Hindoo Tales; Or, the Adventures of Ten Princes

by active 7th century Dandin

After this the voices ceased, and I thought I could hear a rustling among the branches as if the speakers were moving from tree to tree. This strange occurrence greatly excited my curiosity. I said to myself: "Who are these creatures whose voices I have heard? who can that magician be, and what dreadful thing is it which he is about to do?" With these thoughts, I determined if possible to discover the mystery, and followed, as well as I was able, the direction which the demons, or whatever they were whom I had heard conversing, had taken. Guided by the rustling sound which I still heard above me, I made my way through the darkness, till at last I thought I saw a light in the distance, and going a little further, I perceived a fire shining through the thick foliage. Approaching very cautiously, I saw a Siddha standing near it, his head covered with a large mass of tangled hair, his body begrimed with the dust of charcoal, and a girdle of human bones round his waist. He was throwing at intervals handfuls of sesamum and mustard-seed into the fire, causing flickering flames to rise up and dispel the surrounding darkness. Before him, in humble attitude, stood two Rakshas, male and female, whom I supposed to be those whose voices I had heard in the tree. They said to him, "We await your commands. What are we now to do?"

"Go," he answered in a stern voice, "immediately to the palace of the King of Kalinga, and bring here his daughter Kanakalekha." This they did in an incredibly short time. As soon as she was brought he seized her by the hair, and disregarding her tears and entreaties and screams for help, was about to cut off her head with a sword.

Meanwhile I had cautiously crept nearer, and perceiving the danger of the princess, I made a sudden rush at him, snatched the sword from his hand and cut off his head.

Seeing this, the two Rakshas approached me, and showing great delight at the death of their cruel master, said to me: "That wicked man has for a long time had power over us; we have continually been compelled to go on his vile errands, and have had no rest night or day. You have done a truly good deed in killing him; your valour has freed us from this slavery; he is gone to the kingdom of Yama, where he will receive the reward of his evil deeds, and we are ready to serve you; say only what is to be done."

I thanked them for their grateful offer, and said: "I have only done what every good man would have done under the circumstances; but if you are willing to serve me, all that I require of you is to carry this lady again to her father's house, from which she was so cruelly taken."

The princess hearing this, stood for a moment irresolute, with her head bent down, her eyes half closed, her eyebrows quivering, her bosom agitated by hurried breathing and wetted by tears of joy, restlessly moving one foot, as if scratching the ground, and betraying the struggle between bashfulness and love by alternate blushes and paleness. Then, in a low sweet gentle voice, she uttered these words: "O gracious sir, why do you, having just delivered me from a terrible death, now overwhelm me in a sea of love whose waves are the agitations of anxiety driven by the wind of passion? My life, saved by you, is entirely at your disposal. Take pity on me; regard me as your own. Let me be your servant, your slave; I would endure anything rather than separation from you. Come with me to my father's palace; you need not fear discovery; all my friends and attendants are faithful and devoted to me; they will carefully keep the secret."

Pierced to the heart by the arrows of Kâma, tied and bound by her looks and words as if with chains of iron, I had no power to refuse, and turning to the two Rakshas, I said: "I have no choice here. Whatever this fair lady commands must be done. Take us both, therefore, to the place from which you brought her."

Bowing down in submission, they lifted us from the ground, carried us through the air, and placed us while it was yet night in the apartments of the princess. There she introduced me to her attendants, assigned me a room in the upper story where I might most easily escape detection, and appointed them to keep watch so that no one might enter her apartments without notice. I had thus abundant opportunities of being with the princess; but though my love daily increased, I made no further advances to her.

One day some of her women came with tears in their eyes, and bowing down to my feet, said, with whispering timid voice, "O gracious sir, our lady is doubly yours, since she was gained by your own valour when you rescued her from death, and is assigned to you by the all-powerful God of Love. Do not let her languish in vain. Make her your wife without delay." With this request I could not refuse to comply, and taking the hand of the princess, I declared our solemn union.

For a time we enjoyed the greatest happiness. It was destined, however, to be of no long duration; our separation was at hand, for now was the time of spring, when the trees were covered with blossoms bent down by the eager bees, and the song of birds was resounding among their branches waved by the soft south wind, bearing perfume from the sandal groves of Malaya; at which season the king was accustomed to go with all his court to the sea-shore, and there, in tents under the shade of lofty trees, to enjoy the cool sea breezes.