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CHAPTER THREE it a statue of Naminātha and worshipped it, with hair erect from joy. Then Nala went to the gate of Susumāranagara and there a mad elephant was roaming about, after pulling up its tyingpost. Its howdah being touched by the wind, it shook its howdah 152 and dragged down the birds even, trembling above, with his trunk. The elephant-men evaded his glance like that of a poison-serpent. He broke down the trees of the garden, like a mighty wind.
King Dadhiparņa ascended the city-wall hastily, unable to control the elephant, and said aloud; I will give what he wishes to anyone who will tame this uncontrolled elephant of mine. Sirs! Is there any one expert in the management of elephants ?' Hearing that, the hunchback said: “Where is he? Where is the elephant ? I shall reduce him to submission, while you look on.'
As the hunchback was saying this, the elephant came, trumpeting very loud. The hunchback ran after him, scarcely touching the ground with his feet. The people said fittingly, ‘Do not die! do not die! Hunchback, escape! escape!' but he went fearless as a lion. The hunchback ran forward, ran backward, flew up, rolled on the ground like a ball, deceiving the elephant. Seizing its tail again and again, powerful Nala exhausted the elephant, like a snake-charmer a snake. Nala, accustomed to fatigue, perceived that the elephant had become fatigued, quickly flew up like Garuda, and mounted the elephant, the best of riders.
Seated in the front of the howdah, he put his feet on the neck-rope and tightened its knot, striking the bosses with his palm. Waving the elephant-goad, the hunchback rode the elephant that was giving cries with mouth wide-open because of beating with the neck-rope. Then the people proclaimed, · Victory! Victory!' and the king himself threw a gold chain around his neck. After Nala, powerful, had reduced the rogueelephant to wax, as it were, he tied him to the elephant-post
152 916. Cf. Kathākośa, p. 220.
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