Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/386

 he said to his daughter " Go and bring all your sisters here quickly." When Agnisikha had given these orders to Śringabhuja and Rúpaśikhá, they both of them went out, after promising to obey them.

Then the wise Rúpaśikhá said to Śringabhuja " My husband, I have a hundred sisters, who are princesses, and we are all exactly alike, with similar ornaments and dresses, and all of us have similar necklaces upon our necks. So our father will assemble us in one place, and in order to bewilder you, will say ' Choose your own love out of the midst of these.' For I know that such is his treacherous intention, otherwise why is he assembling all of us here. So when we are assembled, I will put my necklace on my head instead of my neck, by that sign you will recognise me; then throw over my neck the garland of forest flowers. And this father of mine is somewhat silly, he has not a discerning intellect; besides what is the use against me of those powers which he possesses by being a Rákshasa? So, whatever he says to entrap you, you must agree to, and must tell it to me, and I shall know well enough what further steps to take." Having said this, Rúpaśikhá went to her sisters, and Śringabhuja, having agreed to do what she said, went to bathe. Then Rúpaśikhá came with her sisters into the presence of her father, and Śringabhuja returned, after he had been washed by a female servant. Then Agniśikha gave a garland of forest flowers to Śringabhuja, saying, " Give this to that one of these ladies, who is your own love." He took the garland and threw it round the neck of Rúpaśikhá,* who had previously placed the necklace on her head by way of token. Then Agniśikha said to Rúpaśikhá and Śringabhuja, " I will celebrate your marriage ceremony to-morrow morning."

Having said this, he dismissed those two lovers and his other daughters to their apartments, and in a short time he summoned Śringabhuja and said this to him; " Take this yoke of oxen, and go outside this town, and sow in the earth the hundred khárís† of sesame-seed which are piled there in a heap." When Śringabhuja heard that, he was troubled, and he went and told it to Rúpaśikhá, and she answered him as follows " My husband, you need not be in the least despondent about this, go there at once; I will easily perform this by my magic power."