began to eat with great relish. "It's an +ill wind," he said to himself, "which brings nobody any good. There's +many a good meal for my whole family here." + +Presently he was joined by the old crow, who had flown down from his +perch unnoticed by Hiranya, and now addressed him in his croaky voice: + +"Hiranya," he said, "for that I know is your name, I am called +Laghupatin and I would gladly have you for a friend. I have seen all +that you did for the pigeons, and have come to the conclusion that you +are a mouse of great wisdom, ready to help those who are in trouble, +without any thought of yourself." + +"You are quite wrong," squeaked Hiranya. "I am not so silly as you make +out. I have no wish to be your friend. If you were hungry, you wouldn't +hesitate to gobble me up. I don't care for that sort of affection." + +With that Hiranya whisked away to his hole, pausing at the entrance, +when he knew the crow could not get at him, to cry, "You be off to +your nest and leave me alone!" + +The feelings of the crow were very much hurt at this speech, the +more that he knew full well it was not exactly love for the mouse, +which had led him to make his offer, but self-interest: for who could +tell what difficulties he himself might some day be in, out of which +the mouse might help him? Instead of obeying Hiranya, and going back +to his nest, he hopped to the mouse's hole, and putting his head on +one side in what he thought was a very taking manner, he said: + +"Pray do not misjudge me so. Never would I harm you! Even if I did not +wish to have you for a friend, I should not dream of gobbling you up, +as you say, however hungry I might be. Surely you are aware that I am +a strict vegetarian, and never eat the flesh of other creatures. At +least give me a trial. Let us share a meal together, and talk the +matter over." + +5. Can a friendship be a true one if the motive for it is +self-interest? + +6. Would it have been wise or foolish for the mouse to agree to be +friends with the crow? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +Hiranya, on hearing the last remark of Laghupatin, hesitated, and +in the end he agreed that he would have supper with the crow that +very evening. "There is plenty of rice here," he said, "which we +can eat on the spot. It would be impossible for you to get into my +hole, and I am certainly not disposed to visit you in your nest." So +the two at once began their meal, and before it was over they had +become good friends. Not a day passed without a meeting, and when +all the rice was eaten up, each of the two would bring something to +the feast. This had gone on for some little time, when the crow, +who was fond of adventure and change, said one day to the mouse: +"Don't you think we might go somewhere else for a time? I am rather +tired of this bit of the forest, every inch of which we both know +well. I've got another great friend who lives beside a fine river +a few miles away, a tortoise named Mandharaka; a thoroughly good, +trustworthy fellow he is, though rather slow and cautious in his +ways. I should like to introduce you to him. There are quantities of +food suitable for us both where he lives, for it is a very fruitful +land. What do you say to coming with me to pay him a visit?" + +"How in the world should I get there?" answered Hiranya. "It's all +very well for you, who can fly. I can't walk for miles and miles. For +all that I too am sick of this place and would like a change." + +"Oh, there's no difficulty about that," replied Laghupatin. "I will +carry you in my beak, and you will get there without any fatigue at +all." To this Hiranya consented, and very early one morning the two +friends started off together. + +7. Is love of change a good or a bad thing? + +8. What did Hiranya's readiness to let Laghupatin carry him show? + + +CHAPTER V + + +After flying along for several hours, the crow began to feel very +tired. He was seized too with a great desire to hear his own voice +again. So he flew to the ground, laid his little companion gently down, +and gave vent to a number of hoarse cries, which quite frightened +Hiranya, who timidly asked him what was the matter. + +"Nothing whatever," answered Laghupatin, "except that you are +not quite so light as I thought you were, and that I need a rest; +besides which, I am hungry and I expect you are. We had better stop +here for the night, and start again early to-morrow morning." Hiranya +readily agreed to this, and after a good meal, which was easily found, +the two settled down to sleep, the crow perched in a tree, the mouse +hidden amongst its roots. Very early the next day they were off again, +and soon arrived at the river, where they were warmly welcomed by +the tortoise. The three had a long talk together, and agreed never +to part again. The tortoise, who had lived a great deal longer than +either the mouse or the crow, was a very pleasant companion; and even +Laghupatin, who was very fond of talking himself, liked to listen to +his stories of long ago. + +"I wonder," said the tortoise, whose name was Mandharaka, to the mouse, +"that you are not afraid to travel about as you have done, with your +soft little body unprotected by any armour. Look how different it +is for me; it is almost impossible for any of the wild creatures who +live near this river to hurt me, and they know it full well. See how +thick and strong my armour is. The claws even of a tiger, a wild cat +or an eagle, could not penetrate it. I am very much afraid, my little +friend, that you will be gobbled up some fine day, and Laghupatin +and I will seek for you in vain." + +"Of course," said the mouse, "I know the truth of what you say; +but I can very easily hide from danger--much more easily than you or +Laghupatin. A tuft of moss or a few dead leaves are shelter enough +for me, but big fellows like you and the crow can be quite easily +seen. Nobody saw me when the pigeons were all caught except Laghupatin; +and I would have kept out of his sight if I had not known that he +did not care to eat mice." + +In spite of the fears of Mandharaka, the mouse and the crow lived +as his guests for a long time without any accident; and one day they +were suddenly joined by a new companion, a creature as unlike any one +of the three friends as could possibly be imagined. This was a very +beautiful deer, who came bounding out of the forest, all eager to +escape from the hunters, by whom he had been pursued, but too weary +to reach the river, across which he had hoped to be able to swim to +safety. Just as he reached the three friends, he fell to the ground, +almost crushing the mouse, who darted away in the nick of time. Strange +to say, the hunters did not follow the deer; and it was evident that +they had not noticed the way he had gone. + +The tortoise, the crow and the mouse were all very sorry for the deer, +and, as was always the case, the crow was the first to speak. "Whatever +has happened to you?" he asked. And the deer made answer: + +"I thought my last hour had come this time, for the hunters were +close upon me; and even now I do not feel safe." + +"I'll fly up and take a look 'round," said Laghupatin; and off he +went to explore, coming back soon, to say he had seen the hunters +disappearing a long distance off, going in quite another direction +from the river. Gradually the deer was reassured, and lay still where +he had fallen; whilst the three friends chatted away to him, telling +him of their adventures. "What you had better do," said the tortoise, +"is to join us. When you have had a good meal, and a drink from the +river, you will feel a different creature. My old friend Laghupatin +will be the one to keep watch for us all, and warn us of any danger +approaching; I will give you the benefit of my long experience; +and little Hiranya, though he is not likely to be of any use to you, +will certainly never do you any harm." + +9. Is it a good thing to make friends easily? + +10. What was the bond of union between the crow, the mouse, the +tortoise and the deer? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +The deer was so touched by the kind way in which he had been received, +that he agreed to stop with the three friends; and for some weeks +after his arrival all went well. Each member of the party went his own +way during the day-time, but all four met together in the evening, +and took it in turns to tell their adventures. The crow always had +the most to say, and was very useful to the deer in warning him of +the presence of hunters in the forest. One beautiful moonlight night +the deer did not come back as usual, and the other three became very +anxious about him. The crow flew up to the highest tree near and +eagerly sought for some sign of his lost friend, of whom he had grown +very fond. Presently he noticed a dark mass by the river-side, just +where the deer used to go down to drink every evening. "That must be +he," thought the crow; and very soon he was hovering above the deer, +who had been caught in a net and was struggling in vain to get free. + +The poor deer was very glad indeed to see the crow, and cried to +him in a piteous voice: "Be quick, be quick, and help me, before the +terrible hunters find me and kill me." + +"I can do nothing for you myself," said the crow, "but I know who +can. Remember who saved the pigeons!" And away he flew to fetch +little Hiranya, who with the tortoise was anxiously awaiting his +return. Very soon Laghupatin was back by the river-side with the +little mouse in his beak; and it did not take long for Hiranya, who +had been despised by the deer and the tortoise as a feeble little +thing, to nibble through the cords and save the life of the animal +a hundred times as big as himself. + +How happy the deer was when the cruel cords were loosed and he could +stretch out his limbs again! He bounded up, but took great care not +to crush the mouse, who had done him such a service. "Never, never, +never," he said, "shall I forget what you have done for me. Ask +anything in my power, and I will do it." + +"I want nothing," said Hixanya, "except the joyful thought of having +saved you." + +By this time the tortoise had crept to the river-bank, and he too was +glad that the deer had been saved. He praised the mouse, and declared +that he would never again look down upon him. Then the four started +to go back to their usual haunt in the forest; the deer, the crow, +and the mouse soon arriving there quite safely, whilst the tortoise, +who could only get along very slowly, lagged behind. Now came the +time for him to find out that armour was not the only thing needed +to save him from danger. He had not got very far from the riverbank +before the cruel hunter who had set the net to catch the deer, came +to see if he had succeeded. Great was his rage when he found the net +lying on the ground, but not exactly where he had left it. He guessed +at once that some animal had been caught in it and escaped after a +long struggle. He looked carefully about and noticed that the cords +had been bitten through here and there. So he suspected just what +had happened, and began to search about for any creature who could +have done the mischief. + +There was not a sign of the mouse, but the slow-moving tortoise was +soon discovered, and pouncing down upon him, the hunter rolled him up +in another net he had with him, and carried him off, "It's not much of +a prize," said the hunter to himself, "but better than nothing. I'll +have my revenge on the wretched creature anyhow, as I have lost the +prey I sought." + +11. Which of the four friends concerned in this adventure do you +admire most? + +12. What was the chief mistake made by the tortoise? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +When the tortoise in his turn did not come home, the deer, the crow +and the mouse were very much concerned. They talked the matter over +together and decided that, however great the risk to themselves, they +must go back and see what had become of their friend. This time the +mouse travelled in one of the eats of the deer, from which he peeped +forth with his bright eyes, hoping to see the tortoise toiling along +in his usual solemn manner; whilst the crow, also on the watch, flew +along beside them. Great was the surprise and terror of all three when, +as they came out of the forest, they saw the hunter striding along +towards them, with the tortoise in the net under his arm. Once more the +little mouse showed his wisdom. Without a moment's hesitation he said +to the deer: "Throw yourself on the ground and pretend to be dead; +and you," he added to the crow, "perch on his head and bend over as +if you were going to peck out his eyes." + +Without any idea what Hiranya meant by these strange orders, +but remembering how he had helped in other dangers, the two did as +they were told; the poor deer feeling anything but happy lying still +where his enemy was sure to see him, and thereby proving what a noble +creature he was. The hunter did, see him very soon, and thinking to +himself, "After all I shall get that deer," he let the tortoise fall, +and came striding along as fast as he could. + +Up jumped the deer without waiting to see what became of the tortoise, +and sped away like the wind. The hunter rushed after him, and the +two were soon out of sight. The tortoise, whose armour had saved +him from being hurt by his fall, was indeed pleased when he saw +little Hiranya running towards him. "Be quick, be quick!" he cried, +"and set me free." Very soon the sharp teeth of the mouse had bitten +through the meshes of the net, and before the hunter came back, after +trying in vain to catch the deer, the tortoise was safely swimming +across the river, leaving the net upon the ground, whilst the crow +and the mouse were back in the shelter of the forest. + +"There's some magic at work here," said the hunter when, expecting +to find the tortoise where he had left him, he discovered that his +prisoner had escaped. "The stupid beast could not have got out alone," +he added, as he picked up the net and walked off with it. "But he +wasn't worth keeping anyhow." + +That evening the four friends met once more, and talked over all they +had gone through together. The deer and the tortoise were full of +gratitude to the mouse, and could not say enough in his praise, but +the crow was rather sulky, and remarked: "If it had not been for me, +neither of you would ever have seen Hiranya. He was my friend before +he was yours." + +"You are right," said the tortoise, "and you must also remember that it +was my armour which saved me from being killed in that terrible fall." + +"Your armour would not have been of much use to you, if the hunter had +been allowed to carry you to his home," said the deer. "In my opinion +you and I both owe our lives entirely to Hiranya. He is small and +weak, it is true, but he has better brains than any of the rest of us, +and I for one admire him with all my heart. I am glad I trusted him +and obeyed him, when he ordered me to pretend to be dead, for I had +not the least idea how that could help the tortoise." + +"Have it your own way," croaked the crow, "but I keep my own opinion +all the same. But for me you would never have known my dear little +Hiranya." + +In spite of this little dispute the four friends were soon as happy +together as before the adventure of the tortoise. They once more +agreed never to part and lived happily together for many years, +as they had done ever since they first met. + +13. What were the chief differences in the characters of the four +friends? + +14. Are those who are alike or unlike in character more likely to +remain friends? + +15. How would you describe a true friend? + +16. What fault is more likely than any other to lead to loss of +friendship? + + + +STORY VIII + +A Clever Thief. + + +CHAPTER I + + +A certain man, named Hari-Sarman, who lived in a little village +in India, where there were no rich people and everyone had to work +hard to get his daily bread, got very weary of the life he had to +lead. He had a wife whose name was Vidya, and a large family; and +even if he had been very industrious it would have been difficult for +him to get enough food for them all. Unfortunately he was not a bit +industrious, but very lazy, and so was his wife. Neither of them made +any attempt to teach their boys and girls to earn their own living; +and if the other poor people in the village had not helped them, +they would have starved. Hari-Sarman used to send his children out +in different directions to beg or steal, whilst he and Vidya stayed +at home doing nothing. + +One day he said to his wife: "Let us leave this stupid place, and +go to some big city where we can pick up a living of some kind. I +will pretend to be a wise man, able to find out secrets; and you +can say that you know all about children, having had so many of +your own." Vidya gladly agreed to this, and the whole party set out, +carrying the few possessions they had with them. In course of time they +came to a big town, and Hari-Sarman went boldly to the chief house in +it, leaving his wife and children outside. He asked to see the master, +and was taken into his presence. This master was a very rich merchant, +owning large estates in the country; but he cannot have been very +clever, for he was at once quite taken in by the story Hari-Sarman +told him. He said that he would find work for him and his wife, and +that the children could be sent to a farm he had, in the country, +where they could be made very useful. + +Overjoyed at this, Hari-Sarman hastened out to tell his wife the good +news; and the two were at once received into the grand residence, +in which a small room was given to them for their own, whilst the +children were taken away to the farm, fall of eager delight at the +change from the wretched life they had been leading. + +1. Would it have been better for Hari-Sarman and Vidya if their +neighbours had not helped them? + +2. Do you think Hari-Sarman was the only person to blame for his +poverty? + + +CHAPTER II + + +Soon after the arrival of the husband and wife at the merchant's +house, a very important event took place, namely, the marriage of +the eldest daughter. Great were the preparations beforehand, in which +Vidya took her full share, helping in the kitchen to make all manner +of delicious dishes, and living in great luxury herself. For there +was no stint in the wealthy home; even the humblest servants were +well cared for. Vidya was happier than she had ever been before, now +that she had plenty to do and plenty of good food. She became in fact +quite a different creature, and began to wish she had been a better +mother to her children. "When the wedding is over," she thought, +"I will go and see how they are getting on." On the other hand she +forgot all about her husband and scarcely ever saw him. + +It was all very different with Hari-Sarman himself. He had no +special duties to perform and nobody seemed to want him. If he went +into the kitchen, the busy servants ordered him to get out of their +way; and he was not made welcome by the owner of the house or his +guests. The merchant too forgot all about him, and he felt very +lonely and miserable. He had been thinking to himself how much he +would enjoy all the delicious food he would get after the wedding; +and now he began to grumble: "I'm starving in the midst of plenty, +that's what I am. Something will have to be done to change this +horrible state of things." + +Whilst the preparations for the wedding were going on, Vidya never +came near her husband, and he lay awake a long time thinking, +"What in the world can I do to make the master send for me?" All of +a sudden an idea came into his head. "I'll steal something valuable, +and hide it away; and when everyone is being asked about the loss, +the merchant will remember the man who can reveal secrets. Now what +can I take that is sure to be missed? I know, I know!" And springing +out of bed, he hastily dressed himself and crept out of the house. + +3. What would you have done if you had been Hari-Sarman? + +4. Do you think Vidya ever had any real love for her husband? + + +CHAPTER III + + +This was what Hari-Sarman decided to do. The merchant had a great many +very beautiful horses, which lived in splendid stables and were taken +the greatest possible care of. Amongst them was a lovely little Arab +mare, the special favourite of the bride, who often went to pet it and +give it sugar. "I'll steal that mare and hide it away in the forest," +said the wicked man to himself. "Then, when every one is hunting for +her, the master will remember the man who can reveal secrets and send +for me. Ah! Ah! What a clever fellow I am! Ah the stablemen and grooms +are feasting, I know; for I saw them myself when I tried to get hold +of my wife. I can climb through a window that is always left open." It +turned out that he was right. He met no one on his way to the stables, +which ware quite deserted. He got in easily, opened, the door from +inside, and led out the little mare, which made no resistance; she +had always been so kindly treated that she was not a bit afraid. He +took the beautiful creature far into the depths of the forest, tied +her up there, and got safely back to his own room without being seen. + +Early the next morning the merchant's daughter, attended by her +maidens, went to see her dear little mare, taking with her an extra +supply of sugar. What was her distress when she found the stall +empty! She guessed at once that a thief had got in during the night, +and hurried home to tell her father, who was very, very angry with the +stablemen who had deserted their posts, and declared they should all be +flogged for it. "But the first thing to do is to get the mare back," +he said; and he ordered messengers to be sent in every direction, +promising a big reward to anyone who brought news of the mare. + +Vidya of course heard all there was to hear, and at once suspected +that Hari-Sarman had had something to do with the matter. "I expect he +has hidden the mare," she thought to herself, "and means to get the +reward for finding it." So she asked to see the master of the house, +and when leave was granted to her she said to him: + +"Why do you not send for my husband, the man who can reveal secrets, +because of the wonderful power that has been given him of seeing +what is hidden from others? Many a time has he surprised me by what +he has been able to do." + +5. Do you think Vidya had any wish to help Hari-Sarman for his +own sake? + +6. Is there anything you think she should have done before seeing +the master? + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +On hearing what Vidya said, the merchant at once told her to go +and fetch her husband. But to her surprise Hari-Sarman refused to +go back with her. "You can tell the master what you like," he said, +angrily. "You all forgot me entirely yesterday; and now you want me +to help you, you suddenly remember my existence. I am not going to +be at your beck and call or anyone else's." + +Vidya entreated him to listen to reason, but it was no good. She had +to go back and tell the merchant that he would not come. Instead of +being made angry by this, however, the master surprised her by saying: +"Your husband is right. I have treated him badly. Go and tell him I +apologise, and will reward him well, if only he will come and help me." + +Back again went Vidya and this time she was more successful. But though +Hari-Sarman said he would go back with her, he was very sulky and +would not answer any of her questions. She could not understand him, +and wished she had not left him to himself for so long. He behaved +very strangely too when the master, who received him very kindly, +asked him if he could tell him where the mare was. "I know," he said, +"what a wise and clever man you are." + +"It didn't seem much like it yesterday," grumbled Hari-Sarman. "Nobody +took any notice of me then, but now you want something of me, you +find out that I am wise and clever. I am just the same person, that +I was yesterday." + +"I know, I know," said the merchant, "and I apologise for my neglect; +but when a man's daughter is going to be married, it's no wonder some +one gets neglected." + +7. Do yon think Hari-Sarman was wise to treat his wife and the merchant +as he did? + +8. If the mare had been found whilst Hari-Sarman was talking to the +master, what effect do you think the discovery would have had upon +them both? + + +CHAPTER V + + +Hari-Sarman now thought it was time to take a different tone. So he +put his hand in his pocket, and brought out a map he had got ready +whilst waiting to be sent for, as he had felt sure he would be. He +spread it out before the merchant, and pointed to a dark spot in +the midst of many lines crossing each other in a bewildering manner, +which he explained were pathways through the forest. "Under a tree, +where that dark spot is, you will find the mare," he said. + +Overjoyed at the good news, the merchant at once sent a trusted servant +to test the truth; and when the mare was brought back, nothing seemed +too good for the man who had led to her recovery. At the wedding +festivities Hari-Sarman was treated as an honoured guest, and no +longer had he any need to complain of not having food enough. His +wife of course thought he would forgive her now for having neglected +him. But not a bit of it: he still sulked with her, and she could +never feel quite sure what the truth was about the mare. + +All went well with Hari-Sarman for a long time. But presently something +happened which seemed likely to get him into very great trouble. A +quantity of gold and many valuable jewels disappeared in the palace of +the king of the country; and when the thief could not be discovered, +some one told the king the story of the stolen mare, and how a man +called Hari-Sarman, living in the house of a rich merchant in the +chief city, had found her when everyone else had failed. + +"Fetch that man here at once," ordered the king, and very soon +Hari-Sarman was brought before him. "I hear you are so wise, you can +reveal all secrets," said the king. "Now tell me immediately who has +stolen the gold and jewels and where they are to be found." + +Poor Hari-Sarman did not know what to say or do. "Give me till +to-morrow," he replied in a faltering voice; "I must have a little +time to think." + +"I will not give you a single hour," answered the king. For seeing +the man before him was frightened, he began to suspect he was a +deceiver. "If you do not at once tell me where the gold and jewels are, +I will have you flogged until you find your tongue." + +Hearing this, Hari-Sarman, though more terrified than ever, saw +that his only chance of gaining time to make up some story was to +get the king to believe in him. So he drew himself up and answered: +"The wisest magicians need to employ means to find out the truth. Give +me twenty-four hours, and I will name the thieves." + +"You are not much of a magician if you cannot find out such a simple +thing as I ask of you," said the king. And turning to the guards, +he ordered them to take Hari-Sarman to prison, and shut him up there +without food or drink till he came to his senses. The man was dragged +away, and very soon he found himself alone in a dark and gloomy room +from which he saw no hope of escape. + +He was in despair and walked up and down, trying in vain to think of +some way of escape. "I shall die here of starvation, unless my wife +finds some means of setting me free," he said. "I wish I had treated +her better instead of being so sulky with her." He tried the bars +of the window, but they were very strong: he could not hope to move +them. And he beat against the door, but no notice was taken of that. + +9. What lesson does the trouble Hari-Sarman was in teach? + +10. Do you think it would have been better for him to tell the king +he could not reveal secrets? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +When it got quite dark in the prison, Hari-Sarman began to talk to +himself aloud. "Oh," he said, "I wish I had bitten my tongue out +before I told that lie about the mare. It is all my foolish tongue +which has got me into this trouble. Tongue! Tongue!" he went on, +"it is all your fault." + +Now a very strange thing happened. The money and jewels had been +stolen by a man, who had been told where they were by a young servant +girl in the palace whose name was Jihva, which is the Sanskrit word +for tongue; and this girl was in a great fright when she heard that a +revealer of secrets had been taken before the king. "He will tell of +my share in the matter," she thought, "and I shall get into trouble," +It so happened that the guard at the prison door was fond of her, +as well as the thief who had stolen the money and jewels. So when +all was quiet in the palace, Jihva slipped away to see if she could +get that guard to let her see the prisoner. "If I promise to give him +part of the money," she thought, "he will undertake not to betray me." + +The guard was glad enough when Jihva came to talk to him, and he +let her listen at the key-hole to what Hari-Sarman was saying. Just +imagine her astonishment when she heard him repeating her name again +and again. "Jihva! Jihva! Thou," he cried, "art the cause of this +suffering. Why didst thou behave in such a foolish manner, just for +the sake of the good things of this life? Never can I forgive thee, +Jihva, thou wicked, wicked one!" + +"Oh! oh!" cried Jihva in an agony of terror, "he knows the truth; +he knows that I helped the thief." And she entreated the guard to +let her into the prison that she might plead with Hari-Sarman. not to +tell the king what she had done. The man hesitated at first, but in +the end she persuaded him to consent by promising him a large reward. + +When the key grated in the lock, Hari-Sarman stopped talking aloud, +wondering whether what he had been saying had been overheard by the +guard, and half hoping that his wife had got leave to come and see +him. As the door opened and he saw a woman coming in by the light +of a lantern held up by the guard, he cried, "Vidya my beloved!" But +he soon realized that it was a stranger. He was indeed surprised and +relieved, when Jihva suddenly threw herself at his feet and, clinging +to his knees, began to weep and moan "Oh, most holy man," she cried +between her sobs, "who knowest the very secrets of the heart, I have +come to confess that it was indeed I, Jihva, your humble servant, +who aided the thief to take the jewels and the gold and to hide them +beneath the big pomegranate tree behind the palace." + +"Rise," replied Hari-Sarman, overjoyed at hearing this. "You have told +me nothing that I did not know, for no secret is hidden from me. What +reward will you give me if I save you from the wrath of the king?" + +"I will give you all the money I have," said Jihva; "and that is not +a little." + +"That also I knew," said Hari-Sarman. "For you have good wages, and +many a time you have stolen money that did not belong to you. Go now +and fetch it all, and have no fear that I will betray you." + +11. What mistakes do you think Jihva made in what she said to +Hari-Sarman? + +12. What would have been the best thing for her to do when she thought +she was found out? + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Without waiting a moment Jihva hurried away to fetch the money; but +when she got back with it, the man on guard, who had heard everything +that had passed between her and Hari-Sarman, would not let her in to +the prison again till she gave him ten gold pieces. Thinking that +Hari-Sarman really knew exactly how much money she had, Jihva was +afraid he would be angry when he missed some of it; and again she let +out the truth, which he might never have guessed. For she began at +once to say, "I brought all I had, but the man at the door has taken +ten pieces." This did vex Hari-Sarman very much, and he told her he +would let the king know what she had done, unless she fetched the thief +who had taken the money and jewels. "I cannot do that," said Jihva, +"for he is very far away. He lives with his brother, Indra Datta, in +the forest beyond the river, more than a day's journey from here." "I +did but try you," said the clever Hari-Sarman, who now knew who the +thief was; "for I can see him where he is at this moment. Now go home +and wait there till I send for you." + +But Jihva, who loved the thief and did not want him to be punished, +refused to go until Hari-Sarman promised that he would not tell the +king who the man was or where he lived. "I would rather," she said, +"bear all the punishment than that he should suffer." Even Hari-Sarman +was touched at this, and fearing that if he kept Jihva longer, she +would be found in the prison by messengers from the king, he promised +that no harm should come to her or the thief, and let her go. + +Very soon after this, messengers came to take Hari-Sarman once more +before the king; who received him very coldly and began at once to +threaten him with a terrible punishment, if he did not say who the +thief was, and where the gold and jewels were. Even now Hari-Sarman +pretended to be unwilling to speak. But when he saw that the king would +put up with no more delay, he said, "I will lead you to the spot where +the treasure is buried, but the name of the thief, though I know it, +I will never betray." The king, who did not really care much who +the thief was, so long as he got back his money, lost not a moment, +but ordered his attendants to get spades and follow him. Very soon +Hari-Sarman brought them to the pomegranate tree. And there, sure +enough, deep down in the ground, was all that had been lost. + +Nothing was now too good for Hari-Sarman: the king was greatly +delighted, and heaped riches and honours upon him. But some of the +wise men at the court suspected that he was really a deceiver, and +set about trying to find out all they could about him. They sent +for the man who had been on guard at the prison, and asked him many +questions. He did not dare tell the truth, for he knew he would be +terribly punished if he let out that Jihva had been allowed to see +his prisoner; but he hesitated so much that the wise men knew he +was not speaking the truth. One of them, whom the king loved, and +trusted very much, whose name was Deva-Jnanin, said to his master: +"I do not like to see that man, about whom we really know nothing, +treated as he is. He might easily have found out where the treasure +was hidden without any special power. Will you not test him in some +other way in my presence and that of your chief advisers?" + +The king, who was always ready to listen to reason, agreed to this; +and after a long consultation with Deva-Jnanin, he decided on a very +clever puzzle with which to try Hari-Sarman. A live frog was put into +a pitcher; the lid was shut down, and the man who pretended to know +everything was brought into the great reception room, where all the +wise men of the court were gathered together round the throne, on +which sat the king in his royal robes. Deva-Jnanin had been chosen +by his master to speak for him; and coming forward, he pointed to +the small pitcher on the ground, and said: "Great as are the honours +already bestowed on you, they shall be increased if you can say at +once what is in that pitcher." + +13. What kind of man do you think the king was from his behaviour +to Hari-Sarman? + +14. Was it wise or foolish of Hari-Sarman to remain in the city after +his very narrow escape? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +Hari-Sarman thought whan he looked at the pitcher: "Alas, alas, it +is all over with me now! Never can I find out what is in it. Would +that I had left this town with the money I had from Jihva before it +was too late!" Then he began to mutter to himself, as it was always +his habit to do when he was in trouble. It so happened that, when +he was a little boy, his father used to call him frog, and now his +thoughts went back to the time when he was a happy innocent child, +and he said aloud: "Oh, frog, what trouble has come to you! That +pitcher will be the death of you!" + +Even Deva-Jnanin was astonished when he heard that; and so were all +the other wise men. The king was delighted to find that after all he +had made no mistake; and all the people who had been allowed to come +in to see the trial were greatly excited. Shouting for joy the king +called Hari-Sarman to come to the foot of the throne, and told him he +would never, never doubt him again. He should have yet more money, a +beautiful house in the country as well as the one he already had in the +town, and his children should be brought from the farm to live with him +and their mother, who should have lovely dresses and ornaments to wear. + +Nobody was more surprised than Hari-Sarman himself. He guessed, of +course, that there was a frog in the pitcher. And when the king had +ended his speech, he said: "One thing I ask in addition to all that +has been given me, that I may keep the pitcher in memory of this day, +when my truth has been proved once more beyond a doubt." + +His request was, of course, granted; and he went off with the pitcher +under his arm, full of rejoicing over his narrow escape. At the same +time he was also full of fear for the future. He knew only too well +that it had only been by a lucky chance that he had used the word +Jihva in his first danger and Frog in the second. He was not likely +to get off a third time; and he made up his mind that he would skip +away some dark night soon, with all the money and jewels he could +carry, and be seen no more where such strange adventures had befallen +him. He did not even tell his wife what he meant to do, but pretended +to have forgiven her entirely for the way she had neglected him when +he was poor, and to be glad that their children were to be restored +to them. Before they came from the farm their father had disappeared, +and nobody ever found out what had become of him; but the king let +his family keep what had been given to him, and to the end believed +he really had been what he had pretended to be. Only Deva-Jnanin had +his doubts; but he kept them to himself, for he thought, "Now the +man is gone, it really does not matter who or what he was." + +15. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +16. What do you think it was that made Hari-Sarman think of his +boyhood when he was in trouble? + +17. Do you think he took the pitcher and frog with him when he left +the city? + +18. Do you think there was anything good in the character of +Hari-Sarman? + + + +STORY IX + +The Hermit's Daughter. + + +CHAPTER I + + +Near a town in India called Ikshumati, on a beautiful wide river, +with trees belonging to a great forest near its banks, there dwelt +a holy man named Mana Kanaka, who spent a great part of his life +praying to God. He had lost his wife when his only child, a lovely +girl called Kadali-Garbha, was only a few months old. Kadali-Garbha +was a very happy girl, with many friends in the woods round her home, +not children like herself, but wild creatures, who knew she would +not do them any harm. They loved her and she loved them. The birds +were so tame that they would eat out of her hand, and the deer used +to follow her about in the hope of getting the bread she carried in +her pocket for them. Her father taught her all she knew, and that was +a great deal; for she could read quite learned books in the ancient +language of her native land. Better even than what she found out in +those books was what Mana Kanaka told her about the loving God of all +gods who rules the world and all that live in it. Kadali-Garbha also +learnt a great deal through her friendship with wild animals. She knew +where the birds built their nests, where the baby deer were born, +where the squirrels hid their nuts, and what food all the dwellers +in the forest liked best. She helped her father to work in their +garden in which all their own food was grown; and she loved to cook +the fruit and vegetables for Mana Kanaka and herself. Her clothes +were made of the bark of the trees in the forest, which she herself +wove into thin soft material suitable for wearing in a hot climate. + +1. What do you think it was which made the animals trust Kadali-Garbha? + +2. Could you have been happy in the forest with no other children to +play with? + + +CHAPTER II + + +Kadali-Garbha never even thought about other children, because she had +not been used to having them with her. She was just as happy as the +day was long, and never wished for any change. But when she was about +sixteen something happened which quite altered her whole life. One +day her father had gone into the forest to cut wood, and had left +her alone. She had finished tidying the house, and got everything +ready for the midday meal, and was sitting at the door of her home, +reading to herself, with birds fluttering about her head and a pet +doe lying beside her, when she heard the noise of a horse's feet +approaching. She looked up, and there on the other side of the fence +was a very handsome young man seated on a great black horse, which he +had reined up when he caught sight of her. He looked at her without +speaking, and she looked back at him with her big black eyes full +of surprise at his sudden appearance. She made a beautiful picture, +with the green creepers covering the hut behind her, and the doe, +which had started up in fear of the horse, pressing against her. + +The man was the king of the country, whose name was Dridha-Varman. He +had been hunting and had got separated from his attendants. He was very +much surprised to find anyone living in the very depths of the forest, +and was going to ask the young girl who she was, when Kadali-Garbha +saw her father coming along the path leading to his home. Jumping up, +she ran to meet him, glad that he had come; for she had never before +seen a young man and was as shy as any of the wild creatures of the +woods. Now that Mana Kanaka was with her, she got over her fright, +and felt quite safe, clinging to his arm as he and the king talked +together. + +3. Can you describe just how Kadali-Garbha felt when she saw the king? + +4. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for her to +live all the rest of her life in the forest? + + +CHAPTER III + + +Mana Kanaka knew at once that the man on the horse was the king; and +a great fear entered his heart when he saw how Dridha-Varman looked +at his beloved only child. + +"Who are you, and who is that lovely girl?" asked the king. And Mana +Kanaka answered, "I am only a humble woodcutter; and this is my only +child, whose mother has long been dead." + +"Her mother must have been a very lovely woman, if her daughter is like +her," said the king. "Never before have I seen such perfect beauty." + +"Her mother," replied Mana Kanaka, "was indeed what you say; and her +soul was as beautiful as the body in which it dwelt all too short +a time." + +"I would have your daughter for my wife," said the king; "and if you +will give her to me, she shall have no wish ungratified. She shall have +servants to wait on her and other young girls to be her companions; +beautiful clothes to wear, the best of food to eat, horses and +carriages as many as she will, and no work to do with her own hands." + +5. If you had been Kadali-Garbha, what would you have said when you +heard all these promises? + +6. Of all the things the king said she should have, which would you +have liked best? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +What Kadali-Garbha did was to cling closely to her father, hiding +her face on his arm and whispering, "I will not leave you: do not +send me away from you, dear father." + +Mana Kanaka stroked her hair, and said in a gentle voice: + +"But, dear child, your father is old, and must leave you soon. It is +a great honour for his little girl to be chosen by the king for his +bride. Do not be afraid, but look at him and see how handsome he is +and how kind he looks." + +Then Kadali-Garbha looked at the king, who smiled at her and looked +so charming that her fear began to leave her. She still clung to +her father, but no longer hid her face; and Mana Kanaka begged +Kadali-Garbha to let him send her away, so that he might talk with +the king alone about the wish he had expressed to marry her. The king +consented to this, and Kadali-Garbha gladly ran away. But when she +reached the door of her home, she looked back, and knew in her heart +that she already loved the king and did not want him to go away. + +It did not take long for the matter of the marriage to be settled. For +Mana Kanaka, sad though he was to lose his dear only child, was glad +that she should be a queen, and have some one to take care of her when +he was gone. After this first visit to the little house in the forest +the king came every day to see Kadali-Garbha, bringing all kinds of +presents for her. She learnt to love him so much that she became as +eager as he was for the wedding to be soon. When the day was fixed, +the king sent several ladies of his court to dress the bride in +clothes more beautiful that she had ever dreamt of; and in them she +looked more lovely even than the first day her lover had seen her. + +Now amongst these ladies was a very wise woman who could see what +was going to happen; and she knew that there would be troubles for +the young queen in the palace, because many would be jealous of her +happiness. She was very much taken with the beautiful innocent girl, +and wanted to help her so much that she managed to get her alone +for a few minutes, when she said to her: "I want you to promise me +something. It is to take this packet of mustard seeds, hide it in the +bosom of your dress, and when you ride to the palace with your husband, +strew the seed along the path as you go. You know how quickly mustard +grows. Well, it will spring up soon; and if you want to come home +again, you can easily find the way by following the green shoots. Alas, +I fear they will not have time to wither before you need their help!" + +Kadali-Garbha laughed when the wise woman talked about trouble coming +to her. She was so happy, she could not believe she would want to +come home again so soon. "My father can come to me when I want him," +she said. "I need only tell my dear husband to send for him." But +for all that she took the packet of seeds and hid it in her dress. + +7. Would you have done as the wise woman told you if you had been +the bride? + +8. Ought Kadali-Garbha to have told the king about the mustard seed? + + +CHAPTER V + + +After the wedding was over, the king mounted his beautiful horse, +and bending down, took his young wife up before him. Holding her +close to him with his right arm, he held the reins in his left hand; +and away they went, soon leaving all the attendants far behind them, +the queen scattering the mustard seed as she had promised to do. When +they arrived at the palace there were great rejoicings, and everybody +seemed charmed with the queen, who was full of eager interest in all +that she saw. + +For several weeks there was nobody in the wide world so happy and +light-hearted as the bride. The king spent many hours a day with her, +and was never tired of listening to all she had to tell him about +her life in the forest with her father. Every day he gave her some +fresh proof of his love, and he never refused to do anything she +asked him to do. But presently a change came. Amongst the ladies +of the court there was a beautiful woman, who had hoped to be queen +herself, and hated Kadali-Garbha so much that she made up her mind +to get her into disgrace with the king. She asked first one powerful +person and then another to help her; but everybody loved the queen, +and the wicked woman began to be afraid that those she had told about +her wish to harm her would warn the king. So she sought about for some +one who did not know Kadali-Garbha, and suddenly remembered a wise +woman named Asoka-Mala, who lived in a cave not far from the town, +to whom many people used to go for advice in their difficulties. She +went to this woman one night, and told her a long story in which there +was not one word of truth. The young queen, she said, did not really +love the king; and with the help of her father, who was a magician, +she meant to poison him. How could this terrible thing be prevented, +she asked; and she promised that if only Asoka-Mala would help to +save Dridha-Varman, she would give her a great deal of money. + +Asoka-Mala guessed at once that the story was not true, and that it +was only because the woman was jealous of the beautiful young queen +that she wished to hurt her. But she loved money very much. Instead +therefore of at once refusing to have anything to do with the matter, +she said: "Bring me fifty gold pieces now, and promise me another +fifty when the queen is sent away from the palace, and I will tell +you what to do." + +The wicked woman promised all this at once. The very next night she +brought the first fifty pieces of gold to the cave, and Asoka-Mala +told her that she must get the barber, who saw the king alone every +day, to tell him he had found out a secret about the queen. "You must +tell the barber all you have already told me. But be very careful to +give some proof of your story. For if you do not do so, you will only +have wasted the fifty gold pieces you have already given to me; and, +more than that, you will be terribly punished for trying to hurt the +queen, whom everybody loves." + +9. Do you think this plot against Kadali-Garbha was likely to succeed? + +10. Can you think of any way in which the wise woman might have helped +the queen and also have gained a reward for herself? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +The wicked woman went back to the palace, thinking all the way to +herself, "How can I get a proof of what is not true?" At last an +idea came into her head. She knew that the queen loved to wander +in the forest, and that she was not afraid of the wild creatures, +but seemed to understand their language. She would tell the barber +that Kadali-Garbha was a witch and knew the secrets of the woods; +that she had been seen gathering wild herbs, some of them poisonous, +and had been heard muttering strange words to herself as she did so. + +Early the next morning the cruel woman went to see the barber, and +promised him a reward if he would tell the king what she had found +out about his wife. "He won't believe you at first," she said; "but +you must go on telling him till he does. You are clever, enough," +she added, "to make up something he will believe if what I have +thought of is no good." + +The barber, who had served the king for many years, would not at first +agree to help to make him unhappy. But he too liked money very much, +and in the end he promised to see what he could do if he was well +paid for it. He was, as the wicked woman had said, clever enough; +and he knew from long experience just how to talk to his master. He +began by asking the king if he had heard of the lovely woman who was +sometimes seen by the woodmen wandering about alone in the forest, +with wild creatures following her. Remembering how he had first seen +Kadali-Garbha, Dridha-Varman at once guessed that she was the lovely +woman. But he did not tell the barber so; for he was so proud of his +dear wife's beauty that he liked to hear her praised, and wanted the +man to go on talking about her. He just said: "What is she like? Is +she tall or short, fair or dark?" The barber answered the questions +readily. Then he went on to say that it was easy to see that the lady +was as clever as she was beautiful; for she knew not only all about +animals but also about plants. "Every day," he said, "she gathers +quantities of herbs, and I have been told she makes healing medicines +of them. Some even go so far as to say she also makes poisons. But, +for my part, I do not believe that; she is too beautiful to be wicked." + +The king listened, and a tiny little doubt crept into his mind about +his wife. She had never told him about the herbs she gathered, although +she often chattered about her friends in the forest. Perhaps after +all it was not Kadali-Garbha the barber was talking about. He would +ask her if she knew anything about making medicines from herbs. He did +so when they were alone together, and she said at once, "Oh, yes! My +father taught me. But I have never made any since I was married." + +"Are you sure?" asked the king; and she answered laughing, "Of course, +I am: how could I be anything but sure? I have no need to think of +medicine-making, now I am the queen." + +Dridha-Varman said no more at the time. But he was troubled; and +when the barber came again, he began at once to ask about the woman +who had been seen in the woods. The wicked man was delighted, and +made up a long story. He said one of the waiting women had told him +of what she had seen. The woman, he said, had followed the lady home +one day, and that home was not far from the palace. She had seen her +bending over a fire above which hung a great sauce-pan full of water, +into which she flung some of the herbs she had gathered, singing as +she did so, in a strange language. + +"Could it possibly be," thought the king, "that Kadali-Garbha had +deceived him? Was she perhaps a witch after all?" He remembered that he +really did not know who she was, or who her father was. He had loved +her directly he saw her, just because she was so beautiful. What was +he to do now? He was quite sure, from the description the barber had +given of the woman in the forest, that she was his wife. He would +watch her himself in future, and say nothing to her that would make +her think he was doing so. + +11. What should the king have done when he heard the barber's story? + +12. Can you really love anybody truly whom you do not trust? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Although the king said nothing to his wife about what the barber had +told him, he could not treat her exactly as he did before he heard it, +and she very soon began to wonder what she had done to vex him. The +first thing she noticed was that one of the ladies of the court always +followed her when she went into the forest. She did not like this; +because she so dearly loved to be alone with the wild creatures, +and they did not come to her when any one else was near. She told +the lady to go away, and she pretended to do so; but she only kept +a little further off. And though the queen could no longer see her, +she knew she was there, and so did the birds and the deer. This went +on for a little time; and then Kadali-Garbha asked her husband to +tell every one that she was not to be disturbed when she went to see +her friends in the forest. + +"I am afraid," said the king, "that some harm will come to you. There +are wild beasts in the depths of the wood who might hurt you. And +what should I do if any harm came to my dear one?" + +Kadali-Garbha was grieved when Dridha-Varman said this, for she knew +it was not true; and she looked at him so sadly that he felt ashamed +of having doubted her. All would perhaps have been well even now, +if he had told her of the story he had heard about her, because then +she could have proved that it was not true. But he did not do that; +he only said, "I cannot let you be alone so far from home. Why not +be content with the lovely gardens all round the palace? If you still +wish to go to the woods, I will send one of the game-keepers with you +instead of the lady who has been watching you. Then he can protect +you if any harmful creature should approach." + +"If my lord does not wish me to be alone in the forest," answered the +queen, "I will be content with the gardens. For no birds or animals +would come near me if one of their enemies were with me. But," she +added, as her eyes filled with tears, "will not my lord tell me why +he no longer trusts his wife, who loves him with all her heart?" + +The king was very much touched by what Kadali-Garbha said, but still +could not make up his mind to tell her the truth. So he only embraced +her fondly, and said she was a good little wife to be so ready to +obey him. The queen went away very sadly, wondering to herself what +she could do to prove to her dear lord that she loved him as much as +ever. She took care never to go outside the palace gardens, but she +longed very much for her old freedom, and began to grow pale and thin. + +The wicked woman who had tried to do her harm was very much +disappointed that she had only succeeded in making her unhappy; so +she went again to Asoka-Mala, and promised her more money if only she +would think of some plan to get the king to send his wife away. The +wise woman considered a long time, and then she said: "You must use +the barber again. He goes from house to house, and he must tell the +king that the beautiful woman, who used to roam about in the forest +collecting herbs, has been seen there again in the dead of the night, +when she could be sure no one would find out what she was doing." + +Now it so happened that Kadali-Garbha was often unable to sleep because +of her grief that the king did not love her so much as he used to +do. One night she got so tired of lying awake that she got up very +quietly, so as not to disturb her husband, and putting on her sari, +she went out into the gardens, hoping that the fresh air might help +her to sleep. Presently the king too woke up, and finding that his +wife was no longer beside him, he became very uneasy, and was about to +go and seek her, when she came back. He asked her where she had been; +and she told him exactly what had happened, but she did not explain +why she could not sleep. + +13. What mistake did the queen make in her treatment of the king? + +14. Do you think it is more hurtful to yourself and to others to talk +too much or too little? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +When the barber was shaving the king the next morning, he told him he +had heard that people were saying the beautiful woman had been seen +again one night, gathering herbs and muttering to herself. "They talk, +my lord," said the man, "of your own name having been on her lips; +and those who love and honour you are anxious for your safety. Maybe +the woman is indeed a witch, who for some reason of her own will try +to poison you." + +Now Dridha-Varman remembered that Kadali-Garbha had left him the +night before, "and perhaps," he thought, "at other times when I was +asleep." He could scarcely wait until the barber had finished shaving +him, so eager was he to find out the truth. He hurried to his wife's +private room, but she was not there; and her ladies told him she had +not been seen by them that day. This troubled him terribly, and he +roused the whole palace to seek her. Messengers were soon hurrying +to and fro, but not a trace of her could be found. Dridha-Varman +was now quite sure that the woman the barber had talked about was +Kadali-Garbha, the wife he had so loved and trusted. "Perhaps," he +thought, "she has left poison in my food, and has gone away so as +not to see me die." He would neither eat nor drink, and he ordered +all the ladies whose duty it was to wait on the queen to be locked +up till she was found. Amongst them was the wicked woman who had done +all the mischief because of her jealousy of the beautiful young queen, +and very much she wished she had never tried to harm her. + +15. Where do you suppose the queen had gone? + +16. What mistake did the king make when he heard the queen was missing? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +In her trouble about the loss of the king's love Kadali-Garbha longed +for her father, for she felt sure he would be able to help her. So +she determined to go to him. With the aid of the wise woman who +had given her the packet of mustard seed, and who had been her best +friend at court, she disguised herself as a messenger, and, mounted +on a strong little pony, she sped along the path marked out by the +young shoots of mustard, reaching her old home in the forest before +the night fell. Great indeed was the joy of Mana Kanaka at the sight +of his beloved child, and very soon she had poured out all her sorrow +to him. The hermit was at first very much enraged with his son-in-law +for the way in which he had treated Kadali-Garbha, and declared that +he would use all the powers he had to punish him. "Never," he said, +"shall he see your dear face again; but I will go to him and call +down on him all manner of misfortunes. You know not, dear child, +I have never wished you to know, that I am a magician and can make +the very beasts of the field and the winds of heaven obey me. I know +full well who has made this mischief between you and your husband, +and I will see that punishment overtakes them." + +"No, no, father," cried Kadali-Garbha; "I will not have any harm done +to my dear one, for I love him with all my heart. All I ask of you +is to prove to him that I am innocent of whatever fault he thinks I +have committed, and to make him love and trust me again." + +It was hard work to persuade Mana Kanaka to promise not to harm the +king, but in the end he yielded. Together the father and daughter +rode back to the palace, and together they were brought before +Dridha-Varman, who, in spite of the anger he had felt against his +wife, was overjoyed to see her. When he looked at her clinging to Mana +Kanaka's arm, as she had done the first time they met, all his old +love returned, and he would have taken her in his arms and told her so +before the whole court, if she had not drawn back. It was Mana Kanaka +who was the first to speak. Drawing himself up to his full height, +and pointing to the king, he charged him with having broken his vow +to love and protect his wife. "You have listened to lying tongues," +he said, "and I will tell you to whom those tongues belong, that +justice may be done to them." + +Once more Kadali-Garbha interfered. "No, father," she said; "let +their names be forgotten: only prove to my lord that I am his loving +faithful wife, and I will be content." + +"I need no proof," cried Dridha-Varman; "but lest others should follow +their evil example, I will have vengeance on the slanderers. Name them, +and their doom shall be indeed a terrible one." + +Then Mana Kanaka told the king the whole sad story; and when it was +ended the wicked woman who had first thought of injuring the queen, +and the barber who had helped her, were sent for to hear their doom, +which was---to be shut up for the rest of their lives in prison. This +was changed to two years only, because Kadali-Garbha was generous +enough to plead for them. As for the third person in the plot, the +old witch of the cave, not a word was said about her by anybody. Mana +Kanaka knew well enough what her share in the matter had been; but +magicians and witches are careful not to make enemies of each other, +and so he held his peace. + +Dridha-Varman was so grateful to his father-in-law for bringing his +wife back to him, that he wanted him to stop at court, and said he +would give him a very high position there. But Mana Kanaka refused +every reward, declaring that he loved his little home in the forest +better than the grand rooms he might have had in the palace. "All I +wish for," he said, "is my dear child's happiness. I hope you will +never again listen to stories against your wife. If you do, you may +be very sure that I shall hear of it; and next time I know that you +have been unkind to her I will punish you as you deserve." + +The king was obliged to let Mana Kanaka go, but after this he took +Kadali-Garbha to see her father in the forest very often. Later, when +the queen had some children of her own, their greatest treat was to +go to the little home, in the depths of the wood. They too learnt to +love animals, and had a great many pets, but none of those pets were +kept in cages. + +17. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +18. Which of all the people in this tale do you like best? + +19. What do you think is the greatest power in all the world? + +20. If you had been Kadali-Garbha would you have forgiven those who +tried to do you harm? + + + + + +NOTES + +[1] The city which occupied the site of present Patna was known as +Patali-Putra in the time of Alexander the Great. + +[2] There are seventy-two versions of this tale in vogue amongst +the high castes of India; the one here given is taken from Raj-Yoga, +the highest form of Hindu ascetic philosophy. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit +by S. M. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/old/11310-8.zip b/old/old/11310-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..85fb0ea --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/11310-8.zip diff --git a/old/old/11310.txt b/old/old/11310.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..246ac66 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/11310.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4995 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit +by S. M. Mitra and Nancy Bell + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + +Author: S. M. Mitra and Nancy Bell + +Release Date: February 26, 2004 [EBook #11310] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HINDU TALES FROM THE SANSKRIT *** + + + + + + +Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit + + +Translated by + +S. M. Mitra + +Adapted by + +Mrs. Arthur Bell + + + +1919 + + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTE. + +Thanks to Mr. S. M. Mitra, the well-known Hindu psychologist and +politician, who has done so much to draw more closely together +the land of his birth and that of his adoption, I am able to bring +within reach of English children a number of typical Hindu Tales, +translated by him from the Sanskrit, some of them culled from the +ancient classics of India, others from widely separated sources. The +latter have hitherto been quite inaccessible to western students, +as they are not yet embodied in literature, but have been transmitted +orally from generation to generation for many centuries. + +These tales are not only of a kind to enchain the attention of +children. They also illustrate well the close affinity between the two +chief branches of the great Aryan race, and are of considerable ethical +value, reflecting, as they do, the philosophy of self-realisation +which lies at the root of Hindu culture. They have been used from +time immemorial by the best teachers of India as a means of building +up the personalities of the young and maintaining the efficiency of +the adult. They serve in fact as text-books of the unique system of +Mind-Training which has been in use in India from remote Vedic times, +the root principle of which is as simple as it is effective. + +Hindu children become familiar at their mothers' knees with these +stories, and are trained to answer questions on them, subtly chosen to +suit their ages and call into action their mental faculties. Appealing +to them as an amusing game, in which they vie with each other in +trying to solve the problems presented for their consideration, +the boys and girls, who are educated together till they are ten or +twelve years old, early learn to concentrate their attention; whilst +the simultaneous development of all their powers is encouraged and +they are, imperceptibly to themselves led to control their thoughts +and emotions from within, instead of having to obey orders which +they do not understand from without. They realize indeed, whilst +still in the nursery, the ideal suggested by the sage Vidura in the +Mahabharata: "Seek to know thyself by means of thyself, keeping thy +mind, intellect and senses, under control; for self is thy friend as +it is also thy foe." + +Nancy Bell. + +Southbourne-on-Sea, 1918. + + + +CONTENTS. + + +1. The Magic Pitcher +2. The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl +3. A Royal Thief-Catcher +4. The Magic Shoes and Staff +5. The Jewelled Arrow +6. The Beetle and the Silken Thread +7. A Crow and His Three Friends +8. A Clever Thief +9. The Hermit's Daughter + + + + + + +STORY I + +The Magic Pitcher. + + +CHAPTER I + + +Long, long ago there lived far away in India a woodcutter called Subha +Datta and his family, who were all very happy together. The father +went every day to the forest near his home to get supplies of wood, +which he sold to his neighbours, earning by that means quite enough +to give his wife and children all that they needed. Sometimes he took +his three boys with him, and now and then, as a special treat, his two +little girls were allowed to trot along beside him. The boys longed to +be allowed to chop wood for themselves, and their father told them that +as soon as they were old enough he would give each of them a little axe +of his own. The girls, he said, must be content with breaking off small +twigs from the branches he cut down, for he did not wish them to chop +their own fingers off. This will show you what a kind father he was, +and you will be very sorry for him when you hear about his troubles. + +All went well with Subha Datta for a long time. Each of the boys had +his own little axe at last, and each of the girls had a little pair +of scissors to cut off twigs; and very proud they all were when they +brought some wood home to their mother to use in the house. One day, +however, their father told them they could none of them come with him, +for he meant to go a very long way into the forest, to see if he could +find better wood there than nearer home. Vainly the boys entreated him +to take them with him. "Not to-day," he said, "you would be too tired +to go all the way, and would lose yourselves coming back alone. You +must help your mother to-day and play with your sisters." They had +to be content, for although Hindu children are as fond of asking +questions as English boys and girls, they are very obedient to their +parents and do all they are told without making any fuss about it. + +Of course, they expected their father would come back the day he +started for the depths of the forest, although they knew he would +be late. What then was their surprise when darkness came and there +was no sign of him! Again and again their mother went to the door +to look for him, expecting every moment to see him coming along the +beaten path which led to their door. Again and again she mistook the +cry of some night-bird for his voice calling to her. She was obliged +at last to go to bed with a heavy heart, fearing some wild beast had +killed him and that she would never see him again. + +1. What do you think had become of Subha Datta? + +2. What would you have done when he did not come back? + + + +CHAPTER II + + +When Subha Datta started for the forest, he fully intended to come +back the same evening; but as he was busy cutting down a tree, he +suddenly had a feeling that he was no longer alone. He looked up, and +there, quite close to him, in a little clearing where the trees had +been cut down by some other woodcutter, he saw four beautiful young +girls looking like fairies in their thin summer dresses and with +their long hair flowing down their backs, dancing round and round, +holding each other's hands. Subha Datta was so astonished at the +sight that he let his axe fall, and the noise startled the dancers, +who all four stood still and stared at him. + +The woodcutter could not say a word, but just gazed and gazed at them, +till one of them said to him: "Who are you, and what are you doing in +the very depths of the forest where we have never before seen a man?" + +"I am only a poor woodcutter," he replied, "come to get some wood to +sell, so as to give my wife and children something to eat and some +clothes to wear." + +"That is a very stupid thing to do," said one of the girls. "You can't +get much money that way. If you will only stop with us we will have +your wife and children looked after for you much better than you can +do it yourself." + +3. What would you have said if you had been the woodcutter? + +4. Do you think the fairies really meant that they could do as they +offered? + + + +CHAPTER III + + +Subha Datta, though he certainly did love his wife and children, was +so tempted at the idea of stopping in the forest with the beautiful +girls that, after hesitating a little while, he said, "Yes, I will stop +with you, if you are quite sure all will be well with my dear ones." + +"You need not be afraid about that," said another of the girls. "We +are fairies, you see, and we can do all sorts of wonderful things. It +isn't even necessary for us to go where your dear ones are. We shall +just wish them everything they want, and they will get it. And the +first thing to be done is to give you some food. You must work for +us in return, of course." + +Subha Datta at once replied, "I will do anything you wish." + +"Well, begin by sweeping away all the dead leaves from the clearing, +and then we will all sit down and eat together." + +Subha Datta was very glad that what he was asked to do was so easy. He +began by cutting a branch from a tree, and with it he swept the floor +of what was to be the dining-room. Then he looked about for the food, +but he could see nothing but a great big pitcher standing in the +shade of a tree, the branches of which hung over the clearing. So +he said to one of the fairies, "Will you show me where the food is, +and exactly where you would like me to set it out?" + +At these questions all the fairies began to laugh, and the sound of +their laughter was like the tinkling of a number of bells. + +5. What was there to laugh at in the questions of Subha Datta? + +6. What is your idea of a fairy? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +When the fairies saw how astonished Subha Datta was at the way they +laughed, it made them laugh still more, and they seized each other's +hands again and whirled round and round, laughing all the time. + +Poor Subha Datta, who was very tired and hungry, began to get unhappy +and to wish he had gone straight home after all. He stooped down to +pick up his axe, and was just about to turn away with it, when the +fairies stopped their mad whirl and cried to him to stop. So he waited, +and one of them said: + +"We don't have to bother about fetching this and fetching that. You +see that big pitcher. Well, we get all our food and everything else +we want out of it. We just have to wish as we put our hands in, +and there it is. It's a magic pitcher--the only one there is in the +whole wide world. You get the food you would like to have first, +and then we'll tell you what we want." + +Subha Datta could hardly believe his ears when he heard that. Down he +threw his axe, and hastened to put his hand in the pitcher, wishing +for the food he was used to. He loved curried rice and milk, lentils, +fruit and vegetables, and very soon he had a beautiful meal spread +out for himself on the ground. Then the fairies called out, one after +the other, what they wanted for food, things the woodcutter had never +heard of or seen, which made him quite discontented with what he had +chosen for himself. + +7. What would you have wished for if you had had a magic pitcher? + +8. Would it be a good thing, do you think, to be able to get food +without working for it or paying for it? + + +CHAPTER V + + +The next few days passed away like a dream, and at first Subha Datta +thought he had never been so happy in his life. The fairies often went +off together leaving him alone, only coming back to the clearing when +they wanted something out of the pitcher. The woodcutter got all kinds +of things he fancied for himself, but presently he began to wish he +had his wife and children with him to share his wonderful meals. He +began to miss them terribly, and he missed his work too. It was no +good cutting trees down and chopping up wood when all the food was +ready cooked. Sometimes he thought he would slip off home when the +fairies were away, but when he looked at the pitcher he could not +bear the thought of leaving it. + +9. What sort of man do you think Subha Datta was from what this story +tells you about him? + +10. What do you think was the chief cause of his becoming discontented +after he had been in the service of the fairies for a few days? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +Soon Subha Datta could not sleep well for thinking of the wife and +children he had deserted. Suppose they were hungry when he had plenty +to eat! It even came into his head that he might steal the pitcher +and take it home with him when the fairies were away. But he had not +after all the courage to do this; for even when the beautiful girls +were not in sight, he had a feeling that they would know if he tried +to go off with the pitcher, and that they would be able to punish him +in some terrible way. One night he had a dream that troubled him very +much. He saw his wife sitting crying bitterly in the little home he +used to love, holding the youngest child on her knee whilst the other +three stood beside her looking at her very, very sadly. He started up +from the ground on which he lay, determined to go home at once; but +at a little distance off he saw the fairies dancing in the moonlight, +and somehow he felt again he could not leave them and the pitcher. The +next day, however, he was so miserable that the fairies noticed it, +and one of them said to him: "Whatever is the matter? We don't care +to keep unhappy people here. If you can't enjoy life as we do, you +had better go home." + +Then Subha Datta was very much frightened lest they should really +send him away; so he told them about his dream and that he was afraid +his dear ones were starving for want of the money lie used to earn +for them. + +"Don't worry about them," was the reply: "we will let your wife know +what keeps you away. We will whisper in her ear when she is asleep, +and she will be so glad to think of your happiness that she will +forget her own troubles." + +11. Do you think what the fairies said to the woodcutter was likely +to comfort him about his wife and children? + +12. If you had been in Subha Datta's place what would you have said +to the fairies when they made this promise? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Subha Datta was very much cheered by the sympathy of the fairies, +so much so that he decided to stop with them for a little longer +at least. Now and then he felt restless, but on the whole the time +passed pleasantly, and the pitcher was a daily delight to him. + +Meanwhile his poor wife was at her wits' end how to feed her dear +children. If it had not been that the two boys were brave, plucky +little chaps, she really would have been in despair. When their father +did not come back and all their efforts to find him were in vain, +these boys set to work to help their mother. They could not cut +down trees, but they could climb them and chop off small branches +with their axes; and this they did, making up bundles of faggots and +selling them to their neighbours. These neighbours were touched by +the courage they showed, and not only paid them well for the wood +but often gave them milk and rice and other little things to help +them. In time they actually got used to being without Subha Datta, +and the little girls nearly forgot all about him. Little did they +dream of the change that was soon to come into their lives. + +13. Was it a good or a bad thing for the boys that their father did +not come back? + +14. If you think it was a good thing, will you explain why? and if +it was a bad thing, why you think it was? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +A month passed peacefully away in the depths of the forest, Subha +Datta waiting on the fairies and becoming every day more selfish +and bent on enjoying himself. Then he had another dream, in which he +saw his wife and children in the old home with plenty of food, and +evidently so happy without him that he felt quite determined to go and +show them he was still alive. When he woke he said to the fairies, +"I will not stop with you any longer. I have had a good time here, +but I am tired of this life away from my own people." + +The fairies saw he was really in earnest this time, so they consented +to let him go; but they were kind-hearted people and felt they ought +to pay him in some way for all he had done for them. They consulted +together, and then one of them told him they wished to make him a +present before he went away, and they would give him whatever he +asked for. + +15. What do you think it was that made Subha Datta determine to go +home when he found his wife and children could do without him? + +16. What would you have chosen if the fairies had told you you could +have anything you liked? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +Directly the woodcutter heard he could have anything he asked for, +he cried, "I will have the magic pitcher." + +You can just imagine what a shock this was to the fairies! You know, +of course, that fairies always keep their word. If they could not +persuade Subha Datta to choose something else, they would have to +give him their beloved, their precious pitcher and would have to +seek their food for themselves. They all tried all they could to +persuade the woodcutter to choose something else. They took him to +their own secret treasure-house, in an old, old tree with a hollow +trunk, even the entrance to which no mortal had ever been allowed +to see. They blindfolded him before they started, so that he could +never reveal the way, and one of them led him by the hand, telling +him where the steps going down from the tree began. When at last the +bandage was taken from his eyes, he found himself in a lofty hall +with an opening in the roof through which the light came. Piled up +on the floor were sparkling stones worth a great deal of gold and +silver money, and on the walls hung beautiful robes. Subha Datta was +quite dazed with all lie saw, but he was only an ignorant woodcutter +and did not realize the value of the jewels and clothes. So when the +fairies, said to him, "Choose anything you like here and let us keep +our pitcher," he shook his head and said: "No! no! no! The pitcher! I +will have the pitcher!" One fairy after another picked up the rubies +and diamonds and other precious stones and held them in the light, +that the woodcutter might see how lovely they were; and when he still +only shook his head, they got down the robes and tried to make him +put one of them on. "No! the pitcher! the pitcher!" he said, and at +last they had to give it up. They bound his eyes again and led him +back to the clearing and the pitcher. + +17. Would you have been tempted to give up the pitcher when you saw +the jewels and the robes? + +18. What made Subha Datta so determined to have the pitcher? + + +CHAPTER X + + +Even when they were all back again in the clearing the fairies did +not quite give up hope of keeping their pitcher. This time they gave +other reasons why Subha Datta should not have it. "It will break very +easily," they told him, "and then it will be no good to you or any +one else. But if you take some of the money, you can buy anything +you like with it. If you take some of the jewels you can sell them +for lots of money." + +"No! no! no!" cried the woodcutter. "The pitcher! the pitcher! I will +have the pitcher!" + +"Very well then, take, the pitcher," they sadly answered, "and never +let us see your face again!" + +So Subha Datta took the pitcher, carrying it very, very carefully, +lest he should drop it and break it before he got home. He did not +think at all of what a cruel thing it was to take it away from the +fairies, and leave them either to starve or to seek for food for +themselves. The poor fairies watched him till he was out of sight, +and then they began to weep and wring their hands. "He might at least +have waited whilst we got some food out for a few days," one of them +said. "He was too selfish to think of that," said another. "Come, +let us forget all about him and go and look for some fruit." + +So they all left off crying and went away hand in hand. Fairies do +not want very much to eat. They can live on fruit and dew, and they +never let anything make them sad for long at a time. They go out of +this story now, but you need not be unhappy about them, because you +may be very sure that they got no real harm from their generosity to +Subha Datta in letting him take the pitcher. + +19. Do you think the woodcutter was wrong to ask for the pitcher? + +20. What would have been the best thing for Subha Datta to ask for, +if he had decided to let the fairies keep their pitcher? + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +You can just imagine what a surprise it was to Subha Datta's wife +and children when they saw him coming along the path leading to his +home. He did not bring the pitcher with him, but had hidden it in a +hollow tree in the wood near his cottage, for he did not mean any one +to know that he had it. He told his wife that he had lost his way in +the forest, and had been afraid he would never see her or his children +again, but he said nothing about the fairies. When his wife asked him +how he had got food, he told her a long story about the fruits he +had found, and she believed all he said, and determined to make up +to him now for all she thought he had suffered. When she called the +little girls to come and help her get a nice meal for their father, +Subha Datta said: "Oh, don't bother about that! I've brought something +back with me. I'll go and fetch it, but no one is to come with me." + +Subha Datta's wife was sorely disappointed at this, because she loved +her husband so much that it was a joy to her to work for him. The +children too wanted, of course, to go with their father, but he +ordered them to stop where they were. He seized a big basket which was +fall of fuel for the fire, tumbled all the wood in it on the floor, +and went off alone to the pitcher. Very soon he was back again with +his basket full of all sorts of good things, the very names of which +his wife and children had no idea of. "There!" he cried; "what do you +think of that? Am I not a clever father to have found all that in the +forest? Those are the 'fruits' I meant when I told Mother about them." + +21. What would you have thought about this wonderful supply of food, +if you had been one of the woodcutter's children? + +22. Was it a good thing for those children to have all this food +without working for it? If not, why was it not a good thing? + + +CHAPTER XII + + +Life was now, of course, completely changed for the family in the +forest. Subha Datta no longer went to cut wood to be sold, and the +boys also left off doing so. Every day their father fetched food for +them all, and the greatest desire of each one of the family was to +find out where it came from. They never could do so, for Subha Datta +managed to make them afraid to follow him when he went forth with +his basket. The secret he kept from the wife to whom he used to tell +everything soon began to spoil the happiness of the home. The children +who had no longer anything to do quarrelled with each other. Their +mother got sadder and sadder, and at last decided to tell Subha Datta +that, unless he would let her know where the food came from, she would +go away from him and take her little girls with her. She really did +mean to do this, but something soon happened to change everything +again. Of course, the neighbours in the wood, who had bought the +fuel from the boys and helped them by giving them fruit and rice, +heard of the return of their father and of the wonderful change in +their lot. Now the whole family had plenty to eat every day, though +none of them knew where it all came from. Subha Datta was very fond +of showing off what he could do, and sometimes asked his old friends +amongst the woodcutters to come and have a meal with him. When they +arrived they would find all sorts of good things spread out on the +ground and different kinds of wines in beautiful bottles. + +This went on for some months, Subha Datta getting prouder and prouder +of all that he could do, and it seemed likely that his secret would +never be discovered. Everybody tried to find it out, and many followed +him secretly when he set forth into the woods; but he was very clever +at dodging them, hiding his treasure constantly in a new place in the +dead of the night. If he had only been content with getting food out +of his pitcher and drinking pure water, all would most likely have +been well with him. But that was just what he could not do. Till he +had his pitcher he had never drunk anything but water, but now he +often took too much wine. It was this which led to the misfortune +of losing his beloved pitcher. He began to boast of his cleverness, +telling his friends there was nothing they wanted that he could not +get for them; and one day when he had given them a very grand feast, +in which were several rare kinds of food they had asked for, he drank +too much wine--so much that he no longer knew what he was saying. + +This was the chance his guests wanted. They began teasing him, +telling him they believed he was really a wicked robber, who had +stolen the food or the money to buy it. He got angry, and at last +was actually silly enough to tell them all to come with him, and +he would show them he was no robber. When his wife heard this, she +was half pleased to think that now at last the secret would come out +of where the food came from, and half afraid that something terrible +would happen. The children too were greatly excited, and went with the +rest of the party, who followed their father to the last hiding-place +of the precious pitcher. + +When, they all got very near the place, however, some idea began to +come into Subha Datta's head that he was doing a very foolish thing. He +stopped suddenly, turned round facing the crowd that followed him, +and said he would not go a step further till they all went back to +the cottage. His wife begged him to let her at least go with him, +and the children all clamoured not to be sent back, but it was no +good. Back they all had to go, the woodcutter watching till they were +out of sight. + +23. Would Subha Datta have been wise if he had told has wife about +the pitcher? + +24. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for the +secret to be found out? + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +When the woodcutter was quite sure that every one was gone and +nobody could see where he had hidden the pitcher, he took it from the +hole in which it lay and carried it carefully to his home. You can +imagine how everybody rushed out to meet him when he came in sight, +and crowded round him, so that there was danger of the pitcher being +thrown to the ground and broken. Subha Datta however managed to get +into the cottage without any accident, and then he began to take +things out of the pitcher and fling them on the ground, shouting, +"Am I a robber? Am I a robber? Who dared to call me a robber?" Then, +getting more and more excited, he picked up the pitcher, and holding +it on his shoulder began to dance wildly about. His wife called out +to him, "Oh, take care, take care! You will drop it!" But he paid no +attention to her. Suddenly, however, he began to feel giddy and fell to +the ground, dropping the pitcher as he did so. It was broken to pieces, +and a great cry of sorrow went up from all who saw the accident. The +woodcutter himself was broken-hearted, for he knew that he had done +the mischief himself, and that if only he had resisted the temptation +to drink the wine he would still have his treasure. + +He was going to pick up the pieces to see if they could be stuck +together, but to his very great surprise lie could not touch them. He +heard a silvery laugh, and what sounded like children clapping their +hands, and he thought he also heard the words, "Our pitcher is ours +again!" Could it all have been a dream? No: for there on the ground +were the fruits and cakes that had been in the pitcher, and there +were his wife, his children and his friends, all looking sadly and +angrily at him. One by one the friends went away, leaving Subha Datta +alone with his family. + +25. If you had been Subha Datta's wife, what would you have done when +this misfortune came to her husband? + +26. What would you have done if you had been the woodcutter? + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +This is the end of the story of the Magic Pitcher, but it was +the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of Subha Datta and +his family. They never forgot the wonder-working pitcher, and the +children were never tired of hearing the story of how their father +came to get it. They often wandered about in the forest, hoping that +they too would meet with some wonderful adventure, but they never saw +the fairies or found a magic pitcher. By slow degrees the woodcutter +returned to his old ways, but he had learnt one lesson. He never +again kept a secret from his wife; because he felt sure that, if he +had told her the truth about the pitcher when he first came home, +she would have helped him to save the precious treasure. + +27. What lesson can be learnt from this story? + +28. Do you think it is easier for a boy or a girl to keep a secret? + +29. Why is it wrong to let out a secret you have been told? + +30. What do you think was the chief fault in the character of Subha +Datta? + + + +STORY II + +The Story of a Cat, a Mouse, a Lizard and an Owl. + + +CHAPTER I + + +This is the story of four creatures, none of whom loved each other, +who lived in the same banyan tree in a forest in India. Banyan trees +are very beautiful and very useful, and get their name from the fact +that "banians," as merchants are called in India, often gather together +in their shade to sell their goods. Banyan trees grow to a very great +height, spreading their branches out so widely that many people can +stand beneath them. From those branches roots spring forth, which, +when they reach the ground, pierce it, and look like, columns holding +up a roof. If you have never seen a banyan tree, you can easily find +a picture of one in some dictionary; and when you have done so, you +will understand that a great many creatures can live in one without +seeing much of each other. + +In an especially fine banyan tree, outside the walls of a town called +Vidisa, a cat, an owl, a lizard and a mouse, had all taken up their +abode. The cat lived in a big hole in the trunk some little distance +from the ground, where she could sleep very cosily, curled up out +of sight with her head resting on her forepaws, feeling perfectly +safe from harm; for no other creature, she thought, could possibly +discover her hiding-place. The owl roosted in a mass of foliage at +the top of the tree, near the nest in which his wife had brought up +their children, before those children flew away to seek mates for +themselves. He too felt pretty secure as long as he remained up there; +but he had seen the cat prowling about below him more than once, +and was very sure that, if she should happen to catch sight of him +when he was off his guard seeking his prey and obliged to give all +his attention to what he was doing, she might spring out upon him +and kill him. Cats do not generally attack such big birds as owls, +but they will sometimes kill a mother sitting in her nest, as well +as the little ones, if the father is too far off to protect them. + +The lizard loved to lie and bask in the sunshine, catching the flies +on which he lived, lying so still that they did not notice him, and +darting out his long tongue suddenly to suck them into his mouth. Yet +he hid from the owl and the cat, because he knew full well that, +tough though he was, they would gobble him up if they happened to be +hungry. He made his home amongst the roots on the south side of the +tree where it was hottest, but the mouse had his hole on the other side +amongst damp moss and dead leaves. The mouse was in constant fear of +the cat and the owl. He knew that both of them could see in the dark, +and he would have no chance of escape if they once caught sight of him. + +1. Which of these four creatures do you think was most to be pitied? + +2. Do you think that animals ever hate or love each as human +creatures do? + + +CHAPTER II + + +The lizard and the mouse could only get food in daylight; but the +lizard did not have to go far for the flies on which he lived, whilst +the mouse had a very dangerous journey to take to his favourite feeding +place. This was a barley field a short distance from the banyan tree, +where he loved to nibble the full ears, running up the stalks to get at +them. The mouse was the only one of the four creatures in the banyan +tree who did not feed on others; for, like the rest of his family, +he was a vegetarian, that is to say, he ate nothing but vegetables +and fruit. + +Now the cat knew full well how fond the mouse was of the barley-field, +and she used to keep watch amongst the tall stems, creeping stealthily +about with her tail in the air and her green eyes glistening, +expecting any moment to see the poor little mouse darting hastily +along. The cat never dreamt that any danger could come to her, and +she trod down the barley, making quite a clear path through it. She +was quite wrong in thinking herself so safe, for that path got her +into very serious trouble. + +It so happened that a hunter, whose great delight was to kill wild +creatures, and who was very clever in finding them, noticing every +little thing which could shew him where they had passed by, came +one day into the barley-field. He spied the path directly and cried, +"Ha! ha! Some wild animal has been here; not a very big one; let's +have a look for the footprints!" So he stooped down to the ground, +and very soon saw the marks of pussy's feet. "A cat, I do believe," +he said to himself, "spoiling the barley she doesn't want to eat +herself. I'll soon pay her out." The hunter waited until the evening +lest the creature should see what he was going to do, and then in the +twilight he set snares all over the barley-field. A snare, you know, +is a string with a slip-knot at the end of it; and if an animal puts +his head or one of his paws into this slip-knot and goes on without +noticing it, the string is pulled tight and the poor creature cannot +get free. + +3. Was it right or wrong of the hunter to set the snare? + +4. Do you think the cat was wrong to lie in wait for the mouse? + + +CHAPTER III + + +Exactly what the hunter expected happened. The cat came as usual to +watch for the mouse, and caught sight of him running across the end of +the path. Puss dashed after him; and just as she thought she really +had got him this time, she found herself caught by the neck, for she +had put her head into one of the snares. She was nearly strangled +and could scarcely even mew. The mouse was so close that he heard the +feeble mew, and in a terrible fright, thinking the cat was after him, +he peeped through the stems of the barley to make sure which way to +run to get away from her. What was his delight when he saw his enemy +in such trouble and quite unable to do him any harm! + +Now it so happened that the owl and the lizard were also in the +barley-field, not very far away from the cat, and they too saw the +distress their hated enemy was in. They also caught sight of the little +mouse peeping through the barley; and the owl thought to himself, +"I'll have you, my little friend, now puss cannot do me any harm," +whilst the lizard darted away into the sunshine, feeling glad that +the cat and the owl were neither of them now likely to trouble their +heads about him. The owl flew quietly to a tree hard by to watch what +would happen, feeling so sure of having the mouse for his dinner that +he was in no hurry to catch him. + +5. What would you have done if you had been the mouse, when you saw +the cat in the snare? + +6. Was the owl wise or foolish to wait before he caught the mouse? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +The mouse, small and helpless though he was, was a wise little +creature. He saw the owl fly up into the tree, and knew quite well +that if he did not take care he would serve as dinner to that great +strong bird. He knew too that, if he went within reach of the claws +of the cat, he would suffer for it. "How I do wish," he thought to +himself, "I could make friends with the cat, now she is in distress, +and get her to promise not to hurt me if ever she gets free. As long +as I am near the cat, the owl will not dare to come after me." As he +thought and thought, his eyes got brighter and brighter, and at last +he decided what he would do. He had, you see, kept his presence of +mind; that is to say, he did not let his fright of the cat or the owl +prevent him from thinking clearly. He now ventured forth from amongst +the barley, and coming near enough to the cat for her to see him quite +clearly, but not near enough for her to reach him with her claws, +or far enough away for the owl to get him without danger from those +terrible claws, he said to the cat in a queer little squeaky voice: +"Dear Puss, I do not like to see you in such a fix. It is true we have +never been exactly friends, but I have always looked up to you as a +strong and noble enemy. If you will promise never to do me any harm, +I will do my best to help you. I have very sharp teeth, and I might +perhaps be able to nibble through the string round your beautiful +neck and set you free. What do you think about it?" + +7. Do you think there was any chance of a cat and a mouse becoming +real friends? + +8. Can you give two or three instances you know of presence of mind +in danger? + + + +CHAPTER V + + +When the cat heard what the mouse said, she could hardly believe her +ears. She was of course ready to promise anything to anyone who would +help her, so she said at once: + +"You dear little mouse, to wish to help me. If only you will nibble +through that string which is killing me, I promise that I will always +love you, always be your friend, and however hungry I may be, I will +starve rather than hurt your tender little body." + +On hearing this, the mouse, without hesitating a moment, climbed up +on to the cat's back, and cuddled down in the soft fur near her neck, +feeling very safe and warm there. The owl would certainly not attack +him there, he thought, and the cat could not possibly hurt him. It was +one thing to pounce down on a defenceless little creature running on +the ground amongst the barley, quite another to try and snatch him +from the very neck of a cat. + +The cat of course expected the mouse to begin to nibble through +the string at once, and became very uneasy when she felt the little +creature nestle down as if to go to sleep, instead of helping her. Poor +Pussy could not turn her head so as to see the mouse without drawing +the string tighter, and she did not dare to speak angrily lest she +should offend him. "My dear little friend," she said, "do you not +think it is high time to keep your promise and set me free?" + +Hearing this, the mouse pretended to bite the string, but took care not +to do so really; and the cat waited and waited, getting more miserable +every minute. All through the long night the same thing went on: +the mouse taking a little nap now and then, the cat getting weaker +and weaker. "Oh," she thought to herself, "if only I could get free, +the first thing I would do would be to gobble up that horrid little +mouse." The moon rose, the stars came out, the wind murmured amongst +the branches of the banyan tree, making the unfortunate cat long to be +safe in her cosy home in the trunk. The cries of the wild animals which +prowl about at night seeking their food were heard, and the cat feared +one of them might find her and kill her. A mother tiger perhaps would +snatch her, and take her to her hungry cubs, hidden away in the deep +forest, or a bird of prey might swoop down on her and grip her in his +terrible claws. Again and again she entreated the mouse to be quick, +promising that, if only he would set her at liberty, she would never, +never, never forget it or do any harm to her beloved friend. + +9. What do you suppose the mouse was thinking all this time? + +10. If you had been the mouse, would you have trusted to what the +cat said in her misery? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +It was not until the moon had set and the light of the dawn had put +out that of the stars that the mouse, made any real effort to help +the cat. By this time the hunter who had set the snare came to see if +he had caught the cat; and the poor cat, seeing him in the distance, +became so wild with terror that she nearly killed herself in the +struggle to get away. "Keep still! keep still," cried the mouse, +"and I will really save you." Then with a few quick bites with his +sharp teeth he cut through the string, and the next moment the cat +was hidden amongst the barley, and the mouse was running off in +the opposite direction, determined to keep well out of sight of the +creature he had kept in such misery for so many hours. Full well he +knew that all the cat's promises would be forgotten, and that she +would eat him up if she could catch him. The owl too flew away, +and the lizard went off to hunt flies in the sunshine, and there +was not a sign of any of the four inhabitants of the banyan tree +when the hunter reached the snare. He was very much surprised and +puzzled to find the string hanging loose in two pieces, and no sign +of there having been anything caught in it, except two white hairs +lying on the ground close to the trap. He had a good look round, +and then went home without having found out anything. + +When the hunter was quite out of sight, the cat came forth from the +barley, and hastened back to her beloved home in the banyan tree. On +her way there she spied the mouse also hurrying along in the same +direction, and at first she felt inclined to hunt him and eat him +then and there. On second thoughts however she decided to try and keep +friends with him, because he might help her again if she got caught a +second time. So she took no notice of the mouse until the next day, +when she climbed down the tree and went to the roots in which she +knew the mouse was hidden. There she began to purr as loud as she +could, to show the mouse she was in a good humour, and called out, +"Dear good little mouse, come out of your hole and let me tell you how +very, very grateful I am to you for saving my life. There is nothing in +the world I will not do for you, if you will only be friends with me." + +The mouse only squeaked in answer to this speech, and took very good +care not to show himself, till he was quite sure the cat was gone +beyond reach of him. He stayed quietly in his hole, and only ventured +forth after he had heard the cat climb up into the tree again. "It +is all very well," thought the mouse, "to pretend to make friends +with an enemy when that enemy is helpless, but I should indeed be a +silly mouse to trust a cat when she is free to kill me." + +The cat made a good many other efforts to be friends with the mouse, +but they were all unsuccessful. In the end the owl caught the mouse, +and the cat killed the lizard. The owl and the cat both lived for +the rest of their lives in the banyan tree, and died in the end at +a good old age. + +11. Do you think it is ever possible to make a real friend of an enemy? + +12. What do you think the mouse deserved most praise for in his +behaviour? + +13. Which of the four animals in this story do you like best and +which do you dislike most? + +14. Can an animal be blamed for acting according to its nature? For +instance, can you call it cruel for a cat or an owl to kill and eat +a mouse? + +15. Is it always right to forgive an injury? + +16. Can you give an example from history of the forgiveness of +an injury? + + + +STORY III + +A Royal Thief-Catcher. + + +CHAPTER I + + +In one of the smaller cities of India called Sravasti the people +gathered together on a very hot day to stare at and talk about a +stranger, who had come in to the town, looking very weary and walking +with great difficulty because his feet were sore with tramping for a +long distance on the rough roads. He was a Brahman, that is to say, +a man who devoted his whole life to prayer, and had promised to give +up everything for the sake of pleasing the god in whom he believed, +and to care nothing for comfort, for riches, or for good food. + +This Brahman carried nothing with him but a staff to help him along, +and a bowl in which to receive the offerings of those who thought it +their duty to help him and hoped by doing so to win favour in the sight +of God. He was naked, except for a cloth worn about his loins, and his +long hair was all matted together for want of combing and brushing. He +made his way very slowly and painfully through the crowds, till he came +to a shady corner, and there he sank down exhausted, holding out his +bowl for the gifts of the people. Very soon his bowl would have been +full of all sorts of good things, but he made it clear that he would +accept nothing to eat except rice still in the husk, and nothing to +drink but pure water. He was however willing to take money; and when +the people who wished to help him found that out, they brought him +a good many silver and gold pieces. Some who had no money to spare +gave him jewels and other things which could be sold for money. + +1. Can you explain why the Brahman would only accept such food as +rice in the husk and water? + +2. Do you think it was right or wrong of the Brahman to take money +and jewels? + + +CHAPTER II + + +As time went on, the Brahman became very well known in Sravasti. His +fame indeed spread far beyond the town, and people came from far away +to consult him about all sorts of things, and he gave them good advice, +for he was a very wise man. Those who wanted him to tell them what to +do paid him for his advice, and as some of them had plenty of money +and were glad to help him, he soon became quite rich. He might have +done a great deal of good with all this money by helping the poor and +suffering, but unfortunately he never thought of doing so. Instead +of that, he got to love the money for its own sake. At night, when +all those who had come to see him had gone to rest, and there was no +fear of his being found out, he used to steal away into the forest, +and there he dug a deep hole at the root of a great tree, to which +he took all his money and jewels. + +In India everybody has a siesta, that is to say, a sleep in the +middle of the day, because the heat is so great it is difficult to +keep well and strong without this extra rest. So, although it is quite +light at the time, the streets are deserted, except for the dogs who +prowl about, trying to find something to eat. Now the Brahman loved +his money and other treasures so much, that he used very often to +do without this siesta and go to the forest to enjoy the pleasure of +looking at them. When he got to the tree, he would bend down, clear +away the earth and leaves with which he had hidden his secret hole, +take out the money and let it slip through his fingers, and hold up +the jewels to the light, to watch how they gleamed and glistened. He +was never so happy as when he was alone with his riches, and it was +all he could do to tear himself away from them when the time came to +go back to his shady corner. In fact he was becoming a selfish miser +instead of the holy man the people of Sravasti thought he was. By the +time the siesta was over he was always back again in his place beneath +the tree, holding out his bowl and looking as poor and thin as ever, +so that nobody had the least idea of the truth. + +3. Why was it wrong for the Brahman to hide away his money and jewels? + +4. Can anyone be a miser about other things as well as money and +jewels? If so, what other things? + + + +CHAPTER III + + +For many months the Brahman led this double life; until one day, +when he went as usual to his hiding-place, he saw at once that some +one had been there before him. Eagerly he knelt down, full of fear +of exactly what had actually happened. All his care in concealing the +hole had been wasted, for it was quite empty. The poor man could not +at first believe his own eyes. He rubbed them hard, thinking that +there was something the matter with them. Then he felt round and +round the hole, hoping that after all he was mistaken; and when at +last he was obliged to believe the terrible truth that there really +was not a sign of his money and jewels, he became almost mad with +misery. He began to run from tree to tree, peering into their roots, +and when there was nothing to be seen, he rushed back again to his +empty hole, to look into it once more. Then he wept and tore at his +hair, stamped about and cried aloud to all the gods he believed in, +making all kinds of promises, of what he would do if only they would +give him back his treasures. No answer came, and he began to wonder who +could have done such a terrible thing. It must, he felt sure, have been +one of the people of Sravasti; and he now remembered he had noticed +that a good many of them had looked into his bowl with longing eyes, +when they saw the money and precious stones in it. "What horrible, +wicked people they are," he said to himself. "I hate them. I should +like to hurt them as they have hurt me." As he thought in this way he +got more and more angry, until he became quite worn out with giving +way to his rage. + +5. What would you have done if you had been the Brahman when he lost +his treasure? + +6. Is it wrong to be angry when any one has done you an injury? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +After roaming about in the forest for a long time, the Brahman went +back to the house in Sravasti where some kind people had lent him a +room, glad and proud to have such a holy man, as they thought he was, +living under their roof. He felt sure they had had nothing to do with +the loss of his treasure, because they had given him many proofs of +their goodness and honesty. Soon he was pouring out all his grief to +them, and they did all they could to comfort him, telling him that he +would very soon have plenty more money and jewels. They let him see +however that they thought it was mean of him to hide away his riches, +instead of using them to help the poor and suffering; and this added +very much to his rage. At last he lost all self-control and cried, +"It is not worth while for me to live any longer. I will go to some +holy place of pilgrimage by the banks of the river, and there I will +starve myself to death." + +A place of pilgrimage, you know, is one where some great event, +generally connected with religion, has taken place, to which +pilgrims go to pray in the hope of winning some special favour from +God. The word pilgrim means a wanderer, but it has come in course +of time to signify any traveller who comes from a distance to some +such place. Benares in India is a very famous place of pilgrimage, +because it is on the River Ganges, which the Hindus worship and love, +believing that its waters can wash away their sins. Hundreds and +thousands of Hindus go there every year to bathe in it, and many +who know that they have not long to live wait on its banks to die, +so that after their bodies have been burnt, as is the custom with +the Hindus, their ashes may be thrown into the sacred stream. + +7. Can you name two other places of pilgrimage, one held sacred by +Christians and one by Hindus? + +8. Will you explain exactly why the two places you have thought of +are considered holy? + + +CHAPTER V + + +The news of the Brahman's loss spread very quickly through Sravasti; +and as is so often the case, every one who told the story made it a +little different, so that it became very difficult to know what the +truth really was. There was great distress in the town, because the +people thought the Brahman would go away, and they did not want him to +do that. They were proud of having a man they thought so holy, living +amongst them, and ashamed that he should have been robbed whilst he was +with them. When they heard that he meant to starve himself to death, +they were dreadfully shocked, and determined to do all they possibly +could to prevent it. One after another of the chief men of Sravasti +came to see him, and entreated him not to be in such a hurry to be +sure that his treasure would never be found. They said they would +all do everything they possibly could to get it back for him. Some of +them thought it was very wrong of him to make such a fuss about it, +and blamed him for being a miser. They told him it was foolish to +care so much for what he could not take with him when he died, and +one specially wise old man gave him a long lecture on the wickedness +of taking away the life which had been given to him by God to prepare +for that in the other world. "Put the idea of starving yourself out +of your head," he said, "and whilst we are seeking your treasure, +go on as you did before you lost it. Next time you have any money +and jewels, turn them to good account instead of hoarding them up." + +9. Do you think the Brahman was of any real use to the people of +Sravasti? + +10. In what qualities do you think the Brahman was wanting when he +made up his mind to starve himself to death? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +In spite of all that any one could say to him, the Brahman was quite +determined that he would not live any longer. He set off to the place +of pilgrimage he had chosen, taking no notice of any one he met, +but just marching steadily on. At first a number of people followed +him, but by degrees they left off doing so, and soon he was quite +alone. Presently however he could not help noticing a man approaching +from the direction in which he was going. Very tall, very handsome, +very dignified, this man was one whom no one could fail to admire, +even if he had been only an ordinary person. But he was the king of +the whole country, whose name was Prasnajit; and a little distance +behind him were a number of his attendants, waiting to obey his +orders. Everybody, even the Brahman, loved the king, because he took +such a very great interest in his people and was always trying to do +them good. He had heard all about the loss of the money, and was very +much vexed that such a thing should have happened in his land. He had +also heard that the Brahman meant to kill himself, and this distressed +him more than anything else, because he thought it a very wicked and +terrible thing to do. + +The king stood so exactly in the path of the Brahman that it was +impossible to pass him by without taking any notice of him, and +the unhappy man stood still, hanging down his head and looking very +miserable. Without waiting for a moment, Prasnajit said to the Brahman: +"Do not grieve any more. I will find your treasure for you, and give +it back to you; or if I fail to do so I will pay you as much as it was +worth out of my own purse: for I cannot bear to think of your killing +yourself. Now tell me very carefully where you hid your gold and +jewels, and everything about the place, to help me to make sure of it." + +The Brahman was greatly delighted to hear this, because he knew full +well that the king would keep his word, and that, even if his own +treasure was never found, he would have plenty of money given to him +by the king. He at once told Prasnajit exactly where he had put his +store, and offered to take him there. The king agreed to go with him +at once, and he and the Brahman went straight away to the big hole +in the forest, the attendants following them a little way behind. + +11. If you had been the king, how would you have set about finding +the treasure? + +12. Was it a good or a bad thing for the Brahman to have secured the +help of the king? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +After the king had seen the big empty hole, and noticed exactly where +it was, and the nearest way to it from the town, he returned to his +palace, first telling the Brahman to go back to the house he lived +in, and wait there till he received a message from him. He promised +to see that he wanted for nothing, and sent one of his attendants +to a rich merchant of Sravasti, who had already done a good deal +for the Brahman, to order him to supply the holy man with all he +needed. Very glad that after all he was not going to die, the Brahman +obeyed willingly, and for the next few days he was taken care of by +the merchant, who supplied him with plenty of food. + +As soon as Prasnajit was back in his palace, he pretended that he was +taken suddenly ill. His head ached badly, he said, and he could not +make out what was the matter with him. He ordered a proclamation to +be sent all round the town, telling all the doctors to come to the +palace to see him. All the doctors in the place at once hastened to +obey, each of them hoping that he would be the one to cure the king +and win a great reward. So many were they that the big reception +room was full of them, and they all glared at each other so angrily +that the attendants kept careful watch lest they should begin to +fight. One at a time they were taken to the king's private room, +but very much to their surprise and disappointment he seemed quite +well and in no need of help from them. Instead of talking about his +own illness, he asked each doctor who his patients were in the town, +and what medicines he was giving to them. Of course Prasnajit's +questions were carefully answered; but the king said nothing more, +just waving his hand to shew that the interview was at an end. Then +the attendants led the visitor out. At last however a doctor came, +who said something which led the king to keep him longer than he had +kept any of the others. This doctor was a very famous healer who had +saved the lives of many of Prasnajit's subjects. He told the king +that a merchant named Matri-Datta was very ill, suffering greatly, +but that he hoped to cure him by giving him the juice of a certain +plant called nagaballa. At the time this story was written, doctors +in India did not give their patients medicine, or write prescriptions +for them to take to chemists to be made up, because there were no +chemists in those days, such as there are in all the towns of Europe, +who keep the materials in stock for making medicines. A doctor just +said to his patient, "you must take the juice of this or that plant"; +and the suffering person had to go into the fields or woods to find +the plant or else to send a servant to do so. + +When the king heard that the doctor had ordered Matri-Datta to take the +juice of the nagaballa plant, he cried "No more doctors need come to +see me!" and after sending away the one who had told him what he wanted +to know, he gave orders that Matri-Datta should be sent for at once. + +13. Can you guess why the king sent for the doctors? + +14. Do you think Matri-Datta had anything to do with stealing the +Brahman's treasure? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +Ill and suffering though he was, Matri-Datta did not dare disobey the +king: so he came at once. As soon as he appeared, Prasnajit asked him +how he was, and said he was sorry to have to make him leave his home +when he was ill, but the matter on which he wished to see him was +of very great importance. Then he suddenly added: "When your doctor +ordered you to take the juice of the nagaballa plant whom did you +send to find it?" + +To this Matri-Datta replied trembling with fear: "My servant, O king, +sought it in the forest; and having found it, brought it to me." + +"Go back and send that servant to me immediately," was the reply; and +the merchant hurried away, wondering very much why the king wanted to +see the man, and hoping that he himself would not get into disgrace +on account of anything he had done to make Prasnajit angry. + +15. Have you any idea why the king wanted the servant sent to him? + +16. From what the story tells you so far, do you think Prasnajit was +a good ruler of his kingdom? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +When Matri-Datta told his servant that he was to go to the palace to +see the king, the man was dreadfully frightened, and begged his master +not to make him go. This made Matri-Datta pretty sure that he had done +something wrong and was afraid of being found out. "Go at once," he +said, "and whatever you do, speak the truth to the king. That will be +your only chance if you have offended him." Again and again the servant +entreated Matri-Datta not to insist, and when he found it was no good, +he asked him at least to come with him to the palace and plead for him +with Prasnajit. The merchant knew then for certain that something was +seriously wrong, and he consented to go to the palace with his servant, +partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear for himself. When the +two got to the palace, the attendants at once led the servant to the +presence of the king, but they would not let the master go with him. + +Directly the servant entered the room and saw the king sitting on +his throne, he fell upon his face at the foot of the steps, crying, +"Mercy! mercy!" He was right to be afraid, for Prasnajit said to him +in a loud voice: "Where are the gold and the jewels you took from +the hole in the roots of a tree when you went to find the nagaballa +plant for your master?" The servant, who really had taken the money +and jewels, was so terrified when he found that the king knew the +truth, that he had not a word to say at first, but just remained +lying on the ground, trembling all over. Prasnajit too was silent, +and the attendants waiting for orders behind the throne looked on, +wondering what would happen now. + +17. Have you guessed what the nagaballa plant had to do with finding +out who had stolen the money and jewels? + +18. If you had been the king, what punishment would you have ordered +for the thief? + + +CHAPTER X + + +When the silence had lasted about ten minutes, the thief raised his +head from the ground and looked at the king, who still said not a +word. Something in his face however made the wicked servant hope that +he would not be punished by death in spite of the great wrong he had +done. The king looked very stern, it is true, but not enraged against +him. So the servant rose to his feet, and clasping his hands together +as he held them up to Prasnajit, said in a trembling voice: "I will +fetch the treasure, I will fetch the treasure." "Go then at once," +said the king, "and bring it here": and as he said it, there was a +beautiful expression in his eyes, which made the thief more sorry +for what he had done than he would have been if Prasnajit had said, +"Off with his head!" or had ordered him to be beaten. + +19. What do you think is the best way to make wicked people good? + +20. What is the most powerful reason a man or woman or a child can +have for trying to be good? + + +CHAPTER XI + + +As soon as the king said, "Go at once," the servant started to his +feet and hastened away, as eager now to restore what he had stolen +as he had been to hide it. He had put it in another hole in the very +depths of the forest; and it was a long time before he got back to +the palace with it, for it was very heavy. He had thought the king +would send some guards with him, to see that he did not run away, +and that they would have helped him to carry the sack full of gold +and jewels; but nobody followed him. It was hard work to drag the +heavy load all the way alone; but at last, quite late in the evening, +he was back at the palace gates. The soldiers standing there let him +pass without a word, and soon he was once more in the room in which +the king had received him. Prasnajit still sat on his throne, and +the attendants still waited behind him, when the thief, so tired he +could hardly stand, once more lay prostrate at the bottom of the steps +leading up to the throne, with the sack beside him. How his heart did +beat as he waited for what the king would say! It seemed a very long +time before Prasnajit spoke, though it was only two or three minutes; +and when he did, this is what he said, "Go back to your home now, +and be a thief no more." + +Very, very thankfully the man obeyed, scarcely able to believe that +he was free to go and that he was not to be terribly punished. Never +again in the rest of his life did he take what did not belong to him, +and he was never tired of telling his children and his friends of +the goodness of the king who had forgiven him. + +21. Do you think it would have been better for the thief to have +been punished? + +22. What lesson did the thief learn from what had happened to him? + + +CHAPTER XII + + +The Brahman, who had spent the time of waiting in prayers that his +treasure should be given back to him, and was still determined that, +if it were not, he would starve himself to death, was full of delight +when he heard that it had been found. He hastened to the palace and was +taken before the king, who said to him: "There is your treasure. Take +it away, and make a better use of it than before. If you lose it again, +I shall not try to recover it for you." + +The Brahman, glad as he was to have his money and jewels restored, did +not like to be told by the king to make a better use of them. Besides +this he wanted to have the thief punished; and he began talking +about that, instead of thanking Prasnajit and promising to follow his +advice. The king looked at him much as he had looked at the thief and +said: "The matter is ended so far as I have anything to do with it: +go in peace." + +The Brahman, who was accustomed to be honoured by every one from the +king on his throne to the beggars in the street, was astonished at +the way in which Prasnajit spoke to him. He would have said more, +but the king made a sign to his attendants, two of whom dragged the +sack to the entrance of the palace and left it there, so that there +was nothing for the Brahman to do but to take it away with him. Every +one who has read this wonderful story would, of courses like to know +what became of him after that, but nothing more is told about him. + +23. Do you think that the Brahman learnt anything from his loss and +recovery of his treasure? + +24. Was the Brahman more wicked than, the thief or the thief than +the Brahman? + +25. Do you think the Brahman continued to be a miser for the rest of +his life? + +26. What were the chief characteristics of the king--that is to say, +what sort of man do you think he was? + +27. Which of the people who are spoken of in this story do you like +and admire most, and which do you dislike most? + + + +STORY IV + +The Magic Shoes and Staff. + + +CHAPTER I + + +Far, far away in a town of India called Chinchini, where in days +long gone by the ancient gods in whom the people believed are said +sometimes to have appeared to those who called upon them for help, +there lived three brothers of noble birth, who had never known what +it was to want for food, or clothes, or a house to live in. Each +was married to a wife he loved, and for many years they were all +as happy as the day was long. Presently however a great misfortune +in which they all shared befell their native country. There was no +rain for many, many weeks; and this is a very serious thing in a hot +country like India, because, when it does not rain for a long time, +the ground becomes so parched and hard that nothing can grow in +it. The sun is very much stronger in India than it is in England; +and it sent forth its burning rays, drying up all the water in the +tanks and changing what had been, a beautiful country, covered with +green crops good for food, into a dreary desert, where neither men nor +animals could get anything to eat. The result of this was that there +was a terrible famine, in which hundreds of people and animals died, +little children being the first to suffer. + +Now the three brothers, who had none of them any children, got +frightened at the state of things, and thought to themselves, "If we +do not escape from this dreadful land, we shall die." They said to +each other: "Let us flee away from here, and go somewhere where we +are sure of being able to get plenty to eat and drink. We will not +take our wives with us; they would only make things worse for us; +let us leave them to look after themselves." + +1. What do you think of the behaviour of the three brothers? Was +there any excuse for their leaving their wives behind them? + +2. Do you think the wives themselves can have been to blame in any +way in the matter? + + +CHAPTER II + + +So the three wives were deserted, and had to manage as best they +could without their husbands, who did not even trouble to wish them +goodbye. The wives were at first very sad and lonely, but presently a +great joy came to one of them which made the other two very happy as +well. This joy was the birth of a little boy, whose two aunts loved +him almost as much as his mother did. The story does not tell how +they all got food whilst the famine was going on, though it is very +evident that they were not starved, for the baby boy grew fast and +was a strong healthy little fellow. + +One night all the three wives had the same dream, a very wonderful one, +in which the god Siva, who is very much honoured in India, appeared to +them. He told them that, looking down from Heaven, he had noticed how +tenderly they cared for the new-born baby, and that he wished them to +call him Putraka. Besides this he astonished them by adding that, as +a reward for the unselfish way in which they had behaved, they would +find one hundred thousand gold pieces under the little child's pillow +every morning, and that one day that little child would be a king. + +3. Do you think the three women wanted to be rewarded for loving +the baby? + +4. Is it a good thing to have a great deal of money? + + +CHAPTER III + + +The wonderful dream was fulfilled, and the mother and aunts called +the boy Putraka. Every morning they found the gold pieces under his +pillow, and they took care of the money for him, so that when he grew +up he was the very richest man in the whole country. He had a happy +childhood and boyhood, his only trouble being that he did not like +having never seen his father. His mother told him about the famine +before he was born, and how his father and uncles had gone away and +never come back. He often said, "When I am a man I will find my father +and bring him home again." He used his money to help others, and one +of the best things he did was to irrigate the land; that is to say, +he made canals into which water was made to flow in times when there +was plenty of rain, so that there was no danger of there being another +famine, such as that which had driven his father and uncles away. The +country in which he lived became very fruitful; everybody had enough +to eat and drink; and Putraka was very much loved, especially by +the poor and unhappy. When the king who ruled over the land died, +everybody wanted Putraka to take his place, and he was chosen at once. + +5. Will you describe the kind of man you think Putraka was? + +6. Do you know of any other country besides India in which everything +depends on irrigation? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +One of the other wise things Putraka did, when he became king, was to +make great friends with his Brahman subjects. Brahmans are always very +fond of travelling, and Putraka thought, if he were good and generous +to them, they would talk about him wherever they went, and that perhaps +through them his father and uncles would hear about him. He felt sure +that, if they knew he was now a king ruling over their native land, +they would want to come back. He gave the Brahmans plenty of money, +and told them to try and find his father and uncles. If they did, +they were to say how anxious he was to see them, and promise them +everything they wanted, if only they would return. + +7. Do you think it was wise of Putraka to be so anxious to get his +father and uncles back, when he knew how selfish they had been in +leaving his mother and aunts behind them? + +8. Can you suggest anything else Putraka might have done in the matter? + + +CHAPTER V + + +Just what the young king hoped came to pass. Wherever the Brahmans +went they talked about the country they came from and the wonderful +young king who ruled over it. Putraka's father and uncles, who were +after all not so very far off, heard the stories about him, and +asked the Brahmans many questions. The answers made them very eager +to see Putraka, but they did not at first realize that he was closely +related to them. Only when they heard the name of his mother did they +guess the truth. Putraka's father knew, when he deserted his wife, +that God was going to give her a child soon; which made it even more +wicked of him to leave her. Now, however, he forgot all about that, +only thinking how he could make as much use as possible of the son +who had become a king. He wanted to go back at once alone, but the +uncles were not going to allow that. They meant to get all they could +out of Putraka too; and the three selfish men, who were now quite old, +set off together for the land they had left so long ago. + +They arrived safely, and made their way to the palace, where they were +received, with great rejoicings. None of the wives, said a word of +reproach to, the husbands who had deserted them; and as for Putraka, +he was so overjoyed at having his father back, that he gave him a +beautiful house to live in and a great deal of money. He was very +good to his uncles too, and felt that he had now really nothing left +to wish for. + +9. Do you think Putraka showed strength or weakness of character in +the way he received the travellers? + +10. How do you think the king ought to have behaved to his father +and uncles? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +The three wives very soon had good reason to wish their husbands had +stayed away. Instead of being grateful for all Putraka's generosity, +they were very unkind and exacting, never pleased with anything; +and whatever they had given them, they were always trying to get +more. In fact, they were silly as well as wicked; for they did not +realize that this was not the way to make the king love them or wish +to keep them with him. Presently they became jealous of Putraka, +and began to wish to get rid of him. His father hated to feel that +his son was king, whilst he was only one of that king's subjects; +and he made up his mind to kill him, hoping that if he could only get +rid of him he might rule over the country in his stead. He thought +and thought how best to manage this, and did not at first mean to +tell his brothers anything about it; but in the end he decided he +had better have them on his side. So he invited them to go with him +to a secret place to talk the matter over. + +11. What qualities did Putraka's father show in this plot against +his son? + +12. Was there any other way in which the king's father could have +gained a share in governing the land? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +After many meetings the three wicked men decided that they would +pay some one to kill the king, first making the murderer they chose +swear that he would never tell who had ordered him to do the terrible +deed. It was not very difficult to find a man bad enough to take money +for such an evil purpose, and the next thing to do was to decide +where and when the deed was to be done. Putraka had been very well +brought up by his mother, and he often went to a beautiful temple near +his palace to pray alone. He would sometimes stop there a long time, +winning fresh wisdom and strength to do the work he was trusted with, +and praying not only for himself, but for his father, his mother, +his aunts and uncles, and for the people he loved so much. + +The murderer was told to wait in this temple, and when the young king +was absorbed in prayer, to fall suddenly upon him and kill him. Then, +when Putraka was dead, he was to take his body and bury it far away +in the depths of the forest where it could never be found. At first it +seemed likely that this cruel plot would succeed. To make quite sure, +the murderer got two other men as wicked as himself to come and help +him, promising to give them a share in the reward. But the god who +had taken care of Putraka ever since he was born, did not forget him +now. As the young king prayed, forgetting everything in his earnest +pleading for those he loved, he did not see or hear the evil men +drawing stealthily close to him. Their arms were uplifted to slay him, +and the gleam of the weapons in the light that was always kept burning +flashed upon him, when suddenly the heavenly guardian of the temple, +who never left it day or night, but was generally invisible, appeared +and cast a spell upon the wicked men, whose hands were arrested in +the very act to strike. + +What a wonderful sight that must have been, when Putraka, disturbed in +his prayers, looked round and saw the men who had come to kill him, +with the shadowy form of the guardian threatening them! He knew at +once that he had been saved from a dreadful death by a messenger from +the god he had been worshipping. As he gazed at the men, the guardian +faded away and he was left alone with them. Slowly the spell cast on +them was broken, and they dropped their weapons, prostrated themselves, +and clasped their hands in an appeal for mercy to the man they had +meant to destroy. Putraka looked at them quietly and sadly. He felt +no anger against them, only a great thankfulness for his escape. He +spoke to the men very sternly, asking them why they wished to harm him; +and the chief murderer told him who had sent them. + +The knowledge that his father wished to kill him shocked and grieved +the young long terribly, but he controlled himself even when he learnt +the sad truth. He told the men that he forgave them, for they were +not the most to blame; and he made them promise never to betray who +had bribed them to kill him. He then gave them some money and told +them to leave him. + +13. What do you think the most beautiful incident in this account of +the scene in the temple? + +14. What do you suppose were the thoughts of the murderers when they +left the temple after Putraka forgave them? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +When Putraka was alone, he threw himself upon the ground and wept very +bitterly. He felt that he could never be happy again, never trust +anyone again. He had so loved his father and uncles. It had been +such a joy to him to give them pleasure, and yet they hated him and +wished to kill him. He wondered whether he was himself to blame for +what had happened, and began to think he was not worthy to be king, +if he could make such a mistake as he now feared he had made in being +so generous to those who could have such hard thoughts of him as +to want to take his life. Perhaps after all it would be better for +his country to have another king. He did not feel as if he could go +back to his palace and meet his father and uncles again. "What shall +I do? What shall I do?" he cried, his sobs choking his voice. Never +in all his life had he thought it possible to be so miserable as he +was now. Everything seemed changed and he felt as if he were himself +a different person. The only thing that comforted him at all was the +thought of his mother, whose love had never failed him; but even that +was spoiled by the remembrance that it was her husband who had wished +to kill him. She must never know that, for it would break her heart: +yet how could he keep it from her? Then the idea came to him that +the best thing he could do would be to go away and never see his own +people again. + +15. What do you think was wrong in Putraka's way of looking at +the past? + +16. Was his idea of leaving his country and his people a sign of +weakness or of strength? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +In the end the poor young king decided that he would go right away +as his father and uncles had done; and his mind being made up, +he became more cheerful and began to think he might meet with some +interesting adventures in a new country, where nobody knew anything +about him. As soon as it was light, he wandered off into the forest, +feeling, it is true, very lonely, but at the same time taking a +certain pleasure in being entirely his own master; which a king can +never really be, because he has to consider so many other people and +to keep so many rules. + +After all Putraka did not find the forest so very lonely; for he +had not gone far in it before his sad thoughts were broken in upon +by his coming suddenly to a little clearing, where the trees had +been cut down and two strong-looking men were wrestling together, +the king watched them for a little while, wondering what they were +fighting about. Then he called out, "What are you doing here? What +are you quarrelling about?" + +The men were greatly surprised to hear Putraka's voice, for they +thought that they were quite alone. They stopped fighting for a minute +or two, and one of them said: "We are fighting for three very precious +things which were left behind him by our father." + +"What are those things?" asked Putraka. + +"A bowl, a stick and a pair of shoes," was the reply. "Whoever wins +the fight will get them all. There they lie on the ground." + +"Well, I never!" cried the king, laughing as he looked at the things, +which seemed to him worth very little. "I shouldn't trouble to fight +about such trifles, if I were you." + +"Trifles!" exclaimed one of the men angrily. "You don't know what +you are talking about. They are worth more than their weight in +gold. Whoever gets the bowl will find plenty of food in it whenever he +wants it; the owner of the stick has only to write his wishes on the +ground with it and he will get them; and whoever puts on the shoes +can fly through the air in them to any distance." + +17. Which of these things would you rather have had? + +18. What lesson do you learn from what the men said about the things +on the ground? + + + +CHAPTER X + + +When Putraka heard the wonders which, could be done with what he had +thought not worth having, he determined to get possession of the three +treasures for himself; not considering that it would he very wrong to +take what did not belong to him. "It seems a pity to fight," he said, +"why don't you race for the things, and let whichever wins the race +have them? That banyan tree over there would make a good winning post +and I will be the umpire." + +Instead of guessing what Putraka had in his mind, the brothers, who +were very simple fellows, said at once: "All right. We won't fight, +we'll race instead, and you can give us the start." Putraka agreed, +and directly they were off he lost not a moment, but picked up the +bowl and the staff, put on the shoes, and flew straight up into the +air with the treasures. When the brothers came back, disputing about +which of them had won, there was not a sign of Putraka, the bowl, +the stick, or the shoes. They guessed at once what had happened; +and after staring up in the air for a long time, they went home, +feeling very much enraged with the man who had cheated them, and +ashamed of having been so stupid as to trust him. + +19. What do you think of Putraka's behaviour in this matter? + +20. If you could have had one of the three things Putraka stole, +which would you have chosen? + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +On and on flew Putraka, full of eager delight in the new power of +flight. How he loved rushing through the air, cleaving it like a bird +on the wing! All he wanted to make him perfectly happy was someone +to enjoy his new powers with him. Presently he found himself above +a beautiful city with towers and pinnacles and minarets gleaming in +the sunshine. "Ah!" he thought, "that is the place for me. I will go +down there, and see if I can find a nice house to live in, and some +people to make friends with, who will not try to kill me or to cheat +me, but love me and be grateful to me for any kindness I show them." + +As Putraka was hovering in the air above the town to which he had +taken such a fancy, he noticed a little house which rather pleased +him; for though it was poor-looking, there was something cheerful and +home-like about it. Down he sped and alighted at the door. Only one +poor old woman lived in the house, and when Putraka knocked and asked +if he might come in, she said "Yes" at once. He gave her some money, +and told her he would like to live with her, if she would let him +do so. She was only too glad to consent, for she was very lonely; +and the two lived happily together for a long time. + +21. Do you think that if Putraka had flown home on his wonderful +shoes, taking his staff and bowl with him, his, father and uncles +would still have tried to kill him? + +22. How could Putraka have prevented them from doing him harm if he +had returned to his home? + + + +CHAPTER XII + + +The old woman grew very fond of Putraka, caring for him and waiting +on him as if he had been her own son. She was so anxious that he +should be happy that she became afraid he would become tired of +living alone with her. So she said to him one day: "My dear adopted +son, you ought to have a wife to keep you company. I know the very +one for you, the only one really worthy of you. She is a princess, +and her name is Patala. She is so very lovely that every man who sees +her falls in love with her and wants to carry her off. So she is most +carefully guarded in the top rooms of a great palace, as high as +the summits of the loftiest mountains." When Putraka heard this he +was all eagerness to see the princess, and at once determined to go +forth to seek her. He was more than ever glad now that he had stolen +the shoes, because he knew that they would carry him even to the top +of the highest mountains. + +23. What qualities did the old woman show when she told Putraka about +the Princess? + +24. What faults of character did the young king show when he decided +at once to leave the old woman who had been so good to him? + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +The very evening of the day when Putraka heard about the princess, +he started on his journey, taking with him his bowl and staff. The old +woman gave him very careful instructions which way to go, and begged +him to come back to tell her how he had got on. He promised he would, +thanked her for all she had done for him, and flew away in a great +state of excitement. She watched him till he was quite out of sight, +and then went sadly into her lonely home, wondering if she would ever +see him again. + +It was not long before Putraka came in sight of the palace. It was a +beautiful night, and the moon was shining full upon the room in which +the princess was asleep. It was a very big one, with costly furniture +and priceless tapestry hung round the walls, and there were doors +behind the tapestry leading to other apartments, in some of which the +attendants on Patala slept, whilst others kept watch lest anyone should +intrude upon their mistress. No one thought of guarding the windows, +for they were so high up that only a bird could reach them. + +The young king alighted on the ledge of the window of the princess' +room, and looked in. There, on a golden bed, amongst soft cushions +and embroidered coverings, lay the most lovely creature he had ever +beheld, so lovely that he fell in love with her at once and gave +a loud cry of delight. This woke the princess, who started up and +was about to scream out aloud in her terror at seeing a man looking +in at the window, when Putraka with the aid of his magic staff made +himself invisible. Then, thinking she had been dreaming, Patala lay +down again, and the king began talking to her in a low voice, telling +her he had heard of her beauty and had flown from far away to see +her. He begged her to allow him to show himself to her, and added: +"I will go away again directly afterwards if you wish it." + +Putraka's voice was so gentle, and it seemed to Patala so wonderful +that a man could fly and make himself invisible, that she was full +of curiosity to see him and find out all about him. So she gave her +consent, and immediately afterwards the young king stood within the +room, looking so noble and so handsome that she too fell in love at +first sight. Putraka told her all about his life and adventures, which +interested her very much. She was glad, she said, that he was a king; +but she would have loved him just as well, whoever he might have been. + +After a long talk, Patala begged him to leave her for fear her +attendants should discover him and tell her father about him. "My +father would never let me marry you," she declared, "unless you were +to come with many followers as a king to ask my hand; and how can +you do that when you are only a wandering exile?" + +25. Was there any reason to fear that Putraka would be discovered +when he could make himself invisible at any moment? + +26. What do you think would have been the right thing for Putraka +and Patala to do when they found out that they loved each other? + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +It was very difficult to persuade Putraka to go, but at last he +flew away. Every night after that, however, he came to see Patala, +spending the days sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, and +using his magic bowl to supply himself with food. Alas, he forgot +all about the dear old woman to whom he owed all his happiness, +and she slowly gave up hope of ever seeing him again. He might quite +easily have flown to her cottage and cheered her with his presence; +but he was so wrapped up in his love for Patala that everything else +went out of his head. This selfishness on his part presently got him +into serious trouble, for he became careless about making himself +invisible when he flew up to the princess' window. So that one night +he was discovered by a guardian of the palace. The matter was at once +reported to the king, who could not at first believe such a thing +was possible. The man must have seen a big bird, that was all. The +king, however, ordered one of his daughter's ladies to keep watch +every night in an ante-room, leaving the door open with the tapestry, +in which there was a slit, drawn carefully over it, and to come and +tell him in the morning if she had seen or heard anything unusual. + +Now the lady chosen loved the princess, and, like many of her +fellow-attendants, thought it was very cruel of the king to punish his +own child for being so beautiful, by shutting her up as he did. It +so happened that the very first night she was on guard, Putraka had +flown a very, very long way, not noticing where he was going, because +he was thinking so earnestly of Patala. When at last he flew in at +her window, he was so weary that he sank down on a couch and fell +fast asleep. The princess too was tired, because she had lain awake +talking to her lover so many nights running that she had had hardly +any rest. So when the lady peeped through the slit in the tapestry, +there, by the light of the night lamp, she saw the young king lying +unconscious, whilst the princess also was asleep. + +Very cautiously the attendant crept to the side of Putraka, and took a +long, long look at him. She noticed how handsome he was, and that he +was dressed in beautiful clothes. She especially remarked the turban +he wore, because in India the rank to which men belong is shown by +the kind of turbans they wear. "This is no common man," she thought, +"but a prince or king in disguise. What shall I do now? I will not +raise an alarm which might lead to this beautiful young lover being +killed and the heart of my dear mistress broken." + +27. If you had been the lady who found Putraka in Patala's room, +what would you have done? + +28. What could Putraka have done to guard against being discovered? + + +CHAPTER XV + + +After hesitating a long time, the lady made up her mind that she would +only put some mark in the turban of Putraka, so that he could be known +again, and let him escape that night at least. So she stole back to +her room, fetched a tiny, brooch, and fastened it in the folds of the +turban, where the wearer was not likely to notice it himself. This +done, she went back to listen at the door. + +It was nearly morning when Putraka woke up, very much surprised at +finding himself lying on the couch, for he did not remember throwing +himself down on it. Starting up, he woke Patala, who was terribly +frightened, for she expected her ladies to come in any minute to help +her to dress. She entreated Putraka to make himself invisible and fly +away at once. He did so; and, as usual, wandered about until the time +should come to go back to the palace. But he still felt too tired to +fly, and instead walked about in the town belonging to Patala's father. + +The lady who had been on guard had half a mind to tell her mistress +that her secret was discovered. But before she could get a chance to +do so, she was sent for by the king, who asked her if she had seen +or heard anything during the night. She tried very hard to escape +from betraying Patala; but she hesitated so much in her answers +that the king guessed there was something she wanted to hide, and +told her, if she did not reveal the whole truth, he would have her +head shaved and send her to prison. So she told how she had found +a handsome man, beautifully dressed, fast asleep in Patala's room; +but she did not believe her mistress knew anything about it, because +she too was asleep. + +The king was of course in a terrible rage, and the lady was afraid +he would order her to be punished; but he only went on questioning +her angrily about what the man was like, so that he might be found +and brought before him. Then the lady confessed that she had put +the brooch in the turban, comforting herself with the thought that, +when the king saw Putraka and knew that Patala loved him, he might +perhaps relent and let them be married. + +When the king heard about the brooch, he was greatly pleased; and +instead of ordering the lady to be punished, he told her that, when +the man who had dared to approach his daughter was found, he would +give her a great reward. He then sent forth hundreds of spies to +hunt for the man with a brooch in his turban, and Putraka was very +soon found, strolling quietly about in the market-place. He was so +taken by surprise that, though he had his staff in his hand and his +shoes and bowl in the pocket of his robes, he had no time to write +his wishes with the staff, or to put on the shoes, so he was obliged +to submit to be dragged to the palace. He did all he could to persuade +those who had found him to let him go, telling them he was a king and +would reward them well. They only laughed at him and dragged him along +with them to the palace, where he was at once taken before the king, +who was sitting on his throne, surrounded by his court, in a great hall +lined with soldiers. The big windows were wide open; and noticing this, +Putraka did not feel at all afraid, for he knew he had only to slip on +his shoes and fly out of one of the windows, if he could not persuade +the king to let him marry Patala. So he stood quietly at the foot of +the throne, and looked bravely into the face of his dear one's father. + +This only made the king more angry, and he began calling Putraka all +manner of names and asking him how he dared to enter the room of his +daughter. Putraka answered quietly that he loved Patala and wished +to marry her. He was himself a king, and would give her all she had +been used to. But it was all no good, for it only made the king more +angry. He rose from his throne, and stretching out his hand, he cried: + +"Let him be scourged and placed in close confinement!" + +Then Putraka with his staff wrote rapidly on the ground his wish that +no one should be able to touch him, and stooping down slipped on his +magic shoes. The king, the courtiers and the soldiers all remained +exactly as they were, staring at him in astonishment, as he rose up in +the air and flew out of one of the windows. Straight away he sped to +the palace of Patala and into her room, where she was pacing to and fro +in an agony of anxiety about him; for she had heard of his having been +taken prisoner and feared that her father would order him to be killed. + +29. What do you think would have been the best thing for the king to +do when Putraka was brought before him? + +30. If Putraka had not had his shoes with him, how could he have +escaped from the king's palace? + + +CHAPTER XVI + + +Great indeed was the delight of Patala when her beloved Putraka once +more flew in at her window; but she was still trembling with fear +for him and begged him to go away back to his own land as quickly +as possible. + +"I will not go without you," replied Putraka. "Wrap yourself up warmly, +for it is cold flying through the air, and we will go away together, +and your cruel father shall never see you again." + +Patala wept at hearing this, for it seemed terrible to her to have to +choose between the father she loved and Putraka. But in the end her +lover got his own way, and just as those who were seeking him were +heard approaching, he seized his dear one in his arms and flew off +with her. He did not return to his own land even then, but directed +his course to the Ganges, the grand and beautiful river which the +people of India love and worship, calling it their Mother Ganga. By +the banks of the sacred stream the lovers rested, and with the aid of +his magic bowl Putraka soon had a good and delicious meal ready, which +they both enjoyed very much. As they ate, they consulted together +what they had better do now, and Patala, who was as clever as she +was beautiful, said: + +"Would it not be a good thing to build a new city in this lovely +place? You could do it with your marvellous staff, could you not?" + +"Why, of course, I could," said Putraka laughing. "Why didn't I think +of it myself?" Very soon a wonderful town rose up, which the young +king wished to be as much as possible like the home he had left, +only larger and fuller of fine buildings than it. When the town was +made, he wished it to be full of happy inhabitants, with temples +in which they might worship, priests to teach them how to be good, +markets in which food and all that was needed could be bought, tanks +and rivulets full of pure water, soldiers and officers to defend the +gates, elephants on which he and his wife could ride, everything in +fact that the heart of man or woman could desire. + +The first thing Putraka and Patala did after the rise of their own +town, which they named Patali-Putra [1] after themselves, was to get +married in accordance with the rites of their religion; and for many, +many years they reigned wisely over their people, who loved them and +their children with all their hearts. Amongst the attendants on those +children was the old woman who had shown kindness to Putraka in his +loneliness and trouble. For when he told Patala the story of his life, +she reproached him for his neglect of one to whom he owed so much. She +made him feel quite ashamed of himself, and he flew away and brought +the dear old lady back with him, to her very great delight. + +31. Which of the people in this story do you like best? + +32. Do you think Putraka deserved all the happiness which came to +him through stealing the wand, the shoes and the bowl? + +33. Can you suggest any way in which he could have atoned for the +wrong he did to the brothers whose property he took? + +34. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + + + +STORY V + +The Jewelled Arrow. + + +CHAPTER I + + +In the city of Vardhamana in India there lived a powerful king named +Vira-Bhuja, who, as was the custom in his native land, had many wives, +each of whom had several sons. Of all his wives this king loved best +the one named Guna-Vara, and of all his sons her youngest-born, called +Sringa-Bhuja, was his favourite. Guna-Vara was not only very beautiful +but very good. She was so patient that nothing could make her angry, +so unselfish that she always thought of others before herself, and +so wise that she was able to understand how others were feeling, +however different their natures were from her own. + +Sringa-Bhuja, the son of Guna-Vara, resembled his mother in her beauty +and her unselfishness; he was also very strong and very clever, whilst +his brothers were quite unlike him. They wanted to have everything +their own way, and they were very jealous indeed of their father's +love for him. They were always trying to do him harm, and though they +often quarrelled amongst themselves, they would band together to try +and hurt him. + +It was very much the same with the king's wives. They hated Guna-Vara, +because their husband loved her more than he did them, and they +constantly came to him with stories they had made up of the wicked +things she had done. Amongst other things they told the king that +Guna-Vara did not really love him but cared more for some one else +than she did for him. The most bitter of all against her was the +wife called Ayasolekha, who was cunning enough to know what sort of +tale the king was likely to believe. The very fact that Vira-Bhuja +loved Guna-Vara so deeply made him more ready to think that perhaps +after all she did not return his affection, and he longed to find +out the truth. So he in his turn made up a story, thinking by its +means to find out how she felt for him. He therefore went one day +to her private apartments, and having sent all her attendants away, +he told her he had some very sad news for her which he had heard from +his chief astrologer. Astrologers, you know, are wise men, who are +supposed to be able to read the secrets of the stars, and learn from +them things which are hidden from ordinary human beings. Guna-Vara +therefore did not doubt that what her husband was about to tell her +was true, and she listened eagerly, her heart beating very fast in +her fear that some trouble was coming to those she loved. + +Great indeed was her sorrow and surprise, when Vira-Bhuja went on +to say that the astrologer had told him that a terrible misfortune +threatened him and his kingdom and the only way to prevent it was to +shut Guna-Vara up in prison for the rest of her life. The poor queen +could hardly believe that she had heard rightly. She knew she had +done no wrong, and could not understand how putting her in prison +could help anybody. She was quite sure that her husband loved her, +and no words could have expressed her pain at the thought of being +sent away from him and her dear son. Yet she made no resistance, +not even asking Vira-Bhuja to let her see Sringa-Bhuja again. She +just bowed her beautiful head and said: "Be it unto me as my Lord +wills. If he wishes my death, I am ready to lay down my life." + +This submission made the king feel even more unhappy than before. He +longed to take his wife in his arms and tell her he would never let +her go; and perhaps if she had looked at him then, he would have +seen all her love for him in her eyes, but she remained perfectly +still with bowed head, waiting to hear what her fate was to be. Then +the thought entered Vira-Bhuja's mind: "She is afraid to look at me: +what Ayasolekha said was true." + +1. Can true love suspect the loved one of evil? + +2. Is true love ever jealous? + + +CHAPTER II + + +So the king summoned his guards and ordered them to take his wife +to a strong prison and leave her there. She went with them without +making any resistance, only turning once to look lovingly at her +husband as she was led away. Vira-Bhuja returned to his own palace and +had not been there very long when he got a message from Ayasolekha, +begging him to give her an interview, for she had something of very +great importance to tell him. The king consented at once, thinking +to himself, "perhaps she has found out that what she told me about +my dear Guna-Vara is not true." + +Great then was his disappointment when the wicked woman told him she +had discovered a plot against his life. The son of Guna-Vara and some +of the chief men of the kingdom, she said, had agreed together to kill +him, so that Sringa-Bhuja might reign in his stead. She and some of +the other wives had overheard conversations between them, and were +terrified lest their beloved Lord should be hurt. The young prince, +she declared, had had some trouble in persuading the nobles to help +him, but he had succeeded at last. + +Vira-Bhuja simply could not believe this story, for he trusted his +son as much as he loved him; and he sent the mischief maker away, +telling her not to dare to enter his presence again. For all that +he could not get the matter out of his head. He had Sringa-Bhuja +carefully watched; and as nothing against him was found out, he +was beginning to feel more easy in his mind, and even to think of +going to see Guna-Vara in her prison to ask her to confide in him, +when something happened which led him to fear that after all his +dear son was not true to him. This was what made him uneasy. He had +a wonderful arrow, set with precious jewels, which had been given to +him by a magician, and had the power of hitting without fail whatever +it was aimed at from however great a distance. The very day he had +meant to visit his ill-treated wife, he missed this arrow from the +place in which he kept it concealed. This distressed him very much; +and after seeking it in vain, he summoned all those who were employed +in the palace to his presence, and asked if any of them knew anything +about the arrow. He promised that he would forgive any one who helped +him to get it back, even if it were the thief himself; but added that, +if it was not found in three days, he would have all the servants +beaten until the one who had stolen it confessed. + +3. Do you think this was the best way to find out who had taken +the arrow? + +4. How would you have set about learning the truth if you had been +the king? + + +CHAPTER III + + +Now the fact of the matter was that Ayasolekha, who had told the +wicked story about Guna-Vara, knew where the king kept the arrow, +had taken it to her private rooms, and had sent for her own sons +and those of the other wives, all of whom hated Sringa-Bhuja, to +tell them of a plot to get their brother into disgrace, "You know," +she said to them, "how much better your father loves Sringa-Bhuja +than he does any of you; and that, when be dies, he will leave the +kingdom and all his money to him. Now I will help you to prevent this +by getting rid of Sringa-Bhuja. + +"You must have a great shooting match, in which your brother will +be delighted to take part, for he is very proud of his skill with +the bow and arrow. On the day of the match, I will send for him and +give him the jewelled arrow belonging to your father to shoot with, +telling him the king had said I might lend it to him. Your father +will then think he stole it and order him to be killed." + +The brothers were all delighted at what they thought a very clever +scheme, and did just what Ayasolekha advised. When the day came, +great crowds assembled to see the shooting at a large target set up +near the palace. The king himself and all his court were watching the +scene from the walls, and it was difficult for the guards to keep the +course clear. The brothers, beginning at the eldest, all pretended to +try and hit the target; but none of them really wished to succeed, +because they thought that, when Sringa-Bhuja's turn came, as their +father's youngest son, he would win the match with the jewelled +arrow. Then the king would order him to be brought before him, and +he would be condemned to death or imprisonment for life. + +Now, as very often happens, something no one in the least expected +upset the carefully planned plot. Just as Sringa-Bhuja was about to +shoot at the target, a big crane flew on to the ground between him and +it, so that it was impossible for him to take proper aim. The brothers, +seeing the bird and anxious to shoot it for themselves, all began to +clamour that they should be allowed to shoot again. Nobody made any +objection, and Sringa-Bhuja stood aside, with the jewelled arrow in +the bow, waiting to see what they would do, but feeling sure that +he would be the one to kill the bird. Brother after brother tried, +but the great creature still remained untouched, when a travelling +mendicant stepped forward and cried aloud: + +"That is no bird, but an evil magician who has taken that form +to deceive you all. If he is not killed before he takes his own +form again, he will bring misery and ruin upon this town and the +surrounding country." + +You know perhaps that mendicants or beggars in India are often holy +men whose advice even kings are glad to listen to; so that, when +everyone heard what this beggar said, there was great excitement and +terror. For many were the stories told of the misfortunes Rakshas or +evil magicians had brought on other cities. The brothers all wanted +to try their luck once more, but the beggar checked them, saying: + +"No, no. Where is your youngest brother Sringa-Bhuja? He alone +will be able to save your homes, your wives and your children, +from destruction," + +Then Sringa-Bhuja came forward; and as the sun flashed upon the jewels +in the stolen arrow, revealing to the watching king that it was his +own beloved son who had taken it, the young prince let it fly straight +for the bird. It wounded but did not kill the crane, which flew off +with the arrow sticking in its breast, the blood dripping from it in +its flight, which became gradually slower and slower. At the sight +of the bird going off with the precious jewelled arrow, the king was +filled with rage, and sent orders that Sringa-Bhuja should be fetched +to his presence immediately. But before the messengers reached him, +he had started in pursuit of the bird, guided by the blood-drops on +the ground. + +5. Did the brothers show wisdom in the plot they laid against their +brother? + +6. What do you think from this story, so far as you have read it, +were the chief qualities of Sringa-Bhuja? + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +As Sringa-Bhuja sped along after the crane, the beggar made some +strange signs in the air with the staff he used to help him along; +and such clouds of dust arose that no one could see in which direction +the young prince had gone. The brothers and Ayasolekha were very much +dismayed at the way things had turned out, and greatly feared that +the king's anger would vent itself on them, now that Sringa-Bhuja +had disappeared. Vira-Bhuja did send for them, and asked them many +questions; but they all kept the secret of how Sringa-Bhuja had got the +arrow, and promised to do all they could to help to get it back. Again +the king thought he would go and see the mother of his dear youngest +son; but again something held him back, and poor Guna-Vara was left +alone, no one ever going near her except the gaoler who took her +her daily food. After trying everything possible to find out where +Sringa-Bhuja had gone, the king began to show special favour to +another of his sons; and as the months passed by, it seemed as if +the young prince and the jewelled arrow were both forgotten. + +Meanwhile Sringa-Bhuja travelled on and on in the track of the drops +of blood, till he came to the outskirts of a fine forest, through +which many beaten paths led to a very great city. He sat down to +rest at the foot of a wide-spreading tree, and was gazing up at the +towers and pinnacles of the town, rising far upwards towards the sky, +when he had a feeling that he was no longer alone. He was right: +for, coming slowly along one of the paths, was a lovely young girl, +singing softly to herself in a beautiful voice. Her eyes were like +those of a young doe, and her features were perfect in their form +and expression, reminding Sringa-Bhuja of his mother, whom he was +beginning to fear he would never see again. + +When the young girl was quite close to him, he startled her by saying, +"Can you tell me what is the name of this city?" + +"Of course, I can," she replied, "for I live in it. It is called +Dhuma-Pura, and it belongs to my father: he is a great magician +named Agni-Sikha, who loves not strangers. Now tell me who you are +and whence you come?" + +Then Sringa-Bhuja told the maiden all about himself, and why he was +wandering so far from home. The girl, whose name was Rupa-Sikha, +listened very attentively; and when he came to the shooting of the +crane, and how he had followed the bleeding bird in the hope of +getting back his father's jewelled arrow, she began to tremble. + +"Alas, alas!" she said. "The bird you shot was my father, who can +take any form he chooses. He returned home but yesterday, and I drew +the arrow from his wound and dressed the hurt myself. He gave me the +jewelled arrow to keep, and I will never part with it. As for you, +the sooner you depart the better; for my father never forgives, and +he is so powerful that you would have no chance of escape if he knew +you were here." + +Hearing this, Sringa-Bhuja became very sad, not because he was +afraid of Agni-Sikha, but because he knew that he already loved the +fair maiden who stood beside him, and was resolved to make her his +wife. She too felt drawn towards him and did not like to think of +his going away. Besides this, she had much to fear from her father, +who was as cruel as he was mighty, and had caused the death already +of many lovers who had wished to marry her. She had never cared for +any of them, and had been content to live without a husband, spending +her life in wandering about near her home and winning the love of all +who lived near her, even that of the wild creatures of the forest, +who would none of them dream of hurting her. Often and often she stood +between the wrath of her father and those he wished to injure; for, +wicked as he was, he loved her and wanted her to be happy, + +7. Do you think that a really wicked man is able to love any one truly? + +8. What would have been the best thing for Sringa-Bhuja to do, when +he found out who the bird he had shot really was? + + + +CHAPTER V + + +Rupa-Sikha did not take long to decide what was best for her to +do. She said to the prince, "I will give you back your golden arrow, +and you must make all possible haste out of our country before my +father discovers you are here." + +"No! no! no! a thousand times no!" cried the prince. "Now I have once +seen you, I can never, never leave you. Can you not learn to love +me and be my wife?" Then he fell prostrate at her feet, and looked +up into her face so lovingly that she could not resist him. She +bent down towards him, and the next moment they were clasped in +each other's arms, quite forgetting all the dangers that threatened +them. Rupa-Sikha was the first to remember her father, and drawing +herself away from her lover, she said to him: + +"Listen to me, and I will tell you what we must do. My father is a +magician, it is true, but I am his daughter, and I inherit some of +his powers. If only you will promise to do exactly as I tell you, +I think I may be able to save you, and perhaps even become your +wife. I am the youngest of a large family and my father's favourite. I +will go and tell him that a great and mighty prince, hearing of his +wonderful gifts, has come to our land to ask for an interview with +him. Then I will tell him that I have seen you, fallen in love with +you, and want to marry you. He will be flattered to think his fame +has spread so far, and will want to see you, even if he refuses to +let me be your wife. I will lead you to his presence and leave you +with him alone. If you really love me, you will find the way to win +his consent; but you must keep out of his sight till I have prepared +the way for you. Come with me now, and I will show you a hiding-place." + +Rupa-Sikha then led the prince far away into the depths of the forest, +and showed him a large tree, the wide-spreading branches of which +touched the ground, completely hiding the trunk, in which there +was an opening large enough for a man to pass through. Steps cut +in the inside of the trunk led down to a wide space underground; +and there the magician's daughter told her lover to wait for her +return. "Before I go," she said, "I will tell you my own password, +which will save you from death if you should be discovered. It is +LOTUS FLOWER; and everyone to whom you say it, will know that you +are under my protection." + +When Rupa-Sikha reached the palace she found her father in a very bad +humour, because she had not been to ask how the wound in his breast +was getting on. She did her best to make up for her neglect; and when +she had dressed the wound very carefully, she prepared a dainty meal +for her father with her own hands, waiting upon him herself whilst +he ate it. All this pleased him, and he was in quite an amiable mood +when she said to him: + +"Now I must tell you that I too have had an adventure. As I was +gathering herbs in the forest, I met a man I had never seen before, +a tall handsome young fellow looking like a prince, who told me he +was seeking the palace of a great and wonderful magician, of whose +marvellous deeds he had heard. Who could that magician have been but +you, my father?" She added, "I told him I was your daughter, and he +entreated me to ask you to grant him an interview." + +Agni-Sikha listened to all this without answering a word. He was +pleased at this fresh proof that his fame had spread far and wide; +but he guessed at once that Rupa-Sikha had not told him the whole +truth. He waited for her to go on, and as she said no more, he suddenly +turned angrily upon her and in a loud voice asked her: + +"And what did my daughter answer?" + +Then Rupa-Sikha knew that her secret had been discovered. And rising +to her full height, she answered proudly, "I told him I would seek +you and ask you to receive him. And now I will tell you, my father, +that I have seen the only man I will ever marry; and if you forbid +me to do so, I will take my own life, for I cannot live without him." + +"Send for the man immediately," cried the magician, "and you shall +hear my answer when he appears before me." + +"I cannot send," replied Rupa-Sikha, "for none knows where I have +left him; nor will I fetch him till you promise that no evil shall +befall him." + +At first Agni-Sikha laughed aloud and declared that he would do no such +thing. But his daughter was as obstinate as he was; and finding that +he could not get his own way unless he yielded to her, he said crossly: + +"He shall keep his fine head on his shoulders, and leave the palace +alive; but that is all I will say." + +"But that is not enough," said Rupa-Sikha. "Say after me, Not a hair +of his head shall be harmed, and I will treat him as an honoured guest, +or your eyes will never rest on him." + +At last the magician promised, thinking to himself that he would find +some way of disposing of Sringa-Bhuja, if he did not fancy him for +a son-in-law. The words she wanted to hear were hardly out of her +father's mouth before Rupa-Sikha sped away, as if on the wings of +the wind, full of hope that all would be well. She found her lover +anxiously awaiting her, and quickly explained how matters stood. "You +had better say nothing about me to my father at first," she said; +"but only talk about him and all you have heard of him. If only you +could get him to like you and want to keep you with him, it would +help us very much. Then you could pretend that you must go back to +your own land; and rather than allow you to do so, he will be anxious +for us to be married and to live here with him." + +9. Do you think the advice Rupa-Sikha gave to Sringa-Bhuja was good? + +10. Can you suggest anything else she might have done? + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +Sringa-Bhuja loved Rupa-Sikha so much that he was ready to obey her +in whatever she asked. So he at once went with her to the palace. On +every side he saw signs of the strength and power of the magician. Each +gate was guarded by tall soldiers in shining armour, who saluted +Rupa-Sikha but scowled fiercely at him. He knew full well that, if +he had tried to pass alone, they would have prevented him from doing +so. At last the two came to the great hall, where the magician was +walking backwards and forwards, working himself into a rage at being +kept waiting. Directly he looked at the prince, he knew him for the +man who had shot the jewelled arrow at him when he had taken the form +of a crane, and he determined that he would be revenged. He was too +cunning to let Sringa-Bhuja guess that he knew him, and pretended to +be very glad to see him. He even went so far as to say that he had +long wished to find a prince worthy to wed his youngest and favourite +daughter. "You," he added, "seem to me the very man, young, handsome +and--to judge from the richness of your dress and jewels--able to +give my beloved one all she needs." + +The prince could hardly believe his ears, and Rupa-Sikha also was +very much surprised. She guessed however that her father had some evil +purpose in what he said, and looked earnestly at Sringa-Bhuja in the +hope of making him understand. But the prince was so overjoyed at the +thought that she was to be his wife that he noticed nothing. So when +Agni-Sikha added, "I only make one condition: you must promise that +you will never disobey my commands, but do whatever I tell you without +a moment's hesitation," Sringa-Bhuja, without waiting to think, said +at once, "Only give me your daughter and I will serve you in any way +you wish." + +"That's settled then!" cried the magician, and he clapped his hands +together. In a moment a number of attendants appeared, and their master +ordered them to lead the prince to the best apartments in the palace, +to prepare a bath for him, and do everything he asked them. + +11. What great mistake did the prince make when he gave this promise? + +12. What answer should he have made? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +As Sringa-Bhuja followed the servants, Rupa-Sikha managed to whisper +to him, "Beware! await a message from me!" When he had bathed and was +arraying himself in fresh garments provided by his host, waited on, +hand and foot, by servants who treated him with the greatest respect, +a messenger arrived, bearing a sealed letter which he reverently +handed to the prince. Sringa-Bhuja guessed at once from whom it came; +and anxious to read it alone, he hastily finished his toilette and +dismissed the attendants. + +"My beloved," said the letter--which was, of course, from +Rupa-Sikha--"My father is plotting against you; and very foolish were +you to promise you would obey him in all things. I have ten sisters +all exactly like me, all wearing dresses and necklaces which are exact +copies of each other, so that few can tell me from the others, Soon +you will be sent for to the great Hall and we shall all be together +there. My father will bid you choose your bride from amongst us; and if +you make a mistake all will be over for us. But I will wear my necklace +on my head instead of round my neck, and thus will you know your own +true love. And remember, my dearest, to obey no future command without +hearing from me, for I alone am able to outwit my terrible father," + +Everything happened exactly as Rupa-Sikha described. The prince +was sent for by Agni-Sikha, who, as soon as he appeared, gave him a +garland of flowers and told him to place it round the neck of the +maiden who was his promised bride. Without a moment's hesitation +Sringa-Bhuja picked out the right sister; and the magician, though +inwardly enraged, pretended to be so delighted at this proof of a +lover's clear-sightedness that he cried: + +"You are the son-in-law for me! The wedding shall take place +to-morrow!" + +13. Can you understand how it was that the magician did not notice +the trick Rupa-Sikha had played upon him? + +14. What fault blinds people to the truth more than any other? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +When Sringa-Bhuja heard what Agni-Sikha said, he was full of joy; +but Rupa-Sikha knew well that her father did not mean a word of +it. She waited quietly beside her lover, till the magician bade all +the sisters but herself leave the hall. Then the magician, with a +very wicked look on his face, said: + +"Before the ceremony there is just one little thing you must do for me, +dear son-in-law that is to be. Go outside the town, and near the most +westerly tower you will find a team of oxen and a plough awaiting +you. Close to them is a pile of three hundred bushels of sesame +seed. This you must sow this very day, or instead of a bridegroom +you will be a dead man to-morrow." + +Great was the dismay of Sringa-Bhuja when he heard this. But Rupa-Sikha +whispered to him, "Fear not, for I will help you." Sadly the prince +left the palace alone, to seek the field outside the city; the guards, +who knew he was the accepted lover of their favourite mistress, +letting him pass unhindered. There, sure enough, near the western +tower were the oxen, the plough and a great pile of seed. Never before +had poor Sringa-Bhuja had to work for himself, but his great love for +Rupa-Sikha made him determine to do his best. So he was about to begin +to guide the oxen across the field, when, behold, all was suddenly +changed. Instead of an unploughed tract of land, covered with weeds, +was a field with rows and rows of regular furrows. The piles of seed +were gone, and flocks of birds were gathering in the hope of securing +some of it as it lay in the furrows. + +As Sringa-Bhuja was staring in amazement at this beautiful scene, +he saw Rupa-Sikha, looking more lovely than ever, coming towards +him. "Not in vain," she said to him, "am I my father's daughter. I +too know how to compel even nature to do my will; but the danger is +not over yet. Go quickly back to the palace, and tell Agni-Sikha that +his wishes are fulfilled." + +15. Can the laws of nature ever really be broken? + +16. What is the only way in which man can conquer nature? + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +The magician was very angry indeed when he heard that the field was +ploughed and the seed sown. He knew at once that some magic had +been at work, and suspected that Rupa-Sikha was the cause of his +disappointment. Without a moment's hesitation he said to the prince: +"No sooner were you gone than I decided not to have that seed sown. Go +back at once, and pile it up where it was before." + +This time Sringa-Bhuja felt no fear or hesitation, for he was sure +of the power and will to help him of his promised bride. So back he +went to the field, and there he found the whole vast space covered +with millions and millions of ants, busily collecting the seed and +piling it up against the wall of the town. Again Rupa-Sikha came +to cheer him, and again she warned him that their trials were not +yet over. She feared, she said, that her father might prove stronger +than herself; for he had many allies at neighbouring courts ready to +help him in his evil purposes. "Whatever else he orders you to do, +you must see me before you leave the palace. I will send my faithful +messenger to appoint a meeting in some secret place." + +Agni-Sikha was not much surprised when the prince told him that his +last order had been obeyed, and thought to himself, "I must get this +tiresome fellow out of my domain, where that too clever child of mine +will not be able to help him." "Well," he said, "I suppose the wedding +must take place to-morrow after all, for I am a man of my word. We +must now set about inviting the guests. You shall have the pleasure +of doing this yourself: then my friends will know beforehand what a +handsome young son-in-law I shall have. The first person to summon +to the wedding is my brother Dhuma Sikha, who has taken up his abode +in a deserted temple a few miles from here. You must ride at once to +that temple, rein up your steed opposite it, and cry, 'Dhuma Sikha, +your brother Agni-Sikha has sent me hither to invite you to witness +my marriage with his daughter Rupa-Sikha to-morrow. Come without +delay!' Your message given, ride back to me; and I will tell you what +farther tasks you must perform before the happy morrow dawns." + +When Sringa-Bhuja left the palace, he knew not where to seek a horse +to bear him on this new errand. But as he was nearing the gateway by +which he had gone forth to sow the field with seed, a handsome boy +approached him and said, "If my lord will follow me, I will tell him +what to do." Somehow the voice sounded familiar; and when the guards +were left far enough behind to be out of hearing, the boy looked up +at Sringa-Bhuja with a smile that revealed Rupa-Sikha herself. "Come +with me," she said; and taking his hand, she led him to a tree beneath +which stood a noble horse, richly caparisoned, which pawed the ground +and whinnied to its mistress, as she drew near. + +"You must ride this horse," said Rupa-Sikha, "who will obey you if +you but whisper in his ear; and you must take earth, water, wood and +fire with you, which I will give you. You must go straight to the +temple, and when you have called out your message, turn without a +moment's delay, and ride for your life as swiftly as your steed will +go, looking behind you all the time. No guidance will be necessary; +for Marut--that is my horse's name--knows well what he has to do." + +Then Rupa-Sikha gave Sringa-Bhuja a bowl of earth, a jar of water, +a bundle of thorns and a brazier full of burning charcoal, hanging +them by strong thongs upon the front of his saddle so that he could +reach them easily. "My father," she told him, "has given my uncle +instructions to kill you, and he will follow you upon his swift +Arab steed. When you hear him behind you, fling earth in his path; +if that does not stop him, pour out some of the water; and if he +still perseveres, scatter the burning charcoal before him." + +17. Can you discover any hidden meaning in the use of earth, water, +thorns and fire, to stop the course of the wicked magician? + +18. Do you think the prince loved Rupa-Sikha better than he loved +himself? + + + +CHAPTER X + + +Away went the prince after he had received these instructions; and +very soon he found himself opposite the temple, with the images of +three of the gods worshipped in India to prove that it had been a +sanctuary before the magician took up his abode in it. Directly +Sringa-Bhuja shouted out his message to Dhuma-Sikha, the wicked +dweller in the temple came rushing forth from the gateway, mounted +on a huge horse, which seemed to be belching forth flames from its +nostrils as it bounded along. For one terrible moment Sringa-Bhuja +feared that he was lost; but Marut, putting forth all his strength, +kept a little in advance of the enemy, giving the prince time to +scatter earth behind him. Immediately a great mountain rose up, +barring the road, and Sringa-Bhuja felt that he was saved. He was +mistaken: for, as he looked back, he saw Dhuma-Sikha coming over +the top of the mountain. The next moment the magician was close +upon him. So he emptied his bowl of water: and, behold, a huge river +with great waves hid pursuer and pursued from each other. Even this +did not stop the mighty Arab horse, which swam rapidly across, the +rider loudly shouting out orders to the prince to stop. When the +prince heard the hoofs striking on the dry ground behind him again, +he threw out the thorns, and a dense wood sprouted up as if by magic, +which for a few moments gave fresh hope of safety to Sringa-Bhuja; +for it seemed as if even the powerful magician would be unable to get +through it. He did succeed however; but his clothes were nearly torn +off his back, and his horse was bleeding from many wounds made by +the cruel thorns. Sringa-Bhuja too was getting weary, and remembered +that he had only one more chance of checking his relentless enemy. He +could almost feel the breath of the panting steed as it drew near; +and with a loud cry to his beloved Rupa-Sikha, he threw the burning +charcoal on the road. In an instant the grass by the wayside, the +trees overshadowing it, and the magic wood which had sprung from the +thorns, were alight, burning so fiercely that no living thing could +approach them safely. The wicked magician was beaten at last, and +was soon himself fleeing away, as fast as he could, with the flames +following after him as if they were eager to consume him. + +Whether his enemy ever got back to his temple, Sringa-Bhuja never +knew. Exhausted with all he had been through, the young prince was +taken back to the palace by the faithful Marut, and there he found +his dear Rupa-Sikha awaiting him. She told him that her father had +promised her that, if the prince came back, he would oppose her +marriage no longer. "For," he said, "if he can escape your uncle, +he must be more than mortal, and worthy even of my daughter." "He +does not in the least expect to see you again," added Rupa-Sikha; +"and even if he allows us to marry, he will never cease to hate you; +for I am quite sure he knows that you shot the jewelled arrow at him +when he was in the form of a crane. If I ever am your wife, he will +try to punish you through me. But have no fear: I shall know how +to manage him. Fresh powers have been lately given to me by another +uncle whose magic is stronger than that of any of my other relations." + +When Sringa-Bhuja had bathed and rested, he robed himself once +more in the garments he had worn the day he first saw Rupa-Sikha; +and together the lovers went to the great hall to seek an interview +with Agni-Sikha. The magician, who had made quite sure that he had +now got rid of the unwelcome suitor for his daughter's hand, could +not contain his rage, at seeing him walk in with her as if the two +were already wedded. + +He stamped about, pouring out abuse, until he had quite exhausted +himself, the lovers looking on quietly without speaking. At last, +coming close to them, Agni-Sikha shouted, in a loud harsh voice: +"So you have not obeyed my orders. You have not bid my brother to the +wedding. Your life is forfeit, and you will die to-morrow instead of +marrying Rupa-Sikha. Describe the temple in which Dhuma Sikha lives +and the appearance of its owner." + +Then Sringa-Bhuja gave such an exact account of the temple, naming +the gods whose images still adorned it, and of the terrible man +riding the noble steed who had pursued him, that the magician was +convinced against his will; and knowing that he must keep his word to +Rupa-Sikha, he gave his consent for the preparations for the marriage +on the morrow to begin. + +19. What is your opinion of the character of Agni-Sikha? + +20. Do you think he was at all justified in the way in which he +treated his daughter and Sringa-Bhuja? + + + +CHAPTER XI + + +The marriage was celebrated the next day with very great pomp; and +a beautiful suite of rooms was given to the bride and bridegroom, +who could not in spite of this feel safe or happy, because they knew +full well that Agni-Sikha hated them. The prince soon began to feel +home-sick and anxious to introduce his beautiful wife to his own +people. He remembered that he had left his dear mother in prison, +and reproached himself for having forgotten her for so long. So he +said to Rupa-Sikha: + +"Let us go, beloved, to my native city, Vardhamana. My heart yearns +after my dear ones there, and I would fain introduce you to them." + +"My lord," replied Rupa-Sikha, "I will go with you whither you will, +were it even to the ends of the earth. But we must not let my father +guess we mean to go; for he would forbid us to leave the country and +set spies to watch our every movement. We will steal away secretly, +riding together on my faithful Marut and taking with us only what we +can carry." "And my jewelled arrow," said the prince, "that I may give +it back to my father and explain to him how I lost it. Then shall I +be restored to his favour, and maybe he will forgive my mother also." + +"Have no fear," answered Rupa-Sikha: "all will surely go well with +us. Forget not that new powers have been given to me, which will save +us from my father and aid me to rescue my dear one's mother from her +evil fate." + +Before the dawn broke on the next day, the two set forth unattended, +Marut seeming to take pride in his double burden and bearing them along +so swiftly that they had all but reached the bounds of the country +under the dominion of Agni-Sikha as the sun rose. Just as they thought +they were safe from pursuit, they heard a loud rushing noise behind; +and looking round, they saw the father of the bride close upon them on +his Arab steed, with sword uplifted in his hand to strike. "Fear not," +whispered Rupa-Sikha to her husband. "I will show you now what I can +do." And waving her arms to and fro, as she muttered some strange +words, she changed herself into an old woman and Sringa-Bhuja into +an old man, whilst Marut became a great pile of wood by the road-side. + +When the angry father reached the spot, the bride and bridegroom were +busily gathering sticks to add to the pile, seemingly too absorbed +in their work to take any notice of the angry magician, who shouted +out to them: + +"Have you seen a man and a woman pass along this way?" + +The old woman straightened herself, and peering, up into his face, +said: + +"No; we are too busy over our work to notice anything else." + +"And what, pray, are you doing in my wood?" asked Agni-Sikha. + +"We are helping to collect the fuel for the pyre of the great +magician Agni-Sikha." answered Rupa-Sikha. "Do you not know that he +died yesterday?" + +The Hindus of India do not bury but burn the dead; so that it was quite +a natural thing for the people of the land over which the magician +ruled to collect the materials for the pyre or heap of wood on which +his body would be laid to be burnt. What surprised Agni-Sikha, and +in fact nearly took his breath away, was to be quietly told that he +was dead. He began to think that he was dreaming, and said to himself, +"I cannot really be dead without knowing it, so I must be asleep." And +he quietly turned his horse round and rode slowly home again. This was +just what his daughter wanted; and as soon as he was out of sight, +she turned herself, her husband and Marut, into their natural forms +again, laughing merrily, as she did so, at the thought of the ease +with which she had got rid of her father. + +21. Do you think it was clever of Rupa-Sikha to make up this story? + +22. Do you think it is better to believe all that you are told or to +be more ready to doubt when anything you hear seems to be unusual? + + +CHAPTER XII + + +Once more the bride and bridegroom set forth on their way, and once +more they soon heard Agni-Sikha coming after them. For when he got +back to his palace, and the servants hastened out to take his horse, he +guessed that a trick had been played on him. He did not even dismount, +but just turned his horse's head round and galloped back again. "If +ever," he thought to himself, "I catch those two young people, I'll +make them wish they had obeyed me. Yes, they shall suffer for it. I +am not going to stand being defied like this." + +This time Rupa-Sikha contented herself with making her husband and +Marut invisible, whilst she changed herself into a letter-carrier, +hurrying along the road as if not a moment was to be lost. She took no +notice of her father, till he reined up his steed and shouted to her: + +"Have you seen a man and woman on horseback pass by?" + +"No, indeed," she said: "I have a very important letter to deliver, +and could think of nothing but making all the haste possible." + +"And what is this important letter about?" asked Agni-Sikha. "Can +you tell me that?" + +"Oh, yes, I can tell you that," she said. "But where can you have been, +not to have heard the terrible news about the ruler of this land?" + +"You can't tell me anything I don't know about him," answered the +magician, "for he is my greatest friend." + +"Then you know that he is dying from a wound he got in a battle with +his enemies only yesterday. I am to take this letter to his brother +Dhuma-Sikha, bidding him come to see him before the end." + +Again Agni-Sikha wondered if he were dreaming, or if he were under +some strange spell and did not really know who he was? Being able, +as he was, to cast spells on other people, he was ready to fancy the +same thing had befallen him. He said nothing when he heard that he was +wounded, and was about to turn back again when Rupa-Sikha said to him: + +"As you are on horseback and can get to Dhuma-Sikha's temple quicker +than I can, will you carry the message of his brother's approaching +death to him for me, and bid him make all possible haste if he would +see him alive?" + +This was altogether too much for the magician, who became sure that +there was something very wrong about him. He knew he was not wounded or +dying, but he thought he must be ill of fever, fancying he heard what +he did not. He stared fixedly at his daughter, and she stared up at +him, half-afraid he might find out who she was, but he never guessed. + +"Do your own errands," he said at last; and slashing his poor innocent +horse with his whip, he wheeled round and dashed home again as fast as +he could. Again his servants ran out to receive him, and he gloomily +dismounted, telling them to send his chief councillor to him in his +private apartments. Shut up with him, he poured out all his troubles, +and the councillor advised him to see his physician without any delay, +for he felt sure that these strange fancies were caused by illness. + +The doctor, when he came, was very much puzzled, but he looked as +wise as he could, ordered perfect rest and all manner of disagreeable +medicines. He was very much surprised at the change he noticed in his +patient, who, instead of angrily declaring that there was nothing the +matter with him, was evidently in a great fright about his health. He +shut himself up for many days, and it was a long time before he got +over the shock he had received, and then it was too late for him to +be revenged or the lovers. + +23. Can you explain what casting a spell means? + +24. Can you give an instance of a spell being cast on any one you +have heard of? + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +Having really got rid of Agni-Sikha, Rupa-Sikha and her husband +were very soon out of his reach and in the country belonging to +Sringa-Bhuja's father, who had bitterly mourned the loss of his +favourite son. When the news was brought to him that two strangers, +a handsome young man and a beautiful woman, who appeared to be husband +and wife, had entered his capital, he hastened forth to meet them, +hoping that perhaps they could give him news of Sringa-Bhuja. What +was his joy when he recognised his dear son, holding the jewelled +arrow, which had led him into such trouble, in his right hand, as he +guided Marat with his left! The king flung himself from his horse, +and Sringa-Bhuja, giving the reins to Rupa-Sikha, also dismounted. The +next moment he was in his father's arms, everything forgotten and +forgiven in the happy reunion. + +Great was the rejoicing over Sringa-Bhuja's return and hearty was the +welcome given to his beautiful bride, who quickly won all hearts but +those of the wicked wives and sons who had tried to harm her husband +and his mother. They feared the anger of the king, when he found out +how they had deceived him, and they were right to fear. Sringa-Bhuja's +very first act was to plead for his mother to be set free. He would +not tell any of his adventures, he said, till she could hear them +too; and the king, full of remorse for the way he had treated her, +went with him to the prison in which she had been shut up all this +time. What was poor Guna-Vara's joy, when the two entered the place in +which she had shed so many tears! She could not at first believe her +eyes or ears, but soon she realised that her sufferings were indeed +over. She could not be quite happy till her beloved husband said +he knew she had never loved any one but him. She had been accused +falsely, she said, and she wanted the woman who had told a lie about +her to be made to own the truth. + +This was done in the presence of the whole court, and when judgment had +been passed upon Ayasolekha, the brothers of Sringa-Bhuja were also +brought before their father, who charged them with having deceived +him. They too were condemned, and all the culprits would have been +taken to prison and shut up for the rest of their lives, if those they +had injured had not pleaded for their forgiveness. Guna-Vara and her +son prostrated themselves at the foot of the throne, and would not +rise till they had won pardon for their enemies. Ayasolekha and the +brothers were allowed to go free; but Sringa-Bhuja, though he was the +youngest of all the princes, was proclaimed heir to the crown after his +father's death. His brothers, however, never ceased to hate him; and +when he came to the throne, they gave him a great deal of trouble. He +had many years of happiness with his wife and parents before that, +and never regretted the mistake about the jewelled arrow; since but +for it he would, he knew, never have seen his beloved Rupa-Sikha. + +25. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +26. Do yon think it was good for those who had told lies about +Guna-Vara and her son to be forgiven so easily? + +27. Can you give any instances of good coming out of evil and of evil +coming out of what seemed good? + +28. Do you think Rupa-Sikha deserved all the happiness that came +to her? + + + +STORY VI + +The Beetle and the Silken Thread. [2] + + +CHAPTER I + + +The strange adventures related in the story of the Beetle and the +Silken Thread took place in the town of Allahabad, "the City of God," +so called because it is situated near the point of meeting of the two +sacred rivers of India, the Ganges, which the Hindus lovingly call +Mother Ganga because they believe its waters can wash away their sins, +and the Jumna, which they consider scarcely less holy. + +The ruler of Allahabad was a very selfish and hot-tempered Raja named +Surya Pratap, signifying "Powerful as the Sun," who expected everybody +to obey him without a moment's delay, and was ready to punish in +a very cruel manner those who hesitated to do so. He would never +listen to a word of explanation, or own that he had been mistaken, +even when he knew full well that he was in the wrong. He had a mantri, +that is to say, a chief vizier or officer, whom he greatly trusted, +and really seemed to be fond of, for he liked to have him always near +him. The vizier was called Dhairya-Sila, or "the Patient One," because +he never lost his temper, no matter what provocation he received. He +had a beautiful house, much money and many jewels, carriages to drive +about in, noble horses to ride and many servants to wait upon him, +all given to him by his master. But what he loved best of all was +his faithful wife, Buddhi-Mati, or "the Sensible One," whom he had +chosen for himself, and who would have died for him. + +Many of the Raja's subjects were jealous of Dhairya-Sila, and +constantly brought accusations against him, of none of which his master +took any notice, except to punish those who tried to set him against +his favourite. It really seemed as if nothing would ever bring harm to +Dhairya-Sila; but he often told his wife that such good fortune was not +likely to last, and that she must be prepared for a change before long. + +It turned out that he was right. For one day Surya Pratap ordered +him to do what he considered would be a shameful deed. He refused; +telling his master that he was wrong to think of such a thing, and +entreating him to give up his purpose. "All your life long," he said, +"you will wish you had listened to me; for your conscience will never +let you rest!" + +On hearing these brave words, Surya Pratap flew into a terrible rage, +summoned his guards, and ordered them to take Dhairya-Sila outside the +city to a very lofty tower, and leave him at the top of it, without +shelter from the sun and with nothing to eat or drink. The guards were +at first afraid to touch the vizier, remembering how others had been +punished for only speaking against him. Seeing their unwillingness, +the Raja got more and more angry; but Dhairya-Sila himself kept quite +calm, and said to the soldiers: + +"I go with you gladly. It is for the master to command and for me +to obey." + +1. What is the best way to learn to keep calm in an emergency? + +2. Why does too much power have a bad influence on those who have it? + + +CHAPTER II + + +The guards were relieved to find they need not drag the vizier away; +for they admired his courage and felt sure that the Raja would soon +find he could not get on without him. It might go hardly with them if +he suffered harm at their hands. So they only closed in about him; +and holding himself very upright, Dhairya-Sila walked to the tower +as if he were quite glad to go. In his heart however he knew full +well that it would need all his skill to escape with his life. + +When her husband did not come home at night, Buddhi-Mati was very +much distressed. She guessed at once that something had gone wrong, +and set forth to try and find out what had happened. This was easy +enough; for as she crept along, with her veil closely held about her +lest she should be recognised, she passed groups of people discussing +the terrible fate that had befallen the favourite. She decided that +she must wait until midnight, when the streets would be deserted and +she could reach the tower unnoticed. It was almost dark when she got +there, but in the dim light of the stars she made out the form of him +she loved better than herself, leaning over the edge of the railing +at the top. + +"Is my dear lord still alive?" she whispered, "and is there anything +I can do to help him?" + +"You can do everything that is needed to help me," answered +Dhairya-Sila quietly, "if you only obey every direction I give you. Do +not for one moment suppose that I am in despair. I am more powerful +even now than my master, who has but shown his weakness by attempting +to harm me. Now listen to me. Come to-morrow night at this very hour, +bringing with you the following things: first, a beetle; secondly, +sixty yards of the finest silk thread, as thin as a spider's web; +thirdly, sixty yards of cotton thread, as thin as you can get it, +but very strong; fourthly, sixty yards of good stout twine; fifthly, +sixty yards of rope, strong enough to carry my weight; and last, +but certainly not least, one drop of the purest bees' honey." + +3. Do you think the vizier thought of all these things before or +after he was taken to the tower? + +4. What special quality did he display in the way in which he faced +his position on the tower? + + + +CHAPTER III + + +Buddhi-Mati listened very attentively to these strange instructions, +and began to ask questions about them. "Why do you want the beetle? Why +do you want the honey?" and so on. But her husband checked her. "I have +no strength to waste in explanations," he said. "Go home in peace, +sleep well, and dream of me." So the anxious wife went meekly away; +and early the next day she set to work to obey the orders she had +received. She had some trouble in obtaining fine enough silk, so +very, very thin it had to be, like a spider's web; but the cotton, +twine and rope were easily bought; and to her surprise she was not +asked what she wanted them for. It took her a good while to choose +the beetle. For though she had a vague kind of idea that the silk, +the cotton, twine, and rope, were to help her husband get down from +the tower, she could not imagine what share the beetle and the honey +were to take. In the end she chose a very handsome, strong-looking, +brilliantly coloured fellow who lived in the garden of her home and +whom she knew to be fond of honey. + +5. Can you guess how the beetle and the honey were to help in saving +Dhairya-Sila? + +6. Do you think it would have been better if the vizier had told his +wife how all the things he asked for were to be used? + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +All the time Buddhi-Mati was at work for her husband, she was thinking +of him and looking forward to the happy day of his return home. She +had such faith in him that she did not for a moment doubt that he +would escape; but she was anxious about the future, feeling sure +that the Raja would never forgive Dhairya-Sila for being wiser than +himself. Exactly at the time fixed the faithful wife appeared at the +foot of the tower, with all the things she had been told to bring +with her. + +"Is all well with my lord?" she whispered, as she gazed up through +the darkness. "I have the silken thread as fine as gossamer, the +cotton thread, the twine, the rope, the beetle and the honey." + +"Yes," answered Dhairya-Sila, "all is still well with me. I have +slept well, feeling confident that my dear one would bring all that +is needed for my safety; but I dread the great heat of another day, +and we must lose no time in getting away from this terrible tower. Now +attend most carefully to all I bid you do; and remember not to speak +loud, or the sentries posted within hearing will take alarm and drive +you away. First of all, tie the end of the silken thread round the +middle of the beetle, leaving all its legs quite free. Then rub the +drop of honey on its nose, and put the little creature on the wall, +with its nose turned upwards towards me. It will smell the honey, but +will not guess that it carries it itself, and it will crawl upwards in +the hope of getting to the hive from which that honey came. Keep the +rest of the silk firmly held, and gradually unwind it as the beetle +climbs up. Mind you do not let it slip, for my very life depends on +that slight link with you." + +7. Which do you think had the harder task to perform--the husband at +the top of the tower or the wife at the foot of it? + +8. Do you think the beetle was likely to imagine it was on the way +to a hive of bees when it began to creep up the tower? + + + +CHAPTER V + + +Buddhi-Mati, though her hands shook and her heart beat fast as +she realized all that depended on her, kept the silk from becoming +entangled; and when it was nearly all unwound, she heard her husband's +voice saying to her: "Now tie the cotton thread to the end of the +silk that you hold, and let it gradually unwind." She obeyed, fully +understanding now what all these preparations were for. + +When the little messenger of life reached the top of the tower, +Dhairya-Sila took it up in his hand and very gently unfastened the +silken thread from its body. Then he placed the beetle carefully in +a fold of his turban, and began to pull the silken thread up--very, +very slowly, for if it had broken, his wonderful scheme would have +come to an end. Presently he had the cotton thread in his fingers, +and he broke off the silk, wound it up, and placed it too in his +turban. It had done its duty well, and he would not throw it away. + +"Half the work is done now," he whispered to his faithful wife. "You +have all but saved me now. Take the twine and tie it to the end of +the cotton thread." + +Very happily Buddhi-Mati obeyed once more; and soon the cotton thread +and twine were also laid aside, and the strong rope tied to the last +was being quickly dragged up by the clever vizier, who knew that all +fear of death from sunstroke or hunger was over. When he had all the +rope on the tower, he fastened one end of it to the iron railing which +ran round the platform on which he stood, and very quickly slid down +to the bottom, where his wife was waiting for him, trembling with joy. + +9. Do you see anything very improbable in the account of what the +beetle did? + +10. If the beetle had not gone straight up the tower, what do you +think would have happened? + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +After embracing his wife and thanking her for saving him, the vizier +said to her: "Before we return home, let us give thanks to the great +God who helped me in my need by putting into my head the device +by which I escaped." The happy pair then prostrated themselves +on the ground, and in fervent words of gratitude expressed their +sense of what the God they worshipped had done for them. "And now," +said Dhairya-Sila, "the next thing we have to do is to take the dear +little beetle which was the instrument of my rescue back to the place +it came from." And taking off his turban, he showed his wife the tiny +creature lying in the soft folds. + +Buddhi-Mati led her husband to the garden where she had found the +beetle, and Dhairya-Sila laid it tenderly on the ground, fetched some +food for it, such as he knew it loved, and there left it to take up +its old way of life. The rest of the day he spent quietly in his own +home with his wife, keeping out of sight of his servants, lest they +should report his return to his master. "You must never breathe a +word to any one of how I escaped," Dhairya-Sila said, and his wife +promised that she never would. + +11. When the vizier got this promise, what did he forget which could +betray how he got down from the tower, if any one went to look at it? + +12. Do you think there was any need for the vizier to tell his wife +to keep his secret? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +All this time the Raja was feeling very unhappy, for he thought he +had himself caused the death of the one man he could trust. He was too +proud to let anybody know that he missed Dhairya-Sila, and was longing +to send for him from the tower before it was too late. What then was +his relief and surprise when a message was brought to him that the +vizier was at the door of the palace and begged for an interview. + +"Bring him in at once," cried Surya Pratap. And the next moment +Dhairya-Sila stood before his master, his hands folded on his breast +and his head bent in token of his submission. The attendants looked +on, eager to know how he had got down from the tower, some of them +anything but glad to see him back. The Raja took care not to show +how delighted he was to see him, and pretending to be angry, he said: + +"How dare you come into my presence, and which of my subjects has +ventured to help you to escape the death on the tower you so richly +deserved?" + +"None of your subjects, great and just and glorious ruler," replied +Dhairya-Sila, "but the God who created us both, making you my +master and me your humble servant. It was that God," he went on, +"who saved me, knowing that I was indeed guiltless of any crime +against you. I had not been long on the tower when help came to me +in the form of a great and noble eagle, which appeared above me, +hovering with outspread wings, as if about to swoop down upon me and +tear me limb from limb. I trembled greatly, but I need have had no +fear; for instead of harming me, the bird suddenly lifted me up in +its talons and, flying rapidly through the air, landed me upon the +balcony of my home and disappeared. Great indeed was the joy of my +wife at my rescue from what seemed to be certain death; but I tore +myself away from her embraces, to come and tell my lord how heaven +had interfered to prove my innocence." + +Fully believing that a miracle had taken place, Surya Pratap asked +no more questions, but at once restored Dhairya-Sila to his old +place as vizier, taking care not again to ill-treat the man he now +believed to be under the special care of God. Though he certainly did +not deserve it, the vizier prospered greatly all the rest of his life +and as time went on he became the real ruler of the kingdom, for the +Raja depended on his advice in everything. He grew richer and richer, +but he was never really happy again, remembering the lie he had told to +the master to whom he owed so much. Buddhi-Mati could never understand +why he made up the story about the eagle, and constantly urged him to +tell the truth. She thought it was really far more wonderful that a +little beetle should have been the means of rescuing him, than that +a strong bird should have done so; and she wanted everyone to know +what a very clever husband she had. She kept her promise never to tell +anyone what really happened, but the secret came out for all that. By +the time it was known, however, Dhairya-Sila was so powerful that no +one could harm him, and when he died his son took his place as vizier, + +13. What lessons can be learnt from this story? + +14. What do you think was Dhairya-Sila's motive for telling the Raja +the lie about the eagle? + +15. What did Surya Pratap's ready belief in the story show? + +16. How do you think the secret the husband and wife kept so well +was discovered? + + + +STORY VII + +A Crow and His Three Friends + + +CHAPTER I + + +In the branches of a great tree, in a forest in India, lived a +wise old crow in a very comfortable, well-built nest. His wife was +dead, and all his children were getting their own living; so he had +nothing to do but to look after himself. He led a very easy existence, +but took a great interest in the affairs of his neighbours. One day, +popping his head over the edge of his home, he saw a fierce-looking man +stalking along, carrying a stick in one hand and a net in the other. + +"That fellow is up to some mischief, I'll be bound," thought the crow: +"I will keep my eye on him." The man stopped under the tree, spread +the net on the ground; and taking a bag of rice out of his pocket, +he scattered the grains amongst the meshes of the net. Then he hid +himself behind the trunk of the tree from which the crow was watching, +evidently intending to stop there and see what would happen. The +crow felt pretty gore that the stranger had designs against birds, +and that the stick had something to do with the matter. He was quite +right; and it was not long before just what he expected came to pass. + +A flock of pigeons, led by a specially fine bird who had been chosen +king because of his size and the beauty of his plumage, came flying +rapidly along, and noticed the white rice, but did not see the net, +because it was very much the same colour as the ground. Down swooped +the king, and down swept all the other pigeons, eager to enjoy a good +meal without any trouble to themselves. Alas, their joy was short +lived! They were all caught in the net and began struggling to escape, +beating the air with their wings and uttering loud cries of distress. + +The crow and the man behind the tree kept very quiet, watching them; +the man with his stick ready to beat the poor helpless birds to +death, the crow watching out of mere curiosity. Now a very strange +and wonderful thing came to pass. The king of the pigeons, who had +his wits about him, said to the imprisoned birds: + +"Take the net up in your beaks, all of you spread out your wings at +once, and fly straight up into the air as quickly as possible." + +1. What special qualities did the king display when he gave these +orders to his subjects? + +2. Can you think of any other advice the king might have given? + + +CHAPTER II + + +In a moment all the pigeons, who were accustomed to obey their leader, +did as they were bid; each little bird seized a separate thread of the +net in his beak and up, up, up, they all flew, looking very beautiful +with the sunlight gleaming on their white wings. Very soon they were +out of sight; and the man, who thought he had hit upon a very clever +plan, came forth from his hiding-place, very much surprised at what +had happened. He stood gazing up after his vanished net for a little +time, and then went away muttering to himself, whilst the wise old +crow laughed at him. + +When the pigeons had flown some distance, and were beginning to +get exhausted, for the net was heavy and they were quite unused to +carrying loads, the king bade them rest awhile in a clearing of the +forest; and as they all lay on the ground panting for breath, with +the cruel net still hampering them, he said: + +"What we must do now is to take this horrible net to my old friend +Hiranya the mouse, who will, I am quite sure, nibble through the +strings for me and set us all free. He lives, as you all know, near +the tree where the net was spread, deep underground; but there are +many passages leading to his home, and we shall easily find one of +the openings. Once there, we will all lift up our voices, and call to +him at once, when he will be sure to hear us." So the weary pigeons +took up their burden once more, and sped back whence they had come, +greatly to the surprise of the crow, who wondered at their coming +back to the very place where misfortune had overtaken them. He very +soon learnt the reason, and got so excited watching what was going +on, that he hopped out of his nest and perched upon a branch where +he could see better. Presently a great clamour arose, one word being +repeated again and again: "Hiranya! Hiranya! Hiranya." + +"Why, that's the name of the mouse who lives down below there!" thought +the crow. "Now, what good can he do? I know, I know," he added, as +he remembered the sharp teeth of Hiranya. "That king of the pigeons +is a sensible fellow. I must make friends with him." + +Very soon, as the pigeons lay fluttering and struggling outside one +of the entrances to Hiranya's retreat, the mouse came out. He didn't +even need to be told what was wanted, but at once began to nibble +the string, first setting free the king, and then all the rest of +the birds. "A friend in need is a friend indeed," cried the king; +"a thousand thousand thanks!" And away he flew up into the beautiful +free air of heaven, followed by the happy pigeons, none of them ever +likely to forget the adventure or to pick up food from the ground +without a good look at it first. + +3. What was the chief virtue displayed by the mouse on this occasion? + +4. Do you think it is easier to obey than to command? + + +CHAPTER III + + +The mouse did not at once return to his hole when the birds were gone, +but went for a little stroll, which brought him to the ground still +strewn with rice, which he began to eat with great relish. "It's an +ill wind," he said to himself, "which brings nobody any good. There's +many a good meal for my whole family here." + +Presently he was joined by the old crow, who had flown down from his +perch unnoticed by Hiranya, and now addressed him in his croaky voice: + +"Hiranya," he said, "for that I know is your name, I am called +Laghupatin and I would gladly have you for a friend. I have seen all +that you did for the pigeons, and have come to the conclusion that you +are a mouse of great wisdom, ready to help those who are in trouble, +without any thought of yourself." + +"You are quite wrong," squeaked Hiranya. "I am not so silly as you make +out. I have no wish to be your friend. If you were hungry, you wouldn't +hesitate to gobble me up. I don't care for that sort of affection." + +With that Hiranya whisked away to his hole, pausing at the entrance, +when he knew the crow could not get at him, to cry, "You be off to +your nest and leave me alone!" + +The feelings of the crow were very much hurt at this speech, the +more that he knew full well it was not exactly love for the mouse, +which had led him to make his offer, but self-interest: for who could +tell what difficulties he himself might some day be in, out of which +the mouse might help him? Instead of obeying Hiranya, and going back +to his nest, he hopped to the mouse's hole, and putting his head on +one side in what he thought was a very taking manner, he said: + +"Pray do not misjudge me so. Never would I harm you! Even if I did not +wish to have you for a friend, I should not dream of gobbling you up, +as you say, however hungry I might be. Surely you are aware that I am +a strict vegetarian, and never eat the flesh of other creatures. At +least give me a trial. Let us share a meal together, and talk the +matter over." + +5. Can a friendship be a true one if the motive for it is +self-interest? + +6. Would it have been wise or foolish for the mouse to agree to be +friends with the crow? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +Hiranya, on hearing the last remark of Laghupatin, hesitated, and +in the end he agreed that he would have supper with the crow that +very evening. "There is plenty of rice here," he said, "which we +can eat on the spot. It would be impossible for you to get into my +hole, and I am certainly not disposed to visit you in your nest." So +the two at once began their meal, and before it was over they had +become good friends. Not a day passed without a meeting, and when +all the rice was eaten up, each of the two would bring something to +the feast. This had gone on for some little time, when the crow, +who was fond of adventure and change, said one day to the mouse: +"Don't you think we might go somewhere else for a time? I am rather +tired of this bit of the forest, every inch of which we both know +well. I've got another great friend who lives beside a fine river +a few miles away, a tortoise named Mandharaka; a thoroughly good, +trustworthy fellow he is, though rather slow and cautious in his +ways. I should like to introduce you to him. There are quantities of +food suitable for us both where he lives, for it is a very fruitful +land. What do you say to coming with me to pay him a visit?" + +"How in the world should I get there?" answered Hiranya. "It's all +very well for you, who can fly. I can't walk for miles and miles. For +all that I too am sick of this place and would like a change." + +"Oh, there's no difficulty about that," replied Laghupatin. "I will +carry you in my beak, and you will get there without any fatigue at +all." To this Hiranya consented, and very early one morning the two +friends started off together. + +7. Is love of change a good or a bad thing? + +8. What did Hiranya's readiness to let Laghupatin carry him show? + + +CHAPTER V + + +After flying along for several hours, the crow began to feel very +tired. He was seized too with a great desire to hear his own voice +again. So he flew to the ground, laid his little companion gently down, +and gave vent to a number of hoarse cries, which quite frightened +Hiranya, who timidly asked him what was the matter. + +"Nothing whatever," answered Laghupatin, "except that you are +not quite so light as I thought you were, and that I need a rest; +besides which, I am hungry and I expect you are. We had better stop +here for the night, and start again early to-morrow morning." Hiranya +readily agreed to this, and after a good meal, which was easily found, +the two settled down to sleep, the crow perched in a tree, the mouse +hidden amongst its roots. Very early the next day they were off again, +and soon arrived at the river, where they were warmly welcomed by +the tortoise. The three had a long talk together, and agreed never +to part again. The tortoise, who had lived a great deal longer than +either the mouse or the crow, was a very pleasant companion; and even +Laghupatin, who was very fond of talking himself, liked to listen to +his stories of long ago. + +"I wonder," said the tortoise, whose name was Mandharaka, to the mouse, +"that you are not afraid to travel about as you have done, with your +soft little body unprotected by any armour. Look how different it +is for me; it is almost impossible for any of the wild creatures who +live near this river to hurt me, and they know it full well. See how +thick and strong my armour is. The claws even of a tiger, a wild cat +or an eagle, could not penetrate it. I am very much afraid, my little +friend, that you will be gobbled up some fine day, and Laghupatin +and I will seek for you in vain." + +"Of course," said the mouse, "I know the truth of what you say; +but I can very easily hide from danger--much more easily than you or +Laghupatin. A tuft of moss or a few dead leaves are shelter enough +for me, but big fellows like you and the crow can be quite easily +seen. Nobody saw me when the pigeons were all caught except Laghupatin; +and I would have kept out of his sight if I had not known that he +did not care to eat mice." + +In spite of the fears of Mandharaka, the mouse and the crow lived +as his guests for a long time without any accident; and one day they +were suddenly joined by a new companion, a creature as unlike any one +of the three friends as could possibly be imagined. This was a very +beautiful deer, who came bounding out of the forest, all eager to +escape from the hunters, by whom he had been pursued, but too weary +to reach the river, across which he had hoped to be able to swim to +safety. Just as he reached the three friends, he fell to the ground, +almost crushing the mouse, who darted away in the nick of time. Strange +to say, the hunters did not follow the deer; and it was evident that +they had not noticed the way he had gone. + +The tortoise, the crow and the mouse were all very sorry for the deer, +and, as was always the case, the crow was the first to speak. "Whatever +has happened to you?" he asked. And the deer made answer: + +"I thought my last hour had come this time, for the hunters were +close upon me; and even now I do not feel safe." + +"I'll fly up and take a look 'round," said Laghupatin; and off he +went to explore, coming back soon, to say he had seen the hunters +disappearing a long distance off, going in quite another direction +from the river. Gradually the deer was reassured, and lay still where +he had fallen; whilst the three friends chatted away to him, telling +him of their adventures. "What you had better do," said the tortoise, +"is to join us. When you have had a good meal, and a drink from the +river, you will feel a different creature. My old friend Laghupatin +will be the one to keep watch for us all, and warn us of any danger +approaching; I will give you the benefit of my long experience; +and little Hiranya, though he is not likely to be of any use to you, +will certainly never do you any harm." + +9. Is it a good thing to make friends easily? + +10. What was the bond of union between the crow, the mouse, the +tortoise and the deer? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +The deer was so touched by the kind way in which he had been received, +that he agreed to stop with the three friends; and for some weeks +after his arrival all went well. Each member of the party went his own +way during the day-time, but all four met together in the evening, +and took it in turns to tell their adventures. The crow always had +the most to say, and was very useful to the deer in warning him of +the presence of hunters in the forest. One beautiful moonlight night +the deer did not come back as usual, and the other three became very +anxious about him. The crow flew up to the highest tree near and +eagerly sought for some sign of his lost friend, of whom he had grown +very fond. Presently he noticed a dark mass by the river-side, just +where the deer used to go down to drink every evening. "That must be +he," thought the crow; and very soon he was hovering above the deer, +who had been caught in a net and was struggling in vain to get free. + +The poor deer was very glad indeed to see the crow, and cried to +him in a piteous voice: "Be quick, be quick, and help me, before the +terrible hunters find me and kill me." + +"I can do nothing for you myself," said the crow, "but I know who +can. Remember who saved the pigeons!" And away he flew to fetch +little Hiranya, who with the tortoise was anxiously awaiting his +return. Very soon Laghupatin was back by the river-side with the +little mouse in his beak; and it did not take long for Hiranya, who +had been despised by the deer and the tortoise as a feeble little +thing, to nibble through the cords and save the life of the animal +a hundred times as big as himself. + +How happy the deer was when the cruel cords were loosed and he could +stretch out his limbs again! He bounded up, but took great care not +to crush the mouse, who had done him such a service. "Never, never, +never," he said, "shall I forget what you have done for me. Ask +anything in my power, and I will do it." + +"I want nothing," said Hixanya, "except the joyful thought of having +saved you." + +By this time the tortoise had crept to the river-bank, and he too was +glad that the deer had been saved. He praised the mouse, and declared +that he would never again look down upon him. Then the four started +to go back to their usual haunt in the forest; the deer, the crow, +and the mouse soon arriving there quite safely, whilst the tortoise, +who could only get along very slowly, lagged behind. Now came the +time for him to find out that armour was not the only thing needed +to save him from danger. He had not got very far from the riverbank +before the cruel hunter who had set the net to catch the deer, came +to see if he had succeeded. Great was his rage when he found the net +lying on the ground, but not exactly where he had left it. He guessed +at once that some animal had been caught in it and escaped after a +long struggle. He looked carefully about and noticed that the cords +had been bitten through here and there. So he suspected just what +had happened, and began to search about for any creature who could +have done the mischief. + +There was not a sign of the mouse, but the slow-moving tortoise was +soon discovered, and pouncing down upon him, the hunter rolled him up +in another net he had with him, and carried him off, "It's not much of +a prize," said the hunter to himself, "but better than nothing. I'll +have my revenge on the wretched creature anyhow, as I have lost the +prey I sought." + +11. Which of the four friends concerned in this adventure do you +admire most? + +12. What was the chief mistake made by the tortoise? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +When the tortoise in his turn did not come home, the deer, the crow +and the mouse were very much concerned. They talked the matter over +together and decided that, however great the risk to themselves, they +must go back and see what had become of their friend. This time the +mouse travelled in one of the eats of the deer, from which he peeped +forth with his bright eyes, hoping to see the tortoise toiling along +in his usual solemn manner; whilst the crow, also on the watch, flew +along beside them. Great was the surprise and terror of all three when, +as they came out of the forest, they saw the hunter striding along +towards them, with the tortoise in the net under his arm. Once more the +little mouse showed his wisdom. Without a moment's hesitation he said +to the deer: "Throw yourself on the ground and pretend to be dead; +and you," he added to the crow, "perch on his head and bend over as +if you were going to peck out his eyes." + +Without any idea what Hiranya meant by these strange orders, +but remembering how he had helped in other dangers, the two did as +they were told; the poor deer feeling anything but happy lying still +where his enemy was sure to see him, and thereby proving what a noble +creature he was. The hunter did, see him very soon, and thinking to +himself, "After all I shall get that deer," he let the tortoise fall, +and came striding along as fast as he could. + +Up jumped the deer without waiting to see what became of the tortoise, +and sped away like the wind. The hunter rushed after him, and the +two were soon out of sight. The tortoise, whose armour had saved +him from being hurt by his fall, was indeed pleased when he saw +little Hiranya running towards him. "Be quick, be quick!" he cried, +"and set me free." Very soon the sharp teeth of the mouse had bitten +through the meshes of the net, and before the hunter came back, after +trying in vain to catch the deer, the tortoise was safely swimming +across the river, leaving the net upon the ground, whilst the crow +and the mouse were back in the shelter of the forest. + +"There's some magic at work here," said the hunter when, expecting +to find the tortoise where he had left him, he discovered that his +prisoner had escaped. "The stupid beast could not have got out alone," +he added, as he picked up the net and walked off with it. "But he +wasn't worth keeping anyhow." + +That evening the four friends met once more, and talked over all they +had gone through together. The deer and the tortoise were full of +gratitude to the mouse, and could not say enough in his praise, but +the crow was rather sulky, and remarked: "If it had not been for me, +neither of you would ever have seen Hiranya. He was my friend before +he was yours." + +"You are right," said the tortoise, "and you must also remember that it +was my armour which saved me from being killed in that terrible fall." + +"Your armour would not have been of much use to you, if the hunter had +been allowed to carry you to his home," said the deer. "In my opinion +you and I both owe our lives entirely to Hiranya. He is small and +weak, it is true, but he has better brains than any of the rest of us, +and I for one admire him with all my heart. I am glad I trusted him +and obeyed him, when he ordered me to pretend to be dead, for I had +not the least idea how that could help the tortoise." + +"Have it your own way," croaked the crow, "but I keep my own opinion +all the same. But for me you would never have known my dear little +Hiranya." + +In spite of this little dispute the four friends were soon as happy +together as before the adventure of the tortoise. They once more +agreed never to part and lived happily together for many years, +as they had done ever since they first met. + +13. What were the chief differences in the characters of the four +friends? + +14. Are those who are alike or unlike in character more likely to +remain friends? + +15. How would you describe a true friend? + +16. What fault is more likely than any other to lead to loss of +friendship? + + + +STORY VIII + +A Clever Thief. + + +CHAPTER I + + +A certain man, named Hari-Sarman, who lived in a little village +in India, where there were no rich people and everyone had to work +hard to get his daily bread, got very weary of the life he had to +lead. He had a wife whose name was Vidya, and a large family; and +even if he had been very industrious it would have been difficult for +him to get enough food for them all. Unfortunately he was not a bit +industrious, but very lazy, and so was his wife. Neither of them made +any attempt to teach their boys and girls to earn their own living; +and if the other poor people in the village had not helped them, +they would have starved. Hari-Sarman used to send his children out +in different directions to beg or steal, whilst he and Vidya stayed +at home doing nothing. + +One day he said to his wife: "Let us leave this stupid place, and +go to some big city where we can pick up a living of some kind. I +will pretend to be a wise man, able to find out secrets; and you +can say that you know all about children, having had so many of +your own." Vidya gladly agreed to this, and the whole party set out, +carrying the few possessions they had with them. In course of time they +came to a big town, and Hari-Sarman went boldly to the chief house in +it, leaving his wife and children outside. He asked to see the master, +and was taken into his presence. This master was a very rich merchant, +owning large estates in the country; but he cannot have been very +clever, for he was at once quite taken in by the story Hari-Sarman +told him. He said that he would find work for him and his wife, and +that the children could be sent to a farm he had, in the country, +where they could be made very useful. + +Overjoyed at this, Hari-Sarman hastened out to tell his wife the good +news; and the two were at once received into the grand residence, +in which a small room was given to them for their own, whilst the +children were taken away to the farm, fall of eager delight at the +change from the wretched life they had been leading. + +1. Would it have been better for Hari-Sarman and Vidya if their +neighbours had not helped them? + +2. Do you think Hari-Sarman was the only person to blame for his +poverty? + + +CHAPTER II + + +Soon after the arrival of the husband and wife at the merchant's +house, a very important event took place, namely, the marriage of +the eldest daughter. Great were the preparations beforehand, in which +Vidya took her full share, helping in the kitchen to make all manner +of delicious dishes, and living in great luxury herself. For there +was no stint in the wealthy home; even the humblest servants were +well cared for. Vidya was happier than she had ever been before, now +that she had plenty to do and plenty of good food. She became in fact +quite a different creature, and began to wish she had been a better +mother to her children. "When the wedding is over," she thought, +"I will go and see how they are getting on." On the other hand she +forgot all about her husband and scarcely ever saw him. + +It was all very different with Hari-Sarman himself. He had no +special duties to perform and nobody seemed to want him. If he went +into the kitchen, the busy servants ordered him to get out of their +way; and he was not made welcome by the owner of the house or his +guests. The merchant too forgot all about him, and he felt very +lonely and miserable. He had been thinking to himself how much he +would enjoy all the delicious food he would get after the wedding; +and now he began to grumble: "I'm starving in the midst of plenty, +that's what I am. Something will have to be done to change this +horrible state of things." + +Whilst the preparations for the wedding were going on, Vidya never +came near her husband, and he lay awake a long time thinking, +"What in the world can I do to make the master send for me?" All of +a sudden an idea came into his head. "I'll steal something valuable, +and hide it away; and when everyone is being asked about the loss, +the merchant will remember the man who can reveal secrets. Now what +can I take that is sure to be missed? I know, I know!" And springing +out of bed, he hastily dressed himself and crept out of the house. + +3. What would you have done if you had been Hari-Sarman? + +4. Do you think Vidya ever had any real love for her husband? + + +CHAPTER III + + +This was what Hari-Sarman decided to do. The merchant had a great many +very beautiful horses, which lived in splendid stables and were taken +the greatest possible care of. Amongst them was a lovely little Arab +mare, the special favourite of the bride, who often went to pet it and +give it sugar. "I'll steal that mare and hide it away in the forest," +said the wicked man to himself. "Then, when every one is hunting for +her, the master will remember the man who can reveal secrets and send +for me. Ah! Ah! What a clever fellow I am! Ah the stablemen and grooms +are feasting, I know; for I saw them myself when I tried to get hold +of my wife. I can climb through a window that is always left open." It +turned out that he was right. He met no one on his way to the stables, +which ware quite deserted. He got in easily, opened, the door from +inside, and led out the little mare, which made no resistance; she +had always been so kindly treated that she was not a bit afraid. He +took the beautiful creature far into the depths of the forest, tied +her up there, and got safely back to his own room without being seen. + +Early the next morning the merchant's daughter, attended by her +maidens, went to see her dear little mare, taking with her an extra +supply of sugar. What was her distress when she found the stall +empty! She guessed at once that a thief had got in during the night, +and hurried home to tell her father, who was very, very angry with the +stablemen who had deserted their posts, and declared they should all be +flogged for it. "But the first thing to do is to get the mare back," +he said; and he ordered messengers to be sent in every direction, +promising a big reward to anyone who brought news of the mare. + +Vidya of course heard all there was to hear, and at once suspected +that Hari-Sarman had had something to do with the matter. "I expect he +has hidden the mare," she thought to herself, "and means to get the +reward for finding it." So she asked to see the master of the house, +and when leave was granted to her she said to him: + +"Why do you not send for my husband, the man who can reveal secrets, +because of the wonderful power that has been given him of seeing +what is hidden from others? Many a time has he surprised me by what +he has been able to do." + +5. Do you think Vidya had any wish to help Hari-Sarman for his +own sake? + +6. Is there anything you think she should have done before seeing +the master? + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +On hearing what Vidya said, the merchant at once told her to go +and fetch her husband. But to her surprise Hari-Sarman refused to +go back with her. "You can tell the master what you like," he said, +angrily. "You all forgot me entirely yesterday; and now you want me +to help you, you suddenly remember my existence. I am not going to +be at your beck and call or anyone else's." + +Vidya entreated him to listen to reason, but it was no good. She had +to go back and tell the merchant that he would not come. Instead of +being made angry by this, however, the master surprised her by saying: +"Your husband is right. I have treated him badly. Go and tell him I +apologise, and will reward him well, if only he will come and help me." + +Back again went Vidya and this time she was more successful. But though +Hari-Sarman said he would go back with her, he was very sulky and +would not answer any of her questions. She could not understand him, +and wished she had not left him to himself for so long. He behaved +very strangely too when the master, who received him very kindly, +asked him if he could tell him where the mare was. "I know," he said, +"what a wise and clever man you are." + +"It didn't seem much like it yesterday," grumbled Hari-Sarman. "Nobody +took any notice of me then, but now you want something of me, you +find out that I am wise and clever. I am just the same person, that +I was yesterday." + +"I know, I know," said the merchant, "and I apologise for my neglect; +but when a man's daughter is going to be married, it's no wonder some +one gets neglected." + +7. Do yon think Hari-Sarman was wise to treat his wife and the merchant +as he did? + +8. If the mare had been found whilst Hari-Sarman was talking to the +master, what effect do you think the discovery would have had upon +them both? + + +CHAPTER V + + +Hari-Sarman now thought it was time to take a different tone. So he +put his hand in his pocket, and brought out a map he had got ready +whilst waiting to be sent for, as he had felt sure he would be. He +spread it out before the merchant, and pointed to a dark spot in +the midst of many lines crossing each other in a bewildering manner, +which he explained were pathways through the forest. "Under a tree, +where that dark spot is, you will find the mare," he said. + +Overjoyed at the good news, the merchant at once sent a trusted servant +to test the truth; and when the mare was brought back, nothing seemed +too good for the man who had led to her recovery. At the wedding +festivities Hari-Sarman was treated as an honoured guest, and no +longer had he any need to complain of not having food enough. His +wife of course thought he would forgive her now for having neglected +him. But not a bit of it: he still sulked with her, and she could +never feel quite sure what the truth was about the mare. + +All went well with Hari-Sarman for a long time. But presently something +happened which seemed likely to get him into very great trouble. A +quantity of gold and many valuable jewels disappeared in the palace of +the king of the country; and when the thief could not be discovered, +some one told the king the story of the stolen mare, and how a man +called Hari-Sarman, living in the house of a rich merchant in the +chief city, had found her when everyone else had failed. + +"Fetch that man here at once," ordered the king, and very soon +Hari-Sarman was brought before him. "I hear you are so wise, you can +reveal all secrets," said the king. "Now tell me immediately who has +stolen the gold and jewels and where they are to be found." + +Poor Hari-Sarman did not know what to say or do. "Give me till +to-morrow," he replied in a faltering voice; "I must have a little +time to think." + +"I will not give you a single hour," answered the king. For seeing +the man before him was frightened, he began to suspect he was a +deceiver. "If you do not at once tell me where the gold and jewels are, +I will have you flogged until you find your tongue." + +Hearing this, Hari-Sarman, though more terrified than ever, saw +that his only chance of gaining time to make up some story was to +get the king to believe in him. So he drew himself up and answered: +"The wisest magicians need to employ means to find out the truth. Give +me twenty-four hours, and I will name the thieves." + +"You are not much of a magician if you cannot find out such a simple +thing as I ask of you," said the king. And turning to the guards, +he ordered them to take Hari-Sarman to prison, and shut him up there +without food or drink till he came to his senses. The man was dragged +away, and very soon he found himself alone in a dark and gloomy room +from which he saw no hope of escape. + +He was in despair and walked up and down, trying in vain to think of +some way of escape. "I shall die here of starvation, unless my wife +finds some means of setting me free," he said. "I wish I had treated +her better instead of being so sulky with her." He tried the bars +of the window, but they were very strong: he could not hope to move +them. And he beat against the door, but no notice was taken of that. + +9. What lesson does the trouble Hari-Sarman was in teach? + +10. Do you think it would have been better for him to tell the king +he could not reveal secrets? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +When it got quite dark in the prison, Hari-Sarman began to talk to +himself aloud. "Oh," he said, "I wish I had bitten my tongue out +before I told that lie about the mare. It is all my foolish tongue +which has got me into this trouble. Tongue! Tongue!" he went on, +"it is all your fault." + +Now a very strange thing happened. The money and jewels had been +stolen by a man, who had been told where they were by a young servant +girl in the palace whose name was Jihva, which is the Sanskrit word +for tongue; and this girl was in a great fright when she heard that a +revealer of secrets had been taken before the king. "He will tell of +my share in the matter," she thought, "and I shall get into trouble," +It so happened that the guard at the prison door was fond of her, +as well as the thief who had stolen the money and jewels. So when +all was quiet in the palace, Jihva slipped away to see if she could +get that guard to let her see the prisoner. "If I promise to give him +part of the money," she thought, "he will undertake not to betray me." + +The guard was glad enough when Jihva came to talk to him, and he +let her listen at the key-hole to what Hari-Sarman was saying. Just +imagine her astonishment when she heard him repeating her name again +and again. "Jihva! Jihva! Thou," he cried, "art the cause of this +suffering. Why didst thou behave in such a foolish manner, just for +the sake of the good things of this life? Never can I forgive thee, +Jihva, thou wicked, wicked one!" + +"Oh! oh!" cried Jihva in an agony of terror, "he knows the truth; +he knows that I helped the thief." And she entreated the guard to +let her into the prison that she might plead with Hari-Sarman. not to +tell the king what she had done. The man hesitated at first, but in +the end she persuaded him to consent by promising him a large reward. + +When the key grated in the lock, Hari-Sarman stopped talking aloud, +wondering whether what he had been saying had been overheard by the +guard, and half hoping that his wife had got leave to come and see +him. As the door opened and he saw a woman coming in by the light +of a lantern held up by the guard, he cried, "Vidya my beloved!" But +he soon realized that it was a stranger. He was indeed surprised and +relieved, when Jihva suddenly threw herself at his feet and, clinging +to his knees, began to weep and moan "Oh, most holy man," she cried +between her sobs, "who knowest the very secrets of the heart, I have +come to confess that it was indeed I, Jihva, your humble servant, +who aided the thief to take the jewels and the gold and to hide them +beneath the big pomegranate tree behind the palace." + +"Rise," replied Hari-Sarman, overjoyed at hearing this. "You have told +me nothing that I did not know, for no secret is hidden from me. What +reward will you give me if I save you from the wrath of the king?" + +"I will give you all the money I have," said Jihva; "and that is not +a little." + +"That also I knew," said Hari-Sarman. "For you have good wages, and +many a time you have stolen money that did not belong to you. Go now +and fetch it all, and have no fear that I will betray you." + +11. What mistakes do you think Jihva made in what she said to +Hari-Sarman? + +12. What would have been the best thing for her to do when she thought +she was found out? + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Without waiting a moment Jihva hurried away to fetch the money; but +when she got back with it, the man on guard, who had heard everything +that had passed between her and Hari-Sarman, would not let her in to +the prison again till she gave him ten gold pieces. Thinking that +Hari-Sarman really knew exactly how much money she had, Jihva was +afraid he would be angry when he missed some of it; and again she let +out the truth, which he might never have guessed. For she began at +once to say, "I brought all I had, but the man at the door has taken +ten pieces." This did vex Hari-Sarman very much, and he told her he +would let the king know what she had done, unless she fetched the thief +who had taken the money and jewels. "I cannot do that," said Jihva, +"for he is very far away. He lives with his brother, Indra Datta, in +the forest beyond the river, more than a day's journey from here." "I +did but try you," said the clever Hari-Sarman, who now knew who the +thief was; "for I can see him where he is at this moment. Now go home +and wait there till I send for you." + +But Jihva, who loved the thief and did not want him to be punished, +refused to go until Hari-Sarman promised that he would not tell the +king who the man was or where he lived. "I would rather," she said, +"bear all the punishment than that he should suffer." Even Hari-Sarman +was touched at this, and fearing that if he kept Jihva longer, she +would be found in the prison by messengers from the king, he promised +that no harm should come to her or the thief, and let her go. + +Very soon after this, messengers came to take Hari-Sarman once more +before the king; who received him very coldly and began at once to +threaten him with a terrible punishment, if he did not say who the +thief was, and where the gold and jewels were. Even now Hari-Sarman +pretended to be unwilling to speak. But when he saw that the king would +put up with no more delay, he said, "I will lead you to the spot where +the treasure is buried, but the name of the thief, though I know it, +I will never betray." The king, who did not really care much who +the thief was, so long as he got back his money, lost not a moment, +but ordered his attendants to get spades and follow him. Very soon +Hari-Sarman brought them to the pomegranate tree. And there, sure +enough, deep down in the ground, was all that had been lost. + +Nothing was now too good for Hari-Sarman: the king was greatly +delighted, and heaped riches and honours upon him. But some of the +wise men at the court suspected that he was really a deceiver, and +set about trying to find out all they could about him. They sent +for the man who had been on guard at the prison, and asked him many +questions. He did not dare tell the truth, for he knew he would be +terribly punished if he let out that Jihva had been allowed to see +his prisoner; but he hesitated so much that the wise men knew he +was not speaking the truth. One of them, whom the king loved, and +trusted very much, whose name was Deva-Jnanin, said to his master: +"I do not like to see that man, about whom we really know nothing, +treated as he is. He might easily have found out where the treasure +was hidden without any special power. Will you not test him in some +other way in my presence and that of your chief advisers?" + +The king, who was always ready to listen to reason, agreed to this; +and after a long consultation with Deva-Jnanin, he decided on a very +clever puzzle with which to try Hari-Sarman. A live frog was put into +a pitcher; the lid was shut down, and the man who pretended to know +everything was brought into the great reception room, where all the +wise men of the court were gathered together round the throne, on +which sat the king in his royal robes. Deva-Jnanin had been chosen +by his master to speak for him; and coming forward, he pointed to +the small pitcher on the ground, and said: "Great as are the honours +already bestowed on you, they shall be increased if you can say at +once what is in that pitcher." + +13. What kind of man do you think the king was from his behaviour +to Hari-Sarman? + +14. Was it wise or foolish of Hari-Sarman to remain in the city after +his very narrow escape? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +Hari-Sarman thought whan he looked at the pitcher: "Alas, alas, it +is all over with me now! Never can I find out what is in it. Would +that I had left this town with the money I had from Jihva before it +was too late!" Then he began to mutter to himself, as it was always +his habit to do when he was in trouble. It so happened that, when +he was a little boy, his father used to call him frog, and now his +thoughts went back to the time when he was a happy innocent child, +and he said aloud: "Oh, frog, what trouble has come to you! That +pitcher will be the death of you!" + +Even Deva-Jnanin was astonished when he heard that; and so were all +the other wise men. The king was delighted to find that after all he +had made no mistake; and all the people who had been allowed to come +in to see the trial were greatly excited. Shouting for joy the king +called Hari-Sarman to come to the foot of the throne, and told him he +would never, never doubt him again. He should have yet more money, a +beautiful house in the country as well as the one he already had in the +town, and his children should be brought from the farm to live with him +and their mother, who should have lovely dresses and ornaments to wear. + +Nobody was more surprised than Hari-Sarman himself. He guessed, of +course, that there was a frog in the pitcher. And when the king had +ended his speech, he said: "One thing I ask in addition to all that +has been given me, that I may keep the pitcher in memory of this day, +when my truth has been proved once more beyond a doubt." + +His request was, of course, granted; and he went off with the pitcher +under his arm, full of rejoicing over his narrow escape. At the same +time he was also full of fear for the future. He knew only too well +that it had only been by a lucky chance that he had used the word +Jihva in his first danger and Frog in the second. He was not likely +to get off a third time; and he made up his mind that he would skip +away some dark night soon, with all the money and jewels he could +carry, and be seen no more where such strange adventures had befallen +him. He did not even tell his wife what he meant to do, but pretended +to have forgiven her entirely for the way she had neglected him when +he was poor, and to be glad that their children were to be restored +to them. Before they came from the farm their father had disappeared, +and nobody ever found out what had become of him; but the king let +his family keep what had been given to him, and to the end believed +he really had been what he had pretended to be. Only Deva-Jnanin had +his doubts; but he kept them to himself, for he thought, "Now the +man is gone, it really does not matter who or what he was." + +15. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +16. What do you think it was that made Hari-Sarman think of his +boyhood when he was in trouble? + +17. Do you think he took the pitcher and frog with him when he left +the city? + +18. Do you think there was anything good in the character of +Hari-Sarman? + + + +STORY IX + +The Hermit's Daughter. + + +CHAPTER I + + +Near a town in India called Ikshumati, on a beautiful wide river, +with trees belonging to a great forest near its banks, there dwelt +a holy man named Mana Kanaka, who spent a great part of his life +praying to God. He had lost his wife when his only child, a lovely +girl called Kadali-Garbha, was only a few months old. Kadali-Garbha +was a very happy girl, with many friends in the woods round her home, +not children like herself, but wild creatures, who knew she would +not do them any harm. They loved her and she loved them. The birds +were so tame that they would eat out of her hand, and the deer used +to follow her about in the hope of getting the bread she carried in +her pocket for them. Her father taught her all she knew, and that was +a great deal; for she could read quite learned books in the ancient +language of her native land. Better even than what she found out in +those books was what Mana Kanaka told her about the loving God of all +gods who rules the world and all that live in it. Kadali-Garbha also +learnt a great deal through her friendship with wild animals. She knew +where the birds built their nests, where the baby deer were born, +where the squirrels hid their nuts, and what food all the dwellers +in the forest liked best. She helped her father to work in their +garden in which all their own food was grown; and she loved to cook +the fruit and vegetables for Mana Kanaka and herself. Her clothes +were made of the bark of the trees in the forest, which she herself +wove into thin soft material suitable for wearing in a hot climate. + +1. What do you think it was which made the animals trust Kadali-Garbha? + +2. Could you have been happy in the forest with no other children to +play with? + + +CHAPTER II + + +Kadali-Garbha never even thought about other children, because she had +not been used to having them with her. She was just as happy as the +day was long, and never wished for any change. But when she was about +sixteen something happened which quite altered her whole life. One +day her father had gone into the forest to cut wood, and had left +her alone. She had finished tidying the house, and got everything +ready for the midday meal, and was sitting at the door of her home, +reading to herself, with birds fluttering about her head and a pet +doe lying beside her, when she heard the noise of a horse's feet +approaching. She looked up, and there on the other side of the fence +was a very handsome young man seated on a great black horse, which he +had reined up when he caught sight of her. He looked at her without +speaking, and she looked back at him with her big black eyes full +of surprise at his sudden appearance. She made a beautiful picture, +with the green creepers covering the hut behind her, and the doe, +which had started up in fear of the horse, pressing against her. + +The man was the king of the country, whose name was Dridha-Varman. He +had been hunting and had got separated from his attendants. He was very +much surprised to find anyone living in the very depths of the forest, +and was going to ask the young girl who she was, when Kadali-Garbha +saw her father coming along the path leading to his home. Jumping up, +she ran to meet him, glad that he had come; for she had never before +seen a young man and was as shy as any of the wild creatures of the +woods. Now that Mana Kanaka was with her, she got over her fright, +and felt quite safe, clinging to his arm as he and the king talked +together. + +3. Can you describe just how Kadali-Garbha felt when she saw the king? + +4. Do you think it would have been a good or a bad thing for her to +live all the rest of her life in the forest? + + +CHAPTER III + + +Mana Kanaka knew at once that the man on the horse was the king; and +a great fear entered his heart when he saw how Dridha-Varman looked +at his beloved only child. + +"Who are you, and who is that lovely girl?" asked the king. And Mana +Kanaka answered, "I am only a humble woodcutter; and this is my only +child, whose mother has long been dead." + +"Her mother must have been a very lovely woman, if her daughter is like +her," said the king. "Never before have I seen such perfect beauty." + +"Her mother," replied Mana Kanaka, "was indeed what you say; and her +soul was as beautiful as the body in which it dwelt all too short +a time." + +"I would have your daughter for my wife," said the king; "and if you +will give her to me, she shall have no wish ungratified. She shall have +servants to wait on her and other young girls to be her companions; +beautiful clothes to wear, the best of food to eat, horses and +carriages as many as she will, and no work to do with her own hands." + +5. If you had been Kadali-Garbha, what would you have said when you +heard all these promises? + +6. Of all the things the king said she should have, which would you +have liked best? + + +CHAPTER IV + + +What Kadali-Garbha did was to cling closely to her father, hiding +her face on his arm and whispering, "I will not leave you: do not +send me away from you, dear father." + +Mana Kanaka stroked her hair, and said in a gentle voice: + +"But, dear child, your father is old, and must leave you soon. It is +a great honour for his little girl to be chosen by the king for his +bride. Do not be afraid, but look at him and see how handsome he is +and how kind he looks." + +Then Kadali-Garbha looked at the king, who smiled at her and looked +so charming that her fear began to leave her. She still clung to +her father, but no longer hid her face; and Mana Kanaka begged +Kadali-Garbha to let him send her away, so that he might talk with +the king alone about the wish he had expressed to marry her. The king +consented to this, and Kadali-Garbha gladly ran away. But when she +reached the door of her home, she looked back, and knew in her heart +that she already loved the king and did not want him to go away. + +It did not take long for the matter of the marriage to be settled. For +Mana Kanaka, sad though he was to lose his dear only child, was glad +that she should be a queen, and have some one to take care of her when +he was gone. After this first visit to the little house in the forest +the king came every day to see Kadali-Garbha, bringing all kinds of +presents for her. She learnt to love him so much that she became as +eager as he was for the wedding to be soon. When the day was fixed, +the king sent several ladies of his court to dress the bride in +clothes more beautiful that she had ever dreamt of; and in them she +looked more lovely even than the first day her lover had seen her. + +Now amongst these ladies was a very wise woman who could see what +was going to happen; and she knew that there would be troubles for +the young queen in the palace, because many would be jealous of her +happiness. She was very much taken with the beautiful innocent girl, +and wanted to help her so much that she managed to get her alone +for a few minutes, when she said to her: "I want you to promise me +something. It is to take this packet of mustard seeds, hide it in the +bosom of your dress, and when you ride to the palace with your husband, +strew the seed along the path as you go. You know how quickly mustard +grows. Well, it will spring up soon; and if you want to come home +again, you can easily find the way by following the green shoots. Alas, +I fear they will not have time to wither before you need their help!" + +Kadali-Garbha laughed when the wise woman talked about trouble coming +to her. She was so happy, she could not believe she would want to +come home again so soon. "My father can come to me when I want him," +she said. "I need only tell my dear husband to send for him." But +for all that she took the packet of seeds and hid it in her dress. + +7. Would you have done as the wise woman told you if you had been +the bride? + +8. Ought Kadali-Garbha to have told the king about the mustard seed? + + +CHAPTER V + + +After the wedding was over, the king mounted his beautiful horse, +and bending down, took his young wife up before him. Holding her +close to him with his right arm, he held the reins in his left hand; +and away they went, soon leaving all the attendants far behind them, +the queen scattering the mustard seed as she had promised to do. When +they arrived at the palace there were great rejoicings, and everybody +seemed charmed with the queen, who was full of eager interest in all +that she saw. + +For several weeks there was nobody in the wide world so happy and +light-hearted as the bride. The king spent many hours a day with her, +and was never tired of listening to all she had to tell him about +her life in the forest with her father. Every day he gave her some +fresh proof of his love, and he never refused to do anything she +asked him to do. But presently a change came. Amongst the ladies +of the court there was a beautiful woman, who had hoped to be queen +herself, and hated Kadali-Garbha so much that she made up her mind +to get her into disgrace with the king. She asked first one powerful +person and then another to help her; but everybody loved the queen, +and the wicked woman began to be afraid that those she had told about +her wish to harm her would warn the king. So she sought about for some +one who did not know Kadali-Garbha, and suddenly remembered a wise +woman named Asoka-Mala, who lived in a cave not far from the town, +to whom many people used to go for advice in their difficulties. She +went to this woman one night, and told her a long story in which there +was not one word of truth. The young queen, she said, did not really +love the king; and with the help of her father, who was a magician, +she meant to poison him. How could this terrible thing be prevented, +she asked; and she promised that if only Asoka-Mala would help to +save Dridha-Varman, she would give her a great deal of money. + +Asoka-Mala guessed at once that the story was not true, and that it +was only because the woman was jealous of the beautiful young queen +that she wished to hurt her. But she loved money very much. Instead +therefore of at once refusing to have anything to do with the matter, +she said: "Bring me fifty gold pieces now, and promise me another +fifty when the queen is sent away from the palace, and I will tell +you what to do." + +The wicked woman promised all this at once. The very next night she +brought the first fifty pieces of gold to the cave, and Asoka-Mala +told her that she must get the barber, who saw the king alone every +day, to tell him he had found out a secret about the queen. "You must +tell the barber all you have already told me. But be very careful to +give some proof of your story. For if you do not do so, you will only +have wasted the fifty gold pieces you have already given to me; and, +more than that, you will be terribly punished for trying to hurt the +queen, whom everybody loves." + +9. Do you think this plot against Kadali-Garbha was likely to succeed? + +10. Can you think of any way in which the wise woman might have helped +the queen and also have gained a reward for herself? + + +CHAPTER VI + + +The wicked woman went back to the palace, thinking all the way to +herself, "How can I get a proof of what is not true?" At last an +idea came into her head. She knew that the queen loved to wander +in the forest, and that she was not afraid of the wild creatures, +but seemed to understand their language. She would tell the barber +that Kadali-Garbha was a witch and knew the secrets of the woods; +that she had been seen gathering wild herbs, some of them poisonous, +and had been heard muttering strange words to herself as she did so. + +Early the next morning the cruel woman went to see the barber, and +promised him a reward if he would tell the king what she had found +out about his wife. "He won't believe you at first," she said; "but +you must go on telling him till he does. You are clever, enough," +she added, "to make up something he will believe if what I have +thought of is no good." + +The barber, who had served the king for many years, would not at first +agree to help to make him unhappy. But he too liked money very much, +and in the end he promised to see what he could do if he was well +paid for it. He was, as the wicked woman had said, clever enough; +and he knew from long experience just how to talk to his master. He +began by asking the king if he had heard of the lovely woman who was +sometimes seen by the woodmen wandering about alone in the forest, +with wild creatures following her. Remembering how he had first seen +Kadali-Garbha, Dridha-Varman at once guessed that she was the lovely +woman. But he did not tell the barber so; for he was so proud of his +dear wife's beauty that he liked to hear her praised, and wanted the +man to go on talking about her. He just said: "What is she like? Is +she tall or short, fair or dark?" The barber answered the questions +readily. Then he went on to say that it was easy to see that the lady +was as clever as she was beautiful; for she knew not only all about +animals but also about plants. "Every day," he said, "she gathers +quantities of herbs, and I have been told she makes healing medicines +of them. Some even go so far as to say she also makes poisons. But, +for my part, I do not believe that; she is too beautiful to be wicked." + +The king listened, and a tiny little doubt crept into his mind about +his wife. She had never told him about the herbs she gathered, although +she often chattered about her friends in the forest. Perhaps after +all it was not Kadali-Garbha the barber was talking about. He would +ask her if she knew anything about making medicines from herbs. He did +so when they were alone together, and she said at once, "Oh, yes! My +father taught me. But I have never made any since I was married." + +"Are you sure?" asked the king; and she answered laughing, "Of course, +I am: how could I be anything but sure? I have no need to think of +medicine-making, now I am the queen." + +Dridha-Varman said no more at the time. But he was troubled; and +when the barber came again, he began at once to ask about the woman +who had been seen in the woods. The wicked man was delighted, and +made up a long story. He said one of the waiting women had told him +of what she had seen. The woman, he said, had followed the lady home +one day, and that home was not far from the palace. She had seen her +bending over a fire above which hung a great sauce-pan full of water, +into which she flung some of the herbs she had gathered, singing as +she did so, in a strange language. + +"Could it possibly be," thought the king, "that Kadali-Garbha had +deceived him? Was she perhaps a witch after all?" He remembered that he +really did not know who she was, or who her father was. He had loved +her directly he saw her, just because she was so beautiful. What was +he to do now? He was quite sure, from the description the barber had +given of the woman in the forest, that she was his wife. He would +watch her himself in future, and say nothing to her that would make +her think he was doing so. + +11. What should the king have done when he heard the barber's story? + +12. Can you really love anybody truly whom you do not trust? + + +CHAPTER VII + + +Although the king said nothing to his wife about what the barber had +told him, he could not treat her exactly as he did before he heard it, +and she very soon began to wonder what she had done to vex him. The +first thing she noticed was that one of the ladies of the court always +followed her when she went into the forest. She did not like this; +because she so dearly loved to be alone with the wild creatures, +and they did not come to her when any one else was near. She told +the lady to go away, and she pretended to do so; but she only kept +a little further off. And though the queen could no longer see her, +she knew she was there, and so did the birds and the deer. This went +on for a little time; and then Kadali-Garbha asked her husband to +tell every one that she was not to be disturbed when she went to see +her friends in the forest. + +"I am afraid," said the king, "that some harm will come to you. There +are wild beasts in the depths of the wood who might hurt you. And +what should I do if any harm came to my dear one?" + +Kadali-Garbha was grieved when Dridha-Varman said this, for she knew +it was not true; and she looked at him so sadly that he felt ashamed +of having doubted her. All would perhaps have been well even now, +if he had told her of the story he had heard about her, because then +she could have proved that it was not true. But he did not do that; +he only said, "I cannot let you be alone so far from home. Why not +be content with the lovely gardens all round the palace? If you still +wish to go to the woods, I will send one of the game-keepers with you +instead of the lady who has been watching you. Then he can protect +you if any harmful creature should approach." + +"If my lord does not wish me to be alone in the forest," answered the +queen, "I will be content with the gardens. For no birds or animals +would come near me if one of their enemies were with me. But," she +added, as her eyes filled with tears, "will not my lord tell me why +he no longer trusts his wife, who loves him with all her heart?" + +The king was very much touched by what Kadali-Garbha said, but still +could not make up his mind to tell her the truth. So he only embraced +her fondly, and said she was a good little wife to be so ready to +obey him. The queen went away very sadly, wondering to herself what +she could do to prove to her dear lord that she loved him as much as +ever. She took care never to go outside the palace gardens, but she +longed very much for her old freedom, and began to grow pale and thin. + +The wicked woman who had tried to do her harm was very much +disappointed that she had only succeeded in making her unhappy; so +she went again to Asoka-Mala, and promised her more money if only she +would think of some plan to get the king to send his wife away. The +wise woman considered a long time, and then she said: "You must use +the barber again. He goes from house to house, and he must tell the +king that the beautiful woman, who used to roam about in the forest +collecting herbs, has been seen there again in the dead of the night, +when she could be sure no one would find out what she was doing." + +Now it so happened that Kadali-Garbha was often unable to sleep because +of her grief that the king did not love her so much as he used to +do. One night she got so tired of lying awake that she got up very +quietly, so as not to disturb her husband, and putting on her sari, +she went out into the gardens, hoping that the fresh air might help +her to sleep. Presently the king too woke up, and finding that his +wife was no longer beside him, he became very uneasy, and was about to +go and seek her, when she came back. He asked her where she had been; +and she told him exactly what had happened, but she did not explain +why she could not sleep. + +13. What mistake did the queen make in her treatment of the king? + +14. Do you think it is more hurtful to yourself and to others to talk +too much or too little? + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +When the barber was shaving the king the next morning, he told him he +had heard that people were saying the beautiful woman had been seen +again one night, gathering herbs and muttering to herself. "They talk, +my lord," said the man, "of your own name having been on her lips; +and those who love and honour you are anxious for your safety. Maybe +the woman is indeed a witch, who for some reason of her own will try +to poison you." + +Now Dridha-Varman remembered that Kadali-Garbha had left him the +night before, "and perhaps," he thought, "at other times when I was +asleep." He could scarcely wait until the barber had finished shaving +him, so eager was he to find out the truth. He hurried to his wife's +private room, but she was not there; and her ladies told him she had +not been seen by them that day. This troubled him terribly, and he +roused the whole palace to seek her. Messengers were soon hurrying +to and fro, but not a trace of her could be found. Dridha-Varman +was now quite sure that the woman the barber had talked about was +Kadali-Garbha, the wife he had so loved and trusted. "Perhaps," he +thought, "she has left poison in my food, and has gone away so as +not to see me die." He would neither eat nor drink, and he ordered +all the ladies whose duty it was to wait on the queen to be locked +up till she was found. Amongst them was the wicked woman who had done +all the mischief because of her jealousy of the beautiful young queen, +and very much she wished she had never tried to harm her. + +15. Where do you suppose the queen had gone? + +16. What mistake did the king make when he heard the queen was missing? + + +CHAPTER IX + + +In her trouble about the loss of the king's love Kadali-Garbha longed +for her father, for she felt sure he would be able to help her. So +she determined to go to him. With the aid of the wise woman who +had given her the packet of mustard seed, and who had been her best +friend at court, she disguised herself as a messenger, and, mounted +on a strong little pony, she sped along the path marked out by the +young shoots of mustard, reaching her old home in the forest before +the night fell. Great indeed was the joy of Mana Kanaka at the sight +of his beloved child, and very soon she had poured out all her sorrow +to him. The hermit was at first very much enraged with his son-in-law +for the way in which he had treated Kadali-Garbha, and declared that +he would use all the powers he had to punish him. "Never," he said, +"shall he see your dear face again; but I will go to him and call +down on him all manner of misfortunes. You know not, dear child, +I have never wished you to know, that I am a magician and can make +the very beasts of the field and the winds of heaven obey me. I know +full well who has made this mischief between you and your husband, +and I will see that punishment overtakes them." + +"No, no, father," cried Kadali-Garbha; "I will not have any harm done +to my dear one, for I love him with all my heart. All I ask of you +is to prove to him that I am innocent of whatever fault he thinks I +have committed, and to make him love and trust me again." + +It was hard work to persuade Mana Kanaka to promise not to harm the +king, but in the end he yielded. Together the father and daughter +rode back to the palace, and together they were brought before +Dridha-Varman, who, in spite of the anger he had felt against his +wife, was overjoyed to see her. When he looked at her clinging to Mana +Kanaka's arm, as she had done the first time they met, all his old +love returned, and he would have taken her in his arms and told her so +before the whole court, if she had not drawn back. It was Mana Kanaka +who was the first to speak. Drawing himself up to his full height, +and pointing to the king, he charged him with having broken his vow +to love and protect his wife. "You have listened to lying tongues," +he said, "and I will tell you to whom those tongues belong, that +justice may be done to them." + +Once more Kadali-Garbha interfered. "No, father," she said; "let +their names be forgotten: only prove to my lord that I am his loving +faithful wife, and I will be content." + +"I need no proof," cried Dridha-Varman; "but lest others should follow +their evil example, I will have vengeance on the slanderers. Name them, +and their doom shall be indeed a terrible one." + +Then Mana Kanaka told the king the whole sad story; and when it was +ended the wicked woman who had first thought of injuring the queen, +and the barber who had helped her, were sent for to hear their doom, +which was---to be shut up for the rest of their lives in prison. This +was changed to two years only, because Kadali-Garbha was generous +enough to plead for them. As for the third person in the plot, the +old witch of the cave, not a word was said about her by anybody. Mana +Kanaka knew well enough what her share in the matter had been; but +magicians and witches are careful not to make enemies of each other, +and so he held his peace. + +Dridha-Varman was so grateful to his father-in-law for bringing his +wife back to him, that he wanted him to stop at court, and said he +would give him a very high position there. But Mana Kanaka refused +every reward, declaring that he loved his little home in the forest +better than the grand rooms he might have had in the palace. "All I +wish for," he said, "is my dear child's happiness. I hope you will +never again listen to stories against your wife. If you do, you may +be very sure that I shall hear of it; and next time I know that you +have been unkind to her I will punish you as you deserve." + +The king was obliged to let Mana Kanaka go, but after this he took +Kadali-Garbha to see her father in the forest very often. Later, when +the queen had some children of her own, their greatest treat was to +go to the little home, in the depths of the wood. They too learnt to +love animals, and had a great many pets, but none of those pets were +kept in cages. + +17. What is the chief lesson to be learnt from this story? + +18. Which of all the people in this tale do you like best? + +19. What do you think is the greatest power in all the world? + +20. If you had been Kadali-Garbha would you have forgiven those who +tried to do you harm? + + + + + +NOTES + +[1] The city which occupied the site of present Patna was known as +Patali-Putra in the time of Alexander the Great. + +[2] There are seventy-two versions of this tale in vogue amongst +the high castes of India; the one here given is taken from Raj-Yoga, +the highest form of Hindu ascetic philosophy. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit +by S. M. 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