For one thing, the darkness of the night was in itself terrifying; more than this, the downpour of the rain was as unceasing as if it would rain for once and all that night; whilst the goblins and ghosts, too, were creating such an uproar, that even daring heroes would have been agitated at the spectacle;—the king, however, went on his way. The snakes, which kept coming and twining themselves about his legs, he used to disentangle by repeating incantations. At length, when after passing somehow or other over a perilous road, the king reached the burning-ground, he perceived that goblins were constantly seizing men and destroying them; witches continually munching the livers of children; tigers were roaring, and elephants screaming. In short, when he noticed the tree, he perceived that every leaf and branch of it, from the root to the topmost twig, was burning furiously, while from all four sides arose a tumultuous cry of “Kill him! kill him! Seize him! seize him! Take care he does not escape!”
The king had no fears on beholding that state of things; but he said to himself, “It may or may not be so, but (I am convinced) this is the same devotee about whom the demon spoke to me.” And having gone close and observed, he perceived a corpse fastened by a string, and hanging head downwards. He was glad to see the corpse, thinking his trouble had been rewarded. Taking his sword and shield, he climbed the tree fearlessly, and struck such a blow with the sword that the rope was severed and the corpse fell down, and instantly began to weep aloud. On hearing his voice the king was pleased, and began to say to himself, “Well! this man at least is alive.” Then, descending, he enquired of him who he was. He burst out laughing as soon as he heard (the question). The king was greatly astonished at this. Again the corpse climbed up the tree and suspended himself. The king, too, that instant climbed up, and clutching him under his arm, brought him down, and said, “Vile wretch! tell me who thou art.” He made no reply. The king reflected and said to himself, “Perhaps this is the very oilman whom the demon said the devotee had deposited in the place where bodies are burnt.” Thus reflecting, he bound him up in his mantle and brought him to the devotee. The man who displays such courage will (be sure to) succeed in his under-takings.
Then the sprite * said, “Who art thou? and whither art thou taking me?” The king replied, “I am king Vikram, and am taking thee off to a devotee.” He rejoined, “I will go on one condition,—if thou utterest a word on the way, I will come straight back.” The king agreed to his condition and went off with him. Then the sprite said, “O king! those who are learned, discerning, and wise—their days are passed in the delight of song and the shãstras, while the days of the unwise and foolish are spent in dissipation and sleep. Hence, it is best that this long road should be beguiled by profitable converse: do you attend, O king! to the story I relate.”
* Betal or baitãl, is a sprite haunting cemeteries, or,
rather, places where bodies are burned and animating dead
bodies.
TALE I.
There was a king of Banãras, named Pratãpmukut; and Bajra-mukut was the name of his son, whose queen’s name was Mahãdevï. One day the prince, accompanied by his minister’s son, went to the chase, and advanced far into a jungle, in the midst of which he beheld a beautiful tank; on the margin of which wild geese, brãhmanï ducks, male and female, cranes and water-fowl were, one and all, disporting on all four sides ghats of solid masonry were constructed: within the tank, the lotus was in full bloom: on the sides were planted trees of different kinds, under the dense shade of which the breezes came cool and refreshing, while birds were warbling on the boughs; and in the forest bloomed flowers of varied hues, on which whole swarms of bees were buzzing;—(such was the scene) when they arrived by the margin of that tank, and washed their hands and faces, and reascended.
“On that spot was a temple sacred to Mahãdeva, Fastening their horses, and entering the temple, they paid adoration to Mahãdeva, and came out. While they were engaged in adoration, the daughter of a certain king, accompanied by a host of attendants, came to another margin of the tank to bathe; and, having finished her ablutions, meditations and prayers, she, with her own maidens, began to walk about in the shade of the trees. On this side the minister’s son was seated, and the king’s son was walking about, when, suddenly, his eyes, and the eyes of the king’s daughter, met. As soon as he beheld her beauty, the king’s son was fascinated, and began saying to himself, ‘You wretch, Cupid! why do you molest me?’ And when the princess beheld the prince, she took in her hand the lotus-flower which she had fixed on her head after her devotions, placed it to her ear, bit it with her teeth, put it under her foot, then took it up and pressed it to her bosom, and, taking her maidens with her, mounted (her chariot) and departed home.”
“And the prince, sinking into the depths of despair, and overwhelmed with grief on account of her absence, came to the minister’s son, and with a feeling of shame laid before him the actual, state of affairs, saying, ‘O friend! I have seen a most beautiful damsel; (but) I know neither her name nor her abode: should I not possess her, I will give up my life: this I am firmly resolved upon in my mind.’ Hearing these circumstances, the minister’s son caused him to mount, and brought him home, it is true; but the king’s son was so restless from grief at separation, that he entirely abandoned writing, reading, eating, drinking, sleeping, the business of government—everything. He used to be constantly sketching her portrait and gazing at it and weeping; not speaking himself, nor listening to what others said.”