Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/97

Rh triumphed, sought his revenge. He suddenly attacked the land of the Salyas, overthrew the king's army and forced King Dyumatsena to flee with his queen and the little prince to the forest. There King Dyumatsena became a hermit and renounced the world. For eighteen years he has lived with his wife and son. And now the son, Satyavan by name, has grown to splendid manhood. I have seen him and I love him, and he alone shall be my husband."

So saying the lovely princess bowed before her father and the great sage Narada, until her head touched their feet.

"Alas!" exclaimed Narada, "alas! Your daughter, O King, has made but a foolish choice." "Venerable Sage," said the king anxiously, "is not Prince Satyavan wise and brave, tender-hearted and handsome?" "He is indeed," said Narada, "Prince Satyavan is as wise as Brihaspati, as brave as the god Shiva, as tender-hearted as mother earth, and as beautiful as an eastern moon. But he has one defect which outweighs all his virtues. Exactly one year from today Prince Satyavan's life will come to a close."

"O my daughter," cried King Asvapati, "choose another husband. For if you wed Satyavan, in a few months you will be a widow."

"No, my father," said Savitri, "my love once given can never be given to another. I chose Prince Satyavan to be my husband. I love him and him only will I wed." The courage of the beautiful maid touched the sage's heart. "O King," he said, "the maid will never wed any one but Satyavan. Let her, therefore, have him for her husband." The king bowed before Narada and said, "Venerable Sir, as you will, so shall it be!"