Vi] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 593 She had no metal plate or any other article of every-day use. The leaves of ca/a trees gather- edfrom the wood served as plate for the poor husband and wife, and they also made cups of those leaves for drinking water. Vishu and the other two deities sat down in the hut and the old people looked exhausted and fatigued, unable to “ My _ speak as if their last hour had come. ৬1900 said parents
- : will
“Look madam! my parents will shortly die as shortly appear from thier condition. You are a very poor এ woman; if death occurs in this hut, it will put you to great inconvenience and trouble; allow us to depart, I will carry them on my shoulders and seek ) another place.” The damsel softly said ‘Dear sirs, stay here, it would bea greater sin to send away dying men from my house. What may befall me I don’t care; but my present duty I cannot avoid ; the rest is in the hands of one who owns this house.” Asked Vishu in wonder: ‘You said it was your husband who lived with you here; what other owner of the house is there ?” She replied ‘“My husband has told me that Visnu, the Lord of the universe, is the owner of this house, as indeed Visnu— the master out the wishes of the master and have no idea of of the 2 : house. Visnu said ‘Have he is of everything we see. We are here to carry our own happiness or misery.” you not up till now taken any food? 1615 a late ) hour.’ She replied: ‘ My husband has gone to beg for alms, he will bring what Providence may grant. I shall cook the food and offer it to Visnu first ; then we shall reserve a portion for any guest that may visit our house, and what remains my husband will partake of and I shall eat what may be left in his plate.” ‘So late an hourin the day and no 79
