rough from smooth. He dashed off quicker than the wind, and in a
moment carried the king into another forest a hundred miles away.

There the king lost his way, and as he wandered about wearily, he
saw a great lake. He stopped there, unsaddled his horse, let him
bathe and drink, and found him some grass in the shade of the
trees. Then he bathed and drank himself, and when he had rested,
he looked all about him.

And he saw a hermit's daughter of marvellous beauty under an
ashoka tree with another girl. She had no ornaments but flowers.
She was charming even in a dress of bark. She was particularly
attractive because of her thick masses of hair arranged in a girlish
way.

And the king fell in love with her and thought: "Who is she? Is she
a goddess come to bathe in these waters? Or Gauri, separated from
her husband Shiva, leading a hard life to win him again? Or the
lovely moon, taking a human form, and trying to be attractive in
the daytime? I will go to her and find out."

So he drew near to her. And when she saw him coming, she was
astonished at his beauty and dropped her hands, which had been
weaving a garland of flowers. And she thought: "Who can he be in
this forest? Some fairy perhaps. Blessed are my eyes this day."

So she rose, modestly looking another way, and started to go away,
though her limbs failed her. Then the king approached and said:
"Beautiful maiden, I have come a long distance, and you never
saw me before. I ask only to look at you, and you should welcome