od around in anxious expectation.

They had not to wait long before a numerous train of priests appeared,
eight of whom bore, on four golden staves, a costly chest adorned with
gold, ebony, and precious stones, and placed it in the middle of the
court. Then they bowed before the King, and the high priest stepped
forward and said,

"The King has given us an unusual command, and we fear that a great
misfortune is about to happen. What is the reason that we are summoned
from the recesses of the temple, and must even bring the divine snake
in its chest with us?"

Then the Princess said, "I will explain all. It is doubted that you
really take charge of a divine snake; therefore let the chest be
opened, and show it to the people."

Then the priests answered, "Do the people doubt of our god? Let the
doubters approach and be convinced."

He opened the lid, and every one saw a great snake in the chest It lay
stupefied, as snakes usually do after a heavy repast.

The Princess approached the chest, and cried, "Behold, doubters! is
not this a snake?" Then she turned to the high priest, and asked, "Has
your god shown you no sign by which you may know the man that ought to
be sacrificed?" The high priest mused, but did not reply. Then she
said, "Now I will show you the truth. Man does not properly understand
heavenly things. I honour your prudence; but answer me another
question. Would your god know its enemies if there were any such here?
And would he revenge himself on them if they attempted his life?"

"Certainly, certainly!" vociferated the priest. "Fire would fall from
heaven and destroy them."

"Very well," she said; "I am the enemy, and your god dies by my hand."
And quickly, even before she had quite uttered these words, she drew
her poniard and with it pierced the head of the snake, so that the
weapon ran into its chest and transfixed it.

The priests gave a common cry, and the King seized the Princess by
both arms, and pulled her back.

"My child, my child!" he cried, "what have you done?"

"What you, my father, ought long since to have done," she replied.
"Will you all believe," she called aloud to the spectators, "that I
have done right in killing this snake, if I tell you what you will
find within it?"

After a short pause, the King answered, "Yes, certainly." And the
people cried, "Then is the snake rightly slain--it was no god."

The priests said to the King, "She shall tell us; but we will accuse
her