rose,
sitting in the branches of the magic tree. And as the king gazed
eagerly at her, she sang as before to her lute:

Whatever seed of fate is sown
The fruit appears--'tis strange!
Whatever deed a man has done,
Not God himself can change.

Whatever, how, for whom, and where
'Tis fated so to be,
That thing, just so, for him, and there
Must happen fatally.

This song she sang, hinting at what was to happen. And the king gazed
at her smitten by love, and could not move. Then he cried: "O Sea, in
hiding her, you deceive those who think they have your treasures.
Honour and glory to you! I seek your protection. Grant me my desire!"
And as the king prayed, the maiden sank with the tree. Then the king
jumped after her into the sea.

The good merchant Fortune thought he was lost and was ready to die of
grief. But he was comforted by a voice from heaven which said: "Do
nothing rash. There is no danger when he sinks in the sea. For he is
the king Glory-banner, disguised as a hermit. He came here for the sake
of the maiden; she was his wife in a former life. And he will win her
and return to his kingdom in the Anga country." So the merchant sailed
on to complete his business.

But King Glory-banner sank in the sea, and all at once he saw a
heavenly city. He looked in amazement at the balconies with their
splendid jewelled pillars, their walls bright with gold, and the
network of pearls in their windows. And he saw gardens with pools that
had stairways of various gems, and magic trees that yielded all
desires. But rich as it was, the city was deserted.

He entered house after house, but did not find the maiden anywhere.
Then he climbed a high balcony built of gems, opened a door, and
entered. And there he saw her all alone, lying on a jewelled couch, and
clad in splendid garments. He eagerly raised her face to see if it was
really she, and saw that it was indeed the maiden he sought. At the
sight of her he had the strange feeling of the traveller in a desert in
summer at the sight of a river.

And she opened her eyes, saw that he was handsome and loveable, and
left her couch in confusion. But she welcomed him and with downcast
eyes that seemed like full-blown lotuses she did honour to his feet.
Then she slowly spoke: "Who are you, sir? How did you come to this
inaccessible under-world? And what is this hermit garb? For I see that
you are a king. Oh, sir, if you would d