Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/48

32 and prepared the curry, and when these were ready, they put each dish on the fire. Very soon the widow came to the door, and begged for a few sticks from the fire with which to cook her own dinner. Balna was angry with her, as usual, and said: "Why don't you keep fuel in your own house, instead of coming here every day and taking ours? Sisters, don't give her any more wood; let her use her own."

But the others said: "The poor woman is doing us no harm, so let her take a little wood and fire." Balna replied, "Perhaps some day she will do us harm, and then we shall all be sorry for it."

Then the Rajah saw the Prime Minister's widow go to the hearth, and as she took the wood, throw some mud into each of the dishes.

This made him very angry, and he ordered that the woman be brought before him.

This was done, but the widow spoke to him so very cleverly, saying that she had done this thing only that she might gain an audience with him, and so cunningly did she speak that she actually pleased him well