ough
they had been nothing but twigs.

On she came, and again the Prince waved the staff. A high mountain
arose, but the Rakshas climbed it, and it did not take her long to do
this.

Now she was so close that Ramchundra could hear her panting, but the
edge of the jungle had been reached. He turned and cast the Rakshas'
hair behind him. Immediately the whole jungle burst into fire, and the
Rakshas was burned up in the flames.

Soon after the Prince reached the palace and hastened out into the
garden. There sat his mother weeping, with the crows gathered about
her. When she saw Ramchundra she sprang to her feet with a scream of
joy and ran to him and took him in her arms.

"My son! my son! I thought you had perished!" she cried. "Did you meet
the Rakshas?"

"Not only did I meet her, but I have slain her and brought back with
me that which will restore my uncles to their proper shapes," answered
the Prince.

He then dipped his fingers into the jar he carried and sprinkled the
magic water over the crows. At once the enchantment was broken, and
the twenty Princes stood there, tall and handsome, in their own proper
shapes.

The Ranee made haste to lead them to her husband and told him the
whole story. The Rajah could not wonder enough when he understood that
the Princes were his wife's brothers, and were the crows she had
brought home with her.

He at once ordered a magnificent feast to be prepared and a day of
rejoicing to be held throughout all the kingdom.

Many Rajahs from far and near were invited to the feast, and among
those who came was the father of the Ranee and her brothers, but he
never suspected, as he looked upon them, that they were his children.

Before they sat down to the feast the young Ranee said to him, "Where
is your wife Guzra Bai? Why has she not come with you? We had expected
to see her here?"

The Rajah was surprised that the young Ranee should know his wife's
name, but he made some excuse as to why Guzra Bai was not there.

Then the young Rajah said, "Send for her, I beg of you, for the feast
cannot begin till she is here."

The older Rajah was still more surprised at this. He could not think
any one was really concerned about Guzra Bai, and he feared the young
Rajah wished, for some reason, to quarrel with him. But he agreed to
send for his wife, and messengers were at once dispatched to bring
Guzra Bai to the palace.

No sooner had she come than the young Ranee began to weep, a