THE STORY OF DRUWA 249
in its own way. it was built of grey mud, and thatched with brown palm-leaves. In front, there was a deep verandah covered by the wide eaves ; and here even a queen could rest, and receive her village-friends, without a screen, for facing it, instead of the city, was the impenetrable forest, whence at night-fall could be heard the roaring of wild beasts.
More and more, as time went on, did the occasional visits of holy men, on their way through the forest to distant shrines, become the great events of their woodside life. For the hush of the green woods brought with it healing, and the thought of God. And a great peace entered gradually into the heart of Suniti the Queen. Thus, under her calm influence, the child Druwa would linger, towards sunset, near the lotus-ponds, dreaming of the beauty of the great flowers that rocked to and fro with every movement of the waters, yielding but untouched. They came by degrees to mean for him all holiness, all tender- ness, all purity, these large pink and white lotuses, lying against their wide green leaves, as if the gods had passed that way across the waters, and left them blossoming in their footsteps. Or he would lie awake at night, and listen to the sobbing of the palm-leaves, rustling and swaying in the darkness, far above him, wondering, wondering, what was the story they were telling. Or he
