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diff --git a/old/52309-8.txt b/old/52309-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index bf94c7b..0000000 --- a/old/52309-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4839 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-Two Goblins, by Arthur W. Ryder - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Twenty-Two Goblins - Translated from the Sanskrit - -Author: Arthur W. Ryder - -Illustrator: Perham W. Nahl - -Translator: Arthur W. Ryder - -Release Date: June 11, 2016 [EBook #52309] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS *** - - - - -Produced by Charlene Taylor, Christopher Wright and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS - - - - -_All rights reserved_ - -[Illustration: Love-cluster ... stood at her lattice window.] - - - - -_TWENTY-TWO GOBLINS_ - - TRANSLATED FROM THE SANSKRIT - - BY - - ARTHUR W. RYDER - - [Illustration] - - WITH TWENTY - ILLUSTRATIONS IN - COLOUR BY - - PERHAM W. NAHL - - - LONDON & TORONTO - J. M. DENT & SONS LTD. - NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO. - MCMXVII - - - - - _Printed in Great Britain - by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh_ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - _Page_ - - _Introduction_ 1 - - _Goblin- - story_ - - 1. _The Prince's Elopement. Whose fault was the - resulting death of his parents-in-law?_ 5 - - 2. _The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to - Life. Whose wife should she be?_ 19 - - 3. _The Parrot and the Thrush. Which are worse, - men or women?_ 25 - - 4. _King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of - the five deserves the most honour?_ 37 - - 5. _The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever - Man. To which should the girl be given?_ 51 - - 6. _The Girl who transposed the Heads of her Husband - and Brother. Which combination of - head and body is her husband?_ 57 - - 7. _The Mutual Services of King Fierce-lion and - Prince Good. Which is the more deserving?_ 63 - - 8. _The Specialist in Food, the Specialist in Women, and - the Specialist in Cotton. Which is the cleverest?_ 75 - - 9. _The Four Scientific Suitors. To which should - the girl be given?_ 81 - - 10. _The Three Delicate Wives of King Virtue-banner. - Which is the most delicate?_ 87 - - 11. _The King who won a Fairy as his Wife. Why - did his counsellor's heart break?_ 91 - - 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?_ 109 - - 13. _The Girl who showed Great Devotion to the Thief. - Did he weep or laugh?_ 117 - - 14. _The Man who changed into a Woman at Will. - Was his wife his or the other man's?_ 125 - - 15. _The Fairy Prince Cloud-chariot and the Serpent - Shell-crest. Which is the more self-sacrificing?_ 135 - - 16. _The King who died for Love of his General's - Wife; the General follows him in Death. - Which is the more worthy?_ 157 - - 17. _The Youth who went through the Proper Ceremonies. - Why did he fail to win the magic spell?_ 163 - - 18. _The Boy whom his Parents, the King, and the - Giant conspired to Kill. Why did he laugh - at the moment of death?_ 173 - - 19. _The Man, his Wife, and her Lover, who all - died for Love. Which was the most foolish?_ 187 - - 20. _The Four Brothers who brought a Dead Lion to - Life. Which is to blame when he kills them - all?_ 197 - - 21. _The Old Hermit who exchanged his Body for - that of the Dead Boy. Why did he weep and - dance?_ 203 - - 22. _The Father and Son who married Daughter and - Mother. What relation were their children?_ 209 - - _Conclusion_ 217 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - _Love-cluster ... stood at her lattice window_ _Frontispiece_ - - _facing page_ - - _They took her body to the cemetery and burned it_ 17 - - _The thrush suddenly became a goddess_ 32 - - _Trusty worshipped the goddess and bravely saluted her_ 42 - - _The giant came out in anger and the brave man fought - with him_ 55 - - _"Do nothing rash, my daughter, leave the rope alone"_ 61 - - _Good sank into the ocean, and when he looked about he - saw a wonderful city_ 67 - - _The brothers went to the ocean, and there they found - a turtle_ 78 - - _"I understand the cries of all beasts and birds"_ 83 - - _She gradually recovered consciousness_ 88 - - _When he saw that she was saved, the king cried, - "Come, come to me!"_ 97 - - _The summer came on him like a lion_ 112 - - _With a turn of the wrist he sent the dagger flying from - the chief's hand_ 121 - - _An elephant came by, crushing the people in his path_ 126 - - _He climbed the rock of sacrifice, eager to give his life for - another_ 148 - - _"Shall I go into the fire or go home?"_ 163 - - _The giant laughed aloud, spit fire in his wrath, and - showed his dreadful fangs_ 174 - - _A merchant named Fortune richer than the god of - wealth_ 188 - - _The lion arose and killed his four creators_ 200 - - _He comforted her and soothed her with tender words_ 214 - - - - -[Illustration: 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 that 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. - -[Illustration: They took her body to the cemetery and burned it.] - -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: "O 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 the 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 Fate 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 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. - -[Illustration: The thrush suddenly became a goddess.] - -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." - -[Illustration: Trusty worshipped the goddess and bravely saluted her.] - -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." - -So the king drew his sword and approached the goddess and prayed: "O -Goddess, I have always been devoted to you. Now be pleased with the -sacrifice of my body, and grant my prayer. Bring back to life this -virtuous man Hero and his family, who gave their lives for 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 a -right 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. - -[Illustration: The giant came out in anger and the brave man fought -with him.] - -Then when the proper time for the 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 unexpectedly -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. - -[Illustration: "Do nothing rash, my daughter, leave the rope alone."] - -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 on 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. - -[Illustration: Good sank into the ocean, and when he looked about he -saw a wonderful city.] - -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 Vishnuswami. 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 specialist 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. - -[Illustration: The brothers went to the ocean, and there they found a -turtle.] - -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." - -[Illustration: "I understand the cries of all beasts and birds."] - -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. - -[Illustration: She gradually recovered consciousness.] - -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 door-keeper 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. - -[Illustration: When he saw that she was saved, the king cried "Come, -come to me!"] - -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 sing 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, not 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 the 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." - -[Illustration: The summer came on him like a lion.] - -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. - -[Illustration: With a turn of the wrist he sent the dagger flying from -the chief's hand.] - -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. - -[Illustration: An elephant came by, crushing the people in his path.] - -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 -belovèd, 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 abroad. - -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 Cloud-chariot, 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 of the moon." - -[Illustration: He climbed the rock of sacrifice, eager to give his life -for another.] - -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 the 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 lovesickness 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." - -Then 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. - -[Illustration: "Shall I go into the fire or go home?"] - - - - -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 to 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 made of bark. She was particularly attractive -because of her thick masses of hair arranged in a girlish way. - -[Illustration: The giant laughed aloud, spit fire in his wrath, and -showed his dreadful fangs.] - -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. Blessèd 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 belovèd. 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-gathered 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 spring-time. 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. - -[Illustration: A merchant named Fortune, richer than the God of -Wealth.] - -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 belovèd. -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 the 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, practise 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. - -[Illustration: The lion arose and killed his four creators.] - -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 opposes, 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 blessèd 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." - -[Illustration: He comforted her and soothed her with tender words.] - -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 alone 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 that 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 -men'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. - -[Illustration] - - * * * * * - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - -Minor punctuation and printer errors repaired. - -Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully -as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other -inconsistencies. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Twenty-Two Goblins, by Arthur W. 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