Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/79

Rh take this lady as your companion. She is of the same age as yourself and she will help you to pass your time when the king is with his ministers or is travelling through his kingdom." Sunanda looked at Damayanti and loved her instantly. Then taking her by the hand she led her joyfully into her own chamber.

After King Nala had forsaken his queen, he wandered at random through the forest until he saw a great fire in front of him. He would have hastened from the spot; but as he turned to go, he heard a voice that called, "Come hither! Come hither!" Thinking that the voice came from a man who had been surrounded by the flames, he forced his way through them until he reached an open space, where lay a monstrous snake. Seeing Nala, the snake said to him with a human voice, "My lord King, I am Karkotaka, the king of the snake people. Once I tricked the great sage Narada, and he cursed me, saying 'Lie here, motionless, until King Nala takes you away. Then only will you be freed from my curse.' So lift me up, I pray you, or I shall perish in the flames." The king bent down to lift the snake, fearing that he could never raise its mighty mass. But when his hands touched the snake, it became at once hardly bigger than his thumb. So raising it with ease, he carried it back with him through the flames until both were beyond their reach. Then he placed the snake on the ground. "Nishada King," said the snake, "walk away from me, counting your steps as you go." Nala did so. And as he walked away the snake followed him.

When the king had counted the tenth step the