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day she went for some necessity to the back part of the premises, and her stepmother followed close behind her. Then Árámaçobhá saw a well, and said: 'Mother, since when has this well been here?' Her mother answered: 'My dear child, I had this well made.' While Árámaçobhá was looking at the well, her stepmother crept up behind her and pushed her into it. Then, as she was falling into the well, she called to mind the serpent-prince, and the serpent-prince himself held her up with his own hand. Then the god was very angry with that Bráhman's wife. But Árámaçobhá said, 'My lord, she is my mother,' and so pacified the wrath of the god. Then he made a palace in the well and placed her there. The garden also went with her into the well. Then the stepmother* arranged her daughter as a newly-delivered woman, and, after telling her what to do, placed her instead of the real mother near the son of Árámaçòbhá. Now, it happened one day that her body was seen to be devoid of brilliancy. Then her ladies-in-waiting said to her: 'Queen, how is this? Your body seems to be devoid of brilliancy.' She answered: 'I do not know; for the last two or three days my body is not in good health.'
Then they employed various expedients, but none of them restored health to her body. Now, about this time the king sent a minister from the town of Páțaliputra to fetch her. So the false Árámaçobhá set out. Then her slaves said to her: 'Queen, queen, why does the garden not come with you?' She replied: My garden is thirsty, and has gone into the well to drink water. It will follow me.' So the false queen went with her attendants to the city of Pátaliputra. The king arranged for her a triumphal entrance. When he saw his son he was delighted. But when he saw that the body of the queen had lost its beauty,
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*Here we have the well-known story of the substituted bride. A similar story is found in the Katha Sarit Ságara,' vol. ii., p. 157 of my translation. For some European parallels see pp. 162 and 637 of the same volume. Grimm's eleventh story, Brüderchen und Schwesterchen' is an exceedingly close parallel. He refers us to some similar stories in his notes.
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