s
ready for his coronation. Whereupon his people brought curded milk,
sandalwood, flowers, saffron, umbrellas, parasols, divers tails--tails of
oxen, tails of peacocks; arrows, weapons of war, mirrors and other
objects proper to be held by wedded women--all things, indeed, meet for a
solemn festival, with a well-striped tiger skin to represent the seven
continents of the earth; nothing was wanting of all the matters
prescribed in the Shastras {holy books} for the solemn crowning of kings;
and having thus fulfilled their duty, the servitors humbly acquainted his
Majesty therewith. Then when the Guru {religious teacher}, the Purohita
{hereditary priest of the royal house}, the Brahmans, the wise men, the
councilors, the officers, the soldiers, the chief captain, had entered,
the august King Bhoya drew near the throne, to the end that he might be
anointed.

"But lo! the first of the carven figures that surrounded the throne thus
spake and said: 'Harken, O King. That prince who is endowed with
sovereign qualities; who shines before all others in wealth, in
liberality, in mercy; who excels in heroism and in goodness; who is drawn
by his nature to deeds of piety; who is full of might and majesty; that
prince alone is worthy to sit upon this throne--no other, no meaner
sovereign, is worthy. Harken, O King, to the story of the throne.'"

"Go on, Babu," said the jailer, as the narrator paused; "what said the
graven image?"

"'There once lived,'" continued the Babu, "'in the city of Avanti, a
king, Bartrihari by name. Having come to recognize the vanity of earthly
things, this king one day left his throne and went as a jogi {ascetic}
afar into the desert. His kingdom, being then without a head--for he had
no sons, and his younger brother, the illustrious Vikramaditya, was
traveling in far lands--fell into sore disorder, so that thieves and
evildoers increased from day to day.

"'The wise men in their trouble sought diligently for a child having the
signs of royalty, and in due time, having found one, Xatrya by name, they
gave the kingdom into his charge. But in that land there dwelt a mighty
jin {evil spirit}, Vetala Agni {spirit of fire}, who, when he heard of
what the wise men had done, came forth on the night of the same day the
young king had been enthroned and slew him and departed. And it befell
that each time the councilors found a new king, lo, the Vetala Agni came
forth and slew him.

"'Now upon a certa