Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/112

106 to their king Ayusha. "O king," cried the frog people, "intercede for us with King Parikshit. Otherwise, we shall soon all be destroyed by him and his soldiers."

The frog king pitied his people and disguising himself as a Brahman made his way to the palace of King Parikshit. Because of his holy garb, the guards did not require a dead frog from Ayusha, and he soon stood face to face with Parikshit.

"O Brahman," asked the king, "what is it that you desire?"

"Great king," replied Ayusha, "I pray you to forget your anger and to stop killing the frog people. They have done you no wrong. You should therefore order their slaughter to cease."

"O Brahman," retorted King Parikshit, "the frog people have done me a great wrong. One of that accursed race devoured my queen, whom I loved better than life itself. It is useless, venerable man, to plead for them, for while I live I shall not stop killing them."

"Great king," replied Ayusha, "have mercy on the frog people. I am their king and I am named Ayusha. The maiden whom you married was my daughter Sushavana. She is still alive, for she deceived you, as she has often deceived others. Therefore banish her from your mind; she is not worthy of you."

But King Parikshit paid no attention to the words of Ayusha the frog king. He longed to see the maid whom he had loved in the forest. "No, King Ayusha," he said, "even though she has deceived me and others like me, I love her and I desire her back. Give her to me and I shall forgive her the trick that she played on me." King Ayusha left King Parikshit's palace and in a short space returned, holding his lovely daughter by the hand.