FOLK TALES OF BENGAL

Once on a time there lived a poor Brahman,who not being a kulin,found it the hardest thing in the world to get married. He went to rich people and begged of them to give money that he might marry a wife .And a large sum of money was needed,not so much for the expenses of the wedding,as for giving to the parents of the bride . He begged from door to door ,flattered many rich folk,and at last succeeded in scraping together the sum needed. The wedding took place in due time; and he brought home his wife to his mother. After a short time he said to his mother-"Mother,Ihave no means to support you and my wife; I must therefore go to distant countries to get money somehow or other. I may be away for years ,for I won't return till I get a good sum .In the mean time I"ll give you what I have ;you make the best of it ,and take care of my wife." The Brahman receiving his mother's blessing set out on his travels.In the evening of that very day ,a ghost assuming the exact appearance of the Brahman came into the house . The newly married woman, thinking it was her husband,said to him -"How is it that you have returned so soon? You said you might be away for years ;why have you changed your mind?" The ghost said-"To-day is not a lucky day , I have therefore returned home ;besides, I have already got some money."The mother did not doubt but that it was her son . So the ghost lived in the house as if he was