was nothing but a sandbank in the very middle of the river,
covered with crocodiles lying basking in the sun. And then he said:
See! we will go down, and rest awhile among the crocodiles on this
sand, whose banks resemble nothing so much as the outline of thy own
graceful limbs. And Uma said tearfully: Pish! what do I care for
crocodiles, that sit for hours never even moving, like a _yogi_ in a
trance?

Then said the cunning god: None the less, we will go down: for it may
be that the island contains something besides its crocodiles. And as
they settled on it, he said again: Did I not say we should find
something? for yonder it lies, and it is a very great curiosity
indeed. And now, canst thou tell me what it is?

And she looked at it with scrutiny, and presently she said: I can tell
this only, that it must have been in the water for a very long time,
before it was washed up at last upon this bank by the river's flood:
since it is but a shapeless lump, covered with sand and rust and dirt.
Who but thyself could even guess what it might be? And Maheshwara
said: It has had a very long journey, and been not only in the river,
but in a crocodile too. For crocodiles swallow everything. And long
ago, this was carried by a man, who was drowned in another stream by
the upsetting of his boat, and became with all he carried the prey of
an old crocodile, which died long ago, and rotted away, letting this
at last escape out of its tomb, and roll along, till at last it got
into the Ganges, and was thrown up here in the rainy season, only the
other day. And when at last the water sank, lo! there it lay, as it
has lain until this moment, as if expecting thy arrival, to provide
thee with entertainment. And when all is over, thou wilt very likely
bless Nandi, instead of cursing him; since but for his awkwardness in
rolling on thy elephant, thou wouldst never have known anything about
it.

And Parwati said peevishly: Where is the entertainment in this
foolish lump of flotsam, of which thou hast related the adventures
without ever saying what it is?

And the Moony-crested god said: Aha! Snowy One, do not be too sure.
For many things hold in their heart things not to be anticipated,
judging by their outside: and this lump which thou despisest is like a
coco-nut, whose coarse skin is full of nectar. But it has been shut so
long, that it would not easily be opened by anyone but me.[5] And he
touched it with his foot, saying, Open, and it