his flying chariot. Notwithstanding the rapidity of his course,
the king of the vultures, seeing them dart through the air and hoping
to rescue the frantic Sita, attacks Ravana, only to fall mortally
wounded to earth. Because Sita--the personification of vegetation--has
now been abducted by the demon,--who typifies winter,--the whole earth
shows signs of mourning, and the two brothers hurry back to the hut,
their hearts filled with nameless apprehensions.

Like streamlet in the winter frost,
The glory of her lilies lost.
With leafy tears the sad trees wept
As a wild wind their branches swept.
Mourned bird and deer; and every flower
Drooped fainting round the lovely bower.
The sylvan deities had fled
The spot where all the light was dead.

Reaching their hermitage and finding their worst fears justified, both
brothers set out in quest of Sita, and soon come across the dying
vulture, who reports what he has seen, and bids them, after burning
his body, find the monkey king, Sugriva, who will aid them. After
piously fulfilling the brave vulture's last wishes, Rama and his
brother visit the monkey monarch, who reports that, as the demon flew
over his head, Sita flung down a few of her ornaments, begging that
they be taken to Rama. An alliance is now concluded between Rama and
Sugriva, and, as each party pledges himself to help the other, Rama
begins by slaying the brother and chief foe of the monkey king, who in
his turn undertakes to trace Sita.

To discover where she may be, Hanuman, the monkey general, sets out,
and, following Sita's traces, discovers she has been carried to
Ceylon. But, on arriving at the southern point of the Indian peninsula
and finding some two hundred miles of water between him and this
island, Hanuman, son of the god of the winds, transforms himself into
a huge ape, and in that shape takes a flying leap from the top of
Mount Mandara (the fabled centre of the earth) to the top of Mount
Sabula, which overlooks the capital of Ceylon. Then, reconnoitring
from this point, the monkey general perceives that Ravana's palace is
so closely guarded that he can only steal into it in the guise of a
cat. Prowling through the royal premises, he searches for Sita until
he finally discovers her in a secluded garden, bitterly mourning for
her spouse.

In spite of the fact that she has already been some time in the
demon's power, Ravana has not yet succeeded in winning her affections,
and dares