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52 for a moment, she said to him, "Wait a minute or two outside, till I have got the house into order ! " and running to the shrine of her protecting deity, she laid the lock of hair at the foot of the image. Then she brought her husband into the house, and with slow, deliberate steps, led him to the shrine, and said: " My husband ! offer your thanks-giving to the goddess ! " He did so; meanwhile he saw the lock of hair and said to his wife, " What is this? " " This," she replied, " is the fulfilment of my vow. I promised the goddess that I would offer her a lock of my hair, if she would bring you back safe and sound. You have returned, and I have kept my promise." On this her stupid husband worshipped the goddess with great veneration, and lavished more affection than ever on his wife.

THERE is a city called Salipura and in it dwelt a merchant who had a son named Gunakara. The son's wife's name was Sridevyâ and she had a hankering after a man called Subuddhi. Her