Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/114

92 to live in, and the seven Queens' slaves to wait upon her; so that she really had everything even a witch could desire.

Now, very soon after the seven wretched, hapless Queens were cast into prison, the ﬁrst Queen's baby was born.It was a handsome boy, but the Queens were so desperately hungry that they killed the child at once, and, dividing it into seven portions, ate it.All except the youngest Queen, who saved her portion secretly.

The next day the second Queen's baby was born, and they did the same with it, and with all the babies in turn, one after the other, until the seventh and youngest Queen's baby was born on the seventh day.But when the other six Queens came to the young mother, and wanted to take it away, saying, ‘Give us your child to eat, as you have eaten ours!' she produced the six pieces of the other babies untouched, and answered, ‘Not so! here are six pieces for you; eat them, and leave my child alone.You cannot complain, for you have each your fair share, neither more nor less.'

Now, though the other Queens were very jealous that the youngest amongst them should by forethought and self-denial have saved her baby's life, they could say nothing; for, as the young mother had told them, they received their full share.And though at ﬁrst they disliked the handsome little boy, he soon proved so useful to them, that ere long they all looked on him as their son.Almost as soon as he was born he began scraping at the mud wall of their dungeon, and in an incredibly short space of time had made a hole big enough for him to crawl