efile her in token of grief, and
thus discovers the birth-mole proving her identity.

Damayanti now returns to her father and to her children, but doesn't
cease to mourn the absence of her spouse. She, too, sends Brahmans in
all directions, singing "Where is the one who, after stealing half of
his wife's garment, abandoned her in the jungle?" Meantime Nala has
saved from the fire a serpent, which by biting him has transformed him
into a dwarf, bidding him at the same time enter the service of a
neighboring rajah as charioteer, and promising that after a certain
time the serpent poison will drive the demon Kali out of his system.
Obeying these injunctions, Nala becomes the charioteer of a
neighboring rajah, and while with him hears a Brahman sing the song
which Damayanti taught him. He answers it by another, excusing the
husband for having forsaken his wife, and, when the Brahman reports
this to Damayanti, she rightly concludes her Nala is at this rajah's
court.

She, therefore, sends back the Brahman with a message to the effect
that she is about to hold a second Bride's Choice, and the rajah,
anxious to secure her hand, asks his charioteer whether he can convey
him to the place in due time? Nala undertakes to drive his master five
hundred miles in one day, and is so clever a charioteer that he
actually performs the feat, even though he stops on the way to verify
his master's knowledge of figures by counting the leaves and fruit on
the branch of a tree. Finding the rajah has accurately guessed them
at a glance, Nala begs him, in return for his services as charioteer,
to teach him the science of numbers, so that when he dices again he
can be sure to win.

On arriving at the court of Damayanti's father, Nala is summoned into
the presence of his wife, who, although she does not recognize him in
his new form, insists he must be her spouse, for no one else can drive
as he does or has the power which he displays over fire and water. At
this moment the sway of the demon ends, and Nala, restored to his
wonted form, rapturously embraces his wife and children.

Even as thus the wind was speaking,--flowers fall showering all around:
And the gods sweet music sounded--on the zephyr floating light.

Then, thanks to his new skill in dicing, Nala recovers all he has
lost, and is able to spend the rest of his life in peace and happiness
with the faithful Damayanti.

THE STORY OF SAVITRI AND SATYAVAN

Once upon a tim