i, do not be so foolish," said her husband. "I will forgive
you this time, but do not call me again unless you have need of me."
And he went away.

Again and for the third time Guzra Bai rang the bell, and the Rajah
appeared.

"Why do you call me again?" he asked. "Is it again for nothing, or has
something happened to you?"

"Nothing has happened," answered Guzra Bai, "only somehow I felt so
frightened that I wanted you near me."

"Guzra Bai, I am away on affairs of state," said the Rajah. "If you
call me in this way when you have no need of me, I shall soon refuse
to answer the bell. Remember this and do not call me again without
reason."

And for the third time the Rajah went away and left her.

Soon after this the young Ranee had twenty and one beautiful children,
twenty sons and one daughter.

When the old Queen heard of this she was more jealous than ever. "When
the Rajah returns and sees all these children," she thought to
herself, "he will be so delighted that he will love Guzra Bai more
dearly than ever, and nothing I can do will ever separate them." She
then began to plan within herself as to how she could get rid of the
children before the Rajah's return.

She sent for the nurse who had charge of the babies, and who was as
wicked as herself. "If you can rid me of these children, I will give
you a lac of gold pieces," she said. "Only it must be done in such a
way that the Rajah will lay all the blame on Guzra Bai."

"That can be done," answered the nurse. "I will throw the children out
on the ash heaps, where they will soon perish, and I will put stones
in their places. Then when the Rajah returns we will tell him Guzra
Bai is a wicked sorceress, who has changed her children into stones."

The old Ranee was pleased with this plan and said that she herself
would go with the nurse and see that it was carried out.

Guzra Bai looked from her window and saw the old Queen coming with the
nurse, and at once she was afraid. She was sure they intended some
harm to her or the children. She seized the golden bell and rang and
rang it, but Chundun did not come. She had called him back so often
for no reason at all that this time he did not believe she really
needed him.

The nurse and the old Ranee carried away the children, as they had
planned, and threw them on the ash heaps and brought twenty-one large
stones that they put in their places.

When Chundun Rajah returned from his journey the old Ranee met