🧚 Opening, part 20 · page 2

“I must go and see where the voices come from!” he said; and when his nurses told him he must not go for one year more, he only laughed aloud, saying, “Nay!54 I stay no longer here for any man!”55

Then he saddled his Arab horse Bhanur, put on his shining armor; and rode forth into the world; but, mindful of what his nurses had oft told him, when he came to the river, he dismounted, and going into the water, washed himself and his clothes.56

Then, clean of raiment, fair of face, and brave of heart, he rode on his way until he reached his father’s city.57 There he sat down to rest awhile by a well, where the women were drawing water in earthern pitchers.58 Now, as they passed him, their full pitchers poised upon their heads, the gay young Prince flung stones at the earthern vessels, and broke them all.59 Then the women, drenched with water, went weeping and wailing to the palace, complaining to the King that a mighty young Prince in shining armor, with a parrot on his wrist and a gallant steed beside him, sat by the well, and broke their pitchers.60

Now, as soon as Rajah Salabhan heard this he guessed at once that it was Prince Rasalu come forth before the time, and, mindful of the Jogis’ words that he would die if he looked on his son’s face before twelve years were past, he did not dare to send his guards to seize the offender and bring him to be judged.61 So he bade the women be comforted, and take pitchers of iron and brass, giving new ones from the treasury to those who did not possess any of their own.62

But when Prince Rasalu saw the women returning to the well with pitchers of iron and brass, he laughed to himself, and drew his mighty bow till the sharp-pointed arrows pierced the metal vessels as though they had been clay.63

Yet still the King did not send for him, so he mounted his steed and set off in the pride of his youth and strength to the palace.64 He strode into the audience hall, where his father sat trembling, and saluted him with all reverence; but Rajah Salabhan, in fear of his life, turned his back hastily and said never a word in reply.65

Then Prince Rasalu called scornfully to him across the hall:66

“I came to greet thee, King, and not to harm thee!67 What have I done that thou shouldst turn away?68 Scepter and empire have no power to charm me— I go to seek a worthier prize than they!”69

Then he strode away, full of bitterness and anger; but as he passed under the palace windows, he heard his mother weeping, and the sound softened his heart, so that his wrath died down, and a great loneliness fell upon him, because he was spurned by both father and mother.70 So he cried sorrowfully:71

“Oh, heart crown’d with grief, hast thou nought But tears for thy son?72 Art mother of mine?73 Give one thought To my life just begun!”74

And Queen Lona answered through her tears:75

“Yea!76 Mother am I, though I weep, So hold this word sure,— Go, reign king of all men, but keep Thy heart good and pure!”77

So Rajah Rasalu was comforted, and began to make ready for fortune.78 He took with him his horse Bhanur and his parrot, both of whom had lived with him since he was born.79

So they made a goodly company, and Queen Lona, when she saw them going, watched them from her window till she saw nothing but a cloud of dust on the horizon; then she bowed her head on her hands and wept, saying:80

“Oh!81 Son who ne’er gladdened mine eyes, Let the cloud of thy going arise, Dim the sunlight and darken the day; For the mother whose son is away Is as dust!”82

Rasalu had started off to play chaupur[3] with King Sarkap.83 And as he journeyed there came a fierce storm of thunder and lightning, so that he sought shelter, and found none save an old graveyard, where a headless corpse lay upon the ground.84 So lonesome was it that even the corpse seemed company, and Rasalu, sitting down beside it, said:85

“There is no one here, nor far nor near, Save this breathless corpse so cold and grim; Would God he might come to life again, ’Twould be less lonely to talk to him.”86

And immediately the headless corpse arose and sat beside Rajah Rasalu.87 And he, nothing astonished, said to it:88

“The storm beats fierce and loud The clouds rise thick in the West; What ails thy grave and shroud, Oh, corpse!89 That thou canst not rest?”90

Then the headless corpse replied:91

“On earth I was even as thou, My turban awry like a king, My head with the highest, I trow.92 Having my fun and my fling, Fighting my foes like a brave, Living my life with a swing.93 And, now I am dead, Sins, heavy as lead, Will give me no rest in my grave!”94

[Footnote 3: A game very similar to the modern game of Parchesi.]95

So the night passed on, dark and dreary, while Rasalu sat in the graveyard and talked to the headless corpse.96 Now when morning broke and Rasalu said he must continue his journey, the headless corpse asked him whither he was going, and when he said, “To play chaupur with King Sarkap,” the corpse begged him to give up the idea, saying: “I am King Sarkap’s brother, and I know his ways.97 Every day before breakfast he cuts off the heads of two or three men just to amuse himself.98 One day no one else was at hand, so he cut off mine, and he will surely cut off yours on one pretense or another.99 However, if you are determined to go and play chaupur with him, take some of the bones from this graveyard, and make your dice out of them, and then the enchanted dice with which my brother plays will lose their virtue.100 Otherwise he will always win.”101

So Rasalu took some of the bones lying about, and fashioned them into dice, and these he put into his pocket.102 Then, bidding adieu to the headless corpse, he went on his way to play chaupur with the king.103

Now, as Rajah Rasalu, tender-hearted and strong, journeyed along to play chaupur with the king, he came to a burning forest, and a voice rose from the fire, saying, “Oh, traveler!104 Save me from the fire!”105

Then the Prince turned towards the burning forest, and lo! the voice was the voice of a tiny cricket.106 Nevertheless, Rasalu, tender-hearted and strong, snatched it from the fire and set it at liberty.107 Then the little creature, full of gratitude, pulled out one of its feelers, and giving it to its preserver, said, “Keep this, and should you ever be in trouble, put it into the fire, and instantly I will come to your aid.”108

The Prince smiled, saying, “What help could _you_ give _me_?”109 Nevertheless, he kept the hair and went on his way.110

Now, when he reached the city of King Sarkap, seventy maidens, daughters of the king, came out to meet him—seventy fair maidens, merry and careless, full of smiles and laughter; but one, the youngest of them all, when she saw the gallant young Prince riding on Bhanur, going gayly to his doom, was filled with pity, and called to him, saying:111