and hence
Comes punishment for dire offence.
Have we not heard the marvels wrought
By King Jatayus,(763) how he fought
With Ravan's might, and, nobly brave,
Perished, the Maithil queen to save?
There is no living creature, none,
But loves to die for Raghu's son,
And in long toils and dangers we
Have placed our lives in jeopardy.
Blest is Jatayus, he who gave
His life the Maithil queen to save,
And proved his love for Rama well
When by the giant's hand he fell.
Now raised to bliss and high renown
He fears not fierce Sugriva's frown.
Alas, alas! what miseries spring
From that rash promise of the king!(764)
His own sad death, and Rama sent
With Lakshman forth to banishment:
The Maithil lady borne away:
Jatayus slain in mortal fray:
The fall of Bali when the dart
Of Rama quivered in his heart:
And, after toil and pain and care,
Our misery and deep despair."

He ceased: the feathered monarch heard,
His heart with ruth and wonder stirred:
"Whose is that voice," the vulture cried,
"That tells me how Jatayus died,
And shakes my inmost soul with woe
For a loved brother's overthrow?
After long days at length I hear
The glorious name of one so dear.
Once more, O Vanar chieftains, tell
How King Jatayus fought and fell.
But first your aid, I pray you, lend,
And from this peak will I descend.
The sun has burnt my wings, and I
No longer have the power to fly."

Canto LVII. Angad's Speech.

Though grief and woe his utterance broke
They trusted not the words he spoke;
But, looking still for secret guile,
Reflected in their hearts a while:
"If on our mangled limbs he feed,
We gain the death ourselves decreed."

Then rose the Vanar chiefs, and lent
Their arms to aid the bird's descent;
And Angad spake: "There lived of yore
A noble Vanar king who bore
The name of Riksharajas, great
And brave and strong and fortunate.
His sons were like their father: fame
Knows Bali and Sugriva's name.
Praised in all lands, a glorious king
Was Bali, and from him I spring.
Brave Rama, Dasaratha's heir,
A glorious prince beyond compare,
His sire and duty's law obeyed,
And sought the depths of Dandak' shade
Sita his well-beloved dame,
And Lakshman, with the wanderer came.
A giant watched his hour, and stole
The sweet delight of Rama's soul.
Jatayus, Dasaratha's friend,
Swift succour to the dame would lend.
Fierce Ravan from his car he felled,
And for a time the prize withheld.
But bleeding, weak with years, and t