and to save herself blamed the mice. To revenge themselves, they in
turn brought a false charge against her by putting her bodice on the
bed of one of the king's guests. So she was disgraced and driven out
of the house. And after she left ill-fortune came upon me. For every
year it was she who worshipped me and paid me honour; and wherever she
is I wish her well, and I give her my blessing." The king listened
attentively to the talk between the lamps, and thus he learnt that
his daughter-in-law was innocent. He went home and asked whether
there was any other evidence against her besides her bodice. And
when he learnt that there was none, and that no one had seen anything
happen between her and the king's guest, he sent a messenger for her
and had her brought home. And he begged her pardon for the past, and
gave her full authority over all his household; and the king lived
and ruled ever afterwards as wisely and as well as King Ramchandra
of Ayodhya. And if any one brings a false charge against any of us,
may the lamps save us as they did the king's little daughter-in-law.

CHAPTER XV

Parwati and the Priest

Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there was a
temple to the god Shiva. One day when Shiva and his wife Parwati
were walking about they happened to come to this temple. They sat
down there and began to play saripat. [17] After some time Parwati
seeing a priest close by asked him who had won, she or Shiva. "Shiva,"
the priest replied. Parwati became very angry and cursed him, so that
he became a leper, and the pains which overtook him were absolutely
unendurable. One day a band of Apsaras [18] came down from heaven to
the temple. They saw that the priest who lived in it was a leper,
and they asked him the reason. He told them how Parwati had cursed
him. They replied, "Do not be afraid; do as we tell you and you will
get rid of your leprosy. Fast all next Monday, bathe that evening,
worship the god Shiva, and then get half a pound of flour and mix
it with treacle and ghee and eat it for dinner. But whatever you do,
eat no salt all day. Do this for sixteen Mondays in succession, and
on the seventeenth Monday get five pounds of flour, mix with it ghee
and treacle, and offer it to Shiva inside this temple. Then divide it
into three parts; leave one for the god, distribute a second among
the Brahmans or give it to your cows, and take the third home to
be eaten by you and your family." The Apsaras