Then came forth Saraswati all unconscious, and very gorgeous, attended by the wives of Vishnu, Rudra, and other of the Gods--a worthy train. When she heard what had happened, she was wroth beyond power of words to tell. Said the Great God, shamefaced, “The Priest did this thing; the Priest and Indra.” But Saraswati said, “By the powers I have obtained, may Brahma never be worshipped in Temple or Sacred Place--except one day in each year--and since Indra, thou didst bring that Milkmaid to my Lord, thou shalt be bound in chains by all thine enemies and prisoned in a strange and distant country, thy power over the winds and thy station on high, given to others. Cursed also be ye--Priests. Henceforth shall ye perform sacrifices solely for the desire of obtaining the usual gifts, and for love of gain alone shall ye serve Temples and holy places; satisfied only shall ye be with the food of others, and dissatisfied with that of your own houses. And in quest of riches shall ye unduly perform rites and ceremonies.”... In great wrath she called for her peacock, to leave the assembly, but the Goddess of Wealth refused to accompany her; and her also did she curse. “May you always abide with the vile and the inconstant, the contemptible and foolish, the sinful, cruel and vulgar.” After her departure Gayatri modifies all the curses; so neither need all Priests nor all the wealthy be base and contemptible. When the youngest daughter-in-law in the house is listening to the story-telling my Wisest of the Wise adds a variation--Saraswati is appeased, and Brahma says he will do with the Milkmaid what the Goddess commands, while the Milkmaid herself falls at the feet of Wisdom, who, raising her, says, “Let be--let you and me both serve my Lord!” * * * * * And now for a year her Altar is empty but she is not forgotten, and in the practice and devotion of the faithful still does the third watch of the night belong to Wisdom. “Let the home-keeping ones wake in the time sacred to Saraswati, the Goddess of Speech; let them reflect on virtue and virtuous emoluments; and on the whole meaning and essence of the words of Wisdom.” * * * * * “So desirable, and yet she may be only a two days’ Guest in a Hindu household,” I mused aloud. “Ah, but,” answered she who worshipped Wisdom, “were Wisdom always with us, how should we live among the sons of men!”... II THE STORY OF DESTRUCTION When the world was young there were two Giant Demons--Shumbo and Nishumbo, who made great discord both in heaven and upon earth: nor did victory bring harmony, for when all who opposed them lay vanquished, they fought with each other.