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lot! Having made up his mind to this course, he spent the night there, and went away with rapid step, just as Davadantí was on the point of waking. Now, just at this point, at the very end of night, Davadantí had a dream. She thought that she climbed up on a fragrant mangotree, charming with flowers and fruit, and ate its mellow fruit. And then & wild elephant suddenly rooted up the fragrant mango-tree, and she fell supportless on the earth. At that moment Davadantí woke up. Not seeing Nala, she began to look all round the horizon, like a doe that has strayed from its herd. She exclaimed: ‘Alas! an exceedingly wicked thing has been done, in that I have been left unprotected by my best beloved in an uninhabited wood. But no doubt he has gone to some lake to fetch water for me to wash my face in the morning. Or some Vidyadharí, in love with his matchless beauty, must have carried him off for her pleasure. • The mountains are the same, the trees, the forest, and the landscape,
Only I do not see Nala the lotus-eyed.' Her mind was distracted by much doubt of this kind, and terrified at not beholding Nala, though she looked in every direction, she began to consider the meaning of her dream. The fragrant mango-tree, abounding in flowers and fruit, was King Nala; the tasting by me of the fruits referred to the joys of empire. The rooting up of the tree by a wild elephant indicated Nala's loss of his throne by the appointment of destiny; as for my falling from this fragrant mango-tree, that indicated my loss of Nala ; so according to this dream it will be hard for me to see Nala.' Then Davadantí began to lament aloud unrestrainedly, for tender-hearted women have no self-control when misfortune befalls them. She said : O my husband ! how came you to leave me? Did I burden you? Why, even a serpent is burdened by its skin! Goddesses of the wood, I entreat you, show me my beloved; or show me the path purified by his lotus-like feet. Break open, O Earth, like a ripe cucumber, that by that aperture I may enter Hades and obtain rest. Thus lamenting, and bedewing the
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