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NOVEMBER, 1897.)
MISCELLANEA.
807
the whereabouts of the girl, went and negotiated was wrecked and all the people perished. Kårwith the girl's parents and effected a marriage pataka alone, while swimming with the greatest between the two. A few days after this the girl's difficulty, caught hold of a twig which carried parents sent her to her mother-in-law. Some him to Nagaloka, where he saw a temple to Durga, time afterwards, they sent their son to informat which he rested. He there saw a number the boy's parents and bring his brother-in-law and of Någa girls visiting the temple, worshipping the rister to their honse. Dhavala's parents were goddess, and dancing and singing. He conceived very glad, and sent their son and daughter-in-law a passion for one among the number, and commu. with the new.comer. They set out, and while nicated it to her maid-servants, who in turn resting themselves a little on the way near the informed the lady. The lady seemed to agree temple of the goddess Kali, Dhavala went in to the proposal and wanted Kárpataka to bathe and offered his head as a sacrifice to the goddess, in a tank near by. No sooner was that done as he had promised, and died. The new- than he found himself, to his utter amazeoomer, who was eagerly awaiting the arrival of ment, floating in the tank of Mallikapura. He his brother-in-law, not seeing him come out, then informed the king of what had transpired. went into the temple, and to his utter disappoint- The king thereupon wanted Karpataka to shew ment and sorrow saw his brother-in-law lying him the woman. The whole route was re-traversed there dead, and died himself. The girl, amazed and the woman in the temple to Durg& was shewn. at both her husband and her brother not coming The girl with whom Karpataka had fallen in love, out for so long a time, went into the temple, and fell in love with the king, and told him that she Was wholly immersed in sorrow and was about to would supply him with everything, if he should slay herself, when the goddess Kali appeared fulfil her cherished object. The king thereupon before her and said that she was pleased with her told her that Kárpataka was his son, a fair-lookchastity, and that it was unfair of her to venture
ing, intelligent young man, a person who would on suicide, and said further that if the two heads
act up to his promise, cost whatever it might, and of the slain be brought and attached to the other that she should marry and live comfortably with parts of the bodies, they would once more come him, to which she consented. The king took hold to life. In her hasto she brought the head of her of Kärpataka's hand, and saying that the union husband and attached it to the body of her bro. effected between the latter and the Naga girl was ther and vice vered, and they both rose up. She equal to one of the amalakas given him, and was now on the horns of a dilemma, and did that he should do some service for the other pruit, not know what to do." Bethala then asked went and immersed himself in the waters of the Vikramarka who should be taken to husband tank, and reached his capital safe. Kárpataka by the girl. Vikramarka replied that, as the then lived happily with the girl." Bethâla head is the most essential part of the whole then asked Vikramarka : "Which of them did body, to whatsoever body the head of her husband the greatest good " To which Vikramarka was attached, that man should become her replied that it is but natural for a servant to do husband. Bethâla upon this immediately disap- good to his master, but the master repaid him peared.
the good, thinking very highly of the servant's Bêthala, however, was once more fetched, and services that must be considered the greatest. he again began to tell a story. "There remained
Bêthala, on hearing this, once more disappeared. with Sakataasinga, king of Mallikapura, with- Bethâla wis again brought, and again began to out a moment's severance, his attendant, Kar- narrate a story." In days long gone by there lived pataka by name. Once upon a time, the king at Vijayanagara a king named Danduvakosa. set out on a hunting excursion with his large who married Satyavrata, and was so wholly army to a wood, mounted a horse, went with immersed in the luxuries of her charms that Karpataka to an uninhabited place a great dis- he was practically dead to the outer world. tance off, and being very much fatigued, rested Tirthadarsi, his minister, was then guiding the under the leafy spreading branches of a huge barh helm of the State. It was rumoured abroad, tree, when Karpataka brought and gave him two however, that the minister had appropriated the fruits of the emblic myrobalan (amalaka). The State to himself, and he, not being able to king then went home, and sometime after in. endure the calumny, went away to a foreign place. formed Karpataka that he had conceived a The king then entrusted his government to passion for the daughter of the king of Simha. another minister of his, and pursued his old habits. ladvipa (Ceylon), and wanted him to arrange After wandering through various countries, for a marriage between them. Karpataka set Tirthadarsi reached a port, contracted friendail in a merchant vessel, which unfortunately ship with a merchant there, and remained always
