THE STORY OF BHI8HMA 307
The Prince saw the truth of these words, and quietly determining that his father's happiness was
dearer to him than ail the world besides, he made up his mind to another great vow. *< I promise
you," he said, *' that I shall never marry. So I can never have a child to lay claim to the
succession. And now, will you allow me to take your daughter to my father ? "
The fisher-maiden was led forth veiled, and the Prince saluted her as his mother, and placed her in his own chariot. Then, taking the place of the charioteer, he gathered up the reins, and drove straight to the doorway of the palace.
Shantanu could hardly believe his eyes, when the bride that he had desired was led before him, by the son for whose sake he had silently renounced her. But when he understood how and why she had come, he felt a sudden awe of the selflessness of his own child, and named him for the first time '^ Bhishma, the Terrible," blessing him with a wonderful blessing. '* Go forth, my son," said the King, " knowing that as long as thou shalt desire to live, none can ever en- danger thy life. Death himself shall never be able to approach thee, without first obtaining thine own consent." The blessing of father or mother always creates destiny, and long, long afterwards Bhishma, on his lonely death-bed beside the lake of
