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king rejoiced at the news. The people of Jaipur gladly waited for the birth of a
son.
But Kusumavali had no joys. Thedream of the black serpent toret her mind.. In the third month, the queen had the peculiar desire (pregnant woman's 'dohad') to eat the intestines of the king. She trembled at this and thought:
'Woe unto this child who has made me desire such thing! Such a bad child ought to die before being born. I will not bear this.'
At the completion of nine and quer ter months, she experienced the pangs of delivery. The whole city was mad with. hopes. The king and all others were waiting to get the news from the harem that the queen had given birth to a son.
Kusumavali had kept beside her only her one faithful maid-servant. Her name:
