and proposing to give them a portion of the wealth the girl had brought. At this the weaver's elder widow, with a long face and eyes inflamed with anger, said, "Far be it from us to take a share of what we fear may have been dishonestly acquired. I would strike my daughter in the face with the broomstick should she take a cowrie[1] from the treasures you are so proud of. Avaunt! If fortune befriend my girl, she may to-morrow gain all the wealth the world contains."
The eventful day ended, and when Dukhu and her mother retired to their sleeping room at night the former opened the chest she had brought, and out of it came a prince-like youth, intended by fate to be her husband.
The next day Shookhu, who had managed to find out from her half-sister all the circumstances under which she had left home and obtained the immense fortune, set out on the same quest. But when following the wind she contemptuously refused to serve the cow, the plantain tree, and the horse, who all asked her help. She was not respectful even to the moon's mother when led before her. Haughtily addressing the venerable old lady, she said, "Old woman, why dost thou keep me waiting? Come, give me all the things that Dukhu had from thee. Thou art mad, or thou wouldst not have given them to a wretch like her. Now attend to me, or I will break thy head and thy spinning-wheel." The old lady was both surprised and angry at this mode of address. She told the girl, however, to go to the neighbouring river and bathe. Three times she dipped herself in the river, after which she found her body full of warts, blotches, and sores. Frantic with rage and despair she returned to the old lady, and commenced abusing her, to which the latter said, "Don't blame me, but yourself. Good Dukhu plunged herself into the water only twice, but you dived into it once in excess. Reap the consequence of your folly." Being then shown where the
- ↑ Cowries are small shells once valued in the Indian market, and exchangeable with coins. Many years ago 80 cowries had the value of a pice.
