Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/94

88 love?" Then he paused and his heart melted towards his brother. "Pushkara," he said softly, "it was not you but Kali who worked my ruin. I shall not punish you for another's fault. You are a free man and I shall give you as before a younger brother's portion." And Pushkara's heart was touched at his brother's generosity. "O King," he said, "you have restored me my life and my honour. May your fame be immortal. And may your life last ten thousand years."

The two brothers spent a happy month together in the royal palace. Then King Nala, dismissing Pushkara, bade him go to the lands which were his as a younger brother. And now that Nala was once again on the throne he sent for Damayanti and her father King Bhima. And when they heard the news they were overjoyed and journeyed with a large army to the country of the Nishadas. There King Nala and his subjects gave the queen a right royal welcome. And King Nala, grown wiser through his adversity, ruled over his kingdom with such wisdom that no other kingdom in India was governed like it. And when at the close of a long life King Nala died, he was regarded by all as the chief of the kings in all the lands of the Aryas.

 

Once upon a time there ruled over the MadvaMadra [sic] people a great king called Asvapati or lord of horses. His subjects loved him, his fame was great and his riches immense. But he was not wholly happy, because he had no children. As he grew older his longing for children increased.