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 weeping, both deeply moved at being reunited after so long a separation. And Mrigánkadatta, bowing, said to that Gandharva, " That I have recovered this friend of mine, and that he has recovered his eyesight, is all due to your wondrous might. Honour to you !" When the Gandharva heard that, he said to that prince, " You shall soon recover all your other ministers, and obtain Śaśankavatí as a wife, and become king of the whole earth. So you must not lose heart. Now, auspicious one, I depart, but I will appear to you when you think of me."

When the matchless chief of the Gandhárvas had said this to the prince, and so testified his friendship for him, as his curse was at an end, and he had obtained prosperous felicity, he flew up swiftly into the sky, making the whole air resound with the tinkling of his beautiful bracelet and necklace.

And Mrigánkadatta, having recovered Prachandaśakti, and so regained his spirits, spent that day in the wood, accompanied by his ministers.

Victory to Ganeśa, who, when dancing, makes a shower of stars, resembling a rain of flowers, fall from the sky, by a blow of his trunk !

Then Mrigánkadatta, having passed that night, set out in the morning from that wood, together with Prachandaśakti and his other affectionate ministers, making for Ujjayiní in order to gain Śaśánkavatí, and looking out for the rest of his ministers.

And as he was going along on his way, he saw his minister Vikramakeśarin being carried through the air by a hideously deformed man. And while he was eagerly pointing him out to his other ministers, that minister alighted from the air near him. And quickly dismounting from the shoulder of that man, he came up and embraced the feet of Mrigánkadatta, with his eyes full of tears. And the delighted Mrigánkadatta embraced him in return, and so did his ministers, one after another, and then Vikramakeśarin dismissed that man, saying, "Come to me, when I think of you." Then Mrigánkadatta out of curiosity asked Vikramakeśarin for the story of his adventures, and he sat down in. the forest and related them.

The adventures of Vikramakeśarin.:— When I had been separated from you on that occasion by the curse of the Nága, and had wandered about for many days in search of you, I said to myself, " I will make for Ujjayiní, for they will go there quickly,"