Page:Indian tales of the great ones.djvu/35

Rh Drona spurned it, and walked away.

Then Ekalavya turned again to his shooting. But he found that, with the loss of his thumb, his skill had gone for ever.

So were the great ones left without a rival.

But in Heaven the Gods said, "Ekalavya is truly of the knightly caste: and men knew it not."

One day Drona, the Master-Archer, made trial of the skill of the princes his pupils. He had them all out before him together.

"Take your bows and arrows," said he, "and be ready to shoot, when I tell you, at the blue bird in yonder tree."