aidens of Patala
and of the wood-nymphs, he created suddenly a beautiful temple all of
pure, yellow gold. Its pillars were studded with jewels, and the jars
in it were all of crystal. In the middle there rose from the ground
an altar to the god Shiva. And last of all the god revealed himself
to the king and his companions in all his glory and splendour. For
a moment only they saw him; and then he vanished. The king and his
companions stared, too astonished to move or speak. But the ugly
little daughter-in-law prostrated herself and offered to the god
flowers and incense. Then she cried out, "O God Shiva, please, please
vouchsafe my prayer and make my father-in-law and my mother-in-law,
my brothers-in-law and my sisters-in-law like me as much as they now
dislike me." When the king heard her prayer his heart softened to her,
and he spoke kindly to her and gave her jewelry and trinkets. In a
little while he took off his turban and, placing it on a peg, walked
out to look at a lovely lake which, unnoticed by any one before,
now stretched out close by the temple. And behind him strolled out
his companions. But when they had gone out of sight, the beautiful
golden temple by the lake vanished for ever. After looking at the
lake the king came back to fetch his turban which he had left in
the temple. But he could not find the beautiful temple all of pure,
yellow gold, with its jewel-studded pillars and its crystal jars. The
king asked the little daughter-in-law the cause. She said nothing,
but straightway walked deeper into the forest. And the king and his
companions, although weary to death, followed her. At last they came to
the temple where she had worshipped, together with the serpent-maidens
from Patala and the bevy of wood-nymphs. It was a tiny temple,
and inside it there was a rough altar. At the foot of the altar lay
the flowers which the ugly daughter-in-law had offered to the god,
and close by on a peg hung the turban left by the king. Again the
king asked his daughter-in-law the meaning of what had happened. She
replied, "This temple that you see is my own poor little temple. But,
because of my prayers, the god Shiva showed himself to you in the
beautiful temple, all of pure, yellow gold, with its jewel-studded
pillars and its crystal jars." When the king heard her reply, he grew
more pleased than ever with the daughter-in-law whom formerly he had
so disliked. And because the god had revealed himself at her prayer,
th