Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/303

 IV.] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 207 the cup on which rice was boiling, she saw another snake coming through the same passage. It was the great Udaynag with fiery eyes. Behula made The snake রর Udaynag ‘ The snake} after a while the snake Kgladanta shared in the Kaladanta. him a prisoner also, following the same device ; and same way the fate of its predecessors. Then for some time nothing more was seen; the rice was ready and she called to her husband to rise and partake of the meal. But Laksmindara was fast asleep and did not respond. Fatigued with labour, fast and vigil, Behulg at this moment felt an irresistible inclination to sleep. She sat beside her husband with her eyes still fixed Behula on the mysterious crevice in the wall. The three ao serpents lay under a large pot and could not stir. Behula’s eyes became closed in sleep but at times opened wide, gazing at the small opening. Towards the last watch of the night when everything was still and when even the rustling sound of leaves was not heard in that mountainous region, Behula yielded to the fatal influence of sleep and reclining on a pillow near the feet of her husband, lay like a flower, innocent and beautiful. Now came Ka4lnagini, that snake who had des- নিতে troyec che Guabari, and killed Chand’s eldest son, bite. Cridhar, and approached with the speed of lightning the bed of Laksmindara. At this very moment the sleeping prince touched the snake with his foot and it at once turned and bit him in the toe. Laks- mindara cried out. ‘‘ Ho, daughter of the merchant Saha, dost thou sleep ? I am dying of asnake’s bite!” Behula rose from the bed and perceived the snake passing out swiftly through the opening in the wall,