Page:Bengal Fairy Tales.djvu/204

180 different directions, and each of them chose a road for himself, leaving marks whereby they might recognize the spot in future, agreeing to meet there again later. Each sped on his way and spent the whole day trying to find some human habitation. But their search was in vain, and in the evening they returned to the resting-place. The king's son said that from certain signs he suspected that a spell had been cast on them by Rakkhashis; and that they must be on their guard during the night. He also said that as the pangs of hunger were almost unbearable they must in the meantime go and try to secure some fruit from the forest. But no fruit was to be found. They were not, however, altogether disappointed. A deer's head was discovered by one of them, and with this they hastened back to their resort, eager to make a meal of it. To dress it up the prince's friends went to fetch fuel, fire, and water, leaving him asleep. The police superintendent's son, returning with the fuel, touched the deer's head with his sword to cut it; when lo! a Rakkhashi leapt out of it, ate up him and his horse and again entered into the deer's head. The merchant's son and the son of the minister came back, one after the other, and met their friend's fate. The minister's son, when about to be devoured, called out in anguish, "Prince, save me," and on this the latter awoke, and rushed to meet the enemy with drawn sword. But his winged horse, now in the Rakkhashi's clutches, called to him, saying, "O prince, run away, or there is no chance for you." The rocks and the trees standing near by repeated the cry, and he ran blindly forward, pursued, however, by the giantess, till at last, quite exhausted and breathless, he reached a mango tree, which he thus addressed:—"O blessed tree, do thou who hast been here since the golden age give me protection." Suddenly it was cleft; and the fugitive found refuge within it. The Rakkhashi prayed to the tree not to rob her of her prey, but the prayer was not heeded. She then transformed herself into a girl of great beauty, and remained seated at the foot of the tree, crying aloud as if some dire calamity had befallen