Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 14, 1903.djvu/437

 Collectanea. 395

and begged for assistance. The magician highly approved of his decision and asked how he could help. " Give me my sword and the horse," said Indra Bangsawan, and the horse instantly appeared, fully equipped. So Indra Bangsawan mounted and in an instant was back in the plain.

In the early morning, before the sun was up, the army of the rajas' sons arrayed itself in the field, as also the king's forces, and they fought with great desperation, but the king's army had to give way at last. Seeing this, Indra Bangsawan spurred his horse into the middle of the host and defeated them, and then touching his horse disappeared from view, and although the king inquired who that young man was, no one could tell him.

On the next day the rajas' sons beat their war drums and renewed the fight, with the same result, that the king's forces were defeated until Indra Bangsawan spurred his magic horse into the midst of the foe and scattered them, and after having pursued them for a long distance he returned victorious, and then having touched his horse he disappeared from view. When the king heard this an idea struck him and he sent to the princess to inquire about the wild boy of the wood, and on being told that he had not been seen since the fighting began, he said to himself, "Assuredly it is the wild boy who is fighting for me." But he did not mention his idea to anyone.

Meanwhile the rajas' sons had recognised the young man who played them the trick about the tiger's milk and were anxious to capture him. On the next day the battle was renewed with great violence, and, as Indra Bangsawan did not interfere, the king's forces were beaten and he was besieged in his castle. Then the king said, "To-morrow I shall go out to the battle myself"

Meantime Indra Bangsawan had been for several days with his grandfather, but on this day the magician warned him that the king was to go out and fight himself, and that he must rescue him, so he mounted and went, just in time to see the king's forces defeated and the king, who scorned to run away, surrounded by the enemy. Then Indra Bangsawan attacked and scattered the enemy, and having desired the king to retire he pursued the rajas' sons. The enemy's troops all fled, and the nine rajas' sons themselves only were left, and they being afraid for their lives, and suspecting now that they had to do with no ordinary foe, asked him who he was, and when he told them that he was Indra