Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/36

30 bear the ambrosia jar to earth and give it to my cousins the snake people. Otherwise they will not set me and my mother free. But do you, Lord Indra, take the ambrosia jar away from them before they have had time to drink of it." To this Indra consented. And Garuda, flying swiftly to earth, entered the presence of Queen Vinata. "My mother," he said, "I have brought the ambrosia jar, let us call my cousins the snake people so that they may set us free." Queen Vinata was overjoyed. And Garuda sent for the snake people and placed before them the ambrosia jar; and he said to them. "My cousins, I have brought the ambrosia jar and I have placed it before you; therefore, as you promised, set me and my mother free from slavery." The snakes with one accord consented and, leaving the ambrosia jar, went to bathe in a neighbouring stream to purify themselves before drinking the sacred liquid. When they had left the god Indra swooped down like an eagle from the heavens and, seizing the ambrosia jar, bore it back with him to Amravati. But before he went he laid on the ground cups made of sharp-edged Kusha grass. When the snakes came back from bathing they searched in vain for the jar of ambrosia. Seeing the Kusha cups they thought that ambrosia had been poured into them. They licked the cups, but the sharp edges of the grass slit their tongues down to the roots, so that ever since that time the snake people have had forked tongues.

And in great pain and grief the sons of Queen Kadru made their way back to their dwelling places under the earth.

After the snake people had lost the ambrosia jar