Demon With Matted Hair " 196, part 16 · page 21 2101In the middle of the night the nurse took the box in which was the beautiful little prince, and went out to a broad plain in the jungle.102There she dug a hole, made the fastenings of the box sure, and put the box into the hole, although the child in it was still alive.103The King's dog, whose name was Shankar, had followed her to see what she did with the box.104As soon as she had gone back to the four Queens (who gave her a great many rupees), the dog went to the hole in which she had put the box, took the box out, and opened it.105When he saw the beautiful little boy, he was very much delighted and said, "If it pleases Khuda that this child should live, I will not hurt him; I will not eat him, but I will swallow him whole and hide him in my stomach."106This he did.107After six months had passed, the dog went by night to the jungle, and thought, "I wonder whether the boy is alive or dead."108Then he brought the child out of his stomach and rejoiced over his beauty.109The boy was now six months old.110When Shankar had caressed and loved him, he swallowed him again for another six months.111At the end of that time he went once more by night to the broad jungle-plain.112There he brought up the child out of his stomach (the child was now a year old), and caressed and petted him a great deal, and was made very happy by his great beauty.113But this time the dog's keeper had followed and watched the dog; and he saw all that Shankar did, and the beautiful little child, so he ran to the four Queens and said to them, "Inside the King's dog there is a child! the loveliest child!114He has a moon on his forehead and a star on his chin.115Such a child has never been seen!"116At this the four wives were very much frightened, and as soon as the King came home from hunting they said to him, "While you were away your dog came to our rooms, and tore our clothes and knocked about all our things.117We are afraid he will kill us." "118Do not be afraid," said the King. "119Eat your dinner and be happy.120I will have the dog shot to-morrow morning."121Then he ordered his servants to shoot the dog at dawn, but the dog heard him, and said to himself, "What shall I do?122The King intends to kill me.123I don't care about that, but what will become of the child if I am killed?124He will die.125But I will see if I cannot save him."1 2← previousDemon With Matted Hair " 196, part 15next →Demon With Matted Hair " 196, part 17↑ back to Indian Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7128/22/page/2/