y well," cried Ramchundra, joyfully, "I also will go there, and
find out this wicked old Rakshas, and learn by what means they may be
disenchanted."

"No, no, my son," she answered, "I cannot let you go; see, I have lost
father and mother, and these my hundred brothers; and now, if you fall
into the Rakshas's clutches as well as they, and are lost to me, what
will life have worth living for?"

To this he replied, "Do not fear for me, mother; I will be wary and
discreet." And going to his father, he said, "Father, it is time I
should see something of the world. I beg you to permit me to travel
and see other lands."

The Rajah answered, "You shall go. Tell me what attendants you would
like to accompany you."

"Give me," said Ramchundra, "a horse to ride, and a groom to take care
of it." The Rajah consented, and Ramchundra set off riding toward the
jungle; but as soon as he got there, he sent his horse back by the
groom with a message to his parents and proceeded alone, on foot.

After wandering about for some time he came upon a small hut, in which
lay an ugly old woman fast asleep. She had long claws instead of
hands, and her hair hung down all around her in a thick black tangle.
Ramchundra knew, by the whole appearance of the place, that he must
have reached the Rakshas's abode of which he was in search; so,
stealing softly in, he sat down and began shampooing her head. At last
the Rakshas woke up. "You dear little boy," she said, "do not be
afraid; I am only a poor old woman, and will not hurt you. Stay with
me, and you shall be my servant." This she said not from any feeling
of kindness or pity for Ramchundra, but merely because she thought he
might be helpful to her. So the young Rajah remained in her service,
determining to stay there till he should have learned from her all
that he wished to know.

Thus one day he said to her, "Good mother, what is the use of all
those little jars of water you have arranged round your house?"

She answered, "That water possesses certain magical attributes; if any
of it is sprinkled on people enchanted by me, they instantly resume
their former shape."

"And what," he continued, "is the use of your wand?"

"That," she replied, "has many supernatural powers; for instance, by
simply uttering your wish and waving it in the air, you can conjure up
a mountain, a river or a forest in a moment of time."

Another day Ramchundra said to her, "Your hair, good mother, is
dreadfully