Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/173

 Thus he entreated Mrigánkadatta with various humble speeches, and then took him to his own village. And there he entertained the prince fittingly with all the luxuries he could command, and all the people of the village shewed him respect. And the king of the Mátangas came and honoured him as the saviour of his friend's life, and placed his head on the ground to shew that he was his slave. Then Mrigánkadatta remained there some days, to please that Máyávațu, the king of the Bhillas. And one day, while he was staying there, that king of the Śavaras began to gamble with Chandaketu his own warder. And while he was playing, the clouds began to roar, and the domestic peacocks lifted up their heads and began to dance, and king Máyávațu rose up to look at them. Then the warder, who was an enthusiastic gambler, said to his sovereign, " What is the use, my master, of looking at these peacocks which are not skilled in dancing? I have a peacock in my house, to which you would not find an equal in the world. I will show it you to-morrow, if you take pleasure in such things." When the king heard that, he said to the warder, " You must certainly shew it to me," and then he set about the duties of the day. And Mrigánkadatta, when he heard all that, rose up with his companions, and performed his duties such as bathing and eating.

The adventures of Mrigánkadatta and the warder.:— And when the night came, and thick darkness was diffused over the face of things, the prince went out alone and self-impelled from the chamber in which his companions were sleeping, in search of adventures, with his body smeared with musk, wearing dark-blue garments and with his sword in his hand. And as he was roaming about, a certain man, who was coming along the road and did not see him on account of the darkness, jostled against him, and struck his shoulder against his. Then he rushed at him angrily and challenged him to fight. But the person challenged, being a man not easily abashed, made an appropriate reply, " Why are you perplexed by want of reflection ? If you reflect, you will sec that you ought to blame the moon for not lighting up this night, or the Governor of the world for not appointing that it should rule with full sway here,* since in such darkness causeless quarrels take place."

Mrigánkadatta was pleased with this clever answer and he said to him, " You are right. Who are you?" The man answered, " I am a thief." Whereupon the prince said falsely, " Give me your hand, you are of the same profession as myself." And the prince made an alliance with him, and went along with him out of curiosity, and at last reached an old well covered with grass. And there the man entered a tunnel, and Mrigánkadatta went along it with him, and reached the harem of that king Máyávațu. And when he got there, he recognized the man by the light of