Contents

PAGE
1.[Life’s Secret]1
2.[Phakir Chand]16
3.[TheIndigent Brahman]51
4.[TheStory of the Rakshasas]61
5.[TheStory of Swet-Basanta]89
6.[TheEvil Eye of Sani]104
7.[TheBoy whom Seven Mothers suckled]113
8.[TheStory of Prince Sobur]119
9.[TheOrigin of Opium]132
10.[Strike but Hear]140
11.[The Adventures of Two Thieves and of their Sons]152
12.[The Ghost-Brahman]173
13.[The Man who wished to be Perfect]178
14.[AGhostly Wife]188
15.[The Story of a Brahmadaitya] 192
16.[The Story of a Hiraman]200
17.[The Origin of Rubies]211
18.[The Match-making Jackal]217
19.[The Boy with the Moon on his Forehead]227
20.[The Ghost who was Afraid of being Bagged]247
21.[The Field of Bones]251
22.[The Bald Wife]269

Illustrations

Facing page
[“She rushedout of the palace ... and came to the upper world” (p.26)]Frontispiece
[“The Suoqueen went to the door with a handful of rice”]1
[“The princerevived, and, walking about, saw a human figure near thegate”]9
[“She took upthe jewel in her hand, left the palace, and successfully reached theupper world”]22
[“He rushedout of his hiding-place and killed the serpent”]43
[“Instead ofsweetmeats about a score of demons”]56
[“At the doorof which stood a lady of exquisite beauty”]62
[“In a triceshe woke up, sat up in her bed, and eyeing the stranger, inquired whohe was”]77
[The Girl of theWall-Almirah]90
[“On a suddenan elephant gorgeously caparisoned shot across his path”]95
[“They thenset out on their journey”]106
[“A monstrousbird comes out apparently from the palace”]117
[“Hundreds ofpeacocks of gorgeous plumes came to the embankments to eat thekhai”]123
[“‘Youwould adorn the palace of the mightiest sovereign’”]138
[“He saw abeautiful woman coming out of the palace”]141
[“‘Husband, take up all this large quantity of goldand these precious stones’”]145
[“They ranaway in great fear, leaving behind them the money andjewels”]162
[“Thecamel-driver alighted, tied the camel to a tree on the spot, and begansmoking”]170
[“‘Howis it that you have returned so soon?’”]174
[“At dawn heused to cull flowers in the forest”]181
[“TheBrahman’s wife had occasion to go to the tank, and as she wentshe brushed by a Sankchinni”]188
[“The momentthe first stroke was given, a great many ghosts rushed towards theBrahman”]194
[“The lady,king, and hiraman all reached the king’s capital safe andsound”]210
[“‘Whatprincess ever puts only one ruby in her hair?’”]214
[“Coming up tothe surface they climbed into the boat”]216
[“The jackal... opened his bundle of betel-leaves, put some into his mouth, andbegan chewing them”]218
[“A brightlight, like that of the moon, was seen shining on hisforehead”]237
[“The sixqueens tried to comfort him”]238
[“‘Now,barber, I am going to destroy you. Who will protectyou?’”]248
[“Theyapproached a magnificent pile of buildings”]259
[“Thus theprincess was deserted”]266
[“When she gotout of the water, what a change was seen in her!”]271

I

Life’s Secret