2H 



JOURNAL B. A. s. (ceylon). [VoL TIL, Ft. Ill, 



" Well, if yon must — yon must" said the woman. 



Words and tears were of no avail. The man was firm as a 

 rock, and his wife gave up all hopes of dissuading him from 

 his purpose. 



Next morning she prepared meals for the priest. The man 

 called at the Pansala and said to the priest : " My lord, you 

 were kind enough to give me sil some time ago, and I have been 

 a constant and diligent observer of the rite ever since. The 

 result is that I have been blessed with very valuable treasure, 

 quite sufficient to keep me and mine comfortable for many 

 generations to come. Condescend therefore to repair to my 

 humble abode, partake of the meal I have prepared for you, and 

 receive one-third of the fortune I have come by, as a token of 

 my gratitude." 



"I never saw you before," said the priest, "nor do I re- 

 member having ever given you sil." 



" Then it must be some other priest in this Pansala," said the 

 man ; " it matters little which, only come and receive the gift. 



The man led the way and the priest and his servant 

 followed, not, however, without some suspicion and fear. When 

 thev had come within sight of the house the man saw his wife 

 standing in the compound. 



" Come on leisurely," said the man to the priest, " while I 

 run a-head to see that everything is ready for your reception." 

 So saying the man ran up to his wife and whispered in her ear, 

 "Has our neighbour brought the curds we ordered last evening 



" Not yet." 



"I will go and fetch it then," said he; "in the meantime 

 give the priest a seat and attend to him till I return." 



Now when the priest saw the man whispering in the 

 woman's ear, his suspicions of some foul play, which had already 

 been roused, were almost confirmed. 



So when he got to the house he said to the woman,, "Pray 

 what did your husband whisper in your ear ?" 



" Bad luck to you !", said the woman, " my husband is 

 gone to fetch a rice pounder to make an end of von ! J? . 



