And last of all the
newly-born baby came to life, but he could not even kick up his
legs. And they were all delighted to see their mother, and she was
overjoyed to have all her sons again. But the serpent-maidens from
Patala and the wood-nymphs warned her that she must pray to the
sixty-four Yoginis, the attendants who wait on Durga, the Goddess
of Death, or else her children would be snatched from her again. And
they told her to pray her hardest, for her prayer had to travel down
to the depths of Hell. So the Brahman woman prayed her hardest to
the sixty-four Yoginis, and then she prostrated herself before the
serpent-maidens from Patala, and the wood-nymphs, and their train of
demon Asuras. And then she took the little one-year-old boy on her hip,
and the newly-born baby boy in her arms, and she walked with her other
five sons to the village. When the villagers saw her coming they ran
and said to the Brahman, "Bhatji, Bhatji, your daughter-in-law is
coming back home." And the Brahman became very angry and vowed that
he would drive her away again.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130