s of jewels. He asked his wife
whence they had come. Now they were really the uneaten breakfasts,
which the god Shiva had turned into gold and jewels. But the naughty
little wife got very frightened and told her husband a bigger story
than ever. "They are presents," she said, "from my mother and father
and their family." "But where is your father's house?" asked the
husband. "It is in the sandy island," said the little wife, "which
lies in the dry bed of the river." "You must take me there," said her
husband. Next morning they started off together. And the naughty little
wife could hardly walk, she was so frightened. For she knew quite well
that her father had no house in the sandy island. But on the way she
prayed to Shiva, "Please, please, god Shiva, create a house for my
father in the sandy island which lies in the dry bed of the river,
even if it be only for half an hour."
At last the husband and wife came to the sandy island. And there, lo
and behold! they saw a great big palace, and a splendidly dressed young
man came forward and greeted the disciple as his brother-in-law. And
a handsome old knight came forward and greeted the disciple as his
son-in-law. And a beautiful young woman greeted the naughty little
wife as the sister of her husband. And a lovely little girl ran up and
embraced her and called her "sister." And slave girls and maid-servants
ran forward to offer her their service. A guard of soldiers kept
watch by the palace, and at the door there were sentries, who made
way for them as they passed. Inside the house the little wife and
her husband were given platforms to sit upon, and a splendid feast
was all ready prepared for them to eat. After they had feasted, they
got up and said good-bye to the little wife's father and mother, and
garlands of flowers were placed round their necks, and they started
for their home. When they had gone half-way, the naughty little wife
remembered that she had hung her garland on a peg and had forgotten
to bring it with her. So she and her husband went back to the sandy
island. But when they got there, there was no palace, there were no
soldiers to guard it, there were no sentries at the door, there were
no maid-servants nor slave girls. There was nothing there but just
a sandy island in the middle of a dry river-bed. And on the sand lay
the garland which the naughty little wife had forgotten. She took it
up and put it round her neck.
But her husband asked her, "What h
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