unknown to anyone. The younger lady told everyone about the tragic death of the elder widow was due to drowning in the lake. In another version of the story, the younger lady told others that the stubborn elder lady didn't want to return home and chose to catch fish further until sunset. Childhood The younger widow and her daughter Chaisra (Cheisra) mistreated Sandrembi (Shanarembi) after her mother's death. One night, Sandrembi saw her mother in her dream, revealing the truth behind her tragic death. Her mother told her to bring the tortoise from the lake and keep it inside a pitcher for five consecutive days without any break at which only she could re-assume her human form. Sandrembi did so but before the completion of the five days, Chaisra discovered the tortoise and so, she insisted her mother to make Sandrembi cook the tortoise meat for her. The stepmother forced poor Sandrembi to boil the tortoise. Sandrembi tried to take away the fuel stick on hearing the tortoise mother's words from the boiling pan/pot but she could not save her tortoise mother before them. Chaisra and her mother devoured the tortoise meat to their heart's content and threw away the bones in the verandah. Again the tortoise mother told Sandrembi in her dream to keep the tortoise bones undisturbed inside a basket by covering it with a cloth for 7 consecutive days. Sandrembi did so. However, before the completion of the said period, out of her anxiety as well as curiosity, Sandrembi opened the basket and as it disturbed the normal process of regaining the human shape, the tortoise mother came out in the form of a sparrow and flew away. Married life and death Many years passed away and the two stepsisters grew up. Sandrembi, became beautiful and accomplished but not nicely dressed up. Chaisra became ugly although properly dressed. Once a King ("Crown Prince" in another version of the story) came for hunting and saw the two maidens fetching water by a riverside. Knowing the quality of Sandrembi's beauty and elegance, though not wearing nice clothes, the king immediately took Sandrembi away with him (after some days or weeks in other versions of the story). She was made the Queen after a ceremonial marriage. She spent her life ("with her brother" in another version of the story) with joy in the palace. A son was also born to