Page:The Katha Sarit Sagara.djvu/87

 chieftain, Śrídatta came down from the top of the tree, and in great grief asked him for news of his beloved. The Śavara chieftain said —— "Leave this place and come to my village; I have no doubt she whom you seek has gone there; and I shall come there and return you this sword." When the Śavara chieftain urged him to go with these words, Śrídatta, being hiimself all eagerness, went to that village with the chief's men. And there those men said to him,—— "Sleep off your fatigue,"—— and when he reached the house of the chief of the village, being tired he went to sleep in an instant. And when he woke up he saw his two feet fastened with fetters, like the two efforts he had made in order to obtain his beloved, which failed to reach their object. Then he remained there weeping for his darling, who, like the course of destiny, had for a moment brought him joy, and the next moment blasted his hopes.

One day a serving maid of the name of Mochaniká came to him and said,—— Illustrious Sir, unwittingly you have come hither to your death? For the Śavara chieftain has gone somewhither to accomplish certain weighty affairs, and when he returns, he will offer you to Chandiká.* For with that object he decoyed you here by a stratagem from this slope of the wild Vindhya hill, and immediately threw you into the chains in which you now are. And it is because you are intended to be offered as a victim to the goddess, that you are continually served with garments and food. But I know of only one expedient for delivering you, if you agree to it. This Śavara chieftain has a daughter named Sundarí, and she having seen you is becoming exceedingly love-sick; marry her who is my friend, then you will obtain deliverance. † When she said this to him, Śrídatta consented, desiring to be set at liberty, and secretly made that Śundarí his wife by the Gándharva form of marriage. And every night she removed his chains and in a short time Sundarí became pregnant. Then her mother, having heard the whole story from the mouth of Mochaniká, out of love for her son-in-law Śrídatta, went and of her own accord said to him —— "My son, Śríchanda the father of Sundarí is a wrathful man, and will show thee no mercy. Therefore depart, but thou must not forget Sundarí." When his mother-in-law had said this, she set him at liberty, and Śridatta departed after telling Sundarí that the sword, which was in her father's possession, really belonged to himself. So he again entered full of anxiety that forest, in which he had before wandered about, in order again to search for traces of Mrigávatí. And having seen an auspicious omen he came to that same place, where that