Every day he used to go into the woods to fetch sticks
and to cut grass. One day he met there some nymphs and wood-fairies,
who said that they were performing holy rites in honour of the sun. He
asked, "What are these rites?" They replied, "If we tell you, you will
become proud and vain and you will not perform them properly." But the
Brahman promised, "No, I shall not become proud or vain and I shall
observe the rites you tell me." They then told him that the month of
Shravan was coming, and that on the first Sunday of Shravan he was
to draw a picture of the sun with red sandal paste, that he was to
offer to the drawing flowers and fruit, and that he should continue
doing this for six months. Thereafter he should in various ways,
which they told him, entertain guests and give alms to the poor.

The Brahman went home and performed the rites to the letter, so that
the sun-god was very pleased. Wealth came to the Brahman and he grew
richer and richer, and at last the queen of the land sent for him. The
poor Brahman began to tremble and shake all over, but the queen said,
"Do not shake or tremble, but give your daughters in marriage to our
house." The Brahman said, "My daughters are poor; you will make them
slaves or maid-servants." "No," said the queen, "I shall not make
them slaves or maid-servants; I shall marry one to a king, and one to
a minister." The Brahman agreed, and when the month of Margashish,
or December, came he gave his two daughters in marriage, one to the
king and one to the minister. Immediately after the marriage the
Brahman said good-bye to his daughters, and did not see them again
for twelve years. Then he visited the elder one, who had married the
king. She gave him a wooden stand on which to sit while eating, and
water in which to wash his feet, and then said, "Papa, papa, there
is pudding to eat, there is water to drink." But the Brahman said,
"Before I eat or drink, I must tell you my story." But his daughter
said, "Papa, I have no time to listen to your story; the king is
going a-hunting, and I must not keep him waiting for his dinner." The
Brahman thought this very disrespectful and went off in a great rage
to the house of his other daughter, who had married a minister. She
welcomed her father and gave him a wooden stand on which to eat,
and water to wash his feet, and said, "Papa, papa, here is pudding to
eat and here is water to drink." But the Brahman said, "Before I eat
or drink I must tell