i66 CRADLE TALES OF HINDUISM
toddle, a woman came to the farmstead with fruit to sell, and Krishna, desiring to have some, ran into the house, and returned to her, carrying the necessary handful of rice, but letting it stream out in all directions between His open fingers. The fruit-seller was so pleased with the look of the Child, and so touched with His feeble effort to pay her justly, that she insisted on giving Him all the fruit He wanted, and could hardly be persuaded to take anything in return. Her scruples, however, were overcome, and she consented to accept the little one's oflFering, when behold, as He poured the remaining rice into the knotted corner of her veil — tied like a bag for the carrying of it — each grain, touching the cloth, became a jewel 1
Another of the little fellow's tricks was to make His way into the dairies of His village friends and help Himself, on behalf of His friends the monkeys and birds, to cream and butter and other good things. Every one hked Him to do this, yet they felt that it would never do to let Krishna grow up 3 thief 1 So the dairy-wives came in a body, and complained to Yasoda. Then Yasoda scolded Him, and at last took her churning-rope to tie the little hands together. But her whole churning- rope was two finger-lengths too short to make a knot about the wrists of her Boy ! Then she found another, and tying them together, tried
