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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/2290-h.zip b/2290-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d716f34 --- /dev/null +++ b/2290-h.zip diff --git a/2290-h/2290-h.htm b/2290-h/2290-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1d91bd --- /dev/null +++ b/2290-h/2290-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6147 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Twenty-two Goblins, by Unknown +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: small } + +P.letter {font-size: small ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.intro {font-size: small; + font-style: italic; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-two Goblins, by Unknown + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Twenty-two Goblins + +Author: Unknown + +Translator: Arthur William Ryder + +Posting Date: March 21, 2009 [EBook #2290] +Release Date: August, 2000 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS *** + + + + +Produced by "Batsy" Bybell. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS +</H1> + +<BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Translated from the Sanskrit by Arthur William Ryder +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#intro">Introduction</A> +</H4> + +<H5> +Goblin-<BR>story +</H5> + +<H4> +1. <A HREF="#chap01">The Prince's Elopement.</A> Whose fault was the resulting death of his +parents-in-law? +</H4> + +<H4> +2. <A HREF="#chap02">The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life.</A> Whose wife +should she be? +</H4> + +<H4> +3. <A HREF="#chap03">The Parrot and the Thrush.</A> Which are worse, men or women? +</H4> + +<H4> +4. <A HREF="#chap04">King Shudraka and Hero's Family.</A> Which of the five deserves the +most honour? +</H4> + +<H4> +5. <A HREF="#chap05">The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man.</A> To which should +the girl be given? +</H4> + +<H4> +6. <A HREF="#chap06">The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother.</A> Which +combination of head and body is her husband? +</H4> + +<H4> +7. <A HREF="#chap07">The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and Prince Good.</A> Which is +the more deserving? +</H4> + +<H4> +8. <A HREF="#chap08">The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the Specialist +in Cotton.</A> Which is the cleverest? +</H4> + +<H4> +9. <A HREF="#chap09">The Four Scientific Suitors.</A> To which should the girl be given? +</H4> + +<H4> +10. <A HREF="#chap10">The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner.</A> Which is the most +delicate? +</H4> + +<H4> +11. <A HREF="#chap11">The King who won a Fairy as his Wife.</A> Why did his counsellor's +heart break? +</H4> + +<H4> +12. <A HREF="#chap12">The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the Claws of a +Hawk fell into a Dish of Food given him by a Charitable Woman.</A> Who is +to blame for his death? +</H4> + +<H4> +13. <A HREF="#chap13">The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief.</A> Did he weep or +laugh? +</H4> + +<H4> +14. <A HREF="#chap14">The Man who changed into a Woman at Will.</A> Was his wife his or the +other man's? +</H4> + +<H4> +15. <A HREF="#chap15">The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent Shell-crest.</A> Which +is the more self-sacrificing? +</H4> + +<H4> +16. <A HREF="#chap16">The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General +follows him in Death.</A> Which is the more worthy? +</H4> + +<H4> +17. <A HREF="#chap17">The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies.</A> Why did he fail +to win the magic spell? +</H4> + +<H4> +18. <A HREF="#chap18">The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the Giant conspired to +Kill.</A> Why did he laugh at the moment of death? +</H4> + +<H4> +19. <A HREF="#chap19">The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all died for Love.</A> Which was +the most foolish? +</H4> + +<H4> +20. <A HREF="#chap20">The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life.</A> Which is to +blame when he kills them all? +</H4> + +<H4> +21. <A HREF="#chap21">The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead Boy.</A> Why +did he weep and dance? +</H4> + +<H4> +22. <A HREF="#chap22">The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother.</A> What relation +were their children? +</H4> + +<H4> +<A HREF="#conclusion">Conclusion</A> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="intro"></A> +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS +</H1> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +INTRODUCTION +</H3> + +<P> +On the bank of the Godavari River is a kingdom called the Abiding +Kingdom. There lived the son of King Victory, the famous King +Triple-victory, mighty as the king of the gods. As this king sat in +judgment, a monk called Patience brought him every day one piece of +fruit as an expression of homage. And the king took it and gave it each +day to the treasurer who stood near. Thus twelve years passed. +</P> + +<P> +Now one day the monk came to court, gave the king a piece of fruit as +usual, and went away. But on this day the king gave the fruit to a pet +baby monkey that had escaped from his keepers, and happened to wander +in. And as the monkey ate the fruit, he split it open, and a priceless, +magnificent gem came out. +</P> + +<P> +When the king saw this, he took it and asked the treasurer: "Where have +you been keeping the fruits which the monk brought? I gave them to +you." When the treasurer heard this, he was frightened and said: "Your +Majesty, I have thrown them all through the window. If your Majesty +desires, I will look for them now." And when the king had dismissed +him, he went, but returned in a moment, and said again: "Your Majesty, +they were all smashed in the treasury, and in them I see heaps of +dazzling gems." +</P> + +<P> +When he heard this, the king was delighted, and gave the jewels to the +treasurer. And when the monk came the next day, he asked him: "Monk, +why do you keep honouring me in such an expensive way? Unless I know +the reason, I will not take your fruit." +</P> + +<P> +Then the monk took the king aside and said: "O hero, there is a +business in which I need help. So I ask for your help in it, because +you are a brave man." And the king promised his assistance. +</P> + +<P> +Then the monk was pleased, and said again: "O King, on the last night +of the waning moon, you must go to the great cemetery at nightfall, and +come to me under the fig-tree." Then the king said "Certainly," and +Patience, the monk, went home well pleased. +</P> + +<P> +So when the night came, the mighty king remembered his promise to the +monk, and at dusk he wrapped his head in a black veil, took his sword +in his hand, and went to the great cemetery without being seen. When he +got there, he looked about, and saw the monk standing under the +fig-tree and making a magic circle. So he went up and said: "Monk, here +I am. Tell me what I am to do for you." +</P> + +<P> +And when the monk saw the king, he was delighted and said: "O King, if +you wish to do me a favour, go south from here some distance all alone, +and you will see a sissoo tree and a dead body hanging from it. Be so +kind as to bring that here." +</P> + +<P> +When the brave king heard this, he agreed, and, true to his promise, +turned south and started. And as he walked with difficulty along the +cemetery road, he came upon the sissoo tree at some distance, and saw a +body hanging on it. So he climbed the tree, cut the rope, and let it +fall to the ground. And as it fell, it unexpectedly cried aloud, as if +alive. Then the king climbed down, and thinking it was alive, he +mercifully rubbed its limbs. Then the body gave a loud laugh. +</P> + +<P> +So the king knew that a goblin lived in it, and said without fear: +"What are you laughing about? Come, let us be off." But then he did not +see the goblin on the ground any longer. And when he looked up, there +he was, hanging in the tree as before. So the king climbed the tree +again, and carefully carried the body down. A brave man's heart is +harder than a diamond, and nothing makes it tremble. +</P> + +<P> +Then he put the body with the goblin in it on his shoulder, and started +off in silence. And as he walked along, the goblin in the body said: "O +King, to amuse the journey, I will tell you a story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FIRST GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Prince's Elopement. Whose fault was the resulting death of his +parents-in-law? +</P> + +<P> +There is a city called Benares where Shiva lives. It is loved by pious +people like the soil of Mount Kailasa. The river of heaven shines there +like a pearl necklace. And in the city lived a king called Valour who +burned up all his enemies by his valour, as a fire burns a forest. He +had a son named Thunderbolt who broke the pride of the love-god by his +beauty, and the pride of men by his bravery. This prince had a clever +friend, the son of a counsellor. +</P> + +<P> +One day the prince was enjoying himself with his friend hunting, and +went a long distance. And so he came to a great forest. There he saw a +beautiful lake, and being tired, he drank from it with his friend the +counsellor's son, washed his hands and feet, and sat down under a tree +on the bank. +</P> + +<P> +And then he saw a beautiful maiden who had come there with her servants +to bathe. She seemed to fill the lake with the stream of her beauty, +and seemed to make lilies grow there with her eyes, and seemed to shame +the lotuses with a face more lovely than the moon. She captured the +prince's heart the moment that he saw her. And the prince took her eyes +captive. +</P> + +<P> +The girl had a strange feeling when she saw him, but was too modest to +say a word. So she gave a hint of the feeling in her heart. She put a +lotus on her ear, laid a lily on her head after she had made the edge +look like a row of teeth, and placed her hand on her heart. But the +prince did not understand her signs, only the clever counsellor's son +understood them all. +</P> + +<P> +A moment later the girl went away, led by her servants. She went home +and sat on the sofa and stayed there. But her thoughts were with the +prince. +</P> + +<P> +The prince went slowly back to his city, and was terribly lonely +without her, and grew thinner every day. Then his friend the son of the +counsellor took him aside and told him that she was not hard to find. +But he had lost all courage and said: "My friend, I don't know her +name, nor her home, nor her family. How can I find her? Why do you +vainly try to comfort me?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor's son said: "Did you not see all that she hinted +with her signs? When she put the lotus on her ear, she meant that she +lived in the kingdom of a king named Ear-lotus. And when she made the +row of teeth, she meant that she was the daughter of a man named Bite +there. And when she laid the lily on her head, she meant that her name +was Lily. And when she placed her hand on her heart, she meant that she +loved you. And there is a king named Ear-lotus in the Kalinga country. +There is a very rich man there whom the king likes. His real name is +Battler, but they call him Bite. He has a pearl of a girl whom he loves +more than his life, and her name is Lily. This is true, because people +told me. So I understood her signs about her country and the other +things." When the counsellor's son had said this, the prince was +delighted to find him so clever, and pleased because he knew what to do. +</P> + +<P> +Then he formed a plan with the counsellor's son, and started for the +lake again, pretending that he was going to hunt, but really to find +the girl that he loved. On the way he rode like the wind away from his +soldiers, and started for the Kalinga country with the counsellor's son. +</P> + +<P> +When they reached the city of King Ear-lotus, they looked about and +found the house of the man called Bite, and they went to a house near +by to live with an old woman. And the counsellor's son said to the old +woman: "Old woman, do you know anybody named Bite in this city?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the old woman answered him respectfully: "My son, I know him well. +I was his nurse. And I am a servant of his daughter Lily. But I do not +go there now because my dress is stolen. My naughty son is a gambler +and steals my clothes." +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor's son was pleased and satisfied her with his own +cloak and other presents. And he said: "Mother, you must do very +secretly what we tell you. Go to Bite's daughter Lily, and tell her +that the prince whom she saw on the bank of the lake is here, and sent +you with a love-message to her." +</P> + +<P> +The old woman was pleased with the gifts and went to Lily at once. And +when she got a chance, she said: "My child, the prince and the +counsellor's son have come to take you. Tell me what to do now." But +the girl scolded her and struck her cheeks with both hands smeared with +camphor. +</P> + +<P> +The old woman was hurt by this treatment, and came home weeping, and +said to the two men: "My sons, see how she left the marks of her +fingers on my face." +</P> + +<P> +And the prince was hopeless and sad, but the very clever counsellor's +son took him aside and said, "My friend, do not be sad. She was only +keeping the secret when she scolded the old woman, and put ten fingers +white with camphor on her face. She meant that you must wait before +seeing her, for the next ten nights are bright with moonlight." +</P> + +<P> +So the counsellor's son comforted the prince, took a little gold +ornament and sold it in the market, and bought a great dinner for the +old woman. So they two took dinner with the old woman. They did this +for ten days, and then the counsellor's son sent her to Lily again, to +find out something more. +</P> + +<P> +And the old woman was eager for dainty food and drink. So to please him +she went to Lily's house, and then came back and said: "My children, I +went there and stayed with her for some time without speaking. But she +spoke herself of my naughtiness in mentioning you, and struck me again +on the chest with three fingers stained red. So I came back in +disgrace." +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor's son whispered to the prince: "Don't be alarmed, +my friend. When she left the marks of three red fingers on the old +woman's heart, she meant to say very cleverly that there were three +dangerous days coming." So the counsellor's son comforted the prince. +</P> + +<P> +And when three days were gone, he sent the old woman to Lily again. And +this time she went and was very respectfully entertained, and treated +to wine and other things the whole day. But when she was ready to go +back in the evening, a terrible shouting was heard outside. They heard +people running and crying: "Oh, oh! A mad elephant has escaped from his +stable and is running around and stamping on people." +</P> + +<P> +Then Lily said to the old woman: "Mother, you must not go through the +street now where the elephant is. I will put you in a swing and let you +down with ropes through this great window into the garden. Then you can +climb into a tree and jump on the wall, and go home by way of another +tree." So she had her servants let the old woman down from the window +into the garden by a rope-swing. And the old woman went home and told +the prince and the counsellor's son all about it. +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor's son said to the prince: "My friend, your wishes +are fulfilled. She has been clever enough to show you the road. So you +must follow that same road this very evening to the room of your +darling." +</P> + +<P> +So the prince went to the garden with the counsellor's son by the road +that the old woman had shown them. And there he saw the rope-swing +hanging down, and servants above keeping an eye on the road. And when +he got into the swing, the servants at the window pulled at the rope +and he came to his darling. And when he had gone in, the counsellor's +son went back to the old woman's house. +</P> + +<P> +But the prince saw Lily, and her face was beautiful like the full moon, +and the moonlight of her beauty shone forth, like the night when the +moon shines in secret because of the dark. And when she saw him, she +threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. So he married her and +stayed hidden with her for some days. +</P> + +<P> +One day he said to his wife: "My dear, my friend the counsellor's son +came with me, and he is staying all alone at the old woman's house. I +must go and see him, then I will come back." +</P> + +<P> +But Lily was shrewd and said: "My dear, I must ask you something. Did +you understand the signs I made, or was it the counsellor's son?" And +the prince said to her: "My dear, I did not understand them all, but my +friend has wonderful wisdom. He understood everything and told me." +Then the sweet girl thought, and said: "My dear, you did wrong not to +tell me before. Your friend is a real brother to me. I ought to have +sent him some nuts and other nice things at the very first." +</P> + +<P> +Then she let him go, and he went to his friend by night by the same +road, and told all that his wife had said. But the counsellor's son +said: "That is foolish," and did not think much of it. So they spent +the night talking. +</P> + +<P> +Then when the time for the twilight sacrifice came, a friend of Lily's +came there with cooked rice and nuts in her hand. She came and asked +the counsellor's son about his health and gave him the present. And she +cleverly tried to keep the prince from eating. "Your wife is expecting +you to dinner," she said, and a moment later she went away. +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor's son said to the prince: "Look, your Majesty. I +will show you something curious." So he took a little of the cooked +rice and gave it to a dog that was there. And the moment he ate it, the +dog died. And the prince asked the counsellor's son what this strange +thing could mean. +</P> + +<P> +And he replied: "Your Majesty, she knew that I was clever because I +understood her signs, and she wanted to kill me out of love for you. +For she thought the prince would not be all her own while I was alive, +but would leave her for my sake and go back to his own city. So she +sent me poisoned food to eat. But you must not be angry with her. I +will think up some scheme." +</P> + +<P> +Then the prince praised the counsellor's son, and said: "You are truly +the body of wisdom." And then suddenly a great wailing of +grief-stricken people was heard: "Alas! Alas! The king's little son is +dead." +</P> + +<P> +When he heard this, the counsellor's son was delighted, and said: "Your +Majesty, go to-night to Lily's house, and make her drink wine until she +loses her senses and seems to be dead. Then as she lies there, make a +mark on her hip with a red-hot fork, steal her jewels, and come back +the old way through the window. After that I will do the right thing." +</P> + +<P> +Then he made a three-pronged fork and gave it to the prince. And the +prince took the crooked, cruel thing, hard as the weapon of Death, and +went by night as before to Lily's house. "A king," he thought, "ought +not to disregard the words of a high-minded counsellor." So when he had +stupefied her with wine, he branded her hip with the fork, stole her +jewels, returned to his friend, and told him everything, showing him +the jewels. +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor's son felt sure his scheme was successful. He went +to the cemetery in the morning, and disguised himself as a hermit, and +the prince as his pupil. And he said: "Take this pearl necklace from +among the jewels. Go and sell it in the market-place. And if the +policemen arrest you, say this: It was given to me to sell by my +teacher.'" +</P> + +<P> +So the prince went to the market-place and stood there offering the +pearl necklace for sale, and he was arrested while doing it by the +policemen. And as they were eager to find out about the theft of the +jewels from Bite's daughter, they took the prince at once to the chief +of police. And when he saw that the culprit was dressed like a hermit, +he asked him very gently: "Holy sir, where did you get this pearl +necklace? It belongs to Bite's daughter and was stolen." Then the +prince said to them: "Gentlemen, my teacher gave it to me to sell. You +had better go and ask him." +</P> + +<P> +Then the chief of police went and asked him: "Holy sir, how did this +pearl necklace come into your pupil's hand?" +</P> + +<P> +And the shrewd counsellor's son whispered to him: "Sir, as I am a +hermit, I wander about all the time in this region. And as I happened +to be here in this cemetery, I saw a whole company of witches who came +here at night. And one of the witches split open the heart of a king's +son, and offered it to her master. She was mad with wine, and screwed +up her face most horribly. But when she impudently tried to snatch my +rosary as I prayed, I became angry, and branded her on the hip with a +three-pronged fork which I had made red-hot with a magic spell. And I +took this pearl necklace from her neck. Then, as it was not a thing for +a hermit, I sent it to be sold." +</P> + +<P> +When he heard this, the chief of police went and told the whole story +to the king. And when the king heard and saw the evidence, he sent the +old woman, who was reliable, to identify the pearl necklace. And he +heard from her that Lily was branded on the hip. +</P> + +<P> +Then he was convinced that she was really a witch and had devoured his +son. So he went himself to the counsellor's son, who was disguised as a +hermit, and asked how Lily should be punished. And by his advice, she +was banished from the city, though her parents wept. So she was +banished naked to the forest and knew that the counsellor's son had +done it all, but she did not die. +</P> + +<P> +And at nightfall the prince and the counsellor's son put off their +hermit disguise, mounted on horseback, and found her weeping. They put +her on a horse and took her to their own country. And when they got +there, the prince lived most happily with her. +</P> + +<P> +But Bite thought that his daughter was eaten by wild beasts in the +wood, and he died of grief. And his wife died with him. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When he had told this story, the goblin asked the king: "O King, who +was to blame for the death of the parents: the prince, or the +counsellor's son, or Lily? You seem like a very wise man, so resolve my +doubts on this point. If you know and do not tell me the truth, then +your head will surely fly into a hundred pieces. And if you give a good +answer, then I will jump from your shoulder and go back to the sissoo +tree." +</P> + +<P> +Then King Triple-victory said to the goblin: "You are a master of +magic. You surely know yourself, but I will tell you. It was not the +fault of any of the three you mentioned. It was entirely the fault of +King Ear-lotus." +</P> + +<P> +But the goblin said: "How could it be the king's fault? The other three +did it. Are the crows to blame when the geese eat up the rice?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the king said: "But those three are not to blame. It was right for +the counsellor's son to do his master's business. So he is not to +blame. And Lily and the prince were madly in love and could not stop to +think. They only looked after their own affairs. They are not to blame. +</P> + +<P> +"But the king knew the law-books very well, and he had spies to find +out the facts among the people. And he knew about the doings of +rascals. So he acted without thinking. He is to blame." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he wanted to test the king's constancy. So +he went back by magic in a moment to the sissoo tree. And the king went +back fearlessly to get him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SECOND GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose wife should +she be? +</P> + +<P> +Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree to fetch the +goblin. And when he got there and looked about, he saw the goblin +fallen on the ground and moaning. Then, when the king put the body with +the goblin in it on his shoulder and started to carry him off quickly +and silently, the goblin on his shoulder said to him: "Oh King, you +have fallen into a very disagreeable task which you do not deserve. So +to amuse you I will tell another story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +On the bank of Kalindi River is a farm where a very learned Brahman +lived. And he had a very beautiful daughter named Coral. When the +Creator fashioned her fresh and peerless loveliness, surely he must +have despised the cleverness he showed before in fashioning the nymphs +of heaven. +</P> + +<P> +When she had grown out of childhood, there came from the city of Kanauj +three Brahman youths, endowed with all the virtues. And each of them +asked her father for her, that she might be his own. And though her +father would rather have died than give her up to anyone, he made up +his mind to give her to one of them. But the girl would not marry any +one of them for some time, because she was afraid of hurting the +feelings of the other two. So they stayed there all three of them day +and night, feasting on the beauty of her face, like the birds that live +on moonbeams. +</P> + +<P> +Then all at once Coral fell sick of a burning fever and died. And when +the Brahman youths saw that she was dead, they were smitten with grief. +But they adorned her body, took it to the cemetery, and burned it. +</P> + +<P> +And one of them built a hut there, slept on a bed made of her ashes, +and got his food by begging. The second took her bones and went to dip +them in the sacred Ganges river. And the third became a monk and +wandered in other countries. +</P> + +<P> +And as he wandered, the monk came to a village called Thunderbolt, and +was entertained in the house of a Brahman. But when he had been +honoured by the master of the house and had begun to eat dinner there, +the little boy began to cry and would not stop even when they petted +him. So his mother took him on her arm, and angrily threw him into the +blazing fire. And being tender, he was reduced to ashes in a moment. +</P> + +<P> +When the monk saw this, his hair stood on end, and he said: "Alas! I +have come into the house of a devil. I will not eat this food. It would +be like eating sin." But the master of the house said to him: "Brahman, +I have studied to good purpose. See my skill in bringing the dead to +life." So he opened a book, took out a magic spell, read it, and +sprinkled water on the ashes. And the moment the water was sprinkled, +the boy stood up alive just as before. Then the monk was highly +delighted and finished his dinner with pleasure. +</P> + +<P> +And the master of the house hung the book on an ivory peg, took dinner +with the monk, and went to bed. When he was asleep, the monk got up +quietly, and tremblingly took the book, hoping to bring his darling +Coral back to life. He went away and travelled night and day, until he +finally reached the cemetery. And he caught sight of the second youth, +who had come back after dipping the bones in the Ganges. And he also +found the third youth, who had made a hut and lived there, sleeping on +the girl's ashes. +</P> + +<P> +Then the monk cried: "Brother, leave your hut. I will bring the dear +girl back to life." And while they eagerly questioned him, he opened +the book, and read the magic spell, and sprinkled holy water on the +ashes. And Coral immediately stood up, alive. And the girl was more +beautiful than ever. She looked as if she were made of gold. +</P> + +<P> +When the three youths saw her come back to life like that, they went +mad with love, and fought with one another to possess her. +</P> + +<P> +One said: "I brought her to life by my magic spell. She is my wife." +</P> + +<P> +The second said: "She came to life because of my journey to the sacred +river. She is my wife." +</P> + +<P> +The third said: "I kept her ashes. That is why she came to life. She is +my dear wife." +</P> + +<P> +O King, you are able to decide their dispute. Tell me. Whose wife +should she be? If you know and say what is false, then your head will +split. +</P> + +<P> +When the king heard this, he said to the goblin: "The man who painfully +found the magic spell and brought her back to life, he did only what a +father ought to do. He is not her husband. And the man who went to dip +her bones in the sacred river, he did only what a son ought to do. He +is not her husband. But the man who slept with her ashes and lived a +hard life in the cemetery, he did what a lover ought to do. He deserves +to be her husband." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this answer of King Triple-victory, he suddenly +escaped from his shoulder and went back. And the king wished to do as +the monk had asked him; so he decided to go back and get him. +Great-minded people do not waver until they have kept their promises, +even at the cost of life. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THIRD GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Parrot and the Thrush. Which are worse, men or women? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree to fetch the goblin. When he +got there, he took the body with the goblin in it on his shoulder, and +started off in silence. And as he walked along, the goblin said to him +again: "O King, you must be very tired, coming and going in the night. +So to amuse you I will tell another story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Patna, the gem of the earth. And long ago a king +lived there whose name was Lion-of-Victory. Fate had made him the owner +of all virtues and all wealth. And he had a parrot called +Jewel-of-Wisdom, that had divine intelligence and knew all the +sciences, but lived as a parrot because of a curse. +</P> + +<P> +This king had a son called Moon, and by the advice of the parrot this +prince married the daughter of the king of the Magadha country; and her +name was Moonlight. Now this princess had a thrush named Moony, who was +like the parrot, because she had learning and intelligence. And the +parrot and the thrush lived in one cage in the palace. +</P> + +<P> +One day the parrot eagerly said to the thrush: "My darling, love me, +and share my bed and my chair and my food and my amusements." +</P> + +<P> +But the thrush said: "I will have nothing to do with men. Men are bad +and ungrateful." +</P> + +<P> +Then the parrot said: "Men are not bad. It is only women who are bad +and cruel-hearted." And they quarrelled. +</P> + +<P> +Then the two birds wagered their freedom with each other and went to +the prince to have their quarrel decided. And the prince mounted his +father's judgment throne, and when he had heard the cause of the +quarrel, he asked the thrush: "How are men ungrateful? Tell the truth." +Then she said, "Listen, O Prince," and to prove her point she started +to tell this story illustrating the faults of men. +</P> + +<P> +There is a famous city called Kamandaki, where a wealthy merchant lived +named Fortune. And in time a son was born to him and named Treasure. +Then when the father went to heaven, the young man became very unruly +because of gambling and other vices. And the rascals came together, and +ruined him. Association with scoundrels is the root from which springs +the tree of calamity. +</P> + +<P> +So in no long time he lost all he had through his vices, and being +ashamed of his poverty, he left his own country and went to wander in +other places. And during his travels he came to a city called Sandal +City, and entered the house of a merchant, seeking something to eat. +When the merchant saw the youth, he asked him about his family, and +finding that he was a gentleman, he entertained him. And thinking that +Gate had sent the young man, he gave him his own daughter Pearl, +together with some money. And when Treasure was married, he lived in +his father-in-law's house. +</P> + +<P> +As time passed, he forgot his former miseries in the comforts of his +life, and longed for the old vices, and wanted to go home. So the +rascal managed to persuade his father-in-law, who had no other +children, took his wife Pearl with her beautiful ornaments, and an old +woman, and started for his own country. Presently he came to a wood +where he said he was afraid of thieves, so he took all his wife's +ornaments. Perceive, O Prince, how cruel and hard are the ungrateful +hearts of those who indulge in gambling and other vices. And the +scoundrel was ready, just for money, to kill his good wife. He threw +her and the old woman into a pit. Then the rascal went away and the old +woman perished there. +</P> + +<P> +But Pearl, with the little life she had left, managed to get out by +clinging to the grass and bushes, and weeping bitterly, and bleeding, +she asked the way step by step, and painfully reached her father's +house by the way she had come. And her mother and father were surprised +and asked her: "Why did you come back so soon, and in this condition?" +</P> + +<P> +And that good wife said: "On the road we were robbed, and my husband +was forcibly carried off. And the old woman fell into a pit and died, +but I escaped. And a kind-hearted traveller pulled me from the pit." +Then her father and mother were saddened, but they comforted her, and +Pearl stayed there, true to her husband. +</P> + +<P> +Then in time Treasure lost all his money in gambling, and he reflected: +"I will get more money from the house of my father-in-law. I will go +there and tell my father-in-law that his daughter is well and is at my +house." +</P> + +<P> +So he went again to his father-in-law. And as he went, his +ever-faithful wife saw him afar off. She ran and fell at the rascal's +feet and told him all the story that she had invented for her parents. +For the heart of a faithful wife does not change even when she learns +that her husband is a rogue. +</P> + +<P> +Then that rascal went without fear into the house of his father-in-law +and bowed low before his feet. And his father-in-law rejoiced when he +saw him and made a great feast with his relatives, for he said: "My son +is delivered alive from the robbers. Heaven be praised!" Then Treasure +enjoyed the wealth of his father-in-law and lived with his wife Pearl. +</P> + +<P> +Now one night this worst of scoundrels did what I ought not to repeat, +but I will tell it, or my story would be spoiled. Listen, O Prince. +While Pearl lay asleep trusting him, that wretch killed her in the +night, stole all her jewels, and escaped to his own country. This shows +how bad and ungrateful men are. +</P> + +<P> +When the thrush had told her story, the prince smiled and said to the +parrot: "It is your turn now." +</P> + +<P> +Then the parrot said: "Your Majesty, women are cruel and reckless and +bad. To prove it, I will tell you a story. Listen." +</P> + +<P> +There is a city called Joyful, where lived a prince of merchants named +Virtue, who owned millions of money. He had a daughter named Fortune, +peerless in beauty, dearer to him than life. And she was given in +marriage to a merchant's son from Copper City, whose name was Ocean. He +was her equal in wealth, beauty, and family; a delight to the eyes of +men. +</P> + +<P> +One day when her husband was away from home, she saw from the window a +handsome young man. And the moment she saw him, the fickle girl went +mad with love, and secretly sent a messenger to invite him in, and made +love to him in secret. Thus her heart was fixed on him alone, and she +was happy with him. +</P> + +<P> +But at last her husband came home and delighted the hearts of his +parents-in-law. And when the day had been spent in feasting, Fortune +was adorned by her mother, and sent to her husband's room. But she was +cold toward him and pretended to sleep. And her husband went to sleep, +too, for he was weary with his journey, and had been drinking wine. +</P> + +<P> +When everyone in the house had gone to sleep after their dinner, a +thief made a hole in the wall and came into that very room. And just +then the merchant's daughter got up without seeing him, and went out +secretly to a meeting with her lover. And the thief was disappointed, +and thought: "She has gone out into the night wearing the very jewels +that I came to steal. I must see where she goes." So the thief went out +and followed her. +</P> + +<P> +But she met a woman friend who had flowers in her hand, and went to a +park not very far away. And there she saw the man whom she came to meet +hanging on a tree. For the policeman had thought he was a thief, had +put a rope around his neck and hanged him. +</P> + +<P> +And at the sight she went distracted, and lamented pitifully: "Oh, oh! +I am undone," and fell on the ground and wept. Then she took her lover +down from the tree and made him sit up, though he was dead, and adorned +him with perfumes and jewels and flowers. +</P> + +<P> +But when in her love-madness she lifted his face and kissed him, a +goblin who had come to live in her dead lover, bit off her nose. And +she was startled and ran in pain from the spot. But then she came back +to see if perhaps he was alive after all. But the goblin had gone, and +she saw that he was motionless and dead. So she slowly went back home, +frightened and disgraced and weeping. +</P> + +<P> +And the concealed thief saw it all and thought: "What has the wicked +woman done? Alas! Can women be so dreadful as this? What might she not +do next?" So out of curiosity the thief still followed her from afar. +</P> + +<P> +And the wretched woman entered the house and cried aloud, and said: +"Save me from my cruel enemy, my own husband. He cut off my nose and I +had done nothing." And her servants heard her cries and all arose in +excitement. Her husband too awoke. Then her father came and saw that +her nose was cut off, and in his anger he had his son-in-law arrested. +</P> + +<P> +And the poor man did not know what to do. Even when he was being bound, +he remained silent and said nothing. Then they all woke up and heard +the story, but the thief who knew the whole truth, ran away. And when +day came, the merchant's son was haled before the king by his +father-in-law. And Fortune went there without her nose, and the king +heard the whole story and condemned the merchant's son to death for +mistreating his wife. +</P> + +<P> +So the innocent, bewildered man was led to the place of execution and +the drums were beaten. Just then the thief came up and said to the +king's men: "Why do you kill this man without any good reason? I know +how the whole thing happened. Take me to the king, and I will tell all." +</P> + +<P> +So all the king's men took him to the king. And the thief told the king +all the adventures of the night, and said: "Your Majesty, if you cannot +trust my word, you may find the nose at this moment between the teeth +of the dead body." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king sent men to investigate, and when he found it was true, +he released the merchant's son from the punishment of death. As for +wretched Fortune, he cut off her ears, too, and banished her from the +country. And he took from her father, the merchant, all his money, and +made the thief the chief of police. He was pleased with him. +</P> + +<P> +O Prince, this shows how cruel and false women are by nature. +</P> + +<P> +As he spoke these words, the parrot changed into a god, for the curse +was fulfilled, and went to heaven like a god. And the thrush suddenly +became a goddess, for her curse was at an end, and flew up likewise to +heaven. So their dispute was never settled at that court. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, tell +me. Are men bad, or women? If you know and do not tell, your head will +fly to pieces." And when the king heard these words of the goblin on +his shoulder, he said to that magic goblin: "O goblin! Here and there, +now and then, there is an occasional bad man like that. But women are +usually bad. We hear about many of them." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin disappeared from the king's shoulder as before. And the +king tried again to catch him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FOURTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of the five deserves the most +honour? +</P> + +<P> +Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree and caught the +goblin, who gave a horse-laugh. But the king without fear put him on +his shoulder as before and started toward the monk. And as he walked +along, the goblin on his shoulder said to him again: "O King, why do +you take such pains for that wretched monk? Have you no sense about +this fruitless task? Well, after all, I like your devotion. So, to +amuse the weary journey, I will tell you another story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Beautiful, and it deserves the name. There lived +a king named Shudraka, of tremendous power and mighty courage. He was +so used to victory that the fire of his courage was kept blazing by the +wind from the fans in the hands of the wives of his vanquished foes. +Under his rule the earth was rich and always good, as in the days of +old. And he was fond of brave men. +</P> + +<P> +Now one day a Brahman named Hero came from Malwa to pay his homage to +this king. He had a wife named Virtue, a son named Trusty, and a +daughter named Heroic. And he had just three servants, a dagger at his +hip, a sword in his hand, and a shield in his other hand. These were +all the servants he had when he asked the king for five hundred +gold-pieces a day as his wages. +</P> + +<P> +And the king thought from his appearance that he was a remarkably brave +man, so he gave him the wages he asked. But out of curiosity he put +spies on his track, to learn what he did with all the money. +</P> + +<P> +Now Hero called on the king in the morning, and at noon he took his +sword and stood at the palace gate and divided his daily salary. One +hundred gold-pieces he gave to his wife for food and household +expenses. And with another hundred he bought clothes and perfumes and +nuts and such things. And another hundred he devoted to the worship of +Vishnu and Shiva, after taking the ceremonial bath. And the two hundred +which were left he gave to Brahmans and the unhappy and the poor. This +was the way he divided and spent the money every day. Then after he had +sacrificed and eaten dinner, he stood every night alone at the palace +gate with his sword and shield. All this King Shudraka learned from his +spies and was greatly pleased and forbad the spies to follow him again. +For he thought him a wonderful man, worthy of especial honour. +</P> + +<P> +Then one day a veil of clouds covered the sky and poured down rain in +streams day and night, so that the highway was quite deserted. Only +Hero was at his post as usual by the palace gate. And when the sun set +and dreadful darkness was spread abroad and the rain fell in sheets, +the king wished to test Hero's behaviour. So at night he climbed to the +palace roof and cried: "Who is there at the gate?" And Hero answered: +"I am here." And the king thought: "How steadfast this man Hero is, and +how devoted to me! I must surely give him a greater post." And he +descended from the roof and entered the palace and went to bed. +</P> + +<P> +The next night it rained again in sheets and the world was wrapped in +the darkness of death. And again the king thought to test his +behaviour, and climbing to the roof he called out toward the palace +gate: "Who is there?" And when Hero said: "I am here, your Majesty," +the king was greatly astonished. +</P> + +<P> +Just then he heard at a distance a sweet-voiced woman crying. And he +thought: "Who is this who laments so piteously, as if in deep despair? +In my kingdom there is no violence, no poor man and none distressed. +Who can she be?" And being merciful, he called to Hero, who stood +below: "Listen, Hero. A woman is weeping at some distance. Go and learn +why she weeps and who she is." And Hero said "Certainly," arranged his +dagger, took his sword in his hand, and started. He did not even think +of the pelting hail, the flashing lightning, or the rain and darkness. +And when the king saw him setting out alone in a night like that, he +was filled with pity and curiosity, and descending from the palace +roof, took his sword and followed all alone, without being seen. +</P> + +<P> +As Hero traced the sound of crying, he came to a beautiful lake outside +the city, and there he saw a woman in the midst of the water, lamenting +in these words: "Alas for you, brave and merciful and generous! How +shall I live without you?" +</P> + +<P> +And Hero was amazed, and timidly asked her: "Who are you, and why do +you weep?" And she replied: "O Hero, I am the Goddess of the Earth, and +now my lord, this virtuous King Shudraka, is going to die in three +days. How shall I find another such master? So I am distracted with +grief, and I lament." +</P> + +<P> +When Hero heard this, he was frightened and said: "Goddess, is there +any remedy for this, any way in which the king might be saved?" And the +goddess answered: "There is just one remedy, my son, and it is in your +hands." And Hero said: "Goddess, tell me quickly, that I may adopt it +at once. What good would life be to us otherwise?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the goddess said: "My son, there is no other man devoted to his +master as you are: so you may learn how to save him. There is a temple +to the Dreadful Goddess built by that king near his palace. If you +sacrifice your son to her at once, then the king will not die. He will +live another hundred years. If you do it this very night, then the +blessing will come, not otherwise." +</P> + +<P> +And Hero, the hero, replied: "Then I will go, Goddess, and do it this +moment." And the Goddess of the Earth said: "Good fortune go with you," +and she vanished. And the king, who had followed secretly, heard it +all. So he still followed to find out how Hero would behave. +</P> + +<P> +But Hero went straight home, woke his wife Virtue, and told her all +that the Goddess of the Earth had said. And his wife said: "My dear, if +so much depends on it, wake the boy and tell him." Then Hero woke the +little boy, told him all, and said: "My boy, if you are sacrificed to +the Dreadful Goddess, our king will live. If not, he will die in three +days." +</P> + +<P> +And the boy was true to his name. Without fear and without hesitation +he said: "My dear father, I am a lucky boy if the king lives at the +cost of my life. Besides, that would pay for the food we have eaten. +Why then delay? Take me quickly and sacrifice me to the goddess. May +the king's evil fate be averted by my death!" And Hero was delighted +and congratulated him, saying: "Well said! You are indeed my son." +</P> + +<P> +So Hero's wife Virtue and his daughter Heroic went through the night +with Hero and Trusty to the temple of the Dreadful Goddess. The king +too followed them, disguised and unnoticed. Then the father took Trusty +from his shoulder in the presence of the goddess. And Trusty worshipped +the goddess, and bravely saluted her, and said: "O Goddess, by the +sacrifice of my head may the king live another hundred years and rule a +thornless kingdom." +</P> + +<P> +And as he prayed, Hero cut off his head and offered it to the Dreadful +Goddess, saying: "May the king live at the cost of my son's life!" Then +a voice cried from heaven: "O Hero, who else is devoted to his master +as you are? You have given life and royal power to the king at the cost +of your only son, and such a son." All this the king himself saw and +heard. +</P> + +<P> +Then Hero's daughter Heroic kissed the lips of her dead brother, and +was blinded with sorrow, and her heart broke, and she died. +</P> + +<P> +Then Hero's wife Virtue said: "My dear, we have done our duty by the +king. And you see how my daughter died of grief. So now I say: What +good is life to me without my children? I was a fool before. I should +have given my own head to save the king. So now permit me to burn +myself at once." +</P> + +<P> +And when she insisted, Hero said: "Do so. What happiness is there in a +life of constant mourning for your children? And as for your giving +your own life instead, do not grieve about that. If there had been any +other way, I should of course have given my life. So wait a moment. I +will build you a funeral pile out of these logs." So he built the pile +and lighted it. +</P> + +<P> +And Virtue fell at her husband's feet, then worshipped the Dreadful +Goddess, and prayed: "O Goddess, may I have the same husband in another +life, and may this same King Shudraka be saved at the cost of my son's +life." And she died in the blazing fire. +</P> + +<P> +Then Hero thought: "I have done my duty by the king, as the heavenly +voice admitted. And I have paid for the king's food which I have eaten. +So now why should I want to live alone? It is not right for a man like +me to go on living at the expense of all the family which I ought to +support. Why should I not please the goddess by sacrificing myself?" +</P> + +<P> +So Hero first approached the goddess with a hymn of praise: "O +Demon-slayer! Saviour! Devil-killer! Trident-holder! Joy of the wise! +Protectress of the universe! Victory to thee, O best of mothers, whose +feet the world adores! O fearless refuge of the pious! Kali of the +dreadful ornaments! Honour and glory to thee, O kindly goddess! Be +pleased to accept the sacrifice of my head in behalf of King Shudraka." +Then he suddenly cut off his own head with his dagger. +</P> + +<P> +King Shudraka beheld this from his hiding-place, and was filled with +amazement and grief and admiration. And he thought: "I have never seen +or heard the like of this. That good man and his family have done a +hard thing for me. In this strange world who else is so brave as that, +to give his son, his family, and his life for his king: If I should not +make a full return for his kindness, my kingdom would mean nothing to +me, and my life would be the life of a beast. If I lost my virtue, it +would all be a disgrace to me." +</P> + +<P> +But when he started to cut off his own head, there came a voice from +heaven: "My son, do nothing rash. I am well pleased with your +character. The Brahman Hero and his children and his wife shall come +back to life." And when the voice ceased, Hero stood up alive and +uninjured with his son and his daughter and his wife. Then the king hid +himself again and looked on with eyes filled with tears of joy, and +could not see enough of them. +</P> + +<P> +Now Hero, like a man awaking from a dream, gazed at his son and his +wife and his daughter, and was greatly perplexed. He spoke to each by +name, and asked them how they had come to life after being reduced to +ashes. "Is this a fancy of mine? Or a dream? Or an illusion? Or the +favour of the goddess?" And his wife and children said to him: "By the +favour of the goddess we are alive." +</P> + +<P> +At last Hero believed it, and having worshipped the goddess, he went +home happy with his children and his wife. And when he had seen his son +and his wife and daughter safe at home, he went back that same night to +the palace gate. +</P> + +<P> +And King Shudraka saw all this and went back without being seen +himself, and climbed to the roof, and called: "Who is there at the +gate?" And Hero replied: "Your Majesty, I, Hero, am here. At your +command I followed the woman who cried. She must have been a witch, for +she vanished the moment I saw her and spoke to her." +</P> + +<P> +When the king heard this, he was astonished beyond measure, for he had +seen what really happened. And he thought: "Ah, the hearts of brave men +are deep as the sea, if they do not boast after doing an unparalleled +action." So the king descended from the roof, entered the palace, and +passed the rest of the night there. +</P> + +<P> +Then when the court was held in the morning, Hero came to see the king. +And as he stood there, the delighted king told all his counsellors and +the others the story of the night. And all were amazed and confounded +at hearing of Hero's virtues, and they praised him, crying: "Well done! +Well done!" +</P> + +<P> +Then the king and Hero lived happily together, sharing the power +equally. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked King Triple-victory: "O +King, which of all these was the most worthy? If you know and will not +tell, then the curse I told you of will be fulfilled." +</P> + +<P> +And the king said to the goblin: "O magic creature, King Shudraka was +the most noble of them all." +</P> + +<P> +But the goblin said: "Why not Hero, the like of whom as a servant is +not to be found in the whole world? Or why should not his wife receive +the most praise, who did not waver when she saw her son killed like a +beast before her eyes? Or why is not the boy Trusty the most worthy, +who showed such wonderful manhood when only a little boy? Why do you +say that King Shudraka was the best among them?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the king answered the goblin: "Not Hero. He was a gentleman born, +so it was his duty to save his king at the cost of life, wife and +children. And his wife was a lady, a faithful wife who only did what +was right in following her husband. And Trusty was their son, and like +them. For the cloth is always like the threads. But the king has aright +to use his subjects' lives to save his own. So when Shudraka gave his +life for them, he proved himself the best of all." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he jumped from the king's shoulder and went +back to his home without being seen. And the king was not disturbed by +this magic, but started back through the night to catch him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FIFTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which should the +girl be given? +</P> + +<P> +Then King Triple-victory went back to the sissoo tree and saw the body +with the goblin in it hanging there just as before. He took it down +without being frightened by all its twistings and writhings, and +quickly set out again. And as he walked along in silence as before, the +goblin said: "O King, you are obstinate, and you are pleasing to look +at. So to amuse you, I will tell another story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Ujjain, famous throughout the world. There lived +a king named Merit, who had as counsellor a Brahman named Hariswami, +adorned with all noble virtues. The counsellor had a worthy wife, and a +son named Devaswami was born to her, and was as good as she. And they +had one daughter named Moonlight, who was worthy of her name, for she +was famous for her matchless beauty and charm. +</P> + +<P> +When the girl had grown out of childhood, she was proud of her +wonderful beauty, and she told her mother, her father, and her brother: +"I will marry a brave man or a wise man or a clever man. I should die +if I were married to anyone else." +</P> + +<P> +Now while her father was busy looking for such a husband for her, he +was sent by King Merit to another king in the southern country to make +a treaty for war and peace. When he had finished his business, a +Brahman youth, who had heard of his daughter's beauty, came and asked +him for her. +</P> + +<P> +And he said: "My daughter will not marry anyone unless he is a clever +man or a wise man or a brave man. Which of these are you? Tell me." And +the Brahman said: "I am a clever man." "Show me," said the father, and +the clever man made a flying chariot by his skill. Then he took +Hariswami in this magic chariot, and carried him to the sky. And he +took the delighted father to the camp of the king of the southern +country where he had been on business. Then Hariswami appointed the +marriage for the seventh day. +</P> + +<P> +At this time another Brahman youth in Ujjain came to the girl's brother +and asked him for her. And when he was told that she would marry only a +wise man or a clever man or a brave man, he said he was a brave man. +Then when he had shown his skill with weapons, the brother promised his +sister to the brave man. And without telling his mother, he consulted +the star-gazers and appointed the marriage for the seventh day. +</P> + +<P> +At the same time a third Brahman youth came to the girl's mother and +asked for the girl. And the mother said: "My son, a wise man or a +clever man or a brave man shall marry my daughter but no one else. +Which of these are you? Tell me." And he said: "I am a wise man." So +she asked him about the past and the future, and found that he was a +wise man. Then she promised to give him her daughter on the seventh day. +</P> + +<P> +The next day Hariswami came home and told his wife and his son all that +he had done. And she and he each told him all that she or he had done. +So Hariswami was greatly perplexed, because three bridegrooms had been +invited. Then the seventh day came and the three bridegrooms came to +Hariswami's house. +</P> + +<P> +Strange to say, at that moment Moonlight disappeared. Then the wise man +said: "A giant named Smoke-tail has carried her to his den in the +Vindhya forest." +</P> + +<P> +When Hariswami heard this from the wise man, he was frightened and +asked the clever man to find a remedy for the trouble. And the clever +man made a chariot as before, full of all kinds of weapons, and brought +Hariswami with the wise man and the brave man in a moment to the +Vindhya forest. And the wise man showed them the giant's den. +</P> + +<P> +When the giant saw what had happened, he came out in anger, and the +brave man fought with him. Then came a famous duel with strange weapons +between a man and a giant for the sake of a woman, like the ancient +fight between Rama and Ravana. Though the giant was a terrible fighter, +the brave man presently cut off his head with an arrow shaped like a +half-moon. When the giant was killed, they found Moonlight in the den +and all went back to Ujjain in the clever man's chariot. +</P> + +<P> +Then when the proper time for wedding came, there arose a great dispute +among the three in Hariswami's house. +</P> + +<P> +The wise man said: "If I had not discovered her by my wisdom, how could +you have found her hiding-place? She should be given to me." +</P> + +<P> +The clever man said: "If I had not made a flying chariot, how could you +have gone there in a moment and come back like the gods, or how could +you have had a chariot-fight with him? She should be given to me." +</P> + +<P> +The brave man said: "If I had not killed the giant in the fight, who +would have saved her in spite of all your pains? The girl should be +given to me." +</P> + +<P> +And as they quarrelled, Hariswami stood silent, confused, and perplexed. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he said to the king: "O King, do +you say to which of them she should be given. If you know and will not +tell, then your head will split into a hundred pieces." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king broke silence and said: "She should be given to the brave +man, who risked his life and killed the giant and saved the girl. The +wise man and the clever man were only helpers whom Fate gave him. A +star-gazer and a chariot-maker work for other people, do they not?" +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this answer, he suddenly escaped from the king's +shoulder and went back. And the king determined to get him, and went +again to the sissoo tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SIXTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother. Which +combination of head and body is her husband? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started in silence toward the monk. And the +goblin said to him: "O King, you are wise and good, so I am pleased +with you. To amuse you, therefore, I will tell you another story with a +puzzle in it. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Long ago there was a king named Glory-banner in the world. His city was +named Beautiful. And in this city was a splendid temple to the goddess +Gauri. And to the right of the temple was a lake called Bath of Gauri. +And on a certain day in each year a great crowd of people came there on +a pilgrimage from all directions to bathe. +</P> + +<P> +One day a laundryman named White came there from another village to +bathe. And the youth saw a maiden who had also come there to bathe. Her +name was Lovely, and her father's name was Clean-cloth. She robbed the +moon of its beauty and White of his heart. So he inquired about her +name and family and went home lovesick. +</P> + +<P> +When he got there, he was ill and could not eat without her. And when +his mother asked him, he told her what was in his heart, but did not +change his habits. But she went and told her husband, whose name was +Spotless. +</P> + +<P> +So Spotless went and saw how his son was acting, and said: "My son, why +should you be downcast? Your desire is not hard to obtain. For if I ask +Clean-cloth, he will surely give you his daughter. We are not inferior +to him in birth, wealth, or social position. I know him and he knows +me. So there is no difficulty about it." Thus Spotless comforted his +son, made him eat and take care of himself, went with him the next day +to Clean-cloth's house, and asked that the girl might be given to his +son White. And Clean-cloth graciously promised to give her to him. +</P> + +<P> +Then when the time came, Clean-cloth gave White his charming daughter, +a wife worthy of him. And when he was married, White went happily to +his father's house with his sweet bride. +</P> + +<P> +Now as he lived there happily, Lovely's brother came to visit. And when +they had all asked him about his health and his sister had greeted him +with a kiss, and after he had rested, he said: "My father sent me to +invite Lovely and White to a festival in our house." And all the +relatives said it was a good plan and entertained him that day with +appropriate things to drink and eat. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning White set out for his father-in-law's house, together +with his brother-in-law and Lovely. And when he came to the city +Beautiful, he saw the great temple of Gauri. And he said to Lovely and +her brother: "We will see this goddess. I will go first and you two +stay here." So White went in to see the goddess. He entered the temple +and bowed before the goddess whose eighteen arms had killed the +horrible demons, whose lotus-feet were set upon a giant that she had +crushed. +</P> + +<P> +And when he had worshipped her, an idea suddenly came to him. "People +honour this goddess with all kinds of living sacrifices. Why should I +not win her favour by sacrificing myself?" And he fetched a sword from +a deserted inner room, cut off his own head, and let it fall on the +floor. +</P> + +<P> +Presently his brother-in-law entered the temple to see why he delayed +so long. And when he saw his brother-in-law with his head cut off, he +went mad with grief, and cut off his own head in the same way with the +same sword. +</P> + +<P> +Then when he failed to come out, Lovely was alarmed and entered the +temple. And when she saw her husband and her brother in that condition, +she cried: "Alas! This is the end of me!" and fell weeping to the +floor. But presently she rose, lamenting for the pair so unexpectantly +dead, and thought: "What is my life good for now?" +</P> + +<P> +Before killing herself, she prayed to the goddess: "O Goddess! One only +deity of happiness and character! Partaker of the life of Shiva! Refuge +of all women-folk! Destroyer of grief! Why have you killed my husband +and my brother at one fell swoop? It was not right, for I was always +devoted to you. Then be my refuge when I pray to you, and hear my one +pitiful prayer. I shall leave this wretched body of mine on this spot, +but in every future life of mine, O Goddess, may I have the same +husband and brother." Thus she prayed, praised, and worshipped the +goddess, then tied a rope to an ashoka tree which grew there. +</P> + +<P> +But while she was arranging the rope about her neck, a voice from +heaven cried: "Do nothing rash, my daughter. Leave the rope alone. +Though you are young, I am pleased with your unusual goodness. Place +the two heads on the two bodies and they shall rise up again and live +through my favour." +</P> + +<P> +So Lovely left the rope alone and joyfully went to the bodies. But in +her great hurry and confusion she made a mistake. She put her husband's +head on her brother's body and her brother's head on her husband's +body. Then they arose, sound and well, like men awaking from a dream. +And they were all delighted to hear one another's adventures, +worshipped the goddess, and went on their way. +</P> + +<P> +Now as she walked along, Lovely noticed that she had made a mistake in +their heads. And she was troubled and did not know what to do. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, when +they were mingled in this way, which should be her husband? If you know +and do not tell, then the curse I spoke of will be fulfilled." +</P> + +<P> +And the king said to the goblin: "The body with the husband's head on +it is her husband. For the head is the most important member. It is by +the head that we recognize people." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder as before, and quickly +disappeared. And the king went back, determined to catch him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SEVENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and Prince Good. Which is the +more deserving? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started. And as he walked along, the goblin +said: "O King, I will tell you a story to amuse your weariness. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +On the shore of the Eastern Ocean is Copper City. There a king named +Fierce-lion lived. He turned his back to other men's wives, but not to +fighting men. He destroyed his enemies, but not other men's wealth. +</P> + +<P> +One day a popular prince named Good came from the south to the king's +gate. He introduced himself, but did not get what he wanted from the +king. And he thought: "If I am born a prince, why am I so poor? And if +I am to be poor, why did God give me so many desires? For this king +pays no attention to me, though I wait upon him and grow weary and +faint with hunger." +</P> + +<P> +While he was thinking, the king went hunting. He went with many +horsemen and footmen, and the prince ran along in the dress of a +pilgrim with a club in his hand. And during the hunt the king chased a +great boar a long distance, and so came into another forest. There he +lost sight of the boar, for the trail was covered with leaves and +grass. And the king was tired and lost his way in the forest. Only the +pilgrim-prince thought nothing of his life, and hungry and thirsty as +he was, he followed on foot the king who rode a swift horse. +</P> + +<P> +And when the king saw him following, he spoke lovingly: "My good man, +do you perhaps know the way we came?" +</P> + +<P> +And the pilgrim bowed low and said: "I know, your Majesty. But first +rest yourself a moment. The blazing sun, the middle jewel in the girdle +of heaven's bride, is terribly hot." Then the king said eagerly: "See +if there is water anywhere." +</P> + +<P> +And the pilgrim agreed and climbed a high tree and looked around. And +he saw a river and climbed down and took the king to it. He unsaddled +the horse, gave him water and grass, and let him rest. And when the +king had bathed, the pilgrim took two fine mangoes from his skirt, +washed them and gave them to the king. +</P> + +<P> +"Where did you get these?" asked the king, and the pilgrim bowed and +said: "Your Majesty, I have lived on such food for ten years. While I +was serving your Majesty, I had to live like a monk." And the king +said: "What can I say? You deserve your name of Good." And he was +filled with pity and shame, and thought: "A curse on kings, who do not +know whether their servants are happy or not! And a curse of their +attendants, who do not tell them this and that!" And when the pilgrim +insisted, the king was prevailed on to take the two mangoes. He rested +there with the pilgrim and ate the mangoes and drank water with the +pilgrim, who was accustomed to eat mangoes and drink water. +</P> + +<P> +Then the pilgrim saddled the horse and went ahead to show the way, and +at last, at the king's command, mounted behind on the horse; so the +king found his soldiers and went safely home. And when he got there, he +proclaimed the devotion of the pilgrim, and made him a rich man, but +could not feel that he had paid his debt. So Good stayed there happily +with King Fierce-lion and stopped living as a pilgrim. +</P> + +<P> +One day the king sent Good to Ceylon to ask for the hand of the +daughter of the King of Ceylon. So he set out after sacrificing to the +proper god, and entered a ship with some Brahmans chosen by the king. +And when the ship had safely reached the middle of the ocean, there +suddenly arose from the waves a very large flag-pole made of gold, with +a top that touched the sky. It was adorned with waving banners of +various colours and was quite astonishing. +</P> + +<P> +At the same moment the clouds gathered, it began to rain violently, and +a mighty wind blew. And the ship was driven by the storm winds and +caught on the flag-pole. Then the pole began to sink, dragging the ship +with it into the raging waves. And the Brahmans who were there were +overcome with fear and cursed the name of their king Fierce-lion. +</P> + +<P> +But Good could not endure that because of his devotion to his king. He +took his sword in his hand, girt up his garment, and threw himself +after the flag-pole into the sea. He had no fear of the pole which +seemed a refuge from the ocean. Then as he sank, the ship was battered +by the winds and waves and broke up. And all in it fell into the mouths +of sharks. +</P> + +<P> +But Good sank into the ocean, and when he looked about he saw a +wonderful city. There he entered a shrine to Gauri, tall as the +heavenly mountain, with great gem-sprinkled banners on walls made of +different kinds of jewels, in a golden temple blazing with jewelled +pillars, with a garden that had a pool, the stairs to which were made +of splendid gems. After he had bowed low and praised and worshipped the +goddess there, he sat down before her in amazement, wondering if it was +all a conjuror's trick. +</P> + +<P> +Just then the door was suddenly opened by a heavenly maiden. Her eyes +were like lotuses, her face like the moon. She had a smile like a +flower and a body soft as lotus-stems. And a thousand women waited upon +her. She entered the shrine of the goddess and the heart of Good at the +same moment. And when she had worshipped the goddess there, she went +out from the shrine, but not from the heart of Good. +</P> + +<P> +She entered a circle of light, and Good followed her. And he saw +another splendid house, that seemed like a place of meeting for all +riches and all enjoyments. And he saw the girl sitting on a jewelled +couch, and he approached and sat beside her. He was like a man painted +in a picture, for his eyes were fastened on her face. +</P> + +<P> +Now a servant of the maiden saw that his body was thrilled, that he was +intent upon the maiden, that he was in love. She understood his +feelings and said to him: "Sir, you are our guest. Enjoy the +hospitality of my mistress. Arise. Bathe. Eat." And he felt a little +hope at her words and went to a pool in the garden which she showed him. +</P> + +<P> +He plunged into the pool, and when he rose to the surface, he found +himself in the pool of King Fierce-lion in Copper City. And when he saw +that he had come there so suddenly, he thought: "Oh, what does it mean? +Where is that heavenly garden? What a difference between the sight of +that girl which was like nectar to me, and this immediate separation +from her which is like terrible poison! It was no dream. I was awake +when the serving-maid deceived me and made a fool of me." +</P> + +<P> +He was like a madman without the girl. He wandered in the garden and +mourned in a lovelorn way. He was surrounded by wind-blown +flower-pollen which seemed to him the yellow flames of separation. And +when the gardener saw him in this state, he went and told the king. +</P> + +<P> +And the king was troubled. He went himself to see Good, and asked him +soothingly: "What does this mean? Tell me, my friend. Where did you go? +And where did you come? And where did you stay? And what did you fall +into?" +</P> + +<P> +Then Good told him the whole adventure. And the king thought: "Ah, it +is fortunate for me that this brave man is lovelorn. For now I have a +chance to pay my debt to him." So the king said to him: "My friend, +give over this vain grief. I will go with you by the same road, and +bring you to the heavenly maiden." So he comforted Good, and made him +take a bath. +</P> + +<P> +The next day he transferred his royal duties to his counsellors and +entered a ship with Good. Good showed the way through the sea and they +saw the flag-pole with its banners rising as before in the middle of +the ocean. Then Good said to the king: "Your Majesty, here is the magic +flag-pole standing up. When I sink down there, you must sink too along +the flag-pole." So when they came near the sinking pole, Good jumped +first, and the king followed him. +</P> + +<P> +They sank down and came to the heavenly city. And the king was +astonished, and after he had worshipped the goddess, he sat down with +Good. Then the girl, like Beauty personified, came out of the circle of +light with her friends. "There she is, the lovely creature," said Good, +and the king thought: "He is quite right to love her." But when she saw +the king looking like a god, she wondered who the strange and wonderful +man might be, and entered the shrine to worship the goddess. +</P> + +<P> +But the king took Good and went into the garden to show how little he +cared about her. A moment later the girl came from the shrine; she had +been praying for a good husband. And she said to a girl friend: "My +friend, I wonder where I could see the man who was here. Where is the +great man? You girls must hunt for him and ask him to be good enough to +come and accept our hospitality. For he is a wonderful man, and we must +be polite to him." +</P> + +<P> +So the girl found him in the garden and gave him her mistress' message +very respectfully. But the brave king spoke loftily to her: "Your words +are hospitality enough. Nothing else is necessary." +</P> + +<P> +Now when her mistress had heard what he said, she thought he was a +noble character, better than anybody else. She was attracted by the +courage of the king in refusing a sort of hospitality which was almost +too much to offer a mere man, and thought about the fulfilment of her +prayer for a husband. So she went into the garden herself. She drew +near to the king and lovingly begged him to accept her hospitality. +</P> + +<P> +But the king pointed to Good and said: "My dear girl, he told me of the +goddess here, and I came to see her. And by following the flag-pole I +saw the goddess and her very marvellous temple. It was only afterwards +that I happened to see you." +</P> + +<P> +Then the girl said: "O King, you may be interested in seeing a city +which is the wonder of the three worlds." And the king laughed and +said: "He told me about that, too. I believe there is a pool for +bathing there." And the girl said: "O King, do not say that. I am not a +deceitful girl. Why should I deceive an honourable man, especially as +your noble character has made me feel like a servant? Pray do not +refuse me." +</P> + +<P> +So the king agreed and went with Good and the girl to the edge of the +circle of light. There a door opened and he entered and saw another +heavenly city like a second hill of heaven; for it was built of gems +and gold, and the flowers and fruits of every season grew there at the +same time. +</P> + +<P> +And the princess seated the king on a splendid throne and brought him +gifts and said: "Your Majesty, I am the daughter of the great god +Black-wheel. But Vishnu sent my father to heaven. And I inherited these +two magic cities where one has everything he wants. There is no old age +or death to trouble us here. And now you are in the place of my father +to rule over the cities and over me." So she offered him herself and +all she had. But the king said: "In that case you are my daughter and I +give you in marriage to my brave friend good." +</P> + +<P> +In the king's words she saw the fulfilment of her prayer, and being +sensible and modest, she agreed. So the king married them and gave all +the magic wealth to happy Good, and said: "My friend, I have paid you +now for one of the two mangoes which I ate. But I remain in your debt +for the second." +</P> + +<P> +Then he asked the princess how he could get back to his city. And she +gave the king a sword called Invincible, and the magic fruit which +wards off birth, old age, and death. And the king took the sword and +the fruit, plunged into the pool which she showed him, and came up in +his own country, feeling completely successful. But Good ruled happily +over the kingdom of the princess. +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, which +of these two deserves more credit for plunging into the sea?" +</P> + +<P> +And the king was afraid of the curse, so he gave a true answer: "Good +seems to me the more deserving, for he did not know the truth +beforehand, but plunged without hope into the sea, while the king knew +the truth when he jumped." +</P> + +<P> +And as soon as the king broke silence, the goblin slipped from his +shoulder as before without being seen and went to the sissoo tree. And +the king tried as before to catch him. Brave men do not waver until +they have finished what they have begun. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +EIGHTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the Specialist in +Cotton. Which is the cleverest? +</P> + +<P> +So the king went back under the sissoo tree, caught the goblin just as +before, put him on his shoulder, and started toward the monk. And as he +walked along, the goblin on his shoulder spoke and said: "O King, +listen once more to the following story to beguile your weariness." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +In the Anga country there is a great region called Forest. There lived +a great Brahman, pious and wealthy, whose name was Vishnu-swami. To his +worthy wife three sons were born, one after another. When they had +grown to be young men, specialists in matters of luxury, they were sent +one day by their father to find a turtle for a sacrifice which he had +begun. +</P> + +<P> +So the brothers went to the ocean and there they found a turtle. Then +the eldest said to the two younger: "One of you take this turtle for +Father's sacrifice. I cannot carry a slimy thing that smells raw." +</P> + +<P> +But when the eldest said this, the two younger said: "Sir, if you feel +disgust, why shouldn't we?" +</P> + +<P> +When the eldest heard this, he said: "You take the turtle, otherwise +Father's sacrifice will be ruined on your account. Then you and Father +too will surely go to hell." +</P> + +<P> +When they heard him, the two younger brothers laughed and said: "Sir, +you seem to know our common duty, but not your own." +</P> + +<P> +Then the eldest said: "What? Are you not aware that I am a connoisseur +in food? For I am a specialists in foods. How can I touch this +loathsome thing?" +</P> + +<P> +When he heard these words, the second brother said: "But I am even more +of a connoisseur. I am a specialist in women. So how can I touch it?" +</P> + +<P> +After this speech, the eldest said to the youngest: "Do you then, being +younger than we, carry the turtle." +</P> + +<P> +Then the youngest frowned and said to them: "Fools! I am a great +specialist in cotton." +</P> + +<P> +So the three brothers quarrelled, and arrogantly leaving the turtle +behind them, they went to have the matter decided at Pinnacle, the +capital of a king called Conqueror. When they came there, and had been +announced and introduced by the door-keeper, they told their story to +the king. And when the king had heard all, he said: "Stay here. I will +examine you one after another." So they agreed and all stayed there. +</P> + +<P> +Then the king invited them in at his own dinner hour, seated them on +magnificent seats, and set before them sweet dishes of six flavours, +fit for a king. While all the rest ate, one of the Brahmans, the +specialist in food, disgustedly shook his head and refused to eat. And +when the king himself asked him why he would not eat food that was +sweet and savoury, he respectfully replied: "Your Majesty, in this food +there is the odour of smoke from a burning corpse. Therefore, I do not +wish to eat it, however sweet it may be." +</P> + +<P> +Then at the king's command all the rest smelt of it and declared it the +best of winter rice, and perfectly sweet. But the food-critic held his +nose and would not touch it. Now when the king reflected and made a +careful investigation, he learned from the commissioners that the dish +was made of rice grown near a village crematory. Then he was greatly +astonished and pleased, and said: "Brahman, you are certainly a judge +of food. Pray take something else." +</P> + +<P> +After dinner the king dismissed them to their rooms, and sent for the +most beautiful woman of his court. And at night he sent this lovely +creature, all adorned, to the second brother, the specialist in women. +She came with a servant of the king to his chamber, and when she +entered, she seemed to illuminate the room. But the judge of women +almost fainted, and stopping his nose with his left hand, he said to +his servants: "Take her away! If not, I shall die. A goaty smell issues +from her." +</P> + +<P> +So the servants, in distress and astonishment, conducted her to the +king and told him what had happened. Then the king sent for the +specialist in women, and said: "Brahman, she has anointed herself with +sandal, camphor, and aloes, so that a delightful perfume pervades her +neighbourhood. How could this woman have a goaty smell?" But in spite +of this the specialist in women would not yield. And when the king +endeavoured to learn the truth, he heard from her own lips that in her +infancy she had been separated from her mother and had been brought up +on goat's milk. Then the king was greatly astonished and loudly praised +the critical judgment of the specialist in women. +</P> + +<P> +Quickly he had a couch prepared for the third brother, the specialist +in cotton. So the critic of cotton went to sleep on a bed with seven +quilts over the frame and covered with a pure, soft coverlet. When only +a half of the first watch of the night was gone, he suddenly started +from the bed, shouting and writhing with pain, his hand pressed to his +side. And the king's men who were stationed there saw the curly red +outline of a hair deeply imprinted on his side. +</P> + +<P> +They went at once and informed the king, who said to them: "See whether +there is anything under the quilts or not." So they went and searched +under each quilt, and under the last they found one hair, which they +immediately took and showed to the king. And the king summoned the +specialist in cotton, and finding the mark exactly corresponding to the +hair, was filled with extreme astonishment. And he spent that night +wondering how the hair could sink into his body through seven quilts. +</P> + +<P> +Now when the king arose in the morning, he was delighted with their +marvellous critical judgment and sensitiveness, so that he gave each of +the three specialists a hundred thousand gold-pieces. And they were +contented and stayed there, forgetting all about the turtle, and thus +incurring a crime through the failure of their father's sacrifice. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When he had told this remarkable story, the goblin on the king's +shoulder said: "O King, remember the curse I spoke of and declare which +of these three was the cleverest." +</P> + +<P> +When he heard this, the wise king answered the goblin: "Without doubt I +regard the specialist in cotton as the cleverest, on whose body the +imprint of the hair was seen to appear visibly. The other two might +possibly have found out beforehand." +</P> + +<P> +When the king had said this, the goblin slipped from his shoulder as +before. And the king went back under the sissoo tree again to fetch him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +NINTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started. And the goblin spoke to him again: "O King, why +do you go to such pains in this cemetery at night? Do you not see the +home of the ghosts, full of dreadful creatures, terrible in the night, +wrapped in darkness as in smoke? Why do you work so hard and grow weary +for the sake of that monk? Well, to amuse the journey, listen to a +puzzle which I will tell you." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +In the Avanti country is a city built by the gods at the beginning of +time, adorned with wonderful wealth and opportunities for enjoyment. In +the earliest age it was called Lotus City, then Pleasure City, then +Golden City, and now it is called Ujjain. There lived a king named +Heroic. And his queen was named Lotus. +</P> + +<P> +One day the king went with her to the sacred Ganges river and prayed to +Shiva that he might have children. And after long prayer he heard a +voice from heaven, for Shiva was at last pleased with his devotion: "O +King, there shall be born to you a brave son to continue your dynasty, +and a daughter more beautiful than the nymphs of heaven." +</P> + +<P> +When he heard the heavenly voice, the king was delighted at the +fulfilment of his wishes, and went back to his city with the queen. And +first Queen Lotus bore a son called Brave, and then a daughter named +Grace who put the god of love to shame. +</P> + +<P> +When the girl grew up, the king sought for a suitable husband for her, +and invited all the neighbouring princes by letter, but not one of them +seemed good enough for her. So the king tenderly said to his daughter: +"My dear, I do not see a husband worthy of you, so I will summon all +the kings hither, and you shall choose." But the princess said: "My +dear father, such a choice would be very embarrassing. I would rather +not. Just marry me to any good-looking young man, who understands a +single science from beginning to end. I wish nothing more nor less than +that." +</P> + +<P> +Now while the king was looking for such a husband, four brave, +good-looking, scientific men from the south heard of the matter and +came to him. And when they had been hospitably received, each explained +his own science to the king. +</P> + +<P> +The first said: "I am a working-man, and my name is Five-cloth. I make +five splendid suits of clothes a day. One I give to some god and one to +a Brahman. One I wear myself, and one I shall give to my wife when I +have one. The fifth I sell, to buy food and things. This is my science. +Pray give me Grace." +</P> + +<P> +The second said: "I am a farmer, and my name is Linguist. I understand +the cries of all beasts and birds. Pray give me the princess." +</P> + +<P> +The third said: "I am a strong-armed soldier, and my name is Swordsman. +I have no rival on earth in the science of swordsmanship. O King, pray +give me your daughter." +</P> + +<P> +The fourth said: "O King, I am a Brahman, and my name is Life. I +possess a wonderful science. For if dead creatures are brought to me, I +can quickly restore them to life. Let your daughter find a husband in a +man who has such heroic skill." +</P> + +<P> +When they had spoken, and the king had seen that they all had wonderful +garments and personal beauty, he and his daughter swung in doubt. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he said to the king: "Remember the +curse I mentioned, and tell me to which of them the girl should be +given." +</P> + +<P> +And the king said to the goblin: "Sir, you are merely trying to gain +time by making me break silence. There is no puzzle about that. How +could a warrior's daughter be given to a working-man, a weaver? Or to a +farmer, either? And as to his knowledge of the speech of beasts and +birds, of what practical use is it? And what good is a Brahman who +neglects his own affairs and turns magician, despising real courage? Of +course she should be given to the warrior Swordsman who had some +manhood with his science." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he escaped by magic from the king's +shoulder, and disappeared. And the king followed him as before. +Discouragement never enters the brave heart of a resolute man. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. Which is the most +delicate? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his shoulder +once more, and started toward the monk. And as he walked along, the +goblin on his shoulder said: "O King, I will tell you a strange story +to relieve your weariness. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There once was a king in Ujjain, whose name was Virtue-banner. He had +three princesses as wives, and loved them dearly. One of them was named +Crescent, the second Star, and the third Moon. While the king lived +happily with his wives, he conquered all his enemies, and was content. +</P> + +<P> +One day at the time of the spring festival, the king went to the garden +to play with his three wives. There he looked at the flower-laden vines +with black rows of bees on them; they seemed like the bow of the god of +love, all ready for service. He heard the songs of nightingales in the +trees; they sounded like commands of Love. And with his wives he drank +wine which seemed like Love's very life-blood. +</P> + +<P> +Then the king playfully pulled the hair of Queen Crescent, and a +lotus-petal fell from her hair into her lap. And the queen was so +delicate that it wounded her, and she screamed and fainted. And the +king was distracted, but when servants sprinkled her with cool water +and fanned her, she gradually recovered consciousness. And the king +took her to the palace and waited upon his dear wife with a hundred +remedies which the physicians brought. +</P> + +<P> +And when the king saw that she was made comfortable for the night, he +went to the palace balcony with his second wife Star. Now while she +slept on the king's breast, the moonbeams found their way through the +window and fell upon her. And she awoke in a moment, and started up, +crying "I am burned!" Then the king awoke and anxiously asked what the +matter was, and he saw great blisters on her body. When he asked her +about it, Queen Star said: "The moonbeams that fell on me did it." And +the king was distracted when he saw how she wept and suffered. He +called the servants and they made a couch of moist lotus-leaves, and +dressed her wounds with damp sandal-paste. +</P> + +<P> +At that moment the third queen, Moon, left her room to go to the king. +And as she moved through the noiseless night, she clearly heard in a +distant part of the palace the sound of pestles grinding grain. And she +cried: "Oh, oh! It will kill me!" She wrung her hands and sat down in +agony in the hall. But her servants returned and led her to her room, +where she took to her bed and wept. And when the servants asked what +the matter was, she tearfully showed her hands with bruises on them, +like two lilies with black bees clinging to them. So they went and told +the king. And he came in great distress, and asked his dear wife about +it. She showed her hands and spoke, though she suffered: "My dear, when +I heard the sound of the pestles, these bruises came." Then the king +made them give her a cooling plaster of sandal-paste and other things. +</P> + +<P> +And the king thought: "One of them was wounded by a falling +lotus-petal. The second was burned by the moonbeams. The third had her +hands terribly bruised by the sound of pestles. I love them dearly, but +alas! The very delicacy which is so great a virtue, is positively +inconvenient." +</P> + +<P> +And he wandered about in the palace, and it seemed as if the night had +three hundred hours. But in the morning the king and his skilful +physicians took such measures that before long his wives were well and +he was happy. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When he had told this story, the goblin asked: "O King, which of them +was the most delicate?" And the king said: "The one who was bruised by +the mere sound of the pestles, when nothing touched her. The other two +who were wounded or blistered by actual contact with lotus-petals or +moonbeams, are not equal to her." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he went back, and the king resolutely +hastened to catch him again. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +ELEVENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The King who won a Fairy as his Wife. Why did his counsellor's heart +break? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went as before to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started back. And the goblin said once more: "O King, I +like you wonderfully well because you are not discouraged. So I will +tell you a delightful little story to relieve your weariness. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +In the Anga country was a young king named Glory-banner, so beautiful +that he seemed an incarnation of the god of love. He had conquered all +his enemies by his strength of arm, and he had a counsellor named +Farsight. +</P> + +<P> +At last the king, proud of his youth and beauty, entrusted all the +power in his quiet kingdom to his counsellor, and gradually devoted +himself entirely to pleasure. He spent all his time with the ladies of +the court, and listened more attentively to their love-songs than to +the advice of statesmen. He took greater pleasure in peeping into their +windows than into the holes in his administration. But Farsight bore +the whole burden of public business, and never wearied day or night. +</P> + +<P> +Then the people began to murmur: "The counsellor Farsight has seduced +the king, and now he alone has all the kingly glory." And the +counsellor said to his wife, whose name was Prudence: "My dear, the +king is devoted to his pleasures, and great infamy is heaped upon me by +the people. They say I have devoured the kingdom, though in fact I +support the burden of it. Now popular gossip damages the greatest man. +Was not Rama forced to abandon his good wife by popular clamour? So +what shall I do now?" +</P> + +<P> +Then his clever wife Prudence showed that she deserved her name. She +said: "My dear, leave the king and go on a pilgrimage. Tell him that +you are an old man now, and should be permitted to travel in foreign +countries for a time. Then the gossip will cease, when they see that +you are unselfish. And when you are gone, the king will bear his own +burdens. And thus his levity will gradually disappear. And when you +come back, you can assume your office without reproach." +</P> + +<P> +To this advice the counsellor assented, and said to the king in the +course of conversation: "Your Majesty, permit me to go on a pilgrimage +for a few days. Virtue seems of supreme importance to me." +</P> + +<P> +But the king said: "No, no, counsellor. Is there no other kind of +virtue except in pilgrimages? How about generosity and that kind of +thing? Isn't it possible to prepare for heaven in your own house?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor said: "Your Majesty, one gets worldly prosperity +from generosity and that kind of thing. But a pilgrimage gives eternal +life. A prudent man should attend to it while he has strength. The +chance may be lost, for no one can be sure of his health." +</P> + +<P> +But the king was still arguing against it when the doorkeeper came in +and said: "Your Majesty, the glorious sun is diving beneath the pool of +heaven. Arise. The hour for your bath is slipping away." And the king +went immediately to bathe. +</P> + +<P> +The counsellor went home, still determined on his pilgrimage. He would +not let his wife go with him, but started secretly. Not even his +servants knew. +</P> + +<P> +He wandered alone through many countries to many holy places, and +finally came to the Odra country. There he saw a city near the ocean, +where he entered a temple to Shiva and sat down in the court. There he +sat, hot and dusty from long travel, when he was seen by a merchant +named Treasure who had come to worship the god. The merchant gathered +from his dress and appearance that he was a high-born Brahman, and +invited him home, and entertained him with food, bathing, and the like. +</P> + +<P> +When the counsellor was rested, the merchant asked him: "Who are you? +Whence do you come? And where are you going?" And the other replied: "I +am a Brahman named Farsight. I came here on a pilgrimage from the Anga +country." +</P> + +<P> +Then the merchant Treasure said to him: "I am preparing for a trading +voyage to Golden Island. Do you stay in my house. And when I come back, +and you are wearied from your pilgrimage, rest here for a time before +going home." But Farsight said: "I do not want to stay here. I would +rather go with you." And the good merchant agreed. And the counsellor +slept in the first bed he had lain in for many nights. +</P> + +<P> +The next day he went to the seashore with the merchant, and entered the +ship loaded with the merchant's goods. He sailed along, admiring the +wonders and terrors of the sea, till at last he reached Golden Island. +There he stayed for a time until the merchant had finished his buying +and selling. Now on the way back, he saw a magic tree suddenly rising +from the ocean. It had beautiful branches, boughs of gold, fruits of +jewels, and splendid blossoms. And sitting on a jewelled couch in the +branches was a lovely maiden of heavenly beauty. And while the +counsellor wondered what it all meant, the maiden took her lute in her +hand, and began to sing: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Whatever seed of fate is sown,<BR> + The fruit appears—'tis strange!<BR> + Whatever deed a man has done,<BR> + Not God himself can change.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +And when she had made her meaning clear, the heavenly maiden +straightway sank with the magic tree and the couch. And Farsight +thought: "What a wonderful thing I have seen to-day! What a strange +place the ocean is for the appearance of a tree with a fairy in it! And +if this is a usual occurrence at sea, why do not other goddesses arise?" +</P> + +<P> +The pilot and other sailors saw that he was astonished, and they said: +"Sir, this wonderful maiden appears here regularly, and sinks a moment +after, but the sight is new to you." Then the counsellor, filled with +amazement, came to the shore with Treasure, and disembarked. And when +the merchant had unloaded his goods and caused his servants to rejoice, +the counsellor went home with him and spent many happy days there. +</P> + +<P> +At last he said to Treasure: "Merchant, I have rested happily for a +long time in your house. Now I wish to go to my own country. Peace be +with you!" And in spite of urging from the merchant, Farsight took his +leave, and started with no companion except his own courage. He went +through many countries and at last reached the Anga country. And scouts +who had been sent by King Glory-banner saw him before he reached the +city. When the king learned of it, he went himself out of the city to +meet him, for he had been terribly grieved by the separation. He drew +near, embraced and greeted the counsellor and took him, all worn and +dusty with the weary journey, into an inner room. +</P> + +<P> +And as soon as the counsellor was refreshed, the king said: +"Counsellor, why did you leave us? How could you bring yourself to do +so harsh and loveless a thing? But after all, who can understand the +strange workings of stern necessity? To think that you should decide +all at once to wander off on a pilgrimage! Well, tell me what countries +you visited, and what new things you saw." +</P> + +<P> +Then the counsellor told him the whole story truthfully and in order, +the journey to Golden Island and the fairy who rose singing from the +sea, her wonderful beauty and the magic tree. +</P> + +<P> +But the king immediately fell in love so hopelessly that his kingdom +and his life seemed worthless to him without her. He took the +counsellor aside and said: "Counsellor, I simply must see her. Remember +that I shall die if I do not. I bow to my fate. I will take the journey +which you took. You must not refuse me nor accompany me. I shall go +alone and in disguise. You must rule the kingdom, and not dispute my +words. Swear to do it on your life." +</P> + +<P> +So he spoke, and would not listen to advice, but dismissed the +counsellor. Then Farsight was unhappy though a great festival was made +for him. How can a good counsellor be happy when his master devotes +himself to a vice? +</P> + +<P> +The next night King Glory-banner threw the burden of government on that +excellent counsellor, assumed the dress of a hermit, and left his city. +And as he travelled, he saw a monk named Grass, who said when the king +bowed before him as a holy man: "My son, if you sail with a merchant +named Fortune, you will obtain the maiden you desire. Go on fearlessly." +</P> + +<P> +So the king bowed again and went on rejoicing. After crossing rivers +and mountains he came to the ocean. And on the shore he met at once the +merchant Fortune whom the monk had mentioned, bound for Golden Island. +And when the merchant saw the king's appearance and his signet ring, he +bowed low, took him on the ship, and set sail. +</P> + +<P> +When the ship reached the middle of the sea, the maiden suddenly arose, +sitting in the branches of the magic tree. And as the king gazed +eagerly at her, she sang as before to her lute: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Whatever seed of fate is sown<BR> + The fruit appears—'tis strange!<BR> + Whatever deed a man has done,<BR> + Not God himself can change.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + Whatever, how, for whom, and where<BR> + 'Tis fated so to be,<BR> + That thing, just so, for him, and there<BR> + Must happen fatally.<BR> +</P> + +<P> +This song she sang, hinting at what was to happen. And the king gazed +at her smitten by love, and could not move. Then he cried: "O Sea, in +hiding her, you deceive those who think they have your treasures. +Honour and glory to you! I seek your protection. Grant me my desire!" +And as the king prayed, the maiden sank with the tree. Then the king +jumped after her into the sea. +</P> + +<P> +The good merchant Fortune thought he was lost and was ready to die of +grief. But he was comforted by a voice from heaven which said: "Do +nothing rash. There is no danger when he sinks in the sea. For he is +the king Glory-banner, disguised as a hermit. He came here for the sake +of the maiden; she was his wife in a former life. And he will win her +and return to his kingdom in the Anga country." So the merchant sailed +on to complete his business. +</P> + +<P> +But King Glory-banner sank in the sea, and all at once he saw a +heavenly city. He looked in amazement at the balconies with their +splendid jewelled pillars, their walls bright with gold, and the +network of pearls in their windows. And he saw gardens with pools that +had stairways of various gems, and magic trees that yielded all +desires. But rich as it was, the city was deserted. +</P> + +<P> +He entered house after house, but did not find the maiden anywhere. +Then he climbed a high balcony built of gems, opened a door, and +entered. And there he saw her all alone, lying on a jewelled couch, and +clad in splendid garments. He eagerly raised her face to see if it was +really she, and saw that it was indeed the maiden he sought. At the +sight of her he had the strange feeling of the traveller in a desert in +summer at the sight of a river. +</P> + +<P> +And she opened her eyes, saw that he was handsome and loveable, and +left her couch in confusion. But she welcomed him and with downcast +eyes that seemed like full-blown lotuses she did honour to his feet. +Then she slowly spoke: "Who are you, sir? How did you come to this +inaccessible under-world? And what is this hermit garb? For I see that +you are a king. Oh, sir, if you would do me a kindness, tell me this." +</P> + +<P> +And the king answered her: "Beautiful maiden, I am King Glory-banner of +the Anga country, and I heard from a reliable person that you were to +be seen on the sea. To see you I assumed this garb, left my kingdom, +and followed you hither. Oh, tell me who you are." +</P> + +<P> +Then she said to him with bashful love: "Sir, there is a king of the +fairies named Moonshine. I am his daughter, and my name is Moonlight. +Now my father has left me alone in this city. I do not know where he +went with the rest of the people, or why. Therefore, as my home is +lonely, I rise through the ocean, sit on a magic tree, and song about +fate." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king remembered the words of the monk, and urged her with such +gentle, tender words that she confessed her love and agreed to marry +him. But she made a condition: "My dear, on four set days in each month +you must let me go somewhere unhindered and unseen. There is a reason." +And the king agreed, married her, and lived in heavenly happiness with +her. +</P> + +<P> +While he was living in heavenly bliss, Moonlight said to him one day: +"My dear, you must wait here. I am going somewhere on an errand. For +this is one of the set days. While you stay here, sweetheart, you must +not go into that crystal room, nor plunge into this pool. If you do, +you will find yourself at that very moment in the world again." So she +said good-bye and left the city. +</P> + +<P> +But the king took his sword and followed, to learn her secret. And he +saw a giant approaching with a great black cave of a mouth that yawned +like the pit. The giant fell down and howled horribly, then took +Moonlight into his mouth and swallowed her. +</P> + +<P> +And the king's anger blazed forth. He took his great sword, black as a +snake that has sloughed its skin, ran up wrathfully, and cut off the +giant's head. He was blinded by his madness, he did not know what to +do, he was afflicted by the loss of his darling. But Moonlight split +open the stomach of the giant, and came out alive and unhurt, like the +brilliant, spotless moon coming out from a black cloud. +</P> + +<P> +When he saw that she was saved, the king cried: "Come, come to me!" and +ran forward and embraced her. And he asked her: "What does it mean, +dearest? Is this a dream, or an illusion?" And the fairy answered: "My +dear, listen to me. It is not a dream, nor an illusion. My father, the +king of the fairies, laid this curse upon me. My father had many sons, +but he loved me so that he could not eat without me. And I used to come +to this deserted spot twice a month to worship Shiva. +</P> + +<P> +"One day I came here and it happened that I spent the whole day in +worship. That day my father waited for me and would not eat or drink +anything, though he was hungry and angry with me. At night I stood +before him with downcast eyes, for I had done wrong. And he forgot his +love and cursed me—so strong is fate. Because you have despised me +and left me hungry a whole day, a giant named Terror-of-Fate will +swallow you four times a month when you leave the city. And each time +you will split him open and come out. And you shall not remember the +curse afterwards, nor the pain of being swallowed alive. And you must +live here alone.' +</P> + +<P> +"But when I begged him, he thought awhile and softened his curse. When +Glory-banner, King of the Angas, shall become your husband, and shall +see you swallowed by the giant, and shall kill the giant, then the +curse shall end, and you shall remember all your magic arts.' Then he +left me here, and went with his people to the Nishadha mountain. But I +stayed here because of the curse. And now the curse is ended, and I +remember everything. So now I shall go to the Nishadha mountain to see +my father. Of course now I remember how to fly. And you are at liberty +to stay here, or to go back to your own kingdom." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king was sad, and he begged her thus: "My beautiful wife, do +not go for seven days. Be as kind as you are beautiful. Let me be happy +with you in the garden, and forget my longings. Then you may go to your +father, and I will go home." So he persuaded her, and was happy with +her for six days in the garden. And the lilies in the ponds looked like +longing eyes, and the ripples like hands raised to detain them, and the +cries of swans and cranes seemed to say: "Do not leave us and go away." +</P> + +<P> +On the seventh day the king cleverly led his wife to the pool from +which one could get back to the world. There he threw his arms about +her and plunged into the pool, and came up with her in the pool in the +garden of his own palace. +</P> + +<P> +The gardeners saw that the king had come back with a wife, and they +joyfully ran and told the counsellor Farsight. He came and fell at the +king's feet, and then led the king and the fairy into the palace. And +the counsellor and the people thought: "Wonderful! The king has won the +fairy whom others could see only for a moment like the lightning in the +sky. Whatever is written in one's fate, that comes true, however +impossible it may be." +</P> + +<P> +But when Moonlight saw that the king was in his own country, and the +seven days were over, she thought she would fly away like other +fairies. But she could not remember how. Then she became very sad, like +a woman who has been robbed. +</P> + +<P> +And the king said: "Why are you so sad, my dear? Tell me." And the +fairy said: "The curse is over. Yet because I have been bound so long +in the fetters of your love, I have lost my magic arts. I cannot fly." +Then the king thought: "The fairy is really mine," and he was happy and +made a great feast. +</P> + +<P> +When the counsellor Farsight saw this, he went home, and lay down on +his bed, and his heart broke, and he died. Then the king governed the +kingdom himself, and lived for a long time in heavenly happiness with +Moonlight. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When he had told this story, the goblin said: "O King, when the king +was so happy, why should the counsellor's heart break? Was it from +grief because he did not win the fairy himself? Or from sorrow because +the king came back, and he could no longer act as king? If you know and +will not tell me, then you will lose your virtue, and your head will go +flying into a hundred pieces." +</P> + +<P> +And the king said to the goblin: "O magic creature, neither of these +reasons would be possible for a high-minded counsellor. But he thought: +The king used to neglect his duties for the sake of ordinary women. +What will happen now, when he loves a fairy? In spite of all my +efforts, a terrible misfortune has happened.' I think that was why his +heart broke." +</P> + +<P> +Then the magic goblin went back to his tree in a moment. And the king +was still determined to catch him, and went once more to the sissoo +tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TWELFTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the Claws of a Hawk +fell into a Dish of Food given him by a Charitable Woman. Who is to +blame for his death? +</P> + +<P> +Then the King went back under the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started as before. And as he walked along, the goblin +said to him again: "O King, listen to a very condensed story." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Benares. In it lived a Brahman named Devaswami, +whom the king honoured. He was very rich, and he had a son named +Hariswami. This son had a wonderful wife, and her name was Beautiful. +No doubt the Creator put together in her the priceless elements of +charm and loveliness after his practice in making the nymphs of heaven. +</P> + +<P> +One night Hariswami was sleeping on a balcony cooled by the rays of the +moon. And a fairy prince named Love-speed was flying through the air, +and as he passed he saw Beautiful asleep beside her husband. He took +her, still asleep, and carried her off through the air. +</P> + +<P> +Presently Hariswami awoke, and not seeing the mistress of his life, he +rose in anxiety. And he wondered: "Oh, where has my wife gone? Is she +angry with me? Or is she playing hide-and-seek with me, to see how I +will take it?" So he roamed anxiously all over the balcony during the +rest of the night. But he did not find her, though he searched as far +as the garden. +</P> + +<P> +Then he was overcome by his sorrow and sobbed convulsively. "Oh, +Beautiful, my darling! Fair as the moon! White as the moonlight! Was +the night jealous of your beauty; did she carry you away? Your +loveliness shamed the moon who refreshed me with beams cool as sandal; +but now that you are gone, the same beams torment me like blazing +coals, like poisoned arrows!" +</P> + +<P> +And as Hariswami lamented thus, the night came to an end, but his +anguish did not end. The pleasant sun scattered the darkness, but could +not scatter the blind darkness of Hariswami's madness. His pitiful +lamentations increased a hundredfold, when the nightly cries of the +birds ended. His relatives tried to comfort him, but he could not pluck +up courage while his loved one was lost. He went here and there, +sobbing out: "Here she stood. And here she bathed. And here she adorned +herself. And here she played." +</P> + +<P> +His relatives and friends gave him good advice. "She is not dead," they +said. "Why should you make way with yourself? You will surely find her. +Pluck up courage and hunt for her. Nothing is impossible to the brave +and determined man." And when they urged him, Hariswami after some days +plucked up heart. +</P> + +<P> +He thought: "I will give all my fortune to the Brahmans, and then +wander to holy places. Thus I will wear away my sins, and when my sins +are gone, perhaps I shall find my darling in my wanderings." So he +arose and bathed. +</P> + +<P> +On the next day he provided food and drink, and made a great feast for +the Brahmans, and gave them all he had except his piety. Then he +started to wander to holy places, hoping to find his wife. +</P> + +<P> +As he wandered, the summer came on him like a lion, the blazing sun its +mouth, and the sunbeams its mane. And the hot wind blew, made hotter +yet by the sighs of travellers separated from their wives. And the +yellow mud dried and cracked, as if the lakes were broken-hearted at +the loss of their lotuses. And the trees, filled with chirping birds, +seemed to lament the absence of the spring, and their withering leaves +seemed like lips that grow dry in the heat. +</P> + +<P> +At this time Hariswami was distressed by the heat and the loss of his +wife, by hunger, thirst, and weariness. And as he sought for food, he +came to a village. There he saw many Brahmans eating in the house of a +Brahman named Lotus-belly, and he leaned against the doorpost, +speechless and motionless. +</P> + +<P> +Then the good wife of that pious Brahman pitied him, and she thought: +"Hunger is a heavy burden. It makes anyone light. Look at this hungry +man standing with bowed head at the door. He looks like a pious man who +has come from a far country, and he is tired. Therefore he is a proper +person for me to feed." +</P> + +<P> +So the good woman took in her hands a dish filled with excellent rice, +melted butter, and candied sugar, and courteously gave it to him. And +she said: "Go to the edge of our pond, and eat it." +</P> + +<P> +He thanked her, took the dish, went a little way, and set it down under +a fig-tree on the edge of the pond. Then he washed his hands and feet +in the pond, rinsed his mouth, and joyfully drew near to eat the good +food. +</P> + +<P> +At that moment a hawk settled on the tree, carrying a black snake in +his beak and claws. And the snake died in the grasp of the hawk, and +his mouth opened, and a stream of poison came out. This poison fell +into the dish of food. +</P> + +<P> +But Hariswami did not see it. He came up hungry, and ate it all. And +immediately he felt the terrible effects of the poison. He stammered +out: "Oh, when fate goes wrong, everything goes wrong. Even this rice +and the milk and the melted butter and the candied sugar is poison to +me." And he staggered up to the Brahman's wife and said: "Oh, Brahman's +wife, I have been poisoned by the food you gave me. Bring a +poison-doctor at once. Otherwise you will be the murderer of a Brahman." +</P> + +<P> +And the good woman was terribly agitated. But while she was running +about to find a poison-doctor, Hariswami turned up his eyes and died. +Thus, though she was not to blame, though she was really charitable, +the poor wife was reproached by the angry Brahman who thought she had +murdered her guest. She was falsely accused for a really good action. +So she was dejected and went on a pilgrimage. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When he had told this story, the goblin said: "O King, who murdered the +Brahman? the snake, or the hawk, or the woman who gave him the food, or +her husband? This was discussed in the presence of the god of death, +but they could not decide. Therefore, O King, do you say. Who killed +the Brahman? Remember the curse, if you know and do not tell the truth." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king broke silence and said: "Who did the murder? The snake +cannot be blamed, because he was being eaten by his enemy and could not +help himself. The hawk was hungry and saw nothing. He was not to blame. +And how can you blame either or both of the charitable people who gave +food to a guest who arrived unexpectedly? They were quite virtuous, and +cannot be blamed. I should say that the dead man himself was to blame, +for he dared to accuse one of the others." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he jumped from the king's shoulder and +escaped to the sissoo tree. And the king ran after him again, +determined to catch him. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THIRTEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. Did he weep or laugh? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started. And as he walked along, the goblin said to him: +"O King, I will tell you another story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Ayodhya, which was once the capital of Rama the +exterminator of giants. In this city lived a strong-armed king named +Hero-banner who protected the world as a wall protects a city. During +his reign a great merchant named Jewel lived in the city. His wife was +named Pleasing, and a daughter named Pearl was given to her prayers. +</P> + +<P> +As the girl grew up in her father's house, her natural virtues grew +too: beauty, charm, and modesty. And thus she became a young woman. Now +in her young womanhood she was asked in marriage not only by great +merchants, but even by kings. But she was prudent and did not like men. +She would not have loved a god if he had been her husband. She was +ready to die at merely hearing talk of her marriage. So her father was +silent on the subject, though his tender love for her made him sad. And +the story was known everywhere in Ayodhya. +</P> + +<P> +At this time all the citizens were being plundered by thieves, and they +petitioned King Hero-banner in these words: "O King, we are plundered +every night by thieves, and cannot catch them. Your Majesty must decide +what to do." So the king stationed night-watchmen in hiding about the +city, to search out the thieves. +</P> + +<P> +When the watchmen failed to catch the thieves for all their searching, +the king himself took his sword, and wandered about alone at night. And +he saw a man creeping along a wall with noiseless steps, often casting +a fearful glance behind him. The king concluded that this was the thief +who all alone robbed the city, and went up to him. And the thief asked +him who he was. The king replied: "I am a thief." +</P> + +<P> +Then the thief said joyfully: "Good! You are my friend. Come to my +house. I will treat you like a friend." So the king agreed and went +with the thief to a house hidden in a grove and guarded by a wall, full +of delightful and beautiful things, and bright with shining gems. There +the thief offered the king a seat, and went into an inner room. +</P> + +<P> +At that moment a serving-maid came into the room and said to the king: +"Your Majesty, why have you come into the jaws of death? This wonderful +thief has gone out, intending to do you a mischief. He is certainly +treacherous. Go away quickly." +</P> + +<P> +So the king quickly went away, returned to the city, and drew up a +company of soldiers. With these soldiers he went and surrounded the +house where the serving-maid had been. +</P> + +<P> +When the thief saw that the house was surrounded, he knew that he was +betrayed, and came out to fight and die like a man. He showed more than +human valour. He cut off the trunks of elephants, the legs of horses, +and the heads of men; and he was all alone, with only his sword and +shield. When the king saw that his army was destroyed, he ran forward +himself. +</P> + +<P> +The king was a scientific swordsman, so with a turn of his wrist he +sent the sword and the dagger flying from the thief's hand. Then he +threw away his own sword, wrestled with the thief, threw him, and took +him alive. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning the thief was led to the place of execution to be +impaled, and the drums were beaten. And Pearl, the merchant's daughter, +saw him from her balcony. All bloody and dusty as he was, she went mad +with love, found her father, and said to him: "Father, I am going to +marry that thief who is being led to execution. You must save him from +the king. Otherwise I shall die with him." +</P> + +<P> +But her father said: "What do you mean, my daughter? That thief stole +everything the citizens had, and the king's men are going to kill him. +How can I save him from the king? Besides, what nonsense are you +talking?" But the more he scolded, the more determined she became. And +as he loved his daughter, he went to the king and offered all he had +for the release of the thief. +</P> + +<P> +But the king would not be tempted by millions. He would not release the +thief who stole everything, whom he had captured at the risk of his +life. So the father returned home sadly. And the girl, not heeding the +arguments of her relatives, took a bath, entered a litter, and went to +the death-scene of the rogue, to die with him. Her parents and her +relatives followed her, weeping. +</P> + +<P> +At that moment the executioners impaled the thief. As his life ebbed +away, he saw the girl and the people with her, and learned her story. +Then the tears rolled down his cheeks, but he died with a smile on his +lips. +</P> + +<P> +The faithful girl took the thief's body from the stake, and mounted the +pyre to burn herself. But the blessed god Shiva was staying invisibly +in the cemetery, and at that moment he spoke from the sky: "O faithful +wife, I am pleased with your constancy to the husband of your choice. +Choose whatever boon you will from me." +</P> + +<P> +The girl worshipped the gracious god and chose her boon: "O blessed +one, my father has no son. May he have a hundred. Otherwise his +childless life would end when I am gone." +</P> + +<P> +And the god spoke again from the sky: "O faithful wife, your father +shall have a hundred sons. But choose another boon. A woman faithful as +you are deserves more than the little thing you asked." +</P> + +<P> +Then she said: "O god, if I have won your favour, may this my husband +live and always be a good man." +</P> + +<P> +The invisible Shiva spoke from the sky: "So be it. Your husband shall +be made alive and well. He shall be a good man, and King Hero-banner +shall be pleased with him." +</P> + +<P> +Then the thief arose at once, alive and well. And the merchant Jewel +was overjoyed and astonished. He took Pearl and the thief, his +son-in-law, went home with his rejoicing relatives, and made a feast +great as his own delight, in honour of the sons he was to have. +</P> + +<P> +And the king was pleased when he learned the story, and in recognition +of the stupendous courage of the thief, he appointed him general at +once. The thief reformed, married the merchant's daughter, and lived +happily with her, devoted to virtue. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he reminded the king of the curse, +and said: "O king, when the thief on the stake saw the merchant's +daughter approaching with her father, did he weep or laugh? Tell me." +</P> + +<P> +And the king answered: "He thought: I can make no return to this +merchant for his unselfish friendship.' Therefore he wept from grief. +And he also thought: Why does this girl reject kings and fall in love +with a thief like me? How strange women are!' Therefore he laughed from +astonishment." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he immediately slipped from the king's +shoulder and escaped to his home. But the king was not discouraged. He +followed him to the sissoo tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FOURTEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Man who changed into a Woman at Will. Was his wife his or the other +man's? +</P> + +<P> +So the king went back as before under the sissoo tree, put the goblin +on his shoulder, and started toward the monk. And as he walked along, +the goblin told the king a story. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There was a city called Shivapur in Nepal. Long ago a king named +Glory-banner lived there, and he deserved the name. He laid the burden +of government on his counsellor named Ocean-of-Wisdom, and devoted +himself to a life of pleasure with his wife Moonbright. +</P> + +<P> +In course of time a daughter named Moonlight was born to them, pleasing +as the moonlight to the eyes of men. When she grew up, she went one day +in spring with her servants to a festival in the garden. +</P> + +<P> +There she was seen by a Brahman youth named Master-mind, the son of +Rich, who had come there to the festival. When he saw her plucking +flowers with one arm uplifted, he went mad with love. His heart was +taken captive by the gay maiden, and he was no longer master of his +mind. +</P> + +<P> +He thought: "Is she the goddess of love, plucking the spring flowers in +person? Or is she a forest goddess, come here to worship the +spring-time?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the princess saw him, like a new god of love incarnate. The moment +her eyes fell on him, she fell in love, forgetting her flowers and even +her own limbs. While they looked at each other, lost in love like +people in a picture, a great wail of anguish arose. They lifted their +heads to learn what the matter was, and just then an elephant that had +broken his chain, maddened by the scent of another mad elephant, came +by, crushing the people in his path. He had thrown off his driver and +the ankus hung from him as he ran. And everyone fled in terror. +</P> + +<P> +But the youth Master-mind ran up in a hurry and took the princess in +his arms. And with a mixture of fear and love and modesty she half +embraced him as he carried her far out of the elephant's path. Then her +people gradually gathered, and she went to the palace, looking at the +youth, and burning over the flame of love. +</P> + +<P> +And the youth went home from the garden, and thought: "I cannot live, I +cannot exist a moment without her. I must seek help from my teacher +Root, who is a thorough rogue." And so the day slowly passed. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning he went to his teacher Root, and found him with his +constant friend Moon. He drew near, bowed, and told his desire. And the +teacher laughed and promised to help him. +</P> + +<P> +So that wonderful rogue put a magic pill in his mouth, and thus changed +himself into an old Brahman. He put a second pill into Master-mind's +mouth, which changed him into a lovely girl. Then that prince of rogues +took him to the king and said: "O King, this maiden has come a long +distance to marry my only son. But my son has gone away, and I am going +to look for him. Please keep the girl. For you are a protector to be +trusted while I am looking for my son." +</P> + +<P> +The king was afraid of a curse, so he promised to do it. And summoning +his daughter, he said: "Daughter, keep this maiden in your chamber, and +let her live with you." So the girl took the Brahman youth Master-mind +in his girl form to her own apartments. +</P> + +<P> +When Root had gone away, Master-mind in his girl form lived with his +beloved, and in a few days came to know her in an intimate and loving +way, as girl friends do. Then when he saw that she was pining away and +tossing on her couch, he asked the princess one evening: "My dear girl, +why do you grow pale and thin day by day, grieving as if separated from +your love? Tell me. Why not trust a loving, innocent girl like me? If +you will not tell me, I shall starve myself." +</P> + +<P> +And the princess trusted him and said after a little hesitation: "My +dear girl, why should I not trust you? Listen. I will tell you. One day +I went to the spring festival in the garden. There I saw a handsome +Brahman youth, fair as the moon but not so cold, the sight of whom +kindled my love. For he adorned the garden as the spring-time does. +While my eager eyes were feasting on his face, a great mad elephant +that had broken his chain came charging and thundering past like a +black cloud in the dry season. My servants scattered in terror, and I +was helpless. But the Brahman youth took me in his arms and carried me +far away. I seemed to be in a sandal bath, in a stream of nectar. I +cannot tell how I felt as I touched him. Presently my servants gathered +around, and I was brought here helpless. I felt as if I had fallen from +heaven to earth. From that day I see in my thoughts my dear preserver +beside me. I embrace him in my dreams. What need of more words? I wear +away the time, thinking constantly of him and only him. The fire of +separation from the lord of my life devours me day and night." +</P> + +<P> +When Master-mind heard these welcome words, he rejoiced and counted +himself happy. And thinking the time to reveal himself had come, he +took the pill from his mouth, and disclosed his natural form. And he +said: "Beautiful maiden, I am he whom you bought and enslaved with a +kindly glance in the garden. I was sick at the separation from you; so +I took the form of a girl, and came here. So now bring heaven in a +loving glance to my love-tortured heart." +</P> + +<P> +When the princess saw that the lord of her life was beside her, she was +torn between love and wonder and modesty, and did not know what she +ought to do. So they were secretly married and lived there in supreme +happiness. Master-mind lived in a double form. By day he was a girl +with the pill in his mouth, by night a man without the pill. +</P> + +<P> +After a time the brother-in-law of King Glory-banner gave his daughter +with great pomp to a Brahman, the son of the counsellor +Ocean-of-Wisdom. And the princess Moonlight was invited to her cousin's +wedding and went to her uncle's house. And Master-mind went with her in +his girl form. +</P> + +<P> +When the counsellor's son saw Master-mind in his lovely girl form, he +was terribly smitten with the arrows of love. His heart was stolen by +the sham girl, and he went home feeling lonely even with his wife. It +made him crazy to think of that lovely face. When his father tried to +soothe him, he woke from his madness and stammered out his insane +desire. And his father was terribly distressed, knowing that all this +depended on another. +</P> + +<P> +Then the king learned the story and came there. When the king saw his +condition and perceived that he was seven parts gone in love, he said: +"How can I give him the girl who was intrusted to me by the Brahman? +Yet without her he will be ten parts gone in love, and will die. And if +he dies, then his father, the counsellor, will die too. And if the +counsellor perishes, my kingdom will perish. What shall I do?" +</P> + +<P> +He consulted his counsellors, and they said: "Your Majesty, the first +duty of a king is the preservation of the virtue of his people. This is +the fundamental principle, and is established as such among +counsellors. If the counsellor is lost, the fundamental principle is +lost; how then can virtue be preserved? So in this case it would be +sinful to destroy the counsellor through his son. You must by all means +avoid the loss of virtue which would ensue. Give the Brahman's girl to +the counsellor's son. And when the Brahman returns, further measures +will suggest themselves." +</P> + +<P> +To this the king agreed, and promised to give the sham girl to the +counsellor's son. So Master-mind in his girl form was brought from the +chamber of the princess, and he said to the king: "Your Majesty, I was +brought here by somebody for a given purpose. If you give me to +somebody else, well and good. You are the king. Right and wrong depend +on you. I will marry him to-day, but only on one condition. My husband +shall go away immediately after the marriage and not return until he +has been on a pilgrimage for six months. Otherwise I shall bite out my +tongue." +</P> + +<P> +So the counsellor's son was summoned, and he joyfully assented. He made +the man his wife at once, put the sham wife in a guarded room and +started on a pilgrimage. So Master-mind lived there in his woman form. +</P> + +<P> +When he realized that the counsellor's son would soon return, +Master-mind fled by night. And Root heard the story, and again assumed +the form of an old Brahman. He took his friend Moon, went to +Glory-banner, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I have brought my +son. Pray give me my daughter-in-law." +</P> + +<P> +The king was afraid of a curse, so he said: "Brahman, I do not know +where your daughter-in-law has gone. Be merciful. To atone for my +carelessness, I will give your son my own daughter." +</P> + +<P> +The prince of rogues in the form of an old Brahman angrily refused. But +the king finally persuaded him, and with all due form married his +daughter Moonlight to Moon, who pretended to be the old Brahman's son. +Then Root went home with the bride and bridegroom. +</P> + +<P> +But then Master-mind came, and in the presence of Root, a great dispute +arose between him and Moon. +</P> + +<P> +Master-mind said: "Moonlight should be given to me. I married the girl +first with my teacher's permission." +</P> + +<P> +Moon said: "Fool! What rights have you in my wife? Her father gave her +to me in regular marriage." +</P> + +<P> +So they disputed about the princess whom one had won by fraud and the +other by force. But they could reach no decision. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +O King, tell me. Whose wife is she? Resolve my doubts, and remember the +agreement about your head. +</P> + +<P> +Then the king said: "I think she is the rightful wife of Moon. For she +was married to him in the regular way by her father in the presence of +her relatives. Master-mind married her secretly, like a thief. And when +a thief takes things from other people, it is never right." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he went back home as before. And the king +stuck to his purpose. He went back again, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started from the sissoo tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FIFTEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent Shell-crest. Which is +the more self-sacrificing? +</P> + +<P> +So the king walked along with the goblin. And the goblin said: "O king, +listen to a story the like of which was never heard." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a mountain called Himalaya where all gems are found. It is the +king of mountains. Its proud loftiness is everywhere the theme of song. +The sun himself has not seen its top. +</P> + +<P> +On its summit is a city called Golden City, brilliant like a heap of +sunbeams left in trust by the sun. There lived a glorious fairy-king +named Cloud-banner. In the garden of his palace was a wishing-tree +which had come down to him from his ancestors. +</P> + +<P> +King Cloud-banner had worshipped the tree which was really a god, and +by its grace had obtained a son named Cloud-chariot. This son +remembered his former lives. He was destined to be a Buddha in a future +life. He was generous, noble, merciful to all creatures, and obedient +to his parents. +</P> + +<P> +When he grew up, the king anointed him crown prince, persuaded thereto +by his counsellors as well as by the remarkable virtues of the youth. +While Cloud-chariot was crown prince, his father's counsellors came to +him one day and kindly said: "Crown prince, you must always honour this +wishing-tree in your garden; for it yields all desires, and cannot be +taken away by anybody. As long as it is favourably disposed to us, the +king of the gods could not conquer us, and of course nobody else could." +</P> + +<P> +Then Cloud-chariot thought: "Alas! The men of old had this heavenly +tree, yet they did not pluck from it any worthy fruit. They were +mean-spirited. They simply begged it for some kind of wealth. And so +they degraded themselves and the great tree too. But I will get from it +the wish which is in my heart." +</P> + +<P> +With this thought the noble creature went to his father. He showed such +complete deference as to delight his father, then when his father was +comfortably seated, he whispered: "Father, you know yourself that in +this sea of life all possessions, including our own bodies, are +uncertain as a rippling wave. Especially is money fleeting, uncertain, +fickle as the twilight lightning. The only thing in life which does not +perish is service. This gives birth to virtue and glory, twin witnesses +through all the ages to come. Father! Why do we keep such a +wishing-tree for the sake of transient blessings? Our ancestors clung +to it, saying: It is mine, it is mine.' And where are they now? What +is it to them, or they to it? Then, if you bid me, I will beg this +generous wishing-tree for the one fruit that counts, the fruit of +service to others." +</P> + +<P> +His father graciously assented, and Cloud-chariot went to the +wishing-tree, and said: "O god, you have fulfilled the wishes of our +fathers. Fulfil now my one single wish. Remove poverty from the world. +A blessing be with you. Go. I give you to the needy world." And as +Cloud-chariot bowed reverently, there came a voice from the tree: "I +go, since you give me up." And the wishing-tree immediately flew from +heaven and rained so much money on the earth that nobody was poor. And +Cloud-chariot's reputation for universal benevolence was spread about. +</P> + +<P> +But all the relatives were jealous and envious. They thought that they +could easily conquer Cloud-chariot and his father without the +wishing-tree, and they prepared to fight to take away his kingdom. But +Cloud-chariot said to his father: "Father, how can you take your +weapons and fight? What high-minded man would want a kingdom after +killing his relatives just for the sake of this wretched, perishable +body? Let us abandon the kingdom, and go away somewhere to devote +ourselves entirely to virtue. Then we shall be blessed in both worlds. +And let these wretched relatives enjoy the kingdom which they hanker +after." +</P> + +<P> +And Cloud-banner said: "My son, I only want the kingdom for you, and if +you give it up from benevolent motives, what good is it to me? I am an +old man." +</P> + +<P> +So Cloud-chariot left the kingdom and went with his father and mother +to the Malabar hills. There he built a hermit's retreat, and waited on +his parents. +</P> + +<P> +One day, as he wandered about, he met Friend-wealth, the son of +All-wealth, who lived there as king of the Siddhas. And Cloud-chariot +spoke to him and made friends with him. +</P> + +<P> +Then one day Cloud-chariot saw a shrine to the goddess Gauri in the +grove, and entered there. And he saw a slender, lovely maiden +surrounded by her girl friends and playing on a lute, in honour of +Gauri. The deer listened to her music and her song, motionless as if +ashamed because her eyes were lovelier than their own. When +Cloud-chariot saw the slender maiden, his heart was ravished. +</P> + +<P> +And he seemed to her to make the garden beautiful like the spring-time. +A strange longing came over her. She became so helpless that her +friends were alarmed. +</P> + +<P> +Then Cloud-chariot asked one of her friends: "My good girl, what is +your friend's sweet name? What family does she adorn?" +</P> + +<P> +And the friend said: "This is Sandal, sister of Friend-wealth, and +daughter of the king of the Siddhas." Then she earnestly asked for the +name and family of Cloud-Chariot from a hermit's son who had come with +him. And then she spoke to Sandal with words punctuated by smiles: "My +dear, why do you not show hospitality to the fairy prince? He is a +guest whom all the world would be glad to honour." +</P> + +<P> +But the bashful princess remained silent with downcast eyes. Then the +friend said: "She is bashful. Accept a hospitable greeting from me." +And she gave him a garland. +</P> + +<P> +Cloud-chariot, far gone in love, took the garland and put it around +Sandal's neck. And the loving, sidelong glance which she gave him +seemed like another garland of blue lotuses. So they pledged themselves +without speaking a word. +</P> + +<P> +Then a serving-maid came and said to the princess: "Princess, your +mother remembers you. Come at once." And she went slowly, after drawing +from her lover's face a passionate glance, for which Love's arrow had +wedged a path. And Cloud-chariot went to the hermitage, thinking of +her; while she, sick with the separation from the lord of her life, saw +her mother, then tottered to her bed and fell upon it. Her eyes were +blinded as if by smoke from the fire of love within her, her limbs +tossed in fever, she shed tears. And though her friends anointed her +with sandal and fanned her with lotus-leaves, she found no rest on her +bed or in the lap of a friend or on the ground. +</P> + +<P> +Then when the day fled away with the passionate red twilight, and the +moon drew near to kiss the face of the laughing East, she despaired of +life, and her modesty would not let her send a message in spite of all +her love. But somehow she lived through the night. And Cloud-chariot +too was in anguish at the separation. Even in his bed he was fallen +into the hand of Love. Though his passion was so recent, he had already +grown pale. Though shame kept him silent, his looks told of the pangs +of love. And so he passed the night. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning he arose and went to the shrine of Gauri. And his +friend, the hermit's son, followed him and tried to comfort him. At +that moment the lovelorn Sandal came out of her house alone, for she +could not endure the separation, and crept to that lonely spot to end +her life there. +</P> + +<P> +She did not see her lover behind a tree, and with eyes brimming with +tears she prayed to the goddess Gauri: "O goddess, since I could not in +this life have Cloud-chariot as my husband, grant that in another life +at last he may be my husband." +</P> + +<P> +Then she tied her garment to the limb of an ashoka tree before the +goddess and cried: "Alas, my lord! Alas, Cloud-chariot! They say your +benevolence is universal. Why did you not save me?" +</P> + +<P> +But as she fastened the garment about her neck, a voice from the sky +was heard in the air: "My daughter, do nothing rash. Cloud-chariot, the +future king of the fairies, shall be your husband." +</P> + +<P> +And Cloud-chariot heard the heavenly voice, and with his friend +approached his rejoicing sweetheart. The friend said to the girl: "Here +is the gift which the goddess grants you." And Cloud-chariot spoke more +than one tender word and loosed the garment from her neck with his own +hand. +</P> + +<P> +Then a girl friend who had been gathering flowers there and had seen +what was happening, came up joyfully and said, while Sandal's modest +eyes seemed to be tracing a figure on the ground: "My dear, I +congratulate you. Your wish is granted. This very day Prince +Friend-wealth said in my presence to King All-wealth, your father: +Father, the fairy prince, who deserves honour from all the world, who +gave away the wishing-tree, is here, and we should treat him as an +honoured guest. We could not find another bridegroom like him. So let +us welcome him with the gift of Sandal who is a pearl of a girl.' And +the king agreed, and your brother Friend-wealth has this moment gone to +the hermitage of the noble prince. I think your marriage will soon take +place. So go to your chamber, and let the noble prince go to his +hermitage." +</P> + +<P> +So she went slowly and happily and lovingly. And Cloud-chariot hastened +to the hermitage. There he greeted Friend-wealth and heard his message, +and told him about his own birth and former life. Then Friend-wealth +was delighted and told Cloud-chariot's parents who were also delighted. +Then he went home and made his own parents happy with the news. +</P> + +<P> +That very day he invited Cloud-chariot to his home. And they made a +great feast as was proper, and married the fairy prince and Sandal on +the spot. Then Cloud-chariot was completely happy and spent some time +there with his bride Sandal. +</P> + +<P> +One day he took a walk for pleasure about the hills with Friend-wealth, +and came to the seashore. There he saw great heaps of bones, and he +asked Friend-wealth: "What creatures did these heaps of bones belong +to?" His brother-in-law Friend-wealth said to the merciful prince: +"Listen, my friend. I will tell you the story briefly." +</P> + +<P> +Long ago Kadru, the mother of the serpents, made a wager with her rival +Vinata, the mother of the great bird Garuda. She won the wager and +enslaved her rival. Now Garuda's anger continued even after he had +freed his mother from slavery. He kept going into the underworld where +Kadru's offspring, the serpents, live, to eat them. Some he killed, +others he crushed. +</P> + +<P> +Then Vasuki, king of the serpents, feared that in time all would be +lost if the serpents were all to be slain thus. So he made an agreement +with Garuda. He said: "O king of birds, I will send one serpent every +day to the shore of the southern sea for you to eat. But you are never +to enter the underworld again. What advantage would it be to you if all +the serpents were slain at once?" And Garuda agreed, with an eye to his +own advantage. +</P> + +<P> +Since that time Garuda every day eats the snake sent by Vasuki here on +the seashore. And these heaps of bones from the serpents that have been +eaten, have in time formed a regular mountain. +</P> + +<P> +When Cloud-chariot heard this story from the lips of Friend-wealth, he +was deeply grieved and said: "My friend, wretched indeed is that king +Vasuki who deliberately sacrifices his own subjects to their enemy. He +is a coward. He has a thousand heads, yet could not find a single mouth +to say: O Garuda, eat me first.' How could he be so mean as to beg +Garuda to destroy his own race? Or how can Garuda, the heavenly bird, +do such a crime? Oh, insolent madness!" +</P> + +<P> +So the noble Cloud-chariot made up his mind that he would use his poor +body that day to save the life of one serpent at least. At that moment +a door-keeper, sent by Friend-wealth's father, came to summon them +home. And Cloud-Chariot said: "Do you go first. I will follow." So he +dismissed Friend-wealth, and remained there himself. +</P> + +<P> +As he walked about waiting for the thing he hoped for, he heard a +pitiful sound of weeping at a distance. He went a little way and saw +near a lofty rock a sorrowful, handsome youth. He was at that moment +abandoned by a creature that seemed to be a policeman, and was gently +persuading his old, weeping mother to return. And Cloud-chariot wished +to know who it might be. So he hid himself and listened, his heart +melting with pity. +</P> + +<P> +The old mother was bowed down by anguish, and started to lament over +the youth. "Oh, Shell-crest! Oh, my virtuous son, whom I fondled, not +counting the labour and the pain! Oh, my son, my only son! Where shall +I see you again? Oh, my darling! When your bright face is gone, your +old father will fall into black despair. How can he live then? Your +tender form is hurt by the rays of the sun. How can it bear the pangs +of being eaten by Garuda? Oh, my unhappy fate! Why did the Creator and +the serpent-king choose my only son from the broad serpent-world, and +seize upon him?" +</P> + +<P> +And as she lamented, the youth, her son, said: "Mother, I am unhappy +enough. Why torture me yet more? Return home. For the last time I bow +before you. It is time for Garuda to come." +</P> + +<P> +And the mother cried: "Alas, alas for me! Who will save my son?" And +she gazed about wildly and wept aloud. +</P> + +<P> +All this Cloud-chariot, the future Buddha, saw and heard. And with deep +pity he thought: "Alas! This is a serpent named Shell-crest, sent here +by Vasuki for Garuda to eat. And this is his mother, following him out +of her great love. He is her only son, and she is mourning in pain and +bitter anguish. I should forever curse my useless life if I did not +save one in such agony at the cost of a body which must perish anyway +some day." +</P> + +<P> +So Cloud-chariot joyfully approached and said to the old mother: +"Serpent-mother, I will save your son. Do not weep." +</P> + +<P> +But the old mother thought that this was Garuda, and she screamed: "O +Garuda, eat me! Eat me!" +</P> + +<P> +Then Shell-crest said: "Mother, this is not Garuda. Do not be alarmed. +What a difference between one who soothes our feelings like the moon, +and the fearful Garuda." +</P> + +<P> +And Cloud-chariot said: "Mother, I am a fairy, come to save your son. I +will put on his garment and offer my own body to the hungry bird. Do +you take your son and go home." +</P> + +<P> +But the old mother said: "No, no. You are more than a son to me. To +think that such as you should feel pity for such as we!" +</P> + +<P> +And Cloud-chariot answered: "Mother, I beg you not to disappoint me." +But when he insisted, Shell-crest said: "Noble being, you have +certainly shown compassion, but I do not wish to save my body at the +expense of yours. Who would save a common stone at the cost of a pearl? +The world is full of creatures like me, who are merciful only to +themselves. But creatures like you, who are merciful to all the world, +are very rare. Oh, pious being, I could not stain the pure family of +Shell-guard, as the dark spot stains the disk on the moon." +</P> + +<P> +Then Shell-crest said to his mother: "Mother, return from this desolate +place. Do you not see the rock of sacrifice wet with the blood of +serpents, the terrible plaything of Death? I will go for a moment to +the shore and worship the god Shiva there. And I will return quickly +before Garuda comes." +</P> + +<P> +So Shell-crest took leave of his mother and went to worship Shiva. And +Cloud-chariot thought: "If Garuda should come in this interval, I +should be happy." +</P> + +<P> +Then he saw the trees stiffening themselves against the wind made by +the sweeping wings of the king of birds. "Garuda is coming," he +thought, and climbed the rock of sacrifice, eager to give his life for +another. +</P> + +<P> +And Garuda straightway pounced upon the noble creature and lifted him +from the rock in his beak. While Cloud-chariot's blood flowed in +streams and the gem fell from his forehead, Garuda carried him off and +began to eat him on the summit of the Malabar hills. And while he was +being eaten, Cloud-chariot thought: "In every future life of mine may +my body do some good to somebody. I would not attain heaven and +salvation without doing some good first." Then a shower of flowers fell +from heaven on the fairy prince. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +At that moment the blood-stained gem from his forehead fell in front of +his wife Sandal. She was in anguish at the sight, and as her +parents-in-law were near, she tearfully showed it to them. And they +were alarmed at the sight of their son's gem and wondered what it +meant. Then King Cloud-banner discovered the truth by his magic arts, +and he and his queen started to run with Cloud-chariot's wife Sandal. +</P> + +<P> +At that moment Shell-crest returned from his worship of Shiva. He saw +the rock stained with blood, and cried: "Alas for me, poor sinner! +Surely that noble, merciful creature has given his body to Garuda in +place of mine. I must find him. Where has the great being been carried +by my enemy? If I find him alive, then I shall not sink into the slough +of infamy." So he followed weeping the broad trail of blood. +</P> + +<P> +Now Garuda noticed that Cloud-chariot was happy while being eaten, and +he thought: "This must be some strange, great being, for he is happy +while I am eating him. He does not die, and what remains of him is +thrilled with delight. And he turns a gracious, benevolent look upon +me. Surely, he is no serpent, but some great spirit. I will stop eating +him and ask him." +</P> + +<P> +But while he reflected, Cloud-chariot said: "O king of birds, why do +you stop? There is still some flesh and blood on me, and I see that you +are not satisfied. Pray continue to eat." +</P> + +<P> +When the king of birds heard these remarkable words, he said: "You are +no serpent. Tell me who you are." +</P> + +<P> +But Cloud-chariot continued to urge him: "Certainly I am a serpent. +What does the question mean? Continue your meal. What fool would begin +a thing and then stop?" +</P> + +<P> +At that moment Shell-crest shouted from afar: "O Garuda, do not commit +a great and reckless crime. What madness is this? He is not a serpent. +I am the serpent." +</P> + +<P> +And he ran between them and spoke again to the agitated bird: "O +Garuda, what madness is this? Do you not see that I have the hood and +the forked tongue? Do you not see how gentle his appearance is?" +</P> + +<P> +While he was speaking, Cloud-chariot's wife Sandal and his parents +hurried up. And when his parents saw how he was lacerated, they wept +aloud and lamented: "Alas, my son! Alas, Cloud-chariot! Alas for my +merciful darling, who gave his life for others!" +</P> + +<P> +But when they cried: "Alas, Garuda! How could you do this thoughtless +thing?" then Garuda was filled with remorse and thought: "Alas! How +could I be mad enough to eat a future Buddha? This must be +Cloud-chariot, who gives his life for others, whose fame is trumpeted +abroad through all the world. If he is dead, I am a sinner, and ought +to burn myself alive. Why does the fruit of the poison-tree of sin +taste sweet?" +</P> + +<P> +While Garuda was thus deep in anxious thought, Cloud-chariot saw his +relatives gathered, fell down, and died from the pain of his wounds. +Then, while his grief-stricken parents were loudly lamenting, while +Shell-crest was accusing himself, Sandal looked up to heaven and, in a +voice stammering with tears, reproached the goddess Gauri who had +graciously given her this husband: "Oh, Mother! You told me that the +fairy prince should be my husband, but it is my fate that you spoke +falsely." +</P> + +<P> +Then Gauri appeared in a visible form, and said: "Daughter, my words +are not false." And she sprinkled Cloud-chariot with nectar from a jar. +And straightway he stood up alive, unhurt and more beautiful than +before. +</P> + +<P> +As they all bent low in worship, and Cloud-chariot rose only to bend +again, the goddess said: "My son, I am pleased with your gift of your +own body. With my own hand I anoint you king of the fairies." And she +anointed Cloud-chariot with liquor from the jar, and then disappeared, +followed by the worship of the company. And showers of heavenly +blossoms fell from the sky, and the drums of the gods were joyfully +beaten in heaven. +</P> + +<P> +Then Garuda reverently said to Cloud-chariot: "O King, I am pleased +with your more than human character. For you have done a strange thing +of unparalleled nobility, to be marvelled at throughout the universe, +to be written upon the walls of heaven. Therefore I am at your service. +Choose from me what boon you will." +</P> + +<P> +The noble creature said to Garuda: "O Garuda, you must repent and eat +no more serpents. And you must restore to life those that you ate +before, who now are nothing but bones." +</P> + +<P> +And Garuda said: "So be it. I will eat no serpents hereafter. And those +that I have eaten shall come to life." +</P> + +<P> +Then all the serpents who had been eaten down to the bones, suddenly +stood up. And through the grace of Gauri all the leading fairies +learned immediately the wonderful deed of Cloud-chariot. So they all +came and bowed at his feet and took him, freshly anointed by the very +hand of Gauri, with his rejoicing relatives and friends to the Himalaya +mountain. There Cloud-chariot lived happily with his father and his +mother and his wife Sandal and Friend-wealth and the generous +Shell-crest. And he ruled the fairy world radiant with gems. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this long, strange story, he said to the king: +"O King, tell me. Which was the more self-sacrificing, Cloud-chariot or +Shell-crest? If you know and do not tell, then the curse I mentioned +before will be fulfilled." +</P> + +<P> +And the king said: "There was nothing remarkable in what Cloud-chariot +did. He was prepared for it by the experiences of many past lives. But +Shell-crest deserves praise. He was saved from death. His enemy had +another victim, and was far away. Yet he ran after and offered his body +to Garuda." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this, he went back to the sissoo tree. And the +king returned to catch him again. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap16"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SIXTEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General follows +him in Death. Which is the more worthy? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back under the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started. And the goblin said to him: "O King, I +will tell you another little story to relieve your weariness. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Long ago there was a city named Golden City on the bank of the Ganges, +where a quarter of the old perfect virtue still lingers in these evil +days. There was a king named Glorious, and he deserved the name. His +bravery kept the world from being overflowed, like the shore of the sea. +</P> + +<P> +In this king's city lived a great merchant, who had a daughter named +Passion. Everyone who saw her fell in love and went mad with passion. +</P> + +<P> +When she grew to be a young woman, the virtuous merchant went to King +Glorious and said: "Your Majesty, I have a daughter, the gem of the +three worlds, and she is old enough to marry. I could not give her to +anyone without consulting your Majesty. For you are the master of all +gems in the world. Pray marry her and thus lay me under obligations." +</P> + +<P> +So the king sent his own Brahmans to examine her qualities. But when +the Brahmans saw her supreme loveliness, they were troubled and +thought: "If the king should marry her, his kingdom would be ruined. He +would think only of her, and would doubtless neglect his kingdom. +Therefore we must not report her good qualities to the king." +</P> + +<P> +So they returned to the king and said: "Your Majesty, she has bad +qualities." So the king did not marry the merchant's daughter. But he +bade the merchant give his daughter to a general named Force. And she +lived happily with her husband in his house. +</P> + +<P> +After a time the lion of spring came dancing through the forest and +slew the elephant of winter. And King Glorious went forth on the back +of an elephant to see the spring festival. And the drum was beaten to +warn virtuous women to stay within doors. Otherwise they would have +fallen in love with his beauty, and love-sickness might be expected. +</P> + +<P> +But when Passion heard the drum, she did not like to be left alone. She +went out on the balcony, that the king might see her. She seemed like +the flame of love which the spring-time was fanning with southern +breezes. And the king saw her, and his whole being was shaken. He felt +her beauty sinking deep in his heart like a victorious arrow of Love, +and he fainted. +</P> + +<P> +His servants brought him back to consciousness, and he returned to the +city. There he made inquiries and learned that this was Passion whom he +had rejected before. So he banished from the country the Brahmans who +had said that she had bad qualities, and he thought longingly of her +every day. +</P> + +<P> +And as he thought of her, he burned over the flame of love, and wasted +away day and night. And though from shame he tried to conceal it, he +finally told the reason of his anguish to responsible people who asked +him. +</P> + +<P> +They said: "Do not suffer. Why do you not seize her?" But the virtuous +king would not do it. +</P> + +<P> +Then General Force heard the story. He came and bowed at the feet of +the king and said: "Your Majesty, she is the wife of your slave, +therefore she is your slave. I give her to you of my own accord. Pray +take my wife. Or better yet, I will leave her here in the palace. Then +you cannot be blamed if you marry her." And the general begged and +insisted. +</P> + +<P> +But the king became angry and said: "I am a king. How can I do such a +wicked thing? If I should transgress, who would be virtuous? You are +devoted to me. Why do you urge me to a sin which is pleasant for the +moment, but causes great sorrow in the next world? If you abandon your +wedded wife, I shall not pardon you. How could a man in my position +overlook such a transgression? It is better to die." Thus the king +argued against it. For the truly great throw away life rather than +virtue. And when all the citizens came together and urged him, he was +steadfast and refused. +</P> + +<P> +So he slowly shrivelled away over the fever-flame of love and died. +There was nothing left of King Glorious except his glory. And the +general could not endure the death of his king. He burned himself +alive. The actions of devoted men are blameless. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin on the king's shoulder had told this story, he asked +the king: "O King, which of these two, the king and the general, was +the more deserving? Remember the curse before you answer." +</P> + +<P> +The king said: "I think the king was the more deserving." +</P> + +<P> +And the goblin said reproachfully: "O King, why was not the general +better? He offered the king a wife like that, whose charms he knew from +a long married life. And when his king died, he burned himself like a +faithful man. But the king gave her up without really knowing her +attractions." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king laughed and said: "True enough, but not surprising. The +general was a gentleman born, and acted as he did from devotion to his +superior. For servants must protect their masters even at the cost of +their own lives. But kings are like mad elephants who cannot be goaded +into obedience, who break the binding-chain of virtue. They are +insolent, and their judgment trickles from them with the holy water of +consecration. Their eyes are blinded by the hurricane of power, and +they do not see the road. From the most ancient times, even the kings +who conquered the world have been maddened by love and have fallen into +misfortune. But this king, though he ruled the whole world, though he +was maddened by the girl Passion, preferred to die rather than set his +foot on the path of iniquity. He was a hero. He was the better of the +two." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin escaped by magic from the king's shoulder and went +back. And the king pursued him, undiscouraged. No great man stops in +the middle of the hardest undertaking. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap17"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +SEVENTEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies. Why did he fail to +win the magic spell? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back through the night to the cemetery filled with +ghouls, terrible with funeral piles that seemed like ghosts with +wagging tongues of flame. But when he came to the sissoo tree, he was +surprised to see a great many bodies hanging on the tree. They were all +alike, and in each was a goblin twitching its limbs. +</P> + +<P> +And the king thought: "Ah, what does this mean? Why does that magic +goblin keep wasting my time? For I do not know which of all these I +ought to take. If I should not succeed in this night's endeavour, then +I would burn myself alive rather than become a laughing-stock." +</P> + +<P> +But the goblin understood the king's purpose, and was pleased with his +character. So he gave up his magic arts. Then the king saw only one +goblin in one body. He took him down as before, put him on his +shoulder, and started once more. +</P> + +<P> +And as he walked along, the goblin said: "O King, if you have no +objections, I will tell you a story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Ujjain, whose people delight in noble happiness, +and feel no longing for heaven. In that city there is real darkness at +night, real intelligence in poetry, real madness in elephants, real +coolness in pearls, sandal, and moonlight. +</P> + +<P> +There lived a king named Moonshine. He had as counsellor a famous +Brahman named Heaven-lord, rich in money, rich in piety, rich in +learning. And the counsellor had a son named Moon-lord. +</P> + +<P> +This son went one day to a great resort of gamblers to play. There the +dice, beautiful as the eyes of gazelles, were being thrown constantly. +And Calamity seemed to be looking on, thinking: "Whom shall I embrace?" +And the loud shouts of angry gamblers seemed to suggest the question: +"Who is there that would not be fleeced here, were he the god of wealth +himself?" +</P> + +<P> +This hall the youth entered, and played with dice. He staked his +clothes and everything else, and the gamblers won it all. Then he +wagered money he did not have, and lost that. And when they asked him +to pay, he could not. So the gambling-master caught him and beat him +with clubs. +</P> + +<P> +When he was bruised all over by the clubs, the Brahman youth became +motionless like a stone, and pretended to be dead, and waited. After he +had lain thus for two or three days, the heartless gambling-master said +to the gamblers: "He lies like a stone. Take him somewhere and throw +him into a blind well. I will pay you the money he owes." +</P> + +<P> +So the gamblers picked Moon-lord up and went far into the forest, +looking for a well. Then one old gambler said to the others: "He is as +good as dead. What is the use of throwing him into a well now? We will +leave him here and go back and say we have left him in a well." And all +the rest agreed, and left him there, and went back. +</P> + +<P> +When they were gone, Moon-lord rose and entered a deserted temple to +Shiva. When he had rested a little there, he thought in great anguish: +"Ah, I trusted the rascally gamblers, and they cheated me. Where shall +I go now, naked and dusty as I am? What would my father say if he saw +me now, or any relative, or any friend? I will stay here for the +present, and at night I will go out and try to find food somehow to +appease my hunger." +</P> + +<P> +While he reflected in weariness and nakedness, the sun grew less hot +and disappeared. Then a terrible hermit named Stake came there, and he +had smeared his body with ashes. When he had seen Moon-lord and asked +who he was and heard his story, he said, as the youth bent low before +him: "Sir, you have come to my hermitage, a guest fainting with hunger. +Rise, bathe, and partake of the meal I have gained by begging." +</P> + +<P> +Then Moon-lord said to him: "Holy sir, I am a Brahman. How can I +partake of such a meal?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the hermit-magician went into his hut and out of tenderness to his +guest he thought of a magic spell which grants all desires. And the +spell appeared in bodily form, and said: "What shall I do?" And the +hermit said: "Treat that man as an honoured guest." +</P> + +<P> +Then Moon-lord was astonished to see a golden palace rise before him +and a grove with women in it. They came to him from the palace and +said: "Sir, rise, come, bathe, eat, and meet our mistress." So they led +him in and gave him a chance to bathe and anoint himself and dress. +Then they led him to another room. +</P> + +<P> +There the youth saw a woman of wonderful beauty, whom the Creator must +have made to see what he could do. She rose and offered him half of her +seat. And he ate heavenly food and various fruits and chewed betel +leaves and sat happily with her on the couch. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning he awoke and saw the temple to Shiva, but the heavenly +creature was gone, and the palace, and the women in it. So he went out +in distress, and the hermit in his hut smiled and asked him how he had +spent the night. And he said: "Holy sir, through your kindness I spent +a happy night, but I shall die without that heavenly creature." +</P> + +<P> +Then the hermit laughed and said: "Stay here. You shall have the same +happiness again to-night." So Moon-lord enjoyed those delights every +night through the favour of the hermit. +</P> + +<P> +Finally Moon-lord came to see what a mighty spell that was. So, driven +on by his fate, he respectfully begged the hermit: "Holy sir, if you +really feel pity for a poor suppliant like me, teach me that spell +which has such power." +</P> + +<P> +And when he insisted, the hermit said: "You could never win the spell. +One has to stand in the water to win it. And it weaves a net of magic +to bewilder the man who is repeating the words, so that he cannot win +it. For as he mumbles it, he seems to lead another life, first a baby, +then a boy, then a youth, then a husband, then a father. And he falsely +imagines that such and such people are his friends, such and such his +enemies. He forgets his real life and his desire to win the spell. But +if a man mumbles it constantly for twenty-four years, and remembers his +own life, and is not deceived by the network of magic, and then at the +end burns himself alive, he comes out of the water, and has real magic +power. It comes only to a good pupil, and if a teacher tries to teach +it to a bad pupil, the teacher loses it too. Now you have the real +benefit through my magic power. Why insist on more? If I lost my +powers, then your happiness would go too." +</P> + +<P> +But Moon-lord said: "I can do anything. Do not fear, holy sir." And the +hermit promised to teach him the spell. What will holy men not do out +of regard to those who seek aid? +</P> + +<P> +So the hermit went to the river bank, and said: "My son, mumble the +words of the spell. And while you are leading an imaginary life, you +will at last be awakened by my magic. Then plunge into the magic fire +which you will see. I will stand here on the bank while you mumble it." +</P> + +<P> +So he purified himself and purified Moon-lord and made him sip water, +and then he taught him the magic spell. And Moon-lord bowed to his +teacher on the bank, and plunged into the river. +</P> + +<P> +And as he mumbled the words of the spell in the water, he was +bewildered by its magic. He forgot all about his past life, and went +through another life. He was born in another city as the son of a +Brahman. Then he grew up, was consecrated, and went to school. Then he +took a wife, and after many experiences half pleasant, half painful, he +found himself the father of a family. Then he lived for some years with +his parents and his relatives, devoted to wife and children, and +interested in many things. +</P> + +<P> +While he was experiencing all these labours of another life, the hermit +took pity on him and repeated magic words to enlighten him. And +Moon-lord was enlightened in the midst of his new life. He remembered +himself and his teacher, and saw that the other life was a network of +magic. So he prepared to enter the fire in order to win magic power. +</P> + +<P> +But older people and reliable people and his parents and his relatives +tried to prevent him. In spite of them he hankered after heavenly +pleasures, and went to the bank of a river where a funeral pile had +been made ready. And his relatives went with him. But when he got there +he saw that his old parents and his wife and his little children were +weeping. +</P> + +<P> +And he was perplexed, and thought: "Alas! If I enter the fire, all +these my own people will die. And I do not know whether my teacher's +promise will come true or not. Shall I go into the fire, or go home? +No, no. How could a teacher with such powers promise falsely? Indeed, I +must enter the fire." And he did. +</P> + +<P> +And he was astonished the feel the fire as cool as snow, and lost his +fear of it. Then he came out of the water of the river, and found +himself on the bank. He saw his teacher standing there, and fell at his +feet, and told him the whole story, ending with the blazing funeral +pile. +</P> + +<P> +Then his teacher said: "My son, I think you must have made some +mistake. Otherwise, why did the fire seem cool to you? That never +happens in the winning of this magic spell." +</P> + +<P> +And Moon-lord said: "Holy sir, I do not remember making any mistake." +Then his teacher was eager to know about it, so he tried to remember +the spell himself. But it would not come to him or to his pupil. So +they went away sad, having lost their magic. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +explain the matter to me. Why did they lose their magic, when +everything had been done according to precept?" +</P> + +<P> +Then the king said: "O magic creature, I see that you are only trying +to waste my time. Still, I will tell you. Magic powers do not come to a +man because he does things that are hard, but because he does things +with a pure heart. The Brahman youth was defective at that point. He +hesitated even when his mind was enlightened. Therefore he failed to +win the magic. And the teacher lost his magic because he taught it to +an unworthy pupil." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin went back to his home. And the king ran to find him, +never hesitating. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap18"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +EIGHTEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the Giant conspired to Kill. +Why did he laugh at the moment of death? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his shoulder +as before, and started in silence. And the goblin on his shoulder saw +that he was silent and said: "O King, why are you so obstinate? Go +home. Spend the night in rest. You ought not to take me to that +rascally monk. But if you insist, then I will tell you another story. +Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Brilliant-peak. There lived a glorious king +named Moon, who delighted the eyes of his subjects. Wise men said that +he was brave, generous, and the very home of beauty. But in spite of +all his wealth, he was very sad at heart. For he found no wife worthy +of him. +</P> + +<P> +One day this king went with soldiers on horseback into a great wood, to +hunt there and forget his sorrow. There he split open many boars with +his arrows as the sun splits the black darkness, and made fierce lions +into cushions for his arrows, and slew mountainous monsters with his +terrible darts. +</P> + +<P> +As he hunted, he spurred his horse and beat him terribly. And the horse +was so hurt by the spur and the whip that he could not tell rough from +smooth. He dashed off quicker than the wind, and in a moment carried +the king into another forest a hundred miles away. +</P> + +<P> +There the king lost his way, and as he wandered about wearily, he saw a +great lake. He stopped there, unsaddled his horse, let him bathe and +drink, and found him some grass in the shade of the trees. Then he +bathed and drank himself, and when he had rested, he looked all about +him. +</P> + +<P> +And he saw a hermit's daughter of marvellous beauty under an ashoka +tree with another girl. She had no ornaments but flowers. She was +charming even in a dress of bark. She was particularly attractive +because of her thick masses of hair arranged in a girlish way. +</P> + +<P> +And the king fell in love with her and thought: "Who is she? Is she a +goddess come to bathe in these waters? Or Gauri, separated from her +husband Shiva, leading a hard life to win him again? Or the lovely +moon, taking a human form, and trying to be attractive in the daytime? +I will go to her and find out." +</P> + +<P> +So he drew near to her. And when she saw him coming, she was astonished +at his beauty and dropped her hands, which had been weaving a garland +of flowers. And she thought: "Who can he be in this forest? Some fairy +perhaps. Blessed are my eyes this day." +</P> + +<P> +So she rose, modestly looking another way, and started to go away, +though her limbs failed her. Then the king approached and said: +"Beautiful maiden, I have come a long distance, and you never saw me +before. I ask only to look at you, and you should welcome me. Is this +hermit manners, to run away?" +</P> + +<P> +Then her clever friend made the king sit down and treated him as an +honoured guest. And the king respectfully asked her: "My good girl, +what happy family does your friend adorn? What are the syllables of her +name, which must be a delight to the ear? Or why at her age does she +torture a body as delicate as a flower with a hermit's life in a lonely +wood?" +</P> + +<P> +And the friend answered: "Your Majesty, she is the daughter of the +hermit Kanva and the heavenly nymph Menaka. She grew up here in the +hermitage, and her name is Lotus-bloom. With her father's permission +she came here to the lake to bathe. And her father's hermitage is not +far from here." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king was delighted. He mounted his horse and rode to the +hermitage of holy Kanva, to ask for the girl. And he entered the +hermitage in modest garb, leaving his horse outside. Then he was +surrounded by hermits with hoary crowns and bark garments like the +trees, and saw the sage Kanva radiant and cool like the moon. And he +drew near and fell at his feet. +</P> + +<P> +And the wise hermit greeted him and let him rest, then said: "My son +Moon, I will tell you something to your advantage. Listen. I know what +fear of death there is in mortal creatures. Why then do you uselessly +kill the wild beasts? Warriors were made by the Creator to protect the +timid. Therefore protect your subjects in righteousness, and root out +evil. As Happiness flees before you, strive to overtake her with all +your means, elephants and horses and things. Enjoy your kingship. Be +generous. Become glorious. Abandon this vice of hunting, this sport of +Death. For slayer and slain are equally deceived. Why spend your time +in such an evil pursuit?" +</P> + +<P> +The sensible king was pleased and said: "Holy sir, I am instructed. And +great is my gratitude for this instruction. From now on I hunt no more. +Let the wild animals live without fear." +</P> + +<P> +Then the hermit said: "I am pleased with your protection of the +animals. Choose any boon you will." +</P> + +<P> +Then the quick-witted king said: "Holy sir, if you are kindly disposed, +give me your daughter Lotus-bloom." +</P> + +<P> +So the hermit gave him his daughter, the child of the nymph, who then +came up after her bath. So they were married, and the king wore +cheerful garments, and Lotus-bloom was adorned by the hermits' wives. +And the weeping hermits accompanied them in procession to the edge of +the hermitage. Then the king took his wife Lotus-bloom, mounted his +horse, and started for his city. +</P> + +<P> +At last the sun, seeing the king tired with his long journeying, sank +wearily behind the western mountain. And fawn-eyed night appeared, clad +in the garment of darkness, like a woman going to meet her lover. And +the king saw an ashvattha tree on the shore of a pond in a spot covered +with grass and twigs, and he decided to spend the night there. +</P> + +<P> +So he dismounted, fed and watered his horse, brought water from the +pond, and rested with his beloved. And they passed the night there. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning he arose, performed his devotions, and prepared to set +out with his wife to rejoin his soldiers. Then, like a cloud black as +soot with tawny lightning-hair, there appeared a great giant. He wore a +chaplet of human entrails, a cord of human hair, he was chewing the +head of a man, and drinking blood from a skull. +</P> + +<P> +The giant laughed aloud, spit fire in his wrath, and showed his +dreadful fangs. And he scolded the king and said: "Scoundrel! I am a +giant named Flame-face. This tree is my home; even the gods do not dare +to trespass here. But you and your wife have trespassed and enjoyed +yourselves. Now swallow your own impudence, you rascal! You are +lovesick, so I will split open your heart and eat it, and I will drink +your blood." +</P> + +<P> +The king was frightened when he saw that the giant was invincible, and +his wife was trembling, so he said respectfully: "I trespassed +ignorantly. Forgive me. I am your guest, seeking protection in your +hermitage. And I will give you a human sacrifice, so that you will be +satisfied. Be merciful then and forget your anger." +</P> + +<P> +Then the giant forgot his anger, and thought: "Very well. Why not?" And +he said: "O King, I want a noble, intelligent Brahman boy seven years +old, who shall give himself up of his own accord for your sake. And +when he is killed, his mother must hold his hands tightly to the +ground, and his father must hold his feet, and you must cut off his +head with your own sword. If you do this within seven days, then I will +forgive the insult you have offered me. If not, I will kill you and all +your people." +</P> + +<P> +And the king was so frightened that he consented. Then the giant +disappeared. +</P> + +<P> +Then King Moon mounted his horse with his wife Lotus-bloom and rode +away sad at heart, seeking for his soldiers. And he thought: "Alas! I +was bewildered by hunting and by love, and I find myself ruined. Where +can I find such a sacrifice for the giant? Well, I will go to my own +city now, and see what happens." +</P> + +<P> +So he continued his search, and found his soldiers and his city +Brilliant-peak. There his subjects were delighted because he had found +a wife worthy of him, and they made a great feast. But it was a day of +despondency and dreadful agony for the king. +</P> + +<P> +On the next day he told his counsellors the whole story. And one +counsellor named Wise said: "Your Majesty, do not despair. I will find +a victim for the sacrifice. The world is a strange place." +</P> + +<P> +Thus the counsellor comforted the king, and made a statue of a boy out +of gold. And he sent the statue about the land, with constant beating +of drums and this proclamation: "We want a noble Brahman boy seven +years old who will offer himself as a sacrifice to a giant with the +permission of his parents. And when he is killed, his mother must hold +his hands, and his father must hold his feet. And as a reward, the king +will give his parents a hundred villages and this statue of gold and +gems." +</P> + +<P> +Now there was a Brahman boy on a farm, who was only seven years old, +but wonderfully brave. He was of great beauty, and even in childhood he +was always thinking about others. He said to the heralds: "Gentlemen, I +will give you my body. Wait a moment. I will hurry back after telling +my parents." +</P> + +<P> +So they told the boy to go. And he went into the house, bowed before +his parents, and said: "Mother! Father! I am going to give this +wretched body of mine in order to win lasting happiness. Pray permit +me. And I will take the king's gift, this statue of myself made of gold +and gems, and give it to you together with the hundred villages. Thus I +will pay my debt to you, and do some real good. And you will never be +poor again, and will have plenty more sons." +</P> + +<P> +But his parents immediately said: "Son, what are you saying? Have you +the rheumatism? Or are you possessed by a devil? If not, why do you +talk nonsense? Who would sacrifice his child for money? And what child +would give his body?" +</P> + +<P> +But the boy said: "I am not mad. Listen. My words are full of sense. +The body is the seat of unnameable impurities, it is loathsome and full +of pain. It perishes in no long time at best. If some good can be done +with the worthless thing, that is a great advantage in this weary life, +so wise men say. And what good is there except helping others? If +anyone can serve his parents so easily, then how lightly should the +body be esteemed!" +</P> + +<P> +Thus the boy, with his bold words and his firm purpose, persuaded his +grieving parents. And he went and got from the king's men the golden +statue and the hundred villages, and gave them to his parents. +</P> + +<P> +So the boy with his parents followed the king's men to the city +Brilliant-peak. And the king looked upon the brave boy as a magic jewel +for his own preservation, and rejoiced greatly. He adorned the boy with +garlands and perfumes, put him on an elephant, and took him with his +parents to the home of the giant. +</P> + +<P> +There the priest traced a magic circle beside the tree, and reverently +lit the holy fire. Then the horrible giant Flame-face appeared, +mumbling words of his own. He staggered, for he was drunk with blood, +and snorted and yawned. His eyes flashed fire and his shadow made the +whole world dark. +</P> + +<P> +And the king said respectfully: "Great being, here is the human +sacrifice you asked for, and this is the seventh day since I promised +it. Be merciful. Accept this sacrifice." +</P> + +<P> +And the giant licked his chops, and looked the boy over, who was to be +the sacrifice. Then the noble boy thought: "I have done some good with +this body of mine. May I never rest in heaven or in eternal salvation, +but may I have many lives in which to do some good with my body." And +the air was filled with the chariots of gods who rained down flowers. +</P> + +<P> +Then the boy was laid before the giant. His mother held his hands, and +his father held his feet. When the king drew his sword and was ready to +strike, the boy laughed so heartily that all of them, even the giant, +forgot what they were doing, looked at the boy's face, and bowed low +before him. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this strange story, he asked the king: "O +King, why did the boy laugh at the moment of death? I have a great +curiosity about this point. If you know and will not tell, then your +head will fly into a hundred pieces." +</P> + +<P> +And the king said: "Listen. I will tell you why the boy laughed. When +danger comes to any weak creature, he cries for life to his mother and +father. If they are not there, he begs protection from the king, whom +heaven made his protector. Failing the king, he cries to a god. Some +one of these should be his protector. But in the case of this boy +everything was contrary. His parents held his hands and feet because +they wanted money. And the king was ready to kill him with his own +hand, to save his own life. And the giant, who is a kind of a god, had +come there especially to eat him. So the boy thought: They are +ridiculously fooled about their bodies, which are fragile, worthless, +the seat of pain and suffering. The bodies of the greatest gods perish. +And such creatures as these imagine that their bodies will endure!' So +when he saw their strange madness, and felt that his own wishes were +fulfilled, the Brahman boy laughed in astonishment and delight." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder and went back to his +home. And the king followed with determination. The heart of a good man +is like the heart of the ocean. It cannot be shaken. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap19"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +NINETEENTH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all died for Love. Which was the +most foolish? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back under the sissoo tree, took the goblin on his +shoulder, and set out in haste. And as he walked along, the goblin on +his shoulder said: "O King, I will tell you a story about a great love. +Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Ujjain, which seems like a divine city made by +the Creator for the pious who have fallen from heaven. In this city +there was a famous king named Lotus-belly. He delighted the good, and +defeated the king of the demons. +</P> + +<P> +While he was king, a merchant named Fortune, richer than the god of +wealth, lived in the city. He had one daughter named Love-cluster, who +seemed the model from whom the Creator had made the nymphs of heaven. +This merchant gave his daughter to a merchant named Jewel-guard from +Copper City. +</P> + +<P> +As he was a tender father and had no other children, the merchant +stayed with his daughter Love-cluster and her husband. Now Love-cluster +came to hate Jewel-guard as a sick man hates a pungent, biting +medicine. But the beautiful woman was dearer than life to her husband, +dear as long-fathered wealth to a miser. +</P> + +<P> +One day Jewel-guard started for Copper City to pay a loving visit to +his parents. Then the hot summer came, and the roads were blocked for +travellers by the sharp arrows of the sun. The winds blew soft with the +fragrance of jasmine and trumpet-flower, like sighs from the mouths of +mountains separated from the springtime. And wind-swept dust-clouds +flew to the sky like messengers from the burning earth begging for +clouds. And the feverish days moved slowly like wayfarers who cling to +the shade of trees. And the nights clad in pale yellow moonlight became +very feeble without the invigorating embrace of winter. +</P> + +<P> +At this time Love-cluster, anointed with cooling sandal, and clad in +thin garments stood at her lattice-window. And she saw a handsome youth +with a friend whom he trusted. He seemed the god of love born anew and +seeking his bride. He was the son of the king's priest, and his name +was Lotus-lake. +</P> + +<P> +And when Lotus-lake saw the lovely girl, he expanded with delight as +lotuses in a lake expand at the sight of the moon. When the two young +people saw each other, their hearts embraced each other at the bidding +of Love, their teacher. +</P> + +<P> +So Lotus-lake was smitten with love, and was led home with difficulty +by his friend. And Love-cluster was equally maddened by love. First she +learned from her friend his name and home, then slowly withdrew to her +room. There she thought of him and became feverish with love, simply +tossing on her couch, seeing nothing and hearing nothing. +</P> + +<P> +After two or three days spent in this way, she felt bashful and +fearful, pale and thin from the separation, and hopeless of union with +her lover. So, as if drawn on by the moonbeam which shone through her +window, she went out at night when her people were asleep, determined +to die. And she came to a pool under a tree in her garden. +</P> + +<P> +There stood a family image of the goddess Gauri, set up by her father. +She drew near to this image, bowed before the goddess, praised her, and +said: "O Goddess, since I could not have Lotus-lake as my husband in +this life, may he be my husband in some other life!" And she made a +noose of her garment, and tied it to the ashoka tree before the goddess. +</P> + +<P> +At that moment her trusty friend awoke, and not finding her in the +room, hunted about and came luckily into the garden. There she saw the +girl fastening the noose about her neck, and she cried, "No, no!" And +running up, she cut the noose. +</P> + +<P> +When Love-cluster saw that it was her own friend who had run up and +taken the noose away, she fell to the ground in great agony. But her +friend comforted her and asked the reason of her sorrow. Then she arose +and said: "Jasmine, my friend, I cannot be united with him I love. I am +dependent on my father and other people. Death is the happiest thing +for me." +</P> + +<P> +And as she spoke, she was terribly scorched by the fiery darts of love, +and determined to feel no more hope, and fainted. And her friend +Jasmine lamented: "Alas! Love is a hard master. It has reduced her to +this condition." But she gradually brought her back to life with cool +water and fans and things. She made an easy bed of lotus-leaves. She +put pearls cool as snow on her heart. +</P> + +<P> +Then Love-cluster came to herself and slowly said to her weeping +friend: "My dear, the fire within me cannot be quenched by such things +as pearls. If you want to save my life, be clever enough to bring my +lover to me." +</P> + +<P> +And the loving Jasmine said: "My dear, the night is almost over. In the +morning I will bring your lover here to meet you. Be brave and go now +to your room." +</P> + +<P> +Love-cluster was contented. She took the pearls from her neck and gave +them to her friend as a present. And she said: "Let us go now. Then in +the morning you must keep your promise." So she went to her room. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning Jasmine crept out without being seen to hunt for the +house of Lotus-lake. When she got there, she found Lotus-lake under a +tree in the garden. He was lying on a couch of lotus-leaves moistened +with sandal, and the friend who knew his secret was fanning him with +plantain-leaf fans, for he was tortured by the flames of love. And +Jasmine hid, to find out whether this was lovesickness for her friend +or not. +</P> + +<P> +Then the friend said to Lotus-lake: "My friend, comfort your heart by +glancing a moment at this charming garden. Do not be so troubled." +</P> + +<P> +But he said to his friend: "My heart has been stolen by Love-cluster. +It is no longer in my body. How can I comfort it? Love has made an +empty quiver of me. So invent some plan by which I may meet the thief +of my heart." +</P> + +<P> +Then Jasmine came out joyfully and without fear and showed herself. And +she said: "Sir, Love-cluster has sent me to you, and I am the bearer of +a message to you. Is it good manners to enter the heart of an innocent +girl by force, steal her thoughts, and run away? It is strange, but the +sweet girl is ready to give her person and her life to you, her +charmer. For day and night she heaves sighs hot as the smoke from the +fire of love that burns in her heart. And teardrops carry her rouge +away and fall, like bees longing for the honey of her lotus-face. So, +if you wish it, I will tell you what is good for both of you." +</P> + +<P> +And Lotus-lake said: "My good girl, the words which tell me that my +love is lonely and longing, frighten me and comfort me. You are our +only refuge. Devise a plan." +</P> + +<P> +And Jasmine answered: "This very night I will bring Love-cluster +secretly to the garden. You must be outside. Then I will cleverly let +you in, and so you two will be united." Thus Jasmine delighted the +Brahman's son, and went away successful to please Love-cluster with the +news. +</P> + +<P> +Then the sun and the daylight fled away, pursuing the twilight. And the +East adorned her face with the moon. And the white night-blooming +lotuses laughed, their faces expanding at the thought of the glory that +was coming to them. At that hour the lover Lotus-lake came secretly, +adorned and filled with longing, to the garden-gate of his beloved. And +Jasmine led Love-cluster secretly into the garden, for she had lived +through the day somehow. +</P> + +<P> +Then Jasmine made her sit down under the mango trees, while she went +and let Lotus-lake in. So he entered and looked upon Love-cluster as +the traveller looks upon the shade of trees with thick foliage. And as +he drew near, she saw him and ran to him, for love took away her +modesty, and she fell on his neck. "Where would you go? I have caught +you, thief of my heart!" she cried. Then excessive joy stopped her +breathing and she died. She fell on the ground like a vine broken by +the wind. Strange are the mysterious ways of Love. +</P> + +<P> +When Lotus-lake saw that terrible fall, he cried: "Oh, what does it +mean?" And he fainted and fell down. Presently he came to himself, and +took his darling on his lap. He embraced her and kissed her and wept +terribly. He was so borne down by the terrible burden of grief that his +own heart broke. And when they were both dead, the night seemed to die +away in shame and fear. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning the relatives heard the story from the gardeners, and +came there filled with timidity and wonder and grief and madness. They +did not know what to do, but stood a long time with downcast eyes. +Unfaithful women disgrace a family. +</P> + +<P> +Presently the husband Jewel-guard came back from his father's house in +Copper City, filled with love for Love-cluster. When he came to his +father-in-law's house and saw the business, he was blinded by tears and +went thoughtfully into the garden. There he saw his wife dead in +another man's arms, and his body was scorched by flames of grief, and +he died immediately. +</P> + +<P> +Then the whole household shouted and screamed so that all the citizens +heard the story and came there. The demi-gods themselves were filled +with pity and prayed to the goddess Gauri whose image had been set up +there before by Love-cluster's father: "Oh, Mother, the merchant who +set up this statue was always devoted to you. Show mercy to him in his +affliction." +</P> + +<P> +And the gracious goddess heard their prayer. She said: "All three shall +live again, and shall forget their love." Then through her grace they +all arose like people waking from sleep. They were alive, and their +love was gone. While all the people there rejoiced at what had +happened. Lotus-lake went home, bending his head in shame. And the +merchant took his shamefaced daughter and her husband and went into the +house and made a feast. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story on the road in the night, he said: +"O King, which was the most foolish among those who died for love? If +you know and do not tell, you must remember the curse I spoke of +before." +</P> + +<P> +Then the king answered: "O magic creature, Jewel-guard was the most +foolish of them. When he saw that his wife had died for love of another +man, he should have been angry. Instead, he was loving, and died of +grief." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder and quickly set out +for his home. And the king ran after him again, eager as before. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap20"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TWENTIETH GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life. Which is to blame +when he kills them all? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, took the goblin, put him on +his shoulder, and started for the place he wished to reach. And as he +walked along the road, the goblin began to talk again: "Bravo, King! +You are a remarkable character. So I will tell you another story, and a +strange one. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +There is a city called Flower-city. There lived a king named +Earth-boar. In his kingdom was a farm where a Brahman lived whose name +was Vishnuswami. His wife was named Swaha. And four sons were born to +them. +</P> + +<P> +After a time the father died, and the relatives took all the money. So +the four brothers consulted together: "There is nothing for us to do +here. Suppose we go somewhere." And after a long journey they came to +the house of their maternal grandfather in a village called Sacrifice. +The grandfather was dead, but their uncles sheltered them, and they +continued their studies. +</P> + +<P> +But they did not amount to much, so in time their uncles became +scornful in such matters as food and clothing. And they were troubled. +</P> + +<P> +Then the eldest took the others aside and said: "Brothers, no man can +do anything anywhere on earth. Now I was wandering about discouraged, +and I came to a wood. There I saw to-day a dead man whose limbs lay +relaxed on the ground. And I wished for the same fate, and I thought: +He is happy. He is free from the burden of woe.' So I made up my mind +to die, and hanged myself with a rope from a tree. I lost +consciousness, but before the breath of life was gone, the cord was cut +and I fell to the ground. And when I came to myself, I saw a +compassionate man who had happened by at that moment, and he was +fanning me with his garment. And he said to me: My friend, you are an +educated man. Tell me why you are so despondent. The righteous man +finds happiness, the unrighteous man finds unhappiness because of his +unrighteousness, and for no other reason. If you made up your mind to +this because of unhappiness, practice righteousness instead. Why seek +the pains of hell by suicide?' Thus the man comforted me and went away. +And I gave up the idea of suicide and came here. You see I could not +even die when fate was unwilling. Now I shall burn my body at some holy +place, that I may not again feel the woes of poverty." +</P> + +<P> +Then the younger brothers said to him: "Sir, why is an intelligent man +sad for lack of money? Do you not know that money is uncertain as an +autumn cloud? No matter how carefully won and guarded, three things are +fickle and bring sorrow at the last: evil friendships, a flirt, and +money. The resolute and sensible man should by all means acquire that +virtue which brings him Happiness a captive in bonds." +</P> + +<P> +So the eldest brother straightway plucked up heart, and said: "What +virtue is it which we should acquire?" +</P> + +<P> +Then they all reflected, and took counsel together: "We will wander +over the earth, and each of us will learn some one science." So they +appointed a place for meeting, and the four brothers started in four +different directions. +</P> + +<P> +After a time they all gathered at the meeting-place, and asked one +another what they had learned. The first said: "I have learned a +science by which I can take the skeleton of any animal whatever and put +the proper kind of flesh on it." +</P> + +<P> +The second said: "I have learned a science by which I can put on the +flesh-covered skeleton the proper hair and skin." +</P> + +<P> +The third said: "My science is this. When the skin and the flesh and +the hair are there, I can put in the eyes and the other organs of +sense." +</P> + +<P> +The fourth said: "When the organs are there, I can give the creature +the breath of life." +</P> + +<P> +So all four went into the forest to find a skeleton and test their +various sciences. As fate would have it, they found the skeleton of a +lion there. And they took that, not knowing the difference. +</P> + +<P> +The first fitted out the skeleton with appropriate flesh. The second +added the skin and hair. The third provided all the organs. The fourth +gave life to the thing, and it was a lion. The lion arose with terrible +massive mane, dreadful teeth in his mouth, and curving claws in his +paws. He arose and killed his four creators, then ran into the forest. +</P> + +<P> +Thus the Brahman youths all perished because they did wrong to make a +lion. Who could expect a good result from creating a bad-tempered +creature? Thus, if fate opposed, even a virtue that has been painfully +acquired does not profit, but rather injures. But the tree of manhood, +with the water of intelligence poured into its watering-trench of +conduct about the vigorous root of fate, generally bears good fruit. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king who was walking +through the night: "O King, remember the curse I mentioned, and tell me +which of them was most to blame for creating the lion?" +</P> + +<P> +And the king reflected in silence: "He wants to escape again. Very +well. I will catch him again." So he said: "The one who gave life to +the lion, is the sinner. The others did not know what kind of an animal +it was, and just showed their skill in creating flesh and skin and hair +and organs. They were not to blame because they were ignorant. But the +one who saw that it was a lion and gave it life just to exhibit his +skill, he was guilty of the murder of Brahmans." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin went home. And the king followed him again, and came to +the sissoo tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap21"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TWENTY-FIRST GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead Boy. Why did +he weep and dance? +</P> + +<P> +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder in spite of all its writhings, and set out in silence. And the +goblin on his shoulder said: "O king of kings, you are terribly +obstinate about this impossible task. So to amuse the weary journey I +will tell a story. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +In the Kalinga country was a city called Beautiful, where people lived +as happily as in heaven. There ruled a famous king named Pradyumna. And +in a part of this city was a region set apart by the king, where many +Brahmans lived. Among them was a learned, wealthy, pious, hospitable +Brahman named Sacrifice. +</P> + +<P> +In his old age a single son was born to him and his worthy wife. The +boy grew under the fostering care of his father, and showed signs of +excellence. He was called Devasoma by his father, and his parents were +entirely devoted to him. +</P> + +<P> +In his sixteenth year the boy attracted everyone by his learning and +modesty. Then he suddenly fell ill of a fever and died. When his father +and mother saw that he was really dead, they embraced the body and wept +aloud. But their love for him would not permit them to burn the body. +</P> + +<P> +So the old relatives gathered, and said to the father: "Brahman, life +is imaginary like a city in the sky. Do you not know this, you who know +things above and things below? The kings who enjoyed themselves like +gods upon the earth, they have gone one by one to cemeteries filled +with processions of weeping ghosts. Their bodies were burned by the +flesh-devouring fire and eaten by jackals. No one could prevent it in +their case. How much less in the case of others? Therefore, as you are +a wise man, tell us what you mean by embracing this dead body?" +</P> + +<P> +So at last the relatives persuaded him to let his son go, and they put +the body in a litter and brought it to the cemetery with weeping and +wailing. +</P> + +<P> +At that time a hermit was fulfilling a hard vow, and was living in a +hut in the cemetery. He was very thin because of his age and his hard +life. His veins stuck out like cords to bind him, as if afraid that he +would break in pieces. His hair was tawny like the lightning. +</P> + +<P> +This hermit heard the wailing of the people, and turned to his pupil +who begged food for him. Now this pupil was proud and arrogant. And the +hermit said: "My boy, what is this wailing we hear? Go outside and find +out, then return and tell me why this unheard-of commotion is taking +place." +</P> + +<P> +But the pupil said: "I will not go. Go yourself. My hour for begging is +passing by." +</P> + +<P> +Then the teacher said: "Fool! Glutton! What do you mean by your hour +for begging? Only one half of the first watch of the day is gone." +</P> + +<P> +Then the bad pupil became angry and said: "Decrepit old man! I am not +your pupil. And you are not my teacher. I am going away. Do your +begging yourself." And he angrily threw down his staff and bowl before +the old man, and got up, and went away. +</P> + +<P> +Then the hermit laughed. He left his hut and went to the place where +the dead Brahman boy had been brought to be burned. He saw how the +people mourned over such youthful freshness dead, and felt his own age +and weakness. So he made up his mind to exchange his body for the other +by magic. +</P> + +<P> +He went aside and wept at the top of his voice. Then he danced with all +the proper gestures. +</P> + +<P> +After that, full of the longing to enjoy the happiness of youth, he +left his own withered body by magic and entered the body of the Brahman +youth. So the Brahman youth came to life on the funeral pyre and stood +up. And a cry of joy arose from all the relatives: "See! The boy is +alive! He is alive!" +</P> + +<P> +Then the magician in the body of the Brahman boy said to the relatives: +"I went to the other world, and Shiva gave me life and directed me to +perform a great vow. So now I am going off to perform the vow. If I do +not, my life will not last. Do you then go home, and I will come later." +</P> + +<P> +So he spoke to those gathered there, having made up his mind what to +do, and sent them home full of joy and grief. He went himself and threw +his old body into a pit, and then went off, a young man. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he said to King Triple-victory, +who was walking through the night: "O King, when the magician entered +another person's body, why did he weep before doing it, or why did he +dance? I have a great curiosity about this point." +</P> + +<P> +And the king was afraid of the curse, so he broke silence and said: +"Listen, goblin. He thought: I am leaving to-day this body with which +I won magic powers, the body which my parents petted when I was a +child.' So first he wept from grief, and from love of his body which he +found it hard to leave. Then he thought: With a new body I can learn +more magic.' So he danced from joy at getting youth." +</P> + +<P> +When the goblin heard this answer, he returned quickly to the sissoo +tree. And the king pursued him, undismayed. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap22"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TWENTY-SECOND GOBLIN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother. What relation were +their children? +</P> + +<P> +The king paid no attention to the terrible witch of night, clad in +black darkness, with the funeral piles as flaming eyes. He bravely went +through the dreadful cemetery to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started as before. And as he walked along, the goblin +said to him: "O King, I am very tired with these comings and goings, +but you do not seem to be. So I will tell you my Great Puzzle. Listen." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Long ago there was a king named Virtue in the southern country. He was +the best of righteous men, and was born in a great family. His wife +came from the Malwa country, and her name was Moonlight. And they had +one daughter, whom they named Beauty. +</P> + +<P> +When this daughter was grown up, the relatives conspired to wreck the +kingdom and drive King Virtue out. But he escaped by night, took a +great many jewels, and fled from his kingdom with his beautiful wife +and his daughter. He started for his father-in-law's house in Malwa, +and came with his wife and daughter to the Vindhya forest. There they +spent a weary night. +</P> + +<P> +In the morning the blessed sun arose in the east, stretching out his +rays like hands to warn the king not to go into the forest where +robbers lived. The king went on foot with his trembling daughter and +his wife, and their feet were wounded by the thorny grass. So they came +to a fortified village. It was like the city of Death; for there were +no righteous people there, and it was filled with robber-men who killed +and robbed other people. +</P> + +<P> +As the king drew near with his fine garments and his gems, many robbers +saw him from a distance, and ran out armed to rob him. When the king +saw them coming, he said to his wife and daughter: "These are wild men. +They must not touch you. Go into the thick woods." So the queen with +her daughter Beauty fled in fear into the middle of the forest. +</P> + +<P> +But the brave king took his sword and shield and killed many of the +wild men as they charged down, raining arrows on him. Then their leader +gave an order, and all the robbers fell on the king at once, wounded +every limb in his body, and killed him; for he was all alone. So the +robbers took the jewels and went away. +</P> + +<P> +Now the queen had hidden in a thicket, and had seen her husband killed. +Then she fled a long distance in fear and came with her daughter into +another thick wood. The rays of the midday sun were so fierce that +travellers had to sit in the shade. So Queen Moonlight and Princess +Beauty sat down under an ashoka tree near a lotus-pond in terrible +weariness and fear and grief. +</P> + +<P> +Now a gentleman named Fierce-lion who lived near came on horseback with +his son into that wood to hunt. The son's name was Strong-lion. And the +father saw the footprints of the queen and the princess, and he said to +his son: "My son, these footprints are clean-cut and ladylike. Let us +follow them. And if we find two women, you shall marry one of them, +whichever you choose." +</P> + +<P> +And the son Strong-lion said: "Father, the one who has the little feet +in this line of footprints, seems to be the wife for me. The one with +the bigger feet must be older. She is the wife for you." +</P> + +<P> +But Fierce-lion said: "My son, what do you mean? Your mother went to +heaven before your eyes. When so good a wife is gone, how could I think +of another?" +</P> + +<P> +But his son said: "Not so, Father. A householder's house is an empty +place without a wife. Besides, you have surely heard what the poet says: +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> + What fool would go into a house?<BR> + Tis a prisoner's abode,<BR> + Unless a buxom wife is there,<BR> + Looking down the road.'<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +So, Father, I beg you on my life to marry the second one, whom I have +chosen for you." +</P> + +<P> +Then Fierce-lion said "Very well," and went on slowly with his son, +following the footprints. And when he came to the pond, he saw Queen +Moonlight, radiant with beauty and charm. And with his son he eagerly +approached her. But when she saw him, she rose in terror, fearing that +he was a robber. +</P> + +<P> +But her sensible daughter said: "There is no reason to fear. These two +men are not robbers. They are two well-dressed gentlemen, who probably +came here to hunt." Still the queen swung in doubt. +</P> + +<P> +Then Fierce-lion dismounted and stood before her. And he said: +"Beautiful lady, do not be frightened. We came here to hunt. Pluck up +heart and tell me without fear who you are. Why have you come into this +lonely wood? For your appearance is that of ladies who wear gems and +sit on pleasant balconies. And why should feet fit to saunter in a +court, press this thorny ground? It is a strange sight. For the +wind-blown dust settles on your faces and robs them of beauty. It hurts +us to see the fierce rays of the sun fall upon such figures. Tell us +your story. For our hearts are sadly grieved to see you in such a +plight. And we cannot see how you could live in a forest filled with +wild beasts." +</P> + +<P> +Then the queen sighed, and between shame and grief she stammered out +her story. And Fierce-lion saw that she had no husband to care for her. +So he comforted her and soothed her with tender words, and took care of +her and her daughter. His son helped the two ladies on horseback and +led them to his own city, rich as the city of the god of wealth. And +the queen seemed to be in another life. She was helpless and widowed +and miserable. So she consented. What could she do, poor woman? +</P> + +<P> +Then, because the queen had smaller feet, the son Strong-lion married +Queen Moonlight. And Fierce-lion, the father, married her daughter, the +princess Beauty, because of the bigness of her feet. Who would break a +promise that had been made solemnly? +</P> + +<P> +Thus, because of their inconsistent feet, the daughter became the wife +of the father and the mother-in-law of her own mother. And the mother +became the wife of the son and the daughter-in-law of her own daughter. +And as time passed, sons and daughters were born to each pair. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, when +children were born to the father and daughter, and other children to +the son and mother, what relation were those children to one another? +If you know and do not tell, then remember the curse I spoke of before?" +</P> + +<P> +When the king heard the goblin's question, he turned the thing this way +and that, but could not say a word. So he went on in silence. And when +the goblin saw that he could not answer the question, he laughed in his +heart and thought: "This king cannot give an answer to my Great Puzzle. +So he just walks on in silence. And he cannot deceive me because of the +power of the curse. Well, I am pleased with his wonderful character. So +I will cheat that rogue of a monk, and give the magic power he is +striving after to this king." +</P> + +<P> +So the goblin said aloud: "O King, you are weary with your comings and +goings in this dreadful cemetery in the black night, yet you seem +happy, and never hesitate at all. I am astonished and pleased at your +perseverance. So now you may take the dead body and go ahead. I will +leave the body. And I will tell you something that will do you good, +and you must do it. The monk for whom you are carrying this body, is a +rogue. He will call upon me and worship me, and he will try to kill you +as a sacrifice. He will say: Lie flat on the ground in an attitude of +reverence.' O King, you must say to that rascal: I do not know this +attitude of reverence. Show me first, and then I will do likewise.' +Then when he lies on the ground to show you the attitude of reverence, +cut off his head with your sword. Then you will get the kingship over +the fairies which he is trying to get. Otherwise, the monk will kill +you and get the magic power. That is why I have delayed you so long. +Now go ahead, and win magic power." +</P> + +<P> +So the goblin left the body on the king's shoulder and went away. And +the king reflected how the monk Patience was planning to hurt him. He +took the body and joyfully went to the fig-tree. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="conclusion"></A> +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CONCLUSION +</H3> + +<P> +So King Triple-victory came to the monk Patience with the body on his +shoulder. And he saw the monk along in the dark night, sitting under +the cemetery tree and looking down the road. He had made a magic circle +with yellow powdered bones in a spot smeared with blood. In it he had +put a jug filled with blood and lamps with magic oil. He had kindled a +fire and brought together the things he needed for worship. +</P> + +<P> +The monk rose to greet the king who came carrying the body, and he +said: "O King, you have done me a great favour, and a hard one. This is +a strange business and a strange time and place for such as you. They +say truly that you are the best of kings, for you serve others without +thinking of yourself. This is the very thing that makes the greatness +of a great man, when he does not give a thing up, though it costs his +very life." +</P> + +<P> +So the monk felt sure the he was quite successful, and he took the body +from the king's shoulder. He bathed it and put garlands on it, and set +it in the middle of the circle. Then he smeared his own body with +ashes, put on a cord made of human hair, wrapped himself in dead man's +clothes, and stood a moment, deep in thought. And the goblin was +attracted by his thought into the body, and the monk worshipped him. +</P> + +<P> +First he offered liquor in a skull, then he gave him human teeth +carefully cleaned, and human eyes and flesh. So he completed his +worship, then he said to the king: "O King, fall flat on the ground +before this master magician in an attitude of reverence, so that he may +give you what you want." +</P> + +<P> +And the king remembered the words of the goblin. He said to the monk: +"Holy sir, I do not know that attitude of reverence. Do you show me +first, and afterwards I will do it in the same way." +</P> + +<P> +And when the monk fell on the ground to show the attitude of reverence, +the king cut off his head with a sword, and cut out his heart and split +it open. And he gave the head and the heart to the goblin. +</P> + +<P> +Then all the little gods were delighted and cried: "Well done!" And the +goblin was pleased and spoke to the king from the body he was living +in: "O King, this monk was trying to become king of the fairies. But +you shall be that when you have been king of the whole world." +</P> + +<P> +And the king answered the goblin: "O magic creature, if you are pleased +with me, I have nothing more to wish for. Yet I ask you to make me one +promise, that these twenty-two different, charming puzzle-stories shall +be known all over the world and be received with honour." +</P> + +<P> +And the goblin answered: "O King, so be it. And I will tell you +something more. Listen. When anyone tells or hears with proper respect +even a part of these puzzle-stories, he shall be immediately free from +sin. And wherever these stories are told, elves and giants and witches +and goblins and imps shall have no power." +</P> + +<P> +Then the goblin left the dead body by magic, and went where he wanted +to. Then Shiva appeared there with all the little gods, and he was well +pleased. When the king bowed before him, he said: "My son, you did well +to kill this sham monk who tried by force to become king of the +fairies. Therefore you shall establish the whole earth, and then become +king of the fairies yourself. And when you have long enjoyed the +delights of heaven and at last give them up of your own accord, then +you shall be united with me. So receive from me this sword called +Invincible. While you have it, everything you say will come true." +</P> + +<P> +So Shiva gave him the magic sword, received his flowery words of +worship, and vanished with the gods. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-two Goblins, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS *** + +***** This file should be named 2290-h.htm or 2290-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/9/2290/ + +Produced by "Batsy" Bybell. HTML version by Al Haines. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Twenty-two Goblins + +Author: Unknown + +Translator: Arthur William Ryder + +Posting Date: March 21, 2009 [EBook #2290] +Release Date: August, 2000 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS *** + + + + +Produced by "Batsy" Bybell. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS + + + + +Translated from the Sanskrit by Arthur William Ryder + + + + +CONTENTS + + + +Introduction + +Goblin-story + +1. The Prince's Elopement. Whose fault was the resulting death of his +parents-in-law? + +2. The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose wife +should she be? + +3. The Parrot and the Thrush. Which are worse, men or women? + +4. King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of the five deserves the +most honour? + +5. The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which should +the girl be given? + +6. The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother. Which +combination of head and body is her husband? + +7. The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and Prince Good. Which is +the more deserving? + +8. The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the Specialist +in Cotton. Which is the cleverest? + +9. The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given? + +10. The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. Which is the most +delicate? + +11. The King who won a Fairy as his Wife. Why did his counsellor's +heart break? + +12. The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the Claws of a +Hawk fell into a Dish of Food given him by a Charitable Woman. Who is +to blame for his death? + +13. The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. Did he weep or +laugh? + +14. The Man who changed into a Woman at Will. Was his wife his or the +other man's? + +15. The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent Shell-crest. Which +is the more self-sacrificing? + +16. The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General +follows him in Death. Which is the more worthy? + +17. The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies. Why did he fail +to win the magic spell? + +18. The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the Giant conspired to +Kill. Why did he laugh at the moment of death? + +19. The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all died for Love. Which was +the most foolish? + +20. The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life. Which is to +blame when he kills them all? + +21. The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead Boy. Why +did he weep and dance? + +22. The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother. What relation +were their children? + +Conclusion + + + + +TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS + +INTRODUCTION + +On the bank of the Godavari River is a kingdom called the Abiding +Kingdom. There lived the son of King Victory, the famous King +Triple-victory, mighty as the king of the gods. As this king sat in +judgment, a monk called Patience brought him every day one piece of +fruit as an expression of homage. And the king took it and gave it each +day to the treasurer who stood near. Thus twelve years passed. + +Now one day the monk came to court, gave the king a piece of fruit as +usual, and went away. But on this day the king gave the fruit to a pet +baby monkey that had escaped from his keepers, and happened to wander +in. And as the monkey ate the fruit, he split it open, and a priceless, +magnificent gem came out. + +When the king saw this, he took it and asked the treasurer: "Where have +you been keeping the fruits which the monk brought? I gave them to +you." When the treasurer heard this, he was frightened and said: "Your +Majesty, I have thrown them all through the window. If your Majesty +desires, I will look for them now." And when the king had dismissed +him, he went, but returned in a moment, and said again: "Your Majesty, +they were all smashed in the treasury, and in them I see heaps of +dazzling gems." + +When he heard this, the king was delighted, and gave the jewels to the +treasurer. And when the monk came the next day, he asked him: "Monk, +why do you keep honouring me in such an expensive way? Unless I know +the reason, I will not take your fruit." + +Then the monk took the king aside and said: "O hero, there is a +business in which I need help. So I ask for your help in it, because +you are a brave man." And the king promised his assistance. + +Then the monk was pleased, and said again: "O King, on the last night +of the waning moon, you must go to the great cemetery at nightfall, and +come to me under the fig-tree." Then the king said "Certainly," and +Patience, the monk, went home well pleased. + +So when the night came, the mighty king remembered his promise to the +monk, and at dusk he wrapped his head in a black veil, took his sword +in his hand, and went to the great cemetery without being seen. When he +got there, he looked about, and saw the monk standing under the +fig-tree and making a magic circle. So he went up and said: "Monk, here +I am. Tell me what I am to do for you." + +And when the monk saw the king, he was delighted and said: "O King, if +you wish to do me a favour, go south from here some distance all alone, +and you will see a sissoo tree and a dead body hanging from it. Be so +kind as to bring that here." + +When the brave king heard this, he agreed, and, true to his promise, +turned south and started. And as he walked with difficulty along the +cemetery road, he came upon the sissoo tree at some distance, and saw a +body hanging on it. So he climbed the tree, cut the rope, and let it +fall to the ground. And as it fell, it unexpectedly cried aloud, as if +alive. Then the king climbed down, and thinking it was alive, he +mercifully rubbed its limbs. Then the body gave a loud laugh. + +So the king knew that a goblin lived in it, and said without fear: +"What are you laughing about? Come, let us be off." But then he did not +see the goblin on the ground any longer. And when he looked up, there +he was, hanging in the tree as before. So the king climbed the tree +again, and carefully carried the body down. A brave man's heart is +harder than a diamond, and nothing makes it tremble. + +Then he put the body with the goblin in it on his shoulder, and started +off in silence. And as he walked along, the goblin in the body said: "O +King, to amuse the journey, I will tell you a story. Listen." + + + +FIRST GOBLIN + +_The Prince's Elopement. Whose fault was the resulting death of his +parents-in-law?_ + +There is a city called Benares where Shiva lives. It is loved by pious +people like the soil of Mount Kailasa. The river of heaven shines there +like a pearl necklace. And in the city lived a king called Valour who +burned up all his enemies by his valour, as a fire burns a forest. He +had a son named Thunderbolt who broke the pride of the love-god by his +beauty, and the pride of men by his bravery. This prince had a clever +friend, the son of a counsellor. + +One day the prince was enjoying himself with his friend hunting, and +went a long distance. And so he came to a great forest. There he saw a +beautiful lake, and being tired, he drank from it with his friend the +counsellor's son, washed his hands and feet, and sat down under a tree +on the bank. + +And then he saw a beautiful maiden who had come there with her servants +to bathe. She seemed to fill the lake with the stream of her beauty, +and seemed to make lilies grow there with her eyes, and seemed to shame +the lotuses with a face more lovely than the moon. She captured the +prince's heart the moment that he saw her. And the prince took her eyes +captive. + +The girl had a strange feeling when she saw him, but was too modest to +say a word. So she gave a hint of the feeling in her heart. She put a +lotus on her ear, laid a lily on her head after she had made the edge +look like a row of teeth, and placed her hand on her heart. But the +prince did not understand her signs, only the clever counsellor's son +understood them all. + +A moment later the girl went away, led by her servants. She went home +and sat on the sofa and stayed there. But her thoughts were with the +prince. + +The prince went slowly back to his city, and was terribly lonely +without her, and grew thinner every day. Then his friend the son of the +counsellor took him aside and told him that she was not hard to find. +But he had lost all courage and said: "My friend, I don't know her +name, nor her home, nor her family. How can I find her? Why do you +vainly try to comfort me?" + +Then the counsellor's son said: "Did you not see all that she hinted +with her signs? When she put the lotus on her ear, she meant that she +lived in the kingdom of a king named Ear-lotus. And when she made the +row of teeth, she meant that she was the daughter of a man named Bite +there. And when she laid the lily on her head, she meant that her name +was Lily. And when she placed her hand on her heart, she meant that she +loved you. And there is a king named Ear-lotus in the Kalinga country. +There is a very rich man there whom the king likes. His real name is +Battler, but they call him Bite. He has a pearl of a girl whom he loves +more than his life, and her name is Lily. This is true, because people +told me. So I understood her signs about her country and the other +things." When the counsellor's son had said this, the prince was +delighted to find him so clever, and pleased because he knew what to do. + +Then he formed a plan with the counsellor's son, and started for the +lake again, pretending that he was going to hunt, but really to find +the girl that he loved. On the way he rode like the wind away from his +soldiers, and started for the Kalinga country with the counsellor's son. + +When they reached the city of King Ear-lotus, they looked about and +found the house of the man called Bite, and they went to a house near +by to live with an old woman. And the counsellor's son said to the old +woman: "Old woman, do you know anybody named Bite in this city?" + +Then the old woman answered him respectfully: "My son, I know him well. +I was his nurse. And I am a servant of his daughter Lily. But I do not +go there now because my dress is stolen. My naughty son is a gambler +and steals my clothes." + +Then the counsellor's son was pleased and satisfied her with his own +cloak and other presents. And he said: "Mother, you must do very +secretly what we tell you. Go to Bite's daughter Lily, and tell her +that the prince whom she saw on the bank of the lake is here, and sent +you with a love-message to her." + +The old woman was pleased with the gifts and went to Lily at once. And +when she got a chance, she said: "My child, the prince and the +counsellor's son have come to take you. Tell me what to do now." But +the girl scolded her and struck her cheeks with both hands smeared with +camphor. + +The old woman was hurt by this treatment, and came home weeping, and +said to the two men: "My sons, see how she left the marks of her +fingers on my face." + +And the prince was hopeless and sad, but the very clever counsellor's +son took him aside and said, "My friend, do not be sad. She was only +keeping the secret when she scolded the old woman, and put ten fingers +white with camphor on her face. She meant that you must wait before +seeing her, for the next ten nights are bright with moonlight." + +So the counsellor's son comforted the prince, took a little gold +ornament and sold it in the market, and bought a great dinner for the +old woman. So they two took dinner with the old woman. They did this +for ten days, and then the counsellor's son sent her to Lily again, to +find out something more. + +And the old woman was eager for dainty food and drink. So to please him +she went to Lily's house, and then came back and said: "My children, I +went there and stayed with her for some time without speaking. But she +spoke herself of my naughtiness in mentioning you, and struck me again +on the chest with three fingers stained red. So I came back in +disgrace." + +Then the counsellor's son whispered to the prince: "Don't be alarmed, +my friend. When she left the marks of three red fingers on the old +woman's heart, she meant to say very cleverly that there were three +dangerous days coming." So the counsellor's son comforted the prince. + +And when three days were gone, he sent the old woman to Lily again. And +this time she went and was very respectfully entertained, and treated +to wine and other things the whole day. But when she was ready to go +back in the evening, a terrible shouting was heard outside. They heard +people running and crying: "Oh, oh! A mad elephant has escaped from his +stable and is running around and stamping on people." + +Then Lily said to the old woman: "Mother, you must not go through the +street now where the elephant is. I will put you in a swing and let you +down with ropes through this great window into the garden. Then you can +climb into a tree and jump on the wall, and go home by way of another +tree." So she had her servants let the old woman down from the window +into the garden by a rope-swing. And the old woman went home and told +the prince and the counsellor's son all about it. + +Then the counsellor's son said to the prince: "My friend, your wishes +are fulfilled. She has been clever enough to show you the road. So you +must follow that same road this very evening to the room of your +darling." + +So the prince went to the garden with the counsellor's son by the road +that the old woman had shown them. And there he saw the rope-swing +hanging down, and servants above keeping an eye on the road. And when +he got into the swing, the servants at the window pulled at the rope +and he came to his darling. And when he had gone in, the counsellor's +son went back to the old woman's house. + +But the prince saw Lily, and her face was beautiful like the full moon, +and the moonlight of her beauty shone forth, like the night when the +moon shines in secret because of the dark. And when she saw him, she +threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. So he married her and +stayed hidden with her for some days. + +One day he said to his wife: "My dear, my friend the counsellor's son +came with me, and he is staying all alone at the old woman's house. I +must go and see him, then I will come back." + +But Lily was shrewd and said: "My dear, I must ask you something. Did +you understand the signs I made, or was it the counsellor's son?" And +the prince said to her: "My dear, I did not understand them all, but my +friend has wonderful wisdom. He understood everything and told me." +Then the sweet girl thought, and said: "My dear, you did wrong not to +tell me before. Your friend is a real brother to me. I ought to have +sent him some nuts and other nice things at the very first." + +Then she let him go, and he went to his friend by night by the same +road, and told all that his wife had said. But the counsellor's son +said: "That is foolish," and did not think much of it. So they spent +the night talking. + +Then when the time for the twilight sacrifice came, a friend of Lily's +came there with cooked rice and nuts in her hand. She came and asked +the counsellor's son about his health and gave him the present. And she +cleverly tried to keep the prince from eating. "Your wife is expecting +you to dinner," she said, and a moment later she went away. + +Then the counsellor's son said to the prince: "Look, your Majesty. I +will show you something curious." So he took a little of the cooked +rice and gave it to a dog that was there. And the moment he ate it, the +dog died. And the prince asked the counsellor's son what this strange +thing could mean. + +And he replied: "Your Majesty, she knew that I was clever because I +understood her signs, and she wanted to kill me out of love for you. +For she thought the prince would not be all her own while I was alive, +but would leave her for my sake and go back to his own city. So she +sent me poisoned food to eat. But you must not be angry with her. I +will think up some scheme." + +Then the prince praised the counsellor's son, and said: "You are truly +the body of wisdom." And then suddenly a great wailing of +grief-stricken people was heard: "Alas! Alas! The king's little son is +dead." + +When he heard this, the counsellor's son was delighted, and said: "Your +Majesty, go to-night to Lily's house, and make her drink wine until she +loses her senses and seems to be dead. Then as she lies there, make a +mark on her hip with a red-hot fork, steal her jewels, and come back +the old way through the window. After that I will do the right thing." + +Then he made a three-pronged fork and gave it to the prince. And the +prince took the crooked, cruel thing, hard as the weapon of Death, and +went by night as before to Lily's house. "A king," he thought, "ought +not to disregard the words of a high-minded counsellor." So when he had +stupefied her with wine, he branded her hip with the fork, stole her +jewels, returned to his friend, and told him everything, showing him +the jewels. + +Then the counsellor's son felt sure his scheme was successful. He went +to the cemetery in the morning, and disguised himself as a hermit, and +the prince as his pupil. And he said: "Take this pearl necklace from +among the jewels. Go and sell it in the market-place. And if the +policemen arrest you, say this: It was given to me to sell by my +teacher.'" + +So the prince went to the market-place and stood there offering the +pearl necklace for sale, and he was arrested while doing it by the +policemen. And as they were eager to find out about the theft of the +jewels from Bite's daughter, they took the prince at once to the chief +of police. And when he saw that the culprit was dressed like a hermit, +he asked him very gently: "Holy sir, where did you get this pearl +necklace? It belongs to Bite's daughter and was stolen." Then the +prince said to them: "Gentlemen, my teacher gave it to me to sell. You +had better go and ask him." + +Then the chief of police went and asked him: "Holy sir, how did this +pearl necklace come into your pupil's hand?" + +And the shrewd counsellor's son whispered to him: "Sir, as I am a +hermit, I wander about all the time in this region. And as I happened +to be here in this cemetery, I saw a whole company of witches who came +here at night. And one of the witches split open the heart of a king's +son, and offered it to her master. She was mad with wine, and screwed +up her face most horribly. But when she impudently tried to snatch my +rosary as I prayed, I became angry, and branded her on the hip with a +three-pronged fork which I had made red-hot with a magic spell. And I +took this pearl necklace from her neck. Then, as it was not a thing for +a hermit, I sent it to be sold." + +When he heard this, the chief of police went and told the whole story +to the king. And when the king heard and saw the evidence, he sent the +old woman, who was reliable, to identify the pearl necklace. And he +heard from her that Lily was branded on the hip. + +Then he was convinced that she was really a witch and had devoured his +son. So he went himself to the counsellor's son, who was disguised as a +hermit, and asked how Lily should be punished. And by his advice, she +was banished from the city, though her parents wept. So she was +banished naked to the forest and knew that the counsellor's son had +done it all, but she did not die. + +And at nightfall the prince and the counsellor's son put off their +hermit disguise, mounted on horseback, and found her weeping. They put +her on a horse and took her to their own country. And when they got +there, the prince lived most happily with her. + +But Bite thought that his daughter was eaten by wild beasts in the +wood, and he died of grief. And his wife died with him. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin asked the king: "O King, who +was to blame for the death of the parents: the prince, or the +counsellor's son, or Lily? You seem like a very wise man, so resolve my +doubts on this point. If you know and do not tell me the truth, then +your head will surely fly into a hundred pieces. And if you give a good +answer, then I will jump from your shoulder and go back to the sissoo +tree." + +Then King Triple-victory said to the goblin: "You are a master of +magic. You surely know yourself, but I will tell you. It was not the +fault of any of the three you mentioned. It was entirely the fault of +King Ear-lotus." + +But the goblin said: "How could it be the king's fault? The other three +did it. Are the crows to blame when the geese eat up the rice?" + +Then the king said: "But those three are not to blame. It was right for +the counsellor's son to do his master's business. So he is not to +blame. And Lily and the prince were madly in love and could not stop to +think. They only looked after their own affairs. They are not to blame. + +"But the king knew the law-books very well, and he had spies to find +out the facts among the people. And he knew about the doings of +rascals. So he acted without thinking. He is to blame." + +When the goblin heard this, he wanted to test the king's constancy. So +he went back by magic in a moment to the sissoo tree. And the king went +back fearlessly to get him. + + + +SECOND GOBLIN + +_The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose wife should +she be?_ + +Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree to fetch the +goblin. And when he got there and looked about, he saw the goblin +fallen on the ground and moaning. Then, when the king put the body with +the goblin in it on his shoulder and started to carry him off quickly +and silently, the goblin on his shoulder said to him: "Oh King, you +have fallen into a very disagreeable task which you do not deserve. So +to amuse you I will tell another story. Listen." + + +On the bank of Kalindi River is a farm where a very learned Brahman +lived. And he had a very beautiful daughter named Coral. When the +Creator fashioned her fresh and peerless loveliness, surely he must +have despised the cleverness he showed before in fashioning the nymphs +of heaven. + +When she had grown out of childhood, there came from the city of Kanauj +three Brahman youths, endowed with all the virtues. And each of them +asked her father for her, that she might be his own. And though her +father would rather have died than give her up to anyone, he made up +his mind to give her to one of them. But the girl would not marry any +one of them for some time, because she was afraid of hurting the +feelings of the other two. So they stayed there all three of them day +and night, feasting on the beauty of her face, like the birds that live +on moonbeams. + +Then all at once Coral fell sick of a burning fever and died. And when +the Brahman youths saw that she was dead, they were smitten with grief. +But they adorned her body, took it to the cemetery, and burned it. + +And one of them built a hut there, slept on a bed made of her ashes, +and got his food by begging. The second took her bones and went to dip +them in the sacred Ganges river. And the third became a monk and +wandered in other countries. + +And as he wandered, the monk came to a village called Thunderbolt, and +was entertained in the house of a Brahman. But when he had been +honoured by the master of the house and had begun to eat dinner there, +the little boy began to cry and would not stop even when they petted +him. So his mother took him on her arm, and angrily threw him into the +blazing fire. And being tender, he was reduced to ashes in a moment. + +When the monk saw this, his hair stood on end, and he said: "Alas! I +have come into the house of a devil. I will not eat this food. It would +be like eating sin." But the master of the house said to him: "Brahman, +I have studied to good purpose. See my skill in bringing the dead to +life." So he opened a book, took out a magic spell, read it, and +sprinkled water on the ashes. And the moment the water was sprinkled, +the boy stood up alive just as before. Then the monk was highly +delighted and finished his dinner with pleasure. + +And the master of the house hung the book on an ivory peg, took dinner +with the monk, and went to bed. When he was asleep, the monk got up +quietly, and tremblingly took the book, hoping to bring his darling +Coral back to life. He went away and travelled night and day, until he +finally reached the cemetery. And he caught sight of the second youth, +who had come back after dipping the bones in the Ganges. And he also +found the third youth, who had made a hut and lived there, sleeping on +the girl's ashes. + +Then the monk cried: "Brother, leave your hut. I will bring the dear +girl back to life." And while they eagerly questioned him, he opened +the book, and read the magic spell, and sprinkled holy water on the +ashes. And Coral immediately stood up, alive. And the girl was more +beautiful than ever. She looked as if she were made of gold. + +When the three youths saw her come back to life like that, they went +mad with love, and fought with one another to possess her. + +One said: "I brought her to life by my magic spell. She is my wife." + +The second said: "She came to life because of my journey to the sacred +river. She is my wife." + +The third said: "I kept her ashes. That is why she came to life. She is +my dear wife." + +O King, you are able to decide their dispute. Tell me. Whose wife +should she be? If you know and say what is false, then your head will +split. + +When the king heard this, he said to the goblin: "The man who painfully +found the magic spell and brought her back to life, he did only what a +father ought to do. He is not her husband. And the man who went to dip +her bones in the sacred river, he did only what a son ought to do. He +is not her husband. But the man who slept with her ashes and lived a +hard life in the cemetery, he did what a lover ought to do. He deserves +to be her husband." + +When the goblin heard this answer of King Triple-victory, he suddenly +escaped from his shoulder and went back. And the king wished to do as +the monk had asked him; so he decided to go back and get him. +Great-minded people do not waver until they have kept their promises, +even at the cost of life. + + + +THIRD GOBLIN + +_The Parrot and the Thrush. Which are worse, men or women?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree to fetch the goblin. When he +got there, he took the body with the goblin in it on his shoulder, and +started off in silence. And as he walked along, the goblin said to him +again: "O King, you must be very tired, coming and going in the night. +So to amuse you I will tell another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Patna, the gem of the earth. And long ago a king +lived there whose name was Lion-of-Victory. Fate had made him the owner +of all virtues and all wealth. And he had a parrot called +Jewel-of-Wisdom, that had divine intelligence and knew all the +sciences, but lived as a parrot because of a curse. + +This king had a son called Moon, and by the advice of the parrot this +prince married the daughter of the king of the Magadha country; and her +name was Moonlight. Now this princess had a thrush named Moony, who was +like the parrot, because she had learning and intelligence. And the +parrot and the thrush lived in one cage in the palace. + +One day the parrot eagerly said to the thrush: "My darling, love me, +and share my bed and my chair and my food and my amusements." + +But the thrush said: "I will have nothing to do with men. Men are bad +and ungrateful." + +Then the parrot said: "Men are not bad. It is only women who are bad +and cruel-hearted." And they quarrelled. + +Then the two birds wagered their freedom with each other and went to +the prince to have their quarrel decided. And the prince mounted his +father's judgment throne, and when he had heard the cause of the +quarrel, he asked the thrush: "How are men ungrateful? Tell the truth." +Then she said, "Listen, O Prince," and to prove her point she started +to tell this story illustrating the faults of men. + +There is a famous city called Kamandaki, where a wealthy merchant lived +named Fortune. And in time a son was born to him and named Treasure. +Then when the father went to heaven, the young man became very unruly +because of gambling and other vices. And the rascals came together, and +ruined him. Association with scoundrels is the root from which springs +the tree of calamity. + +So in no long time he lost all he had through his vices, and being +ashamed of his poverty, he left his own country and went to wander in +other places. And during his travels he came to a city called Sandal +City, and entered the house of a merchant, seeking something to eat. +When the merchant saw the youth, he asked him about his family, and +finding that he was a gentleman, he entertained him. And thinking that +Gate had sent the young man, he gave him his own daughter Pearl, +together with some money. And when Treasure was married, he lived in +his father-in-law's house. + +As time passed, he forgot his former miseries in the comforts of his +life, and longed for the old vices, and wanted to go home. So the +rascal managed to persuade his father-in-law, who had no other +children, took his wife Pearl with her beautiful ornaments, and an old +woman, and started for his own country. Presently he came to a wood +where he said he was afraid of thieves, so he took all his wife's +ornaments. Perceive, O Prince, how cruel and hard are the ungrateful +hearts of those who indulge in gambling and other vices. And the +scoundrel was ready, just for money, to kill his good wife. He threw +her and the old woman into a pit. Then the rascal went away and the old +woman perished there. + +But Pearl, with the little life she had left, managed to get out by +clinging to the grass and bushes, and weeping bitterly, and bleeding, +she asked the way step by step, and painfully reached her father's +house by the way she had come. And her mother and father were surprised +and asked her: "Why did you come back so soon, and in this condition?" + +And that good wife said: "On the road we were robbed, and my husband +was forcibly carried off. And the old woman fell into a pit and died, +but I escaped. And a kind-hearted traveller pulled me from the pit." +Then her father and mother were saddened, but they comforted her, and +Pearl stayed there, true to her husband. + +Then in time Treasure lost all his money in gambling, and he reflected: +"I will get more money from the house of my father-in-law. I will go +there and tell my father-in-law that his daughter is well and is at my +house." + +So he went again to his father-in-law. And as he went, his +ever-faithful wife saw him afar off. She ran and fell at the rascal's +feet and told him all the story that she had invented for her parents. +For the heart of a faithful wife does not change even when she learns +that her husband is a rogue. + +Then that rascal went without fear into the house of his father-in-law +and bowed low before his feet. And his father-in-law rejoiced when he +saw him and made a great feast with his relatives, for he said: "My son +is delivered alive from the robbers. Heaven be praised!" Then Treasure +enjoyed the wealth of his father-in-law and lived with his wife Pearl. + +Now one night this worst of scoundrels did what I ought not to repeat, +but I will tell it, or my story would be spoiled. Listen, O Prince. +While Pearl lay asleep trusting him, that wretch killed her in the +night, stole all her jewels, and escaped to his own country. This shows +how bad and ungrateful men are. + +When the thrush had told her story, the prince smiled and said to the +parrot: "It is your turn now." + +Then the parrot said: "Your Majesty, women are cruel and reckless and +bad. To prove it, I will tell you a story. Listen." + +There is a city called Joyful, where lived a prince of merchants named +Virtue, who owned millions of money. He had a daughter named Fortune, +peerless in beauty, dearer to him than life. And she was given in +marriage to a merchant's son from Copper City, whose name was Ocean. He +was her equal in wealth, beauty, and family; a delight to the eyes of +men. + +One day when her husband was away from home, she saw from the window a +handsome young man. And the moment she saw him, the fickle girl went +mad with love, and secretly sent a messenger to invite him in, and made +love to him in secret. Thus her heart was fixed on him alone, and she +was happy with him. + +But at last her husband came home and delighted the hearts of his +parents-in-law. And when the day had been spent in feasting, Fortune +was adorned by her mother, and sent to her husband's room. But she was +cold toward him and pretended to sleep. And her husband went to sleep, +too, for he was weary with his journey, and had been drinking wine. + +When everyone in the house had gone to sleep after their dinner, a +thief made a hole in the wall and came into that very room. And just +then the merchant's daughter got up without seeing him, and went out +secretly to a meeting with her lover. And the thief was disappointed, +and thought: "She has gone out into the night wearing the very jewels +that I came to steal. I must see where she goes." So the thief went out +and followed her. + +But she met a woman friend who had flowers in her hand, and went to a +park not very far away. And there she saw the man whom she came to meet +hanging on a tree. For the policeman had thought he was a thief, had +put a rope around his neck and hanged him. + +And at the sight she went distracted, and lamented pitifully: "Oh, oh! +I am undone," and fell on the ground and wept. Then she took her lover +down from the tree and made him sit up, though he was dead, and adorned +him with perfumes and jewels and flowers. + +But when in her love-madness she lifted his face and kissed him, a +goblin who had come to live in her dead lover, bit off her nose. And +she was startled and ran in pain from the spot. But then she came back +to see if perhaps he was alive after all. But the goblin had gone, and +she saw that he was motionless and dead. So she slowly went back home, +frightened and disgraced and weeping. + +And the concealed thief saw it all and thought: "What has the wicked +woman done? Alas! Can women be so dreadful as this? What might she not +do next?" So out of curiosity the thief still followed her from afar. + +And the wretched woman entered the house and cried aloud, and said: +"Save me from my cruel enemy, my own husband. He cut off my nose and I +had done nothing." And her servants heard her cries and all arose in +excitement. Her husband too awoke. Then her father came and saw that +her nose was cut off, and in his anger he had his son-in-law arrested. + +And the poor man did not know what to do. Even when he was being bound, +he remained silent and said nothing. Then they all woke up and heard +the story, but the thief who knew the whole truth, ran away. And when +day came, the merchant's son was haled before the king by his +father-in-law. And Fortune went there without her nose, and the king +heard the whole story and condemned the merchant's son to death for +mistreating his wife. + +So the innocent, bewildered man was led to the place of execution and +the drums were beaten. Just then the thief came up and said to the +king's men: "Why do you kill this man without any good reason? I know +how the whole thing happened. Take me to the king, and I will tell all." + +So all the king's men took him to the king. And the thief told the king +all the adventures of the night, and said: "Your Majesty, if you cannot +trust my word, you may find the nose at this moment between the teeth +of the dead body." + +Then the king sent men to investigate, and when he found it was true, +he released the merchant's son from the punishment of death. As for +wretched Fortune, he cut off her ears, too, and banished her from the +country. And he took from her father, the merchant, all his money, and +made the thief the chief of police. He was pleased with him. + +O Prince, this shows how cruel and false women are by nature. + +As he spoke these words, the parrot changed into a god, for the curse +was fulfilled, and went to heaven like a god. And the thrush suddenly +became a goddess, for her curse was at an end, and flew up likewise to +heaven. So their dispute was never settled at that court. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, tell +me. Are men bad, or women? If you know and do not tell, your head will +fly to pieces." And when the king heard these words of the goblin on +his shoulder, he said to that magic goblin: "O goblin! Here and there, +now and then, there is an occasional bad man like that. But women are +usually bad. We hear about many of them." + +Then the goblin disappeared from the king's shoulder as before. And the +king tried again to catch him. + + + +FOURTH GOBLIN + +_King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of the five deserves the most +honour?_ + +Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree and caught the +goblin, who gave a horse-laugh. But the king without fear put him on +his shoulder as before and started toward the monk. And as he walked +along, the goblin on his shoulder said to him again: "O King, why do +you take such pains for that wretched monk? Have you no sense about +this fruitless task? Well, after all, I like your devotion. So, to +amuse the weary journey, I will tell you another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Beautiful, and it deserves the name. There lived +a king named Shudraka, of tremendous power and mighty courage. He was +so used to victory that the fire of his courage was kept blazing by the +wind from the fans in the hands of the wives of his vanquished foes. +Under his rule the earth was rich and always good, as in the days of +old. And he was fond of brave men. + +Now one day a Brahman named Hero came from Malwa to pay his homage to +this king. He had a wife named Virtue, a son named Trusty, and a +daughter named Heroic. And he had just three servants, a dagger at his +hip, a sword in his hand, and a shield in his other hand. These were +all the servants he had when he asked the king for five hundred +gold-pieces a day as his wages. + +And the king thought from his appearance that he was a remarkably brave +man, so he gave him the wages he asked. But out of curiosity he put +spies on his track, to learn what he did with all the money. + +Now Hero called on the king in the morning, and at noon he took his +sword and stood at the palace gate and divided his daily salary. One +hundred gold-pieces he gave to his wife for food and household +expenses. And with another hundred he bought clothes and perfumes and +nuts and such things. And another hundred he devoted to the worship of +Vishnu and Shiva, after taking the ceremonial bath. And the two hundred +which were left he gave to Brahmans and the unhappy and the poor. This +was the way he divided and spent the money every day. Then after he had +sacrificed and eaten dinner, he stood every night alone at the palace +gate with his sword and shield. All this King Shudraka learned from his +spies and was greatly pleased and forbad the spies to follow him again. +For he thought him a wonderful man, worthy of especial honour. + +Then one day a veil of clouds covered the sky and poured down rain in +streams day and night, so that the highway was quite deserted. Only +Hero was at his post as usual by the palace gate. And when the sun set +and dreadful darkness was spread abroad and the rain fell in sheets, +the king wished to test Hero's behaviour. So at night he climbed to the +palace roof and cried: "Who is there at the gate?" And Hero answered: +"I am here." And the king thought: "How steadfast this man Hero is, and +how devoted to me! I must surely give him a greater post." And he +descended from the roof and entered the palace and went to bed. + +The next night it rained again in sheets and the world was wrapped in +the darkness of death. And again the king thought to test his +behaviour, and climbing to the roof he called out toward the palace +gate: "Who is there?" And when Hero said: "I am here, your Majesty," +the king was greatly astonished. + +Just then he heard at a distance a sweet-voiced woman crying. And he +thought: "Who is this who laments so piteously, as if in deep despair? +In my kingdom there is no violence, no poor man and none distressed. +Who can she be?" And being merciful, he called to Hero, who stood +below: "Listen, Hero. A woman is weeping at some distance. Go and learn +why she weeps and who she is." And Hero said "Certainly," arranged his +dagger, took his sword in his hand, and started. He did not even think +of the pelting hail, the flashing lightning, or the rain and darkness. +And when the king saw him setting out alone in a night like that, he +was filled with pity and curiosity, and descending from the palace +roof, took his sword and followed all alone, without being seen. + +As Hero traced the sound of crying, he came to a beautiful lake outside +the city, and there he saw a woman in the midst of the water, lamenting +in these words: "Alas for you, brave and merciful and generous! How +shall I live without you?" + +And Hero was amazed, and timidly asked her: "Who are you, and why do +you weep?" And she replied: "O Hero, I am the Goddess of the Earth, and +now my lord, this virtuous King Shudraka, is going to die in three +days. How shall I find another such master? So I am distracted with +grief, and I lament." + +When Hero heard this, he was frightened and said: "Goddess, is there +any remedy for this, any way in which the king might be saved?" And the +goddess answered: "There is just one remedy, my son, and it is in your +hands." And Hero said: "Goddess, tell me quickly, that I may adopt it +at once. What good would life be to us otherwise?" + +Then the goddess said: "My son, there is no other man devoted to his +master as you are: so you may learn how to save him. There is a temple +to the Dreadful Goddess built by that king near his palace. If you +sacrifice your son to her at once, then the king will not die. He will +live another hundred years. If you do it this very night, then the +blessing will come, not otherwise." + +And Hero, the hero, replied: "Then I will go, Goddess, and do it this +moment." And the Goddess of the Earth said: "Good fortune go with you," +and she vanished. And the king, who had followed secretly, heard it +all. So he still followed to find out how Hero would behave. + +But Hero went straight home, woke his wife Virtue, and told her all +that the Goddess of the Earth had said. And his wife said: "My dear, if +so much depends on it, wake the boy and tell him." Then Hero woke the +little boy, told him all, and said: "My boy, if you are sacrificed to +the Dreadful Goddess, our king will live. If not, he will die in three +days." + +And the boy was true to his name. Without fear and without hesitation +he said: "My dear father, I am a lucky boy if the king lives at the +cost of my life. Besides, that would pay for the food we have eaten. +Why then delay? Take me quickly and sacrifice me to the goddess. May +the king's evil fate be averted by my death!" And Hero was delighted +and congratulated him, saying: "Well said! You are indeed my son." + +So Hero's wife Virtue and his daughter Heroic went through the night +with Hero and Trusty to the temple of the Dreadful Goddess. The king +too followed them, disguised and unnoticed. Then the father took Trusty +from his shoulder in the presence of the goddess. And Trusty worshipped +the goddess, and bravely saluted her, and said: "O Goddess, by the +sacrifice of my head may the king live another hundred years and rule a +thornless kingdom." + +And as he prayed, Hero cut off his head and offered it to the Dreadful +Goddess, saying: "May the king live at the cost of my son's life!" Then +a voice cried from heaven: "O Hero, who else is devoted to his master +as you are? You have given life and royal power to the king at the cost +of your only son, and such a son." All this the king himself saw and +heard. + +Then Hero's daughter Heroic kissed the lips of her dead brother, and +was blinded with sorrow, and her heart broke, and she died. + +Then Hero's wife Virtue said: "My dear, we have done our duty by the +king. And you see how my daughter died of grief. So now I say: What +good is life to me without my children? I was a fool before. I should +have given my own head to save the king. So now permit me to burn +myself at once." + +And when she insisted, Hero said: "Do so. What happiness is there in a +life of constant mourning for your children? And as for your giving +your own life instead, do not grieve about that. If there had been any +other way, I should of course have given my life. So wait a moment. I +will build you a funeral pile out of these logs." So he built the pile +and lighted it. + +And Virtue fell at her husband's feet, then worshipped the Dreadful +Goddess, and prayed: "O Goddess, may I have the same husband in another +life, and may this same King Shudraka be saved at the cost of my son's +life." And she died in the blazing fire. + +Then Hero thought: "I have done my duty by the king, as the heavenly +voice admitted. And I have paid for the king's food which I have eaten. +So now why should I want to live alone? It is not right for a man like +me to go on living at the expense of all the family which I ought to +support. Why should I not please the goddess by sacrificing myself?" + +So Hero first approached the goddess with a hymn of praise: "O +Demon-slayer! Saviour! Devil-killer! Trident-holder! Joy of the wise! +Protectress of the universe! Victory to thee, O best of mothers, whose +feet the world adores! O fearless refuge of the pious! Kali of the +dreadful ornaments! Honour and glory to thee, O kindly goddess! Be +pleased to accept the sacrifice of my head in behalf of King Shudraka." +Then he suddenly cut off his own head with his dagger. + +King Shudraka beheld this from his hiding-place, and was filled with +amazement and grief and admiration. And he thought: "I have never seen +or heard the like of this. That good man and his family have done a +hard thing for me. In this strange world who else is so brave as that, +to give his son, his family, and his life for his king: If I should not +make a full return for his kindness, my kingdom would mean nothing to +me, and my life would be the life of a beast. If I lost my virtue, it +would all be a disgrace to me." + +But when he started to cut off his own head, there came a voice from +heaven: "My son, do nothing rash. I am well pleased with your +character. The Brahman Hero and his children and his wife shall come +back to life." And when the voice ceased, Hero stood up alive and +uninjured with his son and his daughter and his wife. Then the king hid +himself again and looked on with eyes filled with tears of joy, and +could not see enough of them. + +Now Hero, like a man awaking from a dream, gazed at his son and his +wife and his daughter, and was greatly perplexed. He spoke to each by +name, and asked them how they had come to life after being reduced to +ashes. "Is this a fancy of mine? Or a dream? Or an illusion? Or the +favour of the goddess?" And his wife and children said to him: "By the +favour of the goddess we are alive." + +At last Hero believed it, and having worshipped the goddess, he went +home happy with his children and his wife. And when he had seen his son +and his wife and daughter safe at home, he went back that same night to +the palace gate. + +And King Shudraka saw all this and went back without being seen +himself, and climbed to the roof, and called: "Who is there at the +gate?" And Hero replied: "Your Majesty, I, Hero, am here. At your +command I followed the woman who cried. She must have been a witch, for +she vanished the moment I saw her and spoke to her." + +When the king heard this, he was astonished beyond measure, for he had +seen what really happened. And he thought: "Ah, the hearts of brave men +are deep as the sea, if they do not boast after doing an unparalleled +action." So the king descended from the roof, entered the palace, and +passed the rest of the night there. + +Then when the court was held in the morning, Hero came to see the king. +And as he stood there, the delighted king told all his counsellors and +the others the story of the night. And all were amazed and confounded +at hearing of Hero's virtues, and they praised him, crying: "Well done! +Well done!" + +Then the king and Hero lived happily together, sharing the power +equally. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked King Triple-victory: "O +King, which of all these was the most worthy? If you know and will not +tell, then the curse I told you of will be fulfilled." + +And the king said to the goblin: "O magic creature, King Shudraka was +the most noble of them all." + +But the goblin said: "Why not Hero, the like of whom as a servant is +not to be found in the whole world? Or why should not his wife receive +the most praise, who did not waver when she saw her son killed like a +beast before her eyes? Or why is not the boy Trusty the most worthy, +who showed such wonderful manhood when only a little boy? Why do you +say that King Shudraka was the best among them?" + +Then the king answered the goblin: "Not Hero. He was a gentleman born, +so it was his duty to save his king at the cost of life, wife and +children. And his wife was a lady, a faithful wife who only did what +was right in following her husband. And Trusty was their son, and like +them. For the cloth is always like the threads. But the king has aright +to use his subjects' lives to save his own. So when Shudraka gave his +life for them, he proved himself the best of all." + +When the goblin heard this, he jumped from the king's shoulder and went +back to his home without being seen. And the king was not disturbed by +this magic, but started back through the night to catch him. + + + +FIFTH GOBLIN + +_The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which should the +girl be given?_ + +Then King Triple-victory went back to the sissoo tree and saw the body +with the goblin in it hanging there just as before. He took it down +without being frightened by all its twistings and writhings, and +quickly set out again. And as he walked along in silence as before, the +goblin said: "O King, you are obstinate, and you are pleasing to look +at. So to amuse you, I will tell another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Ujjain, famous throughout the world. There lived +a king named Merit, who had as counsellor a Brahman named Hariswami, +adorned with all noble virtues. The counsellor had a worthy wife, and a +son named Devaswami was born to her, and was as good as she. And they +had one daughter named Moonlight, who was worthy of her name, for she +was famous for her matchless beauty and charm. + +When the girl had grown out of childhood, she was proud of her +wonderful beauty, and she told her mother, her father, and her brother: +"I will marry a brave man or a wise man or a clever man. I should die +if I were married to anyone else." + +Now while her father was busy looking for such a husband for her, he +was sent by King Merit to another king in the southern country to make +a treaty for war and peace. When he had finished his business, a +Brahman youth, who had heard of his daughter's beauty, came and asked +him for her. + +And he said: "My daughter will not marry anyone unless he is a clever +man or a wise man or a brave man. Which of these are you? Tell me." And +the Brahman said: "I am a clever man." "Show me," said the father, and +the clever man made a flying chariot by his skill. Then he took +Hariswami in this magic chariot, and carried him to the sky. And he +took the delighted father to the camp of the king of the southern +country where he had been on business. Then Hariswami appointed the +marriage for the seventh day. + +At this time another Brahman youth in Ujjain came to the girl's brother +and asked him for her. And when he was told that she would marry only a +wise man or a clever man or a brave man, he said he was a brave man. +Then when he had shown his skill with weapons, the brother promised his +sister to the brave man. And without telling his mother, he consulted +the star-gazers and appointed the marriage for the seventh day. + +At the same time a third Brahman youth came to the girl's mother and +asked for the girl. And the mother said: "My son, a wise man or a +clever man or a brave man shall marry my daughter but no one else. +Which of these are you? Tell me." And he said: "I am a wise man." So +she asked him about the past and the future, and found that he was a +wise man. Then she promised to give him her daughter on the seventh day. + +The next day Hariswami came home and told his wife and his son all that +he had done. And she and he each told him all that she or he had done. +So Hariswami was greatly perplexed, because three bridegrooms had been +invited. Then the seventh day came and the three bridegrooms came to +Hariswami's house. + +Strange to say, at that moment Moonlight disappeared. Then the wise man +said: "A giant named Smoke-tail has carried her to his den in the +Vindhya forest." + +When Hariswami heard this from the wise man, he was frightened and +asked the clever man to find a remedy for the trouble. And the clever +man made a chariot as before, full of all kinds of weapons, and brought +Hariswami with the wise man and the brave man in a moment to the +Vindhya forest. And the wise man showed them the giant's den. + +When the giant saw what had happened, he came out in anger, and the +brave man fought with him. Then came a famous duel with strange weapons +between a man and a giant for the sake of a woman, like the ancient +fight between Rama and Ravana. Though the giant was a terrible fighter, +the brave man presently cut off his head with an arrow shaped like a +half-moon. When the giant was killed, they found Moonlight in the den +and all went back to Ujjain in the clever man's chariot. + +Then when the proper time for wedding came, there arose a great dispute +among the three in Hariswami's house. + +The wise man said: "If I had not discovered her by my wisdom, how could +you have found her hiding-place? She should be given to me." + +The clever man said: "If I had not made a flying chariot, how could you +have gone there in a moment and come back like the gods, or how could +you have had a chariot-fight with him? She should be given to me." + +The brave man said: "If I had not killed the giant in the fight, who +would have saved her in spite of all your pains? The girl should be +given to me." + +And as they quarrelled, Hariswami stood silent, confused, and perplexed. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he said to the king: "O King, do +you say to which of them she should be given. If you know and will not +tell, then your head will split into a hundred pieces." + +Then the king broke silence and said: "She should be given to the brave +man, who risked his life and killed the giant and saved the girl. The +wise man and the clever man were only helpers whom Fate gave him. A +star-gazer and a chariot-maker work for other people, do they not?" + +When the goblin heard this answer, he suddenly escaped from the king's +shoulder and went back. And the king determined to get him, and went +again to the sissoo tree. + + + +SIXTH GOBLIN + +_The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother. Which +combination of head and body is her husband?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started in silence toward the monk. And the +goblin said to him: "O King, you are wise and good, so I am pleased +with you. To amuse you, therefore, I will tell you another story with a +puzzle in it. Listen." + + +Long ago there was a king named Glory-banner in the world. His city was +named Beautiful. And in this city was a splendid temple to the goddess +Gauri. And to the right of the temple was a lake called Bath of Gauri. +And on a certain day in each year a great crowd of people came there on +a pilgrimage from all directions to bathe. + +One day a laundryman named White came there from another village to +bathe. And the youth saw a maiden who had also come there to bathe. Her +name was Lovely, and her father's name was Clean-cloth. She robbed the +moon of its beauty and White of his heart. So he inquired about her +name and family and went home lovesick. + +When he got there, he was ill and could not eat without her. And when +his mother asked him, he told her what was in his heart, but did not +change his habits. But she went and told her husband, whose name was +Spotless. + +So Spotless went and saw how his son was acting, and said: "My son, why +should you be downcast? Your desire is not hard to obtain. For if I ask +Clean-cloth, he will surely give you his daughter. We are not inferior +to him in birth, wealth, or social position. I know him and he knows +me. So there is no difficulty about it." Thus Spotless comforted his +son, made him eat and take care of himself, went with him the next day +to Clean-cloth's house, and asked that the girl might be given to his +son White. And Clean-cloth graciously promised to give her to him. + +Then when the time came, Clean-cloth gave White his charming daughter, +a wife worthy of him. And when he was married, White went happily to +his father's house with his sweet bride. + +Now as he lived there happily, Lovely's brother came to visit. And when +they had all asked him about his health and his sister had greeted him +with a kiss, and after he had rested, he said: "My father sent me to +invite Lovely and White to a festival in our house." And all the +relatives said it was a good plan and entertained him that day with +appropriate things to drink and eat. + +The next morning White set out for his father-in-law's house, together +with his brother-in-law and Lovely. And when he came to the city +Beautiful, he saw the great temple of Gauri. And he said to Lovely and +her brother: "We will see this goddess. I will go first and you two +stay here." So White went in to see the goddess. He entered the temple +and bowed before the goddess whose eighteen arms had killed the +horrible demons, whose lotus-feet were set upon a giant that she had +crushed. + +And when he had worshipped her, an idea suddenly came to him. "People +honour this goddess with all kinds of living sacrifices. Why should I +not win her favour by sacrificing myself?" And he fetched a sword from +a deserted inner room, cut off his own head, and let it fall on the +floor. + +Presently his brother-in-law entered the temple to see why he delayed +so long. And when he saw his brother-in-law with his head cut off, he +went mad with grief, and cut off his own head in the same way with the +same sword. + +Then when he failed to come out, Lovely was alarmed and entered the +temple. And when she saw her husband and her brother in that condition, +she cried: "Alas! This is the end of me!" and fell weeping to the +floor. But presently she rose, lamenting for the pair so unexpectantly +dead, and thought: "What is my life good for now?" + +Before killing herself, she prayed to the goddess: "O Goddess! One only +deity of happiness and character! Partaker of the life of Shiva! Refuge +of all women-folk! Destroyer of grief! Why have you killed my husband +and my brother at one fell swoop? It was not right, for I was always +devoted to you. Then be my refuge when I pray to you, and hear my one +pitiful prayer. I shall leave this wretched body of mine on this spot, +but in every future life of mine, O Goddess, may I have the same +husband and brother." Thus she prayed, praised, and worshipped the +goddess, then tied a rope to an ashoka tree which grew there. + +But while she was arranging the rope about her neck, a voice from +heaven cried: "Do nothing rash, my daughter. Leave the rope alone. +Though you are young, I am pleased with your unusual goodness. Place +the two heads on the two bodies and they shall rise up again and live +through my favour." + +So Lovely left the rope alone and joyfully went to the bodies. But in +her great hurry and confusion she made a mistake. She put her husband's +head on her brother's body and her brother's head on her husband's +body. Then they arose, sound and well, like men awaking from a dream. +And they were all delighted to hear one another's adventures, +worshipped the goddess, and went on their way. + +Now as she walked along, Lovely noticed that she had made a mistake in +their heads. And she was troubled and did not know what to do. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, when +they were mingled in this way, which should be her husband? If you know +and do not tell, then the curse I spoke of will be fulfilled." + +And the king said to the goblin: "The body with the husband's head on +it is her husband. For the head is the most important member. It is by +the head that we recognize people." + +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder as before, and quickly +disappeared. And the king went back, determined to catch him. + + + +SEVENTH GOBLIN + +_The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and Prince Good. Which is the +more deserving?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started. And as he walked along, the goblin +said: "O King, I will tell you a story to amuse your weariness. Listen." + + +On the shore of the Eastern Ocean is Copper City. There a king named +Fierce-lion lived. He turned his back to other men's wives, but not to +fighting men. He destroyed his enemies, but not other men's wealth. + +One day a popular prince named Good came from the south to the king's +gate. He introduced himself, but did not get what he wanted from the +king. And he thought: "If I am born a prince, why am I so poor? And if +I am to be poor, why did God give me so many desires? For this king +pays no attention to me, though I wait upon him and grow weary and +faint with hunger." + +While he was thinking, the king went hunting. He went with many +horsemen and footmen, and the prince ran along in the dress of a +pilgrim with a club in his hand. And during the hunt the king chased a +great boar a long distance, and so came into another forest. There he +lost sight of the boar, for the trail was covered with leaves and +grass. And the king was tired and lost his way in the forest. Only the +pilgrim-prince thought nothing of his life, and hungry and thirsty as +he was, he followed on foot the king who rode a swift horse. + +And when the king saw him following, he spoke lovingly: "My good man, +do you perhaps know the way we came?" + +And the pilgrim bowed low and said: "I know, your Majesty. But first +rest yourself a moment. The blazing sun, the middle jewel in the girdle +of heaven's bride, is terribly hot." Then the king said eagerly: "See +if there is water anywhere." + +And the pilgrim agreed and climbed a high tree and looked around. And +he saw a river and climbed down and took the king to it. He unsaddled +the horse, gave him water and grass, and let him rest. And when the +king had bathed, the pilgrim took two fine mangoes from his skirt, +washed them and gave them to the king. + +"Where did you get these?" asked the king, and the pilgrim bowed and +said: "Your Majesty, I have lived on such food for ten years. While I +was serving your Majesty, I had to live like a monk." And the king +said: "What can I say? You deserve your name of Good." And he was +filled with pity and shame, and thought: "A curse on kings, who do not +know whether their servants are happy or not! And a curse of their +attendants, who do not tell them this and that!" And when the pilgrim +insisted, the king was prevailed on to take the two mangoes. He rested +there with the pilgrim and ate the mangoes and drank water with the +pilgrim, who was accustomed to eat mangoes and drink water. + +Then the pilgrim saddled the horse and went ahead to show the way, and +at last, at the king's command, mounted behind on the horse; so the +king found his soldiers and went safely home. And when he got there, he +proclaimed the devotion of the pilgrim, and made him a rich man, but +could not feel that he had paid his debt. So Good stayed there happily +with King Fierce-lion and stopped living as a pilgrim. + +One day the king sent Good to Ceylon to ask for the hand of the +daughter of the King of Ceylon. So he set out after sacrificing to the +proper god, and entered a ship with some Brahmans chosen by the king. +And when the ship had safely reached the middle of the ocean, there +suddenly arose from the waves a very large flag-pole made of gold, with +a top that touched the sky. It was adorned with waving banners of +various colours and was quite astonishing. + +At the same moment the clouds gathered, it began to rain violently, and +a mighty wind blew. And the ship was driven by the storm winds and +caught on the flag-pole. Then the pole began to sink, dragging the ship +with it into the raging waves. And the Brahmans who were there were +overcome with fear and cursed the name of their king Fierce-lion. + +But Good could not endure that because of his devotion to his king. He +took his sword in his hand, girt up his garment, and threw himself +after the flag-pole into the sea. He had no fear of the pole which +seemed a refuge from the ocean. Then as he sank, the ship was battered +by the winds and waves and broke up. And all in it fell into the mouths +of sharks. + +But Good sank into the ocean, and when he looked about he saw a +wonderful city. There he entered a shrine to Gauri, tall as the +heavenly mountain, with great gem-sprinkled banners on walls made of +different kinds of jewels, in a golden temple blazing with jewelled +pillars, with a garden that had a pool, the stairs to which were made +of splendid gems. After he had bowed low and praised and worshipped the +goddess there, he sat down before her in amazement, wondering if it was +all a conjuror's trick. + +Just then the door was suddenly opened by a heavenly maiden. Her eyes +were like lotuses, her face like the moon. She had a smile like a +flower and a body soft as lotus-stems. And a thousand women waited upon +her. She entered the shrine of the goddess and the heart of Good at the +same moment. And when she had worshipped the goddess there, she went +out from the shrine, but not from the heart of Good. + +She entered a circle of light, and Good followed her. And he saw +another splendid house, that seemed like a place of meeting for all +riches and all enjoyments. And he saw the girl sitting on a jewelled +couch, and he approached and sat beside her. He was like a man painted +in a picture, for his eyes were fastened on her face. + +Now a servant of the maiden saw that his body was thrilled, that he was +intent upon the maiden, that he was in love. She understood his +feelings and said to him: "Sir, you are our guest. Enjoy the +hospitality of my mistress. Arise. Bathe. Eat." And he felt a little +hope at her words and went to a pool in the garden which she showed him. + +He plunged into the pool, and when he rose to the surface, he found +himself in the pool of King Fierce-lion in Copper City. And when he saw +that he had come there so suddenly, he thought: "Oh, what does it mean? +Where is that heavenly garden? What a difference between the sight of +that girl which was like nectar to me, and this immediate separation +from her which is like terrible poison! It was no dream. I was awake +when the serving-maid deceived me and made a fool of me." + +He was like a madman without the girl. He wandered in the garden and +mourned in a lovelorn way. He was surrounded by wind-blown +flower-pollen which seemed to him the yellow flames of separation. And +when the gardener saw him in this state, he went and told the king. + +And the king was troubled. He went himself to see Good, and asked him +soothingly: "What does this mean? Tell me, my friend. Where did you go? +And where did you come? And where did you stay? And what did you fall +into?" + +Then Good told him the whole adventure. And the king thought: "Ah, it +is fortunate for me that this brave man is lovelorn. For now I have a +chance to pay my debt to him." So the king said to him: "My friend, +give over this vain grief. I will go with you by the same road, and +bring you to the heavenly maiden." So he comforted Good, and made him +take a bath. + +The next day he transferred his royal duties to his counsellors and +entered a ship with Good. Good showed the way through the sea and they +saw the flag-pole with its banners rising as before in the middle of +the ocean. Then Good said to the king: "Your Majesty, here is the magic +flag-pole standing up. When I sink down there, you must sink too along +the flag-pole." So when they came near the sinking pole, Good jumped +first, and the king followed him. + +They sank down and came to the heavenly city. And the king was +astonished, and after he had worshipped the goddess, he sat down with +Good. Then the girl, like Beauty personified, came out of the circle of +light with her friends. "There she is, the lovely creature," said Good, +and the king thought: "He is quite right to love her." But when she saw +the king looking like a god, she wondered who the strange and wonderful +man might be, and entered the shrine to worship the goddess. + +But the king took Good and went into the garden to show how little he +cared about her. A moment later the girl came from the shrine; she had +been praying for a good husband. And she said to a girl friend: "My +friend, I wonder where I could see the man who was here. Where is the +great man? You girls must hunt for him and ask him to be good enough to +come and accept our hospitality. For he is a wonderful man, and we must +be polite to him." + +So the girl found him in the garden and gave him her mistress' message +very respectfully. But the brave king spoke loftily to her: "Your words +are hospitality enough. Nothing else is necessary." + +Now when her mistress had heard what he said, she thought he was a +noble character, better than anybody else. She was attracted by the +courage of the king in refusing a sort of hospitality which was almost +too much to offer a mere man, and thought about the fulfilment of her +prayer for a husband. So she went into the garden herself. She drew +near to the king and lovingly begged him to accept her hospitality. + +But the king pointed to Good and said: "My dear girl, he told me of the +goddess here, and I came to see her. And by following the flag-pole I +saw the goddess and her very marvellous temple. It was only afterwards +that I happened to see you." + +Then the girl said: "O King, you may be interested in seeing a city +which is the wonder of the three worlds." And the king laughed and +said: "He told me about that, too. I believe there is a pool for +bathing there." And the girl said: "O King, do not say that. I am not a +deceitful girl. Why should I deceive an honourable man, especially as +your noble character has made me feel like a servant? Pray do not +refuse me." + +So the king agreed and went with Good and the girl to the edge of the +circle of light. There a door opened and he entered and saw another +heavenly city like a second hill of heaven; for it was built of gems +and gold, and the flowers and fruits of every season grew there at the +same time. + +And the princess seated the king on a splendid throne and brought him +gifts and said: "Your Majesty, I am the daughter of the great god +Black-wheel. But Vishnu sent my father to heaven. And I inherited these +two magic cities where one has everything he wants. There is no old age +or death to trouble us here. And now you are in the place of my father +to rule over the cities and over me." So she offered him herself and +all she had. But the king said: "In that case you are my daughter and I +give you in marriage to my brave friend good." + +In the king's words she saw the fulfilment of her prayer, and being +sensible and modest, she agreed. So the king married them and gave all +the magic wealth to happy Good, and said: "My friend, I have paid you +now for one of the two mangoes which I ate. But I remain in your debt +for the second." + +Then he asked the princess how he could get back to his city. And she +gave the king a sword called Invincible, and the magic fruit which +wards off birth, old age, and death. And the king took the sword and +the fruit, plunged into the pool which she showed him, and came up in +his own country, feeling completely successful. But Good ruled happily +over the kingdom of the princess. + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, which +of these two deserves more credit for plunging into the sea?" + +And the king was afraid of the curse, so he gave a true answer: "Good +seems to me the more deserving, for he did not know the truth +beforehand, but plunged without hope into the sea, while the king knew +the truth when he jumped." + +And as soon as the king broke silence, the goblin slipped from his +shoulder as before without being seen and went to the sissoo tree. And +the king tried as before to catch him. Brave men do not waver until +they have finished what they have begun. + + + +EIGHTH GOBLIN + +_The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the Specialist in +Cotton. Which is the cleverest?_ + +So the king went back under the sissoo tree, caught the goblin just as +before, put him on his shoulder, and started toward the monk. And as he +walked along, the goblin on his shoulder spoke and said: "O King, +listen once more to the following story to beguile your weariness." + + +In the Anga country there is a great region called Forest. There lived +a great Brahman, pious and wealthy, whose name was Vishnu-swami. To his +worthy wife three sons were born, one after another. When they had +grown to be young men, specialists in matters of luxury, they were sent +one day by their father to find a turtle for a sacrifice which he had +begun. + +So the brothers went to the ocean and there they found a turtle. Then +the eldest said to the two younger: "One of you take this turtle for +Father's sacrifice. I cannot carry a slimy thing that smells raw." + +But when the eldest said this, the two younger said: "Sir, if you feel +disgust, why shouldn't we?" + +When the eldest heard this, he said: "You take the turtle, otherwise +Father's sacrifice will be ruined on your account. Then you and Father +too will surely go to hell." + +When they heard him, the two younger brothers laughed and said: "Sir, +you seem to know our common duty, but not your own." + +Then the eldest said: "What? Are you not aware that I am a connoisseur +in food? For I am a specialists in foods. How can I touch this +loathsome thing?" + +When he heard these words, the second brother said: "But I am even more +of a connoisseur. I am a specialist in women. So how can I touch it?" + +After this speech, the eldest said to the youngest: "Do you then, being +younger than we, carry the turtle." + +Then the youngest frowned and said to them: "Fools! I am a great +specialist in cotton." + +So the three brothers quarrelled, and arrogantly leaving the turtle +behind them, they went to have the matter decided at Pinnacle, the +capital of a king called Conqueror. When they came there, and had been +announced and introduced by the door-keeper, they told their story to +the king. And when the king had heard all, he said: "Stay here. I will +examine you one after another." So they agreed and all stayed there. + +Then the king invited them in at his own dinner hour, seated them on +magnificent seats, and set before them sweet dishes of six flavours, +fit for a king. While all the rest ate, one of the Brahmans, the +specialist in food, disgustedly shook his head and refused to eat. And +when the king himself asked him why he would not eat food that was +sweet and savoury, he respectfully replied: "Your Majesty, in this food +there is the odour of smoke from a burning corpse. Therefore, I do not +wish to eat it, however sweet it may be." + +Then at the king's command all the rest smelt of it and declared it the +best of winter rice, and perfectly sweet. But the food-critic held his +nose and would not touch it. Now when the king reflected and made a +careful investigation, he learned from the commissioners that the dish +was made of rice grown near a village crematory. Then he was greatly +astonished and pleased, and said: "Brahman, you are certainly a judge +of food. Pray take something else." + +After dinner the king dismissed them to their rooms, and sent for the +most beautiful woman of his court. And at night he sent this lovely +creature, all adorned, to the second brother, the specialist in women. +She came with a servant of the king to his chamber, and when she +entered, she seemed to illuminate the room. But the judge of women +almost fainted, and stopping his nose with his left hand, he said to +his servants: "Take her away! If not, I shall die. A goaty smell issues +from her." + +So the servants, in distress and astonishment, conducted her to the +king and told him what had happened. Then the king sent for the +specialist in women, and said: "Brahman, she has anointed herself with +sandal, camphor, and aloes, so that a delightful perfume pervades her +neighbourhood. How could this woman have a goaty smell?" But in spite +of this the specialist in women would not yield. And when the king +endeavoured to learn the truth, he heard from her own lips that in her +infancy she had been separated from her mother and had been brought up +on goat's milk. Then the king was greatly astonished and loudly praised +the critical judgment of the specialist in women. + +Quickly he had a couch prepared for the third brother, the specialist +in cotton. So the critic of cotton went to sleep on a bed with seven +quilts over the frame and covered with a pure, soft coverlet. When only +a half of the first watch of the night was gone, he suddenly started +from the bed, shouting and writhing with pain, his hand pressed to his +side. And the king's men who were stationed there saw the curly red +outline of a hair deeply imprinted on his side. + +They went at once and informed the king, who said to them: "See whether +there is anything under the quilts or not." So they went and searched +under each quilt, and under the last they found one hair, which they +immediately took and showed to the king. And the king summoned the +specialist in cotton, and finding the mark exactly corresponding to the +hair, was filled with extreme astonishment. And he spent that night +wondering how the hair could sink into his body through seven quilts. + +Now when the king arose in the morning, he was delighted with their +marvellous critical judgment and sensitiveness, so that he gave each of +the three specialists a hundred thousand gold-pieces. And they were +contented and stayed there, forgetting all about the turtle, and thus +incurring a crime through the failure of their father's sacrifice. + + +When he had told this remarkable story, the goblin on the king's +shoulder said: "O King, remember the curse I spoke of and declare which +of these three was the cleverest." + +When he heard this, the wise king answered the goblin: "Without doubt I +regard the specialist in cotton as the cleverest, on whose body the +imprint of the hair was seen to appear visibly. The other two might +possibly have found out beforehand." + +When the king had said this, the goblin slipped from his shoulder as +before. And the king went back under the sissoo tree again to fetch him. + + + +NINTH GOBLIN + +_The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started. And the goblin spoke to him again: "O King, why +do you go to such pains in this cemetery at night? Do you not see the +home of the ghosts, full of dreadful creatures, terrible in the night, +wrapped in darkness as in smoke? Why do you work so hard and grow weary +for the sake of that monk? Well, to amuse the journey, listen to a +puzzle which I will tell you." + + +In the Avanti country is a city built by the gods at the beginning of +time, adorned with wonderful wealth and opportunities for enjoyment. In +the earliest age it was called Lotus City, then Pleasure City, then +Golden City, and now it is called Ujjain. There lived a king named +Heroic. And his queen was named Lotus. + +One day the king went with her to the sacred Ganges river and prayed to +Shiva that he might have children. And after long prayer he heard a +voice from heaven, for Shiva was at last pleased with his devotion: "O +King, there shall be born to you a brave son to continue your dynasty, +and a daughter more beautiful than the nymphs of heaven." + +When he heard the heavenly voice, the king was delighted at the +fulfilment of his wishes, and went back to his city with the queen. And +first Queen Lotus bore a son called Brave, and then a daughter named +Grace who put the god of love to shame. + +When the girl grew up, the king sought for a suitable husband for her, +and invited all the neighbouring princes by letter, but not one of them +seemed good enough for her. So the king tenderly said to his daughter: +"My dear, I do not see a husband worthy of you, so I will summon all +the kings hither, and you shall choose." But the princess said: "My +dear father, such a choice would be very embarrassing. I would rather +not. Just marry me to any good-looking young man, who understands a +single science from beginning to end. I wish nothing more nor less than +that." + +Now while the king was looking for such a husband, four brave, +good-looking, scientific men from the south heard of the matter and +came to him. And when they had been hospitably received, each explained +his own science to the king. + +The first said: "I am a working-man, and my name is Five-cloth. I make +five splendid suits of clothes a day. One I give to some god and one to +a Brahman. One I wear myself, and one I shall give to my wife when I +have one. The fifth I sell, to buy food and things. This is my science. +Pray give me Grace." + +The second said: "I am a farmer, and my name is Linguist. I understand +the cries of all beasts and birds. Pray give me the princess." + +The third said: "I am a strong-armed soldier, and my name is Swordsman. +I have no rival on earth in the science of swordsmanship. O King, pray +give me your daughter." + +The fourth said: "O King, I am a Brahman, and my name is Life. I +possess a wonderful science. For if dead creatures are brought to me, I +can quickly restore them to life. Let your daughter find a husband in a +man who has such heroic skill." + +When they had spoken, and the king had seen that they all had wonderful +garments and personal beauty, he and his daughter swung in doubt. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he said to the king: "Remember the +curse I mentioned, and tell me to which of them the girl should be +given." + +And the king said to the goblin: "Sir, you are merely trying to gain +time by making me break silence. There is no puzzle about that. How +could a warrior's daughter be given to a working-man, a weaver? Or to a +farmer, either? And as to his knowledge of the speech of beasts and +birds, of what practical use is it? And what good is a Brahman who +neglects his own affairs and turns magician, despising real courage? Of +course she should be given to the warrior Swordsman who had some +manhood with his science." + +When the goblin heard this, he escaped by magic from the king's +shoulder, and disappeared. And the king followed him as before. +Discouragement never enters the brave heart of a resolute man. + + + +TENTH GOBLIN + +_The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. Which is the most +delicate?_ + +Then the king went to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his shoulder +once more, and started toward the monk. And as he walked along, the +goblin on his shoulder said: "O King, I will tell you a strange story +to relieve your weariness. Listen." + + +There once was a king in Ujjain, whose name was Virtue-banner. He had +three princesses as wives, and loved them dearly. One of them was named +Crescent, the second Star, and the third Moon. While the king lived +happily with his wives, he conquered all his enemies, and was content. + +One day at the time of the spring festival, the king went to the garden +to play with his three wives. There he looked at the flower-laden vines +with black rows of bees on them; they seemed like the bow of the god of +love, all ready for service. He heard the songs of nightingales in the +trees; they sounded like commands of Love. And with his wives he drank +wine which seemed like Love's very life-blood. + +Then the king playfully pulled the hair of Queen Crescent, and a +lotus-petal fell from her hair into her lap. And the queen was so +delicate that it wounded her, and she screamed and fainted. And the +king was distracted, but when servants sprinkled her with cool water +and fanned her, she gradually recovered consciousness. And the king +took her to the palace and waited upon his dear wife with a hundred +remedies which the physicians brought. + +And when the king saw that she was made comfortable for the night, he +went to the palace balcony with his second wife Star. Now while she +slept on the king's breast, the moonbeams found their way through the +window and fell upon her. And she awoke in a moment, and started up, +crying "I am burned!" Then the king awoke and anxiously asked what the +matter was, and he saw great blisters on her body. When he asked her +about it, Queen Star said: "The moonbeams that fell on me did it." And +the king was distracted when he saw how she wept and suffered. He +called the servants and they made a couch of moist lotus-leaves, and +dressed her wounds with damp sandal-paste. + +At that moment the third queen, Moon, left her room to go to the king. +And as she moved through the noiseless night, she clearly heard in a +distant part of the palace the sound of pestles grinding grain. And she +cried: "Oh, oh! It will kill me!" She wrung her hands and sat down in +agony in the hall. But her servants returned and led her to her room, +where she took to her bed and wept. And when the servants asked what +the matter was, she tearfully showed her hands with bruises on them, +like two lilies with black bees clinging to them. So they went and told +the king. And he came in great distress, and asked his dear wife about +it. She showed her hands and spoke, though she suffered: "My dear, when +I heard the sound of the pestles, these bruises came." Then the king +made them give her a cooling plaster of sandal-paste and other things. + +And the king thought: "One of them was wounded by a falling +lotus-petal. The second was burned by the moonbeams. The third had her +hands terribly bruised by the sound of pestles. I love them dearly, but +alas! The very delicacy which is so great a virtue, is positively +inconvenient." + +And he wandered about in the palace, and it seemed as if the night had +three hundred hours. But in the morning the king and his skilful +physicians took such measures that before long his wives were well and +he was happy. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin asked: "O King, which of them +was the most delicate?" And the king said: "The one who was bruised by +the mere sound of the pestles, when nothing touched her. The other two +who were wounded or blistered by actual contact with lotus-petals or +moonbeams, are not equal to her." + +When the goblin heard this, he went back, and the king resolutely +hastened to catch him again. + + + +ELEVENTH GOBLIN + +_The King who won a Fairy as his Wife. Why did his counsellor's heart +break?_ + +Then the king went as before to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started back. And the goblin said once more: "O King, I +like you wonderfully well because you are not discouraged. So I will +tell you a delightful little story to relieve your weariness. Listen." + + +In the Anga country was a young king named Glory-banner, so beautiful +that he seemed an incarnation of the god of love. He had conquered all +his enemies by his strength of arm, and he had a counsellor named +Farsight. + +At last the king, proud of his youth and beauty, entrusted all the +power in his quiet kingdom to his counsellor, and gradually devoted +himself entirely to pleasure. He spent all his time with the ladies of +the court, and listened more attentively to their love-songs than to +the advice of statesmen. He took greater pleasure in peeping into their +windows than into the holes in his administration. But Farsight bore +the whole burden of public business, and never wearied day or night. + +Then the people began to murmur: "The counsellor Farsight has seduced +the king, and now he alone has all the kingly glory." And the +counsellor said to his wife, whose name was Prudence: "My dear, the +king is devoted to his pleasures, and great infamy is heaped upon me by +the people. They say I have devoured the kingdom, though in fact I +support the burden of it. Now popular gossip damages the greatest man. +Was not Rama forced to abandon his good wife by popular clamour? So +what shall I do now?" + +Then his clever wife Prudence showed that she deserved her name. She +said: "My dear, leave the king and go on a pilgrimage. Tell him that +you are an old man now, and should be permitted to travel in foreign +countries for a time. Then the gossip will cease, when they see that +you are unselfish. And when you are gone, the king will bear his own +burdens. And thus his levity will gradually disappear. And when you +come back, you can assume your office without reproach." + +To this advice the counsellor assented, and said to the king in the +course of conversation: "Your Majesty, permit me to go on a pilgrimage +for a few days. Virtue seems of supreme importance to me." + +But the king said: "No, no, counsellor. Is there no other kind of +virtue except in pilgrimages? How about generosity and that kind of +thing? Isn't it possible to prepare for heaven in your own house?" + +Then the counsellor said: "Your Majesty, one gets worldly prosperity +from generosity and that kind of thing. But a pilgrimage gives eternal +life. A prudent man should attend to it while he has strength. The +chance may be lost, for no one can be sure of his health." + +But the king was still arguing against it when the doorkeeper came in +and said: "Your Majesty, the glorious sun is diving beneath the pool of +heaven. Arise. The hour for your bath is slipping away." And the king +went immediately to bathe. + +The counsellor went home, still determined on his pilgrimage. He would +not let his wife go with him, but started secretly. Not even his +servants knew. + +He wandered alone through many countries to many holy places, and +finally came to the Odra country. There he saw a city near the ocean, +where he entered a temple to Shiva and sat down in the court. There he +sat, hot and dusty from long travel, when he was seen by a merchant +named Treasure who had come to worship the god. The merchant gathered +from his dress and appearance that he was a high-born Brahman, and +invited him home, and entertained him with food, bathing, and the like. + +When the counsellor was rested, the merchant asked him: "Who are you? +Whence do you come? And where are you going?" And the other replied: "I +am a Brahman named Farsight. I came here on a pilgrimage from the Anga +country." + +Then the merchant Treasure said to him: "I am preparing for a trading +voyage to Golden Island. Do you stay in my house. And when I come back, +and you are wearied from your pilgrimage, rest here for a time before +going home." But Farsight said: "I do not want to stay here. I would +rather go with you." And the good merchant agreed. And the counsellor +slept in the first bed he had lain in for many nights. + +The next day he went to the seashore with the merchant, and entered the +ship loaded with the merchant's goods. He sailed along, admiring the +wonders and terrors of the sea, till at last he reached Golden Island. +There he stayed for a time until the merchant had finished his buying +and selling. Now on the way back, he saw a magic tree suddenly rising +from the ocean. It had beautiful branches, boughs of gold, fruits of +jewels, and splendid blossoms. And sitting on a jewelled couch in the +branches was a lovely maiden of heavenly beauty. And while the +counsellor wondered what it all meant, the maiden took her lute in her +hand, and began to sing: + + Whatever seed of fate is sown, + The fruit appears--'tis strange! + Whatever deed a man has done, + Not God himself can change. + +And when she had made her meaning clear, the heavenly maiden +straightway sank with the magic tree and the couch. And Farsight +thought: "What a wonderful thing I have seen to-day! What a strange +place the ocean is for the appearance of a tree with a fairy in it! And +if this is a usual occurrence at sea, why do not other goddesses arise?" + +The pilot and other sailors saw that he was astonished, and they said: +"Sir, this wonderful maiden appears here regularly, and sinks a moment +after, but the sight is new to you." Then the counsellor, filled with +amazement, came to the shore with Treasure, and disembarked. And when +the merchant had unloaded his goods and caused his servants to rejoice, +the counsellor went home with him and spent many happy days there. + +At last he said to Treasure: "Merchant, I have rested happily for a +long time in your house. Now I wish to go to my own country. Peace be +with you!" And in spite of urging from the merchant, Farsight took his +leave, and started with no companion except his own courage. He went +through many countries and at last reached the Anga country. And scouts +who had been sent by King Glory-banner saw him before he reached the +city. When the king learned of it, he went himself out of the city to +meet him, for he had been terribly grieved by the separation. He drew +near, embraced and greeted the counsellor and took him, all worn and +dusty with the weary journey, into an inner room. + +And as soon as the counsellor was refreshed, the king said: +"Counsellor, why did you leave us? How could you bring yourself to do +so harsh and loveless a thing? But after all, who can understand the +strange workings of stern necessity? To think that you should decide +all at once to wander off on a pilgrimage! Well, tell me what countries +you visited, and what new things you saw." + +Then the counsellor told him the whole story truthfully and in order, +the journey to Golden Island and the fairy who rose singing from the +sea, her wonderful beauty and the magic tree. + +But the king immediately fell in love so hopelessly that his kingdom +and his life seemed worthless to him without her. He took the +counsellor aside and said: "Counsellor, I simply must see her. Remember +that I shall die if I do not. I bow to my fate. I will take the journey +which you took. You must not refuse me nor accompany me. I shall go +alone and in disguise. You must rule the kingdom, and not dispute my +words. Swear to do it on your life." + +So he spoke, and would not listen to advice, but dismissed the +counsellor. Then Farsight was unhappy though a great festival was made +for him. How can a good counsellor be happy when his master devotes +himself to a vice? + +The next night King Glory-banner threw the burden of government on that +excellent counsellor, assumed the dress of a hermit, and left his city. +And as he travelled, he saw a monk named Grass, who said when the king +bowed before him as a holy man: "My son, if you sail with a merchant +named Fortune, you will obtain the maiden you desire. Go on fearlessly." + +So the king bowed again and went on rejoicing. After crossing rivers +and mountains he came to the ocean. And on the shore he met at once the +merchant Fortune whom the monk had mentioned, bound for Golden Island. +And when the merchant saw the king's appearance and his signet ring, he +bowed low, took him on the ship, and set sail. + +When the ship reached the middle of the sea, the maiden suddenly arose, +sitting in the branches of the magic tree. And as the king gazed +eagerly at her, she sang as before to her lute: + + Whatever seed of fate is sown + The fruit appears--'tis strange! + Whatever deed a man has done, + Not God himself can change. + + Whatever, how, for whom, and where + 'Tis fated so to be, + That thing, just so, for him, and there + Must happen fatally. + +This song she sang, hinting at what was to happen. And the king gazed +at her smitten by love, and could not move. Then he cried: "O Sea, in +hiding her, you deceive those who think they have your treasures. +Honour and glory to you! I seek your protection. Grant me my desire!" +And as the king prayed, the maiden sank with the tree. Then the king +jumped after her into the sea. + +The good merchant Fortune thought he was lost and was ready to die of +grief. But he was comforted by a voice from heaven which said: "Do +nothing rash. There is no danger when he sinks in the sea. For he is +the king Glory-banner, disguised as a hermit. He came here for the sake +of the maiden; she was his wife in a former life. And he will win her +and return to his kingdom in the Anga country." So the merchant sailed +on to complete his business. + +But King Glory-banner sank in the sea, and all at once he saw a +heavenly city. He looked in amazement at the balconies with their +splendid jewelled pillars, their walls bright with gold, and the +network of pearls in their windows. And he saw gardens with pools that +had stairways of various gems, and magic trees that yielded all +desires. But rich as it was, the city was deserted. + +He entered house after house, but did not find the maiden anywhere. +Then he climbed a high balcony built of gems, opened a door, and +entered. And there he saw her all alone, lying on a jewelled couch, and +clad in splendid garments. He eagerly raised her face to see if it was +really she, and saw that it was indeed the maiden he sought. At the +sight of her he had the strange feeling of the traveller in a desert in +summer at the sight of a river. + +And she opened her eyes, saw that he was handsome and loveable, and +left her couch in confusion. But she welcomed him and with downcast +eyes that seemed like full-blown lotuses she did honour to his feet. +Then she slowly spoke: "Who are you, sir? How did you come to this +inaccessible under-world? And what is this hermit garb? For I see that +you are a king. Oh, sir, if you would do me a kindness, tell me this." + +And the king answered her: "Beautiful maiden, I am King Glory-banner of +the Anga country, and I heard from a reliable person that you were to +be seen on the sea. To see you I assumed this garb, left my kingdom, +and followed you hither. Oh, tell me who you are." + +Then she said to him with bashful love: "Sir, there is a king of the +fairies named Moonshine. I am his daughter, and my name is Moonlight. +Now my father has left me alone in this city. I do not know where he +went with the rest of the people, or why. Therefore, as my home is +lonely, I rise through the ocean, sit on a magic tree, and song about +fate." + +Then the king remembered the words of the monk, and urged her with such +gentle, tender words that she confessed her love and agreed to marry +him. But she made a condition: "My dear, on four set days in each month +you must let me go somewhere unhindered and unseen. There is a reason." +And the king agreed, married her, and lived in heavenly happiness with +her. + +While he was living in heavenly bliss, Moonlight said to him one day: +"My dear, you must wait here. I am going somewhere on an errand. For +this is one of the set days. While you stay here, sweetheart, you must +not go into that crystal room, nor plunge into this pool. If you do, +you will find yourself at that very moment in the world again." So she +said good-bye and left the city. + +But the king took his sword and followed, to learn her secret. And he +saw a giant approaching with a great black cave of a mouth that yawned +like the pit. The giant fell down and howled horribly, then took +Moonlight into his mouth and swallowed her. + +And the king's anger blazed forth. He took his great sword, black as a +snake that has sloughed its skin, ran up wrathfully, and cut off the +giant's head. He was blinded by his madness, he did not know what to +do, he was afflicted by the loss of his darling. But Moonlight split +open the stomach of the giant, and came out alive and unhurt, like the +brilliant, spotless moon coming out from a black cloud. + +When he saw that she was saved, the king cried: "Come, come to me!" and +ran forward and embraced her. And he asked her: "What does it mean, +dearest? Is this a dream, or an illusion?" And the fairy answered: "My +dear, listen to me. It is not a dream, nor an illusion. My father, the +king of the fairies, laid this curse upon me. My father had many sons, +but he loved me so that he could not eat without me. And I used to come +to this deserted spot twice a month to worship Shiva. + +"One day I came here and it happened that I spent the whole day in +worship. That day my father waited for me and would not eat or drink +anything, though he was hungry and angry with me. At night I stood +before him with downcast eyes, for I had done wrong. And he forgot his +love and cursed me--so strong is fate. Because you have despised me +and left me hungry a whole day, a giant named Terror-of-Fate will +swallow you four times a month when you leave the city. And each time +you will split him open and come out. And you shall not remember the +curse afterwards, nor the pain of being swallowed alive. And you must +live here alone.' + +"But when I begged him, he thought awhile and softened his curse. When +Glory-banner, King of the Angas, shall become your husband, and shall +see you swallowed by the giant, and shall kill the giant, then the +curse shall end, and you shall remember all your magic arts.' Then he +left me here, and went with his people to the Nishadha mountain. But I +stayed here because of the curse. And now the curse is ended, and I +remember everything. So now I shall go to the Nishadha mountain to see +my father. Of course now I remember how to fly. And you are at liberty +to stay here, or to go back to your own kingdom." + +Then the king was sad, and he begged her thus: "My beautiful wife, do +not go for seven days. Be as kind as you are beautiful. Let me be happy +with you in the garden, and forget my longings. Then you may go to your +father, and I will go home." So he persuaded her, and was happy with +her for six days in the garden. And the lilies in the ponds looked like +longing eyes, and the ripples like hands raised to detain them, and the +cries of swans and cranes seemed to say: "Do not leave us and go away." + +On the seventh day the king cleverly led his wife to the pool from +which one could get back to the world. There he threw his arms about +her and plunged into the pool, and came up with her in the pool in the +garden of his own palace. + +The gardeners saw that the king had come back with a wife, and they +joyfully ran and told the counsellor Farsight. He came and fell at the +king's feet, and then led the king and the fairy into the palace. And +the counsellor and the people thought: "Wonderful! The king has won the +fairy whom others could see only for a moment like the lightning in the +sky. Whatever is written in one's fate, that comes true, however +impossible it may be." + +But when Moonlight saw that the king was in his own country, and the +seven days were over, she thought she would fly away like other +fairies. But she could not remember how. Then she became very sad, like +a woman who has been robbed. + +And the king said: "Why are you so sad, my dear? Tell me." And the +fairy said: "The curse is over. Yet because I have been bound so long +in the fetters of your love, I have lost my magic arts. I cannot fly." +Then the king thought: "The fairy is really mine," and he was happy and +made a great feast. + +When the counsellor Farsight saw this, he went home, and lay down on +his bed, and his heart broke, and he died. Then the king governed the +kingdom himself, and lived for a long time in heavenly happiness with +Moonlight. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin said: "O King, when the king +was so happy, why should the counsellor's heart break? Was it from +grief because he did not win the fairy himself? Or from sorrow because +the king came back, and he could no longer act as king? If you know and +will not tell me, then you will lose your virtue, and your head will go +flying into a hundred pieces." + +And the king said to the goblin: "O magic creature, neither of these +reasons would be possible for a high-minded counsellor. But he thought: +The king used to neglect his duties for the sake of ordinary women. +What will happen now, when he loves a fairy? In spite of all my +efforts, a terrible misfortune has happened.' I think that was why his +heart broke." + +Then the magic goblin went back to his tree in a moment. And the king +was still determined to catch him, and went once more to the sissoo +tree. + + + +TWELFTH GOBLIN + +_The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the Claws of a Hawk +fell into a Dish of Food given him by a Charitable Woman. Who is to +blame for his death?_ + +Then the King went back under the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started as before. And as he walked along, the goblin +said to him again: "O King, listen to a very condensed story." + + +There is a city called Benares. In it lived a Brahman named Devaswami, +whom the king honoured. He was very rich, and he had a son named +Hariswami. This son had a wonderful wife, and her name was Beautiful. +No doubt the Creator put together in her the priceless elements of +charm and loveliness after his practice in making the nymphs of heaven. + +One night Hariswami was sleeping on a balcony cooled by the rays of the +moon. And a fairy prince named Love-speed was flying through the air, +and as he passed he saw Beautiful asleep beside her husband. He took +her, still asleep, and carried her off through the air. + +Presently Hariswami awoke, and not seeing the mistress of his life, he +rose in anxiety. And he wondered: "Oh, where has my wife gone? Is she +angry with me? Or is she playing hide-and-seek with me, to see how I +will take it?" So he roamed anxiously all over the balcony during the +rest of the night. But he did not find her, though he searched as far +as the garden. + +Then he was overcome by his sorrow and sobbed convulsively. "Oh, +Beautiful, my darling! Fair as the moon! White as the moonlight! Was +the night jealous of your beauty; did she carry you away? Your +loveliness shamed the moon who refreshed me with beams cool as sandal; +but now that you are gone, the same beams torment me like blazing +coals, like poisoned arrows!" + +And as Hariswami lamented thus, the night came to an end, but his +anguish did not end. The pleasant sun scattered the darkness, but could +not scatter the blind darkness of Hariswami's madness. His pitiful +lamentations increased a hundredfold, when the nightly cries of the +birds ended. His relatives tried to comfort him, but he could not pluck +up courage while his loved one was lost. He went here and there, +sobbing out: "Here she stood. And here she bathed. And here she adorned +herself. And here she played." + +His relatives and friends gave him good advice. "She is not dead," they +said. "Why should you make way with yourself? You will surely find her. +Pluck up courage and hunt for her. Nothing is impossible to the brave +and determined man." And when they urged him, Hariswami after some days +plucked up heart. + +He thought: "I will give all my fortune to the Brahmans, and then +wander to holy places. Thus I will wear away my sins, and when my sins +are gone, perhaps I shall find my darling in my wanderings." So he +arose and bathed. + +On the next day he provided food and drink, and made a great feast for +the Brahmans, and gave them all he had except his piety. Then he +started to wander to holy places, hoping to find his wife. + +As he wandered, the summer came on him like a lion, the blazing sun its +mouth, and the sunbeams its mane. And the hot wind blew, made hotter +yet by the sighs of travellers separated from their wives. And the +yellow mud dried and cracked, as if the lakes were broken-hearted at +the loss of their lotuses. And the trees, filled with chirping birds, +seemed to lament the absence of the spring, and their withering leaves +seemed like lips that grow dry in the heat. + +At this time Hariswami was distressed by the heat and the loss of his +wife, by hunger, thirst, and weariness. And as he sought for food, he +came to a village. There he saw many Brahmans eating in the house of a +Brahman named Lotus-belly, and he leaned against the doorpost, +speechless and motionless. + +Then the good wife of that pious Brahman pitied him, and she thought: +"Hunger is a heavy burden. It makes anyone light. Look at this hungry +man standing with bowed head at the door. He looks like a pious man who +has come from a far country, and he is tired. Therefore he is a proper +person for me to feed." + +So the good woman took in her hands a dish filled with excellent rice, +melted butter, and candied sugar, and courteously gave it to him. And +she said: "Go to the edge of our pond, and eat it." + +He thanked her, took the dish, went a little way, and set it down under +a fig-tree on the edge of the pond. Then he washed his hands and feet +in the pond, rinsed his mouth, and joyfully drew near to eat the good +food. + +At that moment a hawk settled on the tree, carrying a black snake in +his beak and claws. And the snake died in the grasp of the hawk, and +his mouth opened, and a stream of poison came out. This poison fell +into the dish of food. + +But Hariswami did not see it. He came up hungry, and ate it all. And +immediately he felt the terrible effects of the poison. He stammered +out: "Oh, when fate goes wrong, everything goes wrong. Even this rice +and the milk and the melted butter and the candied sugar is poison to +me." And he staggered up to the Brahman's wife and said: "Oh, Brahman's +wife, I have been poisoned by the food you gave me. Bring a +poison-doctor at once. Otherwise you will be the murderer of a Brahman." + +And the good woman was terribly agitated. But while she was running +about to find a poison-doctor, Hariswami turned up his eyes and died. +Thus, though she was not to blame, though she was really charitable, +the poor wife was reproached by the angry Brahman who thought she had +murdered her guest. She was falsely accused for a really good action. +So she was dejected and went on a pilgrimage. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin said: "O King, who murdered the +Brahman? the snake, or the hawk, or the woman who gave him the food, or +her husband? This was discussed in the presence of the god of death, +but they could not decide. Therefore, O King, do you say. Who killed +the Brahman? Remember the curse, if you know and do not tell the truth." + +Then the king broke silence and said: "Who did the murder? The snake +cannot be blamed, because he was being eaten by his enemy and could not +help himself. The hawk was hungry and saw nothing. He was not to blame. +And how can you blame either or both of the charitable people who gave +food to a guest who arrived unexpectedly? They were quite virtuous, and +cannot be blamed. I should say that the dead man himself was to blame, +for he dared to accuse one of the others." + +When the goblin heard this, he jumped from the king's shoulder and +escaped to the sissoo tree. And the king ran after him again, +determined to catch him. + + + +THIRTEENTH GOBLIN + +_The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. Did he weep or laugh?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started. And as he walked along, the goblin said to him: +"O King, I will tell you another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Ayodhya, which was once the capital of Rama the +exterminator of giants. In this city lived a strong-armed king named +Hero-banner who protected the world as a wall protects a city. During +his reign a great merchant named Jewel lived in the city. His wife was +named Pleasing, and a daughter named Pearl was given to her prayers. + +As the girl grew up in her father's house, her natural virtues grew +too: beauty, charm, and modesty. And thus she became a young woman. Now +in her young womanhood she was asked in marriage not only by great +merchants, but even by kings. But she was prudent and did not like men. +She would not have loved a god if he had been her husband. She was +ready to die at merely hearing talk of her marriage. So her father was +silent on the subject, though his tender love for her made him sad. And +the story was known everywhere in Ayodhya. + +At this time all the citizens were being plundered by thieves, and they +petitioned King Hero-banner in these words: "O King, we are plundered +every night by thieves, and cannot catch them. Your Majesty must decide +what to do." So the king stationed night-watchmen in hiding about the +city, to search out the thieves. + +When the watchmen failed to catch the thieves for all their searching, +the king himself took his sword, and wandered about alone at night. And +he saw a man creeping along a wall with noiseless steps, often casting +a fearful glance behind him. The king concluded that this was the thief +who all alone robbed the city, and went up to him. And the thief asked +him who he was. The king replied: "I am a thief." + +Then the thief said joyfully: "Good! You are my friend. Come to my +house. I will treat you like a friend." So the king agreed and went +with the thief to a house hidden in a grove and guarded by a wall, full +of delightful and beautiful things, and bright with shining gems. There +the thief offered the king a seat, and went into an inner room. + +At that moment a serving-maid came into the room and said to the king: +"Your Majesty, why have you come into the jaws of death? This wonderful +thief has gone out, intending to do you a mischief. He is certainly +treacherous. Go away quickly." + +So the king quickly went away, returned to the city, and drew up a +company of soldiers. With these soldiers he went and surrounded the +house where the serving-maid had been. + +When the thief saw that the house was surrounded, he knew that he was +betrayed, and came out to fight and die like a man. He showed more than +human valour. He cut off the trunks of elephants, the legs of horses, +and the heads of men; and he was all alone, with only his sword and +shield. When the king saw that his army was destroyed, he ran forward +himself. + +The king was a scientific swordsman, so with a turn of his wrist he +sent the sword and the dagger flying from the thief's hand. Then he +threw away his own sword, wrestled with the thief, threw him, and took +him alive. + +The next morning the thief was led to the place of execution to be +impaled, and the drums were beaten. And Pearl, the merchant's daughter, +saw him from her balcony. All bloody and dusty as he was, she went mad +with love, found her father, and said to him: "Father, I am going to +marry that thief who is being led to execution. You must save him from +the king. Otherwise I shall die with him." + +But her father said: "What do you mean, my daughter? That thief stole +everything the citizens had, and the king's men are going to kill him. +How can I save him from the king? Besides, what nonsense are you +talking?" But the more he scolded, the more determined she became. And +as he loved his daughter, he went to the king and offered all he had +for the release of the thief. + +But the king would not be tempted by millions. He would not release the +thief who stole everything, whom he had captured at the risk of his +life. So the father returned home sadly. And the girl, not heeding the +arguments of her relatives, took a bath, entered a litter, and went to +the death-scene of the rogue, to die with him. Her parents and her +relatives followed her, weeping. + +At that moment the executioners impaled the thief. As his life ebbed +away, he saw the girl and the people with her, and learned her story. +Then the tears rolled down his cheeks, but he died with a smile on his +lips. + +The faithful girl took the thief's body from the stake, and mounted the +pyre to burn herself. But the blessed god Shiva was staying invisibly +in the cemetery, and at that moment he spoke from the sky: "O faithful +wife, I am pleased with your constancy to the husband of your choice. +Choose whatever boon you will from me." + +The girl worshipped the gracious god and chose her boon: "O blessed +one, my father has no son. May he have a hundred. Otherwise his +childless life would end when I am gone." + +And the god spoke again from the sky: "O faithful wife, your father +shall have a hundred sons. But choose another boon. A woman faithful as +you are deserves more than the little thing you asked." + +Then she said: "O god, if I have won your favour, may this my husband +live and always be a good man." + +The invisible Shiva spoke from the sky: "So be it. Your husband shall +be made alive and well. He shall be a good man, and King Hero-banner +shall be pleased with him." + +Then the thief arose at once, alive and well. And the merchant Jewel +was overjoyed and astonished. He took Pearl and the thief, his +son-in-law, went home with his rejoicing relatives, and made a feast +great as his own delight, in honour of the sons he was to have. + +And the king was pleased when he learned the story, and in recognition +of the stupendous courage of the thief, he appointed him general at +once. The thief reformed, married the merchant's daughter, and lived +happily with her, devoted to virtue. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he reminded the king of the curse, +and said: "O king, when the thief on the stake saw the merchant's +daughter approaching with her father, did he weep or laugh? Tell me." + +And the king answered: "He thought: I can make no return to this +merchant for his unselfish friendship.' Therefore he wept from grief. +And he also thought: Why does this girl reject kings and fall in love +with a thief like me? How strange women are!' Therefore he laughed from +astonishment." + +When the goblin heard this, he immediately slipped from the king's +shoulder and escaped to his home. But the king was not discouraged. He +followed him to the sissoo tree. + + + +FOURTEENTH GOBLIN + +_The Man who changed into a Woman at Will. Was his wife his or the other +man's?_ + +So the king went back as before under the sissoo tree, put the goblin +on his shoulder, and started toward the monk. And as he walked along, +the goblin told the king a story. + + +There was a city called Shivapur in Nepal. Long ago a king named +Glory-banner lived there, and he deserved the name. He laid the burden +of government on his counsellor named Ocean-of-Wisdom, and devoted +himself to a life of pleasure with his wife Moonbright. + +In course of time a daughter named Moonlight was born to them, pleasing +as the moonlight to the eyes of men. When she grew up, she went one day +in spring with her servants to a festival in the garden. + +There she was seen by a Brahman youth named Master-mind, the son of +Rich, who had come there to the festival. When he saw her plucking +flowers with one arm uplifted, he went mad with love. His heart was +taken captive by the gay maiden, and he was no longer master of his +mind. + +He thought: "Is she the goddess of love, plucking the spring flowers in +person? Or is she a forest goddess, come here to worship the +spring-time?" + +Then the princess saw him, like a new god of love incarnate. The moment +her eyes fell on him, she fell in love, forgetting her flowers and even +her own limbs. While they looked at each other, lost in love like +people in a picture, a great wail of anguish arose. They lifted their +heads to learn what the matter was, and just then an elephant that had +broken his chain, maddened by the scent of another mad elephant, came +by, crushing the people in his path. He had thrown off his driver and +the ankus hung from him as he ran. And everyone fled in terror. + +But the youth Master-mind ran up in a hurry and took the princess in +his arms. And with a mixture of fear and love and modesty she half +embraced him as he carried her far out of the elephant's path. Then her +people gradually gathered, and she went to the palace, looking at the +youth, and burning over the flame of love. + +And the youth went home from the garden, and thought: "I cannot live, I +cannot exist a moment without her. I must seek help from my teacher +Root, who is a thorough rogue." And so the day slowly passed. + +The next morning he went to his teacher Root, and found him with his +constant friend Moon. He drew near, bowed, and told his desire. And the +teacher laughed and promised to help him. + +So that wonderful rogue put a magic pill in his mouth, and thus changed +himself into an old Brahman. He put a second pill into Master-mind's +mouth, which changed him into a lovely girl. Then that prince of rogues +took him to the king and said: "O King, this maiden has come a long +distance to marry my only son. But my son has gone away, and I am going +to look for him. Please keep the girl. For you are a protector to be +trusted while I am looking for my son." + +The king was afraid of a curse, so he promised to do it. And summoning +his daughter, he said: "Daughter, keep this maiden in your chamber, and +let her live with you." So the girl took the Brahman youth Master-mind +in his girl form to her own apartments. + +When Root had gone away, Master-mind in his girl form lived with his +beloved, and in a few days came to know her in an intimate and loving +way, as girl friends do. Then when he saw that she was pining away and +tossing on her couch, he asked the princess one evening: "My dear girl, +why do you grow pale and thin day by day, grieving as if separated from +your love? Tell me. Why not trust a loving, innocent girl like me? If +you will not tell me, I shall starve myself." + +And the princess trusted him and said after a little hesitation: "My +dear girl, why should I not trust you? Listen. I will tell you. One day +I went to the spring festival in the garden. There I saw a handsome +Brahman youth, fair as the moon but not so cold, the sight of whom +kindled my love. For he adorned the garden as the spring-time does. +While my eager eyes were feasting on his face, a great mad elephant +that had broken his chain came charging and thundering past like a +black cloud in the dry season. My servants scattered in terror, and I +was helpless. But the Brahman youth took me in his arms and carried me +far away. I seemed to be in a sandal bath, in a stream of nectar. I +cannot tell how I felt as I touched him. Presently my servants gathered +around, and I was brought here helpless. I felt as if I had fallen from +heaven to earth. From that day I see in my thoughts my dear preserver +beside me. I embrace him in my dreams. What need of more words? I wear +away the time, thinking constantly of him and only him. The fire of +separation from the lord of my life devours me day and night." + +When Master-mind heard these welcome words, he rejoiced and counted +himself happy. And thinking the time to reveal himself had come, he +took the pill from his mouth, and disclosed his natural form. And he +said: "Beautiful maiden, I am he whom you bought and enslaved with a +kindly glance in the garden. I was sick at the separation from you; so +I took the form of a girl, and came here. So now bring heaven in a +loving glance to my love-tortured heart." + +When the princess saw that the lord of her life was beside her, she was +torn between love and wonder and modesty, and did not know what she +ought to do. So they were secretly married and lived there in supreme +happiness. Master-mind lived in a double form. By day he was a girl +with the pill in his mouth, by night a man without the pill. + +After a time the brother-in-law of King Glory-banner gave his daughter +with great pomp to a Brahman, the son of the counsellor +Ocean-of-Wisdom. And the princess Moonlight was invited to her cousin's +wedding and went to her uncle's house. And Master-mind went with her in +his girl form. + +When the counsellor's son saw Master-mind in his lovely girl form, he +was terribly smitten with the arrows of love. His heart was stolen by +the sham girl, and he went home feeling lonely even with his wife. It +made him crazy to think of that lovely face. When his father tried to +soothe him, he woke from his madness and stammered out his insane +desire. And his father was terribly distressed, knowing that all this +depended on another. + +Then the king learned the story and came there. When the king saw his +condition and perceived that he was seven parts gone in love, he said: +"How can I give him the girl who was intrusted to me by the Brahman? +Yet without her he will be ten parts gone in love, and will die. And if +he dies, then his father, the counsellor, will die too. And if the +counsellor perishes, my kingdom will perish. What shall I do?" + +He consulted his counsellors, and they said: "Your Majesty, the first +duty of a king is the preservation of the virtue of his people. This is +the fundamental principle, and is established as such among +counsellors. If the counsellor is lost, the fundamental principle is +lost; how then can virtue be preserved? So in this case it would be +sinful to destroy the counsellor through his son. You must by all means +avoid the loss of virtue which would ensue. Give the Brahman's girl to +the counsellor's son. And when the Brahman returns, further measures +will suggest themselves." + +To this the king agreed, and promised to give the sham girl to the +counsellor's son. So Master-mind in his girl form was brought from the +chamber of the princess, and he said to the king: "Your Majesty, I was +brought here by somebody for a given purpose. If you give me to +somebody else, well and good. You are the king. Right and wrong depend +on you. I will marry him to-day, but only on one condition. My husband +shall go away immediately after the marriage and not return until he +has been on a pilgrimage for six months. Otherwise I shall bite out my +tongue." + +So the counsellor's son was summoned, and he joyfully assented. He made +the man his wife at once, put the sham wife in a guarded room and +started on a pilgrimage. So Master-mind lived there in his woman form. + +When he realized that the counsellor's son would soon return, +Master-mind fled by night. And Root heard the story, and again assumed +the form of an old Brahman. He took his friend Moon, went to +Glory-banner, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I have brought my +son. Pray give me my daughter-in-law." + +The king was afraid of a curse, so he said: "Brahman, I do not know +where your daughter-in-law has gone. Be merciful. To atone for my +carelessness, I will give your son my own daughter." + +The prince of rogues in the form of an old Brahman angrily refused. But +the king finally persuaded him, and with all due form married his +daughter Moonlight to Moon, who pretended to be the old Brahman's son. +Then Root went home with the bride and bridegroom. + +But then Master-mind came, and in the presence of Root, a great dispute +arose between him and Moon. + +Master-mind said: "Moonlight should be given to me. I married the girl +first with my teacher's permission." + +Moon said: "Fool! What rights have you in my wife? Her father gave her +to me in regular marriage." + +So they disputed about the princess whom one had won by fraud and the +other by force. But they could reach no decision. + + +O King, tell me. Whose wife is she? Resolve my doubts, and remember the +agreement about your head. + +Then the king said: "I think she is the rightful wife of Moon. For she +was married to him in the regular way by her father in the presence of +her relatives. Master-mind married her secretly, like a thief. And when +a thief takes things from other people, it is never right." + +When the goblin heard this, he went back home as before. And the king +stuck to his purpose. He went back again, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started from the sissoo tree. + + + +FIFTEENTH GOBLIN + +_The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent Shell-crest. Which is +the more self-sacrificing?_ + +So the king walked along with the goblin. And the goblin said: "O king, +listen to a story the like of which was never heard." + + +There is a mountain called Himalaya where all gems are found. It is the +king of mountains. Its proud loftiness is everywhere the theme of song. +The sun himself has not seen its top. + +On its summit is a city called Golden City, brilliant like a heap of +sunbeams left in trust by the sun. There lived a glorious fairy-king +named Cloud-banner. In the garden of his palace was a wishing-tree +which had come down to him from his ancestors. + +King Cloud-banner had worshipped the tree which was really a god, and +by its grace had obtained a son named Cloud-chariot. This son +remembered his former lives. He was destined to be a Buddha in a future +life. He was generous, noble, merciful to all creatures, and obedient +to his parents. + +When he grew up, the king anointed him crown prince, persuaded thereto +by his counsellors as well as by the remarkable virtues of the youth. +While Cloud-chariot was crown prince, his father's counsellors came to +him one day and kindly said: "Crown prince, you must always honour this +wishing-tree in your garden; for it yields all desires, and cannot be +taken away by anybody. As long as it is favourably disposed to us, the +king of the gods could not conquer us, and of course nobody else could." + +Then Cloud-chariot thought: "Alas! The men of old had this heavenly +tree, yet they did not pluck from it any worthy fruit. They were +mean-spirited. They simply begged it for some kind of wealth. And so +they degraded themselves and the great tree too. But I will get from it +the wish which is in my heart." + +With this thought the noble creature went to his father. He showed such +complete deference as to delight his father, then when his father was +comfortably seated, he whispered: "Father, you know yourself that in +this sea of life all possessions, including our own bodies, are +uncertain as a rippling wave. Especially is money fleeting, uncertain, +fickle as the twilight lightning. The only thing in life which does not +perish is service. This gives birth to virtue and glory, twin witnesses +through all the ages to come. Father! Why do we keep such a +wishing-tree for the sake of transient blessings? Our ancestors clung +to it, saying: It is mine, it is mine.' And where are they now? What +is it to them, or they to it? Then, if you bid me, I will beg this +generous wishing-tree for the one fruit that counts, the fruit of +service to others." + +His father graciously assented, and Cloud-chariot went to the +wishing-tree, and said: "O god, you have fulfilled the wishes of our +fathers. Fulfil now my one single wish. Remove poverty from the world. +A blessing be with you. Go. I give you to the needy world." And as +Cloud-chariot bowed reverently, there came a voice from the tree: "I +go, since you give me up." And the wishing-tree immediately flew from +heaven and rained so much money on the earth that nobody was poor. And +Cloud-chariot's reputation for universal benevolence was spread about. + +But all the relatives were jealous and envious. They thought that they +could easily conquer Cloud-chariot and his father without the +wishing-tree, and they prepared to fight to take away his kingdom. But +Cloud-chariot said to his father: "Father, how can you take your +weapons and fight? What high-minded man would want a kingdom after +killing his relatives just for the sake of this wretched, perishable +body? Let us abandon the kingdom, and go away somewhere to devote +ourselves entirely to virtue. Then we shall be blessed in both worlds. +And let these wretched relatives enjoy the kingdom which they hanker +after." + +And Cloud-banner said: "My son, I only want the kingdom for you, and if +you give it up from benevolent motives, what good is it to me? I am an +old man." + +So Cloud-chariot left the kingdom and went with his father and mother +to the Malabar hills. There he built a hermit's retreat, and waited on +his parents. + +One day, as he wandered about, he met Friend-wealth, the son of +All-wealth, who lived there as king of the Siddhas. And Cloud-chariot +spoke to him and made friends with him. + +Then one day Cloud-chariot saw a shrine to the goddess Gauri in the +grove, and entered there. And he saw a slender, lovely maiden +surrounded by her girl friends and playing on a lute, in honour of +Gauri. The deer listened to her music and her song, motionless as if +ashamed because her eyes were lovelier than their own. When +Cloud-chariot saw the slender maiden, his heart was ravished. + +And he seemed to her to make the garden beautiful like the spring-time. +A strange longing came over her. She became so helpless that her +friends were alarmed. + +Then Cloud-chariot asked one of her friends: "My good girl, what is +your friend's sweet name? What family does she adorn?" + +And the friend said: "This is Sandal, sister of Friend-wealth, and +daughter of the king of the Siddhas." Then she earnestly asked for the +name and family of Cloud-Chariot from a hermit's son who had come with +him. And then she spoke to Sandal with words punctuated by smiles: "My +dear, why do you not show hospitality to the fairy prince? He is a +guest whom all the world would be glad to honour." + +But the bashful princess remained silent with downcast eyes. Then the +friend said: "She is bashful. Accept a hospitable greeting from me." +And she gave him a garland. + +Cloud-chariot, far gone in love, took the garland and put it around +Sandal's neck. And the loving, sidelong glance which she gave him +seemed like another garland of blue lotuses. So they pledged themselves +without speaking a word. + +Then a serving-maid came and said to the princess: "Princess, your +mother remembers you. Come at once." And she went slowly, after drawing +from her lover's face a passionate glance, for which Love's arrow had +wedged a path. And Cloud-chariot went to the hermitage, thinking of +her; while she, sick with the separation from the lord of her life, saw +her mother, then tottered to her bed and fell upon it. Her eyes were +blinded as if by smoke from the fire of love within her, her limbs +tossed in fever, she shed tears. And though her friends anointed her +with sandal and fanned her with lotus-leaves, she found no rest on her +bed or in the lap of a friend or on the ground. + +Then when the day fled away with the passionate red twilight, and the +moon drew near to kiss the face of the laughing East, she despaired of +life, and her modesty would not let her send a message in spite of all +her love. But somehow she lived through the night. And Cloud-chariot +too was in anguish at the separation. Even in his bed he was fallen +into the hand of Love. Though his passion was so recent, he had already +grown pale. Though shame kept him silent, his looks told of the pangs +of love. And so he passed the night. + +In the morning he arose and went to the shrine of Gauri. And his +friend, the hermit's son, followed him and tried to comfort him. At +that moment the lovelorn Sandal came out of her house alone, for she +could not endure the separation, and crept to that lonely spot to end +her life there. + +She did not see her lover behind a tree, and with eyes brimming with +tears she prayed to the goddess Gauri: "O goddess, since I could not in +this life have Cloud-chariot as my husband, grant that in another life +at last he may be my husband." + +Then she tied her garment to the limb of an ashoka tree before the +goddess and cried: "Alas, my lord! Alas, Cloud-chariot! They say your +benevolence is universal. Why did you not save me?" + +But as she fastened the garment about her neck, a voice from the sky +was heard in the air: "My daughter, do nothing rash. Cloud-chariot, the +future king of the fairies, shall be your husband." + +And Cloud-chariot heard the heavenly voice, and with his friend +approached his rejoicing sweetheart. The friend said to the girl: "Here +is the gift which the goddess grants you." And Cloud-chariot spoke more +than one tender word and loosed the garment from her neck with his own +hand. + +Then a girl friend who had been gathering flowers there and had seen +what was happening, came up joyfully and said, while Sandal's modest +eyes seemed to be tracing a figure on the ground: "My dear, I +congratulate you. Your wish is granted. This very day Prince +Friend-wealth said in my presence to King All-wealth, your father: +Father, the fairy prince, who deserves honour from all the world, who +gave away the wishing-tree, is here, and we should treat him as an +honoured guest. We could not find another bridegroom like him. So let +us welcome him with the gift of Sandal who is a pearl of a girl.' And +the king agreed, and your brother Friend-wealth has this moment gone to +the hermitage of the noble prince. I think your marriage will soon take +place. So go to your chamber, and let the noble prince go to his +hermitage." + +So she went slowly and happily and lovingly. And Cloud-chariot hastened +to the hermitage. There he greeted Friend-wealth and heard his message, +and told him about his own birth and former life. Then Friend-wealth +was delighted and told Cloud-chariot's parents who were also delighted. +Then he went home and made his own parents happy with the news. + +That very day he invited Cloud-chariot to his home. And they made a +great feast as was proper, and married the fairy prince and Sandal on +the spot. Then Cloud-chariot was completely happy and spent some time +there with his bride Sandal. + +One day he took a walk for pleasure about the hills with Friend-wealth, +and came to the seashore. There he saw great heaps of bones, and he +asked Friend-wealth: "What creatures did these heaps of bones belong +to?" His brother-in-law Friend-wealth said to the merciful prince: +"Listen, my friend. I will tell you the story briefly." + +Long ago Kadru, the mother of the serpents, made a wager with her rival +Vinata, the mother of the great bird Garuda. She won the wager and +enslaved her rival. Now Garuda's anger continued even after he had +freed his mother from slavery. He kept going into the underworld where +Kadru's offspring, the serpents, live, to eat them. Some he killed, +others he crushed. + +Then Vasuki, king of the serpents, feared that in time all would be +lost if the serpents were all to be slain thus. So he made an agreement +with Garuda. He said: "O king of birds, I will send one serpent every +day to the shore of the southern sea for you to eat. But you are never +to enter the underworld again. What advantage would it be to you if all +the serpents were slain at once?" And Garuda agreed, with an eye to his +own advantage. + +Since that time Garuda every day eats the snake sent by Vasuki here on +the seashore. And these heaps of bones from the serpents that have been +eaten, have in time formed a regular mountain. + +When Cloud-chariot heard this story from the lips of Friend-wealth, he +was deeply grieved and said: "My friend, wretched indeed is that king +Vasuki who deliberately sacrifices his own subjects to their enemy. He +is a coward. He has a thousand heads, yet could not find a single mouth +to say: O Garuda, eat me first.' How could he be so mean as to beg +Garuda to destroy his own race? Or how can Garuda, the heavenly bird, +do such a crime? Oh, insolent madness!" + +So the noble Cloud-chariot made up his mind that he would use his poor +body that day to save the life of one serpent at least. At that moment +a door-keeper, sent by Friend-wealth's father, came to summon them +home. And Cloud-Chariot said: "Do you go first. I will follow." So he +dismissed Friend-wealth, and remained there himself. + +As he walked about waiting for the thing he hoped for, he heard a +pitiful sound of weeping at a distance. He went a little way and saw +near a lofty rock a sorrowful, handsome youth. He was at that moment +abandoned by a creature that seemed to be a policeman, and was gently +persuading his old, weeping mother to return. And Cloud-chariot wished +to know who it might be. So he hid himself and listened, his heart +melting with pity. + +The old mother was bowed down by anguish, and started to lament over +the youth. "Oh, Shell-crest! Oh, my virtuous son, whom I fondled, not +counting the labour and the pain! Oh, my son, my only son! Where shall +I see you again? Oh, my darling! When your bright face is gone, your +old father will fall into black despair. How can he live then? Your +tender form is hurt by the rays of the sun. How can it bear the pangs +of being eaten by Garuda? Oh, my unhappy fate! Why did the Creator and +the serpent-king choose my only son from the broad serpent-world, and +seize upon him?" + +And as she lamented, the youth, her son, said: "Mother, I am unhappy +enough. Why torture me yet more? Return home. For the last time I bow +before you. It is time for Garuda to come." + +And the mother cried: "Alas, alas for me! Who will save my son?" And +she gazed about wildly and wept aloud. + +All this Cloud-chariot, the future Buddha, saw and heard. And with deep +pity he thought: "Alas! This is a serpent named Shell-crest, sent here +by Vasuki for Garuda to eat. And this is his mother, following him out +of her great love. He is her only son, and she is mourning in pain and +bitter anguish. I should forever curse my useless life if I did not +save one in such agony at the cost of a body which must perish anyway +some day." + +So Cloud-chariot joyfully approached and said to the old mother: +"Serpent-mother, I will save your son. Do not weep." + +But the old mother thought that this was Garuda, and she screamed: "O +Garuda, eat me! Eat me!" + +Then Shell-crest said: "Mother, this is not Garuda. Do not be alarmed. +What a difference between one who soothes our feelings like the moon, +and the fearful Garuda." + +And Cloud-chariot said: "Mother, I am a fairy, come to save your son. I +will put on his garment and offer my own body to the hungry bird. Do +you take your son and go home." + +But the old mother said: "No, no. You are more than a son to me. To +think that such as you should feel pity for such as we!" + +And Cloud-chariot answered: "Mother, I beg you not to disappoint me." +But when he insisted, Shell-crest said: "Noble being, you have +certainly shown compassion, but I do not wish to save my body at the +expense of yours. Who would save a common stone at the cost of a pearl? +The world is full of creatures like me, who are merciful only to +themselves. But creatures like you, who are merciful to all the world, +are very rare. Oh, pious being, I could not stain the pure family of +Shell-guard, as the dark spot stains the disk on the moon." + +Then Shell-crest said to his mother: "Mother, return from this desolate +place. Do you not see the rock of sacrifice wet with the blood of +serpents, the terrible plaything of Death? I will go for a moment to +the shore and worship the god Shiva there. And I will return quickly +before Garuda comes." + +So Shell-crest took leave of his mother and went to worship Shiva. And +Cloud-chariot thought: "If Garuda should come in this interval, I +should be happy." + +Then he saw the trees stiffening themselves against the wind made by +the sweeping wings of the king of birds. "Garuda is coming," he +thought, and climbed the rock of sacrifice, eager to give his life for +another. + +And Garuda straightway pounced upon the noble creature and lifted him +from the rock in his beak. While Cloud-chariot's blood flowed in +streams and the gem fell from his forehead, Garuda carried him off and +began to eat him on the summit of the Malabar hills. And while he was +being eaten, Cloud-chariot thought: "In every future life of mine may +my body do some good to somebody. I would not attain heaven and +salvation without doing some good first." Then a shower of flowers fell +from heaven on the fairy prince. + + +At that moment the blood-stained gem from his forehead fell in front of +his wife Sandal. She was in anguish at the sight, and as her +parents-in-law were near, she tearfully showed it to them. And they +were alarmed at the sight of their son's gem and wondered what it +meant. Then King Cloud-banner discovered the truth by his magic arts, +and he and his queen started to run with Cloud-chariot's wife Sandal. + +At that moment Shell-crest returned from his worship of Shiva. He saw +the rock stained with blood, and cried: "Alas for me, poor sinner! +Surely that noble, merciful creature has given his body to Garuda in +place of mine. I must find him. Where has the great being been carried +by my enemy? If I find him alive, then I shall not sink into the slough +of infamy." So he followed weeping the broad trail of blood. + +Now Garuda noticed that Cloud-chariot was happy while being eaten, and +he thought: "This must be some strange, great being, for he is happy +while I am eating him. He does not die, and what remains of him is +thrilled with delight. And he turns a gracious, benevolent look upon +me. Surely, he is no serpent, but some great spirit. I will stop eating +him and ask him." + +But while he reflected, Cloud-chariot said: "O king of birds, why do +you stop? There is still some flesh and blood on me, and I see that you +are not satisfied. Pray continue to eat." + +When the king of birds heard these remarkable words, he said: "You are +no serpent. Tell me who you are." + +But Cloud-chariot continued to urge him: "Certainly I am a serpent. +What does the question mean? Continue your meal. What fool would begin +a thing and then stop?" + +At that moment Shell-crest shouted from afar: "O Garuda, do not commit +a great and reckless crime. What madness is this? He is not a serpent. +I am the serpent." + +And he ran between them and spoke again to the agitated bird: "O +Garuda, what madness is this? Do you not see that I have the hood and +the forked tongue? Do you not see how gentle his appearance is?" + +While he was speaking, Cloud-chariot's wife Sandal and his parents +hurried up. And when his parents saw how he was lacerated, they wept +aloud and lamented: "Alas, my son! Alas, Cloud-chariot! Alas for my +merciful darling, who gave his life for others!" + +But when they cried: "Alas, Garuda! How could you do this thoughtless +thing?" then Garuda was filled with remorse and thought: "Alas! How +could I be mad enough to eat a future Buddha? This must be +Cloud-chariot, who gives his life for others, whose fame is trumpeted +abroad through all the world. If he is dead, I am a sinner, and ought +to burn myself alive. Why does the fruit of the poison-tree of sin +taste sweet?" + +While Garuda was thus deep in anxious thought, Cloud-chariot saw his +relatives gathered, fell down, and died from the pain of his wounds. +Then, while his grief-stricken parents were loudly lamenting, while +Shell-crest was accusing himself, Sandal looked up to heaven and, in a +voice stammering with tears, reproached the goddess Gauri who had +graciously given her this husband: "Oh, Mother! You told me that the +fairy prince should be my husband, but it is my fate that you spoke +falsely." + +Then Gauri appeared in a visible form, and said: "Daughter, my words +are not false." And she sprinkled Cloud-chariot with nectar from a jar. +And straightway he stood up alive, unhurt and more beautiful than +before. + +As they all bent low in worship, and Cloud-chariot rose only to bend +again, the goddess said: "My son, I am pleased with your gift of your +own body. With my own hand I anoint you king of the fairies." And she +anointed Cloud-chariot with liquor from the jar, and then disappeared, +followed by the worship of the company. And showers of heavenly +blossoms fell from the sky, and the drums of the gods were joyfully +beaten in heaven. + +Then Garuda reverently said to Cloud-chariot: "O King, I am pleased +with your more than human character. For you have done a strange thing +of unparalleled nobility, to be marvelled at throughout the universe, +to be written upon the walls of heaven. Therefore I am at your service. +Choose from me what boon you will." + +The noble creature said to Garuda: "O Garuda, you must repent and eat +no more serpents. And you must restore to life those that you ate +before, who now are nothing but bones." + +And Garuda said: "So be it. I will eat no serpents hereafter. And those +that I have eaten shall come to life." + +Then all the serpents who had been eaten down to the bones, suddenly +stood up. And through the grace of Gauri all the leading fairies +learned immediately the wonderful deed of Cloud-chariot. So they all +came and bowed at his feet and took him, freshly anointed by the very +hand of Gauri, with his rejoicing relatives and friends to the Himalaya +mountain. There Cloud-chariot lived happily with his father and his +mother and his wife Sandal and Friend-wealth and the generous +Shell-crest. And he ruled the fairy world radiant with gems. + + +When the goblin had told this long, strange story, he said to the king: +"O King, tell me. Which was the more self-sacrificing, Cloud-chariot or +Shell-crest? If you know and do not tell, then the curse I mentioned +before will be fulfilled." + +And the king said: "There was nothing remarkable in what Cloud-chariot +did. He was prepared for it by the experiences of many past lives. But +Shell-crest deserves praise. He was saved from death. His enemy had +another victim, and was far away. Yet he ran after and offered his body +to Garuda." + +When the goblin heard this, he went back to the sissoo tree. And the +king returned to catch him again. + + + +SIXTEENTH GOBLIN + +_The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General follows +him in Death. Which is the more worthy?_ + +Then the king went back under the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started. And the goblin said to him: "O King, I +will tell you another little story to relieve your weariness. Listen." + + +Long ago there was a city named Golden City on the bank of the Ganges, +where a quarter of the old perfect virtue still lingers in these evil +days. There was a king named Glorious, and he deserved the name. His +bravery kept the world from being overflowed, like the shore of the sea. + +In this king's city lived a great merchant, who had a daughter named +Passion. Everyone who saw her fell in love and went mad with passion. + +When she grew to be a young woman, the virtuous merchant went to King +Glorious and said: "Your Majesty, I have a daughter, the gem of the +three worlds, and she is old enough to marry. I could not give her to +anyone without consulting your Majesty. For you are the master of all +gems in the world. Pray marry her and thus lay me under obligations." + +So the king sent his own Brahmans to examine her qualities. But when +the Brahmans saw her supreme loveliness, they were troubled and +thought: "If the king should marry her, his kingdom would be ruined. He +would think only of her, and would doubtless neglect his kingdom. +Therefore we must not report her good qualities to the king." + +So they returned to the king and said: "Your Majesty, she has bad +qualities." So the king did not marry the merchant's daughter. But he +bade the merchant give his daughter to a general named Force. And she +lived happily with her husband in his house. + +After a time the lion of spring came dancing through the forest and +slew the elephant of winter. And King Glorious went forth on the back +of an elephant to see the spring festival. And the drum was beaten to +warn virtuous women to stay within doors. Otherwise they would have +fallen in love with his beauty, and love-sickness might be expected. + +But when Passion heard the drum, she did not like to be left alone. She +went out on the balcony, that the king might see her. She seemed like +the flame of love which the spring-time was fanning with southern +breezes. And the king saw her, and his whole being was shaken. He felt +her beauty sinking deep in his heart like a victorious arrow of Love, +and he fainted. + +His servants brought him back to consciousness, and he returned to the +city. There he made inquiries and learned that this was Passion whom he +had rejected before. So he banished from the country the Brahmans who +had said that she had bad qualities, and he thought longingly of her +every day. + +And as he thought of her, he burned over the flame of love, and wasted +away day and night. And though from shame he tried to conceal it, he +finally told the reason of his anguish to responsible people who asked +him. + +They said: "Do not suffer. Why do you not seize her?" But the virtuous +king would not do it. + +Then General Force heard the story. He came and bowed at the feet of +the king and said: "Your Majesty, she is the wife of your slave, +therefore she is your slave. I give her to you of my own accord. Pray +take my wife. Or better yet, I will leave her here in the palace. Then +you cannot be blamed if you marry her." And the general begged and +insisted. + +But the king became angry and said: "I am a king. How can I do such a +wicked thing? If I should transgress, who would be virtuous? You are +devoted to me. Why do you urge me to a sin which is pleasant for the +moment, but causes great sorrow in the next world? If you abandon your +wedded wife, I shall not pardon you. How could a man in my position +overlook such a transgression? It is better to die." Thus the king +argued against it. For the truly great throw away life rather than +virtue. And when all the citizens came together and urged him, he was +steadfast and refused. + +So he slowly shrivelled away over the fever-flame of love and died. +There was nothing left of King Glorious except his glory. And the +general could not endure the death of his king. He burned himself +alive. The actions of devoted men are blameless. + + +When the goblin on the king's shoulder had told this story, he asked +the king: "O King, which of these two, the king and the general, was +the more deserving? Remember the curse before you answer." + +The king said: "I think the king was the more deserving." + +And the goblin said reproachfully: "O King, why was not the general +better? He offered the king a wife like that, whose charms he knew from +a long married life. And when his king died, he burned himself like a +faithful man. But the king gave her up without really knowing her +attractions." + +Then the king laughed and said: "True enough, but not surprising. The +general was a gentleman born, and acted as he did from devotion to his +superior. For servants must protect their masters even at the cost of +their own lives. But kings are like mad elephants who cannot be goaded +into obedience, who break the binding-chain of virtue. They are +insolent, and their judgment trickles from them with the holy water of +consecration. Their eyes are blinded by the hurricane of power, and +they do not see the road. From the most ancient times, even the kings +who conquered the world have been maddened by love and have fallen into +misfortune. But this king, though he ruled the whole world, though he +was maddened by the girl Passion, preferred to die rather than set his +foot on the path of iniquity. He was a hero. He was the better of the +two." + +Then the goblin escaped by magic from the king's shoulder and went +back. And the king pursued him, undiscouraged. No great man stops in +the middle of the hardest undertaking. + + + +SEVENTEENTH GOBLIN + +_The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies. Why did he fail to +win the magic spell?_ + +Then the king went back through the night to the cemetery filled with +ghouls, terrible with funeral piles that seemed like ghosts with +wagging tongues of flame. But when he came to the sissoo tree, he was +surprised to see a great many bodies hanging on the tree. They were all +alike, and in each was a goblin twitching its limbs. + +And the king thought: "Ah, what does this mean? Why does that magic +goblin keep wasting my time? For I do not know which of all these I +ought to take. If I should not succeed in this night's endeavour, then +I would burn myself alive rather than become a laughing-stock." + +But the goblin understood the king's purpose, and was pleased with his +character. So he gave up his magic arts. Then the king saw only one +goblin in one body. He took him down as before, put him on his +shoulder, and started once more. + +And as he walked along, the goblin said: "O King, if you have no +objections, I will tell you a story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Ujjain, whose people delight in noble happiness, +and feel no longing for heaven. In that city there is real darkness at +night, real intelligence in poetry, real madness in elephants, real +coolness in pearls, sandal, and moonlight. + +There lived a king named Moonshine. He had as counsellor a famous +Brahman named Heaven-lord, rich in money, rich in piety, rich in +learning. And the counsellor had a son named Moon-lord. + +This son went one day to a great resort of gamblers to play. There the +dice, beautiful as the eyes of gazelles, were being thrown constantly. +And Calamity seemed to be looking on, thinking: "Whom shall I embrace?" +And the loud shouts of angry gamblers seemed to suggest the question: +"Who is there that would not be fleeced here, were he the god of wealth +himself?" + +This hall the youth entered, and played with dice. He staked his +clothes and everything else, and the gamblers won it all. Then he +wagered money he did not have, and lost that. And when they asked him +to pay, he could not. So the gambling-master caught him and beat him +with clubs. + +When he was bruised all over by the clubs, the Brahman youth became +motionless like a stone, and pretended to be dead, and waited. After he +had lain thus for two or three days, the heartless gambling-master said +to the gamblers: "He lies like a stone. Take him somewhere and throw +him into a blind well. I will pay you the money he owes." + +So the gamblers picked Moon-lord up and went far into the forest, +looking for a well. Then one old gambler said to the others: "He is as +good as dead. What is the use of throwing him into a well now? We will +leave him here and go back and say we have left him in a well." And all +the rest agreed, and left him there, and went back. + +When they were gone, Moon-lord rose and entered a deserted temple to +Shiva. When he had rested a little there, he thought in great anguish: +"Ah, I trusted the rascally gamblers, and they cheated me. Where shall +I go now, naked and dusty as I am? What would my father say if he saw +me now, or any relative, or any friend? I will stay here for the +present, and at night I will go out and try to find food somehow to +appease my hunger." + +While he reflected in weariness and nakedness, the sun grew less hot +and disappeared. Then a terrible hermit named Stake came there, and he +had smeared his body with ashes. When he had seen Moon-lord and asked +who he was and heard his story, he said, as the youth bent low before +him: "Sir, you have come to my hermitage, a guest fainting with hunger. +Rise, bathe, and partake of the meal I have gained by begging." + +Then Moon-lord said to him: "Holy sir, I am a Brahman. How can I +partake of such a meal?" + +Then the hermit-magician went into his hut and out of tenderness to his +guest he thought of a magic spell which grants all desires. And the +spell appeared in bodily form, and said: "What shall I do?" And the +hermit said: "Treat that man as an honoured guest." + +Then Moon-lord was astonished to see a golden palace rise before him +and a grove with women in it. They came to him from the palace and +said: "Sir, rise, come, bathe, eat, and meet our mistress." So they led +him in and gave him a chance to bathe and anoint himself and dress. +Then they led him to another room. + +There the youth saw a woman of wonderful beauty, whom the Creator must +have made to see what he could do. She rose and offered him half of her +seat. And he ate heavenly food and various fruits and chewed betel +leaves and sat happily with her on the couch. + +In the morning he awoke and saw the temple to Shiva, but the heavenly +creature was gone, and the palace, and the women in it. So he went out +in distress, and the hermit in his hut smiled and asked him how he had +spent the night. And he said: "Holy sir, through your kindness I spent +a happy night, but I shall die without that heavenly creature." + +Then the hermit laughed and said: "Stay here. You shall have the same +happiness again to-night." So Moon-lord enjoyed those delights every +night through the favour of the hermit. + +Finally Moon-lord came to see what a mighty spell that was. So, driven +on by his fate, he respectfully begged the hermit: "Holy sir, if you +really feel pity for a poor suppliant like me, teach me that spell +which has such power." + +And when he insisted, the hermit said: "You could never win the spell. +One has to stand in the water to win it. And it weaves a net of magic +to bewilder the man who is repeating the words, so that he cannot win +it. For as he mumbles it, he seems to lead another life, first a baby, +then a boy, then a youth, then a husband, then a father. And he falsely +imagines that such and such people are his friends, such and such his +enemies. He forgets his real life and his desire to win the spell. But +if a man mumbles it constantly for twenty-four years, and remembers his +own life, and is not deceived by the network of magic, and then at the +end burns himself alive, he comes out of the water, and has real magic +power. It comes only to a good pupil, and if a teacher tries to teach +it to a bad pupil, the teacher loses it too. Now you have the real +benefit through my magic power. Why insist on more? If I lost my +powers, then your happiness would go too." + +But Moon-lord said: "I can do anything. Do not fear, holy sir." And the +hermit promised to teach him the spell. What will holy men not do out +of regard to those who seek aid? + +So the hermit went to the river bank, and said: "My son, mumble the +words of the spell. And while you are leading an imaginary life, you +will at last be awakened by my magic. Then plunge into the magic fire +which you will see. I will stand here on the bank while you mumble it." + +So he purified himself and purified Moon-lord and made him sip water, +and then he taught him the magic spell. And Moon-lord bowed to his +teacher on the bank, and plunged into the river. + +And as he mumbled the words of the spell in the water, he was +bewildered by its magic. He forgot all about his past life, and went +through another life. He was born in another city as the son of a +Brahman. Then he grew up, was consecrated, and went to school. Then he +took a wife, and after many experiences half pleasant, half painful, he +found himself the father of a family. Then he lived for some years with +his parents and his relatives, devoted to wife and children, and +interested in many things. + +While he was experiencing all these labours of another life, the hermit +took pity on him and repeated magic words to enlighten him. And +Moon-lord was enlightened in the midst of his new life. He remembered +himself and his teacher, and saw that the other life was a network of +magic. So he prepared to enter the fire in order to win magic power. + +But older people and reliable people and his parents and his relatives +tried to prevent him. In spite of them he hankered after heavenly +pleasures, and went to the bank of a river where a funeral pile had +been made ready. And his relatives went with him. But when he got there +he saw that his old parents and his wife and his little children were +weeping. + +And he was perplexed, and thought: "Alas! If I enter the fire, all +these my own people will die. And I do not know whether my teacher's +promise will come true or not. Shall I go into the fire, or go home? +No, no. How could a teacher with such powers promise falsely? Indeed, I +must enter the fire." And he did. + +And he was astonished the feel the fire as cool as snow, and lost his +fear of it. Then he came out of the water of the river, and found +himself on the bank. He saw his teacher standing there, and fell at his +feet, and told him the whole story, ending with the blazing funeral +pile. + +Then his teacher said: "My son, I think you must have made some +mistake. Otherwise, why did the fire seem cool to you? That never +happens in the winning of this magic spell." + +And Moon-lord said: "Holy sir, I do not remember making any mistake." +Then his teacher was eager to know about it, so he tried to remember +the spell himself. But it would not come to him or to his pupil. So +they went away sad, having lost their magic. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +explain the matter to me. Why did they lose their magic, when +everything had been done according to precept?" + +Then the king said: "O magic creature, I see that you are only trying +to waste my time. Still, I will tell you. Magic powers do not come to a +man because he does things that are hard, but because he does things +with a pure heart. The Brahman youth was defective at that point. He +hesitated even when his mind was enlightened. Therefore he failed to +win the magic. And the teacher lost his magic because he taught it to +an unworthy pupil." + +Then the goblin went back to his home. And the king ran to find him, +never hesitating. + + + +EIGHTEENTH GOBLIN + +_The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the Giant conspired to Kill. +Why did he laugh at the moment of death?_ + +Then the king went to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his shoulder +as before, and started in silence. And the goblin on his shoulder saw +that he was silent and said: "O King, why are you so obstinate? Go +home. Spend the night in rest. You ought not to take me to that +rascally monk. But if you insist, then I will tell you another story. +Listen." + + +There is a city called Brilliant-peak. There lived a glorious king +named Moon, who delighted the eyes of his subjects. Wise men said that +he was brave, generous, and the very home of beauty. But in spite of +all his wealth, he was very sad at heart. For he found no wife worthy +of him. + +One day this king went with soldiers on horseback into a great wood, to +hunt there and forget his sorrow. There he split open many boars with +his arrows as the sun splits the black darkness, and made fierce lions +into cushions for his arrows, and slew mountainous monsters with his +terrible darts. + +As he hunted, he spurred his horse and beat him terribly. And the horse +was so hurt by the spur and the whip that he could not tell rough from +smooth. He dashed off quicker than the wind, and in a moment carried +the king into another forest a hundred miles away. + +There the king lost his way, and as he wandered about wearily, he saw a +great lake. He stopped there, unsaddled his horse, let him bathe and +drink, and found him some grass in the shade of the trees. Then he +bathed and drank himself, and when he had rested, he looked all about +him. + +And he saw a hermit's daughter of marvellous beauty under an ashoka +tree with another girl. She had no ornaments but flowers. She was +charming even in a dress of bark. She was particularly attractive +because of her thick masses of hair arranged in a girlish way. + +And the king fell in love with her and thought: "Who is she? Is she a +goddess come to bathe in these waters? Or Gauri, separated from her +husband Shiva, leading a hard life to win him again? Or the lovely +moon, taking a human form, and trying to be attractive in the daytime? +I will go to her and find out." + +So he drew near to her. And when she saw him coming, she was astonished +at his beauty and dropped her hands, which had been weaving a garland +of flowers. And she thought: "Who can he be in this forest? Some fairy +perhaps. Blessed are my eyes this day." + +So she rose, modestly looking another way, and started to go away, +though her limbs failed her. Then the king approached and said: +"Beautiful maiden, I have come a long distance, and you never saw me +before. I ask only to look at you, and you should welcome me. Is this +hermit manners, to run away?" + +Then her clever friend made the king sit down and treated him as an +honoured guest. And the king respectfully asked her: "My good girl, +what happy family does your friend adorn? What are the syllables of her +name, which must be a delight to the ear? Or why at her age does she +torture a body as delicate as a flower with a hermit's life in a lonely +wood?" + +And the friend answered: "Your Majesty, she is the daughter of the +hermit Kanva and the heavenly nymph Menaka. She grew up here in the +hermitage, and her name is Lotus-bloom. With her father's permission +she came here to the lake to bathe. And her father's hermitage is not +far from here." + +Then the king was delighted. He mounted his horse and rode to the +hermitage of holy Kanva, to ask for the girl. And he entered the +hermitage in modest garb, leaving his horse outside. Then he was +surrounded by hermits with hoary crowns and bark garments like the +trees, and saw the sage Kanva radiant and cool like the moon. And he +drew near and fell at his feet. + +And the wise hermit greeted him and let him rest, then said: "My son +Moon, I will tell you something to your advantage. Listen. I know what +fear of death there is in mortal creatures. Why then do you uselessly +kill the wild beasts? Warriors were made by the Creator to protect the +timid. Therefore protect your subjects in righteousness, and root out +evil. As Happiness flees before you, strive to overtake her with all +your means, elephants and horses and things. Enjoy your kingship. Be +generous. Become glorious. Abandon this vice of hunting, this sport of +Death. For slayer and slain are equally deceived. Why spend your time +in such an evil pursuit?" + +The sensible king was pleased and said: "Holy sir, I am instructed. And +great is my gratitude for this instruction. From now on I hunt no more. +Let the wild animals live without fear." + +Then the hermit said: "I am pleased with your protection of the +animals. Choose any boon you will." + +Then the quick-witted king said: "Holy sir, if you are kindly disposed, +give me your daughter Lotus-bloom." + +So the hermit gave him his daughter, the child of the nymph, who then +came up after her bath. So they were married, and the king wore +cheerful garments, and Lotus-bloom was adorned by the hermits' wives. +And the weeping hermits accompanied them in procession to the edge of +the hermitage. Then the king took his wife Lotus-bloom, mounted his +horse, and started for his city. + +At last the sun, seeing the king tired with his long journeying, sank +wearily behind the western mountain. And fawn-eyed night appeared, clad +in the garment of darkness, like a woman going to meet her lover. And +the king saw an ashvattha tree on the shore of a pond in a spot covered +with grass and twigs, and he decided to spend the night there. + +So he dismounted, fed and watered his horse, brought water from the +pond, and rested with his beloved. And they passed the night there. + +In the morning he arose, performed his devotions, and prepared to set +out with his wife to rejoin his soldiers. Then, like a cloud black as +soot with tawny lightning-hair, there appeared a great giant. He wore a +chaplet of human entrails, a cord of human hair, he was chewing the +head of a man, and drinking blood from a skull. + +The giant laughed aloud, spit fire in his wrath, and showed his +dreadful fangs. And he scolded the king and said: "Scoundrel! I am a +giant named Flame-face. This tree is my home; even the gods do not dare +to trespass here. But you and your wife have trespassed and enjoyed +yourselves. Now swallow your own impudence, you rascal! You are +lovesick, so I will split open your heart and eat it, and I will drink +your blood." + +The king was frightened when he saw that the giant was invincible, and +his wife was trembling, so he said respectfully: "I trespassed +ignorantly. Forgive me. I am your guest, seeking protection in your +hermitage. And I will give you a human sacrifice, so that you will be +satisfied. Be merciful then and forget your anger." + +Then the giant forgot his anger, and thought: "Very well. Why not?" And +he said: "O King, I want a noble, intelligent Brahman boy seven years +old, who shall give himself up of his own accord for your sake. And +when he is killed, his mother must hold his hands tightly to the +ground, and his father must hold his feet, and you must cut off his +head with your own sword. If you do this within seven days, then I will +forgive the insult you have offered me. If not, I will kill you and all +your people." + +And the king was so frightened that he consented. Then the giant +disappeared. + +Then King Moon mounted his horse with his wife Lotus-bloom and rode +away sad at heart, seeking for his soldiers. And he thought: "Alas! I +was bewildered by hunting and by love, and I find myself ruined. Where +can I find such a sacrifice for the giant? Well, I will go to my own +city now, and see what happens." + +So he continued his search, and found his soldiers and his city +Brilliant-peak. There his subjects were delighted because he had found +a wife worthy of him, and they made a great feast. But it was a day of +despondency and dreadful agony for the king. + +On the next day he told his counsellors the whole story. And one +counsellor named Wise said: "Your Majesty, do not despair. I will find +a victim for the sacrifice. The world is a strange place." + +Thus the counsellor comforted the king, and made a statue of a boy out +of gold. And he sent the statue about the land, with constant beating +of drums and this proclamation: "We want a noble Brahman boy seven +years old who will offer himself as a sacrifice to a giant with the +permission of his parents. And when he is killed, his mother must hold +his hands, and his father must hold his feet. And as a reward, the king +will give his parents a hundred villages and this statue of gold and +gems." + +Now there was a Brahman boy on a farm, who was only seven years old, +but wonderfully brave. He was of great beauty, and even in childhood he +was always thinking about others. He said to the heralds: "Gentlemen, I +will give you my body. Wait a moment. I will hurry back after telling +my parents." + +So they told the boy to go. And he went into the house, bowed before +his parents, and said: "Mother! Father! I am going to give this +wretched body of mine in order to win lasting happiness. Pray permit +me. And I will take the king's gift, this statue of myself made of gold +and gems, and give it to you together with the hundred villages. Thus I +will pay my debt to you, and do some real good. And you will never be +poor again, and will have plenty more sons." + +But his parents immediately said: "Son, what are you saying? Have you +the rheumatism? Or are you possessed by a devil? If not, why do you +talk nonsense? Who would sacrifice his child for money? And what child +would give his body?" + +But the boy said: "I am not mad. Listen. My words are full of sense. +The body is the seat of unnameable impurities, it is loathsome and full +of pain. It perishes in no long time at best. If some good can be done +with the worthless thing, that is a great advantage in this weary life, +so wise men say. And what good is there except helping others? If +anyone can serve his parents so easily, then how lightly should the +body be esteemed!" + +Thus the boy, with his bold words and his firm purpose, persuaded his +grieving parents. And he went and got from the king's men the golden +statue and the hundred villages, and gave them to his parents. + +So the boy with his parents followed the king's men to the city +Brilliant-peak. And the king looked upon the brave boy as a magic jewel +for his own preservation, and rejoiced greatly. He adorned the boy with +garlands and perfumes, put him on an elephant, and took him with his +parents to the home of the giant. + +There the priest traced a magic circle beside the tree, and reverently +lit the holy fire. Then the horrible giant Flame-face appeared, +mumbling words of his own. He staggered, for he was drunk with blood, +and snorted and yawned. His eyes flashed fire and his shadow made the +whole world dark. + +And the king said respectfully: "Great being, here is the human +sacrifice you asked for, and this is the seventh day since I promised +it. Be merciful. Accept this sacrifice." + +And the giant licked his chops, and looked the boy over, who was to be +the sacrifice. Then the noble boy thought: "I have done some good with +this body of mine. May I never rest in heaven or in eternal salvation, +but may I have many lives in which to do some good with my body." And +the air was filled with the chariots of gods who rained down flowers. + +Then the boy was laid before the giant. His mother held his hands, and +his father held his feet. When the king drew his sword and was ready to +strike, the boy laughed so heartily that all of them, even the giant, +forgot what they were doing, looked at the boy's face, and bowed low +before him. + + +When the goblin had told this strange story, he asked the king: "O +King, why did the boy laugh at the moment of death? I have a great +curiosity about this point. If you know and will not tell, then your +head will fly into a hundred pieces." + +And the king said: "Listen. I will tell you why the boy laughed. When +danger comes to any weak creature, he cries for life to his mother and +father. If they are not there, he begs protection from the king, whom +heaven made his protector. Failing the king, he cries to a god. Some +one of these should be his protector. But in the case of this boy +everything was contrary. His parents held his hands and feet because +they wanted money. And the king was ready to kill him with his own +hand, to save his own life. And the giant, who is a kind of a god, had +come there especially to eat him. So the boy thought: They are +ridiculously fooled about their bodies, which are fragile, worthless, +the seat of pain and suffering. The bodies of the greatest gods perish. +And such creatures as these imagine that their bodies will endure!' So +when he saw their strange madness, and felt that his own wishes were +fulfilled, the Brahman boy laughed in astonishment and delight." + +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder and went back to his +home. And the king followed with determination. The heart of a good man +is like the heart of the ocean. It cannot be shaken. + + + +NINETEENTH GOBLIN + +_The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all died for Love. Which was the +most foolish?_ + +Then the king went back under the sissoo tree, took the goblin on his +shoulder, and set out in haste. And as he walked along, the goblin on +his shoulder said: "O King, I will tell you a story about a great love. +Listen." + + +There is a city called Ujjain, which seems like a divine city made by +the Creator for the pious who have fallen from heaven. In this city +there was a famous king named Lotus-belly. He delighted the good, and +defeated the king of the demons. + +While he was king, a merchant named Fortune, richer than the god of +wealth, lived in the city. He had one daughter named Love-cluster, who +seemed the model from whom the Creator had made the nymphs of heaven. +This merchant gave his daughter to a merchant named Jewel-guard from +Copper City. + +As he was a tender father and had no other children, the merchant +stayed with his daughter Love-cluster and her husband. Now Love-cluster +came to hate Jewel-guard as a sick man hates a pungent, biting +medicine. But the beautiful woman was dearer than life to her husband, +dear as long-fathered wealth to a miser. + +One day Jewel-guard started for Copper City to pay a loving visit to +his parents. Then the hot summer came, and the roads were blocked for +travellers by the sharp arrows of the sun. The winds blew soft with the +fragrance of jasmine and trumpet-flower, like sighs from the mouths of +mountains separated from the springtime. And wind-swept dust-clouds +flew to the sky like messengers from the burning earth begging for +clouds. And the feverish days moved slowly like wayfarers who cling to +the shade of trees. And the nights clad in pale yellow moonlight became +very feeble without the invigorating embrace of winter. + +At this time Love-cluster, anointed with cooling sandal, and clad in +thin garments stood at her lattice-window. And she saw a handsome youth +with a friend whom he trusted. He seemed the god of love born anew and +seeking his bride. He was the son of the king's priest, and his name +was Lotus-lake. + +And when Lotus-lake saw the lovely girl, he expanded with delight as +lotuses in a lake expand at the sight of the moon. When the two young +people saw each other, their hearts embraced each other at the bidding +of Love, their teacher. + +So Lotus-lake was smitten with love, and was led home with difficulty +by his friend. And Love-cluster was equally maddened by love. First she +learned from her friend his name and home, then slowly withdrew to her +room. There she thought of him and became feverish with love, simply +tossing on her couch, seeing nothing and hearing nothing. + +After two or three days spent in this way, she felt bashful and +fearful, pale and thin from the separation, and hopeless of union with +her lover. So, as if drawn on by the moonbeam which shone through her +window, she went out at night when her people were asleep, determined +to die. And she came to a pool under a tree in her garden. + +There stood a family image of the goddess Gauri, set up by her father. +She drew near to this image, bowed before the goddess, praised her, and +said: "O Goddess, since I could not have Lotus-lake as my husband in +this life, may he be my husband in some other life!" And she made a +noose of her garment, and tied it to the ashoka tree before the goddess. + +At that moment her trusty friend awoke, and not finding her in the +room, hunted about and came luckily into the garden. There she saw the +girl fastening the noose about her neck, and she cried, "No, no!" And +running up, she cut the noose. + +When Love-cluster saw that it was her own friend who had run up and +taken the noose away, she fell to the ground in great agony. But her +friend comforted her and asked the reason of her sorrow. Then she arose +and said: "Jasmine, my friend, I cannot be united with him I love. I am +dependent on my father and other people. Death is the happiest thing +for me." + +And as she spoke, she was terribly scorched by the fiery darts of love, +and determined to feel no more hope, and fainted. And her friend +Jasmine lamented: "Alas! Love is a hard master. It has reduced her to +this condition." But she gradually brought her back to life with cool +water and fans and things. She made an easy bed of lotus-leaves. She +put pearls cool as snow on her heart. + +Then Love-cluster came to herself and slowly said to her weeping +friend: "My dear, the fire within me cannot be quenched by such things +as pearls. If you want to save my life, be clever enough to bring my +lover to me." + +And the loving Jasmine said: "My dear, the night is almost over. In the +morning I will bring your lover here to meet you. Be brave and go now +to your room." + +Love-cluster was contented. She took the pearls from her neck and gave +them to her friend as a present. And she said: "Let us go now. Then in +the morning you must keep your promise." So she went to her room. + +In the morning Jasmine crept out without being seen to hunt for the +house of Lotus-lake. When she got there, she found Lotus-lake under a +tree in the garden. He was lying on a couch of lotus-leaves moistened +with sandal, and the friend who knew his secret was fanning him with +plantain-leaf fans, for he was tortured by the flames of love. And +Jasmine hid, to find out whether this was lovesickness for her friend +or not. + +Then the friend said to Lotus-lake: "My friend, comfort your heart by +glancing a moment at this charming garden. Do not be so troubled." + +But he said to his friend: "My heart has been stolen by Love-cluster. +It is no longer in my body. How can I comfort it? Love has made an +empty quiver of me. So invent some plan by which I may meet the thief +of my heart." + +Then Jasmine came out joyfully and without fear and showed herself. And +she said: "Sir, Love-cluster has sent me to you, and I am the bearer of +a message to you. Is it good manners to enter the heart of an innocent +girl by force, steal her thoughts, and run away? It is strange, but the +sweet girl is ready to give her person and her life to you, her +charmer. For day and night she heaves sighs hot as the smoke from the +fire of love that burns in her heart. And teardrops carry her rouge +away and fall, like bees longing for the honey of her lotus-face. So, +if you wish it, I will tell you what is good for both of you." + +And Lotus-lake said: "My good girl, the words which tell me that my +love is lonely and longing, frighten me and comfort me. You are our +only refuge. Devise a plan." + +And Jasmine answered: "This very night I will bring Love-cluster +secretly to the garden. You must be outside. Then I will cleverly let +you in, and so you two will be united." Thus Jasmine delighted the +Brahman's son, and went away successful to please Love-cluster with the +news. + +Then the sun and the daylight fled away, pursuing the twilight. And the +East adorned her face with the moon. And the white night-blooming +lotuses laughed, their faces expanding at the thought of the glory that +was coming to them. At that hour the lover Lotus-lake came secretly, +adorned and filled with longing, to the garden-gate of his beloved. And +Jasmine led Love-cluster secretly into the garden, for she had lived +through the day somehow. + +Then Jasmine made her sit down under the mango trees, while she went +and let Lotus-lake in. So he entered and looked upon Love-cluster as +the traveller looks upon the shade of trees with thick foliage. And as +he drew near, she saw him and ran to him, for love took away her +modesty, and she fell on his neck. "Where would you go? I have caught +you, thief of my heart!" she cried. Then excessive joy stopped her +breathing and she died. She fell on the ground like a vine broken by +the wind. Strange are the mysterious ways of Love. + +When Lotus-lake saw that terrible fall, he cried: "Oh, what does it +mean?" And he fainted and fell down. Presently he came to himself, and +took his darling on his lap. He embraced her and kissed her and wept +terribly. He was so borne down by the terrible burden of grief that his +own heart broke. And when they were both dead, the night seemed to die +away in shame and fear. + +In the morning the relatives heard the story from the gardeners, and +came there filled with timidity and wonder and grief and madness. They +did not know what to do, but stood a long time with downcast eyes. +Unfaithful women disgrace a family. + +Presently the husband Jewel-guard came back from his father's house in +Copper City, filled with love for Love-cluster. When he came to his +father-in-law's house and saw the business, he was blinded by tears and +went thoughtfully into the garden. There he saw his wife dead in +another man's arms, and his body was scorched by flames of grief, and +he died immediately. + +Then the whole household shouted and screamed so that all the citizens +heard the story and came there. The demi-gods themselves were filled +with pity and prayed to the goddess Gauri whose image had been set up +there before by Love-cluster's father: "Oh, Mother, the merchant who +set up this statue was always devoted to you. Show mercy to him in his +affliction." + +And the gracious goddess heard their prayer. She said: "All three shall +live again, and shall forget their love." Then through her grace they +all arose like people waking from sleep. They were alive, and their +love was gone. While all the people there rejoiced at what had +happened. Lotus-lake went home, bending his head in shame. And the +merchant took his shamefaced daughter and her husband and went into the +house and made a feast. + + +When the goblin had told this story on the road in the night, he said: +"O King, which was the most foolish among those who died for love? If +you know and do not tell, you must remember the curse I spoke of +before." + +Then the king answered: "O magic creature, Jewel-guard was the most +foolish of them. When he saw that his wife had died for love of another +man, he should have been angry. Instead, he was loving, and died of +grief." + +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder and quickly set out +for his home. And the king ran after him again, eager as before. + + + +TWENTIETH GOBLIN + +_The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life. Which is to blame +when he kills them all?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, took the goblin, put him on +his shoulder, and started for the place he wished to reach. And as he +walked along the road, the goblin began to talk again: "Bravo, King! +You are a remarkable character. So I will tell you another story, and a +strange one. Listen." + + +There is a city called Flower-city. There lived a king named +Earth-boar. In his kingdom was a farm where a Brahman lived whose name +was Vishnuswami. His wife was named Swaha. And four sons were born to +them. + +After a time the father died, and the relatives took all the money. So +the four brothers consulted together: "There is nothing for us to do +here. Suppose we go somewhere." And after a long journey they came to +the house of their maternal grandfather in a village called Sacrifice. +The grandfather was dead, but their uncles sheltered them, and they +continued their studies. + +But they did not amount to much, so in time their uncles became +scornful in such matters as food and clothing. And they were troubled. + +Then the eldest took the others aside and said: "Brothers, no man can +do anything anywhere on earth. Now I was wandering about discouraged, +and I came to a wood. There I saw to-day a dead man whose limbs lay +relaxed on the ground. And I wished for the same fate, and I thought: +He is happy. He is free from the burden of woe.' So I made up my mind +to die, and hanged myself with a rope from a tree. I lost +consciousness, but before the breath of life was gone, the cord was cut +and I fell to the ground. And when I came to myself, I saw a +compassionate man who had happened by at that moment, and he was +fanning me with his garment. And he said to me: My friend, you are an +educated man. Tell me why you are so despondent. The righteous man +finds happiness, the unrighteous man finds unhappiness because of his +unrighteousness, and for no other reason. If you made up your mind to +this because of unhappiness, practice righteousness instead. Why seek +the pains of hell by suicide?' Thus the man comforted me and went away. +And I gave up the idea of suicide and came here. You see I could not +even die when fate was unwilling. Now I shall burn my body at some holy +place, that I may not again feel the woes of poverty." + +Then the younger brothers said to him: "Sir, why is an intelligent man +sad for lack of money? Do you not know that money is uncertain as an +autumn cloud? No matter how carefully won and guarded, three things are +fickle and bring sorrow at the last: evil friendships, a flirt, and +money. The resolute and sensible man should by all means acquire that +virtue which brings him Happiness a captive in bonds." + +So the eldest brother straightway plucked up heart, and said: "What +virtue is it which we should acquire?" + +Then they all reflected, and took counsel together: "We will wander +over the earth, and each of us will learn some one science." So they +appointed a place for meeting, and the four brothers started in four +different directions. + +After a time they all gathered at the meeting-place, and asked one +another what they had learned. The first said: "I have learned a +science by which I can take the skeleton of any animal whatever and put +the proper kind of flesh on it." + +The second said: "I have learned a science by which I can put on the +flesh-covered skeleton the proper hair and skin." + +The third said: "My science is this. When the skin and the flesh and +the hair are there, I can put in the eyes and the other organs of +sense." + +The fourth said: "When the organs are there, I can give the creature +the breath of life." + +So all four went into the forest to find a skeleton and test their +various sciences. As fate would have it, they found the skeleton of a +lion there. And they took that, not knowing the difference. + +The first fitted out the skeleton with appropriate flesh. The second +added the skin and hair. The third provided all the organs. The fourth +gave life to the thing, and it was a lion. The lion arose with terrible +massive mane, dreadful teeth in his mouth, and curving claws in his +paws. He arose and killed his four creators, then ran into the forest. + +Thus the Brahman youths all perished because they did wrong to make a +lion. Who could expect a good result from creating a bad-tempered +creature? Thus, if fate opposed, even a virtue that has been painfully +acquired does not profit, but rather injures. But the tree of manhood, +with the water of intelligence poured into its watering-trench of +conduct about the vigorous root of fate, generally bears good fruit. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king who was walking +through the night: "O King, remember the curse I mentioned, and tell me +which of them was most to blame for creating the lion?" + +And the king reflected in silence: "He wants to escape again. Very +well. I will catch him again." So he said: "The one who gave life to +the lion, is the sinner. The others did not know what kind of an animal +it was, and just showed their skill in creating flesh and skin and hair +and organs. They were not to blame because they were ignorant. But the +one who saw that it was a lion and gave it life just to exhibit his +skill, he was guilty of the murder of Brahmans." + +Then the goblin went home. And the king followed him again, and came to +the sissoo tree. + + + +TWENTY-FIRST GOBLIN + +_The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead Boy. Why did +he weep and dance?_ + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder in spite of all its writhings, and set out in silence. And the +goblin on his shoulder said: "O king of kings, you are terribly +obstinate about this impossible task. So to amuse the weary journey I +will tell a story. Listen." + + +In the Kalinga country was a city called Beautiful, where people lived +as happily as in heaven. There ruled a famous king named Pradyumna. And +in a part of this city was a region set apart by the king, where many +Brahmans lived. Among them was a learned, wealthy, pious, hospitable +Brahman named Sacrifice. + +In his old age a single son was born to him and his worthy wife. The +boy grew under the fostering care of his father, and showed signs of +excellence. He was called Devasoma by his father, and his parents were +entirely devoted to him. + +In his sixteenth year the boy attracted everyone by his learning and +modesty. Then he suddenly fell ill of a fever and died. When his father +and mother saw that he was really dead, they embraced the body and wept +aloud. But their love for him would not permit them to burn the body. + +So the old relatives gathered, and said to the father: "Brahman, life +is imaginary like a city in the sky. Do you not know this, you who know +things above and things below? The kings who enjoyed themselves like +gods upon the earth, they have gone one by one to cemeteries filled +with processions of weeping ghosts. Their bodies were burned by the +flesh-devouring fire and eaten by jackals. No one could prevent it in +their case. How much less in the case of others? Therefore, as you are +a wise man, tell us what you mean by embracing this dead body?" + +So at last the relatives persuaded him to let his son go, and they put +the body in a litter and brought it to the cemetery with weeping and +wailing. + +At that time a hermit was fulfilling a hard vow, and was living in a +hut in the cemetery. He was very thin because of his age and his hard +life. His veins stuck out like cords to bind him, as if afraid that he +would break in pieces. His hair was tawny like the lightning. + +This hermit heard the wailing of the people, and turned to his pupil +who begged food for him. Now this pupil was proud and arrogant. And the +hermit said: "My boy, what is this wailing we hear? Go outside and find +out, then return and tell me why this unheard-of commotion is taking +place." + +But the pupil said: "I will not go. Go yourself. My hour for begging is +passing by." + +Then the teacher said: "Fool! Glutton! What do you mean by your hour +for begging? Only one half of the first watch of the day is gone." + +Then the bad pupil became angry and said: "Decrepit old man! I am not +your pupil. And you are not my teacher. I am going away. Do your +begging yourself." And he angrily threw down his staff and bowl before +the old man, and got up, and went away. + +Then the hermit laughed. He left his hut and went to the place where +the dead Brahman boy had been brought to be burned. He saw how the +people mourned over such youthful freshness dead, and felt his own age +and weakness. So he made up his mind to exchange his body for the other +by magic. + +He went aside and wept at the top of his voice. Then he danced with all +the proper gestures. + +After that, full of the longing to enjoy the happiness of youth, he +left his own withered body by magic and entered the body of the Brahman +youth. So the Brahman youth came to life on the funeral pyre and stood +up. And a cry of joy arose from all the relatives: "See! The boy is +alive! He is alive!" + +Then the magician in the body of the Brahman boy said to the relatives: +"I went to the other world, and Shiva gave me life and directed me to +perform a great vow. So now I am going off to perform the vow. If I do +not, my life will not last. Do you then go home, and I will come later." + +So he spoke to those gathered there, having made up his mind what to +do, and sent them home full of joy and grief. He went himself and threw +his old body into a pit, and then went off, a young man. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he said to King Triple-victory, +who was walking through the night: "O King, when the magician entered +another person's body, why did he weep before doing it, or why did he +dance? I have a great curiosity about this point." + +And the king was afraid of the curse, so he broke silence and said: +"Listen, goblin. He thought: I am leaving to-day this body with which +I won magic powers, the body which my parents petted when I was a +child.' So first he wept from grief, and from love of his body which he +found it hard to leave. Then he thought: With a new body I can learn +more magic.' So he danced from joy at getting youth." + +When the goblin heard this answer, he returned quickly to the sissoo +tree. And the king pursued him, undismayed. + + + +TWENTY-SECOND GOBLIN + +_The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother. What relation were +their children?_ + +The king paid no attention to the terrible witch of night, clad in +black darkness, with the funeral piles as flaming eyes. He bravely went +through the dreadful cemetery to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started as before. And as he walked along, the goblin +said to him: "O King, I am very tired with these comings and goings, +but you do not seem to be. So I will tell you my Great Puzzle. Listen." + + +Long ago there was a king named Virtue in the southern country. He was +the best of righteous men, and was born in a great family. His wife +came from the Malwa country, and her name was Moonlight. And they had +one daughter, whom they named Beauty. + +When this daughter was grown up, the relatives conspired to wreck the +kingdom and drive King Virtue out. But he escaped by night, took a +great many jewels, and fled from his kingdom with his beautiful wife +and his daughter. He started for his father-in-law's house in Malwa, +and came with his wife and daughter to the Vindhya forest. There they +spent a weary night. + +In the morning the blessed sun arose in the east, stretching out his +rays like hands to warn the king not to go into the forest where +robbers lived. The king went on foot with his trembling daughter and +his wife, and their feet were wounded by the thorny grass. So they came +to a fortified village. It was like the city of Death; for there were +no righteous people there, and it was filled with robber-men who killed +and robbed other people. + +As the king drew near with his fine garments and his gems, many robbers +saw him from a distance, and ran out armed to rob him. When the king +saw them coming, he said to his wife and daughter: "These are wild men. +They must not touch you. Go into the thick woods." So the queen with +her daughter Beauty fled in fear into the middle of the forest. + +But the brave king took his sword and shield and killed many of the +wild men as they charged down, raining arrows on him. Then their leader +gave an order, and all the robbers fell on the king at once, wounded +every limb in his body, and killed him; for he was all alone. So the +robbers took the jewels and went away. + +Now the queen had hidden in a thicket, and had seen her husband killed. +Then she fled a long distance in fear and came with her daughter into +another thick wood. The rays of the midday sun were so fierce that +travellers had to sit in the shade. So Queen Moonlight and Princess +Beauty sat down under an ashoka tree near a lotus-pond in terrible +weariness and fear and grief. + +Now a gentleman named Fierce-lion who lived near came on horseback with +his son into that wood to hunt. The son's name was Strong-lion. And the +father saw the footprints of the queen and the princess, and he said to +his son: "My son, these footprints are clean-cut and ladylike. Let us +follow them. And if we find two women, you shall marry one of them, +whichever you choose." + +And the son Strong-lion said: "Father, the one who has the little feet +in this line of footprints, seems to be the wife for me. The one with +the bigger feet must be older. She is the wife for you." + +But Fierce-lion said: "My son, what do you mean? Your mother went to +heaven before your eyes. When so good a wife is gone, how could I think +of another?" + +But his son said: "Not so, Father. A householder's house is an empty +place without a wife. Besides, you have surely heard what the poet says: + + What fool would go into a house? + Tis a prisoner's abode, + Unless a buxom wife is there, + Looking down the road.' + +So, Father, I beg you on my life to marry the second one, whom I have +chosen for you." + +Then Fierce-lion said "Very well," and went on slowly with his son, +following the footprints. And when he came to the pond, he saw Queen +Moonlight, radiant with beauty and charm. And with his son he eagerly +approached her. But when she saw him, she rose in terror, fearing that +he was a robber. + +But her sensible daughter said: "There is no reason to fear. These two +men are not robbers. They are two well-dressed gentlemen, who probably +came here to hunt." Still the queen swung in doubt. + +Then Fierce-lion dismounted and stood before her. And he said: +"Beautiful lady, do not be frightened. We came here to hunt. Pluck up +heart and tell me without fear who you are. Why have you come into this +lonely wood? For your appearance is that of ladies who wear gems and +sit on pleasant balconies. And why should feet fit to saunter in a +court, press this thorny ground? It is a strange sight. For the +wind-blown dust settles on your faces and robs them of beauty. It hurts +us to see the fierce rays of the sun fall upon such figures. Tell us +your story. For our hearts are sadly grieved to see you in such a +plight. And we cannot see how you could live in a forest filled with +wild beasts." + +Then the queen sighed, and between shame and grief she stammered out +her story. And Fierce-lion saw that she had no husband to care for her. +So he comforted her and soothed her with tender words, and took care of +her and her daughter. His son helped the two ladies on horseback and +led them to his own city, rich as the city of the god of wealth. And +the queen seemed to be in another life. She was helpless and widowed +and miserable. So she consented. What could she do, poor woman? + +Then, because the queen had smaller feet, the son Strong-lion married +Queen Moonlight. And Fierce-lion, the father, married her daughter, the +princess Beauty, because of the bigness of her feet. Who would break a +promise that had been made solemnly? + +Thus, because of their inconsistent feet, the daughter became the wife +of the father and the mother-in-law of her own mother. And the mother +became the wife of the son and the daughter-in-law of her own daughter. +And as time passed, sons and daughters were born to each pair. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, when +children were born to the father and daughter, and other children to +the son and mother, what relation were those children to one another? +If you know and do not tell, then remember the curse I spoke of before?" + +When the king heard the goblin's question, he turned the thing this way +and that, but could not say a word. So he went on in silence. And when +the goblin saw that he could not answer the question, he laughed in his +heart and thought: "This king cannot give an answer to my Great Puzzle. +So he just walks on in silence. And he cannot deceive me because of the +power of the curse. Well, I am pleased with his wonderful character. So +I will cheat that rogue of a monk, and give the magic power he is +striving after to this king." + +So the goblin said aloud: "O King, you are weary with your comings and +goings in this dreadful cemetery in the black night, yet you seem +happy, and never hesitate at all. I am astonished and pleased at your +perseverance. So now you may take the dead body and go ahead. I will +leave the body. And I will tell you something that will do you good, +and you must do it. The monk for whom you are carrying this body, is a +rogue. He will call upon me and worship me, and he will try to kill you +as a sacrifice. He will say: Lie flat on the ground in an attitude of +reverence.' O King, you must say to that rascal: I do not know this +attitude of reverence. Show me first, and then I will do likewise.' +Then when he lies on the ground to show you the attitude of reverence, +cut off his head with your sword. Then you will get the kingship over +the fairies which he is trying to get. Otherwise, the monk will kill +you and get the magic power. That is why I have delayed you so long. +Now go ahead, and win magic power." + +So the goblin left the body on the king's shoulder and went away. And +the king reflected how the monk Patience was planning to hurt him. He +took the body and joyfully went to the fig-tree. + + + +CONCLUSION + +So King Triple-victory came to the monk Patience with the body on his +shoulder. And he saw the monk along in the dark night, sitting under +the cemetery tree and looking down the road. He had made a magic circle +with yellow powdered bones in a spot smeared with blood. In it he had +put a jug filled with blood and lamps with magic oil. He had kindled a +fire and brought together the things he needed for worship. + +The monk rose to greet the king who came carrying the body, and he +said: "O King, you have done me a great favour, and a hard one. This is +a strange business and a strange time and place for such as you. They +say truly that you are the best of kings, for you serve others without +thinking of yourself. This is the very thing that makes the greatness +of a great man, when he does not give a thing up, though it costs his +very life." + +So the monk felt sure the he was quite successful, and he took the body +from the king's shoulder. He bathed it and put garlands on it, and set +it in the middle of the circle. Then he smeared his own body with +ashes, put on a cord made of human hair, wrapped himself in dead man's +clothes, and stood a moment, deep in thought. And the goblin was +attracted by his thought into the body, and the monk worshipped him. + +First he offered liquor in a skull, then he gave him human teeth +carefully cleaned, and human eyes and flesh. So he completed his +worship, then he said to the king: "O King, fall flat on the ground +before this master magician in an attitude of reverence, so that he may +give you what you want." + +And the king remembered the words of the goblin. He said to the monk: +"Holy sir, I do not know that attitude of reverence. Do you show me +first, and afterwards I will do it in the same way." + +And when the monk fell on the ground to show the attitude of reverence, +the king cut off his head with a sword, and cut out his heart and split +it open. And he gave the head and the heart to the goblin. + +Then all the little gods were delighted and cried: "Well done!" And the +goblin was pleased and spoke to the king from the body he was living +in: "O King, this monk was trying to become king of the fairies. But +you shall be that when you have been king of the whole world." + +And the king answered the goblin: "O magic creature, if you are pleased +with me, I have nothing more to wish for. Yet I ask you to make me one +promise, that these twenty-two different, charming puzzle-stories shall +be known all over the world and be received with honour." + +And the goblin answered: "O King, so be it. And I will tell you +something more. Listen. When anyone tells or hears with proper respect +even a part of these puzzle-stories, he shall be immediately free from +sin. And wherever these stories are told, elves and giants and witches +and goblins and imps shall have no power." + +Then the goblin left the dead body by magic, and went where he wanted +to. Then Shiva appeared there with all the little gods, and he was well +pleased. When the king bowed before him, he said: "My son, you did well +to kill this sham monk who tried by force to become king of the +fairies. Therefore you shall establish the whole earth, and then become +king of the fairies yourself. And when you have long enjoyed the +delights of heaven and at last give them up of your own accord, then +you shall be united with me. So receive from me this sword called +Invincible. While you have it, everything you say will come true." + +So Shiva gave him the magic sword, received his flowery words of +worship, and vanished with the gods. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-two Goblins, by Unknown + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS *** + +***** This file should be named 2290.txt or 2290.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/9/2290/ + +Produced by "Batsy" Bybell. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Transcribed by "Batsy" Bybell, cgale@turbonet.com + + + + + +TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS + + + + +Translated from the Sanskrit by Arthur W. Ryder + + + + +CONTENTS + + + +Introduction + +Goblin-story + +1. The Prince's Elopement. Whose fault was the resulting death of +his parents-in-law? + +2. The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose +wife should she be? + +3. The Parrot and the Thrush. Which are worse, men or women? + +4. King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of the five deserves +the most honour? + +5. The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which +should the girl be given? + +6. The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and +Brother. Which combination of head and body is her husband? + +7. The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and Prince Good. +Which is the more deserving? + +8. The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the +Specialist in Cotton. Which is the cleverest? + +9. The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given? + +10. The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. Which is the +most delicate? + +11. The King who won a Fairy as his Wife. Why did his +counsellor's heart break? + +12. The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the +Claws of a Hawk fell into a Dish of Food given him by a +Charitable Woman. Who is to blame for his death? + +13. The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. Did he +weep or laugh? + +14. The Man who changed into a Woman at Will. Was his wife his +or the other man's? + +15. The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent +Shell-crest. Which is the more self-sacrificing? + +16. The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General +follows him in Death. Which is the more worthy? + +17. The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies. Why did +he fail to win the magic spell? + +18. The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the Giant conspired +to Kill. Why did he laugh at the moment of death? + +19. The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all died for Love. +Which was the most foolish? + +20. The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life. Which is +to blame when he kills them all? + +21. The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead +Boy. Why did he weep and dance? + +22. The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother. What +relation were their children? + +Conclusion + + + + +TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS + +INTRODUCTION + +On the bank of the Godavari River is a kingdom called the Abiding +Kingdom. There lived the son of King Victory, the famous King +Triple-victory, mighty as the king of the gods. As this king sat in +judgment, a monk called Patience brought him every day one piece +of fruit as an expression of homage. And the king took it and gave +it each day to the treasurer who stood near. Thus twelve years +passed. + +Now one day the monk came to court, gave the king a piece of +fruit as usual, and went away. But on this day the king gave the +fruit to a pet baby monkey that had escaped from his keepers, and +happened to wander in. And as the monkey ate the fruit, he split it +open, and a priceless, magnificent gem came out. + +When the king saw this, he took it and asked the treasurer: "Where +have you been keeping the fruits which the monk brought? I gave +them to you." When the treasurer heard this, he was frightened and +said: "Your Majesty, I have thrown them all through the window. +If your Majesty desires, I will look for them now." And when the +king had dismissed him, he went, but returned in a moment, and +said again: "Your Majesty, they were all smashed in the treasury, +and in them I see heaps of dazzling gems." + +When he heard this, the king was delighted, and gave the jewels to +the treasurer. And when the monk came the next day, he asked +him: "Monk, why do you keep honouring me in such an expensive +way? Unless I know the reason, I will not take your fruit." + +Then the monk took the king aside and said: "O hero, there is a +business in which I need help. So I ask for your help in it, because +you are a brave man." And the king promised his assistance. + +Then the monk was pleased, and said again: "O King, on the last +night of the waning moon, you must go to the great cemetery at +nightfall, and come to me under the fig-tree." Then the king said +"Certainly," and Patience, the monk, went home well pleased. + +So when the night came, the mighty king remembered his promise +to the monk, and at dusk he wrapped his head in a black veil, took +his sword in his hand, and went to the great cemetery without +being seen. When he got there, he looked about, and saw the monk +standing under the fig-tree and making a magic circle. So he went +up and said: "Monk, here I am. Tell me what I am to do for you." + +And when the monk saw the king, he was delighted and said: "O +King, if you wish to do me a favour, go south from here some +distance all alone, and you will see a sissoo tree and a dead body +hanging from it. Be so kind as to bring that here." + +When the brave king heard this, he agreed, and, true to his +promise, turned south and started. And as he walked with +difficulty along the cemetery road, he came upon the sissoo tree at +some distance, and saw a body hanging on it. So he climbed the +tree, cut the rope, and let it fall to the ground. And as it fell, it +unexpectedly cried aloud, as if alive. Then the king climbed down, +and thinking it was alive, he mercifully rubbed its limbs. Then the +body gave a loud laugh. + +So the king knew that a goblin lived in it, and said without fear: +"What are you laughing about? Come, let us be off." But then he +did not see the goblin on the ground any longer. And when he +looked up, there he was, hanging in the tree as before. So the king +climbed the tree again, and carefully carried the body down. A +brave man's heart is harder than a diamond, and nothing makes it +tremble. + +Then he put the body with the goblin in it on his shoulder, and +started off in silence. And as he walked along, the goblin in the +body said: "O King, to amuse the journey, I will tell you a story. +Listen." + + +FIRST GOBLIN + +The Prince's Elopement. Whose fault was the resulting death of +his parents-in-law? + +There is a city called Benares where Shiva lives. It is loved by +pious people like the soil of Mount Kailasa. The river of heaven +shines there like a pearl necklace. And in the city lived a king +called Valour who burned up all his enemies by his valour, as a +fire burns a forest. He had a son named Thunderbolt who broke the +pride of the love-god by his beauty, and the pride of men by his +bravery. This prince had a clever friend, the son of a counsellor. + +One day the prince was enjoying himself with his friend hunting, +and went a long distance. And so he came to a great forest. There +he saw a beautiful lake, and being tired, he drank from it with his +friend the counsellor's son, washed his hands and feet, and sat +down under a tree on the bank. + +And then he saw a beautiful maiden who had come there with her +servants to bathe. She seemed to fill the lake with the stream of her +beauty, and seemed to make lilies grow there with her eyes, and +seemed to shame the lotuses with a face more lovely than the +moon. She captured the prince's heart the moment that he saw her. +And the prince took her eyes captive. + +The girl had a strange feeling when she saw him, but was too +modest to say a word. So she gave a hint of the feeling in her heart. +She put a lotus on her ear, laid a lily on her head after she had +made the edge look like a row of teeth, and placed her hand on her +heart. But the prince did not understand her signs, only the clever +counsellor's son understood them all. + +A moment later the girl went away, led by her servants. She went +home and sat on the sofa and stayed there. But her thoughts were +with the prince. + +The prince went slowly back to his city, and was terribly lonely +without her, and grew thinner every day. Then his friend the son of + the counsellor took him aside and told him that she was not hard +to find. But he had lost all courage and said: "My friend, I don't +know her name, nor her home, nor her family. How can I find her? +Why do you vainly try to comfort me?" + +Then the counsellor's son said: "Did you not see all that she hinted +with her signs? When she put the lotus on her ear, she meant that +she lived in the kingdom of a king named Ear-lotus. And when she +made the row of teeth, she meant that she was the daughter of a +man named Bite there. And when she laid the lily on her head, she +meant that her name was Lily. And when she placed her hand on +her heart, she meant that she loved you. And there is a king named +Ear-lotus in the Kalinga country. There is a very rich man there +whom the king likes. His real name is Battler, but they call him +Bite. He has a pearl of a girl whom he loves more than his life, and +her name is Lily. This is true, because people told me. So I +understood her signs about her country and the other things." +When the counsellor's son had said this, the prince was delighted +to find him so clever, and pleased because he knew what to do. + +Then he formed a plan with the counsellor's son, and started for +the lake again, pretending that he was going to hunt, but really to +find the girl that he loved. On the way he rode like the wind away +from his soldiers, and started for the Kalinga country with the +counsellor's son. + +When they reached the city of King Ear-lotus, they looked about +and found the house of the man called Bite, and they went to a +house near by to live with an old woman. And the counsellor's son +said to the old woman: "Old woman, do you know anybody named +Bite in this city?" + +Then the old woman answered him respectfully: "My son, I know +him well. I was his nurse. And I am a servant of his daughter Lily. +But I do not go there now because my dress is stolen. My naughty +son is a gambler and steals my clothes." + +Then the counsellor's son was pleased and satisfied her with his +own cloak and other presents. And he said: "Mother, you must do +very secretly what we tell you. Go to Bite's daughter Lily, and tell +her that the prince whom she saw on the bank of the lake is here, +and sent you with a love-message to her." + +The old woman was pleased with the gifts and went to Lily at +once. And when she got a chance, she said: "My child, the prince +and the counsellor's son have come to take you. Tell me what to +do now." But the girl scolded her and struck her cheeks with both +hands smeared with camphor. + +The old woman was hurt by this treatment, and came home +weeping, and said to the two men: "My sons, see how she left the +marks of her fingers on my face." + +And the prince was hopeless and sad, but the very clever +counsellor's son took him aside and said, "My friend, do not be +sad. She was only keeping the secret when she scolded the old +woman, and put ten fingers white with camphor on her face. She +meant that you must wait before seeing her, for the next ten nights +are bright with moonlight." + +So the counsellor's son comforted the prince, took a little gold +ornament and sold it in the market, and bought a great dinner for +the old woman. So they two took dinner with the old woman. They +did this for ten days, and then the counsellor's son sent her to Lily +again, to find out something more. + +And the old woman was eager for dainty food and drink. So to +please him she went to Lily's house, and then came back and said: +"My children, I went there and stayed with her for some time +without speaking. But she spoke herself of my naughtiness in +mentioning you, and struck me again on the chest with three +fingers stained red. So I came back in disgrace." + +Then the counsellor's son whispered to the prince: "Don't be +alarmed, my friend. When she left the marks of three red fingers +on the old woman's heart, she meant to say very cleverly that there +were three dangerous days coming." So the counsellor's son +comforted the prince. + +And when three days were gone, he sent the old woman to Lily +again. And this time she went and was very respectfully +entertained, and treated to wine and other things the whole day. +But when she was ready to go back in the evening, a terrible +shouting was heard outside. They heard people running and crying: +"Oh, oh! A mad elephant has escaped from his stable and is +running around and stamping on people." + +Then Lily said to the old woman: "Mother, you must not go +through the street now where the elephant is. I will put you in a +swing and let you down with ropes through this great window into +the garden. Then you can climb into a tree and jump on the wall, +and go home by way of another tree." So she had her servants let +the old woman down from the window into the garden by a +rope-swing. And the old woman went home and told the prince +and the counsellor's son all about it. + +Then the counsellor's son said to the prince: "My friend, your +wishes are fulfilled. She has been clever enough to show you the +road. So you must follow that same road this very evening to the +room of your darling." + +So the prince went to the garden with the counsellor's son by the +road that the old woman had shown them. And there he saw the +rope-swing hanging down, and servants above keeping an eye on +the road. And when he got into the swing, the servants at the +window pulled at the rope and he came to his darling. And when +he had gone in, the counsellor's son went back to the old woman's +house. + +But the prince saw Lily, and her face was beautiful like the full +moon, and the moonlight of her beauty shone forth, like the night +when the moon shines in secret because of the dark. And when she +saw him, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. So +he married her and stayed hidden with her for some days. + +One day he said to his wife: "My dear, my friend the counsellor's +son came with me, and he is staying all alone at the old woman's +house. I must go and see him, then I will come back." + +But Lily was shrewd and said: "My dear, I must ask you +something. Did you understand the signs I made, or was it the +counsellor's son?" And the prince said to her: "My dear, I did not +understand them all, but my friend has wonderful wisdom. He +understood everything and told me." Then the sweet girl thought, +and said: "My dear, you did wrong not to tell me before. Your +friend is a real brother to me. I ought to have sent him some nuts +and other nice things at the very first." + +Then she let him go, and he went to his friend by night by the same +road, and told all that his wife had said. But the counsellor's son +said: "That is foolish," and did not think much of it. So they spent +the night talking. + +Then when the time for the twilight sacrifice came, a friend of +Lily's came there with cooked rice and nuts in her hand. She came +and asked the counsellor's son about his health and gave him the +present. And she cleverly tried to keep the prince from eating. +"Your wife is expecting you to dinner," she said, and a moment +later she went away. + +Then the counsellor's son said to the prince: "Look, your Majesty. +I will show you something curious." So he took a little of the +cooked rice and gave it to a dog that was there. And the moment +he ate it, the dog died. And the prince asked the counsellor's son +what this strange thing could mean. + +And he replied: "Your Majesty, she knew that I was clever because +I understood her signs, and she wanted to kill me out of love for +you. For she thought the prince would not be all her own while I +was alive, but would leave her for my sake and go back to his own +city. So she sent me poisoned food to eat. But you must not be +angry with her. I will think up some scheme." + +Then the prince praised the counsellor's son, and said: "You are +truly the body of wisdom." And then suddenly a great wailing of +grief-stricken people was heard: "Alas! Alas! The king's little son +is dead." + +When he heard this, the counsellor's son was delighted, and said: +"Your Majesty, go to-night to Lily's house, and make her drink +wine until she loses her senses and seems to be dead. Then as she +lies there, make a mark on her hip with a red-hot fork, steal her +jewels, and come back the old way through the window. After that +I will do the right thing." + +Then he made a three-pronged fork and gave it to the prince. And +the prince took the crooked, cruel thing, hard as the weapon of +Death, and went by night as before to Lily's house. "A king," he +thought, "ought not to disregard the words of a high- +minded counsellor." So when he had stupefied her with wine, he +branded her hip with the fork, stole her jewels, returned to his +friend, and told him everything, showing him the jewels. + +Then the counsellor's son felt sure his scheme was successful. He +went to the cemetery in the morning, and disguised himself as a +hermit, and the prince as his pupil. And he said: "Take this pearl +necklace from among the jewels. Go and sell it in the +market-place. And if the policemen arrest you, say this: It was +given to me to sell by my teacher.'" + +So the prince went to the market-place and stood there offering the +pearl necklace for sale, and he was arrested while doing it by the +policemen. And as they were eager to find out about the theft of +the jewels from Bite's daughter, they took the prince at once to the +chief of police. And when he saw that the culprit was dressed like +a hermit, he asked him very gently: "Holy sir, where did you get +this pearl necklace? It belongs to Bite's daughter and was stolen." +Then the prince said to them: "Gentlemen, my teacher gave it to +me to sell. You had better go and ask him." + +Then the chief of police went and asked him: "Holy sir, how did +this pearl necklace come into your pupil's hand?" + +And the shrewd counsellor's son whispered to him: "Sir, as I am a +hermit, I wander about all the time in this region. And as I +happened to be here in this cemetery, I saw a whole company of +witches who came here at night. And one of the witches split open +the heart of a king's son, and offered it to her master. She was mad +with wine, and screwed up her face most horribly. But when she +impudently tried to snatch my rosary as I prayed, I became angry, +and branded her on the hip with a three-pronged fork which I had +made red-hot with a magic spell. And I took this pearl necklace +from her neck. Then, as it was not a thing for a hermit, I sent it to +be sold." + +When he heard this, the chief of police went and told the whole +story to the king. And when the king heard and saw the evidence, +he sent the old woman, who was reliable, to identify the pearl +necklace. And he heard from her that Lily was branded on the hip. + +Then he was convinced that she was really a witch and had +devoured his son. So he went himself to the counsellor's son, who +was disguised as a hermit, and asked how Lily should be punished. +And by his advice, she was banished from the city, though her +parents wept. So she was banished naked to the forest and knew +that the counsellor's son had done it all, but she did not die. + +And at nightfall the prince and the counsellor's son put off their +hermit disguise, mounted on horseback, and found her weeping. +They put her on a horse and took her to their own country. And +when they got there, the prince lived most happily with her. + +But Bite thought that his daughter was eaten by wild beasts in the +wood, and he died of grief. And his wife died with him. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin asked the king: "O King, +who was to blame for the death of the parents: the prince, or the +counsellor's son, or Lily? You seem like a very wise man, so +resolve my doubts on this point. If you know and do not tell me the +truth, then your head will surely fly into a hundred pieces. And if +you give a good answer, then I will jump from your shoulder and +go back to the sissoo tree." + +Then King Triple-victory said to the goblin: "You are a master of +magic. You surely know yourself, but I will tell you. It was not the +fault of any of the three you mentioned. It was entirely the fault of +King Ear-lotus." + +But the goblin said: "How could it be the king's fault? The other +three did it. Are the crows to blame when the geese eat up the +rice?" + +Then the king said: "But those three are not to blame. It was right +for the counsellor's son to do his master's business. So he is not to +blame. And Lily and the prince were madly in love and could not +stop to think. They only looked after their own affairs. They are +not to blame. + +"But the king knew the law-books very well, and he had spies to +find out the facts among the people. And he knew about the doings +of rascals. So he acted without thinking. He is to blame." + +When the goblin heard this, he wanted to test the king's constancy. +So he went back by magic in a moment to the sissoo tree. And the +king went back fearlessly to get him. + + +SECOND GOBLIN + +The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose wife +should she be? + +Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree to fetch +the goblin. And when he got there and looked about, he saw the +goblin fallen on the ground and moaning. Then, when the king put +the body with the goblin in it on his shoulder and started to carry +him off quickly and silently, the goblin on his shoulder said to +him: "Oh King, you have fallen into a very disagreeable task which +you do not deserve. So to amuse you I will tell another story. +Listen." + + +On the bank of Kalindi River is a farm where a very learned +Brahman lived. And he had a very beautiful daughter named Coral. +When the Creator fashioned her fresh and peerless loveliness, +surely he must have despised the cleverness he showed before in +fashioning the nymphs of heaven. + +When she had grown out of childhood, there came from the city of +Kanauj three Brahman youths, endowed with all the virtues. And +each of them asked her father for her, that she might be his own. +And though her father would rather have died than give her up to +anyone, he made up his mind to give her to one of them. But the +girl would not marry any one of them for some time, because she +was afraid of hurting the feelings of the other two. So they stayed +there all three of them day and night, feasting on the beauty of her +face, like the birds that live on moonbeams. + +Then all at once Coral fell sick of a burning fever and died. And +when the Brahman youths saw that she was dead, they were +smitten with grief. But they adorned her body, took it to the +cemetery, and burned it. + +And one of them built a hut there, slept on a bed made of her +ashes, and got his food by begging. The second took her bones and +went to dip them in the sacred Ganges river. And the third became +a monk and wandered in other countries. + +And as he wandered, the monk came to a village called +Thunderbolt, and was entertained in the house of a Brahman. But +when he had been honoured by the master of the house and had +begun to eat dinner there, the little boy began to cry and would not +stop even when they petted him. So his mother took him on her +arm, and angrily threw him into the blazing fire. And being tender, +he was reduced to ashes in a moment. + +When the monk saw this, his hair stood on end, and he said: "Alas! +I have come into the house of a devil. I will not eat this food. It +would be like eating sin." But the master of the house said to him: +"Brahman, I have studied to good purpose. See my skill in +bringing the dead to life." So he opened a book, took out a magic +spell, read it, and sprinkled water on the ashes. And the moment +the water was sprinkled, the boy stood up alive just as before. +Then the monk was highly delighted and finished his dinner with +pleasure. + +And the master of the house hung the book on an ivory peg, took +dinner with the monk, and went to bed. When he was asleep, the +monk got up quietly, and tremblingly took the book, hoping to +bring his darling Coral back to life. He went away and travelled +night and day, until he finally reached the cemetery. And he caught +sight of the second youth, who had come back after dipping the +bones in the Ganges. And he also found the third youth, who had +made a hut and lived there, sleeping on the girl's ashes. + +Then the monk cried: "Brother, leave your hut. I will bring the +dear girl back to life." And while they eagerly questioned him, he +opened the book, and read the magic spell, and sprinkled holy +water on the ashes. And Coral immediately stood up, alive. And +the girl was more beautiful than ever. She looked as if she were +made of gold. + +When the three youths saw her come back to life like that, they +went mad with love, and fought with one another to possess her. + +One said: "I brought her to life by my magic spell. She is my +wife." + +The second said: "She came to life because of my journey to the +sacred river. She is my wife." + +The third said: "I kept her ashes. That is why she came to life. She +is my dear wife." + +O King, you are able to decide their dispute. Tell me. Whose wife +should she be? If you know and say what is false, then your head +will split. + +When the king heard this, he said to the goblin: "The man who +painfully found the magic spell and brought her back to life, he did +only what a father ought to do. He is not her husband. And the man +who went to dip her bones in the sacred river, he did only what a +son ought to do. He is not her husband. But the man who slept with +her ashes and lived a hard life in the cemetery, he did what a lover +ought to do. He deserves to be her husband." + +When the goblin heard this answer of King Triple-victory, he +suddenly escaped from his shoulder and went back. And the king +wished to do as the monk had asked him; so he decided to go back +and get him. Great-minded people do not waver until they have +kept their promises, even at the cost of life. + + +THIRD GOBLIN + +The Parrot and the Thrush. Which are worse, men or women? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree to fetch the goblin. +When he got there, he took the body with the goblin in it on his +shoulder, and started off in silence. And as he walked along, the +goblin said to him again: "O King, you must be very tired, coming +and going in the night. So to amuse you I will tell another story. +Listen." + + +There is a city called Patna, the gem of the earth. And long ago a +king lived there whose name was Lion-of-Victory. Fate had made +him the owner of all virtues and all wealth. And he had a parrot +called Jewel-of-Wisdom, that had divine intelligence and knew all +the sciences, but lived as a parrot because of a curse. + +This king had a son called Moon, and by the advice of the parrot +this prince married the daughter of the king of the Magadha +country; and her name was Moonlight. Now this princess had a +thrush named Moony, who was like the parrot, because she had +learning and intelligence. And the parrot and the thrush lived in +one cage in the palace. + +One day the parrot eagerly said to the thrush: "My darling, love +me, and share my bed and my chair and my food and my +amusements." + +But the thrush said: "I will have nothing to do with men. Men are +bad and ungrateful." + +Then the parrot said: "Men are not bad. It is only women who are +bad and cruel-hearted." And they quarrelled. + +Then the two birds wagered their freedom with each other and +went to the prince to have their quarrel decided. And the prince +mounted his father's judgment throne, and when he had heard the +cause of the quarrel, he asked the thrush: "How are men +ungrateful? Tell the truth." Then she said, "Listen, O Prince," and +to prove her point she started to tell this story illustrating the faults +of men. + +There is a famous city called Kamandaki, where a wealthy +merchant lived named Fortune. And in time a son was born to him +and named Treasure. Then when the father went to heaven, the +young man became very unruly because of gambling and other +vices. And the rascals came together, and ruined him. Association +with scoundrels is the root from which springs the tree of calamity. + +So in no long time he lost all he had through his vices, and being +ashamed of his poverty, he left his own country and went to +wander in other places. And during his travels he came to a city +called Sandal City, and entered the house of a merchant, seeking +something to eat. When the merchant saw the youth, he asked him +about his family, and finding that he was a gentleman, he +entertained him. And thinking that Gate had sent the young man, +he gave him his own daughter Pearl, together with some money. +And when Treasure was married, he lived in his +father-in-law's house. + +As time passed, he forgot his former miseries in the comforts of +his life, and longed for the old vices, and wanted to go home. So +the rascal managed to persuade his father-in-law, who had no other +children, took his wife Pearl with her beautiful ornaments, and an +old woman, and started for his own country. Presently he came to a +wood where he said he was afraid of thieves, so he took all his +wife's ornaments. Perceive, O Prince, how cruel and hard are the +ungrateful hearts of those who indulge in gambling and other +vices. And the scoundrel was ready, just for money, to kill his +good wife. He threw her and the old woman into a pit. Then the +rascal went away and the old woman perished there. + +But Pearl, with the little life she had left, managed to get out by +clinging to the grass and bushes, and weeping bitterly, and +bleeding, she asked the way step by step, and painfully reached her +father's house by the way she had come. And her mother and +father were surprised and asked her: "Why did you come back so +soon, and in this condition?" + +And that good wife said: "On the road we were robbed, and my +husband was forcibly carried off. And the old woman fell into a pit +and died, but I escaped. And a kind-hearted traveller pulled me +from the pit." Then her father and mother were saddened, but they +comforted her, and Pearl stayed there, true to her husband. + +Then in time Treasure lost all his money in gambling, and he +reflected: "I will get more money from the house of my +father-in-law. I will go there and tell my father-in-law that his +daughter is well and is at my house." + +So he went again to his father-in-law. And as he went, his +ever-faithful wife saw him afar off. She ran and fell at the rascal's +feet and told him all the story that she had invented for her parents. +For the heart of a faithful wife does not change even when she +learns that her husband is a rogue. + +Then that rascal went without fear into the house of his +father-in-law and bowed low before his feet. And his +father-in-law rejoiced when he saw him and made a great feast +with his relatives, for he said: "My son is delivered alive from the +robbers. Heaven be praised!" Then Treasure enjoyed the wealth of +his father-in-law and lived with his wife Pearl. + +Now one night this worst of scoundrels did what I ought not to +repeat, but I will tell it, or my story would be spoiled. Listen, O +Prince. While Pearl lay asleep trusting him, that wretch killed her +in the night, stole all her jewels, and escaped to his own country. +This shows how bad and ungrateful men are. + +When the thrush had told her story, the prince smiled and said to +the parrot: "It is your turn now." + +Then the parrot said: "Your Majesty, women are cruel and reckless +and bad. To prove it, I will tell you a story. Listen." + +There is a city called Joyful, where lived a prince of merchants +named Virtue, who owned millions of money. He had a daughter +named Fortune, peerless in beauty, dearer to him than life. And she +was given in marriage to a merchant's son from Copper City, +whose name was Ocean. He was her equal in wealth, beauty, and +family; a delight to the eyes of men. + +One day when her husband was away from home, she saw from +the window a handsome young man. And the moment she saw +him, the fickle girl went mad with love, and secretly sent a +messenger to invite him in, and made love to him in secret. Thus +her heart was fixed on him alone, and she was happy with him. + +But at last her husband came home and delighted the hearts of his +parents-in-law. And when the day had been spent in feasting, +Fortune was adorned by her mother, and sent to her husband's +room. But she was cold toward him and pretended to sleep. And +her husband went to sleep, too, for he was weary with his journey, +and had been drinking wine. + +When everyone in the house had gone to sleep after their dinner, a +thief made a hole in the wall and came into that very room. And +just then the merchant's daughter got up without seeing him, and +went out secretly to a meeting with her lover. And the thief was +disappointed, and thought: "She has gone out into the night +wearing the very jewels that I came to steal. I must see where she +goes." So the thief went out and followed her. + +But she met a woman friend who had flowers in her hand, and +went to a park not very far away. And there she saw the man +whom she came to meet hanging on a tree. For the policeman had +thought he was a thief, had put a rope around his neck and hanged +him. + +And at the sight she went distracted, and lamented pitifully: "Oh, +oh! I am undone," and fell on the ground and wept. Then she took +her lover down from the tree and made him sit up, though he was +dead, and adorned him with perfumes and jewels and flowers. + +But when in her love-madness she lifted his face and kissed him, a +goblin who had come to live in her dead lover, bit off her nose. +And she was startled and ran in pain from the spot. But then she +came back to see if perhaps he was alive after all. But the goblin +had gone, and she saw that he was motionless and dead. So she +slowly went back home, frightened and disgraced and weeping. + +And the concealed thief saw it all and thought: "What has the +wicked woman done? Alas! Can women be so dreadful as this? +What might she not do next?" So out of curiosity the thief still +followed her from afar. + +And the wretched woman entered the house and cried aloud, and +said: "Save me from my cruel enemy, my own husband. He cut off +my nose and I had done nothing." And her servants heard her cries +and all arose in excitement. Her husband too awoke. Then her +father came and saw that her nose was cut off, and in his anger he +had his son-in-law arrested. + +And the poor man did not know what to do. Even when he was +being bound, he remained silent and said nothing. Then they all +woke up and heard the story, but the thief who knew the whole +truth, ran away. And when day came, the merchant's son was +haled before the king by his father-in-law. And Fortune went there +without her nose, and the king heard the whole story and +condemned the merchant's son to death for mistreating his wife. + +So the innocent, bewildered man was led to the place of execution +and the drums were beaten. Just then the thief came up and said to +the king's men: "Why do you kill this man without any good +reason? I know how the whole thing happened. Take me to the +king, and I will tell all." + +So all the king's men took him to the king. And the thief told the +king all the adventures of the night, and said: "Your Majesty, if +you cannot trust my word, you may find the nose at this moment +between the teeth of the dead body." + +Then the king sent men to investigate, and when he found it was +true, he released the merchant's son from the punishment of death. +As for wretched Fortune, he cut off her ears, too, and banished her +from the country. And he took from her father, the merchant, all +his money, and made the thief the chief of police. He was pleased +with him. + +O Prince, this shows how cruel and false women are by nature. + +As he spoke these words, the parrot changed into a god, for the +curse was fulfilled, and went to heaven like a god. And the thrush +suddenly became a goddess, for her curse was at an end, and flew +up likewise to heaven. So their dispute was never settled at that +court. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +tell me. Are men bad, or women? If you know and do not tell, your +head will fly to pieces." And when the king heard these words of +the goblin on his shoulder, he said to that magic goblin: "O goblin! +Here and there, now and then, there is an occasional bad man like +that. But women are usually bad. We hear about many of them." + +Then the goblin disappeared from the king's shoulder as before. +And the king tried again to catch him. + + +FOURTH GOBLIN + +King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of the five deserves the +most honour? + +Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree and +caught the goblin, who gave a horse-laugh. But the king without +fear put him on his shoulder as before and started toward the +monk. And as he walked along, the goblin on his shoulder said to +him again: "O King, why do you take such pains for that wretched +monk? Have you no sense about this fruitless task? Well, after all, +I like your devotion. So, to amuse the weary journey, I will tell you +another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Beautiful, and it deserves the name. There +lived a king named Shudraka, of tremendous power and mighty +courage. He was so used to victory that the fire of his courage was +kept blazing by the wind from the fans in the hands of the wives of +his vanquished foes. Under his rule the earth was rich and always +good, as in the days of old. And he was fond of brave men. + +Now one day a Brahman named Hero came from Malwa to pay his +homage to this king. He had a wife named Virtue, a son named +Trusty, and a daughter named Heroic. And he had just three +servants, a dagger at his hip, a sword in his hand, and a shield in +his other hand. These were all the servants he had when he asked +the king for five hundred gold-pieces a day as his wages. + +And the king thought from his appearance that he was a +remarkably brave man, so he gave him the wages he asked. But out +of curiosity he put spies on his track, to learn what he did with all +the money. + +Now Hero called on the king in the morning, and at noon he took +his sword and stood at the palace gate and divided his daily salary. +One hundred gold-pieces he gave to his wife for food and +household expenses. And with another hundred he bought clothes +and perfumes and nuts and such things. And another hundred he +devoted to the worship of Vishnu and Shiva, after taking the +ceremonial bath. And the two hundred which were left he gave to +Brahmans and the unhappy and the poor. This was the way he +divided and spent the money every day. Then after he had +sacrificed and eaten dinner, he stood every night alone at the +palace gate with his sword and shield. All this King Shudraka +learned from his spies and was greatly pleased and forbad the spies +to follow him again. For he thought him a wonderful man, worthy +of especial honour. + +Then one day a veil of clouds covered the sky and poured down +rain in streams day and night, so that the highway was quite +deserted. Only Hero was at his post as usual by the palace gate. +And when the sun set and dreadful darkness was spread abroad +and the rain fell in sheets, the king wished to test Hero's +behaviour. So at night he climbed to the palace roof and cried: +"Who is there at the gate?" And Hero answered: "I am here." And +the king thought: "How steadfast this man Hero is, and how +devoted to me! I must surely give him a greater post." And he +descended from the roof and entered the palace and went to bed. + +The next night it rained again in sheets and the world was wrapped +in the darkness of death. And again the king thought to test his +behaviour, and climbing to the roof he called out toward the palace +gate: "Who is there?" And when Hero said: "I am here, your +Majesty," the king was greatly astonished. + +Just then he heard at a distance a sweet-voiced woman crying. And +he thought: "Who is this who laments so piteously, as if in deep +despair? In my kingdom there is no violence, no poor man and +none distressed. Who can she be?" And being merciful, he called +to Hero, who stood below: "Listen, Hero. A woman is weeping at +some distance. Go and learn why she weeps and who she is." And +Hero said "Certainly," arranged his dagger, took his sword in his +hand, and started. He did not even think of the pelting hail, the +flashing lightning, or the rain and darkness. And when the king +saw him setting out alone in a night like that, he was filled with +pity and curiosity, and descending from the palace roof, took his +sword and followed all alone, without being seen. + +As Hero traced the sound of crying, he came to a beautiful lake +outside the city, and there he saw a woman in the midst of the +water, lamenting in these words: "Alas for you, brave and merciful +and generous! How shall I live without you?" + +And Hero was amazed, and timidly asked her: "Who are you, and +why do you weep?" And she replied: "O Hero, I am the Goddess of +the Earth, and now my lord, this virtuous King Shudraka, is going +to die in three days. How shall I find another such master? So I am +distracted with grief, and I lament." + +When Hero heard this, he was frightened and said: "Goddess, is +there any remedy for this, any way in which the king might be +saved?" And the goddess answered: "There is just one remedy, my +son, and it is in your hands." And Hero said: "Goddess, tell me +quickly, that I may adopt it at once. What good would life be to us +otherwise?" + +Then the goddess said: "My son, there is no other man devoted to +his master as you are: so you may learn how to save him. There is +a temple to the Dreadful Goddess built by that king near his +palace. If you sacrifice your son to her at once, then the king will +not die. He will live another hundred years. If you do it this very +night, then the blessing will come, not otherwise." + +And Hero, the hero, replied: "Then I will go, Goddess, and do it +this moment." And the Goddess of the Earth said: "Good fortune +go with you," and she vanished. And the king, who had followed +secretly, heard it all. So he still followed to find out how Hero +would behave. + +But Hero went straight home, woke his wife Virtue, and told her +all that the Goddess of the Earth had said. And his wife said: "My +dear, if so much depends on it, wake the boy and tell him." Then +Hero woke the little boy, told him all, and said: "My boy, if you +are sacrificed to the Dreadful Goddess, our king will live. If not, he +will die in three days." + +And the boy was true to his name. Without fear and without +hesitation he said: "My dear father, I am a lucky boy if the king +lives at the cost of my life. Besides, that would pay for the food we +have eaten. Why then delay? Take me quickly and sacrifice me to +the goddess. May the king's evil fate be averted by my death!" +And Hero was delighted and congratulated him, saying: "Well +said! You are indeed my son." + +So Hero's wife Virtue and his daughter Heroic went through the +night with Hero and Trusty to the temple of the Dreadful Goddess. +The king too followed them, disguised and unnoticed. Then the +father took Trusty from his shoulder in the presence of the +goddess. And Trusty worshipped the goddess, and bravely saluted +her, and said: "O Goddess, by the sacrifice of my head may the +king live another hundred years and rule a thornless kingdom." + +And as he prayed, Hero cut off his head and offered it to the +Dreadful Goddess, saying: "May the king live at the cost of my +son's life!" Then a voice cried from heaven: "O Hero, who else is +devoted to his master as you are? You have given life and royal +power to the king at the cost of your only son, and such a son." All +this the king himself saw and heard. + +Then Hero's daughter Heroic kissed the lips of her dead brother, +and was blinded with sorrow, and her heart broke, and she died. + +Then Hero's wife Virtue said: "My dear, we have done our duty by +the king. And you see how my daughter died of grief. So now I +say: What good is life to me without my children? I was a fool +before. I should have given my own head to save the king. So now +permit me to burn myself at once." + +And when she insisted, Hero said: "Do so. What happiness is there +in a life of constant mourning for your children? And as for your +giving your own life instead, do not grieve about that. If there had +been any other way, I should of course have given my life. So wait +a moment. I will build you a funeral pile out of these logs." So he +built the pile and lighted it. + +And Virtue fell at her husband's feet, then worshipped the +Dreadful Goddess, and prayed: "O Goddess, may I have the same +husband in another life, and may this same King Shudraka be +saved at the cost of my son's life." And she died in the blazing fire. + +Then Hero thought: "I have done my duty by the king, as the +heavenly voice admitted. And I have paid for the king's food +which I have eaten. So now why should I want to live alone? It is +not right for a man like me to go on living at the expense of all the +family which I ought to support. Why should I not please the +goddess by sacrificing myself?" + +So Hero first approached the goddess with a hymn of praise: "O +Demon-slayer! Saviour! Devil-killer! Trident-holder! Joy of the +wise! Protectress of the universe! Victory to thee, O best of +mothers, whose feet the world adores! O fearless refuge of the +pious! Kali of the dreadful ornaments! Honour and glory to thee, O +kindly goddess! Be pleased to accept the sacrifice of my head in +behalf of King Shudraka." Then he suddenly cut off his own head +with his dagger. + +King Shudraka beheld this from his hiding-place, and was filled +with amazement and grief and admiration. And he thought: "I have +never seen or heard the like of this. That good man and his family +have done a hard thing for me. In this strange world who else is so +brave as that, to give his son, his family, and his life for his king: If +I should not make a full return for his kindness, my kingdom +would mean nothing to me, and my life would be the life of a +beast. If I lost my virtue, it would all be a disgrace to me." + +But when he started to cut off his own head, there came a voice +from heaven: "My son, do nothing rash. I am well pleased with +your character. The Brahman Hero and his children and his wife +shall come back to life." And when the voice ceased, Hero stood +up alive and uninjured with his son and his daughter and his wife. +Then the king hid himself again and looked on with eyes filled +with tears of joy, and could not see enough of them. + +Now Hero, like a man awaking from a dream, gazed at his son and +his wife and his daughter, and was greatly perplexed. He spoke to +each by name, and asked them how they had come to life after +being reduced to ashes. "Is this a fancy of mine? Or a dream? Or +an illusion? Or the favour of the goddess?" And his wife and +children said to him: "By the favour of the goddess we are alive." + +At last Hero believed it, and having worshipped the goddess, he +went home happy with his children and his wife. And when he had +seen his son and his wife and daughter safe at home, he went back +that same night to the palace gate. + +And King Shudraka saw all this and went back without being seen +himself, and climbed to the roof, and called: "Who is there at the +gate?" And Hero replied: "Your Majesty, I, Hero, am here. At your +command I followed the woman who cried. She must have been a +witch, for she vanished the moment I saw her and spoke to her." + +When the king heard this, he was astonished beyond measure, for +he had seen what really happened. And he thought: "Ah, the hearts +of brave men are deep as the sea, if they do not boast after doing +an unparalleled action." So the king descended from the roof, +entered the palace, and passed the rest of the night there. + +Then when the court was held in the morning, Hero came to see +the king. And as he stood there, the delighted king told all his +counsellors and the others the story of the night. And all were +amazed and confounded at hearing of Hero's virtues, and they +praised him, crying: "Well done! Well done!" + +Then the king and Hero lived happily together, sharing the power +equally. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked King +Triple-victory: "O King, which of all these was the most worthy? If +you know and will not tell, then the curse I told you of will be +fulfilled." + +And the king said to the goblin: "O magic creature, King Shudraka +was the most noble of them all." + +But the goblin said: "Why not Hero, the like of whom as a servant +is not to be found in the whole world? Or why should not his wife +receive the most praise, who did not waver when she saw her son +killed like a beast before her eyes? Or why is not the boy Trusty +the most worthy, who showed such wonderful manhood when only +a little boy? Why do you say that King Shudraka was the best +among them?" + +Then the king answered the goblin: "Not Hero. He was a +gentleman born, so it was his duty to save his king at the cost of +life, wife and children. And his wife was a lady, a faithful wife +who only did what was right in following her husband. And Trusty +was their son, and like them. For the cloth is always like the +threads. But the king has aright to use his subjects' lives to save his +own. So when Shudraka gave his life for them, he proved himself +the best of all." + +When the goblin heard this, he jumped from the king's shoulder +and went back to his home without being seen. And the king was +not disturbed by this magic, but started back through the night to +catch him. + + +FIFTH GOBLIN + +The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which +should the girl be given? + +Then King Triple-victory went back to the sissoo tree and saw the +body with the goblin in it hanging there just as before. He took it +down without being frightened by all its twistings and writhings, +and quickly set out again. And as he walked along in silence as +before, the goblin said: "O King, you are obstinate, and you are +pleasing to look at. So to amuse you, I will tell another story. +Listen." + + +There is a city called Ujjain, famous throughout the world. There +lived a king named Merit, who had as counsellor a Brahman +named Hariswami, adorned with all noble virtues. The counsellor +had a worthy wife, and a son named Devaswami was born to her, +and was as good as she. And they had one daughter named +Moonlight, who was worthy of her name, for she was famous for +her matchless beauty and charm. + +When the girl had grown out of childhood, she was proud of her +wonderful beauty, and she told her mother, her father, and her +brother: "I will marry a brave man or a wise man or a clever man. I +should die if I were married to anyone else." + +Now while her father was busy looking for such a husband for her, +he was sent by King Merit to another king in the southern country +to make a treaty for war and peace. When he had finished his +business, a Brahman youth, who had heard of his daughter's +beauty, came and asked him for her. + +And he said: "My daughter will not marry anyone unless he is a +clever man or a wise man or a brave man. Which of these are you? +Tell me." And the Brahman said: "I am a clever man." "Show +me," said the father, and the clever man made a flying chariot by +his skill. Then he took Hariswami in this magic chariot, and +carried him to the sky. And he took the delighted father to the +camp of the king of the southern country where he had been on +business. Then Hariswami appointed the marriage for the seventh +day. + +At this time another Brahman youth in Ujjain came to the girl's +brother and asked him for her. And when he was told that she +would marry only a wise man or a clever man or a brave man, he +said he was a brave man. Then when he had shown his skill with +weapons, the brother promised his sister to the brave man. And +without telling his mother, he consulted the star-gazers and +appointed the marriage for the seventh day. + +At the same time a third Brahman youth came to the girl's mother +and asked for the girl. And the mother said: "My son, a wise man +or a clever man or a brave man shall marry my daughter but no one +else. Which of these are you? Tell me." And he said: "I am a wise +man." So she asked him about the past and the future, and found +that he was a wise man. Then she promised to give him her +daughter on the seventh day. + +The next day Hariswami came home and told his wife and his son +all that he had done. And she and he each told him all that she or +he had done. So Hariswami was greatly perplexed, because three +bridegrooms had been invited. Then the seventh day came and the +three bridegrooms came to Hariswami's house. + +Strange to say, at that moment Moonlight disappeared. Then the +wise man said: "A giant named Smoke-tail has carried her to his +den in the Vindhya forest." + +When Hariswami heard this from the wise man, he was frightened +and asked the clever man to find a remedy for the trouble. And the +clever man made a chariot as before, full of all kinds of weapons, +and brought Hariswami with the wise man and the brave man in a +moment to the Vindhya forest. And the wise man showed them the +giant's den. + +When the giant saw what had happened, he came out in anger, and +the brave man fought with him. Then came a famous duel with +strange weapons between a man and a giant for the sake of a +woman, like the ancient fight between Rama and Ravana. Though +the giant was a terrible fighter, the brave man presently cut off his +head with an arrow shaped like a half-moon. When the giant was +killed, they found Moonlight in the den and all went back to Ujjain +in the clever man's chariot. + +Then when the proper time for wedding came, there arose a great +dispute among the three in Hariswami's house. + +The wise man said: "If I had not discovered her by my wisdom, +how could you have found her hiding-place? She should be given +to me." + +The clever man said: "If I had not made a flying chariot, how +could you have gone there in a moment and come back like the +gods, or how could you have had a chariot-fight with him? She +should be given to me." + +The brave man said: "If I had not killed the giant in the fight, who +would have saved her in spite of all your pains? The girl should be +given to me." + +And as they quarrelled, Hariswami stood silent, confused, and +perplexed. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he said to the king: "O King, +do you say to which of them she should be given. If you know and +will not tell, then your head will split into a hundred pieces." + +Then the king broke silence and said: "She should be given to the +brave man, who risked his life and killed the giant and saved the +girl. The wise man and the clever man were only helpers whom +Fate gave him. A star-gazer and a chariot-maker work for other +people, do they not?" + +When the goblin heard this answer, he suddenly escaped from the +king's shoulder and went back. And the king determined to get +him, and went again to the sissoo tree. + + +SIXTH GOBLIN + +The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband and Brother. +Which combination of head and body is her husband? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started in silence toward the monk. And +the goblin said to him: "O King, you are wise and good, so I am +pleased with you. To amuse you, therefore, I will tell you another +story with a puzzle in it. Listen." + + +Long ago there was a king named Glory-banner in the world. His +city was named Beautiful. And in this city was a splendid temple +to the goddess Gauri. And to the right of the temple was a lake +called Bath of Gauri. And on a certain day in each year a great +crowd of people came there on a pilgrimage from all directions to +bathe. + +One day a laundryman named White came there from another +village to bathe. And the youth saw a maiden who had also come +there to bathe. Her name was Lovely, and her father's name was +Clean-cloth. She robbed the moon of its beauty and White of his +heart. So he inquired about her name and family and went home +lovesick. + +When he got there, he was ill and could not eat without her. And +when his mother asked him, he told her what was in his heart, but +did not change his habits. But she went and told her husband, +whose name was Spotless. + +So Spotless went and saw how his son was acting, and said: "My +son, why should you be downcast? Your desire is not hard to +obtain. For if I ask Clean-cloth, he will surely give you his +daughter. We are not inferior to him in birth, wealth, or social +position. I know him and he knows me. So there is no difficulty +about it." Thus Spotless comforted his son, made him eat and take +care of himself, went with him the next day to +Clean-cloth's house, and asked that the girl might be given to his +son White. And Clean-cloth graciously promised to give her to +him. + +Then when the time came, Clean-cloth gave White his charming +daughter, a wife worthy of him. And when he was married, White +went happily to his father's house with his sweet bride. + +Now as he lived there happily, Lovely's brother came to visit. And +when they had all asked him about his health and his sister had +greeted him with a kiss, and after he had rested, he said: "My +father sent me to invite Lovely and White to a festival in our +house." And all the relatives said it was a good plan and +entertained him that day with appropriate things to drink and eat. + +The next morning White set out for his father-in-law's house, +together with his brother-in-law and Lovely. And when he came to +the city Beautiful, he saw the great temple of Gauri. And he said to +Lovely and her brother: "We will see this goddess. I will go first +and you two stay here." So White went in to see the goddess. He +entered the temple and bowed before the goddess whose eighteen +arms had killed the horrible demons, whose lotus-feet were set +upon a giant that she had crushed. + +And when he had worshipped her, an idea suddenly came to him. +"People honour this goddess with all kinds of living sacrifices. +Why should I not win her favour by sacrificing myself?" And he +fetched a sword from a deserted inner room, cut off his own head, +and let it fall on the floor. + +Presently his brother-in-law entered the temple to see why he +delayed so long. And when he saw his brother-in-law with his head +cut off, he went mad with grief, and cut off his own head in the +same way with the same sword. + +Then when he failed to come out, Lovely was alarmed and entered +the temple. And when she saw her husband and her brother in that +condition, she cried: "Alas! This is the end of me!" and fell +weeping to the floor. But presently she rose, lamenting for the pair +so unexpectantly dead, and thought: "What is my life good for +now?" + +Before killing herself, she prayed to the goddess: "O Goddess! One +only deity of happiness and character! Partaker of the life of Shiva! +Refuge of all women-folk! Destroyer of grief! Why have you killed +my husband and my brother at one fell swoop? It was not right, for +I was always devoted to you. Then be my refuge when I pray to +you, and hear my one pitiful prayer. I shall leave this wretched +body of mine on this spot, but in every future life of mine, O +Goddess, may I have the same husband and brother." Thus she +prayed, praised, and worshipped the goddess, then tied a rope to an +ashoka tree which grew there. + +But while she was arranging the rope about her neck, a voice from +heaven cried: "Do nothing rash, my daughter. Leave the rope +alone. Though you are young, I am pleased with your unusual +goodness. Place the two heads on the two bodies and they shall +rise up again and live through my favour." + +So Lovely left the rope alone and joyfully went to the bodies. But +in her great hurry and confusion she made a mistake. She put her +husband's head on her brother's body and her brother's head on +her husband's body. Then they arose, sound and well, like men +awaking from a dream. And they were all delighted to hear one +another's adventures, worshipped the goddess, and went on their +way. + +Now as she walked along, Lovely noticed that she had made a +mistake in their heads. And she was troubled and did not know +what to do. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +when they were mingled in this way, which should be her +husband? If you know and do not tell, then the curse I spoke of +will be fulfilled." + +And the king said to the goblin: "The body with the husband's +head on it is her husband. For the head is the most important +member. It is by the head that we recognize people." + +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder as before, and +quickly disappeared. And the king went back, determined to catch +him. + + +SEVENTH GOBLIN + +The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and Prince Good. Which +is the more deserving? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started. And as he walked along, the goblin +said: "O King, I will tell you a story to amuse your weariness. +Listen." + + +On the shore of the Eastern Ocean is Copper City. There a king +named Fierce-lion lived. He turned his back to other men's wives, +but not to fighting men. He destroyed his enemies, but not other +men's wealth. + +One day a popular prince named Good came from the south to the +king's gate. He introduced himself, but did not get what he wanted +from the king. And he thought: "If I am born a prince, why am I so +poor? And if I am to be poor, why did God give me so many +desires? For this king pays no attention to me, though I wait upon +him and grow weary and faint with hunger." + +While he was thinking, the king went hunting. He went with many +horsemen and footmen, and the prince ran along in the dress of a +pilgrim with a club in his hand. And during the hunt the king +chased a great boar a long distance, and so came into another +forest. There he lost sight of the boar, for the trail was covered +with leaves and grass. And the king was tired and lost his way in +the forest. Only the pilgrim-prince thought nothing of his life, and +hungry and thirsty as he was, he followed on foot the king who +rode a swift horse. + +And when the king saw him following, he spoke lovingly: "My +good man, do you perhaps know the way we came?" + +And the pilgrim bowed low and said: "I know, your Majesty. But +first rest yourself a moment. The blazing sun, the middle jewel in +the girdle of heaven's bride, is terribly hot." Then the king said +eagerly: "See if there is water anywhere." + +And the pilgrim agreed and climbed a high tree and looked around. +And he saw a river and climbed down and took the king to it. He +unsaddled the horse, gave him water and grass, and let him rest. +And when the king had bathed, the pilgrim took two fine mangoes +from his skirt, washed them and gave them to the king. + +"Where did you get these?" asked the king, and the pilgrim bowed +and said: "Your Majesty, I have lived on such food for ten years. +While I was serving your Majesty, I had to live like a monk." And +the king said: "What can I say? You deserve your name of Good." +And he was filled with pity and shame, and thought: "A curse on +kings, who do not know whether their servants are happy or not! +And a curse of their attendants, who do not tell them this and +that!" And when the pilgrim insisted, the king was prevailed on to +take the two mangoes. He rested there with the pilgrim and ate the +mangoes and drank water with the pilgrim, who was accustomed +to eat mangoes and drink water. + +Then the pilgrim saddled the horse and went ahead to show the +way, and at last, at the king's command, mounted behind on the +horse; so the king found his soldiers and went safely home. And +when he got there, he proclaimed the devotion of the pilgrim, and +made him a rich man, but could not feel that he had paid his debt. +So Good stayed there happily with King Fierce-lion and stopped +living as a pilgrim. + +One day the king sent Good to Ceylon to ask for the hand of the +daughter of the King of Ceylon. So he set out after sacrificing to +the proper god, and entered a ship with some Brahmans chosen by +the king. And when the ship had safely reached the middle of the +ocean, there suddenly arose from the waves a very large +flag-pole made of gold, with a top that touched the sky. It was +adorned with waving banners of various colours and was quite +astonishing. + +At the same moment the clouds gathered, it began to rain +violently, and a mighty wind blew. And the ship was driven by the +storm winds and caught on the flag-pole. Then the pole began to +sink, dragging the ship with it into the raging waves. And the +Brahmans who were there were overcome with fear and cursed the +name of their king Fierce-lion. + +But Good could not endure that because of his devotion to his +king. He took his sword in his hand, girt up his garment, and threw +himself after the flag-pole into the sea. He had no fear of the pole +which seemed a refuge from the ocean. Then as he sank, the ship +was battered by the winds and waves and broke up. And all in it +fell into the mouths of sharks. + +But Good sank into the ocean, and when he looked about he saw a +wonderful city. There he entered a shrine to Gauri, tall as the +heavenly mountain, with great gem-sprinkled banners on walls +made of different kinds of jewels, in a golden temple blazing with +jewelled pillars, with a garden that had a pool, the stairs to which +were made of splendid gems. After he had bowed low and praised +and worshipped the goddess there, he sat down before her in +amazement, wondering if it was all a conjuror's trick. + +Just then the door was suddenly opened by a heavenly maiden. Her +eyes were like lotuses, her face like the moon. She had a smile like +a flower and a body soft as lotus-stems. And a thousand women +waited upon her. She entered the shrine of the goddess and the +heart of Good at the same moment. And when she had worshipped +the goddess there, she went out from the shrine, but not from the +heart of Good. + +She entered a circle of light, and Good followed her. And he saw +another splendid house, that seemed like a place of meeting for all +riches and all enjoyments. And he saw the girl sitting on a jewelled +couch, and he approached and sat beside her. He was like a man +painted in a picture, for his eyes were fastened on her face. + +Now a servant of the maiden saw that his body was thrilled, that he +was intent upon the maiden, that he was in love. She understood +his feelings and said to him: "Sir, you are our guest. Enjoy the +hospitality of my mistress. Arise. Bathe. Eat." And he felt a little +hope at her words and went to a pool in the garden which she +showed him. + +He plunged into the pool, and when he rose to the surface, he +found himself in the pool of King Fierce-lion in Copper City. And +when he saw that he had come there so suddenly, he thought: "Oh, +what does it mean? Where is that heavenly garden? What a +difference between the sight of that girl which was like nectar to +me, and this immediate separation from her which is like terrible +poison! It was no dream. I was awake when the +serving-maid deceived me and made a fool of me." + +He was like a madman without the girl. He wandered in the garden +and mourned in a lovelorn way. He was surrounded by +wind-blown flower-pollen which seemed to him the yellow flames +of separation. And when the gardener saw him in this state, he +went and told the king. + +And the king was troubled. He went himself to see Good, and +asked him soothingly: "What does this mean? Tell me, my friend. +Where did you go? And where did you come? And where did you +stay? And what did you fall into?" + +Then Good told him the whole adventure. And the king thought: +"Ah, it is fortunate for me that this brave man is lovelorn. For now +I have a chance to pay my debt to him." So the king said to him: +"My friend, give over this vain grief. I will go with you by the +same road, and bring you to the heavenly maiden." So he +comforted Good, and made him take a bath. + +The next day he transferred his royal duties to his counsellors and +entered a ship with Good. Good showed the way through the sea +and they saw the flag-pole with its banners rising as before in the +middle of the ocean. Then Good said to the king: "Your Majesty, +here is the magic flag-pole standing up. When I sink down there, +you must sink too along the flag-pole." So when they came near +the sinking pole, Good jumped first, and the king followed him. + +They sank down and came to the heavenly city. And the king was +astonished, and after he had worshipped the goddess, he sat down +with Good. Then the girl, like Beauty personified, came out of the +circle of light with her friends. "There she is, the lovely creature," +said Good, and the king thought: "He is quite right to love her." +But when she saw the king looking like a god, she wondered who +the strange and wonderful man might be, and entered the shrine to +worship the goddess. + +But the king took Good and went into the garden to show how +little he cared about her. A moment later the girl came from the +shrine; she had been praying for a good husband. And she said to a +girl friend: "My friend, I wonder where I could see the man who +was here. Where is the great man? You girls must hunt for him and +ask him to be good enough to come and accept our hospitality. For +he is a wonderful man, and we must be polite to him." + +So the girl found him in the garden and gave him her mistress' +message very respectfully. But the brave king spoke loftily to her: +"Your words are hospitality enough. Nothing else is necessary." + +Now when her mistress had heard what he said, she thought he +was a noble character, better than anybody else. She was attracted +by the courage of the king in refusing a sort of hospitality which +was almost too much to offer a mere man, and thought about the +fulfilment of her prayer for a husband. So she went into the garden +herself. She drew near to the king and lovingly begged him to +accept her hospitality. + +But the king pointed to Good and said: "My dear girl, he told me +of the goddess here, and I came to see her. And by following the +flag-pole I saw the goddess and her very marvellous temple. It was +only afterwards that I happened to see you." + +Then the girl said: "O King, you may be interested in seeing a city +which is the wonder of the three worlds." And the king laughed +and said: "He told me about that, too. I believe there is a pool for +bathing there." And the girl said: "O King, do not say that. I am not +a deceitful girl. Why should I deceive an honourable man, +especially as your noble character has made me feel like a servant? +Pray do not refuse me." + +So the king agreed and went with Good and the girl to the edge of +the circle of light. There a door opened and he entered and saw +another heavenly city like a second hill of heaven; for it was built +of gems and gold, and the flowers and fruits of every season grew +there at the same time. + +And the princess seated the king on a splendid throne and brought +him gifts and said: "Your Majesty, I am the daughter of the great +god Black-wheel. But Vishnu sent my father to heaven. And I +inherited these two magic cities where one has everything he +wants. There is no old age or death to trouble us here. And now +you are in the place of my father to rule over the cities and over +me." So she offered him herself and all she had. But the king said: +"In that case you are my daughter and I give you in marriage to my +brave friend good." + +In the king's words she saw the fulfilment of her prayer, and being +sensible and modest, she agreed. So the king married them and +gave all the magic wealth to happy Good, and said: "My friend, I +have paid you now for one of the two mangoes which I ate. But I +remain in your debt for the second." + +Then he asked the princess how he could get back to his city. And +she gave the king a sword called Invincible, and the magic fruit +which wards off birth, old age, and death. And the king took the +sword and the fruit, plunged into the pool which she showed him, +and came up in his own country, feeling completely successful. +But Good ruled happily over the kingdom of the princess. + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +which of these two deserves more credit for plunging into the +sea?" + +And the king was afraid of the curse, so he gave a true answer: +"Good seems to me the more deserving, for he did not know the +truth beforehand, but plunged without hope into the sea, while the +king knew the truth when he jumped." + +And as soon as the king broke silence, the goblin slipped from his +shoulder as before without being seen and went to the sissoo tree. +And the king tried as before to catch him. Brave men do not waver +until they have finished what they have begun. + + +EIGHTH GOBLIN + +The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and the +Specialist in Cotton. Which is the cleverest? + +So the king went back under the sissoo tree, caught the goblin just +as before, put him on his shoulder, and started toward the monk. +And as he walked along, the goblin on his shoulder spoke and said: +"O King, listen once more to the following story to beguile your +weariness." + + +In the Anga country there is a great region called Forest. There +lived a great Brahman, pious and wealthy, whose name was +Vishnu-swami. To his worthy wife three sons were born, one after +another. When they had grown to be young men, specialists in +matters of luxury, they were sent one day by their father to find a +turtle for a sacrifice which he had begun. + +So the brothers went to the ocean and there they found a turtle. +Then the eldest said to the two younger: "One of you take this +turtle for Father's sacrifice. I cannot carry a slimy thing that smells +raw." + +But when the eldest said this, the two younger said: "Sir, if you +feel disgust, why shouldn't we?" + +When the eldest heard this, he said: "You take the turtle, otherwise +Father's sacrifice will be ruined on your account. Then you and +Father too will surely go to hell." + +When they heard him, the two younger brothers laughed and said: +"Sir, you seem to know our common duty, but not your own." + +Then the eldest said: "What? Are you not aware that I am a +connoisseur in food? For I am a specialists in foods. How can I +touch this loathsome thing?" + +When he heard these words, the second brother said: "But I am +even more of a connoisseur. I am a specialist in women. So how +can I touch it?" + +After this speech, the eldest said to the youngest: "Do you then, +being younger than we, carry the turtle." + +Then the youngest frowned and said to them: "Fools! I am a great +specialist in cotton." + +So the three brothers quarrelled, and arrogantly leaving the turtle +behind them, they went to have the matter decided at Pinnacle, the +capital of a king called Conqueror. When they came there, and had +been announced and introduced by the door-keeper, they told their +story to the king. And when the king had heard all, he said: "Stay +here. I will examine you one after another." So they agreed and all +stayed there. + +Then the king invited them in at his own dinner hour, seated them +on magnificent seats, and set before them sweet dishes of six +flavours, fit for a king. While all the rest ate, one of the Brahmans, +the specialist in food, disgustedly shook his head and refused to +eat. And when the king himself asked him why he would not eat +food that was sweet and savoury, he respectfully replied: "Your +Majesty, in this food there is the odour of smoke from a burning +corpse. Therefore, I do not wish to eat it, however sweet it may +be." + +Then at the king's command all the rest smelt of it and declared it +the best of winter rice, and perfectly sweet. But the food-critic +held his nose and would not touch it. Now when the king reflected +and made a careful investigation, he learned from the +commissioners that the dish was made of rice grown near a village +crematory. Then he was greatly astonished and pleased, and said: +"Brahman, you are certainly a judge of food. Pray take something +else." + +After dinner the king dismissed them to their rooms, and sent for +the most beautiful woman of his court. And at night he sent this +lovely creature, all adorned, to the second brother, the specialist in +women. She came with a servant of the king to his chamber, and +when she entered, she seemed to illuminate the room. But the +judge of women almost fainted, and stopping his nose with his left +hand, he said to his servants: "Take her away! If not, I shall die. A +goaty smell issues from her." + +So the servants, in distress and astonishment, conducted her to the +king and told him what had happened. Then the king sent for the +specialist in women, and said: "Brahman, she has anointed herself +with sandal, camphor, and aloes, so that a delightful perfume +pervades her neighbourhood. How could this woman have a goaty +smell?" But in spite of this the specialist in women would not +yield. And when the king endeavoured to learn the truth, he heard +from her own lips that in her infancy she had been separated from +her mother and had been brought up on goat's milk. Then the king +was greatly astonished and loudly praised the critical judgment of +the specialist in women. + +Quickly he had a couch prepared for the third brother, the +specialist in cotton. So the critic of cotton went to sleep on a bed +with seven quilts over the frame and covered with a pure, soft +coverlet. When only a half of the first watch of the night was gone, +he suddenly started from the bed, shouting and writhing with pain, +his hand pressed to his side. And the king's men who were +stationed there saw the curly red outline of a hair deeply imprinted +on his side. + +They went at once and informed the king, who said to them: "See +whether there is anything under the quilts or not." So they went +and searched under each quilt, and under the last they found one +hair, which they immediately took and showed to the king. And +the king summoned the specialist in cotton, and finding the mark +exactly corresponding to the hair, was filled with extreme +astonishment. And he spent that night wondering how the hair +could sink into his body through seven quilts. + +Now when the king arose in the morning, he was delighted with +their marvellous critical judgment and sensitiveness, so that he +gave each of the three specialists a hundred thousand +gold-pieces. And they were contented and stayed there, forgetting +all about the turtle, and thus incurring a crime through the failure +of their father's sacrifice. + + +When he had told this remarkable story, the goblin on the king's +shoulder said: "O King, remember the curse I spoke of and declare +which of these three was the +cleverest." + +When he heard this, the wise king answered the goblin: "Without +doubt I regard the specialist in cotton as the cleverest, on whose +body the imprint of the hair was seen to appear visibly. The other +two might possibly have found out beforehand." + +When the king had said this, the goblin slipped from his shoulder +as before. And the king went back under the sissoo tree again to +fetch him. + + + NINTH GOBLIN + +The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started. And the goblin spoke to him again: "O King, +why do you go to such pains in this cemetery at night? Do you not +see the home of the ghosts, full of dreadful creatures, terrible in +the night, wrapped in darkness as in smoke? Why do you work so +hard and grow weary for the sake of that monk? Well, to amuse the +journey, listen to a puzzle which I will tell you." + + +In the Avanti country is a city built by the gods at the beginning of +time, adorned with wonderful wealth and opportunities for +enjoyment. In the earliest age it was called Lotus City, then +Pleasure City, then Golden City, and now it is called Ujjain. There +lived a king named Heroic. And his queen was named Lotus. + +One day the king went with her to the sacred Ganges river and +prayed to Shiva that he might have children. And after long prayer +he heard a voice from heaven, for Shiva was at last pleased with +his devotion: "O King, there shall be born to you a brave son to +continue your dynasty, and a daughter more beautiful than the +nymphs of heaven." + +When he heard the heavenly voice, the king was delighted at the +fulfilment of his wishes, and went back to his city with the queen. +And first Queen Lotus bore a son called Brave, and then a daughter +named Grace who put the god of love to shame. + +When the girl grew up, the king sought for a suitable husband for +her, and invited all the neighbouring princes by letter, but not one +of them seemed good enough for her. So the king tenderly said to +his daughter: "My dear, I do not see a husband worthy of you, so I +will summon all the kings hither, and you shall choose." But the +princess said: "My dear father, such a choice would be very +embarrassing. I would rather not. Just marry me to any +good-looking young man, who understands a single science from +beginning to end. I wish nothing more nor less than that." + +Now while the king was looking for such a husband, four brave, +good-looking, scientific men from the south heard of the matter +and came to him. And when they had been hospitably received, +each explained his own science to the king. + +The first said: "I am a working-man, and my name is +Five-cloth. I make five splendid suits of clothes a day. One I give +to some god and one to a Brahman. One I wear myself, and one I +shall give to my wife when I have one. The fifth I sell, to buy food +and things. This is my science. Pray give me Grace." + +The second said: "I am a farmer, and my name is Linguist. I +understand the cries of all beasts and birds. Pray give me the +princess." + +The third said: "I am a strong-armed soldier, and my name is +Swordsman. I have no rival on earth in the science of +swordsmanship. O King, pray give me your daughter." + +The fourth said: "O King, I am a Brahman, and my name is Life. I +possess a wonderful science. For if dead creatures are brought to +me, I can quickly restore them to life. Let your daughter find a +husband in a man who has such heroic skill." + +When they had spoken, and the king had seen that they all had +wonderful garments and personal beauty, he and his daughter +swung in doubt. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he said to the king: +"Remember the curse I mentioned, and tell me to which of them +the girl should be given." + +And the king said to the goblin: "Sir, you are merely trying to gain +time by making me break silence. There is no puzzle about that. +How could a warrior's daughter be given to a working- +man, a weaver? Or to a farmer, either? And as to his knowledge of +the speech of beasts and birds, of what practical use is it? And +what good is a Brahman who neglects his own affairs and turns +magician, despising real courage? Of course she should be given to +the warrior Swordsman who had some manhood with his science." + +When the goblin heard this, he escaped by magic from the king's +shoulder, and disappeared. And the king followed him as before. +Discouragement never enters the brave heart of a resolute man. + + +TENTH GOBLIN + +The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. Which is the +most delicate? + +Then the king went to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder once more, and started toward the monk. And as he +walked along, the goblin on his shoulder said: "O King, I will tell +you a strange story to relieve your weariness. Listen." + + +There once was a king in Ujjain, whose name was +Virtue-banner. He had three princesses as wives, and loved them +dearly. One of them was named Crescent, the second Star, and the +third Moon. While the king lived happily with his wives, he +conquered all his enemies, and was content. + +One day at the time of the spring festival, the king went to the +garden to play with his three wives. There he looked at the +flower-laden vines with black rows of bees on them; they seemed +like the bow of the god of love, all ready for service. He heard the +songs of nightingales in the trees; they sounded like commands of +Love. And with his wives he drank wine which seemed like Love's +very life-blood. + +Then the king playfully pulled the hair of Queen Crescent, and a +lotus-petal fell from her hair into her lap. And the queen was so +delicate that it wounded her, and she screamed and fainted. And +the king was distracted, but when servants sprinkled her with cool +water and fanned her, she gradually recovered consciousness. And +the king took her to the palace and waited upon his dear wife with +a hundred remedies which the physicians brought. + +And when the king saw that she was made comfortable for the +night, he went to the palace balcony with his second wife Star. +Now while she slept on the king's breast, the moonbeams found +their way through the window and fell upon her. And she awoke in +a moment, and started up, crying "I am burned!" Then the king +awoke and anxiously asked what the matter was, and he saw great +blisters on her body. When he asked her about it, Queen Star said: +"The moonbeams that fell on me did it." And the king was +distracted when he saw how she wept and suffered. He called the +servants and they made a couch of moist lotus-leaves, and dressed +her wounds with damp sandal-paste. + +At that moment the third queen, Moon, left her room to go to the +king. And as she moved through the noiseless night, she clearly +heard in a distant part of the palace the sound of pestles grinding +grain. And she cried: "Oh, oh! It will kill me!" She wrung her +hands and sat down in agony in the hall. But her servants returned +and led her to her room, where she took to her bed and wept. And +when the servants asked what the matter was, she tearfully showed +her hands with bruises on them, like two lilies with black bees +clinging to them. So they went and told the king. And he came in +great distress, and asked his dear wife about it. She showed her +hands and spoke, though she suffered: "My dear, when I heard the +sound of the pestles, these bruises came." Then the king made +them give her a cooling plaster of sandal-paste and other things. + +And the king thought: "One of them was wounded by a falling +lotus-petal. The second was burned by the moonbeams. The third +had her hands terribly bruised by the sound of pestles. I love them +dearly, but alas! The very delicacy which is so great a virtue, is +positively inconvenient." + +And he wandered about in the palace, and it seemed as if the night +had three hundred hours. But in the morning the king and his +skilful physicians took such measures that before long his wives +were well and he was happy. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin asked: "O King, which of +them was the most delicate?" And the king said: "The one who +was bruised by the mere sound of the pestles, when nothing +touched her. The other two who were wounded or blistered by +actual contact with lotus-petals or moonbeams, are not equal to +her." + +When the goblin heard this, he went back, and the king resolutely +hastened to catch him again. + + +ELEVENTH GOBLIN + +The King who won a Fairy as his Wife. Why did his counsellor's +heart break? + +Then the king went as before to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on +his shoulder, and started back. And the goblin said once more: "O +King, I like you wonderfully well because you are not discouraged. +So I will tell you a delightful little story to relieve your weariness. +Listen." + + +In the Anga country was a young king named Glory- +banner, so beautiful that he seemed an incarnation of the god of +love. He had conquered all his enemies by his strength of arm, and +he had a counsellor named Farsight. + +At last the king, proud of his youth and beauty, entrusted all the +power in his quiet kingdom to his counsellor, and gradually +devoted himself entirely to pleasure. He spent all his time with the +ladies of the court, and listened more attentively to their +love-songs than to the advice of statesmen. He took greater +pleasure in peeping into their windows than into the holes in his +administration. But Farsight bore the whole burden of public +business, and never wearied day or night. + +Then the people began to murmur: "The counsellor Farsight has +seduced the king, and now he alone has all the kingly glory." And +the counsellor said to his wife, whose name was Prudence: "My +dear, the king is devoted to his pleasures, and great infamy is +heaped upon me by the people. They say I have devoured the +kingdom, though in fact I support the burden of it. Now popular +gossip damages the greatest man. Was not Rama forced to +abandon his good wife by popular clamour? So what shall I do +now?" + +Then his clever wife Prudence showed that she deserved her name. +She said: "My dear, leave the king and go on a pilgrimage. Tell +him that you are an old man now, and should be permitted to travel +in foreign countries for a time. Then the gossip will cease, when +they see that you are unselfish. And when you are gone, the king +will bear his own burdens. And thus his levity will gradually +disappear. And when you come back, you can assume your office +without reproach." + +To this advice the counsellor assented, and said to the king in the +course of conversation: "Your Majesty, permit me to go on a +pilgrimage for a few days. Virtue seems of supreme importance to +me." + +But the king said: "No, no, counsellor. Is there no other kind of +virtue except in pilgrimages? How about generosity and that kind +of thing? Isn't it possible to prepare for heaven in your own +house?" + +Then the counsellor said: "Your Majesty, one gets worldly +prosperity from generosity and that kind of thing. But a pilgrimage +gives eternal life. A prudent man should attend to it while he has +strength. The chance may be lost, for no one can be sure of his +health." + +But the king was still arguing against it when the doorkeeper came +in and said: "Your Majesty, the glorious sun is diving beneath the +pool of heaven. Arise. The hour for your bath is slipping away." +And the king went immediately to bathe. + +The counsellor went home, still determined on his pilgrimage. He +would not let his wife go with him, but started secretly. Not even +his servants knew. + +He wandered alone through many countries to many holy places, +and finally came to the Odra country. There he saw a city near the +ocean, where he entered a temple to Shiva and sat down in the +court. There he sat, hot and dusty from long travel, when he was +seen by a merchant named Treasure who had come to worship the +god. The merchant gathered from his dress and appearance that he +was a high-born Brahman, and invited him home, and entertained +him with food, bathing, and the like. + +When the counsellor was rested, the merchant asked him: "Who +are you? Whence do you come? And where are you going?" And +the other replied: "I am a Brahman named Farsight. I came here on +a pilgrimage from the Anga country." + +Then the merchant Treasure said to him: "I am preparing for a +trading voyage to Golden Island. Do you stay in my house. And +when I come back, and you are wearied from your pilgrimage, rest +here for a time before going home." But Farsight said: "I do not +want to stay here. I would rather go with you." And the good +merchant agreed. And the counsellor slept in the first bed he had +lain in for many nights. + +The next day he went to the seashore with the merchant, and +entered the ship loaded with the merchant's goods. He sailed +along, admiring the wonders and terrors of the sea, till at last he +reached Golden Island. There he stayed for a time until the +merchant had finished his buying and selling. Now on the way +back, he saw a magic tree suddenly rising from the ocean. It had +beautiful branches, boughs of gold, fruits of jewels, and splendid +blossoms. And sitting on a jewelled couch in the branches was a +lovely maiden of heavenly beauty. And while the counsellor +wondered what it all meant, the maiden took her lute in her hand, +and began to sing: + + Whatever seed of fate is sown, + The fruit appears--'tis strange! + Whatever deed a man has done, + Not God himself can change. + +And when she had made her meaning clear, the heavenly maiden +straightway sank with the magic tree and the couch. And Farsight +thought: "What a wonderful thing I have seen to-day! What a +strange place the ocean is for the appearance of a tree with a fairy +in it! And if this is a usual occurrence at sea, why do not other +goddesses arise?" + +The pilot and other sailors saw that he was astonished, and they +said: "Sir, this wonderful maiden appears here regularly, and sinks +a moment after, but the sight is new to you." Then the counsellor, +filled with amazement, came to the shore with Treasure, and +disembarked. And when the merchant had unloaded his goods and +caused his servants to rejoice, the counsellor went home with him +and spent many happy days there. + +At last he said to Treasure: "Merchant, I have rested happily for a +long time in your house. Now I wish to go to my own country. +Peace be with you!" And in spite of urging from the merchant, +Farsight took his leave, and started with no companion except his +own courage. He went through many countries and at last reached +the Anga country. And scouts who had been sent by King +Glory-banner saw him before he reached the city. When the king +learned of it, he went himself out of the city to meet him, for he +had been terribly grieved by the separation. He drew near, +embraced and greeted the counsellor and took him, all worn and +dusty with the weary journey, into an inner room. + +And as soon as the counsellor was refreshed, the king said: +"Counsellor, why did you leave us? How could you bring yourself +to do so harsh and loveless a thing? But after all, who can +understand the strange workings of stern necessity? To think that +you should decide all at once to wander off on a pilgrimage! Well, +tell me what countries you visited, and what new things you saw." + +Then the counsellor told him the whole story truthfully and in +order, the journey to Golden Island and the fairy who rose singing +from the sea, her wonderful beauty and the magic tree. + +But the king immediately fell in love so hopelessly that his +kingdom and his life seemed worthless to him without her. He +took the counsellor aside and said: "Counsellor, I simply must see +her. Remember that I shall die if I do not. I bow to my fate. I will +take the journey which you took. You must not refuse me nor +accompany me. I shall go alone and in disguise. You must rule the +kingdom, and not dispute my words. Swear to do it on your life." + +So he spoke, and would not listen to advice, but dismissed the +counsellor. Then Farsight was unhappy though a great festival was +made for him. How can a good counsellor be happy when his +master devotes himself to a vice? + +The next night King Glory-banner threw the burden of government +on that excellent counsellor, assumed the dress of a hermit, and +left his city. And as he travelled, he saw a monk named Grass, who +said when the king bowed before him as a holy man: "My son, if +you sail with a merchant named Fortune, you will obtain the +maiden you desire. Go on fearlessly." + +So the king bowed again and went on rejoicing. After crossing +rivers and mountains he came to the ocean. And on the shore he +met at once the merchant Fortune whom the monk had mentioned, +bound for Golden Island. And when the merchant saw the king's +appearance and his signet ring, he bowed low, took him on the +ship, and set sail. + +When the ship reached the middle of the sea, the maiden suddenly +arose, sitting in the branches of the magic tree. And as the king +gazed eagerly at her, she sang as before to her lute: + + Whatever seed of fate is sown + The fruit appears--'tis strange! + Whatever deed a man has done, + Not God himself can change. + + Whatever, how, for whom, and where + Tis fated so to be, + That thing, just so, for him, and there + Must happen fatally. + +This song she sang, hinting at what was to happen. And the king +gazed at her smitten by love, and could not move. Then he cried: +"O Sea, in hiding her, you deceive those who think they have your +treasures. Honour and glory to you! I seek your protection. Grant +me my desire!" And as the king prayed, the maiden sank with the +tree. Then the king jumped after her into the sea. + +The good merchant Fortune thought he was lost and was ready to +die of grief. But he was comforted by a voice from heaven which +said: "Do nothing rash. There is no danger when he sinks in the +sea. For he is the king Glory-banner, disguised as a hermit. He +came here for the sake of the maiden; she was his wife in a former +life. And he will win her and return to his kingdom in the Anga +country." So the merchant sailed on to complete his business. + +But King Glory-banner sank in the sea, and all at once he saw a +heavenly city. He looked in amazement at the balconies with their +splendid jewelled pillars, their walls bright with gold, and the +network of pearls in their windows. And he saw gardens with +pools that had stairways of various gems, and magic trees that +yielded all desires. But rich as it was, the city was deserted. + +He entered house after house, but did not find the maiden +anywhere. Then he climbed a high balcony built of gems, opened a +door, and entered. And there he saw her all alone, lying on a +jewelled couch, and clad in splendid garments. He eagerly raised +her face to see if it was really she, and saw that it was indeed the +maiden he sought. At the sight of her he had the strange feeling of +the traveller in a desert in summer at the sight of a river. + +And she opened her eyes, saw that he was handsome and loveable, +and left her couch in confusion. But she welcomed him and with +downcast eyes that seemed like full-blown lotuses she did honour +to his feet. Then she slowly spoke: "Who are you, sir? How did +you come to this inaccessible under-world? And what is this +hermit garb? For I see that you are a king. Oh, sir, if you would do +me a kindness, tell me this." + +And the king answered her: "Beautiful maiden, I am King +Glory-banner of the Anga country, and I heard from a reliable +person that you were to be seen on the sea. To see you I assumed +this garb, left my kingdom, and followed you hither. Oh, tell me +who you are." + +Then she said to him with bashful love: "Sir, there is a king of the +fairies named Moonshine. I am his daughter, and my name is +Moonlight. Now my father has left me alone in this city. I do not +know where he went with the rest of the people, or why. +Therefore, as my home is lonely, I rise through the ocean, sit on a +magic tree, and song about fate." + +Then the king remembered the words of the monk, and urged her +with such gentle, tender words that she confessed her love and +agreed to marry him. But she made a condition: "My dear, on four +set days in each month you must let me go somewhere unhindered +and unseen. There is a reason." And the king agreed, married her, +and lived in heavenly happiness with her. + +While he was living in heavenly bliss, Moonlight said to him one +day: "My dear, you must wait here. I am going somewhere on an +errand. For this is one of the set days. While you stay here, +sweetheart, you must not go into that crystal room, nor plunge into +this pool. If you do, you will find yourself at that very moment in +the world again." So she said good-bye and left the city. + +But the king took his sword and followed, to learn her secret. And +he saw a giant approaching with a great black cave of a mouth that +yawned like the pit. The giant fell down and howled horribly, then +took Moonlight into his mouth and swallowed her. + +And the king's anger blazed forth. He took his great sword, black +as a snake that has sloughed its skin, ran up wrathfully, and cut off +the giant's head. He was blinded by his madness, he did not know +what to do, he was afflicted by the loss of his darling. But +Moonlight split open the stomach of the giant, and came out alive +and unhurt, like the brilliant, spotless moon coming out from a +black cloud. + +When he saw that she was saved, the king cried: "Come, come to +me!" and ran forward and embraced her. And he asked her: "What +does it mean, dearest? Is this a dream, or an illusion?" And the +fairy answered: "My dear, listen to me. It is not a dream, nor an +illusion. My father, the king of the fairies, laid this curse upon me. +My father had many sons, but he loved me so that he could not eat +without me. And I used to come to this deserted spot twice a +month to worship Shiva. + +"One day I came here and it happened that I spent the whole day in +worship. That day my father waited for me and would not eat or +drink anything, though he was hungry and angry with me. At night +I stood before him with downcast eyes, for I had done wrong. And +he forgot his love and cursed me--so strong is fate. Because you +have despised me and left me hungry a whole day, a giant named +Terror-of-Fate will swallow you four times a month when you +leave the city. And each time you will split him open and come +out. And you shall not remember the curse afterwards, nor the pain +of being swallowed alive. And you must live here alone.' + +"But when I begged him, he thought awhile and softened his curse. + When Glory-banner, King of the Angas, shall become your +husband, and shall see you swallowed by the giant, and shall kill +the giant, then the curse shall end, and you shall remember all your +magic arts.' Then he left me here, and went with his people to the +Nishadha mountain. But I stayed here because of the curse. And +now the curse is ended, and I remember everything. So now I shall +go to the Nishadha mountain to see my father. Of course now I +remember how to fly. And you are at liberty to stay here, or to go +back to your own kingdom." + +Then the king was sad, and he begged her thus: "My beautiful +wife, do not go for seven days. Be as kind as you are beautiful. Let +me be happy with you in the garden, and forget my longings. Then +you may go to your father, and I will go home." So he persuaded +her, and was happy with her for six days in the garden. And the +lilies in the ponds looked like longing eyes, and the ripples like +hands raised to detain them, and the cries of swans and cranes +seemed to say: "Do not leave us and go away." + +On the seventh day the king cleverly led his wife to the pool from +which one could get back to the world. There he threw his arms +about her and plunged into the pool, and came up with her in the +pool in the garden of his own palace. + +The gardeners saw that the king had come back with a wife, and +they joyfully ran and told the counsellor Farsight. He came and fell +at the king's feet, and then led the king and the fairy into the +palace. And the counsellor and the people thought: "Wonderful! +The king has won the fairy whom others could see only for a +moment like the lightning in the sky. Whatever is written in one's +fate, that comes true, however impossible it may be." + +But when Moonlight saw that the king was in his own country, and +the seven days were over, she thought she would fly away like +other fairies. But she could not remember how. Then she became +very sad, like a woman who has been robbed. + +And the king said: "Why are you so sad, my dear? Tell me." And +the fairy said: "The curse is over. Yet because I have been bound +so long in the fetters of your love, I have lost my magic arts. I +cannot fly." Then the king thought: "The fairy is really mine," and +he was happy and made a great feast. + +When the counsellor Farsight saw this, he went home, and lay +down on his bed, and his heart broke, and he died. Then the king +governed the kingdom himself, and lived for a long time in +heavenly happiness with Moonlight. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin said: "O King, when the +king was so happy, why should the counsellor's heart break? Was +it from grief because he did not win the fairy himself? Or from +sorrow because the king came back, and he could no longer act as +king? If you know and will not tell me, then you will lose your +virtue, and your head will go flying into a hundred pieces." + +And the king said to the goblin: "O magic creature, neither of these +reasons would be possible for a high-minded counsellor. But he +thought: The king used to neglect his duties for the sake of +ordinary women. What will happen now, when he loves a fairy? In +spite of all my efforts, a terrible misfortune has happened.' I think +that was why his heart broke." + +Then the magic goblin went back to his tree in a moment. And the +king was still determined to catch him, and went once more to the +sissoo tree. + + +TWELFTH GOBLIN + +The Brahman who died because Poison from a Snake in the Claws +of a Hawk fell into a Dish of Food given him by a Charitable +Woman. Who is to blame for his death? + +Then the King went back under the sissoo tree, put the goblin on +his shoulder, and started as before. And as he walked along, the +goblin said to him again: "O King, listen to a very condensed +story." + + +There is a city called Benares. In it lived a Brahman named +Devaswami, whom the king honoured. He was very rich, and he +had a son named Hariswami. This son had a wonderful wife, and +her name was Beautiful. No doubt the Creator put together in her +the priceless elements of charm and loveliness after his practice in +making the nymphs of heaven. + +One night Hariswami was sleeping on a balcony cooled by the rays +of the moon. And a fairy prince named Love-speed was flying +through the air, and as he passed he saw Beautiful asleep beside +her husband. He took her, still asleep, and carried her off through +the air. + +Presently Hariswami awoke, and not seeing the mistress of his life, +he rose in anxiety. And he wondered: "Oh, where has my wife +gone? Is she angry with me? Or is she playing hide-and- +seek with me, to see how I will take it?" So he roamed anxiously +all over the balcony during the rest of the night. But he did not find +her, though he searched as far as the garden. + +Then he was overcome by his sorrow and sobbed convulsively. +"Oh, Beautiful, my darling! Fair as the moon! White as the +moonlight! Was the night jealous of your beauty; did she carry you +away? Your loveliness shamed the moon who refreshed me with +beams cool as sandal; but now that you are gone, the same beams +torment me like blazing coals, like poisoned arrows!" + +And as Hariswami lamented thus, the night came to an end, but his +anguish did not end. The pleasant sun scattered the darkness, but +could not scatter the blind darkness of Hariswami's madness. His +pitiful lamentations increased a hundredfold, when the nightly +cries of the birds ended. His relatives tried to comfort him, but he +could not pluck up courage while his loved one was lost. He went +here and there, sobbing out: "Here she stood. And here she bathed. +And here she adorned herself. And here she played." + +His relatives and friends gave him good advice. "She is not dead," +they said. "Why should you make way with yourself? You will +surely find her. Pluck up courage and hunt for her. Nothing is +impossible to the brave and determined man." And when they +urged him, Hariswami after some days plucked up heart. + +He thought: "I will give all my fortune to the Brahmans, and then +wander to holy places. Thus I will wear away my sins, and when +my sins are gone, perhaps I shall find my darling in my +wanderings." So he arose and bathed. + +On the next day he provided food and drink, and made a great +feast for the Brahmans, and gave them all he had except his piety. +Then he started to wander to holy places, hoping to find his wife. + +As he wandered, the summer came on him like a lion, the blazing +sun its mouth, and the sunbeams its mane. And the hot wind blew, +made hotter yet by the sighs of travellers separated from their +wives. And the yellow mud dried and cracked, as if the lakes were +broken-hearted at the loss of their lotuses. And the trees, filled +with chirping birds, seemed to lament the absence of the spring, +and their withering leaves seemed like lips that grow dry in the +heat. + +At this time Hariswami was distressed by the heat and the loss of +his wife, by hunger, thirst, and weariness. And as he sought for +food, he came to a village. There he saw many Brahmans eating in +the house of a Brahman named Lotus-belly, and he leaned against +the doorpost, speechless and motionless. + +Then the good wife of that pious Brahman pitied him, and she +thought: "Hunger is a heavy burden. It makes anyone light. Look at +this hungry man standing with bowed head at the door. He looks +like a pious man who has come from a far country, and he is tired. +Therefore he is a proper person for me to feed." + +So the good woman took in her hands a dish filled with excellent +rice, melted butter, and candied sugar, and courteously gave it to +him. And she said: "Go to the edge of our pond, and eat it." + +He thanked her, took the dish, went a little way, and set it down +under a fig-tree on the edge of the pond. Then he washed his hands +and feet in the pond, rinsed his mouth, and joyfully drew near to +eat the good food. + +At that moment a hawk settled on the tree, carrying a black snake +in his beak and claws. And the snake died in the grasp of the hawk, +and his mouth opened, and a stream of poison came out. This +poison fell into the dish of food. + +But Hariswami did not see it. He came up hungry, and ate it all. +And immediately he felt the terrible effects of the poison. He +stammered out: "Oh, when fate goes wrong, everything goes +wrong. Even this rice and the milk and the melted butter and the +candied sugar is poison to me." And he staggered up to the +Brahman's wife and said: "Oh, Brahman's wife, I have been +poisoned by the food you gave me. Bring a poison-doctor at once. +Otherwise you will be the murderer of a Brahman." + +And the good woman was terribly agitated. But while she was +running about to find a poison-doctor, Hariswami turned up his +eyes and died. Thus, though she was not to blame, though she was +really charitable, the poor wife was reproached by the angry +Brahman who thought she had murdered her guest. She was falsely +accused for a really good action. So she was dejected and went on +a pilgrimage. + + +When he had told this story, the goblin said: "O King, who +murdered the Brahman? the snake, or the hawk, or the woman who +gave him the food, or her husband? This was discussed in the +presence of the god of death, but they could not decide. Therefore, +O King, do you say. Who killed the Brahman? Remember the +curse, if you know and do not tell the truth." + +Then the king broke silence and said: "Who did the murder? The +snake cannot be blamed, because he was being eaten by his enemy +and could not help himself. The hawk was hungry and saw +nothing. He was not to blame. And how can you blame either or +both of the charitable people who gave food to a guest who arrived +unexpectedly? They were quite virtuous, and cannot be blamed. I +should say that the dead man himself was to blame, for he dared to +accuse one of the others." + +When the goblin heard this, he jumped from the king's shoulder +and escaped to the sissoo tree. And the king ran after him again, +determined to catch him. + + +THIRTEENTH GOBLIN + +The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. Did he weep or +laugh? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder, and started. And as he walked along, the goblin said to +him: "O King, I will tell you another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Ayodhya, which was once the capital of +Rama the exterminator of giants. In this city lived a +strong-armed king named Hero-banner who protected the world as +a wall protects a city. During his reign a great merchant named +Jewel lived in the city. His wife was named Pleasing, and a +daughter named Pearl was given to her prayers. + +As the girl grew up in her father's house, her natural virtues grew +too: beauty, charm, and modesty. And thus she became a young +woman. Now in her young womanhood she was asked in marriage +not only by great merchants, but even by kings. But she was +prudent and did not like men. She would not have loved a god if he +had been her husband. She was ready to die at merely hearing talk +of her marriage. So her father was silent on the subject, though his +tender love for her made him sad. And the story was known +everywhere in Ayodhya. + +At this time all the citizens were being plundered by thieves, and +they petitioned King Hero-banner in these words: "O King, we are +plundered every night by thieves, and cannot catch them. Your +Majesty must decide what to do." So the king stationed +night-watchmen in hiding about the city, to search out the thieves. + +When the watchmen failed to catch the thieves for all their +searching, the king himself took his sword, and wandered about +alone at night. And he saw a man creeping along a wall with +noiseless steps, often casting a fearful glance behind him. The king +concluded that this was the thief who all alone robbed the city, and +went up to him. And the thief asked him who he was. The king +replied: "I am a thief." + +Then the thief said joyfully: "Good! You are my friend. Come to +my house. I will treat you like a friend." So the king agreed and +went with the thief to a house hidden in a grove and guarded by a +wall, full of delightful and beautiful things, and bright with shining +gems. There the thief offered the king a seat, and went into an +inner room. + +At that moment a serving-maid came into the room and said to the +king: "Your Majesty, why have you come into the jaws of death? +This wonderful thief has gone out, intending to do you a mischief. +He is certainly treacherous. Go away quickly." + +So the king quickly went away, returned to the city, and drew up a +company of soldiers. With these soldiers he went and surrounded +the house where the serving-maid had been. + +When the thief saw that the house was surrounded, he knew that +he was betrayed, and came out to fight and die like a man. He +showed more than human valour. He cut off the trunks of +elephants, the legs of horses, and the heads of men; and he was all +alone, with only his sword and shield. When the king saw that his +army was destroyed, he ran forward himself. + +The king was a scientific swordsman, so with a turn of his wrist he +sent the sword and the dagger flying from the thief's hand. Then +he threw away his own sword, wrestled with the thief, threw him, +and took him alive. + +The next morning the thief was led to the place of execution to be +impaled, and the drums were beaten. And Pearl, the merchant's +daughter, saw him from her balcony. All bloody and dusty as he +was, she went mad with love, found her father, and said to him: +"Father, I am going to marry that thief who is being led to +execution. You must save him from the king. Otherwise I shall die +with him." + +But her father said: "What do you mean, my daughter? That thief +stole everything the citizens had, and the king's men are going to +kill him. How can I save him from the king? Besides, what +nonsense are you talking?" But the more he scolded, the more +determined she became. And as he loved his daughter, he went to +the king and offered all he had for the release of the thief. + +But the king would not be tempted by millions. He would not +release the thief who stole everything, whom he had captured at +the risk of his life. So the father returned home sadly. And the girl, +not heeding the arguments of her relatives, took a bath, entered a +litter, and went to the death-scene of the rogue, to die with him. +Her parents and her relatives followed her, weeping. + +At that moment the executioners impaled the thief. As his life +ebbed away, he saw the girl and the people with her, and learned +her story. Then the tears rolled down his cheeks, but he died with a +smile on his lips. + +The faithful girl took the thief's body from the stake, and mounted +the pyre to burn herself. But the blessed god Shiva was staying +invisibly in the cemetery, and at that moment he spoke from the +sky: "O faithful wife, I am pleased with your constancy to the +husband of your choice. Choose whatever boon you will from me." + +The girl worshipped the gracious god and chose her boon: "O +blessed one, my father has no son. May he have a hundred. +Otherwise his childless life would end when I am gone." + +And the god spoke again from the sky: "O faithful wife, your +father shall have a hundred sons. But choose another boon. A +woman faithful as you are deserves more than the little thing you +asked." + +Then she said: "O god, if I have won your favour, may this my +husband live and always be a good man." + +The invisible Shiva spoke from the sky: "So be it. Your husband +shall be made alive and well. He shall be a good man, and King +Hero-banner shall be pleased with him." + +Then the thief arose at once, alive and well. And the merchant +Jewel was overjoyed and astonished. He took Pearl and the thief, +his son-in-law, went home with his rejoicing relatives, and made a +feast great as his own delight, in honour of the sons he was to +have. + +And the king was pleased when he learned the story, and in +recognition of the stupendous courage of the thief, he appointed +him general at once. The thief reformed, married the merchant's +daughter, and lived happily with her, devoted to virtue. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he reminded the king of the +curse, and said: "O king, when the thief on the stake saw the +merchant's daughter approaching with her father, did he weep or +laugh? Tell me." + +And the king answered: "He thought: I can make no return to this +merchant for his unselfish friendship.' Therefore he wept from +grief. And he also thought: Why does this girl reject kings and fall +in love with a thief like me? How strange women are!' Therefore +he laughed from astonishment." + +When the goblin heard this, he immediately slipped from the +king's shoulder and escaped to his home. But the king was not +discouraged. He followed him to the sissoo tree. + + +FOURTEENTH GOBLIN + +The Man who changed into a Woman at Will. Was his wife his or +the other man's? + +So the king went back as before under the sissoo tree, put the +goblin on his shoulder, and started toward the monk. And as he +walked along, the goblin told the king a story. + + +There was a city called Shivapur in Nepal. Long ago a king named +Glory-banner lived there, and he deserved the name. He laid the +burden of government on his counsellor named Ocean- +of-Wisdom, and devoted himself to a life of pleasure with his wife +Moonbright. + +In course of time a daughter named Moonlight was born to them, +pleasing as the moonlight to the eyes of men. When she grew up, +she went one day in spring with her servants to a festival in the +garden. + +There she was seen by a Brahman youth named Master- +mind, the son of Rich, who had come there to the festival. When +he saw her plucking flowers with one arm uplifted, he went mad +with love. His heart was taken captive by the gay maiden, and he +was no longer master of his mind. + +He thought: "Is she the goddess of love, plucking the spring +flowers in person? Or is she a forest goddess, come here to +worship the spring-time?" + +Then the princess saw him, like a new god of love incarnate. The +moment her eyes fell on him, she fell in love, forgetting her +flowers and even her own limbs. While they looked at each other, +lost in love like people in a picture, a great wail of anguish arose. +They lifted their heads to learn what the matter was, and just then +an elephant that had broken his chain, maddened by the scent of +another mad elephant, came by, crushing the people in his path. He +had thrown off his driver and the ankus hung from him as he ran. +And everyone fled in terror. + +But the youth Master-mind ran up in a hurry and took the princess +in his arms. And with a mixture of fear and love and modesty she +half embraced him as he carried her far out of the elephant's path. +Then her people gradually gathered, and she went to the palace, +looking at the youth, and burning over the flame of love. + +And the youth went home from the garden, and thought: "I cannot +live, I cannot exist a moment without her. I must seek help from +my teacher Root, who is a thorough rogue." And so the day slowly +passed. + +The next morning he went to his teacher Root, and found him with +his constant friend Moon. He drew near, bowed, and told his +desire. And the teacher laughed and promised to help him. + +So that wonderful rogue put a magic pill in his mouth, and thus +changed himself into an old Brahman. He put a second pill into +Master-mind's mouth, which changed him into a lovely girl. Then +that prince of rogues took him to the king and said: "O King, this +maiden has come a long distance to marry my only son. But my +son has gone away, and I am going to look for him. Please keep +the girl. For you are a protector to be trusted while I am looking for +my son." + +The king was afraid of a curse, so he promised to do it. And +summoning his daughter, he said: "Daughter, keep this maiden in +your chamber, and let her live with you." So the girl took the +Brahman youth Master-mind in his girl form to her own +apartments. + +When Root had gone away, Master-mind in his girl form lived +with his beloved, and in a few days came to know her in an +intimate and loving way, as girl friends do. Then when he saw that +she was pining away and tossing on her couch, he asked the +princess one evening: "My dear girl, why do you grow pale and +thin day by day, grieving as if separated from your love? Tell me. +Why not trust a loving, innocent girl like me? If you will not tell +me, I shall starve myself." + +And the princess trusted him and said after a little hesitation: "My +dear girl, why should I not trust you? Listen. I will tell you. One +day I went to the spring festival in the garden. There I saw a +handsome Brahman youth, fair as the moon but not so cold, the +sight of whom kindled my love. For he adorned the garden as the +spring-time does. While my eager eyes were feasting on his face, a +great mad elephant that had broken his chain came charging and +thundering past like a black cloud in the dry season. My servants +scattered in terror, and I was helpless. But the Brahman youth took +me in his arms and carried me far away. I seemed to be in a sandal +bath, in a stream of nectar. I cannot tell how I felt as I touched +him. Presently my servants gathered around, and I was brought +here helpless. I felt as if I had fallen from heaven to earth. From +that day I see in my thoughts my dear preserver beside me. I +embrace him in my dreams. What need of more words? I wear +away the time, thinking constantly of him and only him. The fire +of separation from the lord of my life devours me day and night." + +When Master-mind heard these welcome words, he rejoiced and +counted himself happy. And thinking the time to reveal himself +had come, he took the pill from his mouth, and disclosed his +natural form. And he said: "Beautiful maiden, I am he whom you +bought and enslaved with a kindly glance in the garden. I was sick +at the separation from you; so I took the form of a girl, and came +here. So now bring heaven in a loving glance to my love-tortured +heart." + +When the princess saw that the lord of her life was beside her, she +was torn between love and wonder and modesty, and did not know +what she ought to do. So they were secretly married and lived +there in supreme happiness. Master-mind lived in a double form. +By day he was a girl with the pill in his mouth, by night a man +without the pill. + +After a time the brother-in-law of King Glory-banner gave his +daughter with great pomp to a Brahman, the son of the counsellor +Ocean-of-Wisdom. And the princess Moonlight was invited to her +cousin's wedding and went to her uncle's house. And +Master-mind went with her in his girl form. + +When the counsellor's son saw Master-mind in his lovely girl +form, he was terribly smitten with the arrows of love. His heart +was stolen by the sham girl, and he went home feeling lonely even +with his wife. It made him crazy to think of that lovely face. When +his father tried to soothe him, he woke from his madness and +stammered out his insane desire. And his father was terribly +distressed, knowing that all this depended on another. + +Then the king learned the story and came there. When the king +saw his condition and perceived that he was seven parts gone in +love, he said: "How can I give him the girl who was intrusted to +me by the Brahman? Yet without her he will be ten parts gone in +love, and will die. And if he dies, then his father, the counsellor, +will die too. And if the counsellor perishes, my kingdom will +perish. What shall I do?" + +He consulted his counsellors, and they said: "Your Majesty, the +first duty of a king is the preservation of the virtue of his people. +This is the fundamental principle, and is established as such +among counsellors. If the counsellor is lost, the fundamental +principle is lost; how then can virtue be preserved? So in this case +it would be sinful to destroy the counsellor through his son. You +must by all means avoid the loss of virtue which would ensue. +Give the Brahman's girl to the counsellor's son. And when the +Brahman returns, further measures will suggest themselves." + +To this the king agreed, and promised to give the sham girl to the +counsellor's son. So Master-mind in his girl form was brought +from the chamber of the princess, and he said to the king: "Your +Majesty, I was brought here by somebody for a given purpose. If +you give me to somebody else, well and good. You are the king. +Right and wrong depend on you. I will marry him to-day, but only +on one condition. My husband shall go away immediately after the +marriage and not return until he has been on a pilgrimage for six +months. Otherwise I shall bite out my tongue." + +So the counsellor's son was summoned, and he joyfully assented. +He made the man his wife at once, put the sham wife in a guarded +room and started on a pilgrimage. So Master-mind lived there in +his woman form. + +When he realized that the counsellor's son would soon return, +Master-mind fled by night. And Root heard the story, and again +assumed the form of an old Brahman. He took his friend Moon, +went to Glory-banner, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, I have +brought my son. Pray give me my daughter-in-law." + +The king was afraid of a curse, so he said: "Brahman, I do not +know where your daughter-in-law has gone. Be merciful. To atone +for my carelessness, I will give your son my own daughter." + +The prince of rogues in the form of an old Brahman angrily +refused. But the king finally persuaded him, and with all due form +married his daughter Moonlight to Moon, who pretended to be the +old Brahman's son. Then Root went home with the bride and +bridegroom. + +But then Master-mind came, and in the presence of Root, a great +dispute arose between him and Moon. + +Master-mind said: "Moonlight should be given to me. I married +the girl first with my teacher's permission." + +Moon said: "Fool! What rights have you in my wife? Her father +gave her to me in regular marriage." + +So they disputed about the princess whom one had won by fraud +and the other by force. But they could reach no decision. + + +O King, tell me. Whose wife is she? Resolve my doubts, and +remember the agreement about your head. + +Then the king said: "I think she is the rightful wife of Moon. For +she was married to him in the regular way by her father in the +presence of her relatives. Master-mind married her secretly, like a +thief. And when a thief takes things from other people, it is never +right." + +When the goblin heard this, he went back home as before. And the +king stuck to his purpose. He went back again, put the goblin on +his shoulder, and started from the sissoo tree. + + +FIFTEENTH GOBLIN + +The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent Shell-crest. +Which is the more self-sacrificing? + + +So the king walked along with the goblin. And the goblin said: "O +king, listen to a story the like of which was never heard." + + +There is a mountain called Himalaya where all gems are found. It +is the king of mountains. Its proud loftiness is everywhere the +theme of song. The sun himself has not seen its top. + +On its summit is a city called Golden City, brilliant like a heap of +sunbeams left in trust by the sun. There lived a glorious +fairy-king named Cloud-banner. In the garden of his palace was a +wishing-tree which had come down to him from his ancestors. + +King Cloud-banner had worshipped the tree which was really a +god, and by its grace had obtained a son named +Cloud-chariot. This son remembered his former lives. He was +destined to be a Buddha in a future life. He was generous, noble, +merciful to all creatures, and obedient to his parents. + +When he grew up, the king anointed him crown prince, persuaded +thereto by his counsellors as well as by the remarkable virtues of +the youth. While Cloud-chariot was crown prince, his father's +counsellors came to him one day and kindly said: "Crown prince, +you must always honour this wishing-tree in your garden; for it +yields all desires, and cannot be taken away by anybody. As long +as it is favourably disposed to us, the king of the gods could not +conquer us, and of course nobody else could." + +Then Cloud-chariot thought: "Alas! The men of old had this +heavenly tree, yet they did not pluck from it any worthy fruit. They +were mean-spirited. They simply begged it for some kind of +wealth. And so they degraded themselves and the great tree too. +But I will get from it the wish which is in my heart." + +With this thought the noble creature went to his father. He showed +such complete deference as to delight his father, then when his +father was comfortably seated, he whispered: "Father, you know +yourself that in this sea of life all possessions, including our own +bodies, are uncertain as a rippling wave. Especially is money +fleeting, uncertain, fickle as the twilight lightning. The only thing +in life which does not perish is service. This gives birth to virtue +and glory, twin witnesses through all the ages to come. Father! +Why do we keep such a wishing-tree for the sake of transient +blessings? Our ancestors clung to it, saying: It is mine, it is mine.' +And where are they now? What is it to them, or they to it? Then, if +you bid me, I will beg this generous wishing-tree for the one fruit +that counts, the fruit of service to others." + +His father graciously assented, and Cloud-chariot went to the +wishing-tree, and said: "O god, you have fulfilled the wishes of our +fathers. Fulfil now my one single wish. Remove poverty from the +world. A blessing be with you. Go. I give you to the needy world." +And as Cloud-chariot bowed reverently, there came a voice from +the tree: "I go, since you give me up." And the +wishing-tree immediately flew from heaven and rained so much +money on the earth that nobody was poor. And +Cloud-chariot's reputation for universal benevolence was spread +about. + +But all the relatives were jealous and envious. They thought that +they could easily conquer Cloud-chariot and his father without the +wishing-tree, and they prepared to fight to take away his kingdom. +But Cloud-chariot said to his father: "Father, how can you take +your weapons and fight? What high-minded man would want a +kingdom after killing his relatives just for the sake of this +wretched, perishable body? Let us abandon the kingdom, and go +away somewhere to devote ourselves entirely to virtue. Then we +shall be blessed in both worlds. And let these wretched relatives +enjoy the kingdom which they hanker after." + +And Cloud-banner said: "My son, I only want the kingdom for you, +and if you give it up from benevolent motives, what good is it to +me? I am an old man." + +So Cloud-chariot left the kingdom and went with his father and +mother to the Malabar hills. There he built a hermit's retreat, and +waited on his parents. + +One day, as he wandered about, he met Friend-wealth, the son of +All-wealth, who lived there as king of the Siddhas. And +Cloud-chariot spoke to him and made friends with him. + +Then one day Cloud-chariot saw a shrine to the goddess Gauri in +the grove, and entered there. And he saw a slender, lovely maiden +surrounded by her girl friends and playing on a lute, in honour of +Gauri. The deer listened to her music and her song, motionless as +if ashamed because her eyes were lovelier than their own. When +Cloud-chariot saw the slender maiden, his heart was ravished. + +And he seemed to her to make the garden beautiful like the +spring-time. A strange longing came over her. She became so +helpless that her friends were alarmed. + +Then Cloud-chariot asked one of her friends: "My good girl, what +is your friend's sweet name? What family does she adorn?" + +And the friend said: "This is Sandal, sister of Friend-wealth, and +daughter of the king of the Siddhas." Then she earnestly asked for +the name and family of Cloud-Chariot from a hermit's son who +had come with him. And then she spoke to Sandal with words +punctuated by smiles: "My dear, why do you not show hospitality +to the fairy prince? He is a guest whom all the world would be glad +to honour." + +But the bashful princess remained silent with downcast eyes. Then +the friend said: "She is bashful. Accept a hospitable greeting from +me." And she gave him a garland. + +Cloud-chariot, far gone in love, took the garland and put it around +Sandal's neck. And the loving, sidelong glance which she gave +him seemed like another garland of blue lotuses. So they pledged +themselves without speaking a word. + +Then a serving-maid came and said to the princess: "Princess, your +mother remembers you. Come at once." And she went slowly, +after drawing from her lover's face a passionate glance, for which +Love's arrow had wedged a path. And Cloud-chariot went to the +hermitage, thinking of her; while she, sick with the separation +from the lord of her life, saw her mother, then tottered to her bed +and fell upon it. Her eyes were blinded as if by smoke from the fire +of love within her, her limbs tossed in fever, she shed tears. And +though her friends anointed her with sandal and fanned her with +lotus-leaves, she found no rest on her bed or in the lap of a friend +or on the ground. + +Then when the day fled away with the passionate red twilight, and +the moon drew near to kiss the face of the laughing East, she +despaired of life, and her modesty would not let her send a +message in spite of all her love. But somehow she lived through +the night. And Cloud-chariot too was in anguish at the separation. +Even in his bed he was fallen into the hand of Love. Though his +passion was so recent, he had already grown pale. Though shame +kept him silent, his looks told of the pangs of love. And so he +passed the night. + +In the morning he arose and went to the shrine of Gauri. And his +friend, the hermit's son, followed him and tried to comfort him. At +that moment the lovelorn Sandal came out of her house alone, for +she could not endure the separation, and crept to that lonely spot to +end her life there. + +She did not see her lover behind a tree, and with eyes brimming +with tears she prayed to the goddess Gauri: "O goddess, since I +could not in this life have Cloud-chariot as my husband, grant that +in another life at last he may be my husband." + +Then she tied her garment to the limb of an ashoka tree before the +goddess and cried: "Alas, my lord! Alas, Cloud-chariot! They say +your benevolence is universal. Why did you not save me?" + +But as she fastened the garment about her neck, a voice from the +sky was heard in the air: "My daughter, do nothing rash. +Cloud-chariot, the future king of the fairies, shall be your +husband." + +And Cloud-chariot heard the heavenly voice, and with his friend +approached his rejoicing sweetheart. The friend said to the girl: +"Here is the gift which the goddess grants you." And +Cloud-chariot spoke more than one tender word and loosed the +garment from her neck with his own hand. + +Then a girl friend who had been gathering flowers there and had +seen what was happening, came up joyfully and said, while +Sandal's modest eyes seemed to be tracing a figure on the ground: +"My dear, I congratulate you. Your wish is granted. This very day +Prince Friend-wealth said in my presence to King +All-wealth, your father: Father, the fairy prince +, who deserves honour from all the world, who gave away the +wishing-tree, is here, and we should treat him as an honoured +guest. We could not find another bridegroom like him. So let us +welcome him with the gift of Sandal who is a pearl of a girl.' And +the king agreed, and your brother Friend-wealth has this moment +gone to the hermitage of the noble prince. I think your marriage +will soon take place. So go to your chamber, and let the noble +prince go to his hermitage." + +So she went slowly and happily and lovingly. And +Cloud-chariot hastened to the hermitage. There he greeted +Friend-wealth and heard his message, and told him about his own +birth and former life. Then Friend-wealth was delighted and told +Cloud-chariot's parents who were also delighted. Then he went +home and made his own parents happy with the news. + +That very day he invited Cloud-chariot to his home. And they +made a great feast as was proper, and married the fairy prince and +Sandal on the spot. Then Cloud-chariot was completely happy and +spent some time there with his bride Sandal. + +One day he took a walk for pleasure about the hills with +Friend-wealth, and came to the seashore. There he saw great heaps +of bones, and he asked Friend-wealth: "What creatures did these +heaps of bones belong to?" His brother-in-law Friend-wealth said +to the merciful prince: "Listen, my friend. I will tell you the story +briefly." + +Long ago Kadru, the mother of the serpents, made a wager with +her rival Vinata, the mother of the great bird Garuda. She won the +wager and enslaved her rival. Now Garuda's anger continued even +after he had freed his mother from slavery. He kept going into the +underworld where Kadru's offspring, the serpents, live, to eat +them. Some he killed, others he crushed. + +Then Vasuki, king of the serpents, feared that in time all would be +lost if the serpents were all to be slain thus. So he made an +agreement with Garuda. He said: "O king of birds, I will send one +serpent every day to the shore of the southern sea for you to eat. +But you are never to enter the underworld again. What advantage +would it be to you if all the serpents were slain at once?" And +Garuda agreed, with an eye to his own advantage. + +Since that time Garuda every day eats the snake sent by Vasuki +here on the seashore. And these heaps of bones from the serpents +that have been eaten, have in time formed a regular mountain. + +When Cloud-chariot heard this story from the lips of +Friend-wealth, he was deeply grieved and said: "My friend, +wretched indeed is that king Vasuki who deliberately sacrifices his +own subjects to their enemy. He is a coward. He has a thousand +heads, yet could not find a single mouth to say: O Garuda, eat me +first.' How could he be so mean as to beg Garuda to destroy his +own race? Or how can Garuda, the heavenly bird, do such a crime? +Oh, insolent madness!" + +So the noble Cloud-chariot made up his mind that he would use his +poor body that day to save the life of one serpent at least. At that +moment a door-keeper, sent by Friend-wealth's father, came to +summon them home. And Cloud-Chariot said: "Do you go first. I +will follow." So he dismissed Friend-wealth, and remained there +himself. + +As he walked about waiting for the thing he hoped for, he heard a +pitiful sound of weeping at a distance. He went a little way and +saw near a lofty rock a sorrowful, handsome youth. He was at that +moment abandoned by a creature that seemed to be a policeman, +and was gently persuading his old, weeping mother to return. And +Cloud-chariot wished to know who it might be. So he hid himself +and listened, his heart melting with pity. + +The old mother was bowed down by anguish, and started to lament +over the youth. "Oh, Shell-crest! Oh, my virtuous son, whom I +fondled, not counting the labour and the pain! Oh, my son, my only +son! Where shall I see you again? Oh, my darling! When your +bright face is gone, your old father will fall into black despair. +How can he live then? Your tender form is hurt by the rays of the +sun. How can it bear the pangs of being eaten by Garuda? Oh, my +unhappy fate! Why did the Creator and the serpent-king choose my +only son from the broad serpent-world, and seize upon him?" + +And as she lamented, the youth, her son, said: "Mother, I am +unhappy enough. Why torture me yet more? Return home. For the +last time I bow before you. It is time for Garuda to come." + +And the mother cried: "Alas, alas for me! Who will save my son?" +And she gazed about wildly and wept aloud. + +All this Cloud-chariot, the future Buddha, saw and heard. And +with deep pity he thought: "Alas! This is a serpent named +Shell-crest, sent here by Vasuki for Garuda to eat. And this is his +mother, following him out of her great love. He is her only son, +and she is mourning in pain and bitter anguish. I should forever +curse my useless life if I did not save one in such agony at the cost +of a body which must perish anyway some day." + +So Cloud-chariot joyfully approached and said to the old mother: +"Serpent-mother, I will save your son. Do not weep." + +But the old mother thought that this was Garuda, and she +screamed: "O Garuda, eat me! Eat me!" + +Then Shell-crest said: "Mother, this is not Garuda. Do not be +alarmed. What a difference between one who soothes our feelings +like the moon, and the fearful Garuda." + +And Cloud-chariot said: "Mother, I am a fairy, come to save your +son. I will put on his garment and offer my own body to the hungry +bird. Do you take your son and go home." + +But the old mother said: "No, no. You are more than a son to me. +To think that such as you should feel pity for such as we!" + +And Cloud-chariot answered: "Mother, I beg you not to disappoint +me." But when he insisted, Shell-crest said: "Noble being, you +have certainly shown compassion, but I do not wish to save my +body at the expense of yours. Who would save a common stone at +the cost of a pearl? The world is full of creatures like me, who are +merciful only to themselves. But creatures like you, who are +merciful to all the world, are very rare. Oh, pious being, I could +not stain the pure family of Shell-guard, as the dark spot stains the +disk on the moon." + +Then Shell-crest said to his mother: "Mother, return from this +desolate place. Do you not see the rock of sacrifice wet with the +blood of serpents, the terrible plaything of Death? I will go for a +moment to the shore and worship the god Shiva there. And I will +return quickly before Garuda comes." + +So Shell-crest took leave of his mother and went to worship Shiva. +And Cloud-chariot thought: "If Garuda should come in this +interval, I should be happy." + +Then he saw the trees stiffening themselves against the wind made +by the sweeping wings of the king of birds. "Garuda is coming," he +thought, and climbed the rock of sacrifice, eager to give his life for +another. + +And Garuda straightway pounced upon the noble creature and +lifted him from the rock in his beak. While Cloud-chariot's blood +flowed in streams and the gem fell from his forehead, Garuda +carried him off and began to eat him on the summit of the Malabar +hills. And while he was being eaten, Cloud-chariot thought: "In +every future life of mine may my body do some good to somebody. +I would not attain heaven and salvation without doing some good +first." Then a shower of flowers fell from heaven on the fairy +prince. + + +At that moment the blood-stained gem from his forehead fell in +front of his wife Sandal. She was in anguish at the sight, and as her +parents-in-law were near, she tearfully showed it to them. And +they were alarmed at the sight of their son's gem and wondered +what it meant. Then King Cloud-banner discovered the truth by his +magic arts, and he and his queen started to run with +Cloud-chariot's wife Sandal. + +At that moment Shell-crest returned from his worship of Shiva. He +saw the rock stained with blood, and cried: "Alas for me, poor +sinner! Surely that noble, merciful creature has given his body to +Garuda in place of mine. I must find him. Where has the great +being been carried by my enemy? If I find him alive, then I shall +not sink into the slough of infamy." So he followed weeping the +broad trail of blood. + +Now Garuda noticed that Cloud-chariot was happy while being +eaten, and he thought: "This must be some strange, great being, for +he is happy while I am eating him. He does not die, and what +remains of him is thrilled with delight. And he turns a gracious, +benevolent look upon me. Surely, he is no serpent, but some great +spirit. I will stop eating him and ask him." + +But while he reflected, Cloud-chariot said: "O king of birds, why +do you stop? There is still some flesh and blood on me, and I see +that you are not satisfied. Pray continue to eat." + +When the king of birds heard these remarkable words, he said: +"You are no serpent. Tell me who you are." + +But Cloud-chariot continued to urge him: "Certainly I am a +serpent. What does the question mean? Continue your meal. What +fool would begin a thing and then stop?" + +At that moment Shell-crest shouted from afar: "O Garuda, do not +commit a great and reckless crime. What madness is this? He is +not a serpent. I am the serpent." + +And he ran between them and spoke again to the agitated bird: "O +Garuda, what madness is this? Do you not see that I have the hood +and the forked tongue? Do you not see how gentle his appearance +is?" + +While he was speaking, Cloud-chariot's wife Sandal and his +parents hurried up. And when his parents saw how he was +lacerated, they wept aloud and lamented: "Alas, my son! Alas, +Cloud-chariot! Alas for my merciful darling, who gave his life for +others!" + +But when they cried: "Alas, Garuda! How could you do this +thoughtless thing?" then Garuda was filled with remorse and +thought: "Alas! How could I be mad enough to eat a future +Buddha? This must be Cloud-chariot, who gives his life for others, +whose fame is trumpeted abroad through all the world. If he is +dead, I am a sinner, and ought to burn myself alive. Why does the +fruit of the poison-tree of sin taste sweet?" + +While Garuda was thus deep in anxious thought, +Cloud-chariot saw his relatives gathered, fell down, and died from +the pain of his wounds. Then, while his grief-stricken parents were +loudly lamenting, while Shell-crest was accusing himself, Sandal +looked up to heaven and, in a voice stammering with tears, +reproached the goddess Gauri who had graciously given her this +husband: "Oh, Mother! You told me that the fairy prince should be +my husband, but it is my fate that you spoke falsely." + +Then Gauri appeared in a visible form, and said: "Daughter, my +words are not false." And she sprinkled Cloud-chariot with nectar +from a jar. And straightway he stood up alive, unhurt and more +beautiful than before. + +As they all bent low in worship, and Cloud-chariot rose only to +bend again, the goddess said: "My son, I am pleased with your gift +of your own body. With my own hand I anoint you king of the +fairies." And she anointed Cloud-chariot with liquor from the jar, +and then disappeared, followed by the worship of the company. +And showers of heavenly blossoms fell from the sky, and the +drums of the gods were joyfully beaten in heaven. + +Then Garuda reverently said to Cloud-chariot: "O King, I am +pleased with your more than human character. For you have done a +strange thing of unparalleled nobility, to be marvelled at +throughout the universe, to be written upon the walls of heaven. +Therefore I am at your service. Choose from me what boon you +will." + +The noble creature said to Garuda: "O Garuda, you must repent +and eat no more serpents. And you must restore to life those that +you ate before, who now are nothing but bones." + +And Garuda said: "So be it. I will eat no serpents hereafter. And +those that I have eaten shall come to life." + +Then all the serpents who had been eaten down to the bones, +suddenly stood up. And through the grace of Gauri all the leading +fairies learned immediately the wonderful deed of +Cloud-chariot. So they all came and bowed at his feet and took +him, freshly anointed by the very hand of Gauri, with his rejoicing +relatives and friends to the Himalaya mountain. There +Cloud-chariot lived happily with his father and his mother and his +wife Sandal and Friend-wealth and the generous +Shell-crest. And he ruled the fairy world radiant with gems. + + +When the goblin had told this long, strange story, he said to the +king: "O King, tell me. Which was the more +self-sacrificing, Cloud-chariot or Shell-crest? If you know and do +not tell, then the curse I mentioned before will be fulfilled." + +And the king said: "There was nothing remarkable in what +Cloud-chariot did. He was prepared for it by the experiences of +many past lives. But Shell-crest deserves praise. He was saved +from death. His enemy had another victim, and was far away. Yet +he ran after and offered his body to Garuda." + +When the goblin heard this, he went back to the sissoo tree. And +the king returned to catch him again. + + +SIXTEENTH GOBLIN + +The King who died for Love of his General's Wife; the General +follows him in Death. Which is the more worthy? + +Then the king went back under the sissoo tree, put the goblin on +his shoulder as before, and started. And the goblin said to him: "O +King, I will tell you another little story to relieve your weariness. +Listen." + + +Long ago there was a city named Golden City on the bank of the +Ganges, where a quarter of the old perfect virtue still lingers in +these evil days. There was a king named Glorious, and he deserved +the name. His bravery kept the world from being overflowed, like +the shore of the sea. + +In this king's city lived a great merchant, who had a daughter +named Passion. Everyone who saw her fell in love and went mad +with passion. + +When she grew to be a young woman, the virtuous merchant went +to King Glorious and said: "Your Majesty, I have a daughter, the +gem of the three worlds, and she is old enough to marry. I could +not give her to anyone without consulting your Majesty. For you +are the master of all gems in the world. Pray marry her and thus lay +me under obligations." + +So the king sent his own Brahmans to examine her qualities. But +when the Brahmans saw her supreme loveliness, they were +troubled and thought: "If the king should marry her, his kingdom +would be ruined. He would think only of her, and would doubtless +neglect his kingdom. Therefore we must not report her good +qualities to the king." + +So they returned to the king and said: "Your Majesty, she has bad +qualities." So the king did not marry the merchant's daughter. But +he bade the merchant give his daughter to a general named Force. +And she lived happily with her husband in his house. + +After a time the lion of spring came dancing through the forest and +slew the elephant of winter. And King Glorious went forth on the +back of an elephant to see the spring festival. And the drum was +beaten to warn virtuous women to stay within doors. Otherwise +they would have fallen in love with his beauty, and +love-sickness might be expected. + +But when Passion heard the drum, she did not like to be left alone. +She went out on the balcony, that the king might see her. She +seemed like the flame of love which the spring-time was fanning +with southern breezes. And the king saw her, and his whole being +was shaken. He felt her beauty sinking deep in his heart like a +victorious arrow of Love, and he fainted. + +His servants brought him back to consciousness, and he returned to +the city. There he made inquiries and learned that this was Passion +whom he had rejected before. So he banished from the country the +Brahmans who had said that she had bad qualities, and he thought +longingly of her every day. + +And as he thought of her, he burned over the flame of love, and +wasted away day and night. And though from shame he tried to +conceal it, he finally told the reason of his anguish to responsible +people who asked him. + +They said: "Do not suffer. Why do you not seize her?" But the +virtuous king would not do it. + +Then General Force heard the story. He came and bowed at the +feet of the king and said: "Your Majesty, she is the wife of your +slave, therefore she is your slave. I give her to you of my own +accord. Pray take my wife. Or better yet, I will leave her here in +the palace. Then you cannot be blamed if you marry her." And the +general begged and insisted. + +But the king became angry and said: "I am a king. How can I do +such a wicked thing? If I should transgress, who would be +virtuous? You are devoted to me. Why do you urge me to a sin +which is pleasant for the moment, but causes great sorrow in the +next world? If you abandon your wedded wife, I shall not pardon +you. How could a man in my position overlook such a +transgression? It is better to die." Thus the king argued against it. +For the truly great throw away life rather than virtue. And when all +the citizens came together and urged him, he was steadfast and +refused. + +So he slowly shrivelled away over the fever-flame of love and +died. There was nothing left of King Glorious except his glory. +And the general could not endure the death of his king. He burned +himself alive. The actions of devoted men are blameless. + + +When the goblin on the king's shoulder had told this story, he +asked the king: "O King, which of these two, the king and the +general, was the more deserving? Remember the curse before you +answer." + +The king said: "I think the king was the more deserving." + +And the goblin said reproachfully: "O King, why was not the +general better? He offered the king a wife like that, whose charms +he knew from a long married life. And when his king died, he +burned himself like a faithful man. But the king gave her up +without really knowing her attractions." + +Then the king laughed and said: "True enough, but not surprising. +The general was a gentleman born, and acted as he did from +devotion to his superior. For servants must protect their masters +even at the cost of their own lives. But kings are like mad +elephants who cannot be goaded into obedience, who break the +binding-chain of virtue. They are insolent, and their judgment +trickles from them with the holy water of consecration. Their eyes +are blinded by the hurricane of power, and they do not see the +road. From the most ancient times, even the kings who conquered +the world have been maddened by love and have fallen into +misfortune. But this king, though he ruled the whole world, though +he was maddened by the girl Passion, preferred to die rather than +set his foot on the path of iniquity. He was a hero. He was the +better of the two." + +Then the goblin escaped by magic from the king's shoulder and +went back. And the king pursued him, undiscouraged. No great +man stops in the middle of the hardest undertaking. + + +SEVENTEENTH GOBLIN + +The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies. Why did he +fail to win the magic spell? + +Then the king went back through the night to the cemetery filled +with ghouls, terrible with funeral piles that seemed like ghosts +with wagging tongues of flame. But when he came to the sissoo +tree, he was surprised to see a great many bodies hanging on the +tree. They were all alike, and in each was a goblin twitching its +limbs. + +And the king thought: "Ah, what does this mean? Why does that +magic goblin keep wasting my time? For I do not know which of +all these I ought to take. If I should not succeed in this night's +endeavour, then I would burn myself alive rather than become a +laughing-stock." + +But the goblin understood the king's purpose, and was pleased +with his character. So he gave up his magic arts. Then the king saw +only one goblin in one body. He took him down as before, put him +on his shoulder, and started once more. + +And as he walked along, the goblin said: "O King, if you have no +objections, I will tell you a story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Ujjain, whose people delight in noble +happiness, and feel no longing for heaven. In that city there is real +darkness at night, real intelligence in poetry, real madness in +elephants, real coolness in pearls, sandal, and moonlight. + +There lived a king named Moonshine. He had as counsellor a +famous Brahman named Heaven-lord, rich in money, rich in piety, +rich in learning. And the counsellor had a son named +Moon-lord. + +This son went one day to a great resort of gamblers to play. There +the dice, beautiful as the eyes of gazelles, were being thrown +constantly. And Calamity seemed to be looking on, thinking: +"Whom shall I embrace?" And the loud shouts of angry gamblers +seemed to suggest the question: "Who is there that would not be +fleeced here, were he the god of wealth himself?" + +This hall the youth entered, and played with dice. He staked his +clothes and everything else, and the gamblers won it all. Then he +wagered money he did not have, and lost that. And when they +asked him to pay, he could not. So the gambling-master caught +him and beat him with clubs. + +When he was bruised all over by the clubs, the Brahman youth +became motionless like a stone, and pretended to be dead, and +waited. After he had lain thus for two or three days, the heartless +gambling-master said to the gamblers: "He lies like a stone. Take +him somewhere and throw him into a blind well. I will pay you the +money he owes." + +So the gamblers picked Moon-lord up and went far into the forest, +looking for a well. Then one old gambler said to the others: "He is +as good as dead. What is the use of throwing him into a well now? +We will leave him here and go back and say we have left him in a +well." And all the rest agreed, and left him there, and went back. + +When they were gone, Moon-lord rose and entered a deserted +temple to Shiva. When he had rested a little there, he thought in +great anguish: "Ah, I trusted the rascally gamblers, and they +cheated me. Where shall I go now, naked and dusty as I am? What +would my father say if he saw me now, or any relative, or any +friend? I will stay here for the present, and at night I will go out +and try to find food somehow to appease my hunger." + +While he reflected in weariness and nakedness, the sun grew less +hot and disappeared. Then a terrible hermit named Stake came +there, and he had smeared his body with ashes. When he had seen +Moon-lord and asked who he was and heard his story, he said, as +the youth bent low before him: "Sir, you have come to my +hermitage, a guest fainting with hunger. Rise, bathe, and partake of +the meal I have gained by begging." + +Then Moon-lord said to him: "Holy sir, I am a Brahman. How can +I partake of such a meal?" + +Then the hermit-magician went into his hut and out of tenderness +to his guest he thought of a magic spell which grants all desires. +And the spell appeared in bodily form, and said: "What shall I +do?" And the hermit said: "Treat that man as an honoured guest." + +Then Moon-lord was astonished to see a golden palace rise before +him and a grove with women in it. They came to him from the +palace and said: "Sir, rise, come, bathe, eat, and meet our +mistress." So they led him in and gave him a chance to bathe and +anoint himself and dress. Then they led him to another room. + +There the youth saw a woman of wonderful beauty, whom the +Creator must have made to see what he could do. She rose and +offered him half of her seat. And he ate heavenly food and various +fruits and chewed betel leaves and sat happily with her on the +couch. + +In the morning he awoke and saw the temple to Shiva, but the +heavenly creature was gone, and the palace, and the women in it. +So he went out in distress, and the hermit in his hut smiled and +asked him how he had spent the night. And he said: "Holy sir, +through your kindness I spent a happy night, but I shall die without +that heavenly creature." + +Then the hermit laughed and said: "Stay here. You shall have the +same happiness again to-night." So Moon-lord enjoyed those +delights every night through the favour of the hermit. + +Finally Moon-lord came to see what a mighty spell that was. So, +driven on by his fate, he respectfully begged the hermit: "Holy sir, +if you really feel pity for a poor suppliant like me, teach me that +spell which has such power." + +And when he insisted, the hermit said: "You could never win the +spell. One has to stand in the water to win it. And it weaves a net +of magic to bewilder the man who is repeating the words, so that +he cannot win it. For as he mumbles it, he seems to lead another +life, first a baby, then a boy, then a youth, then a husband, then a +father. And he falsely imagines that such and such people are his +friends, such and such his enemies. He forgets his real life and his +desire to win the spell. But if a man mumbles it constantly for +twenty-four years, and remembers his own life, and is not deceived +by the network of magic, and then at the end burns himself alive, +he comes out of the water, and has real magic power. It comes +only to a good pupil, and if a teacher tries to teach it to a bad pupil, +the teacher loses it too. Now you have the real benefit through my +magic power. Why insist on more? If I lost my powers, then your +happiness would go too." + +But Moon-lord said: "I can do anything. Do not fear, holy sir." And +the hermit promised to teach him the spell. What will holy men +not do out of regard to those who seek aid? + +So the hermit went to the river bank, and said: "My son, mumble +the words of the spell. And while you are leading an imaginary +life, you will at last be awakened by my magic. Then plunge into +the magic fire which you will see. I will stand here on the bank +while you mumble it." + +So he purified himself and purified Moon-lord and made him sip +water, and then he taught him the magic spell. And +Moon-lord bowed to his teacher on the bank, and plunged into the +river. + +And as he mumbled the words of the spell in the water, he was +bewildered by its magic. He forgot all about his past life, and went +through another life. He was born in another city as the son of a +Brahman. Then he grew up, was consecrated, and went to school. +Then he took a wife, and after many experiences half pleasant, half +painful, he found himself the father of a family. Then he lived for +some years with his parents and his relatives, devoted to wife and +children, and interested in many things. + +While he was experiencing all these labours of another life, the +hermit took pity on him and repeated magic words to enlighten +him. And Moon-lord was enlightened in the midst of his new life. +He remembered himself and his teacher, and saw that the other life +was a network of magic. So he prepared to enter the fire in order to +win magic power. + +But older people and reliable people and his parents and his +relatives tried to prevent him. In spite of them he hankered after +heavenly pleasures, and went to the bank of a river where a funeral +pile had been made ready. And his relatives went with him. But +when he got there he saw that his old parents and his wife and his +little children were weeping. + +And he was perplexed, and thought: "Alas! If I enter the fire, all +these my own people will die. And I do not know whether my +teacher's promise will come true or not. Shall I go into the fire, or +go home? No, no. How could a teacher with such powers promise +falsely? Indeed, I must enter the fire." And he did. + +And he was astonished the feel the fire as cool as snow, and lost +his fear of it. Then he came out of the water of the river, and found +himself on the bank. He saw his teacher standing there, and fell at +his feet, and told him the whole story, ending with the blazing +funeral pile. + +Then his teacher said: "My son, I think you must have made some +mistake. Otherwise, why did the fire seem cool to you? That never +happens in the winning of this magic spell." + +And Moon-lord said: "Holy sir, I do not remember making any +mistake." Then his teacher was eager to know about it, so he tried +to remember the spell himself. But it would not come to him or to +his pupil. So they went away sad, having lost their magic. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +explain the matter to me. Why did they lose their magic, when +everything had been done according to precept?" + +Then the king said: "O magic creature, I see that you are only +trying to waste my time. Still, I will tell you. Magic powers do not +come to a man because he does things that are hard, but because +he does things with a pure heart. The Brahman youth was defective +at that point. He hesitated even when his mind was enlightened. +Therefore he failed to win the magic. And the teacher lost his +magic because he taught it to an unworthy pupil." + +Then the goblin went back to his home. And the king ran to find +him, never hesitating. + + + EIGHTEENTH GOBLIN + +The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the Giant conspired to +Kill. Why did he laugh at the moment of death? + +Then the king went to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder as before, and started in silence. And the goblin on his +shoulder saw that he was silent and said: "O King, why are you so +obstinate? Go home. Spend the night in rest. You ought not to take +me to that rascally monk. But if you insist, then I will tell you +another story. Listen." + + +There is a city called Brilliant-peak. There lived a glorious king +named Moon, who delighted the eyes of his subjects. Wise men +said that he was brave, generous, and the very home of beauty. But +in spite of all his wealth, he was very sad at heart. For he found no +wife worthy of him. + +One day this king went with soldiers on horseback into a great +wood, to hunt there and forget his sorrow. There he split open +many boars with his arrows as the sun splits the black darkness, +and made fierce lions into cushions for his arrows, and slew +mountainous monsters with his terrible darts. + +As he hunted, he spurred his horse and beat him terribly. And the +horse was so hurt by the spur and the whip that he could not tell +rough from smooth. He dashed off quicker than the wind, and in a +moment carried the king into another forest a hundred miles away. + +There the king lost his way, and as he wandered about wearily, he +saw a great lake. He stopped there, unsaddled his horse, let him +bathe and drink, and found him some grass in the shade of the +trees. Then he bathed and drank himself, and when he had rested, +he looked all about him. + +And he saw a hermit's daughter of marvellous beauty under an +ashoka tree with another girl. She had no ornaments but flowers. +She was charming even in a dress of bark. She was particularly +attractive because of her thick masses of hair arranged in a girlish +way. + +And the king fell in love with her and thought: "Who is she? Is she +a goddess come to bathe in these waters? Or Gauri, separated from +her husband Shiva, leading a hard life to win him again? Or the +lovely moon, taking a human form, and trying to be attractive in +the daytime? I will go to her and find out." + +So he drew near to her. And when she saw him coming, she was +astonished at his beauty and dropped her hands, which had been +weaving a garland of flowers. And she thought: "Who can he be in +this forest? Some fairy perhaps. Blessed are my eyes this day." + +So she rose, modestly looking another way, and started to go away, +though her limbs failed her. Then the king approached and said: +"Beautiful maiden, I have come a long distance, and you never +saw me before. I ask only to look at you, and you should welcome +me. Is this hermit manners, to run away?" + +Then her clever friend made the king sit down and treated him as +an honoured guest. And the king respectfully asked her: "My good +girl, what happy family does your friend adorn? What are the +syllables of her name, which must be a delight to the ear? Or why +at her age does she torture a body as delicate as a flower with a +hermit's life in a lonely wood?" + +And the friend answered: "Your Majesty, she is the daughter of the +hermit Kanva and the heavenly nymph Menaka. She grew up here +in the hermitage, and her name is Lotus-bloom. With her father's +permission she came here to the lake to bathe. And her father's +hermitage is not far from here." + +Then the king was delighted. He mounted his horse and rode to the +hermitage of holy Kanva, to ask for the girl. And he entered the +hermitage in modest garb, leaving his horse outside. Then he was +surrounded by hermits with hoary crowns and bark garments like +the trees, and saw the sage Kanva radiant and cool like the moon. +And he drew near and fell at his feet. + +And the wise hermit greeted him and let him rest, then said: "My +son Moon, I will tell you something to your advantage. Listen. I +know what fear of death there is in mortal creatures. Why then do +you uselessly kill the wild beasts? Warriors were made by the +Creator to protect the timid. Therefore protect your subjects in +righteousness, and root out evil. As Happiness flees before you, +strive to overtake her with all your means, elephants and horses +and things. Enjoy your kingship. Be generous. Become glorious. +Abandon this vice of hunting, this sport of Death. For slayer and +slain are equally deceived. Why spend your time in such an evil +pursuit?" + +The sensible king was pleased and said: "Holy sir, I am instructed. +And great is my gratitude for this instruction. From now on I hunt +no more. Let the wild animals live without fear." + +Then the hermit said: "I am pleased with your protection of the +animals. Choose any boon you will." + +Then the quick-witted king said: "Holy sir, if you are kindly +disposed, give me your daughter Lotus-bloom." + +So the hermit gave him his daughter, the child of the nymph, who +then came up after her bath. So they were married, and the king +wore cheerful garments, and Lotus-bloom was adorned by the +hermits' wives. And the weeping hermits accompanied them in +procession to the edge of the hermitage. Then the king took his +wife Lotus-bloom, mounted his horse, and started for his city. + +At last the sun, seeing the king tired with his long journeying, sank +wearily behind the western mountain. And fawn-eyed +night appeared, clad in the garment of darkness, like a woman +going to meet her lover. And the king saw an ashvattha tree on the +shore of a pond in a spot covered with grass and twigs, and he +decided to spend the night there. + +So he dismounted, fed and watered his horse, brought water from +the pond, and rested with his beloved. And they passed the night +there. + +In the morning he arose, performed his devotions, and prepared to +set out with his wife to rejoin his soldiers. Then, like a cloud black +as soot with tawny lightning-hair, there appeared a great giant. He +wore a chaplet of human entrails, a cord of human hair, he was +chewing the head of a man, and drinking blood from a skull. + +The giant laughed aloud, spit fire in his wrath, and showed his +dreadful fangs. And he scolded the king and said: "Scoundrel! I am +a giant named Flame-face. This tree is my home; even the gods do +not dare to trespass here. But you and your wife have trespassed +and enjoyed yourselves. Now swallow your own impudence, you +rascal! You are lovesick, so I will split open your heart and eat it, +and I will drink your blood." + +The king was frightened when he saw that the giant was +invincible, and his wife was trembling, so he said respectfully: "I +trespassed ignorantly. Forgive me. I am your guest, seeking +protection in your hermitage. And I will give you a human +sacrifice, so that you will be satisfied. Be merciful then and forget +your anger." + +Then the giant forgot his anger, and thought: "Very well. Why +not?" And he said: "O King, I want a noble, intelligent Brahman +boy seven years old, who shall give himself up of his own accord +for your sake. And when he is killed, his mother must hold his +hands tightly to the ground, and his father must hold his feet, and +you must cut off his head with your own sword. If you do this +within seven days, then I will forgive the insult you have offered +me. If not, I will kill you and all your people." + +And the king was so frightened that he consented. Then the giant +disappeared. + +Then King Moon mounted his horse with his wife +Lotus-bloom and rode away sad at heart, seeking for his soldiers. +And he thought: "Alas! I was bewildered by hunting and by love, +and I find myself ruined. Where can I find such a sacrifice for the +giant? Well, I will go to my own city now, and see what happens." + +So he continued his search, and found his soldiers and his city +Brilliant-peak. There his subjects were delighted because he had +found a wife worthy of him, and they made a great feast. But it +was a day of despondency and dreadful agony for the king. + +On the next day he told his counsellors the whole story. And one +counsellor named Wise said: "Your Majesty, do not despair. I will +find a victim for the sacrifice. The world is a strange place." + +Thus the counsellor comforted the king, and made a statue of a +boy out of gold. And he sent the statue about the land, with +constant beating of drums and this proclamation: "We want a +noble Brahman boy seven years old who will offer himself as a +sacrifice to a giant with the permission of his parents. And when +he is killed, his mother must hold his hands, and his father must +hold his feet. And as a reward, the king will give his parents a +hundred villages and this statue of gold and gems." + +Now there was a Brahman boy on a farm, who was only seven +years old, but wonderfully brave. He was of great beauty, and even +in childhood he was always thinking about others. He said to the +heralds: "Gentlemen, I will give you my body. Wait a moment. I +will hurry back after telling my parents." + +So they told the boy to go. And he went into the house, bowed +before his parents, and said: "Mother! Father! I am going to give +this wretched body of mine in order to win lasting happiness. Pray +permit me. And I will take the king's gift, this statue of myself +made of gold and gems, and give it to you together with the +hundred villages. Thus I will pay my debt to you, and do some real +good. And you will never be poor again, and will have plenty more +sons." + +But his parents immediately said: "Son, what are you saying? Have +you the rheumatism? Or are you possessed by a devil? If not, why +do you talk nonsense? Who would sacrifice his child for money? +And what child would give his body?" + +But the boy said: "I am not mad. Listen. My words are full of +sense. The body is the seat of unnameable impurities, it is +loathsome and full of pain. It perishes in no long time at best. If +some good can be done with the worthless thing, that is a great +advantage in this weary life, so wise men say. And what good is +there except helping others? If anyone can serve his parents so +easily, then how lightly should the body be esteemed!" + +Thus the boy, with his bold words and his firm purpose, persuaded +his grieving parents. And he went and got from the king's men the +golden statue and the hundred villages, and gave them to his +parents. + +So the boy with his parents followed the king's men to the city +Brilliant-peak. And the king looked upon the brave boy as a magic +jewel for his own preservation, and rejoiced greatly. He adorned +the boy with garlands and perfumes, put him on an elephant, and +took him with his parents to the home of the giant. + +There the priest traced a magic circle beside the tree, and +reverently lit the holy fire. Then the horrible giant +Flame-face appeared, mumbling words of his own. He staggered, +for he was drunk with blood, and snorted and yawned. His eyes +flashed fire and his shadow made the whole world dark. + +And the king said respectfully: "Great being, here is the human +sacrifice you asked for, and this is the seventh day since I promised +it. Be merciful. Accept this sacrifice." + +And the giant licked his chops, and looked the boy over, who was +to be the sacrifice. Then the noble boy thought: "I have done some +good with this body of mine. May I never rest in heaven or in +eternal salvation, but may I have many lives in which to do some +good with my body." And the air was filled with the chariots of +gods who rained down flowers. + +Then the boy was laid before the giant. His mother held his hands, +and his father held his feet. When the king drew his sword and was +ready to strike, the boy laughed so heartily that all of them, even +the giant, forgot what they were doing, looked at the boy's face, +and bowed low before him. + + +When the goblin had told this strange story, he asked the king: "O +King, why did the boy laugh at the moment of death? I have a great +curiosity about this point. If you know and will not tell, then your +head will fly into a hundred pieces." + +And the king said: "Listen. I will tell you why the boy laughed. +When danger comes to any weak creature, he cries for life to his +mother and father. If they are not there, he begs protection from +the king, whom heaven made his protector. Failing the king, he +cries to a god. Some one of these should be his protector. But in +the case of this boy everything was contrary. His parents held his +hands and feet because they wanted money. And the king was +ready to kill him with his own hand, to save his own life. And the +giant, who is a kind of a god, had come there especially to eat him. +So the boy thought: They are ridiculously fooled about their +bodies, which are fragile, worthless, the seat of pain and suffering. +The bodies of the greatest gods perish. And such creatures as these +imagine that their bodies will endure!' So when he saw their +strange madness, and felt that his own wishes were fulfilled, the +Brahman boy laughed in astonishment and delight." + +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder and went back to +his home. And the king followed with determination. The heart of +a good man is like the heart of the ocean. It cannot be shaken. + + +NINETEENTH GOBLIN + +The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all died for Love. Which +was the most foolish? + +Then the king went back under the sissoo tree, took the goblin on +his shoulder, and set out in haste. And as he walked along, the +goblin on his shoulder said: "O King, I will tell you a story about a +great love. Listen." + + +There is a city called Ujjain, which seems like a divine city made +by the Creator for the pious who have fallen from heaven. In this +city there was a famous king named Lotus-belly. He delighted the +good, and defeated the king of the demons. + +While he was king, a merchant named Fortune, richer than the god +of wealth, lived in the city. He had one daughter named +Love-cluster, who seemed the model from whom the Creator had +made the nymphs of heaven. This merchant gave his daughter to a +merchant named Jewel-guard from Copper City. + +As he was a tender father and had no other children, the merchant +stayed with his daughter Love-cluster and her husband. Now +Love-cluster came to hate Jewel-guard as a sick man hates a +pungent, biting medicine. But the beautiful woman was dearer +than life to her husband, dear as long-fathered wealth to a miser. + +One day Jewel-guard started for Copper City to pay a loving visit +to his parents. Then the hot summer came, and the roads were +blocked for travellers by the sharp arrows of the sun. The winds +blew soft with the fragrance of jasmine and trumpet-flower, like +sighs from the mouths of mountains separated from the springtime. +And wind-swept dust-clouds flew to the sky like messengers from +the burning earth begging for clouds. And the feverish days moved +slowly like wayfarers who cling to the shade of trees. And the +nights clad in pale yellow moonlight became very feeble without +the invigorating embrace of winter. + +At this time Love-cluster, anointed with cooling sandal, and clad in +thin garments stood at her lattice-window. And she saw a +handsome youth with a friend whom he trusted. He seemed the +god of love born anew and seeking his bride. He was the son of the +king's priest, and his name was Lotus-lake. + +And when Lotus-lake saw the lovely girl, he expanded with delight +as lotuses in a lake expand at the sight of the moon. When the two +young people saw each other, their hearts embraced each other at +the bidding of Love, their teacher. + +So Lotus-lake was smitten with love, and was led home with +difficulty by his friend. And Love-cluster was equally maddened +by love. First she learned from her friend his name and home, then +slowly withdrew to her room. There she thought of him and +became feverish with love, simply tossing on her couch, seeing +nothing and hearing nothing. + +After two or three days spent in this way, she felt bashful and +fearful, pale and thin from the separation, and hopeless of union +with her lover. So, as if drawn on by the moonbeam which shone +through her window, she went out at night when her people were +asleep, determined to die. And she came to a pool under a tree in +her garden. + +There stood a family image of the goddess Gauri, set up by her +father. She drew near to this image, bowed before the goddess, +praised her, and said: "O Goddess, since I could not have +Lotus-lake as my husband in this life, may he be my husband in +some other life!" And she made a noose of her garment, and tied it +to the ashoka tree before the goddess. + +At that moment her trusty friend awoke, and not finding her in the +room, hunted about and came luckily into the garden. There she +saw the girl fastening the noose about her neck, and she cried, +"No, no!" And running up, she cut the noose. + +When Love-cluster saw that it was her own friend who had run up +and taken the noose away, she fell to the ground in great agony. +But her friend comforted her and asked the reason of her sorrow. +Then she arose and said: "Jasmine, my friend, I cannot be united +with him I love. I am dependent on my father and other people. +Death is the happiest thing for me." + +And as she spoke, she was terribly scorched by the fiery darts of +love, and determined to feel no more hope, and fainted. And her +friend Jasmine lamented: "Alas! Love is a hard master. It has +reduced her to this condition." But she gradually brought her back +to life with cool water and fans and things. She made an easy bed +of lotus-leaves. She put pearls cool as snow on her heart. + +Then Love-cluster came to herself and slowly said to her weeping +friend: "My dear, the fire within me cannot be quenched by such +things as pearls. If you want to save my life, be clever enough to +bring my lover to me." + +And the loving Jasmine said: "My dear, the night is almost over. In +the morning I will bring your lover here to meet you. Be brave and +go now to your room." + +Love-cluster was contented. She took the pearls from her neck and +gave them to her friend as a present. And she said: "Let us go now. +Then in the morning you must keep your promise." So she went to +her room. + +In the morning Jasmine crept out without being seen to hunt for +the house of Lotus-lake. When she got there, she found +Lotus-lake under a tree in the garden. He was lying on a couch of +lotus-leaves moistened with sandal, and the friend who knew his +secret was fanning him with plantain-leaf fans, for he was tortured +by the flames of love. And Jasmine hid, to find out whether this +was lovesickness for her friend or not. + +Then the friend said to Lotus-lake: "My friend, comfort your heart +by glancing a moment at this charming garden. Do not be so +troubled." + +But he said to his friend: "My heart has been stolen by +Love-cluster. It is no longer in my body. How can I comfort it? +Love has made an empty quiver of me. So invent some plan by +which I may meet the thief of my heart." + +Then Jasmine came out joyfully and without fear and showed +herself. And she said: "Sir, Love-cluster has sent me to you, and I +am the bearer of a message to you. Is it good manners to enter the +heart of an innocent girl by force, steal her thoughts, and run +away? It is strange, but the sweet girl is ready to give her person +and her life to you, her charmer. For day and night she heaves +sighs hot as the smoke from the fire of love that burns in her heart. +And teardrops carry her rouge away and fall, like bees longing for +the honey of her lotus-face. So, if you wish it, I will tell you what +is good for both of you." + +And Lotus-lake said: "My good girl, the words which tell me that +my love is lonely and longing, frighten me and comfort me. You +are our only refuge. Devise a plan." + +And Jasmine answered: "This very night I will bring +Love-cluster secretly to the garden. You must be outside. Then I +will cleverly let you in, and so you two will be united." Thus +Jasmine delighted the Brahman's son, and went away successful to +please Love-cluster with the news. + +Then the sun and the daylight fled away, pursuing the twilight. +And the East adorned her face with the moon. And the white +night-blooming lotuses laughed, their faces expanding at the +thought of the glory that was coming to them. At that hour the +lover Lotus-lake came secretly, adorned and filled with longing, to +the garden-gate of his beloved. And Jasmine led +Love-cluster secretly into the garden, for she had lived through the +day somehow. + +Then Jasmine made her sit down under the mango trees, while she +went and let Lotus-lake in. So he entered and looked upon +Love-cluster as the traveller looks upon the shade of trees with +thick foliage. And as he drew near, she saw him and ran to him, for +love took away her modesty, and she fell on his neck. "Where +would you go? I have caught you, thief of my heart!" she cried. +Then excessive joy stopped her breathing and she died. She fell on +the ground like a vine broken by the wind. Strange are the +mysterious ways of Love. + +When Lotus-lake saw that terrible fall, he cried: "Oh, what does it +mean?" And he fainted and fell down. Presently he came to +himself, and took his darling on his lap. He embraced her and +kissed her and wept terribly. He was so borne down by the terrible +burden of grief that his own heart broke. And when they were both +dead, the night seemed to die away in shame and fear. + +In the morning the relatives heard the story from the gardeners, +and came there filled with timidity and wonder and grief and +madness. They did not know what to do, but stood a long time +with downcast eyes. Unfaithful women disgrace a family. + +Presently the husband Jewel-guard came back from his father's +house in Copper City, filled with love for Love-cluster. When he +came to his father-in-law's house and saw the business, he was +blinded by tears and went thoughtfully into the garden. There he +saw his wife dead in another man's arms, and his body was +scorched by flames of grief, and he died immediately. + +Then the whole household shouted and screamed so that all the +citizens heard the story and came there. The demi-gods themselves +were filled with pity and prayed to the goddess Gauri whose image +had been set up there before by Love-cluster's father: "Oh, Mother, +the merchant who set up this statue was always devoted to you. +Show mercy to him in his affliction." + +And the gracious goddess heard their prayer. She said: "All three +shall live again, and shall forget their love." Then through her +grace they all arose like people waking from sleep. They were +alive, and their love was gone. While all the people there rejoiced +at what had happened. Lotus-lake went home, bending his head in +shame. And the merchant took his shamefaced daughter and her +husband and went into the house and made a feast. + + +When the goblin had told this story on the road in the night, he +said: "O King, which was the most foolish among those who died +for love? If you know and do not tell, you must remember the +curse I spoke of before." + +Then the king answered: "O magic creature, Jewel-guard was the +most foolish of them. When he saw that his wife had died for love +of another man, he should have been angry. Instead, he was loving, +and died of grief." + +Then the goblin slipped from the king's shoulder and quickly set +out for his home. And the king ran after him again, eager as +before. + + +TWENTIETH GOBLIN + +The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to Life. Which is to +blame when he kills them all? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, took the goblin, put +him on his shoulder, and started for the place he wished to reach. +And as he walked along the road, the goblin began to talk again: +"Bravo, King! You are a remarkable character. So I will tell you +another story, and a strange one. Listen." + + +There is a city called Flower-city. There lived a king named +Earth-boar. In his kingdom was a farm where a Brahman lived +whose name was Vishnuswami. His wife was named Swaha. And +four sons were born to them. + +After a time the father died, and the relatives took all the money. +So the four brothers consulted together: "There is nothing for us to +do here. Suppose we go somewhere." And after a long journey +they came to the house of their maternal grandfather in a village +called Sacrifice. The grandfather was dead, but their uncles +sheltered them, and they continued their studies. + +But they did not amount to much, so in time their uncles became +scornful in such matters as food and clothing. And they were +troubled. + +Then the eldest took the others aside and said: "Brothers, no man +can do anything anywhere on earth. Now I was wandering about +discouraged, and I came to a wood. There I saw to-day a dead man +whose limbs lay relaxed on the ground. And I wished for the same +fate, and I thought: He is happy. He is free from the burden of +woe.' So I made up my mind to die, and hanged myself with a rope +from a tree. I lost consciousness, but before the breath of life was +gone, the cord was cut and I fell to the ground. And when I came +to myself, I saw a compassionate man who had happened by at that +moment, and he was fanning me with his garment. And he said to +me: My friend, you are an educated man. Tell me why you are so +despondent. The righteous man finds happiness, the unrighteous +man finds unhappiness because of his unrighteousness, and for no +other reason. If you made up your mind to this because of +unhappiness, practice righteousness instead. Why seek the pains of +hell by suicide?' Thus the man comforted me and went away. And +I gave up the idea of suicide and came here. You see I could not +even die when fate was unwilling. Now I shall burn my body at +some holy place, that I may not again feel the woes of poverty." + +Then the younger brothers said to him: "Sir, why is an intelligent +man sad for lack of money? Do you not know that money is +uncertain as an autumn cloud? No matter how carefully won and +guarded, three things are fickle and bring sorrow at the last: evil +friendships, a flirt, and money. The resolute and sensible man +should by all means acquire that virtue which brings him +Happiness a captive in bonds." + +So the eldest brother straightway plucked up heart, and said: +"What virtue is it which we should acquire?" + +Then they all reflected, and took counsel together: "We will +wander over the earth, and each of us will learn some one +science." So they appointed a place for meeting, and the four +brothers started in four different directions. + +After a time they all gathered at the meeting-place, and asked one +another what they had learned. The first said: "I have learned a +science by which I can take the skeleton of any animal whatever +and put the proper kind of flesh on it." + +The second said: "I have learned a science by which I can put on +the flesh-covered skeleton the proper hair and skin." + +The third said: "My science is this. When the skin and the flesh +and the hair are there, I can put in the eyes and the other organs of +sense." + +The fourth said: "When the organs are there, I can give the +creature the breath of life." + +So all four went into the forest to find a skeleton and test their +various sciences. As fate would have it, they found the skeleton of +a lion there. And they took that, not knowing the difference. + +The first fitted out the skeleton with appropriate flesh. The second +added the skin and hair. The third provided all the organs. The +fourth gave life to the thing, and it was a lion. The lion arose with +terrible massive mane, dreadful teeth in his mouth, and curving +claws in his paws. He arose and killed his four creators, then ran +into the forest. + +Thus the Brahman youths all perished because they did wrong to +make a lion. Who could expect a good result from creating a +bad-tempered creature? Thus, if fate opposed, even a virtue that +has been painfully acquired does not profit, but rather injures. But +the tree of manhood, with the water of intelligence poured into its +watering-trench of conduct about the vigorous root of fate, +generally bears good fruit. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king who was +walking through the night: "O King, remember the curse I +mentioned, and tell me which of them was most to blame for +creating the lion?" + +And the king reflected in silence: "He wants to escape again. Very +well. I will catch him again." So he said: "The one who gave life +to the lion, is the sinner. The others did not know what kind of an +animal it was, and just showed their skill in creating flesh and skin +and hair and organs. They were not to blame because they were +ignorant. But the one who saw that it was a lion and gave it life +just to exhibit his skill, he was guilty of the murder of Brahmans." + +Then the goblin went home. And the king followed him again, and +came to the sissoo tree. + + +TWENTY-FIRST GOBLIN + +The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for that of the Dead Boy. +Why did he weep and dance? + +Then the king went back to the sissoo tree, put the goblin on his +shoulder in spite of all its writhings, and set out in silence. And the +goblin on his shoulder said: "O king of kings, you are terribly +obstinate about this impossible task. So to amuse the weary +journey I will tell a story. Listen." + + +In the Kalinga country was a city called Beautiful, where people +lived as happily as in heaven. There ruled a famous king named +Pradyumna. And in a part of this city was a region set apart by the +king, where many Brahmans lived. Among them was a learned, +wealthy, pious, hospitable Brahman named Sacrifice. + +In his old age a single son was born to him and his worthy wife. +The boy grew under the fostering care of his father, and showed +signs of excellence. He was called Devasoma by his father, and his +parents were entirely devoted to him. + +In his sixteenth year the boy attracted everyone by his learning and +modesty. Then he suddenly fell ill of a fever and died. When his +father and mother saw that he was really dead, they embraced the +body and wept aloud. But their love for him would not permit +them to burn the body. + +So the old relatives gathered, and said to the father: "Brahman, life +is imaginary like a city in the sky. Do you not know this, you who +know things above and things below? The kings who enjoyed +themselves like gods upon the earth, they have gone one by one to +cemeteries filled with processions of weeping ghosts. Their bodies +were burned by the flesh-devouring fire and eaten by jackals. No +one could prevent it in their case. How much less in the case of +others? Therefore, as you are a wise man, tell us what you mean by +embracing this dead body?" + +So at last the relatives persuaded him to let his son go, and they +put the body in a litter and brought it to the cemetery with weeping +and wailing. + +At that time a hermit was fulfilling a hard vow, and was living in a +hut in the cemetery. He was very thin because of his age and his +hard life. His veins stuck out like cords to bind him, as if afraid +that he would break in pieces. His hair was tawny like the +lightning. + +This hermit heard the wailing of the people, and turned to his pupil +who begged food for him. Now this pupil was proud and arrogant. +And the hermit said: "My boy, what is this wailing we hear? Go +outside and find out, then return and tell me why this + unheard-of commotion is taking place." + +But the pupil said: "I will not go. Go yourself. My hour for begging +is passing by." + +Then the teacher said: "Fool! Glutton! What do you mean by your +hour for begging? Only one half of the first watch of the day is +gone." + +Then the bad pupil became angry and said: "Decrepit old man! I +am not your pupil. And you are not my teacher. I am going away. +Do your begging yourself." And he angrily threw down his staff +and bowl before the old man, and got up, and went away. + +Then the hermit laughed. He left his hut and went to the place +where the dead Brahman boy had been brought to be burned. He +saw how the people mourned over such youthful freshness dead, +and felt his own age and weakness. So he made up his mind to +exchange his body for the other by magic. + +He went aside and wept at the top of his voice. Then he danced +with all the proper gestures. + +After that, full of the longing to enjoy the happiness of youth, he +left his own withered body by magic and entered the body of the +Brahman youth. So the Brahman youth came to life on the funeral +pyre and stood up. And a cry of joy arose from all the relatives: +"See! The boy is alive! He is alive!" + +Then the magician in the body of the Brahman boy said to the +relatives: "I went to the other world, and Shiva gave me life and +directed me to perform a great vow. So now I am going off to +perform the vow. If I do not, my life will not last. Do you then go +home, and I will come later." + +So he spoke to those gathered there, having made up his mind +what to do, and sent them home full of joy and grief. He went +himself and threw his old body into a pit, and then went off, a +young man. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he said to King +Triple-victory, who was walking through the night: "O King, when +the magician entered another person's body, why did he weep +before doing it, or why did he dance? I have a great curiosity about +this point." + +And the king was afraid of the curse, so he broke silence and said: +"Listen, goblin. He thought: I am leaving to-day this body with +which I won magic powers, the body which my parents petted +when I was a child.' So first he wept from grief, and from love of +his body which he found it hard to leave. Then he thought: With a +new body I can learn more magic.' So he danced from joy at +getting youth." + +When the goblin heard this answer, he returned quickly to the +sissoo tree. And the king pursued him, undismayed. + + +TWENTY-SECOND GOBLIN + +The Father and Son who married Daughter and Mother. What +relation were their children? + +The king paid no attention to the terrible witch of night, clad in +black darkness, with the funeral piles as flaming eyes. He bravely +went through the dreadful cemetery to the sissoo tree, put the +goblin on his shoulder, and started as before. And as he walked +along, the goblin said to him: "O King, I am very tired with these +comings and goings, but you do not seem to be. So I will tell you +my Great Puzzle. Listen." + + +Long ago there was a king named Virtue in the southern country. +He was the best of righteous men, and was born in a great family. +His wife came from the Malwa country, and her name was +Moonlight. And they had one daughter, whom they named Beauty. + +When this daughter was grown up, the relatives conspired to wreck +the kingdom and drive King Virtue out. But he escaped by night, +took a great many jewels, and fled from his kingdom with his +beautiful wife and his daughter. He started for his +father-in-law's house in Malwa, and came with his wife and +daughter to the Vindhya forest. There they spent a weary night. + +In the morning the blessed sun arose in the east, stretching out his +rays like hands to warn the king not to go into the forest where +robbers lived. The king went on foot with his trembling daughter +and his wife, and their feet were wounded by the thorny grass. So +they came to a fortified village. It was like the city of Death; for +there were no righteous people there, and it was filled with +robber-men who killed and robbed other people. + +As the king drew near with his fine garments and his gems, many +robbers saw him from a distance, and ran out armed to rob him. +When the king saw them coming, he said to his wife and daughter: +"These are wild men. They must not touch you. Go into the thick +woods." So the queen with her daughter Beauty fled in fear into +the middle of the forest. + +But the brave king took his sword and shield and killed many of +the wild men as they charged down, raining arrows on him. Then +their leader gave an order, and all the robbers fell on the king at +once, wounded every limb in his body, and killed him; for he was +all alone. So the robbers took the jewels and went away. + +Now the queen had hidden in a thicket, and had seen her husband +killed. Then she fled a long distance in fear and came with her +daughter into another thick wood. The rays of the midday sun were +so fierce that travellers had to sit in the shade. So Queen +Moonlight and Princess Beauty sat down under an ashoka tree near +a lotus-pond in terrible weariness and fear and grief. + +Now a gentleman named Fierce-lion who lived near came on +horseback with his son into that wood to hunt. The son's name was +Strong-lion. And the father saw the footprints of the queen and the +princess, and he said to his son: "My son, these footprints are +clean-cut and ladylike. Let us follow them. And if we find two +women, you shall marry one of them, whichever you choose." + +And the son Strong-lion said: "Father, the one who has the little +feet in this line of footprints, seems to be the wife for me. The one +with the bigger feet must be older. She is the wife for you." + +But Fierce-lion said: "My son, what do you mean? Your mother +went to heaven before your eyes. When so good a wife is gone, +how could I think of another?" + +But his son said: "Not so, Father. A householder's house is an +empty place without a wife. Besides, you have surely heard what +the poet says: + + What fool would go into a house? + Tis a prisoner's abode, + Unless a buxom wife is there, + Looking down the road.' + +So, Father, I beg you on my life to marry the second one, whom I +have chosen for you." + +Then Fierce-lion said "Very well," and went on slowly with his +son, following the footprints. And when he came to the pond, he +saw Queen Moonlight, radiant with beauty and charm. And with +his son he eagerly approached her. But when she saw him, she rose +in terror, fearing that he was a robber. + +But her sensible daughter said: "There is no reason to fear. These +two men are not robbers. They are two well-dressed gentlemen, +who probably came here to hunt." Still the queen swung in doubt. + +Then Fierce-lion dismounted and stood before her. And he said: +"Beautiful lady, do not be frightened. We came here to hunt. Pluck +up heart and tell me without fear who you are. Why have you come +into this lonely wood? For your appearance is that of ladies who +wear gems and sit on pleasant balconies. And why should feet fit +to saunter in a court, press this thorny ground? It is a strange sight. +For the wind-blown dust settles on your faces and robs them of +beauty. It hurts us to see the fierce rays of the sun fall upon such +figures. Tell us your story. For our hearts are sadly grieved to see +you in such a plight. And we cannot see how you could live in a +forest filled with wild beasts." + +Then the queen sighed, and between shame and grief she +stammered out her story. And Fierce-lion saw that she had no +husband to care for her. So he comforted her and soothed her with +tender words, and took care of her and her daughter. His son +helped the two ladies on horseback and led them to his own city, +rich as the city of the god of wealth. And the queen seemed to be +in another life. She was helpless and widowed and miserable. So +she consented. What could she do, poor woman? + +Then, because the queen had smaller feet, the son Strong-lion +married Queen Moonlight. And Fierce-lion, the father, married her +daughter, the princess Beauty, because of the bigness of her feet. +Who would break a promise that had been made solemnly? + +Thus, because of their inconsistent feet, the daughter became the +wife of the father and the mother-in-law of her own mother. And +the mother became the wife of the son and the +daughter-in-law of her own daughter. And as time passed, sons and +daughters were born to each pair. + + +When the goblin had told this story, he asked the king: "O King, +when children were born to the father and daughter, and other +children to the son and mother, what relation were those children +to one another? If you know and do not tell, then remember the +curse I spoke of before?" + +When the king heard the goblin's question, he turned the thing this +way and that, but could not say a word. So he went on in silence. +And when the goblin saw that he could not answer the question, he +laughed in his heart and thought: "This king cannot give an answer +to my Great Puzzle. So he just walks on in silence. And he cannot +deceive me because of the power of the curse. Well, I am pleased +with his wonderful character. So I will cheat that rogue of a monk, +and give the magic power he is striving after to this king." + +So the goblin said aloud: "O King, you are weary with your +comings and goings in this dreadful cemetery in the black night, +yet you seem happy, and never hesitate at all. I am astonished and +pleased at your perseverance. So now you may take the dead body +and go ahead. I will leave the body. And I will tell you something +that will do you good, and you must do it. The monk for whom you +are carrying this body, is a rogue. He will call upon me and +worship me, and he will try to kill you as a sacrifice. He will say: + Lie flat on the ground in an attitude of reverence.' O King, you +must say to that rascal: I do not know this attitude of reverence. +Show me first, and then I will do likewise.' Then when he lies on +the ground to show you the attitude of reverence, cut off his head +with your sword. Then you will get the kingship over the fairies +which he is trying to get. Otherwise, the monk will kill you and get +the magic power. That is why I have delayed you so long. Now go +ahead, and win magic power." + +So the goblin left the body on the king's shoulder and went away. +And the king reflected how the monk Patience was planning to +hurt him. He took the body and joyfully went to the +fig-tree. + + +CONCLUSION + +So King Triple-victory came to the monk Patience with the body +on his shoulder. And he saw the monk along in the dark night, +sitting under the cemetery tree and looking down the road. He had +made a magic circle with yellow powdered bones in a spot +smeared with blood. In it he had put a jug filled with blood and +lamps with magic oil. He had kindled a fire and brought together +the things he needed for worship. + +The monk rose to greet the king who came carrying the body, and +he said: "O King, you have done me a great favour, and a hard one. +This is a strange business and a strange time and place for such as +you. They say truly that you are the best of kings, for you serve +others without thinking of yourself. This is the very thing that +makes the greatness of a great man, when he does not give a thing +up, though it costs his very life." + +So the monk felt sure the he was quite successful, and he took the +body from the king's shoulder. He bathed it and put garlands on it, +and set it in the middle of the circle. Then he smeared his own +body with ashes, put on a cord made of human hair, wrapped +himself in dead man's clothes, and stood a moment, deep in +thought. And the goblin was attracted by his thought into the body, +and the monk worshipped him. + +First he offered liquor in a skull, then he gave him human teeth +carefully cleaned, and human eyes and flesh. So he completed his +worship, then he said to the king: "O King, fall flat on the ground +before this master magician in an attitude of reverence, so that he +may give you what you want." + +And the king remembered the words of the goblin. He said to the +monk: "Holy sir, I do not know that attitude of reverence. Do you +show me first, and afterwards I will do it in the same way." + +And when the monk fell on the ground to show the attitude of +reverence, the king cut off his head with a sword, and cut out his +heart and split it open. And he gave the head and the heart to the +goblin. + +Then all the little gods were delighted and cried: "Well done!" +And the goblin was pleased and spoke to the king from the body he +was living in: "O King, this monk was trying to become king of the +fairies. But you shall be that when you have been king of the +whole world." + +And the king answered the goblin: "O magic creature, if you are +pleased with me, I have nothing more to wish for. Yet I ask you to +make me one promise, that these twenty-two different, charming +puzzle-stories shall be known all over the world and be received +with honour." + +And the goblin answered: "O King, so be it. And I will tell you +something more. Listen. When anyone tells or hears with proper +respect even a part of these puzzle-stories, he shall be immediately +free from sin. And wherever these stories are told, elves and giants +and witches and goblins and imps shall have no power." + +Then the goblin left the dead body by magic, and went where he +wanted to. Then Shiva appeared there with all the little gods, and +he was well pleased. When the king bowed before him, he said: +"My son, you did well to kill this sham monk who tried by force to +become king of the fairies. Therefore you shall establish the whole +earth, and then become king of the fairies yourself. And when you +have long enjoyed the delights of heaven and at last give them up +of your own accord, then you shall be united with me. So receive +from me this sword called Invincible. While you have it, +everything you say will come true." + +So Shiva gave him the magic sword, received his flowery words of +worship, and vanished with the gods. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Twenty-Two Goblins, from Sanskrit + diff --git a/old/22gbl10.zip b/old/22gbl10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..59f5462 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/22gbl10.zip |