Page:Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan.djvu/145

Rh Time brought the tyrant children four, Rahd, Onoorahd, Prehlad, Sunghrad, Who made his castle gray and hoar, Once full of gloom, with sunshine glad. No boys were e'er more beautiful, No brothers e'er loved more each other, No sons were e'er more dutiful, Nor ever kissed a fonder mother.

Nor less beloved were they of him Who gave them birth, Kasyapu proud, But made by nature stern and grim, His love was covered by a cloud From which it rarely e'er emerged, To gladden these sweet human flowers. They grew apace, and now Time urged The education of their powers.

Who should their teacher be? A man Among the flatterers in the court Was found, well-suited to the plan The tyrant had devised. Report Gave him a wisdom owned by few, And certainly to trim his sail, And veer his bark, none better knew, Before a changing adverse gale.