Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/298

 Begs from door to door. Eats plantain- skins. Is dis- missed from the Brahmin’s house. Throws down the load of valuable sandal- wood, 262 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. again, left Chandraketu’s palace, remarking that it was a pity he had entered that cursed abode, but he did not wish longer to disturb a fool in his para- dise. He then begged alms from door to door, and when a sufficient quantity of rice and vege- tables collected, the bathe after carefully placing his little store ina was went to river to secure place. But Manasa Devi in the meantime sent a large mouse which ate up the grain and vegetables, and Chand on returning had to appease his hunger by swallowing raw plantain-skins which He house In next the capacity of a servant, and his master appointed some children had left by the river-side. got admittance to a Bralhmin’s him to reap the harvest in his fields, and pile up the grain. But Manasa Devi created a bewilder- ment in his brain so that he could not distinguish the grain from the chaff, and threw away the for- mer and piled up the latter. When the Brahmin, his master, saw this, he was very angry and dis- missed him at once. He next went with the wood- men to gather wood from the neighbouring hills. He knew the quality of wood better than the wood- men. So he collected a large quantity of valuable Sandal wood, and was on his way to the market with it. At Manasqa Devi's order, however, Hanu- man touched with his toe the load which was being carried by Cha nd, = it immediately became so heavy that Chand had to throw it down and go empty- handed. In this plight, when he was moving about the forest like a disconsolate mad man, he could not help cursing Manasa Devi. Now, at this moment some birds had come near the traps placed there by the fowlers to catch them. Being startled by the