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36 daughter, " Sumati was prevailed on by his foolish wife to tell her the secret. For —

" ' Even Râma failed to recognize the golden deer;

Nahusha harnessed the Brâhmans to his chariot;

Arjuna carried off both cow and calf;

Yudhisthira gambled away his wife and his four brothers.

So often even a good man, in a crisis, becomes the victim of folly.'

" Well ! Padminî got the secret out of her husband, and went and told her friend, and the result was that the friend sent her own husband to Ganesa, who gave him the cakes. Next day Padminî went with Sumata to Ganesa for the daily present, and he told them plainly that it was no use their coming any more to him, for the bargain had been broken and the cakes had been given to some one else. So Padminî's husband gave her a good scolding, and they went home very sorry for what they had done. In the same way your majesty should not ask me to explain the meaning of the verses to you lest you repent of your knowledge. You had better make them out by yourself, without my help; " and so saying, she got up and went home.