Charles Augustus Kincaid

“ Leaving the spot, and more than ever oppressed by grief, the queen went deeper still into the forest. When evening fell, she saw approaching her a tiger looking for its prey. "I shall go to this tiger," she murmured to herself, "and I shall ask him whether he has seen King Nala. Perhaps he may tell me; and even if he tears me to pieces, death is better than life without my beloved." Fearlessly Damayanti went close to the ravening brute and said, "O forest Lord! I am Damayanti, Queen of the Nishadas, and I seek my husband King Nala. ”

“ But King Paushya was angry with Uttanka because he had taken the earrings of his queen. "No, Uttanka," he answered scornfully. "It is well for a Brahman to call down curses and then turn them to nothing. For a Brahman's heart is as soft as butter even though his words are hard. But a Kshatrya's heart is as hard as steel even though his words, tare soft. I shall not therefore free you from my curse and it will remain with you." Then Uttanka said, "Your curse, O King, will not remain with me. You cursed me because I said that the food set before me was unclean. ”

“ Then Vasuki the Snake King swam out across the surface of the water until he reached the spot where the top of Mount Mandara stood high above the waves. Coiling himself round the great mountain he bade the lesser gods hold him by the tail and the demons hold his head. Demons and gods seized him as he bade them, and pulling him backwards and forwards they began to churn the ocean. ”

“ The king went back to Damayanti and said in his grief, "O Queen, it is useless any longer to stay with one who is the victim of ill fortune. The dice in the guise of birds have spoiled me of my loin cloth, my sole possession. Do you, therefore, go back to Vidarbha and live with King Bhima and leave me to suffer alone." But the queen smiled bravely at him. "Nay, O King," she said, "it is because you have fallen on evil days that I cannot leave you. For, in times of trouble, there is no such remedy as a wife's love. ”

“ Let the Lord Vishnu send down the River Ganges from heaven to earth so that I may fitly perform the obsequies of King Sagar's sons and thus give rest to their spirits." "I grant you the boon, King Bhagirath," said the god Brahmadeva. But the Ganges River will break through the earth's surface in its descent and will vanish beneath it. Pray, therefore, to the Lord Shiva that he may break its fall, so that it may flow gently upon the earth's surface". ”

“ But if I give you more wealth than all that King Parikshit possesses will you not leave him to his fate and return home? For a Brahman's curse is upon him. And even your magic may fail to save him. And if you were to fail, the shame of your failure would resound through the three worlds." "Fair snake prince" answered Kashyapa, "I am going to Hastinapura only for gain. Give me what you offer me and I shall return home." Prince Takshaka gladly gave Kashyapa more wealth than all the treasures of King Parikshit. Kashyapa turned homewards and the snake prince journeyed towards Hastinapura. ”

“ The old woman cried, "Lady, lady, Chimadevrani, mother of sons, what have you in your house to-day?" "To-day," said the queen, "we are worshipping Mahalaxmi." Then the old beggar-woman said, "I am Mahalaxmi." But the queen doubted and asked her, "By what sign shall I know you?" The goddess replied, "In the morning I shall take the shape of a little girl. In the afternoon I shall take that of a young married woman. In the evening I shall become an old hag." After the goddess had taken all three shapes, Queen Chimadevrani called her into the palace and bathed and anointed her. ”

“ The king bade his charioteer urge them with his whip. But the charioteer answered, "O king, the horses are wearied to death. They will never overtake the stag. You would catch it only if you had Vami horses yoked to your chariot." King Sala turned sharply to his charioteer saying, "Tell me where I can get Vami horses." But the charioteer, fearing the anger of the sage Vamadeva who owned them, held his peace. The king grew angry and lifting his sword cried, "Unless you tell me instantly where I can obtain Vami horses, I will kill you with my sword." ”

“ As Uttanka drew near to the throne the courtiers stepped aside. When the boy faced King Paushya, he saluted him most humbly. "O King," he said, "I come to you as a suppliant." "Fair youth," replied the king, "ask me what you will, and, if I can, I will grant it to you." But as the king spoke, his heart sank within him, because he feared that Uttanka had come to beg his queen's earrings. "My Lord," said Uttanka humbly, "I am a pupil of the rishi Veda, and as a fee for his teaching he has asked me to bring him your queen's earrings. ”

“ Love me in return, O King Nala. For if you do not, I cannot bear to live longer." The king's heart leapt with joy, but he could not press his suit, for he had promised the gods that he would be their messenger to Damayanti. "No, fair princess, do not lightly throw away the love of the Immortals; if you wed one of them he will take you with him to his heaven and he will make you immortal like himself. And you will never know either pain or sickness or death." ”

“ But at last she asked, "Ladies, ladies, where are you going?" "To the temple of Shiva," they replied, "to worship the god. For by doing that, one wins the love of one's husband, one obtains children, and one comes by the wish of one's heart." When the ugly daughter-in-law heard that by doing what the serpent-maidens and the wood-nymphs were about to do she could win love for herself, she at once thought that in this way she, too, might win the love of her father-in-law. ”

“ But the prince looked around him and saw that the night was dark and bade Savitri stay where they were until sunrise. "As you will, dear lord," said the princess. "There is a forest fire on the hills and by its light we can guide our steps. But if you wish to spend the night where we are, I shall kindle a fire here, and we can pass the hours happily until day dawns." Of a sudden Prince Satyavan thought of his parents. ”

“ At last an aged man rose slowly through the masses of the ocean foam. In his right hand he carried a gold jar of exquisite workmanship from which issued a perfume of delicious fragrance. At the sight of the aged man, whom they knew to be Dhanwantari, the demons snatched the ambrosia from his hands, trying to rob the gods of their share. But the Lord Vishnu took it back from them. And to punish them for their greed he poured out the ambrosia to the gods only, who drank it and at once became immortal, while the demons, who drank none of it, have remained mortal to this day. ”

“ Prince Anshumat said, "Noble elephant, have you by any chance seen my sixty thousand uncles? For they went out to seek their father's sacrificial horse but they never returned." The giant elephant said, "Young Prince, your uncles did indeed come this way, but seek them elsewhere, for they did not remain here." Back went the prince to the centre of the earth and then up through the third tunnel which led him to the western quarter of the other side of the earth. There he saw the mountainous Saumanasa. "Noble elephant," said the prince deferentially, "I have lost my sixty thousand uncles. ”

“ For a Brahman who wishes to take life is an evil Brahman; I shall thus incur no sin by causing your death."
As the words left the king's lips, four hideous demons rose from the ground and rushed towards King Sala with raised lances. Even then the sage would have spared King Sala. But the king called out defiantly, "Though all the heroes of the house of Ikshwaku bade me free your Vami horses, even then I would not free them." Vamadeva, hearing him, no longer pitied him, and the four demons rushing at King Sala drove their lances into him and hewed him into four pieces. ”

“ At first he feared for his daughter's health. Then he thought to himself, "She is now a grown woman. Let us bestir ourselves about her marriage." And at once he set himself to prepare for Damayanti's Swayamvara. To all the courts of India he sent heralds and in each court the heralds proclaimed, "O Kings and Heroes, King Bhima of Vidarbha will hold the Swayamvara of Damayanti. Then she will choose the bravest and fairest youth in India to be her husband. Come therefore and win, if you may, the hand of the loveliest princess in all the world." ”

“ Queen Kadru was angered at her sister's answer and said, "No, Uchaisrava has a white body but a black tail. If you think otherwise, let our wager be this. She whose words shall prove false shall become the slave of the other." Queen Vinata consented, and the sisters agreed that next morning they would cross the ocean and see whether the tail of Uchaisrava was white or black.
That evening, however, Queen Kadru, fearing that she had been in error, sent for her thousand snake sons and bade them fasten themselves to Uchaisrava's tail, so that it might seem black, whether really black or not. ”

“ King Asvapati grieved that no suitor wooed his beautiful maid. At last he sent for Savitri. "My daughter," he said, "you are a grown woman and it is time for you to marry. But no suitor comes to win you. Go therefore through the land of the Aryas and seek some youth fit to be your husband." Savitri, blushing deeply, took leave of the king. In a short time the king's charioteer drove up a golden chariot to the door of her palace, and seated in it and accompanied by wise ministers and horse soldiers with glittering lances, she journeyed in turn to the various shrines and holy places of India. ”

“ THE SUNDAY STORY
When Englishmen and Englishwomen are little boys and girls, they listen with open ears to the tales of Golden-hair and the three Bears, of Cinderella and the Prince, and of the Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. As the boys and girls grow up, the stories fade gradually from their minds. But a time comes when they have children of their own. And then, to amuse the children, they can find no tales more thrilling than those which fascinated them in their own childhood. Thus the old nursery tales are handed down for centuries from generation to generation. ”

“ You must, therefore, have neglected to wash your hands after your last meal."
"No, my Lord King," said Uttanka; "I washed my hands when last I ate. But I was in haste and washed them as I walked."
"Fair youth," said King Paushya, "it is a sin to wash one's hands as one walks. You are impure, and therefore the queen hid herself from you. For she is a chaste and faultless lady, and she will not shew herself to one who is not wholly pure." ”

“ And with one voice the king and the snake people cried in answer, "We grant you the boon, O Astika. And if in days to come any man shall say aloud the name of Astika and shall by your name call on any snake not to bite him, he shall be safe from the peril of our poison. And if any snake, disregarding our promise, shall bite any man he shall have his head cut into a hundred pieces." With these words King Vasuki and the snake people departed to their homes under the earth. And the rishi Astika went to live happily with his mother Jaratkaru the sister of King Vasuki. ”

“ And getting ready their heavenly chariots, they too set forth to join the heroes who thronged Vidarbha, hoping that they might win Damayanti's favour. As the chariots sped through the air, the gods saw King Nala walking on the earth below them. Such was his stature and so superb was his bearing, that the hearts of the four gods sank within them. "Immortals though we be," they murmured, "our beauty pales before that of King Nala. If he is our rival we cannot hope that Damayanti will pass him by for one of us." Then they drove their cars to earth and alighted close to where Nala walked. ”

“ The Brahman went home and performed the rites to the letter, so that the sun-god was very pleased. Wealth came to the Brahman and he grew richer and richer, and at last the queen of the land sent for him. The poor Brahman began to tremble and shake all over, but the queen said, " Do not shake or tremble, but give your daughters in marriage to our house." The Brahman said, "My daughters are poor; you will make them slaves or maid-servants." "No," said the queen, "I shall not make them slaves or maid-servants; I shall marry one to a king, and one to a minister." ”

“ For Takshaka, snake prince though he be, could never overcome me."
Uttanka left the queen's room and went back to the king. "My Lord, King Paushya," he said, "you have treated me most courteously, and I am very grateful to you. Be so good, therefore, as to accept a Brahman's thanks. For there is nothing else that I can give you."
"Fair youth," said King Paushya, "a Brahman's thanks are reward enough. But do not hasten away. I am about to sacrifice to my father's spirit. [1] Stay and eat with me in honour of the dead." ”

“ Instantly Savitri rose also. "Wait my husband," she said, "let me go with you. To-day I cannot leave you." Satyavan sought to dissuade her. "You are weak with fasting," he said, "and the paths are steep and rugged." But Savitri's love for the prince overcame her weakness and she begged him earnestly not to forbid her. Satyavan at last consented but told her to bid the king and queen farewell. For he was afraid that she might die of fatigue in the forest. Savitri did so, and explained to them that she could not abandon Satyavan on his last day of life. ”

“ For none among you is so wretched as I am. In former years I was the most fortunate of all the lamps in Atpat. No other lamp had such honours paid it as I had, and this year I have to drag out my days in unspeakable misery." All the other lamps tried to comfort it, and asked it how it was that ill-fortune had overtaken it. "O brother lamps, how can I tell you?" repeated the big lamp. "I am the chief among the lamps that shine in the palace of the King of Atpat. One day the king's little daughter-in-law ate some sweetmeats and to save herself blamed the mice. ”

“ All creatures living in the world, listen to my words. I roam over the earth looking for a bride so that I may beget a son and save my ancestors. But she must be named Jaratkaru, and she must come to me as a gift, and I will not bear the cost of her maintenance. Therefore if any of you have such a daughter, give her to me in marriage.
Now the snake king Vasuki had sent snakes to watch the rishi Jaratkaru and to follow him wherever he went. When they heard him cry aloud in this manner they hastened to tell Vasuki. ”

“ When the swan had led Damayanti into a hidden corner of the garden, it let Damayanti catch it and then spoke to her with human speech. "Fair princess," said the golden swan, "in the kingdom of the Nishadas lives the handsomest prince in all the world. On my powerful pinions I often cross over the earth and sometimes even enter the skies of heaven. But never have I seen a youth either mortal or immortal who can compare in beauty with Nala, King of the Nishadas. ”

“ The sepoys said, "O King, it is neither the serpent-maidens of Patâla nor is it the wood-nymphs who live in the heart of the forest. It is Queen Chimadevrani, who is coming to meet you as you ordered." The king turned to Patmadhavrani and said, "If you had come in this guise to meet me, instead of coming like a mad woman, you would never have suffered as you did." Queen Patmadhavrani said nothing, but sat still in the chariot, and the king lifted Queen Chimadevrani into the chariot, and all three entered the city. ”

“ Are you a mortal woman or are you, as we think, a spirit from the forest come to do us harm?" "No," said Damayanti sadly smiling, "I am no evil spirit but the daughter of a king. I seek my husband Nala King of the Nishadas. Tell me, fair sir, whether by any chance you have seen him," "O Queen," said the leader of the merchants, "I have met neither King Nala nor any other man in this forest; for only wild elephants and lions and other beasts of prey live here." ”

“ At last they bothered the poor Brahman so much that he felt worried to death. "I love," he said, "my children as if they were made of gold, but they will not mind what I say. They will not understand that it is nothing but poverty which prevents my buying food and offering it to Parwati. I might go out and beg, but when I do, no one ever gives me anything. Death is better than a life like this." ”

“ Then the two brothers began once more to dice. And Nala by means of the knowledge he had learnt from King Rituparna soon defeated Pushkara, who thus lost in a few moments not only the kingdom which he had won, but his life. And King Nala said to him with a laugh, "Now that you are a slave, Pushkara, do you still hope to win Damayanti's love?" Then he paused and his heart melted towards his brother. "Pushkara," he said softly, "it was not you but Kali who worked my ruin. I shall not punish you for another's fault. You are a free man and I shall give you as before a younger brother's portion." ”

“ The father and mother called up their sons and said, "Those of you who honour your parents will take your sister and cross the seven seas to bring Soma here." But all the sons turned to their mother and said, "All you care about is your daughter. You do not love us the least little bit. So we shall not cross the seven seas and bring Soma here just on her account." The mother began to cry, and the father got very cross. He turned to his wife and said, "From henceforth you have no sons. To me our seven sons are as if they had never been born. But do not get frightened about our little girl. ”

“ Then the proud blood of Aryan kings boiled in the queen's veins and from heaven she called down on the hunter a fearful curse. "If it be true," she cried, "that I have never given a thought to any man save only my husband, King Nala, may the gods strike this wretch dead at my feet." The Immortals heard her prayer and as she spoke a great flame shot down from heaven and enveloped the hunter. Damayanti, blinded by the flame, turned her eyes away. ”

“ There hungry and thirsty they flung themselves down on the ground. And the queen, worn out with fatigue and sorrow, fell into a deep slumber. But King Nala's mind was so troubled that sleep would not come to him. For a time he tossed about restlessly. Then the wicked god Kali, who possessed him, tempted him to rise and go out, leaving his wife alone in the wayside inn. "To take her with me," said the hapless king, "is but to take her to her death. If I leave her she will make her way to Vidarbha where King Bhima will lavish on her all she needs." ”