Page:Folk Tales from Tibet (1906).djvu/192

150 which she walked for some considerable distance. After going some way she came suddenly upon an open clearing in the grass, in the middle of which a very old man, with a white beard reaching almost to his waist, was seated before a small fire cooking himself some food.

"Good-morning, sir," said the Queen, when she saw him; "can you give me a morsel of food, for I am very hungry.'"

"Certainly, Madam," replied the old man; "you are welcome to all I have," and so saying, he handed over to her the whole of his provisions.

When the Queen had made a good meal, the old man addressed her as follows;

"You must know," said he, "that I am a magician, living in this prairie, and you must carefully follow the directions which I shall now give you. You must first follow the path, which will lead you to the top of a small hill, and when you arrive there a son will be born to you. This boy is not an ordinary human child, but is the incarnation of a very holy Lama, with miraculous qualities, and he will from his birth be able to walk and talk. His name is Baki, and you must follow him wherever he leads."

The Queen thanked the old man for his advice, and following the narrow path, it soon led her to the top of a small hill; and here she was delivered of a child, who, as the magician had predicted, was of a miraculous nature, and was at once able to walk and talk. The boy without any hesitation went forward along the path, followed by his mother, and after travelling for some