________________
150
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1881.
at the lad's feet, saying "Spare me, and I will give you anything you desire, even my beautiful cow." At first the boy pretended he would not listen, but after a while he said, "Well! give me the cow, and I daresay I shall find some other tough old skin that will answer my pur. pose as well as yours."
Then the Jôgi overwhelmed him with gratitude, and the Son of Seven Mothers drove off the cow.
He marched home as fast as he could, and gave the cow to the Seven Queens, who were delighted to possess so marvellous an animal. They toiled from morning till night making curds and whey, and selling it to the confectioners, and still they could not use all the milk, So they became richer and richer day by day.
Then the prince set off once more to join his dear princess, but as he passed by the White Hind's palace, he saw some pigeons cooing on the turrets, and could not resist sending a bolt after them, and one fell dead just beneath the window where the White Hind was sitting. She looked out, and lo ! there was the lad alive and well. She grew whiter than ever with rage and spite. She sent for him, and when he told her how kindly he had been received by her mother she nearly had a fit, she was so angry and furious. However she only smiled sweetly, saying, " I kept my promise, did I not? Give me but this pigeon, and you shall have everything the world contains, for I will give you the million-fold rice that ripens in a night."
The young lad was delighted at the very idea, gave her the pigeon, and received in return a potsherd on which was written--"He has escaped you twice. Kill him this time without fail, and sprinkle his blood like water."
The Son of Seven Mothers set off to find the old witch, but on the way he went to sco his dear Princess. She as usual read the potsherd, and gave the lad another in its place, on which was written, "Once again care for the lad, for his blood shall be your blood."
The old hag burst out into a rage when she saw this, and heard what the lad was to get However, she dared not disobey her daughter, so she bid the lad go towards the north till he
came to a rice-field full of golden rice guarded by eighteon millions of demons. "Do not be afraid of them," she said, "look neither to the right nor to the left, but go straight to the very middle of the field, and pluck the tall ear of rice which grows in the centre. Do not take more or less, and above all do not look round."12
The lad did as he was bidden, and soon found the field of golden rice guarded by the eighteen millions of demons. He looked neither to the right nor to the left, but walked straight to the middle of the field, plucked the high golden ear which grew in the centre, but as he was returning soft voices called to him saying " Take one more; oh please take one more !" and one voice was so sweet that he turned round to see whence it came. No sooner had he turned than he became a little heap of ashes.
The old hag was terribly frightened when the lad did not return, and dreading her daughter's anger, set out to search for him.
She very soon came upon the heap of ashes, and knowing by witchcraft what had bappened, she gathered the ashes together, moistened them with water, and shaped the paste into the image of the lad. Then she put a drop of blood from her little finger into the month of the image, and immediately the lad stood before her alive and well. She scolded him soundly for disobeying her orders, adding " I save you this time to please my daughter, but don't try these tricks any more if you please."
Then the Prince went home with the millionfold rice that ripens in a night, and gave it to the Seven Queens, who became so rich that their wealth was noised abroad all through the city. Then the Prince went back to his dear Princess, and married her. When the bridal ceremonies were over, she said, "Take me to your own house, and I will restore you to your father's favour." So he took her home to the Seven Queens. Then she bid him build a palace exactly the same as the King's palace, and when it was finished she bade him ask the King to a feast. The King, who had heard much about the mysterious Son of Seven Mothers, came determined to find out the truth of the matter. What was his astonishment when he found himself in a palace exactly like his own. It was only to be
11 I have been unable to trace the allazion here. This rice is spoken of in the DC way un the nine-alb neck. lace. As something evury one knows.-R.C.T.
11 I have been unable to ascertain the origin of this kolden rice also.-R.O.T.
