The Works of Rudyard Kipling Author:Rudyard Kipling Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: So there was only Madu left in the hut that looks across the valley to Donga Pa; and, since the beginning of time, no one has had any sympathy for husbands Bo un... more »fortunate as Madu. He went to Juseen Daze, the wizard-man who keeps the Talking Monkey's Head. ' Get me back my wife,' said Madu. 'I can't,' said Juseen Daze, ' until you have made the Sutlej in the valley run up the Donga Pa.' 'No riddles,' said Madu, and he shook his hatchet above Juseen Daze's white head. ' Give all your money to the headmen of the village,' said Juseen Daze; 'and they will hold a communal Council, and the Council will send a message that your wife must come back.' So Madu gave up all his worldly wealth, amounting to twenty-seven rupees, eight annas, three pice, and a silver chain, to the Council of Kodru. And it fell as Juseen Daze foretold. They sent Athira's brother down into Suket Singh's regiment to call Athira home. Suket Singh kicked him once round the Lines, and then handed him over to the Havildar, who beat him with a belt. ' Come back,' yelled Athira's brother. 'Where to ?' said Athira. ' To Madu,' said he. ' Never,' said she. 'Then Juseen Daz6 will send a curse, and you will wither away like a barked tree in the springtime,' said Athira's brother. Athira slept over these things. Next morning she had rheumatism. 'I am beginning to wither away like a barked tree in the springtime,' she said. ' That is the curse of Juseen Daze.' And she really began to wither away because herheart was dried up with fear, and those who believe in curses die from curses. Suket Singh, too, was afraid because he loved Athira better than his very life. Two months passed, and Athira's brother stood outside the regimental Lines again and yelped, ' Aha! You are withering away. C...« less