Inside the house the little wife and
her husband were given platforms to sit upon, and a splendid feast
was all ready prepared for them to eat. After they had feasted, they
got up and said good-bye to the little wife's father and mother, and
garlands of flowers were placed round their necks, and they started
for their home. When they had gone half-way, the naughty little wife
remembered that she had hung her garland on a peg and had forgotten
to bring it with her. So she and her husband went back to the sandy
island. But when they got there, there was no palace, there were no
soldiers to guard it, there were no sentries at the door, there were
no maid-servants nor slave girls. There was nothing there but just
a sandy island in the middle of a dry river-bed. And on the sand lay
the garland which the naughty little wife had forgotten. She took it
up and put it round her neck.
But her husband asked her, "What has happened to your father's
house?" The naughty little wife replied, all in tears, "As it came,
so it went. But if you promise to forgive me, I shall tell you.
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