“So repose, now, a day in this god-built town, and I will attend upon you to the best of my ability.” After saying this, Rájyadhara led off with him Naraváhanadatta and Gomukha to the city garden, there the prince bathed in the water of the lake and offered lotuses to Śiva, and was conducted to the feasting-place in the middle court, and there he and his minister enjoyed viands which were placed before them by Rájyadhara, who stood in front of them, to whom they came as soon as he thought of them. Then the eating-ground was swept by some unseen hand, and after they had taken betel, they drank wine and remained in great felicity. And after Rájyadhara had eaten, the prince retired to a gorgeous couch, astonished at the wonderful nature of the town, which resembled the philosopher’s stone. And when he could not sleep, on account of his recently conceived longing for Karpúriká, Rájyadhara, who was also in bed, asked her story, and then said to him—“Why do you not sleep, auspicious sir? You will obtain your desired love. For a fair woman, like Fortune, of her own accord chooses a man of high courage. I have had ocular proof of this, so hear the story; I will relate it to you.”

Story of Arthalobha and his beautiful wife.

Then Arthalobha fled, and went into the presence of the king. And concealing his own wicked conduct, he said to the king,—“O king, the merchant Sukhadhana has carried off my wife by force.” And the king, in his rage, wished to arrest that Sukhadhana. Then a minister of the name of Sandhána said to the king—“In any case, my lord, you cannot arrest him, for when his force is increased by that of the eleven friends who have come with him, he will be found to have more than a hundred thousand excellent horses. And you have not discovered the truth about the matter, for his conduct will turn out to be not altogether without cause. So you had better send a messenger, and ask what it is that this fellow here is chattering about.” When king Báhubala heard this, he sent a messenger to Sukhadhana to ask about the matter. The messenger went, and asked about the matter by the king’s order, and thereupon Mánapará told him her story. When Báhubala heard that wonderful tale, he came to the house of Sukhadhana to behold the beauty of Mánapará, being filled with excessive curiosity. There he beheld, while Sukhadhana bent before him, Mánapará, who with the wealth of her beauty would astonish even the Creator. She prostrated herself at his feet, and he questioned her, and heard from her own mouth how the whole thing happened, Arthalobha being present and listening. When he heard it, he thought it was true, because Arthalobha was speechless, and he asked that fair one what was to be done now. Then she said decidedly, “How can I return to that spiritless avaricious man, who sold me to another man without the excuse of distress?” When the king heard this, he said, “Well said,” and then Arthalobha bewildered with desire, wrath, and shame, exclaimed,—“King, let him and me fight with our own retainers, without any auxiliary forces; then let it be seen who is spirited and who is spiritless.” When Sukhadhana heard this, he said—“Then let us fight in single combat, what need is there of retainers? Mánapará shall be the prize of the victor.” When the king heard this, he said, “Good! so let it be!” Then, before the eyes of Mánapará and the king, they both entered the lists mounted. And in the course of the combat, Sukhadhana laid Arthalobha on the plain, by his horse’s rearing on account of a lance-wound. Then Arthalobha fell three times more on the earth, on account of his horse being killed, but Sukhadhana, who was a fair fighter, restrained himself and would not slay him. But the fifth time Arthalobha’s horse fell upon him, and bruised him, and he was carried off by his servants motionless. Then Sukhadhana was cheered by all the spectators with shouts of applause, and the king Báhubala honoured him as he deserved. And he immediately bestowed a gift of honour upon the lady, and he confiscated the property of Arthalobha, which had been acquired by unlawful means; and appointing another to his office, he departed pleased to his palace. For good men derive satisfaction from breaking off their connection with the bad. And Sukhadhana, having maintained his claim by force, remained enjoying himself in the society of Mánapará his loving wife.

“Thus wives and wealth leave the mean-spirited man, and of their own accord come to the high-spirited man from every quarter. So dismiss anxiety! Go to sleep! in a short time, my lord, you will obtain that princess Karpúriká.” When Naraváhanadatta heard that sound advice of Rájyadhara’s, he and Gomukha went off to sleep.

Story of the princess Karpúriká in her birth as a swan.

Thus, having delighted his friends, followers and wives, and obtained a third wife Karpúriká in addition to Ratnaprabhá and Madanamanchuká, the son of the king of Vatsa spent those days in happiness.

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · I read sarastírát for sarittírát.Note 2 · Here there is a pun, as the words may also be construed “woven of excellent threads.”Note 3 · Maya was the architect of the Daityas. According to some Maya = Ptolemaios.Note 4 · I. e. holding life.Note 5 · Cp. the Metamorphoses (Golden Ass) of Apuleius, Lib. V, cap. III. Visoquestatim semirotundo suggestu propter instrumentum cœnatorum, rata re Note 6 · I. e., holding or possessing a kingdom.Note 7 · I. e., greed of wealth.Note 8 · Cp. Die Sieben Weisen Meister c. 18, (Simrock’s Deutsche Volksbücher, Vol. XII, p. 185).Note 9 · See note on page 305.Note 10 · Cp. Herodotus III. 119; Antigone, vv. 909–912. See also the Pentamerone of Basile, Vol. II, p. 131, and the Ucchanga Játaka, No. 67 in Dr. F Note 11 · A mere pun.Note 12 · I read with a MS. in the Sanskrit College—bhayade há múrta iva sáhase.Note 13 · “Wish” is literally “chariot of the mind,” so here there is a pun.Note 14 · Both Śrí and the Amṛita came out of the sea when it was churned. Sudaśárha kúlena seems to be corrupt.Note 15 · There is a city named Kánchí possessed of great excellences,2 which, like a girdle, well adorns the earth-bride. In it there was a famous ki Note 16 · When that Práṇadhara,4 who was rightly named, had gone off somewhere, I, expecting that in the morning I singly should he exposed to danger Note 17 · That king of Kánchí, Báhubala, whom I mentioned to you, had a rich door-keeper, rightly named Arthalobha.7 He had a beautiful wife named Mán Note 18 · And in the morning, while the prince was waiting awhile after his meal, the wise Gomukha addressed Rájyadhara as follows: “Make such an inge Note 19 · On the shore of the ocean there is a great sandal-wood tree. Near it there is a lake adorned with full-blown lotuses. I was a female swan on Note 20 · “So, my son, I have told you what you asked me. And that princess is undoubtedly destined to be your wife. For she was long ago designated b Note 21 · “In a former birth he was a swan on account of his actions in an anterior state of existence. Then he built himself a nest in a sandal-wood Note 22 · And on the next day Naraváhanadatta, who had attained his object, said to his beloved Karpúriká, “Come, let us go to Kauśámbí.” Then she ans Note 23 · Victory to the elephant-headed god,1 who, reddening the sky with the vermilion dye shaken off by the wind of his flapping ears, seems to cre Note 24 · Thus Naraváhanadatta, the son of the king of Vatsa, dwelt happily in his father’s house, after he had won those wives. And one day, when he