THE BOAT OF THE boatman Madhu is moored at the wharf of Rajgunj. It is uselessly laden with jute, and has been lying there idle forever so long. If he would only lend me his boat, I should man her with a hundred oars, and hoist sails, five or six or seven. I should never steer her to stupid markets. I should sail the seven seas and the thirteen rivers of fairyland. But, mother, you won't weep for me in a corner. I am not going into the forest like Ramachandra to come back only after fourteen years. I shall become the prince of the story, and fill my boat with whatever I like. I shall take my friend Ashu with me. We shall sail merrily across the seven seas and the thirteen rivers of fairyland. We shall set sail in the early morning light. When at noontide you are bathing at the pond, we shall be in the land of a strange king. We shall pass the ford of Tirpurni, and leave behind us the desert of Tepantar. When we come back it will be getting dark, and I shall tell you of all that we have seen. I shall cross the seven seas and the thirteen rivers of fairyland.
'COME AND HIRE me,' I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road. Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot. He held my hand and said, I will hire you with my power.' But his power counted for nought, and he went away in his chariot. In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors. I wandered along the crooked lane. An old man came out with his bag of gold. He pondered and said, I will hire you with my money.' He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away. It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower. The fair maid came out and said, I will hire you with a smile.' Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark. The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly. A child sat playing with shells. He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, I hire you with nothing.' From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.
