The Greatest Works of Edwin Arnold (Illustrated Edition) - Edwin Arnold

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that picture yonder, of the Fairy Streak-o'-Gold, that thou must never touch!' For a long time I observed this injunction; at last, impelled by resistless curiosity, I laid my hand on the picture of 'Streak-o'-Gold,' In one instant her little foot, lovely as the lotus-blossom, advanced from out of the painting, and launched me through sea and air into my own country. Since that I have been a miserable wanderer; and passing through this city, I chanced to lodge at a Cowkeeper's hut, and saw the truth of this Barber's affair. The herdsman returned at night with his cattle, and found his wife talking with the wife of the Barber, who is no better than a bawd. Enraged at this, the man beat his wife, tied her to the milking-post, and fell asleep. In the dead of the night the Barber's wife came back, and said to the woman, 'He, whom thou knowest, is burnt with the cruel fire of thine absence, and lies nigh to death; go therefore and console him, and I will tie myself to the post until thou returnest.' This was done, and the Cowkeeper presently awoke. 'Ah! thou light thing!' he said jeeringly, 'why dost not thou keep promise, and meet thy gallant?' The Barber's wife could make no reply; whereat becoming incensed, the man cried out, 'What! dost thou scorn to speak to me? I will cut thy nose off!' And so he did, and then lay down to sleep again. Very soon the Cowkeeper's wife came back and asked if 'all was well.' 'Look at my face!' said the Barber's wife, 'and you will see if all is well.' The woman could do nothing but take her place again, while the Barber's wife, picking up the severed nose, and at a sad loss how to account for it, went to her house. In the morning, before it was light, the Barber called to her to bring his box of razors, and she bringing one only, he flung it away in a passion. 'Oh, the knave!' she cried out, directly, aloud, 'Neighbors, neighbors! he has cut my nose off!' and so she took him before the officers. The Cowkeeper, meantime, wondering at his wife's patience, made some inquiry about her nose; whereto she replied, 'Cruel wretch! thou canst not harm a virtuous woman. If Yama and the seven guardians of the world know me chaste, then be my face unmaimed!' The herdsman hastened to fetch a light, and finding her features unaltered, he flung himself at her feet, and begged forgiveness. For,

      'Never tires the fire of burning, never wearies death of slaying,

       Nor the sea of drinking rivers, nor the bright-eyed of betraying,'

      Thereupon the King's officer dismissed Kandarpa-ketu, and did justice by setting the Barber free, shaving the head of the Barber's wife, and punishing the Cowkeeper's.

      'That is my story,' concluded Damanaka, 'and thence I said that we had no reason to complain.'

      'Well, but we must do something,' said Karataka.

      'Yes! How shall we break the friendship of the King with the Bull?' asked the other.

      'It is very strong,' observed Karataka.

      'But we can do it,' replied the other.

      'What force would fail to win, fraud can attain:—

       The Crow despatched the Serpent by a chain.'

      'How did that occur?' asked Karataka.

      Damanaka related:—

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      "A pair of Crows had their abode in a certain tree, the hollow of which was occupied by a black snake, who had often devoured their young. The Hen-bird, finding herself breeding again, thus addressed her mate: 'Husband, we must leave this tree; we shall never rear young ones while this black snake lives here! You know the saw—

      'From false friends that breed thee strife,

       From a house with serpents rife,

       Saucy slaves and brawling wife—

       Get thee out, to save thy life.'

      'My dear,' replied the Crow, 'you need not fear; I have put up with him till I am tired. Now I will put an end to him.'

      'How can you fight with a great black snake like that?' said the Hen-bird.

      'Doubt nothing,' answered the other—

      'He that hath sense hath strength; the fool is weak:—

       The Lion proud died by the Hare so meek,'

      'How came that about?' asked the Hen-Crow.

      'Thus,' replied her mate:—

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      "On the Mandara mountain there lived a Lion named Fierce-of-heart, and he was perpetually making massacre of all the wild animals. The thing grew so bad that the beasts held a public meeting, and drew up a respectful remonstrance to the Lion in these words:—

      "Wherefore should your Majesty thus make carnage of us all? If it may please you, we ourselves will daily furnish a beast for your Majesty's meal." The Lion responded, "If that arrangement is more agreeable to you, be it so."; and from that time a beast was allotted to him daily, and daily devoured. One day it came to the turn of an old hare to supply the royal table, who reflected to himself as he walked along, "I can but die, and I will go to my death leisurely."

      "Now Fierce-of-heart, the lion, was pinched with hunger, and seeing the Hare so approaching he roared out, "How darest thou thus delay in coming?"

      'Sire,' replied the Hare, 'I am not to blame. I was detained on the road by another lion, who exacted an oath from me to return when I should have informed your Majesty.'

      'Go,' exclaimed King Fierce-of-heart in a rage; 'show me, instantly, where this insolent villain of a lion lives.'

      "The Hare led the way accordingly till he came to a deep well, whereat he stopped, and said, 'Let my lord the King come hither and behold him.' The Lion approached, and beheld his own reflection in the water of the well, upon which, in his passion, he directly flung himself, and so perished."

      "I have heard your story," said the Hen-Crow, "but what plan do you propose?"

      "My dear," replied her mate, "the Rajah's son comes here every day to bathe in the stream. When he takes off his gold anklet, and lays it on the stone, do thou bring it in thy beak to the hollow of the tree, and drop it in there." Shortly after the Prince came, as was his wont, and taking off his dress and ornaments, the Hen-Crow did as had been determined; and while the servants of the Prince were searching in the hollow, there they found the Black Snake, which they at once dispatched.

      'Said I not well,' continued Damanaka, 'that stratagem excels force?'

      'It was well said,' replied Karataka; 'go! and may thy path be prosperous!

      'With that Damanaka repaired to the King, and having done homage, thus addressed him:—

      "Your Majesty, there is a dreadful thing on my mind, and I am come to disclose it."

      'Speak!' said the King, with much graciousness.

      'Your Majesty,' said the Jackal, 'this Bull has been detected of treason. To my face he has spoken contemptuously of the three prerogatives of the throne,[14] unto which he aspires.'

      "At these words King Tawny-hide stood aghast.

      'Your Majesty,' continued Damanaka, 'has placed him above us all in the Court. Sire! he must be displaced!—

      'Teeth grown loose, and wicked-hearted ministers, and poison-trees,

       Pluck them by the roots together; 'Tis the thing that giveth ease,'

      'Good Jackal,' said the King, after some silence; 'this is indeed dreadful; but my regard for the Bull is very great, and it is said—

      'Long-tried friends are friends to cleave to—never leave thou these i' the lurch:—

       What man

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