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rel="nofollow" href="#ue47b60ba-fc80-5eaf-9c18-b1bf687d9c99">Strange Friends in Time of Need 62 XIII. Lakshmi's Gift 64 XIV. The Redeeming Power of the Ganges 70 PART IITable of Contents I. Madhumala, the Wreath of Sweetness 77 II. Pushpamala, the Wreath of Flowers 86 III. Malanchamala, the Wreath in a Flower Garden 99​ IV. Kanchanmala, the Golden Wreath 116 V. Shankha, the Garland of Shells 126 PART IIITable of Contents I. Princess Kalabutti 139 II. The Seven Brothers who were turned into Champa Trees 150 III. Sheet and Basanta 153 IV. Kirunmala, or the Wreath of Light 162 V. Blue Lotus and Red Lotus 168 VI. Dalimkumar 174 VII. A Stick of Gold and a Stick of Silver 179 VIII. Jackal, the Schoolmaster 186 IX. Humility rewarded and Pride punished 191 X. A Brahmin and his Wife 196 XI. A Man who was only a Finger and a Half in Stature 200 XII. The Petrified Mansion 205 XIII. A True Friend 207

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      The Four Riddles

       Table of Contents

      BENGAL FAIRY TALES

      PART I

       Table of Contents

      STORIES TOLD BY BHABAGHURAY,

       THE TRAVELLER

       Table of Contents

      I

      THE FOUR RIDDLES

      AN Emperor of the olden days in India once sent a messenger to one of his tributary Rajas, Prithu by name, to ask him four questions. These were:—

      1 Can there be poison in nectar?

      2 Can there be nectar in poison?

      3 Can there be a dog in human shape?

      4 Is it possible for a donkey to rule a kingdom?

      On the answering aright of these questions depended the tributary Raja's life, for the Emperor's order was that, in case of failure, the Raja should forfeit his head. The time granted to him for returning an answer was three months, and the first two months the Raja spent in fruitless endeavours to solve the riddles. The nearer the termination of the prescribed period approached the greater grew his anxiety and dread. At length he wrote the questions in big letters on a large sheet of paper, and tied it round the neck of a fast-going steed, with orders that he should be made to run throughout the whole Raj, and that if anybody on reading the paper could answer the questions he should be immediately brought to the court with promises of very rich rewards.

      ​The plan the Raja had devised promised success, for within a short time there appeared before him a man named Golami who said that he knew the answers. But he would not give them save in the presence of the Emperor himself. Failing to solve the riddle himself, the Raja was forced to send for him to the imperial court. Golami further demanded a very large sum of money and the choicest jewels of great value, in order to bring the matter to a happy issue, and, being furnished with all that he desired, he started on his journey, which he accomplished in about a fortnight. He then hired one of the grandest houses in the Emperor's capital, kept a mistress, and ingratiating himself with the smartest and most fashionable characters there, opened his doors wide to all comers. Pleasure succeeded pleasure, entertainments of all kinds were given on the grandest scale and alms and loans generously distributed, so that Golami soon became one of the most popular men in the city.

      Spending a week in this way, he one day called his friends to him,

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