[Illustration: Old woman making unleavened bread]
Now, after a time, Raja Rasâlu arrived at Nila city, and as he entered
the town he saw an old woman making unleavened bread, and as she made
it she sometimes wept, and sometimes laughed; so Rasâlu asked her why
she wept and laughed, but she answered sadly, as she kneaded her
cakes, 'Why do you ask? What will you gain by it?'
'Nay, mother!' replied Rasâlu, 'if you tell me the truth, one of us
must benefit by it.'
And when the old woman looked in Rasâlu's face she saw that it was
kind, so she opened her heart to him, saying, with tears, 'O stranger,
I had seven fair sons, and now I have but one left, for six of them
have been killed by a dreadful giant who comes every day to this city
to receive tribute from us,--every day a fair young man, a buffalo,
and a basket of cakes! Six of my sons have gone, and now to-day it
has once more fallen to my lot to provide the tribute; and my boy, my
darling, my youngest, must meet the fate of his brothers. Therefore I
weep!'