This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
A STICK OF GOLD, A STICK OF SILVER
183

and his elephants. She was the only one spared. Some of the giants and giantesses were specially fond of her. But she was not allowed the least liberty. When they went out to secure food they left her as if dead by touching her with the silver stick, and on their return they revived her by the touch of the stick of gold.

While she was thus talking they heard the Rakkhushes and Rakkhashis returning, and bawling out:—

"Hung, maung, khaun!"
(We smell human flesh, and must eat it.)

The princess in a panic asked the prince to put her to sleep with the help of the silver stick, and to hide himself in the next room, which was used for worship, under the heap of flowers and Bael leaves that he would find there.

An old Rakkhashi came where the princess was lying, and rousing her with the gold stick, said—

"Grandchild, how is it that I smell a human being here?"

The princess replied:

"It may be it is I whom you smell, satisfy yourself by eating me up."

The Rakkhashi said, "Nonsense, thou, the apple of my eye, must not say so. Thou art my life; see what good things I have brought thee." Saying this, she gave the girl an ample meal, and retired for the night with the others to the sleeping chambers.

The next day dawned, and again they went out in a body, leaving the girl in a death-like sleep. The prince got out of his hiding place and roused her to consciousness. They then consulted togther as to the best means of escape from their terrible situation. The prince suggested that it would be best to worm out of the giantess, the girl's so-called grandmother, the secret of her existence and that of her people, since if that were known, it would be an easy task to get rid of them. The princess approved of the suggestion, and when in the night the Rakkhushes and Rakkhashis had sought their