The idea
immediately entered their heads of leaving the dead baby beside the
dead woman, and taking her living baby back with them to the palace;
and so they did.

When they returned, they said to their mistress, "Your child did not
die; see, here it is--it got well again," and showed her Panch-Phul
Ranee's baby. But after a time, when the Ranee questioned them about
it, they told her the whole truth; but she had become meanwhile very
fond of the little boy, and so he continued in the palace and was
brought up as her son; being, in truth, her grandson, though she did
not know it.

Meantime the palace Malee's wife went out, as her custom was every
morning and evening, to gather flowers. In search of them she wandered
as far as the jungle at the bottom of the garden, and there she found
the Panch-Phul Ranee lying as dead, and the dead baby beside her.

The good woman felt very sorry, and rubbed the Ranee's cold hands and
gave her sweet flowers to smell in hopes that she might revive. At
last she opened her eyes, and seeing the Malee's wife, said, "Where am
I? Has not my husband come back? and who are you?"

"My poor lady," answered the Malee's wife, "I do not know where your
husband is. I am the Malee's wife, and coming here to gather flowers,
I found you lying on the ground, and this your little baby, who is
dead; but come home with me, I will take care of you."

Panch-Phul Ranee answered, "Kind friend, this is not my baby; he did
not die; he was the image of his father, and fairer than this child.
Someone must have taken him away, for but a little while ago, I held
him in my arms, and he was strong and well, while this one could never
have been more than a puny, weakly infant. Take me away; I will go
home with you."

So the Malee's wife buried the dead child and took the Panch-Phul
Ranee to her house, where she lived for fourteen years; but all that
time she could gain no tidings of her husband or her lost little boy.
The child, meanwhile, grew up in the palace, and became a very
handsome youth. One day he was wandering round the garden and chanced
to pass the Malee's house. The Panch-Phul Ranee was sitting within,
watching the Malee's wife cook their dinner.

The young Prince saw her, and calling the Malee's wife, said to her,
"What beautiful lady is that in your house? and how did she come
there?" She answered, "Little Prince, what nonsense you talk! there is
no lady here." He said again, "I know there is a b