200 CRADLE TALES OF HINDUISM
remaining staff of gladiators. And now the fight, that to him was so serious, was degenerating into a harmless and unseemly revel, with the sympathy of all those around him, whose hearts ought, as he felt, to have been with him I
The King rose to his feet, and, at first choking with rage, but afterwards in clear, loud tones, silenced the trumpets and called to his guards — - " Drive out these youths, and arrest and bind the chieftain Nanda, with all his followers I Let Vasudeva here be slain 1 Slay Ugrasena my father and his attendants, and all with them who are the friends of Krishna 1 Slay 1 Slay I "
Before the King's orders had been comprehended by any other, almost before he had resumed his seat, Krishna had leapt to the royal dais — truly, it had been foolhardy, by thus attacking all who were dear to Him, so to provoke the Protector of the Universe 1 Seeing Krishna so close, and knowing that the moment long dreaded was come upon him, Kansa rose to his feet and drew his sword. But the Cowherd grasped him by the hair of his head, and at the touch his crown fell off. Then down from the dais jumped the youth, bearing the King with Him, powerless in His grasp. He threw^ him to the ground in the arena, and a moment later dragged him all round it, even, says the historian, *' as a lion might drag a dead elephant," that all his subjects might see that their
