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to his own place. The merchant said to himself: Of a truth this hermit is a great authority on prognostics ; 80 there can be no doubt that by virtue of his knowledge he has seen some calamity impending over me.' So our father, disturbed in mind, went to his cloister and questioned him in private. Then the ascetic said : What can I do? On one side is the tiger, on the other side the river. You are a very pious patron of ascetics, and I cannot neglect your interests. It is not fit for ascetics to speak of such things; nevertheless, as you are so devoted to holy men, I will tell you the truth. When I sat down on that occasion to eat in your house, I beheld all the marks of your daughters, and saw that they involved the destruction of the paternal side of the family. Being absorbed in anxiety with regard to this, I neglected my food; but at last I took some to please you.' Then the merchant, being distracted with fear, said: 'Reverend sir, is there any means of averting this ? The ascetic said : There is an expedient, but it is difficult to carry out. Nobody would consent to the abandonment of these two daughters, so dear to their family. The merchant said: 'On the principle that one should abandon one for the sake of the family,* I will do whatever you command.' The ascetic said : If this be so, then deck these two maidens with ornaments on all their limbs, and put them into a wooden box without anyone knowing of it, and send them to float down the stream of the Ganges, and afterwards have performed a ceremony for averting calamity; and if you do this, all will turn out well.' When he had said this, the merchant took the following steps in order to preserve his family. First he had a great box made. Then he made his two daughters bathe and put on all their ornaments, and he put them into the box. He put food into the box, and fastened up its openings with wax.t Then the father set the box afloat on the stream of the Ganges, and returned home. Then the ascetic performed a ceremony for averting calamity. Afterwards he
* See Böhtlingk's Indische Sprüche,' No. 2,627. + MS. A has mena, which means 'wax' in Marathi.
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