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196 TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MAŅIPATI-CARITA 754. The elephant coming at speed and making a gurgling
noise was anxious to seize the people but I stepped in
front of it. 755. Again and again I would run forward and then decoy it
throwing it into relief in front of the people just as the
lightning silhouettes the black cloud. 756. Through experience gained of old I was able to mount it
with a sudden leap as it roamed round; and bemused
it stopped still. 757. Then that elephant seeing a girl seized her and ran off.
A cry of despair arose and all the people trembled. 758. In the meantime the courtesan Magadhasenā's retinue
shouted to her, and, terrified in mind at seeing me, she
remained motionless like a wooden doll. 759. Shouting and bringing it to a halt and playing it I handed
over the elephant to the attendants. Then the evening
came. 760. It was time then for the spectacle and other entertain
ments in the presence of King Sreņika. In the dance hall which had been prepared, the performers gathered
with their instruments. 761. The music sounded, the people assembled there, both
young and old, and King Sreņika with his sons sat
down in the hall of the theatre. 762. Then after the praise of the Blessed Lord Vardhamāna
had been chanted Magadhasenā appeared on the stage
in the finest pomp of a courtesan 763. and after making a reverence to the king danced with
the most subtle alluring movements. In the mean
time I, knowing that the guards were asleep, 764. entered the palace and, cutting off the tails of the fat
tailed sheep, took the meat and went out. 765. When they woke up they loudly shouted out : ‘Thief!
A thief has taken the tail meat of the fat-tailed sheep and gone away.'
