“The goddess has come upon my wife most terribly,” thought the poor man. “Her divine power may soon kill her! What shall I do?”
So he fell at the feet of the divine visitation as he thought it to be, and said:—
“My most holy goddess, your dog of a servant has this day deviated from the straight path. Excuse him this time, and he will never do so a second time.”
“Run then with the pan which contains the fruits of your robbery and dip it deep into my tank. Then shall the fish become alive and the mango shall take its place in the tree.”
The gardener received the order most submissively, and taking the pan in his hand flew to the tank. There he dipped it in the water and came back to his house fully believing that his sin that day had been forgiven, and that the cooked fish had become alive again and the mango a living one. Thus did the cunning wife save herself from her husband’s wrath!
XXII.
Keep it for the Beggar.
When anything sweet is prepared in the house on a particular night, and when the children, after feeding to their fill, say to the mother:—
“Ammâ, this pudding is sweet; keep it for the morning,” the mother says at once:—