Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/116

110 You cannot own such horses. So go away, and vex me no more."

Vamadeva's anger rose against the lying king. "By the vows I have kept," he cried, "and the penances that I have undergone, let four hideous, armed demons rise from the earth and kill you, O king, and afterwards hew your body into four pieces."

"Good Vamadeva," laughed Sala scornfully, "call up your demons if you will, and my soldiers will kill them and you also with your disciples. For a Brahman who wishes to take life is an evil Brahman; I shall thus incur no sin by causing your death."

As the words left the king's lips, four hideous demons rose from the ground and rushed towards King Sala with raised lances. Even then the sage would have spared King Sala. But the king called out defiantly, "Though all the heroes of the house of Ikshwaku bade me free your Vami horses, even then I would not free them." Vamadeva, hearing him, no longer pitied him, and the four demons rushing at King Sala drove their lances into him and hewed him into four pieces. The rishi Vamadeva then returned to his forest home and the men of Ayodhya made King Sala's brother, Prince Dala, king over them.

Vamadeva waited for a month but King Dala did not return him the Vami horses. So the sage once more went to Ayodhya and obtained an audience of the king.

"O king," he said, "if you are afraid to sin, give me back my Vami horses. For they are mine, and in keeping them you act unjustly."

King Dala bade his charioteer bring him his bow and quiver. Taking from the quiver a poisoned arrow, he said, "I will shoot Vamadeva with my arrow, and as