long until she came to a great, dark forest. In it she met the
wife of a hobgoblin, [23] who asked, "Lady, Lady, whose wife are you,
and why do you come here? Run away as quickly as you can. For, if my
husband the hobgoblin sees you, he will tear you to pieces and gobble
you up." The poor woman said she was the daughter-in-law of a Brahman,
and explained how every year she had given birth to a son on the last
day of Shravan, how it had died in the middle of the Shradh feast,
and how at last her father-in-law had put the child in her lap and
had driven her from home and into the forest. The hobgoblin's wife
repeated, "If you value your life at all, go away." The Brahman
woman began to cry, until at last the hobgoblin's wife had pity on
her and said, "Do not be afraid; walk a little way until you come to
an altar to the god Shiva, Close by is a bel [24] tree; climb into it
and hide among the branches. To-night the serpent-maidens from Patala
and the wood-nymphs, together with a train of seven demon Asuras,
[25] will come and worship at the altar. After making their offerings
to the god, they will call out, 'Is there any uninvited guest present
to whom we can make a gift?' You must then call out in reply, 'Yes,
I am here.' They will see you and question you, and you must tell them
all your story." The poor Brahman woman agreed. She walked on until
she came to the god Shiva's altar. She climbed into the branches of
the bel tree. She remained there until midnight came. Suddenly the
serpent-maidens from Patala and the wood-nymphs, accompanied by a
train of seven demon Asuras, came and worshipped at the altar. After
making offerings to the god they called out, "Is there any uninvited
guest present to whom we can make a gift?" The Brahman woman at once
climbed down the bel tree and called out in answer, "Yes, I am here,"
The serpent-maidens from Patala and the wood-nymphs, greatly surprised,
asked her who she was, and she told them all her story. Then the
serpent-maidens of Patala and the wood-nymphs ordered their train
of demon Asuras to go and search for the seven sons of the Brahman
woman. The seven demon Asuras spurred their horses and rode off in all
directions. In a little time the giant captain of the demon guards
rode up carrying in his arms the body of a little boy of six. Then
another rode up carrying the body of a little boy of five. And four
others rode up carrying a little boy of four, a little boy of three,
a littl