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crying out : “Protect me." In the meanwhile the executioners arrived in pursuit of him, running at full speed, and said to the prince: “ Prince, this wicked robber was seen by us to-day coming out of the house of the merchant Sudatta with the plunder that he had taken. Accordingly, by order of the king, he was taken away to the place of execution to be impaled. Now he has escaped and fled to you. So permit us to carry out the orders of the king." The prince said to himself: “It does not become greatsouled men to surrender suppliants, and yet it does not become them to protect thieves ; so what shall I do?" Then he thought: “Let him be what he will, it is incumbent on one to protect suppliants.” So the prince said: “As long as I live, no one can slay him. I will certainly not surrender him, even in the destruction of the world. Go and tell my father so." The executioners went and informed the king. The king was angry, and ordered the prince to be banished.
Then the prince was delighted,* and went with Sumitra to another land. After he had crossed many realms, in the course of his wanderings, he came to a great forest, and went to sleep in the shade of a banyan-tree to dispel his fatigue; while Sumitra kept watch to protect him. Now, it happened that a Yaksha was dwelling in that tree. So, being attracted by their beauty and other good qualities, he said to himself: "I will show these two some hospitality.”+ Accordingly he became visible. Sumitra, saying to himself, “This is some god,” rose up to honour him. Then the Yaksha said : “Sumitra, I am the Yaksha that inhabits this banyan-tree." Sumitra buwed before him. The Yaksha said : “ Auspicious sir, you two are to-day my guests ; tell me, what hospitality can I show you ?" Sumitra said: “The mere sight of you is hospitality enough.” The Yaksha said : “ Nevertheless, the sight of
* For the same reason Mrigánkadatta is delighted at the sentence passed on him (Katha Sarit Ságara,' vol. i., p. 147).
+ In the Katha Sarit Ságara,' vol. ii., p. 82, a Yaksha entertains two Bráhmans.
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