Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/24

18 Uttanka was dismayed at the curse and begged King Paushya to see the food himself. And the king, going to where Uttanka sat, saw that the food was cold and that it had a hair in it. So he said, "Forgive me, Brahman youth. The food set before you was cold and had a hair in it, and therefore was, as you said, unclean. I spoke rashly. Forgive me, I pray you, and remove your curse, so that I may not become blind."

Uttanka's heart softened towards the King. "My curse must fall on you," he said. "You will become blind, but your sight will soon return. Be merciful also to me and take from me your curse so that I may one day have children," But King Paushya was angry with Uttanka because he had taken the earrings of his queen. "No, Uttanka," he answered scornfully. "It is well for a Brahman to call down curses and then turn them to nothing. For a Brahman's heart is as soft as butter even though his words are hard. But a Kshatrya's heart is as hard as steel even though his words, tare soft. I shall not therefore free you from my curse and it will remain with you." Then Uttanka said, "Your curse, O King, will not remain with me. You cursed me because I said that the food set before me was unclean. But the food was unclean and my words were true. Therefore it was your curse that was false and it cannot do me any harm."

With anger in his heart Uttanka left King Paushya's palace and began his journey back to the rishi Veda's hermitage. As he walked, he saw a naked beggar man flitting through the scrub. But he never could see him clearly because, whenever he glanced towards him, the beggar man vanished. After some time Uttanka grew thirsty, and paying little heed to the beggar man,