icion;
but we will order some labourers to dig up that ground and make it
into a field, and that will effectually smother any of the children
who may still be alive."

This plan was approved and forthwith carried into execution; but the
good Bandicote, who happened that day to be out on a foraging
expedition in the palace, heard all about it there, and immediately
running home, took all the children from her hole to a large well some
distance off, where she hid them in the hollows behind the steps
leading down to the well, laying one child under each step.

Here they would have been quite safe, had not the Dhobee happened to
go down to the well that day to wash some clothes, taking with him his
little girl. While her father was drawing up water, the child amused
herself running up and down the steps of the well. Now each time her
weight pressed down a step it gave the child hidden underneath a
little squeeze. All the hundred boys bore this without uttering a
sound; but when the Dhobee's child trod on the step under which the
little girl was hidden, she cried out, "How can you be so cruel to me,
trampling on me in this way? Have pity on me, for I am a little girl
as well as you."

When the child heard these words proceeding from the stone, she ran in
great alarm to her father, saying, "Father, I don't know what's the
matter, but something alive is certainly under those stones. I heard
it speak; but whether it is a Rakshas or an angel or a human being I
cannot tell." Then the Dhobee went to the twelve Ranees to tell them
the wonderful news about the voice in the well; and they said to each
other, "Maybe it's some of Guzra Bai's children; let us send and have
this inquired into." So they sent some people to pull down the well
and see if some evil spirits were not there.

Then labourers went to pull down the well. Now, close to the well was
a little temple dedicated to Gunputti, containing a small shrine and a
little clay image of the god. When the children felt the well being
pulled down they called out for help and protection to Gunputti, who
took pity on them and changed them into trees growing by his temple--a
hundred little mango trees all round in a circle (which were the
hundred little boys), and a little rose bush in the middle, covered
with red and white roses, which was the little girl.

The labourers pulled down the well, but they found nothing there but a
poor old Bandicote, which they killed. Then, by ord