Some days passed and the Prince did not return; then one morning an old woman passing by came and asked for a light for her hookah, and stayed talking for some time.  The old woman was struck by the sweet face and gentle voice of the stranger, and on her return told the daughter of the Raja of that country that there was a strange young man, who looked and talked very differently from any of the young men of that neighbourhood.  The Raja’s daughter was curious to see him, and the next morning she went with the old woman and talked with the disguised Princess.  Before she left she was deeply in love with him, and directly she reached home she sent word to her father that she had seen the man whom she must marry.  “It is of no use to thwart one’s children,” said the Raja and at once sent messengers to bring the stranger to marry his daughter.

When the disguised Princess was brought before the Raja, she said that she had no objection to being married provided that it was done according to the custom of her own country, and that was that the vermilion should be applied to the bride’s forehead with a sword.  The Raja made no objection; so the Princess took her husband’s sword and put vermilion on it and then applied it to the bride’s forehead; and so the marriage was complete.  But when the Princess was left alone with her bride, she confessed that she was a woman and told her all her history and how her husband had disappeared in the bazar.

Then the Raja’s daughter went to her father and told him what had happened and had enquiries made and speedily had the Prince released from prison.  Then the prince himself again put vermilion on the forehead of the Raja’s daughter, and a few days later set off home with both his wives.  This was the way in which he found two wives for himself, as he had boasted that he would.

CII.  The Unfaithful Wife.

Once upon a time there were two brothers and as their wives did not get on well together, they lived separately.  After a time it came to the ears of the elder brother that the younger brother’s wife was carrying on an intrigue with a certain Jugi; so he made up his mind to watch her movements.  One night he saw a white figure leave his brother’s house and, following it quietly, he saw it go into the Jugi’s house, and creeping nearer, he heard his sister-in-law’s voice talking inside.  He was much grieved at what he had seen, but could not make up his mind to tell his brother.

One day the elder brother found that he had no milk in the house, as all his cows had run dry; so he sent a servant to his brother’s house to ask for some milk; but the younger brother’s wife declined to give any, and sent word that her brother-in-law was quite rich enough to buy milk cows if he wanted milk.  The elder brother said nothing at this rebuff, but after a time it happened that the younger brother’s cows all became dry, and he in his turn sent to his elder brother for milk.  The elder brother’s wife was not disposed to give it, but her husband bade her not bear malice and to send the milk.