ed her
father might have princely sons, knowing he had long desired an heir.
This favor, too, was granted, before Yama bade her go back to light
and life; but Savitri still insisted that was impossible, and that as
long as she lived she must follow her beloved!

Darkness now settled down on the forest, and although the road was
rough and thorny Savitri stumbled on and on, following the sound of
Yama's footsteps although she could no longer see him. Finally he
turned into a gloomy cavern, but she plodded on, until she so excited
his compassion that he promised her one more boon, again stipulating
it should not be the soul he held in his hand. When Savitri begged for
children,--sons of Satyavan,--Yama smiled and granted her prayer,
thinking he would now surely be rid of her at last. But Savitri
followed him on into the depths of the cavern, although owls and bats
made the place hideous with their cries. Hearing her footsteps still
behind him, Yama tried to frighten her away, but she, grasping the
hand which held her husband's soul, laid her tear-wet cheek against
it, thereby so touching the god's heart that he exclaimed, "Ask
anything thou wilt and it shall be thine."

Noticing this time that he made no reservation, Savitri joyfully
exclaimed she wished neither wealth nor power, but only her beloved
spouse! Conquered by such devotion, Death relinquished into her
keeping Satyavan's soul, and promised they should live happy together
and have many sons.

After securing this inestimable boon, Savitri hastened out of the cave
and back into the woods, where she found the lifeless corpse of her
husband just where she had left it, and proceeded to woo it back to
life. Before long warmth and consciousness returned to Satyavan, who
went home with Savitri, with whom he lived happy ever after, for all
the boons Yama had promised were duly granted.

"Adieu, great God!" She took the soul,
No bigger than the human thumb,
And running swift, soon reached her goal,
Where lay the body stark and dumb.
She lifted it with eager hands
And as before, when he expired,
She placed the head upon the bands
That bound her breast, which hope new fired,
And which alternate rose and fell;
Then placed his soul upon his heart,
Whence like a bee it found its cell,
And lo, he woke with sudden start!
His breath came low at first, then deep,
With an unquiet look he gazed,
As one awakening from a sleep,
Wholly bewilde