Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/304

288 ing, and the dice made from dead men's bones. Then his heart rose up once more, and he called boldly to Rajah Sarkap: "Leave my horse and arms here for the present. Time enough to take them away when you have won my head!"

Now, Rajah Sarkap, seeing Rasalu's confident bearing, began to be afraid, and ordered all the women of his palace to come forth in their gayest attire and stand before Rasalu, so as to distract his attention from the game. But he never even looked at them, and drawing the dice from his pocket, said to Sarkap, "We have played with your dice all this time. Now we will play with mine."

Then the kitten went and sat at the window through which the rat Dhol Rajah used to come, and the game began.

After awhile, Sarkap, seeing Rajah Rasalu was winning, called to his rat, but when Dhol Rajah saw the kitten he was afraid, and would not go farther. So Rasalu won, and took back his arms. Next he played for his horse, and once more Rajah Sarkap called for his rat; but Dhol Rajah, seeing