asked her to procure him clothes surpassing in quality those worn by the princes, at the same time putting into her hand a diamond which she had brought from her father's house. The girl's desire was fulfilled, and on the next morning Chandramanik was at the pathsala wearing his new dress. The princes were astonished, and their sister, with looks of delight, exclaimed, "See, brothers! Here is before you the moon of heaven in human form. This youth can never be a mali's son." The words cut the brothers to the quick, and they conspired to put him into new difficulties. They told him that, clothed in so gorgeous a dress, he must not walk to the school, but come in a vehicle befitting his clothes, otherwise they would cut off his head.
The poor boy went home more dispirited than before, and being asked the reason, unburthened his mind. Malancha, rich with the money obtained from the sale of the diamond, engaged for him the next morning a Chatúrdola.[1] In this the boy went to the pathsala, to the confusion of the princes and the joy of the princess who now gave out her determination to marry him, since it was evident, she said, that he was no ordinary being. But the princes were still full of venom against him, and proposed a horse-race, on the condition that if he failed to be the first to reach the goal he should forfeit his head.
The circumstances being related to her by Chandramanik, Malanchamala, leaving him with the malini, started in quest of a fleet horse. Her purse was full, and she knew that she could buy an excellent one. The search extended over many days until she reached a kingdom where the king and the people were in deep mourning. She asked the cause, and was told that a great calamity had befallen them. The swift winged mare of the king had gone furiously mad, devouring men and beasts, destroying all that came within its reach. Being under some strange influence which she could not account for, she ventured to approach the mare, and told her that she was wanted by Chandramanik. The mare seemed to
- ↑ A richly furnished vehicle borne by men, and used only by the wealthy.
