Page:Wonder Tales from Tibet.djvu/149

Rh thinking of the tragedy of the morrow. "Suppose I were the one," he thought. "Of course they would not really dare to ask for the Khan's son—but just suppose—" and then he pictured to himself the sorrow of his father and mother and his own horror at such a death. "And we are no different, really, from the others," he said to himself. "The fathers and mothers among our subjects must suffer as keenly as their king and queen would, and as for the boys and girls—they are really just like me." All at once Schalu sat up in bed and stared into the darkness; a great idea had entered his mind.

"I will go to these terrible serpent monsters myself!" he breathed excitedly. "I will offer myself to them—I, a Khan's son—if they will give up their frightful practice hereafter!" There was little sleep for Schalu after he had made up his mind to this deed; all night long he lay wide awake, planning how he would plead and argue with the serpents for the lives of his