give you a copper cauldron of water it would not suffice for all my
kingdom." The old woman then said, "Lady, lady, Patmadhavrani, mother
of sons, if you give this old beggar-woman a little rice and curds,
you will gain enough merit for all your kingdom." The queen replied,
"Even if I were to give you a big dinner of nothing but rice and curds,
I should not gain enough merit for all my kingdom." Then the old woman
got very angry and cursed the queen, saying, "You will become half a
frog and half a human being, and you will stand outside your co-wife's
bath-room and croak like a frog." But the queen did not mind her the
least little bit, and she laughed so loud at the old woman that the
noise was like two chains rattling together. Mahalaxmi went off in a
great rage and entered Queen Chimadevrani's part of the palace. There
she saw all the accessories of worship ready, and there was a beautiful
image of Mahalaxmi leaning against the wall; The old woman cried,
"Lady, lady, Chimadevrani, mother of sons, what have you in your house
to-day?" "To-day," said the queen, "we are worshipping Mahalaxmi." Then
the old beggar-woman said, "I am Mahalaxmi." But the queen doubted and
asked her, "By what sign shall I know you?" The goddess replied, "In
the morning I shall take the shape of a little girl. In the afternoon
I shall take that of a young married woman. In the evening I shall
become an old hag." After the goddess had taken all three shapes,
Queen Chimadevrani called her into the palace and bathed and anointed
her. She gave her a silk skirt and a platform to sit upon. Then she
sent for Wonderways, and both of them worshipped the old beggar-woman
and blew on earthen pots in her honour. The king heard the blowing
on the pots and told a sepoy to find out why there was such a noise
in Queen Chimadevrani's quarters. The sepoy went there, and when he
saw what was happening joined also in the worship. After a little
while he went back and told the king. The king said that he would
go there too. He followed the sepoy, and Queen Chimadevrani came
to the steps and met him and took him upstairs, where both played
at saripat until dawn. And all the time Mahalaxmi sat by and watched
them. At dawn Queen Chimadevrani asked Mahalaxmi for her blessing. She
blessed the queen and said, "The king will take you back with him to
the palace, and your co-wife will become half frog, half human being,
and will have to croak outside your bath-room while yo