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118 uncles had first bored. The tunnel was dark and fearsome but the heart of the young prince never failed him. Drawing his sword, he walked through the tunnel until he came to the centre of the earth. There he saw five tunnels all as large as the one by which he had come. Entering the nearest one he walked along it until he came out at the eastern corner of the other side of the earth. There he saw the great elephant Virupaksha. Walking round the elephant to show his respect, Prince Anshumat said, "Noble elephant, I seek my sixty thousand uncles. Tell me, I pray you, if they have come this way." "They did indeed come this way," answered Virupaksha, "but they went away, and where they went afterwards I do not know." Prince Anshumat, undismayed, walked back through the tunnel until he again reached the centre of the earth. Then entering the next tunnel he walked along it until he came out at the southern quarter of the opposite side of the earth. There he saw the elephant Mahapadma. Walking round him to show his respect. Prince Anshumat said, "Noble elephant, have you by any chance seen my sixty thousand uncles? For they went out to seek their father's sacrificial horse but they never returned." The giant elephant said, "Young Prince, your uncles did indeed come this way, but seek them elsewhere, for they did not remain here." Back went the prince to the centre of the earth and then up through the third tunnel which led him to the western quarter of the other side of the earth. There he saw the mountainous Saumanasa. "Noble elephant," said the prince deferentially, "I have lost my sixty thousand uncles. Are they by any chance in this quarter of the world?" "They came here," said Saumanasa, "but they went away, I do