________________
OCTOBER, 1975
Sumitra :
Vardhaman :
Sumitra :
Vijaya :
Vardhaman :
Sumitra :
Vardhaman :
Vijaya :
Vardhaman :
Vijaya:
Vardhaman :
Vijaya:
Sumitra :
Vijaya :
Sumitra :
Vijaya! Here I go right, you go left. We shall attack rogue from both sides, as soon as he comes in sight.
the
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[They shift to either side of the screen and fix their arrows to the strings]
Tarry, thou shalt not aim at a creature alive.
But that elephant is a rogue. He has gone amuck. He will take many more lives.
If one life preys on other lives, there is no harm in taking away that life. To do a great right, do a little wrong.
But one life is as precious as another. Both of you stay back. I shall personally go and meet the elephant.
We cannot leave you alone. We shall accompany you.
No, you must stay back. You might act indiscreetly in temper. It is best I go alone.
For heavens sake stop. You shall not go alone.
No, go I must and that too alone.
The elephant has gone amuck; he is bound to attack you.
He is welcome. But you will not move from here. These are my orders, my command. Here I go. [Exit]
So there he goes and we are forbidden to accompany him. I fear some evil in the offing.
This is foolhardiness in the Prince. A mad elephant draws no distinction between a prince and a commoner. And how can the Prince face the elephant, when he is determined not to kill.
Needlessly, we have been stopped. We have missed a golden opportunity to display our skill in marksmanship.
I have never missed my aim. My arrows only know the bull's eye and not the magpie.
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