Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/146

138 have your forehead branded with a red-hot gridiron in token of your vassalage. And fourthly, you must discontinue your bloody games of chess."

To all these conditions King Sirikap was only too glad to agree. So a treaty was drawn up between the two kings, and it was confirmed and ratified in the presence of their principal officers.

After this Rájá Rasálu mounted his horse and was riding away when he thought of the princess in her lonely cell. Turning his horse's head he sought the foot of the cliff and ascended to the cavern. "Of course," cried she, when she saw him, "you have won the game? But tell me, have you cut off my father's head?" "No," said he, "I have not." "What," replied she, "you have beaten your antagonist in the game of death, and you have not exacted the penalty of failure? What luckless man are you?" Then King Rasálu explained to the princess all the facts of his adventure. "But," concluded he, "one thing I omitted, namely, to stipulate for your deliverance from captivity."

The Princess, who expected no less than to be espoused to this handsome stranger, was overcome with distress. Seeing this the King, who pitied her misfortunes, took up a piece of rock and broke her chain, and then lifting her over his shoulder he descended with her from the cavern, and carried her up to the palace of the King, her father. He, seeing the company returning, and fearing some new calamity, once more endeavoured to conceal himself. But King Rasálu reassured him, and brought him forth and said to him, "Behold, here is your daughter; now say for what crime was she imprisoned?" "A certain prince," answered Sirikap, "came to play with me, and my rebellious daughter gave him, to sit upon, my fortunate carpet of state. 'Aha,' said I to myself, 'so, my lady, there's treason afoot.' Upon which I ordered her to be perpetually chained and imprisoned." "One more condition," said Rájá Rasálu, with a stem air, "must be added to the others: it is that you forgive her, and that you let me hear within three months that you have made a suit- able match for her." Nor could Rájá Sirikap dare to dispute his new lord's will, but he received his daughter and provided for her suitably in accordance with his pledged word.

Once more King Rasálu mounted his charger, and at the head of his brave companions, whose lance-heads glanced in the sunlight and whose accoutrements clashed merrily, he rode proudly away to his own capital. With him in a magnificent litter, accompanied by her