The  woman  first  found  out  where  the  child  lived,  and
then  went  to  the  house  and  introduced  herself  to  his
adopted  father's  wife  as  her  sister-in-law.  It  was  not  a
very  difficult  matter  to  ingratiate   herself  in  this  simple


THE  WICKED  QUEENS.  411

woman's  favour.  Other  visits  followed,  and  were  so  ap-
preciated that  at  last  she  was  invited  to  come  and  stay
iu  the  house  for  a  time.  While  there  she  often  spoke  of
the  boy  and  praised  his  good  qualities.  "  But  there  is  one
thing  that  he  will  not  do,  I  feel  certain,"  she  said  one  day
to  the  proud  (adopted)  mother.  "  He  will  not  go  to  a
certain  country  wherein  is  a  beautiful  garden,  and  in  that
garden,  by  the  side  of  a  well,  a  sandal-tree  with  branches
of  gold  and  flowers  of  pearls.  If  he  will  go  there  and
get  that  tree,  his  character  will  be  established  and  his
fortune  made."

When  the  boy  returned  from  his  play  in  the  afternoon
his  adopted  mother  told  him  what  she  had  heard,  and
how  anxious  she  was  for  him  to  go.  The  boy  agreed,
and  on  the  following  morning  set  off  on  his  perilous
journey  with  a  few  tsuchih  ^  tied  up  in  his  Jcamarhand.
