The　Hungry　Stones　And　Other　Stories
  by　Rabindranath　Tagore
  Contents：
  The　Hungry　Stones
  The　Victory
  Once　There　Was　A　King
  The　Home…coming
  My　Lord；　The　Baby
  The　Kingdom　Of　Cards
  The　Devotee
  Vision
  The　Babus　Of　Nayanjore
  Living　Or　Dead？
  〃We　Crown　Thee　King〃
  The　Renunciation
  The　Cabuliwallah
  ＇The　Fruitseller　from　Cabul＇
  THE　HUNGRY　STONES
  My　kinsman　and　myself　were　returning　to　Calcutta　from　our　Puja　trip　when　we　met　the　man　in　a　train。　　From　his　dress　and　bearing　we　took　him　at　first　for　an　up…country　Mahomedan；　but　we　were　puzzled　as　we　heard　him
  talk。　　He　discoursed　upon　all　subjects　so　confidently　that　you　might　think　the　Disposer　of　All　Things　consulted　him　at　all　times　in　all　that　He　did。　　Hitherto　we　had　been　perfectly　happy；　as　we　did　not　know　that　secret　and　unheard…of　forces　were　at　work；　that　the　Russians　had　advanced　close　to　us；　that　the　English　had　deep　and　secret　policies；　that　confusion　among　the　native　chiefs　had　come　to　a　head。　　But　our　newly…acquired　friend　said　with　a　sly　smile：　〃There　happen　more　things　in　heaven　and　earth；　Horatio；　than　are　reported　in　your　newspapers。〃　As　we　had　never　stirred　out　of　our　homes　before；　the　demeanour　of　the　man　struck　us　dumb　with　wonder。　　Be　the　topic　ever　so　trivial；　he　would　quote　science；　or　comment　on　the　Vedas；　or　repeat　quatrains　from　some　Persian　poet；　and　as　we　had　no　pretence　to　a　knowledge　of　science　or　the　Vedas　or　Persian；　our　admiration　for　him　went　on　increasing；　and　my　kinsman；　a　theosophist；　was　firmly　convinced　that　our　fellow…passenger　must　have　been　supernaturally　inspired　by　some　strange　magnetism〃　or　〃occult　power；〃　by　an　〃astral　body〃　or　something　of　that　kind。　　He　listened　to　the　tritest　saying　that　fell　from　the　lips　of　our　extraordinary　companion　with　devotional　rapture；　and　secretly　took　down　notes　of　his　conversation。　　I　fancy　that　the　extraordinary　man　saw　this；　and　was　a　little　pleased　with　it。
  When　the　train　reached　the　junction；　we　assembled　in　the　waiting　room　for　the　connection。　　It　was　then　10　P。M。；　and　as　the　train；　we　heard；　was　likely　to　be　very　late；　owing　to　something　wrong　in　the　lines；　I　spread　my　bed　on　the　table　and　was　about　to　lie　down　for　a　comfortable　doze；　when　the　extraordinary　person　deliberately　set　about　spinning　the　following　yarn。　　Of　course；　I　could　get　no　sleep　that　night。
  When；　owing　to　a　disagreement　about　some　questions　of　administrative　policy；　I　threw　up　my　post　at　Junagarh；　and　entered　the　service　of　the　Nizam　of　Hydria；　they　appointed　me　at　once；　as　a　strong　young　man；　collector　of　cotton　duties　at　Barich。
  Barich　is　a　lovely　place。　　The　Susta　〃chatters　over　stony　ways　and　babbles　on　the　pebbles；〃　tripping；　like　a　skilful　dancing　girl；　in　through　the　woods　below　the　lonely　hills。　　A　flight　of　150　steps　rises　from　the　river；　and　above　that　flight；　on　the　river's　brim　and　at　the　foot　of　the　hills；　there　stands　a　solitary　marble　palace。　　Around　it　there　is　no　habitation　of　manthe　village　and　the　cotton　mart　of　Barich　being　far　off。
  About　250　years　ago　the　Emperor　Mahmud　Shah　II。　had　built　this　lonely　palace　for　his　pleasure　and　luxury。　　In　his　days　jets　of　rose…water　spurted　from　its　fountains；　and　on　the　cold　marble　floors　of　its　spray…　cooled　rooms　young　Persian　damsels　would　sit；　their　hair　dishevelled　before　bathing；　and；　splashing　their　soft　naked　feet　in　the　clear　water　of　the　reservoirs；　would　sing；　to　the　tune　of　the　guitar；　the　ghazals　of　their　vineyards。
  The　fountains　play　no　longer；　the　songs　have　ceased；　no　longer　do　snow…white　feet　step　gracefully　on　the　snowy　marble。　　It　is　but　the　vast　and　solitary　quarters　of　cess…collectors　like　us；　men　oppressed　with　solitude　and　deprived　of　the　society　of　women。　　Now；　Karim　Khan；　the　old　clerk　of　my　office；　　warned　me　repeatedly　not　to　take　　up　　my　abode　there。　〃Pass　the　day　there；　if　you　like；〃　said　he；　〃but　never　stay　the　night。〃　　I　passed　it　off　with　a　light　laugh。　　The　servants　said　that　they　would　work　till　dark　and　go　away　at　night。　　I　gave　my　ready　assent。　The　house　had　such　a　bad　name　that　even　thieves　would　not　venture　near　it　after　dark。
  At　first　the　solitude　of　the　deserted　palace　weighed　upon　me　like　a　nightmare。　　I　would　stay　out；　and　work　hard　as　long　as　possible；　then　return　home　at　night　jaded　and　tired；　go　to　bed　and　fall　asleep。
  Before　a　week　had　passed；　the　place　began　to　exert　a　weird　fascination　upon　me。　　It　is　difficult　to　describe　or　to　induce　people　to　believe；　but　I　felt　as　if　the　whole　house　was　like　a　living　organism　slowly　and　imperceptibly　digesting　me　by　the　action　of　some　stupefying　gastric　juice。
  Perhaps　the　process　had　begun　as　soon　as　I　set　my　foot　in　the　house；　but　I　distinctly　remember　the　day　on　which　I　first　was　conscious　of　it。
  It　was　the　beginning　of　summer；　and　the　market　being　dull　I　had　no　work　to　do。　　A　little　before　sunset　I　was　sitting　in　an　arm…chair　near　the　water's　edge　below　the　steps。　　The　Susta　had　shrunk　and　sunk　low；　a　broad　patch　of　sand　on　the　other　side　glowed　with　the　hues　of　evening；　on　this　side　the　pebbles　at　the　bottom　of　the　clear　shallow　waters　were　glistening。　　There　was　not　a　breath　of　wind　anywhere；　and　the　still　air　was　laden　with　an　oppressive　scent　from　the　spicy　shrubs　growing　on　the　hills　close　by。
  As　the　sun　sank　behind　the　hill…tops　a　long　dark　curtain　fell　upon　the　stage　of　day；　and　the　intervening　hills　cut　short　the　time　in　which　light　and　shade　mingle　at　sunset。　　I　thought　of　going　out　for　a　ride；　and　was　about　to　get　up　when　I　heard　a　footfall　on　the　steps　behind。　　I　looked　back；　but　there　was　no　one。
  As　I　sat　down　again；　thinking　it　to　be　an　illusion；　I　heard　many　footfalls；　as　if　a　large　number　of　persons　were　rushing　down　the　steps。　A　strange　thrill　of　delight；　slightly　tinged　with　fear；　passed　through　my　frame；　and　though　there　was　not　a　figure　before　my　eyes；　methought　I　saw　a　bevy　of　joyous　maidens　coming　down　the　steps　to　bathe　in　the　Susta　in　that　summer　evening。　　Not　a　sound　was　in　the　valley；　in　the　river；　or　in　the　palace；　to　break　the　silence；　but　I　distinctly　heard　the　maidens'　gay　and　mirthful　laugh；　like　the　gurgle　of　a　spring　gushing　forth　in　a　hundred　cascades；　as　they　ran　past　me；　in　quick　playful　pursuit　of　each　other；　towards　the　river；　without　noticing　me　at　all。　　As　they　were　invisible　to　me；　so　I　was；　as　it　were；　invisible　to　them。　　The　river　was　perfectly　calm；　but　I　felt　that　its　still；　shallow；　and　clear　waters　were　stirred　suddenly　by　the　splash　of　many　an　arm　jingling　with　bracelets；　that　the　girls　laughed　and　dashed　and　spattered　water　at　one　another；　that　the　feet　of　the　fair　swimmers　tossed　the　tiny　waves　up　in　showers　of　pearl。
  I　felt　a　thrill　at　my　heartI　cannot　say　whether　the　excitement　was　due　to　fear　or　delight　or　curiosity。　　I　had　a　strong　desire　to　see　them　more　clearly；　but　naught　was　visible　before　me；　I　thought　I　could　catch　all　that　they　said　if　I　only　strained　my　ears；　but　however　hard　I　strained　them；　I　heard　nothing　but　the　chirping　of　the　cicadas　in　the　woods。　　It　seemed　as　if　a　dark　curtain　of　250　years　was　hanging　before　me；　and　I　would　fain　lift　a　corner　of　it　tremblingly　and　peer　through；　though　the　assembly　on　the　other　side　was　completely　enveloped　in　darkness。
  The　oppressive　closeness　of　the　evening　was　broken　by　a　sudden　gust　of　wind；　and　the　still　surface　of　the　Suista　rippled　and　curled　like　the　hair　of　a　nymph；　and　from　the　woods　wrapt　in　the　evening　gloom　there　came　forth　a　simultaneous　murmur；　as　though　they　were　awakening　from　a　black　dream。　　Call　it　reality　or　dream；　the　momentary　glimpse　of　that　invisible　mirage　reflected　from　a　far…off　world；　　250　years　old；　vanished　in　a　flash。　　The　mystic　forms　that　brushed　past　me　with　their　quick　unbodied　steps；　and　loud；　voiceless　laughter；　and　threw　themselves　into　the　river；　did　not　go　back　wringing　their　dripping　robes　as　they　went。　　Like　fragrance　wafted　away　by　the　wind　they　were　dispersed　by　a　single　breath　of　the　spring。
  Then　I　was　filled　with　a　lively　fear　that　it　was　the　Muse　that　had　taken　advantage　of　my　solitude　and　possessed　methe　witch　had　evidently　come　to　ruin　a　poor　devil　like　myself　making　a　living　by　collecting　cotton　duties。　　I　decided　to　have　a　good　dinnerit　is　the　empty　stomach　that　all　sorts　of　incurable　diseases　find　an　easy　prey。　　I　sent　for　my　cook　and　gave　orders　for　a　rich；　sumptuous　moghlai　dinner；　redolent　of　spices　and　ghi。
  Next　morning　the　whole　affair　appeared　a　queer　fantasy。　　With　a　light　heart　I　put　on　a　sola　hat　like　the　sahebs；　and　drove　out　to　my　work。　　I　was　to　have　written　my　quarterly　report　that　day；　and　expected　to　return　late；　but　before　it　was　dark　I　was　strangely　drawn　to　my　houseby　what　I　could　not　sayI　felt　they　were　all　waiting；　and　that　I　should　delay　no　longer。　　Leaving　my　report　unfinished　I　rose；　put　on　my　sola　hat；　and　startling　the　dark；　shady；　desolate　path　with　the　rattle　of　my　carriage；　I　reached　the　vast　silent　palace　standing　on　the　gloomy　skirts　of　the　hills。
  On　the　first　floor　the　stairs　led　to　a　very　spacious　hall；　its　roof　stretching　wide　over　ornamental　arches　resting　on　three　rows　of　massive　pillars；　and　groaning　day　and　night　under　the　weight　of　its　own　intense　solitude。　　The　day　had　just　closed；　and　the　lamps　had　not　yet　been　lighted。