tries to
injure Sita, whereupon Rama, by cutting off her nose and ears, forces
her to resume her usual shape. In her anger this demon bids her
brothers avenge her wrongs, whereupon fourteen fiends attack Rama,
who, having slain them all, is almost immediately afterward forced to
face thousands of demons. He defeats them single-handed, while his
brother watches over Sita, hidden in a neighboring cave.

Such a trifle as the massacre of twenty-one thousand of his fiends in
three hours' time, naturally enrages Ravana, whose abode is in Ceylon,
in a golden palace which has such high walls that no one can peep over
them. This king of demons, who is also called the "Courage of the
Three Worlds," has the power of increasing his stature until he can
reach up to the stars with his score of arms. Owing to his ten heads,
his appearance is terrifying, especially as his eyebrows are composed
of live black snakes which writhe around continually. No sooner does
his sister appear before him, reporting she has been mutilated by
Rama, who has besides slain hosts of his subjects, than Ravana swears
revenge, adding he will first kidnap Sita, for his sister's
description of her matchless charms has fired his imagination.

In his golden chariot Ravana, therefore, flies to the forest, where he
bids his sister change herself into a wonderful deer, and in that
shape lure Rama away, so he can abduct Sita. The three hermits are,
therefore, calmly seated before their hut when a deer darts past,
exhibiting so unusual a pelt that Sita, fired with the desire to
possess it, urges Rama to pursue it. To gratify this whim, Rama starts
out to track this game, calling to his brother to mount guard over his
wife during his absence. Lured farther and farther away from home,
Rama finally brings down his quarry, which, in falling, calls for help
in a voice so exactly like his own that his brother, hearing the
despairing accent, is torn between the desire to rush to his rescue
and the necessity of remaining to protect Sita. But the little wife,
sure her husband is in danger, so vehemently urges her brother-in-law
to leave her that he finally dashes off. A moment later Sita sees an
old hermit draw near to ask alms. While she is entertaining this holy
guest, he frightens her by suddenly announcing that he is Ravana, king
of the demons. As Sita resists all his advances, Ravana, suddenly
resuming his wonted shape, snatches her up in his arms and whisks her
off in