Upon the morrow, when the King had gone Among his ministers and men of state, The Queen again to Bidasari's room Repaired, to beat her more. As soon as she Beheld the Queen, poor Bidasari prayed To her, "O sovereign lady great, permit That I may go unto my father's house." The princess shook with rage, her face on fire. "If thou but sayest a word, I'll slay thee here." To whom could Bidasari turn? She bent Before the will of God, and in a sweet Voice said: "O Lord, my God, have pity now Upon me, for the cruel world has none. Grant now the Queen's desire and let me die, For she reproacheth me, though naught I've done. My parents have forgotten me, nor send A word." The angry princess struck again Her piteous face, and as she swooned away A napkin took to twist into a cord And strangle her. She summoned to her aid Dang Ratna Wali. "Help me pluck this weed; I wish to kill her." But the woman fled, As base as cruel. Bidasari's ghost Arose before her. Yet the child came back To consciousness, and thought amid her tears: "I'll tell the story of the golden fish Unto the Queen, that she may know it all; For I can but a little while endure These pains." She spoke then to the Queen and said: "O Queen, thou dost desire that I shall die. Seek out a little casket that doth lie All hidden in the fish-pond at our house. Within it is a fish. Have it brought here And I will tell thee what it signifies." The princess called Dyang Sendari: "Go And bring here the _dyangs_, with no delay From out the merchant's house." When they arrived: "Go, now, _dyangs_, for Bidasari saith There is a little casket in the pond Where she is wont to bathe. Go bring it me, In silence, letting no one see ye come." Then the _dyangs_ replied: "Oh, hear our prayer For Bidasari. How her parents grieve! Oh, pardon, princess, let her go with us." The Queen with smiles responded: "The young girl Is very happy here, and full of joy. Her parents must not grieve, for in two days If Bidasari doth desire to go I'll send her freely. She is vexed that ye Come here so often." The _dyangs_ bowed low, And smiled, and called enticingly: "Come forth, O charming child, pure soul; it is not right To treat us so, for we have come to see Thy lovely face, and in its beauty bask." Sweet Bidasari heard, and could not speak, But answered with her tears. The cruel Queen Said to them: "Speak no more. But if ye bring The little casket, ye will fill the heart Of Bidasari with great joy." Forth fared Then the _dyangs_, and found the casket small, And brought it to the palace of the Queen. Again to Bidasari called the good _Dyangs_: "Oh, come, dear heart, and take it from Our hands yourself." "She sleeps," the princess said. "Come back to-morrow." So they bowed and went. The princess hastened with the casket rich To Bidasari's room, and opened it Before her eyes. Within it was a box Of agate, beautiful to see, and filled With water wherein swam a little fish Of form most ravishing. The princess stood Amazed to see with eyes of fire a fish That swam. Then was she glad, and spoke with joy To Bidasari: "Say what signifies The fish to thee? What shall I do with it?" Then Bidasari bowed and said: "My soul Is in that fish. At dawn must thou remove It from the water, and at night replace.