Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/118

96 palace he again saw some pigeons on the roof.Drawing his bow, he shot one, and again it came ﬂuttering past the window.Then the white hind looked out, and lo! there was the King's son alive and well.

She cried with hatred and disgust, but sending for the lad, asked him how he had returned so soon, and when she heard how he had brought home the thirteen eyes, and given them to the seven blind Queens, she could hardly restrain her rage.Nevertheless she pretended to be charmed with his success, and told him that if he would give her this pigeon also, she would reward him with the jogi's wonderful cow, whose milk ﬂows all day long, and makes a pond as big as a kingdom.The lad, nothing loath, gave her the pigeon; whereupon, as before, she bade him go ask her mother for the cow, and gave him a potsherd whereon was written'Kill this lad without fail, and sprinkle his blood like water!'

But on the way, the son of seven mothers looked in on the Princess, just to tell her how he came to be delayed, and she, after reading the message on the potsherd, gave him another in its stead; so that when the lad reached the old hag's hut and asked her for the Jogi's cow, she could not refuse, but told the boy how to ﬁnd it; and, bidding him of all things not to be afraid of the eighteen thousand demons who kept watch and ward over the treasure, told him to be off before she became too angry at her daughter's foolishness in thus giving away so many good things.

Then the lad did as he had been told bravely.He journeyed on and on till he came to a milk-white