History of Bengali Language and Literature c7.s6.89

c7.s6.89

required for the marriage ceremony, Lakṣmindara fell asleep. But Behulā, though equally fatigued, sat near him on the bed and watched him—for he appeared to her as a priceless treasure and she must not trust too much to her good fortune. After a while, Lakṣmindara awoke and said to Behulā, “ My darling, I am very hungry; can you prepare some rice for me?” Saying this he again fell asleep. Behulā did not know what to do. How could she prepare rice there? But her resources never failed her. The plate required for the sacred ceremony contained some cocoanuts; there were also rice and some coloured earthen cups there. She took three cocoanuts and made a hearth with them. One earthen cup was filled with the sweet milk of a cocoanut and rice was placed in it. She took a silken robe and with that kindled a fire to prepare the rice. There she sat, like Annapūrṇā, cooking rice for her husband.