Page:Indian Fairy Tales (Stokes, 1879).djvu/201

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The Demon and the King's Son.
189

present, and said to them, "Stay here and be happy; do not be afraid, for there is no demon now to come and eat you."

Then he took the rice and mounted his horse, and made the girl mount also, and went off to the fakír. The paper boat he left, as he did not want it any more. He and the demon's daughter made the fakír many salaams, and they stayed with him for a day before they rode to the prince's country. Here they went to his seven mothers, who were very, very glad to see them, and thanked God that their son had come back safe.

He took a little of the rice, and went and sat by the well till the king's two servants came. Then he gave them the rice for their king, and the king gave it to the demon. She said nothing while the king was with her; but when she was alone she cried, for she knew the boy must have killed her brother, as he had brought her the rice.

She waited a week, and then she began to cry again, and would not eat. The king was very sorry, and thought "What can I do to make her well and happy?" Then he said, "What will cure your eyes?" "See, king," she answered, "if I could only bathe my eyes with water from the Glittering Well, they would not pain me any more." This well was in the fairies' country, and was guarded by the demon's sister, whose name was Jangkatar. She lived in the well; and when any one came to draw water from it she used to drag him down and, eat him.

The king called his servants, gave them eight thousand rupees, and said, "Go and fetch me water from the Glittering Well." The servants went at once to the dry well in the jungle. There they found the prince, who asked them what they wanted. "Here are eight thousand rupees," they said; "and the king has ordered us to bring him water from the Glittering Well." "Come in three weeks, and I will give it to