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Tapati and Samvarana
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mament. He will be proud of you if you choose me as your lord. So stay with me, Tapati. Oh, she is gone !” Again he felt fatigued and forlorn. But he was determined to invoke Tapati. He drew a likeness of her with an arrow on the trunk of a tree and lavished all his love and affection on it. By then there was an abundance of flowers and fruits all round, and the forest resounded with the joyous cries of birds and beasts which seemed to have suddenly awakened from a stupor. But he knew no hunger and thirst now and behaved like a mad man. He would implore the stars and the clouds to persuade Tapati to accept him. But they seemed indifferent as though they demanded from him greater proof of his love than mere madness.
Many days passed and there seemed to be no prospect of his seeing Tapati again. His devotion to her, however, became all the more intense. He raved for her no longer ; he now invoked her silently with confidence and composure. He was prepared to wait for her indefinitely. His prime minister showed great solicitude for him. But Samvarana rebuked him thus : "Amatya, I often ask myself what you would have been doing if the prime ministership had not been hereditary. You can only, clumsily climb trees crying at the sight of the smallest and mildest animal. Please stay on in your shelter on tree tops. The duty of feeding you and looking after you is mine, provided you leave me alone."
"Your Majesty! I realise you do not think much of me. But may I offer you a suggestion ? With the help of your
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