Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories

Author(s): C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi

Page 98

72
festival of the eighth day,* he saw Kesará in the garden of Ratinandana, and she also saw him. Vasantadeva asked a native of Jayanti: "Who is this lady?" And then a young merchant named Priyankara, who had struck up a friendship with him, said: "My friend, she is the daughter of the merchant Panchanandin, and the sister of Jayantadeva, and her name is Kesará." Then Vasantadeva made friends with Jayantadeva. One day Jayantadeva asked Vasantadeva to a meal in his house. Then Vasantadeva saw that Kesará was exceedingly beautiful. Now, it happened that on this occasion Vasantadeva received flowers from the hand of Jayantadeva, and Kesará's nurse, Priyankará by name, thought that a very good omen. Then she said to Kesará: "You also ought to make some present to Vasantadeva." Kesará said: "Do whatever seems good to you." Then Priyankará gave to Vasantadeva, while in the garden of his own house, clusters of Priyangu and Kakkola fruits, and said to him: "My mistress Kesará sends you these sweets, sprung from the trees planted by Sundara with his own hands." Then Vasantadeva, knowing her feelings, was delighted, and said to Priyankará: "My good woman, you have done nobly; you must in the same way do another thing also, which it is suitable for you to do." Then Priyankará went and told Kesará the whole story, and Kesará was delighted. Now, it happened that in the last watch of the night Kesará had a dream to the effect that she was married to Vasantadeva; Vasantadeva also had a dream that he married Kesará. In the morning Kesará told her dream with a glad heart to Priyankará, and while she was telling it the family chaplain happened to utter the words, "Even so shall it be."‡ Both of them rejoiced at hearing this utterance of the family chaplain, and Priyankará said to Kesará : "Be assured that
* See, for the meeting of two lovers at a religious festival, my translation of the Katha Sarit Ságara,' vol. ii., p. 262, note.
For the belief that such dreams come true, see my translation of the Katha Sarit Ságara,' vol. i., p. 441; vol. ii., p. 482. Here we have an instance of belief in a phμn. 'Odyssey,' xx., 1. 105.
See Homer's