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you think fit." When the Vidyádhaí Prabhávatí heard that, she flew up
into the air with him, and proceeded to journey on through the moonlit
night. And as she was going along, she saw a*fire burning in a certain
place, 80 she took Naraváhanadatta's hand, and moved round it, keeping it on the right. In this way the bold lady managed by an artifice to go through the ceremony of marriage with Naraváhanadatta, for all the
actions of heavenly beings have some important end in view.*[1] Then she pointed out to her beloved from the sky the earth looking like a sacrificial platform, the rivers like snakes, the mountains like ant-hills, and many other wonders did she show him from time to time, until at last she had
gradually accomplished a long distance.
Then Naraváhanadatta became thirsty with his long journey through the air, and begged for water; so she descended to earth from her airy path. And she took him to the corner of a forest, and placed him near a lake, which seemed to be full of molten silver, as its water was white with the rays of the moon. So his craving for water was satisfied by the draught which he drank in that beautiful forest, but there arose in him a fresh craving as he felt a desire to embrace that lovely lady.†[2] But she, when pressed, would hardly consent; for her thoughts reverted with pity to Madanamanchuká, whom she had tried to comfort; in truth the noble-minded, when they have undertaken to forward the interests of others, put out of sight their own. And she said to him " Do not think ill, my husband, of my coldness; I have an object in it; and now hear this story which will explain it."
Story of the child that died of a broken heart because his mother forgot to bring him a sweetmeat.:— Once on a time, there lived in the city of Páțaliputra a certain widow who had one child; she was young, and beautiful, but poor. And she was in the habit of making love to a strange man for her gratification, and at night she used to leave her house and roam where she pleased. But, before she went, she used invariably to console her infant son by saying to him, " My boy, I will bring you a sweetmeat to-morrow morning," and every day she brought him one. And the child used to remain quiet at home, buoyed up by the hope of that sweetmeat.
- ↑ * I have altered the division of the words, as there appears to be misprint in Brockhaus's text.
- ↑ † The three India Office MSS. give Śrántatŗishá. In No. 1882 the line begins with atra, in the other two with tatra: I have given what I believe to be the sense taking tŗishá as the instrumental. Śránta appears to be sometimes used for Śánta. The Sanskrit College MS. reads tatra śántam jalatŗishá tasya pitámbhaso vane. This exactly fits in with my rendering.
