XXII.

KEEP IT FOR THE BEGGAR.

When anything sweet is prepared in the house ona particular night, and when the children, afterfeeding to their fill, say to the mother:-

" Ammâ, this pudding is sweet; keep it for themorning," the mother says at once:-

" Ask me to keep it for the beggar, and I shalldo it."

" Why should I not say keep it for the morning,Ammâ," ask the curious children, and the SouthIndian mother gives to her listening children thefollowing story:-

In a certain village there lived an affectionatehusband and wife. The husband would go to lookafter the fields and garden and return home withabundance of vegetables. The wife would cook andserve her lord to his fill. Before going out in themorning the husband used to take whatever of lastnight's dishes were left cold to remain for hisbreakfast.

The husband was a great eater of dhâl* soup.A yellow grain, peculiar to India.

*