This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
THE ENCHANTED PARROT
93


side your house, and I ran away because I was afraid of your wife Karagarâ. You may depend upon my behaving towards you as I ought. We will go now to Mrigavatî. The king's daughter, Sulochanâ, is very ill, and the physicians have given her up. You will very likely with your knowledge and wisdom be able to do what the doctors cannot. When we have reached Mrigavatî I will leave you."

Before long they arrived at Mrigavatî, where they heard a proclamation inviting any person who was able and willing, to come forward and cure the king's daughter. So the Brâhman on the strength of this proclamation went to the king's Court and performed the required cure. After this the goblin declined to leave him, as he had promised. So the Brâhman said: It is written —

" Men of good family, students of the sacred Scriptures may not break their promises: how much less one who is of immortal race."

On this the goblin was ashamed and went away, and the Brâhman received the king's daughter, and half the kingdom, a reward far beyond anything he had hoped or expected.