help me, for I am very old and
feeble, as you see, and I cannot very well look out for myself."

This she said not because she really was old or feeble, but because
she was lazy and wanted a servant to wait on her.

"Gladly will I stay," answered the lad, "and what I can do to serve
you, that I will do."

So the Prince stayed there as the Rakshas' servant. He served her hand
and foot, and every day she made him sit down and rub her head.

One day, while he was rubbing her head and she was in a good humor he
said to her, "Mother, why do you keep all those little jars of water
standing along the wall? Let me throw out the water so that we may
make some use of the jars."

"Do not touch them," cried the Rakshas. "That water is very powerful.
One drop of it can break the strongest enchantment, and if any one has
been bewitched, that water has power to bring him back to his own
shape again."

"And why do you keep that crooked stick behind the door? To-morrow I
shall break it up to build a fire."

"Do not touch it," cried the hag. "I have but to wave that stick, and
I can conjure up a mountain, a forest, or a river just as I wish, and
all in the twinkling of an eye."

The Prince said nothing to that, but went on rubbing her head.
Presently he began to talk again. "Your hair is in a dreadful tangle,
mother," he said. "Let me get a comb and comb it out."

"Do not dare!" screamed the Rakshas. "One hair of my head has the
power to set the whole jungle in flames."

Ramchundra again was silent and went on rubbing her head, and after a
while the old Rakshas fell asleep and snored till the hut shook with
her snoring.

Then, very quietly, the Prince arose. He plucked a hair from the old
hag's head without awakening her, he took a flask of the magic water
and the staff from behind the door, and set out as fast as he could go
in the direction of the palace.

It was not long before he heard the Rakshas coming through the jungle
after him, for she had awakened and found him gone.

Nearer and nearer she came, and then the Prince turned and waved the
crooked stick. At once a river rolled between him and the Rakshas.

Without pause the Rakshas plunged into the river and struck out
boldly, and soon she reached the other side.

On she came again close after Ramchundra. Again he turned and waved
the staff. At once a thick screen of trees sprang up between him and
the hag. The Rakshas brushed them aside this way and that as th