had to pass the Raja stationed a mast elephant in order that they might be killed, but when in due course the elephant attacked them the boy caught hold of it and threw it to a distance of four kos.  After this feat the prince and his mother journeyed to another kingdom.  There they took up their quarters near the ground where the Raja’s palwans wrestled.  The prince went to wrestle with them and easily overcame the most renowned palwans.  In many ways he showed his strength.  One day he went to a mahajan’s shop and the Mahajan instead of serving him promptly kept him waiting.  In indignation the boy took up the entire building and threw it to a distance; hearing of these feats the Raja of the country sent for him and took him into his service; but here also he caused trouble.  He insisted on being treated with deference.  Going up to the highest officials he would tell them not to twist their moustaches at him, and knock them down.  On the throne in the palace when the Raja was absent a pair of the Raja’s shoes was placed and every one who passed by had to salaam to these.  This our hero flatly refused to do.  In fact he became such a nuisance that he was promised that he would be given his pay regularly if he would only stay away from the palace.  After this he spent his days in idleness and by night he used to go to the shore and disport himself in the sea.

One night the goddess Kali came to the Raja’s palace and knocked at the gate:  but no one would come to open it.  Just then the prince came back from bathing in the sea.  Seeing him, Kali Ma, said that she was so hungry that she must eat him, though she had intended to eat the people in the palace.  She, however, promised him that though eaten he should be born again.  The boy agreed to form a meal for the goddess on these terms and was accordingly eaten.  Afterwards gaining admission to the palace Kali Ma ate up everyone in it except the Raja’s daughter.  Then our hero was born again and marrying the Raja’s daughter succeeded to the kingdom, and lived happily ever after.

(19)—­The Prince Who Became King of the Jackals.

Once upon a time there lived a Raja whose son formed a great friendship with a barber.  For some reason the Raja quarrelled with his son and ordered him to leave the kingdom.  Accordingly the prince departed to a far country in company with his friend, the barber.  In order to earn a living the barber opened a school and the prince took service with a mahajan.  They were in such straits that the prince had to submit to very hard terms, it was arranged that his wages were to be one leaf-plate full of rice a day:  and that if he threw up the service he was to lose a piece of his skin a span long.  After a short time the prince who had been brought up in luxury found the work so hard and the food so scanty that he resolved to leave the mahajan:  but before he went he had to submit to a piece of skin being cut off, in terms of the agreement.  The prince then