the mendicant caught her and became very angry. He cursed her and
told her that she would always remain without any children. She
was terrified and fell at his feet and begged for forgiveness. Then
he pitied her and said, "Tell your husband to put on blue clothes,
mount a blue horse, and ride into the jungle. He should ride on until
he meets a horse. He should then dismount and dig in the ground. He
will in the end come to a temple to Parwati. He must pray to her and
she will bestow a child on him." When her husband came back she told
him what had happened. So he at once put on blue clothes, mounted a
blue horse, and rode into the forest. He met the horse, dismounted,
and began digging. At last he discovered a temple to Parwati, all of
gold, with diamond pillars and a spire made of rubies. Inside was a
statue of the goddess, and to it he prayed, saying, "I have houses and
cottages, cattle and horses, money and goods of all kinds, but I am
very sad because I have no son." The goddess pitied him and asked,
"Which will you have, a son who will be good but will die young,
or a son who will live long but will be born blind?" The poor bania
became greatly perplexed, but at last said, "I choose a son who will be
good but will die young," The goddess said, "Very well. Step behind
me. There you will find an image of Ganpati. Behind it is a mango
tree. Climb upon Ganpati's stomach and pick one mango. Go home and give
it to your wife to eat, and your wish will be gratified." Parwati then
disappeared. The bania climbed upon Ganpati's stomach and ate as many
mangoes as he could. He next filled a large bundle full of mangoes
and stepped down. But when he reached the ground he found that there
was only one mango in the bundle. He climbed up again and refilled his
bundle, but when he stepped down he again found only one mango. This
happened three or four times. At last Ganpati got very sore and angry
with having his stomach trampled on. So he shouted out, "One mango is
all you'll get. So be off home!" The bania was frightened out of his