CHAPTER X

Parwati and the Beggar-Man

Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In It there lived
a Brahman. He had seven daughters, and when they had reached a
marriageable age he asked them who would arrange their marriages
and bring them handsome husbands and make their fortunes. The six
eldest daughters said, "Papa, Papa, you of course. You will arrange
our marriages and bring us handsome husbands and make our fortunes
for us." But the youngest daughter was a naughty little girl. She
got into a temper all about nothing, and she stamped her foot, and
she turned her back on her father and said, "I will arrange my own
marriage, and I will get a handsome husband for myself, and I will
make my fortune myself." The Brahman was very angry with her, and so
how do you think he punished her? He first searched about and found
six rich and handsome boys. Then he married them with great pomp and
display to his six eldest daughters. But the youngest girl he gave in
marriage to a miserable beggar-man. You never saw such a beggar-man
as he was! There was not a spot on his skin that was not black with
leprosy, and his feet and hands had rotted right off. If you had seen
him you would have said, "If that beggar-man does not die to-day
he will certainly die to-morrow. For he cannot possibly live any
longer!" When the marriage was celebrated, the little girl's mother
filled her lap with pulse and then handed her over to the beggar-man
to see what sort of fortune would be hers. But in a few days the
beggar-man died. His corpse was taken to the burning-ground, and
his little widow followed it. But when his relatives wanted to burn
the body, she forbade them and told them to go away. For she said,