three weeks were now over they were allowed to eat it.

They stayed in Raja Nal's country, and lived in a little house they
hired in the bazar. Raja Harichand went out every day to the jungle
for grass, which he pulled up or broke off with his hands, and then
sold in the bazar for a few pice. The Rani saved a pice or two
whenever she could, and at the end of two years they were rich enough
to buy a hook such as grass-cutters use. The Raja could now cut more
grass, and soon the Rani was able to buy some pretty-coloured silks in
the bazar.

Her husband went daily to cut grass, and she sat at home making
head-collars with the silks for horses. Four years after they had
bought the hook, she had four of these head-collars ready, and she
took them up to Raja Nal's palace to sell. It was the first time she
had gone there, for she and her husband were ashamed to see Raja Nal.
Their fakirs' dresses had become rags, and they had only been able to
get wretched common clothes in their place, for they were miserably
poor.

"What beautiful head-collars these are!" said Raja Nal's coachmen and
grooms; and they took them to show to their Raja. As soon as he saw
them he said, "Where did you get these head-collars? Who is it that
wishes to sell them?" for he knew that only one woman could make such
head-collars, and that woman was the Rani Bahan. "A very poor woman
brought them here just now," they answered. "Bring her to me," said
Raja Nal. So the servants brought him Rani Bahan, and when she saw the
Raja she burst into tears. "What has brought you to this state? Why
are you so poor?" said Raja Nal. "It is God's will," she answered.
"Where is your husband?" he asked. "He is cutting grass in the
jungle," she said. Raja Nal called his servants and said, "Go into the
jungle, and there you will see a man cutting grass. Bring him to me."
When Raja Harichand saw Raja Nal's servants coming to him, he was very
much frightened; but the servants took him and brought him to the
palace. As soon as Raja Nal saw his old friend, he seized his hands,
and burst out crying. "Raja," he said, "what has brought you to this
state?" "It is God's will," said Raja Harichand.

Raja Nal was very good to them. He gave them a palace to live in, and
servants to wait on them; beautiful clothes to wear, and good food to
eat. He went with them to the palace to see that everything was as it
should be for them. "To-day," he said to the Rani, "I shall dine with
your