e out of her house alone, for she
could not endure the separation, and crept to that lonely spot to end
her life there.

She did not see her lover behind a tree, and with eyes brimming with
tears she prayed to the goddess Gauri: "O goddess, since I could not in
this life have Cloud-chariot as my husband, grant that in another life
at last he may be my husband."

Then she tied her garment to the limb of an ashoka tree before the
goddess and cried: "Alas, my lord! Alas, Cloud-chariot! They say your
benevolence is universal. Why did you not save me?"

But as she fastened the garment about her neck, a voice from the sky
was heard in the air: "My daughter, do nothing rash. Cloud-chariot, the
future king of the fairies, shall be your husband."

And Cloud-chariot heard the heavenly voice, and with his friend
approached his rejoicing sweetheart. The friend said to the girl: "Here
is the gift which the goddess grants you." And Cloud-chariot spoke more
than one tender word and loosed the garment from her neck with his own
hand.

Then a girl friend who had been gathering flowers there and had seen
what was happening, came up joyfully and said, while Sandal's modest
eyes seemed to be tracing a figure on the ground: "My dear, I
congratulate you. Your wish is granted. This very day Prince
Friend-wealth said in my presence to King All-wealth, your father:
Father, the fairy prince, who deserves honour from all the world, who
gave away the wishing-tree, is here, and we should treat him as an
honoured guest. We could not find another bridegroom like him. So let
us welcome him with the gift of Sandal who is a pearl of a girl.' And
the king agreed, and your brother Friend-wealth has this moment gone to
the hermitage of the noble prince. I think your marriage will soon take
place. So go to your chamber, and let the noble prince go to his
hermitage."

So she went slowly and happily and lovingly. And Cloud-chariot hastened
to the hermitage. There he greeted Friend-wealth and heard his message,
and told him about his own birth and former life. Then Friend-wealth
was delighted and told Cloud-chariot's parents who were also delighted.
Then he went home and made his own parents happy with the news.

That very day he invited Cloud-chariot to his home. And they made a
great feast as was proper, and married the fairy prince and Sandal on
the spot. Then Cloud-chariot was completely happy and spent some time
there with his bride Sandal.

On