Atondido Stories
become of the child if I am killed? He will die. But I will see if I
cannot save him."
So when it was night, the dog ran to the King's cow, who was
called
Suri, and said to her, "Suri, I want to give you something, for
the
King has ordered me to be shot to-morrow. Will you take
great care of whatever I give you?"
"Let me see what it is," said Suri, "I will take care of it if I
can." Then they both went together to the wide plain, and there
the dog brought up the boy. Suri was enchanted with him. "I
never saw such a beautiful child in this country," she said. "See,
he has a moon on his forehead and a star on his chin. I will take
the greatest care of him." So saying she swallowed the little
prince. The dog made her a great many salaams, and said, "To-
morrow I shall die;" and the cow then went back to her stable.
Next morning at dawn the dog was taken to the jungle and shot.
The child now lived in Suri's stomach; and when one whole
year had passed, and he was two years old, the cow went out to
the plain, and said to herself, "I do not know whether the child is
alive or dead. But I have never hurt it, so I will see." Then she
brought up the boy; and he played about, and Suri was delight-
ed; she loved him and caressed him, and talked to him. Then she
swallowed him, and returned to her stable.
At the end of another year she went again to the plain and
brought up the child. He played and ran about for an hour to her
great delight, and she talked to him and caressed him. His great
beauty made her very happy. Then she swallowed him once
more and returned to her stable. The child was now three years
old.
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