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necessary. Owing to it they will not attack you, as it will not be possible to recognise you. But do not entertain at present the desire of taking & vow. You have still to enjoy the whole earth. I myself will announce to you the proper time for religious observance. Now receive this vilva-fruit and this jewel-case; you must keep both most carefully; but when you desire to regain your own form, you must break open this vilva-fruit, and in it you will find garments fit for gods; you must also open this casket, and there you will see a chain and other ornaments; by putting on those garments and those ornaments you will recover your own shape.' Then Nala asked the god what had happened to Davadantí. The god related her whole story, laying special stress upon her chastity. The god said to Nala : Why do you roam about in the wood in this way? I will take you wherever you want to go.' Nala said: “Take me to Sumsumárapura.' Then the god took him to Sumsumára. pura in a moment, and putting him down there, went to his own place. Nala, for his part, worshipped the lord Neni in a Jaina temple in the garden of that city, and went to the gate of Sumsumárapura. And at this moment a mad elephant broke loose. It had torn up the post to which it was fastened; it made the howdah on its back tremble in the wind of its movement, and dragged down with its trunk the birds that hovered over it. So it roamed along, tearing to pieces the plantation of trees. Then King Dadhiparņa ascended the walls of the city, and exclaimed : “Whoever subdues that elephant, I will give him all his desire.' The hunchbacked Nala said : Where is that elephant, that I may subdue it?' While Nala was saying this, the elephant came to that place, roaring like a cloud. The hunchback ran towards it. Nala, being skilful in avoiding the blows of the elephant's trunk, ran in front of it, behind it, and at the side of it, until he had tired the elephant out. Then the hunchback jumped up like Garuda, and climbed up on its shoulder. He sat in the front part of the howdah, let down his legs on its back, and slapped it with his hand on the temples. Then the people
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