till Chandra, free from the chain, took Malancha by the hand, and strong with the tigress's milk he had drunk while young, burst open the door of the dungeon.
The tiger and the tigress meanwhile entered the palace, and made a feast of the men and the animals they came across. The seven princes were devoured, and the princess Kanchi would have met the same fate if Malancha had not burst in, and overcome with grief cried, "Oh, uncle and aunt! have you destroyed every one here? Are Chandra's relations by his late marriage all killed? Is she who married him out of pure love alone lost to him for ever?"
The tiger replied that no one of the royal family was alive, except the princess; and that she too must fall under his and the tigress's jaws. At this Malancha, beating her head upon the ground, adjured them to spare the girl. Her request was granted, and being told by the tiger to get some water for him to appease his thirst, she went to the nearest tank, where as fate would have it Chandra's father, released by the tiger, had come to wash himself, after having left the company of his son and his newly acquired daughter-in-law, who had a few minutes before been introduced to him. Malancha bowed down to him, and on being asked who she was, told him. Who could then picture the look of terror that he cast upon her? Shouting to his attendants, he cried, "Let us be off at once. We have fallen into the hands of that horrible witch, the kotál's daughter." But they replied, "May it please your majesty to note that this kotál's daughter has saved your son's life, and brought you here. It is she, again, who has got the prince out of the dungeon, and it is not proper to treat her thus." But the king only cried out, "No, no, she is a witch, and I will never permit her to step into my kingdom." Whereupon the king, Chandra, Kanchi and the others started homewards.
Being thus left behind, Malancha went to her friends, the tiger and tigress, and told them how she had been insulted by her father-in-law. They asked her to remain with them,
