I lifted him up and drew him to the shore." The king was overjoyed
and showed the greatest favour to his daughter-in-law. And she and
her little son lived happily ever afterwards.



CHAPTER XVIII

The Lid of the Sacred Casket

Once upon a time there was a town called Atpat. In it there lived a
Brahman who had two twin sons. While they were still quite young,
the twins' parents died, and their relatives stole from them all
their property and then turned them out of the house. The twins
wandered along until they came to a town. It was then noon, and
the boys were weary with walking and were tortured with hunger and
thirst. As they entered the town, a Brahman came out of his door
to throw food to the crows. He saw the two boys and called them in,
fed them, and then made them tell him their story. When he heard it
he resolved to provide for them, and he lodged them in his house and
taught them to recite the Vedas. On Lalita Panchmi Day the Brahman
began to perform certain ceremonies. His pupils asked him why he did
so. The sage replied that by doing so one could attain to wealth,
knowledge, and to the wish of one's heart. The boys begged him to
instruct them, and they quickly learnt how to worship the goddess
Parwati. Not long afterwards the Brahman provided them with wives,
and they returned to their own city, acquired wealth, and were very
happy. A year or two later the twins separated. But the elder was a
wise boy and never forgot to worship the goddess Parwati on Lalita
Panchmi Day. So he retained the riches which he had gained. But the