ing to say that you would care to hear,' answered the jogi.

'Why?' said the king. 'Surely you know that I value all that you say,
whatever it may be.'

But still the jogi sat with his face turned away, and the more the king
pressed him the more silent and mysterious he became. At last, after
much persuasion, he said:

'Let me tell you, then, that there is in this city a creature which,
if you do not put an end to it, will kill every single person in the
place.'

The king, who was easily frightened, grew pale.

'What?' he gasped--'what is this dreadful thing? How am I to know it
and to catch it? Only counsel me and help me, and I will do all that you
advise.'

'Ah!' replied the jogi, 'it is indeed dreadful. It is in the shape of a
beautiful girl, but it is really an evil spirit. Last evening it came to
visit me, and when I looked upon it its beauty faded into hideousness,
its teeth became horrible fangs, its eyes glared like coals of fire,
great claws sprang from its slender fingers, and were I not what I am it
might have consumed me.'

The king could hardly speak from alarm, but at last he said:

'How am I to distinguish this awful thing when I see it?'

'Search,' said the jogi, 'for a lovely girl with a lance wound in her
leg, and when she is found secure her safely and come and tell me, and I
will advise you what to do next.'

Away hurried the king, and soon set all his soldiers scouring the
country for a girl with a lance wound in her left. For two days the
search went on, and then it was somehow discovered that the only person
with a lance wound in the leg was the princess herself. The king,
greatly agitated, went off to tell the jogi, and to assure him that
there must be some mistake. But of course the jogi was prepared for
this, and had his answer ready.

'She is not really your daughter, who was stolen away at her birth, but
an evil spirit that has taken her form,' said he solemnly. 'You can do
what you like, but if you don't take my advice she will kill you all.'
And so solemn he appeared, and so unshaken in his confidence, that the
king's wisdom was blinded, and he declared that he would do whatever the
jogi advised, and believe whatever he said. So the jogi directed him to
send him secretly two carpenters; and when they arrived he set them to
make a great chest, so cunningly jointed and put together that neither
air nor water could penetrate it. There and then the chest was made,
and, when it wa