Page:Bengal Fairy Tales.djvu/218

194 food was, the girl greedily ate the richest dishes, and, having finished the meal, insolently demanded the delivery of a chest like the one Dukhu had obtained. Being told where it was to be found, she went there, and took up the largest chest within reach. And, forgetful even to bid farewell to her hostess, she ran homeward. Whoever met her on the way shunned her ugly appearance. Her other experiences were equally painful. The horse gave her a kick, the plantain tree threw several bunches of its fruit on her head, and the cow goaded her. After all these humiliations she reached home, panting for breath and half dead.

Her mother, who was wistfully expecting her, fainted at the sight. The chest was, however, some consolation. The mother and daughter, who had heard of the sudden appearance of a very good-looking young man out of Dukhu's chest, expected the like for themselves. They carried it into Shookhu's bedroom, but the girl, feeling very drowsy, put off opening it till the next morning. But her eyes were destined not to see its light. At midnight she cried, "Mother, I feel a torturing pain in the ankles," But her mother replied, "Child, it is nothing. Your prospective husband is putting anklets round them. Have patience, and put them on."

But Shookhu again cried out, " Mother, I feel a shivering all over my body," and again the mother replied, "Child, it is nothing. You are only being decked with ornaments."

After this Shookhu was deprived of the power of utterance, and after passing through unbearable tortures she gave up the ghost. Day dawned and her mother called at her door. But there was no response. Some two or three hours were allowed to pass, it being thought that the girl, worn out by her journey, was still asleep. But when it was nearly mid-day the door was burst open, and all that remained of Shookhu was a heap of bones, with a snake's cast-off skin beside them. The truth was evident. Shookhu had been