THE STORY OF BHISEEMA 305
Grandsire/' as he was called, and he was equally loved and respected by all. He was not the King, but, greater still, the maker and director of kings, and amidst all the events of that stirring time his form looms large on his great battle-charger, like that of some mystic Arthur of an earlier age. Bhishma was not the King, but he had been born to the throne, and of his own free-will had given up his right.
It had happened in this wise. When he was still young, having been brought up in great splendour, as the only son, and heir-apparent, of Shantanu the King, a strange thing befell. His father, the sovereign of the country, fell in love with a beautiful maidca who was nothing but a fisherman's daughter 1
This fisherman, however, was very fine and proud, and would not hear of his daughter marrying out of her proper rank. If she did this, he said, it would only be to bring un- deserved humiliation upon herself. It was true that she would live for the rest of her life in a palace, but in that palace who would she be ? None would look upon her as the Queen, for no son of hers would ever be considered fit to inherit the throne. Only if her son could be made crown- prince, instead of Bhishma, would he consent to her wedding the King. This meant that the fisher- man could not take the proposal seriously. So strong were all men, in the days of the heroes !
Of course the condition named was out of the
