mencing the building, they completed it in thirteen months and six days. Its high tower reached almost to the skies. Built of white marble, and with silver doors and windows, and turrets of gold, it put even Bishwakarma[1] to shame. A religious mendicant, or fakir, one day passing by the newly built mansion and learning whose it was, saw the owners, and spoke to them thus:—
"You have built an unrivalled palace, it is true; but there is something wanting to complete its beauty and grandeur. You must plant here a silver tree with flowers of gold, and a tree of diamonds with birds of gold perched on it. And above these trees there must be a canopy of a net made of pearls."
The brothers and their sister, much surprised, wanted to know where these strange things were to be found, and the fakir said, "There is an enchanted mountain in the north, at the top of which you will find them."
On hearing this, Arun started in search of the mountain, leaving a sword with his brother and sister, and saying that if ever they found it rusty they might conclude that he was dead. Time passed, until at length one day Barun was startled to find the sword rusty. He communicated this to Kirunmala, and after the usual period of mourning he set out for the mountain, leaving a bow and an arrow with his sister, and telling her that if either of these suddenly broke it would be a certain indication of his death.
After the most arduous journey imaginable, Barun reached the mountain, and hearing some one behind him call him by name, he faced round, and was immediately turned into a statue of marble. He then perceived that his brother had met with the same fate.
Kirunmala was one day apprised of her younger brother's fate by the sudden breaking of the bow and arrow; but instead of giving way to fruitless grief, she attired herself as a man, and started in quest of the enchanted mountain. Passing
- ↑ The great and matchless architect in Hindu mythology, who made the palaces of the gods.
