nd, when he went to bathe,
she slipped into the cave and swept it and neaped it and tidied up
all the utensils used by him for worship. Then she slipped out of
the cave and ran back into the jungle. This went on every day for
twelve years without the rishi showing that he was aware of what she
was doing. But in his heart he was really pleased with her. And one
day he called out in a loud voice, "Who is it who sweeps and neaps my
cave? Whoever she is, let her step forward." The queen stepped into
the presence of the rishi and threw herself at his feet and said, "If
you promise not to punish me, I shall tell you." The rishi promised,
and she told him her story. The rishi took out his magic books and,
consulting them, learned that Mahalaxmi had cursed her. So he taught
her how to worship Mahalaxmi, and all night long they blew on earthen
pots and performed rites in her honour. At dawn she revealed herself
and the queen asked her for her blessing. But the goddess was still
very angry with the queen. Then the rishi joined her in begging the
goddess's pardon, and at last she relented. She said to the queen,
"Put under that tree a foot-bath full of water, sandal-wood ointment,
plates full of fruit, a stick of camphor, fans made of odorous
grasses; and handle them all so that they retain the fragrance of
some scent which the king will remember you used. To-morrow the king
will come. He will be thirsty. He will send his sepoys to look for
water. They will see all your things ready. And when they go back and
tell him, he will come himself." Next morning, as the goddess had
foretold, the king came. He saw the cool shade of the tree. He was
tired with hunting, so he sat down and rested. He washed his feet
in the foot-bath. He ate up all the fruit, drank the cold water,
and sucked the stick of camphor. When he had rested to his heart's
content, he asked the sepoy, "How is it that in the water I drank,
in the fruit I took, in the camphor I ate, I noticed a scent which
Patmadhavrani always used?" The sepoys replied, "If the king promises
to pardon us, we will tell him." The king promised. The sepoys then
told him how they had not killed the queen, because they had eaten
bread and had drunk water at her hands, but had let her go. The king
told them to look and see if she was anywhere about. They searched
and searched until they came to the rishi's cave. Then they ran back
and told the king. The king rose, and going to the cave did homag