always going over to the other side of the river, and followed her one night to try and find out what she was about. She was returning from one of these expeditions and caught sight of him; so she filled a pot with water, and went with her friend into a small shrine which stood on the river bank, in which was an image of one of the deities. After crowning the image with flowers, and washing it, she tipped a wink to her friend, and said, " Divine lady ! some time ago you told me that if I did not wash and adorn your image, my husband would die within a few days. Now I have acted in obedience to your command, I pray you therefore that his life may be prolonged ! " Her friend uttered a fervent " amen " to this petition, and the lady's husband who had followed her close by heard all this. So he went away, not knowing that he had been seen, delighted with his wife's fidelity and affection.
Story XXII
In a certain village there lived a farmer called Sodhâka. His wife's name was Mâdhakâ. One day she was going along the road carrying some
