Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his
shoulder as before, and started in silence toward the monk. And
the goblin said to him: "O King, you are wise and good, so I am
pleased with you. To amuse you, therefore, I will tell you another
story with a puzzle in it. Listen."


Long ago there was a king named Glory-banner in the world. His
city was named Beautiful. And in this city was a splendid temple
to the goddess Gauri. And to the right of the temple was a lake
called Bath of Gauri. And on a certain day in each year a great
crowd of people came there on a pilgrimage from all directions to
bathe.

One day a laundryman named White came there from another
village to bathe. And the youth saw a maiden who had also come
there to bathe. Her name was Lovely, and her father's name was
Clean-cloth. She robbed the moon of its beauty and White of his
heart. So he inquired about her name and family and went home
lovesick.

When he got there, he was ill and could not eat without her. And
when his mother asked him, he told her what was in his heart, but
did not change his habits. But she went and told her husband,
whose name was Spotless.

So Spotless went and saw how his son was acting, and said: "My
son, why should you be downcast? Your desire is not hard to
obtain. For if I ask Clean-cloth, he will surely give you his