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What was his amazement to see that it was indeed the Rajah who stood there in all his magnificence with his Wuzeer beside him. The poor man was terrified, fearing Chundun would be angry, but the Rajah spoke to him graciously. "Do not be afraid," said he. "Call thy daughter that I may speak with her, for it is she whom I wish to see."
As he had determined, so he did. That very evening, accompanied only by his Wuzeer, he went to the gardener's house and knocked upon the door. "Who is there?" asked the gardener from within. "It is I, the Rajah," answered Chundun. "Open the door, for I wish to speak with you." The gardener laughed. "That is a likely story," said he. "Why should the Rajah come to my poor hut?
She was sure they intended some harm to her or the children. She seized the golden bell and rang and rang it, but Chundun did not come. She had called him back so often for no reason at all that this time he did not believe she really needed him.
No, no; you are some one who wishes to play a trick on me, but you shall not succeed. I will not let you in." "But it is indeed Chundun Rajah," called the Wuzeer. "Open the door that he may speak with you." When the gardener heard the Wuzeer's voice he came and opened the door a crack, but still he only half believed what was told him.
One time this Rajah, whose name was Chundun, found himself obliged to make a long journey. He took with him attendants and horsemen, and also his Wuzeer. This Wuzeer was a very wise man, so wise that nothing was hid from him. In a certain far-off part of the kingdom the Rajah saw a fine garden, and so beautiful was it that he stopped to admire it.
She determined to rid herself of Guzra Bai in some way or other. But Chundun watched over his young Ranee so carefully that for a long time the old Queen could find no chance to harm her. But after a while the Rajah found it was again necessary for him to go on a long journey. Just before he set out he gave Guzra Bai a little golden bell.
The nurse and the old Ranee carried away the children, as they had planned, and threw them on the ash heaps and brought twenty-one large stones that they put in their places. When Chundun Rajah returned from his journey the old Ranee met him, weeping and tearing her hair. "Alas! alas!" she cried. "Why did you marry a sorceress and bring such terrible misfortune upon us all!"
He was surprised to see growing in the midst of it a small bingal tree that bore a number of fine bingals, but not a single leaf. "This is a very curious thing, and I do not understand it," said Chundun Rajah to his Wuzeer. "Why does this tree bear such fine and perfect fruit, and yet it has not a single leaf?"
"The gardener who has charge of this garden has one daughter; her name is Guzra Bai, and she is very beautiful. If you will count the bingals you will find there are twenty-and-one. Whosoever marries the gardener's daughter will have twenty and one children, twenty boys and one girl." Chundun Rajah was very much surprised at what his Wuzeer said. "I should like to see this Guzra Bai," said he.
Chundun and the beautiful Guzra Bai were married soon after in the gardener's house, and then the Rajah and his new Ranee rode away together. Now Chundun Rajah's mother, the old Ranee, was of a very proud and jealous nature. When she found her son had married a common girl, the daughter of a gardener, and that Chundun thought of nothing but his bride and her beauty, she was very angry.
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