ooking, but they had
neither meat nor ghee.

"Why are all these people assembled together?" said the mouse.

"To-day is our Raja's daughter's wedding-day, and we are cooking the
dinner," answered the cooks.

"But you have no meat," said the mouse.

"No," said the cooks. "There is no meat of any kind in our country."

"Take my cows," said the mouse.

"No," said the cooks; "our Raja could not pay for them; he is too
poor." (He was only a petty Raja.)

"It does not matter," said the mouse. "I don't want money."

So the cooks took the cows and the sheep and killed them, and dressed
their flesh in different ways; made pilaus and curries; they roasted
some and boiled some, and gave it to the people to eat. In this way
they made an end of all the cows.

"Why have you made an end of all my cows?" cried the mouse.

"Did not we tell you we should make use of them all?" said the cooks.

"Give me my cows," said the mouse.

"We can't. The people have eaten them all up," said the cooks.

The mouse was in a great rage. He ran off to the bridegroom, who was
walking near the kitchen, saying to himself, "Now I will go and fetch
my bride."

"Give me the money for my cows," cried the mouse to him. "Your people
have eaten them all up, and your cooks won't pay me, so you must."

"What have I to do with your cows?" said the bridegroom. "I won't pay
you for them."

"Then if you won't pay me, your wife's father must," said the mouse.

"Oh, _he_ is too poor to pay for your cows," said the bridegroom, "and
I won't."

"Then if I am not paid, I will take away your bride," said the mouse;
and he ran off and carried away the bride.

The Raja was very angry at this; but the mouse ran on and on with his
wife (so he called the Raja's daughter) till he came to another
country.

Now, on the day he arrived in it there were going to be grand sights
and fun to please its Raja. Some jugglers and rope-dancers were going
to perform.

"Take my wife and let her walk on the rope; she is young, and your
wives are old," said the mouse to the rope-dancers.

"No," they answered, "for she does not know how to walk on a rope and
carry at the same time a wooden plate on her head. She would fall and
break her neck."

"But you must take my wife," said the mouse. "She won't fall; she is
young, and your wives are old. You really must take her."

So the rope-dancers took her, much against their will, and when she
began to walk on the rope with