e, even among the
trees that have their roots in the water, lest perhaps he may be held
fast there.'

Swiftly she went back and felt everywhere with her whole hand, even
putting her fingers into the tiniest crannies, where a crab could hardly
have taken shelter.

'No, he is not here,' she cried. 'How am I to live without him?' But the
snake took no notice, and only answered, 'Put in your other arm too.'

'What is the use of that?' she asked, 'when it has no hand to feel
with?' but all the same she did as she was bid, and in an instant the
wounded arm touched something round and soft, lying between two stones
in a clump of reeds.

'My baby, my baby!' she shouted, and lifted him up, merry and laughing,
and not a bit hurt or frightened.

'Have you found him this time?' asked the snake.

'Yes, oh, yes!' she answered, 'and, why--why--I have got my hand back
again!' and from sheer joy she burst into tears.

The snake let her weep for a little while, and then he said--

'Now we will journey on to my family, and we will all repay you for the
kindness you showed to me.'

'You have done more than enough in giving me back my hand,' replied the
girl; but the snake only smiled.

'Be quick, lest the sun should set,' he answered, and began to wriggle
along so fast that the girl could hardly follow him.

By and bye they arrived at the house in a tree where the snake lived,
when he was not travelling with his father and mother. And he told them
all his adventures, and how he had escaped from his enemy. The father
and mother snake could not do enough to show their gratitude. They made
their guest lie down on a hammock woven of the strong creepers
which hung from bough to bough, till she was quite rested after her
wanderings, while they watched the baby and gave him milk to drink from
the cocoa-nuts which they persuaded their friends the monkeys to crack
for them. They even managed to carry small fruit tied up in their tails
for the baby's mother, who felt at last that she was safe and at peace.
Not that she forgot her husband, for she often thought of him and longed
to show him her son, and in the night she would sometimes lie awake and
wonder where he was.

In this manner many weeks passed by.

And what was the prince doing?

Well, he had fallen very ill when he was on the furthest border of the
kingdom, and he was nursed by some kind people who did not know who he
was, so that the king and queen heard nothing abou