cared for.  Vidya was happier than she had ever been before, now that she had plenty to do and plenty of good food.  She became in fact quite a different creature, and began to wish she had been a better mother to her children.  “When the wedding is over,” she thought, “I will go and see how they are getting on.”  On the other hand she forgot all about her husband and scarcely ever saw him.

It was all very different with Hari-Sarman himself.  He had no special duties to perform and nobody seemed to want him.  If he went into the kitchen, the busy servants ordered him to get out of their way; and he was not made welcome by the owner of the house or his guests.  The merchant too forgot all about him, and he felt very lonely and miserable.  He had been thinking to himself how much he would enjoy all the delicious food he would get after the wedding; and now he began to grumble:  “I’m starving in the midst of plenty, that’s what I am.  Something will have to be done to change this horrible state of things.”

Whilst the preparations for the wedding were going on, Vidya never came near her husband, and he lay awake a long time thinking, “What in the world can I do to make the master send for me?” All of a sudden an idea came into his head.  “I’ll steal something valuable, and hide it away; and when everyone is being asked about the loss, the merchant will remember the man who can reveal secrets.  Now what can I take that is sure to be missed?  I know, I know!” And springing out of bed, he hastily dressed himself and crept out of the house.

3.  What would you have done if you had been Hari-Sarman?

4.  Do you think Vidya ever had any real love for her husband?

CHAPTER III

This was what Hari-Sarman decided to do.  The merchant had a great many very beautiful horses, which lived in splendid stables and were taken the greatest possible care of.  Amongst them was a lovely little Arab mare, the special favourite of the bride, who often went to pet it and give it sugar.  “I’ll steal that mare and hide it away in the forest,” said the wicked man to himself.  “Then, when every one is hunting for her, the master will remember the man who can reveal secrets and send for me.  Ah!  Ah!  What a clever fellow I am!  Ah the stablemen and grooms are feasting, I know; for I saw them myself when I tried to get hold of my wife.  I can climb through a window that is always left open.”  It turned out that he was right.  He met no one on his way to the stables, which ware quite deserted.  He got in easily, opened, the door from inside, and led out the little mare, which made no resistance; she had always been so kindly treated that she was not a bit afraid.  He took the beautiful creature far into the depths of the forest, tied her up there, and got safely back to his own room without being seen.