Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/57

Rh "Venerable Sir," said the rock snake piteously, "I am not a poisonous snake. Rock snakes are but snakes in name for they cannot kill men even if they wish. Therefore we do not share the guilt of the snake people for the death of your wife. And it is your duty not to kill but to spare me."

Ruru looked closely at the rock snake and seeing that it had no poison fangs felt pity for it. He dropped his staff to his side and said, "O snake, tell me, I pray you, who you are. For you speak as a human being and I think you were once a man." "Great sage, what you say is true. Once I was a youth of your own years and by caste a Brahman. My name was Shahasrapata. But an angry wizard cursed me and thus changed my shape." Then Ruru said, "Pray tell me, good snake, the tale of your ill fortune."

"Venerable Sir," answered Shahasrapata, "I had a friend named Khagama. We played and grew up together. But whereas I took a joy in the pleasures of life, Khagama studied the works of the great rishis and by bitter penances attained their powers. One day when I returned home I saw Khagama plunged in meditation. Out of malice, I plaited together some strands of grass until they had the appearance of a snake. Going on tiptoe behind Khagama I placed the plaited grass upon his shoulder. Looking round with a start he saw, as he thought, a venomous snake upon his shoulder and he fainted with fear. Then I mocked him because he had feared a strand of plaited grass, until his fury was roused against me. 'Shahasrapata,' he said, 'you frightened me with a mock harmless serpent, so become now a mock harmless serpent yourself, to frighten others.' Then, great sage, I repented of what I had done and joining