Atondido Stories
was the cellar into which Gangazara was thrust. What were his
thoughts when he reached that place? "It is of no use to accuse
either the goldsmith or the prince now. We are all the children of
fate. We must obey her commands. This is but the first day of my
father's prophecy. So far his statement is true. But how am I go-
ing to pass ten years here? Perhaps without anything to sustain
life I may drag on my existence for a day or two. But how pass
ten years? That cannot be, and I must die. Before death comes let
me think of my faithful brute friends."
So pondered Gangazara in the dark cell underground, and at
that moment thought of his three friends. The tiger-king, serpent
-king, and rat- king assembled at once with their armies at a gar-
den near the dungeon, and for a while did not know what to do.
They held their council, and decided to make an underground
passage from the inside of a ruined well to the dungeon. The rat
raja issued an order at once to that effect to his army. They, with
their teeth, bored the ground a long way to the walls of the pris-
on. After reaching it they found that their teeth could not work
on the hard stones. The bandicoots were then specially ordered
for the business; they, with their hard teeth, made a small slit in
the wall for a rat to pass and re-pass without difficulty. Thus a
passage was effected.
The rat raja entered first to condole with his protector on his
misfortune, and undertook to supply his protector with provi-
sions. "Whatever sweetmeats or bread are prepared in any
house, one and all of you must try to bring whatever you can to
our benefactor. Whatever clothes you find hanging in a house,
cut down, dip the pieces in water, and bring the wet bits to our
benefactor. He will squeeze them and gather water for drink!
and the bread and sweetmeats shall form his food." Having is-
sued these orders, the king of the rats took leave of Gangazara.
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