In the meantime the uncle and nephew had reached Benares and had given large sums in charity, and had visited all the holy places and had received the blessings of all the Brahmans.  One day the little boy, fainted.  And in a dream he saw the messenger of Yama, the god of death, come close to him as if to carry him off.  Next he saw the goddess Parwati come to his rescue and, after a struggle, drive away Yama’s messenger.  When the boy woke up he told the dream to his uncle.  The latter was overjoyed because he felt certain that now the boy would no longer die young.  He told his nephew to get ready, and next day they left Benares.  On their way home they passed by the village where the nephew had been married.  As they were having breakfast near the village tank, a maid-servant invited them to come to the house which the girl’s parents had built for the reception of travellers.  At first the uncle declined, but when a palki was sent for them, he and his nephew entered it.  When the little girl began to wash her husband’s feet, she recognised him.  She tried on the ring, which fitted his finger, and he in turn showed her the sweet-dish which she had given him.  The parents were as pleased as possible, and they sent a messenger to invite the boy’s parents.  They came, and the boy’s mother threw herself at her daughter-in-law’s feet and thanked her for saving her son.  Then there was a great feast and everybody was very happy indeed, and at the end they all worshipped Parwati, [5] so she became as pleased as everybody else.

CHAPTER IV

The Wednesday and Thursday Story

There was once upon a time a town called Atpat.  In it there lived a prince who had seven sons and seven daughters-in-law.  Every day there used to come to the prince’s house two Brahmans, an uncle and a nephew.  But when they asked for alms the daughters-in-law sent word that they were too busy to give them any.  Some time afterwards the prince lost all his riches and became very poor.  The two Brahmans again came to beg, but the elder daughter-in-law said to them, “We are no longer busy, but we have nothing to give you.  If we had, we should give it to you.”  The youngest daughter-in-law, however, was a clever little girl, and she thought to herself, “The Brahmans will get very angry with us.  When we had money, we gave them nothing; and now we give them nothing because we have nothing to give.”  So she fell at the elder Brahman’s feet and said, “We have been very wicked and have deserved to become poor.  But please forgive us and tell me how we may become rich as we were before.”  The elder Brahman said, “Every Wednesday and every Thursday you must invite a Brahman to dinner.  And if you have no money to pay for the dinner, draw a pair of cow’s feet on your money-box.  If you want grain for the dinner, draw a pair of cow’s feet on your corn-bin.  Then worship the feet and welcome the Brahmans.  For you will find that you will have money in your box and grain in your corn-bin.  And in time you will all get as rich as you were before.”  The little girl did what the Brahman told her.  And whenever she invited Brahmans to dinner, she drew the cow’s feet on the cash-box and on the corn-bin, and there was always money and grain sufficient for the meal.