y were
contented and stayed there, forgetting all about the turtle, and thus
incurring a crime through the failure of their father's sacrifice.

When he had told this remarkable story, the goblin on the king's
shoulder said: "O King, remember the curse I spoke of and declare which
of these three was the cleverest."

When he heard this, the wise king answered the goblin: "Without doubt I
regard the specialist in cotton as the cleverest, on whose body the
imprint of the hair was seen to appear visibly. The other two might
possibly have found out beforehand."

When the king had said this, the goblin slipped from his shoulder as
before. And the king went back under the sissoo tree again to fetch him.

NINTH GOBLIN

_The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given?_

Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his
shoulder, and started. And the goblin spoke to him again: "O King, why
do you go to such pains in this cemetery at night? Do you not see the
home of the ghosts, full of dreadful creatures, terrible in the night,
wrapped in darkness as in smoke? Why do you work so hard and grow weary
for the sake of that monk? Well, to amuse the journey, listen to a
puzzle which I will tell you."

In the Avanti country is a city built by the gods at the beginning of
time, adorned with wonderful wealth and opportunities for enjoyment. In
the earliest age it was called Lotus City, then Pleasure City, then
Golden City, and now it is called Ujjain. There lived a king named
Heroic. And his queen was named Lotus.

One day the king went with her to the sacred Ganges river and prayed to
Shiva that he might have children. And after long prayer he heard a
voice from heaven, for Shiva was at last pleased with his devotion: "O
King, there shall be born to you a brave son to continue your dynasty,
and a daughter more beautiful than the nymphs of heaven."

When he heard the heavenly voice, the king was delighted at the
fulfilment of his wishes, and went back to his city with the queen. And
first Queen Lotus bore a son called Brave, and then a daughter named
Grace who put the god of love to shame.

When the girl grew up, the king sought for a suitable husband for her,
and invited all the neighbouring princes by letter, but not one of them
seemed good enough for her. So the king tenderly said to his daughter:
"My dear, I do not see a husband worthy of you, so I will summon all
the kings hither, a