THE VAMPIRE'S THIRD STORY.Of a High-minded Family.In the venerable city of Bardwan, O warrior king! (quoth theVampire) during the reign of the mighty Rupsen, flourished oneRajeshwar, a Rajput warrior of distinguished fame. By his valourand conduct he had risen from the lowest ranks of the army tocommand it as its captain. And arrived at that dignity, he did notput a stop to all improvements, like other chiefs, who rejoice torest and return thanks. On the contrary, he became such a reformerthat, to some extent, he remodelled the art of war.Instead of attending to rules and regulations, drawn up in theirstudies by pandits and Brahmans, he consulted chiefly his ownexperience and judgment. He threw aside the systematic plans ofcampaigns laid down in the Shastras or books of the ancients, andhe acted upon the spur of the moment. He displayed a skill in thechoice of ground, in the use of light troops, and in securing hisown supplies whilst he cut off those of the enemy, whichKartikaya himself, God of War, might have envied. Finding thatthe bows of his troops were clumsy and slow to use, he had themall changed before compelled so to do by defeat; he also gave hisattention to the sword handles, which cramped the men's grasp butwhich having been used for eighteen hundred years wereconsidered perfect weapons. And having organized a special corpsof warriors using fire arrows, he soon brought it to such perfectionthat, by using it against the elephants of his enemies, he gainedmany a campaign.One instance of his superior judgment I am about to quote to thee,O Vikram, after which I return to my tale; for thou art truly awarrior king, very likely to imitate the innovations of the greatgeneral Rajeshwar.(A grunt from the monarch was the result of the Vampire's sneer.)He found his master's armies recruited from Northern Hindustan,and officered by Kshatriya warriors, who grew great only becausethey grew old and - fat. Thus the energy and talent of the youngermen were wasted in troubles and disorders; whilst the seniors wereoften so ancient that they could not mount their chargers unaided,nor, when they were mounted, could they see anything a dozenyards before them. But they had served in a certain obsoletecampaign, and until Rajeshwar gave them pensions and dismissals,they claimed a right to take first part in all campaigns present andfuture. The commander-in-chief refused to use any captain whocould not stand steady on his legs, or endure the sun for a wholeday. When a soldier distinguished himself in action, he raised himto the powers and privileges of the warrior caste. And whereas ithad been the habit to lavish circles and bars of silver and othermetals upon all those who had joined in the war, whether they hadsat behind a heap of sand or had been foremost to attack the foe, hebroke through the pernicious custom, and he rendered the honourvaluable by conferring it only upon the deserving. I need hardlysay that, in an inordinately short space of time, his army beat everyking and general that opposed it.One day the great commander-in-chief was seated in a certainroom near the threshold of his gate, when the voices of a numberof people outside were heard. Rajeshwar asked, "Who is at thedoor, and what is the meaning of the noise I hear?" The porterreplied, "It is a fine thing your honour has asked. Many personscome sitting at the door of the rich for the purpose of obtaining alivelihood and wealth. When they meet together they talk ofvarious things: it is these very people who are now making thisnoise."Rajeshwar, on hearing this, remained silent.In the meantime a traveller, a Rajput, Birbal by name, hoping toobtain employment, came from the southern quarter to the palaceof the chief. The porter having listened to his story, made thecircumstance known to his master, saying, "O chief! an armed manhas arrived here, hoping to obtain employment, and is standing atthe door. If I receive a command he shall be brought into yourhonour's presence.""Bring him in," cried the commander-in-chief.The porter brought him in, and Rajeshwar inquired, "O Rajput,who and what art thou?"Birbal submitted that he was a person of distinguished fame for theuse of weapons, and that his name for fidelity and velour had goneforth to the utmost ends of Bharat-Kandha.[FN#83]The chief was well accustomed to this style of self introduction,and its only effect upon his mind was a wish to shame the man byshowing him that he had not the least knowledge of weapons. Hetherefore bade him bare his blade and perform some feat.Birbal at once drew his good sword. Guessing the thoughts whichwere hovering about the chief's mind, he put forth his left hand,extending the forefinger upwards, waved his blade like the arm ofa demon round his head, and, with a dexterous stroke, so shavedoff a bit of nail that it fell to the ground, and not a drop of bloodappeared upon the finger-tip."Live for ever!" exclaimed Rajeshwar in admiration. He thenaddressed to the recruit a few questions concerning the art of war,or rather concerning his peculiar views of it. To all of which Birbalanswered with a spirit and a judgment which convinced the hearerthat he was no common sworder.Whereupon Rajeshwar bore off the new man at arms to the palaceof the king Rupsen, and recommended that he should be engagedwithout delay.The king, being a man of few words and many ideas, after hearinghis commander-in-chief, asked, "O Rajput, what shall I give theefor thy daily expenditure?""Give me a thousand ounces of gold daily," said Birbal, "and then Ishall have wherewithal to live on.""Hast thou an army with thee?" exclaimed the king in the greatestastonishment."I have not," responded the Rajput somewhat stiffly. "I have first, awife; second, a son; third, a daughter; fourth, myself; there is nofifth person with me."All the people of the court on hearing this turned aside their headsto laugh, and even the women, who were peeping at the scene,covered their mouths with their veils. The Rajput was thendismissed the presence.It is, however, noticeable amongst you humans, that the worldoften takes you at your own valuation. Set a high price uponyourselves, and each man shall say to his neighbour, "In this manthere must be something." Tell everyone that you are brave, clever,generous, or even handsome, and after a time they will begin tobelieve you. And when thus you have attained success, it will beharder to unconvince them than it was to convince them. Thus - -"Listen not to him, sirrah," cried Raja Vikram to Dharma Dhwaj,the young prince, who had fallen a little way behind, and wasgiving ear attentively to the Vampire's ethics. "Listen to him not.And tell me, villain, with these ignoble principles of shine, whatwill become of modesty, humility, self-sacrifice, and a host ofother Guna or good qualities which - which are good qualities?""I know not," rejoined the Baital, "neither do I care. But myhabitually inspiriting a succession of human bodies has taught meone fact. The wise man knows himself, and is, therefore, neitherunduly humble nor elated, because he had no more to do withmaking himself than with the cut of his cloak, or with the fitness ofhis loin-cloth. But the fool either loses his head by comparinghimself with still greater fools, or is prostrated when he findshimself inferior to other and lesser fools. This shyness he callsmodesty, humility, and so forth. Now, whenever entering a corpse,whether it be of man, woman, or child, I feel peculiarly modest; Iknow that my tenement lately belonged to some conceited ass.And --""Wouldst thou have me bump thy back against the ground?" askedRaja Vikram angrily.(The Baital muttered some reply scarcely intelligible about hishaving this time stumbled upon a metaphysical thread of ideas, andthen continued his story.)Now Rupsen, the king, began by inquiring of himself why theRajput had rated his services so highly. Then he reflected that ifthis recruit had asked so much money, it must have been for somereason which would afterwards become apparent. Next, he hopedthat if he gave him so much, his generosity might some day turnout to his own advantage. Finally, with this idea in his mind, hesummoned Birbal and the steward of his household, and said to thelatter, "Give this Rajput a thousand ounces of gold daily from ourtreasury."It is related that Birbal made the best possible use of his wealth. Heused every morning to divide it into two portions, one of whichwas distributed to Brahmans and Parohitas.[FN#84] Of theremaining moiety, having made two parts, he gave one as alms topilgrims, to Bairagis or Vishnu's mendicants, and to Sanyasis orworshippers of Shiva, whose bodies, smeared with ashes, werehardly covered with a narrow cotton cloth and a rope about theirloins, and whose heads of artificial hair, clotted like a rope,besieged his gate. With the remaining fourth, having caused foodto be prepared, he regaled the poor, while he himself and hisfamily ate what was left. Every evening, arming himself withsword and buckler, he took up his position as guard at the royalbedside, and walked round it all night sword in hand. If the kingchanced to wake and asked who was present, Birbal immediatelygave reply that "Birbal is here; whatever command you give, thathe will obey." And oftentimes Rupsen gave him unusualcommands, for it is said, "To try thy servant, bid him do things inseason and out of season: if he obey thee willingly, know him to beuseful; if he reply, dismiss him at once. Thus is a servant tried,even as a wife by the poverty of her husband, and brethren andfriends by asking their aid."In such manner, through desire of money, Birbal remained onguard all night; and whether eating, drinking, sleeping, sitting,going or wandering about, during the twenty-four hours, he heldhis master in watchful remembrance. This, indeed, is the custom; ifa man sell another the latter is sold, but a servant by doing servicesells himself, and when a man has become dependent, how can hebe happy? Certain it is that however intelligent, clever, or learned aman may be, yet, while he is in his master's presence, he remainssilent as a dumb man, and struck with dread. Only while he isaway from his lord can he be at ease. Hence, learned men say thatto do service aright is harder than any religious study.On one occasion it is related that there happened to be heard atnight-time the wailing of a woman in a neighbouring cemetery.The king on hearing it called out, "Who is in waiting?""I am here," replied Birbal; "what command is there?""Go," spoke the king, "to the place whence proceeds this sound ofwoman's wail, and having inquired the cause of her grief, returnquickly."On receiving this order the Rajput went to obey it; and the king,unseen by him, and attired in a black dress, followed for thepurpose of observing his courage.Presently Birbal arrived at the cemetery. And what sees he there?A beautiful woman of a light yellow colour, loaded with jewelsfrom head to foot, holding a horn in her right and a necklace in herleft hand. Sometimes she danced, sometimes she jumped, andsometimes she ran about. There was not a tear in her eye, butbeating her head and making lamentable cries, she kept dashingherself on the ground.Seeing her condition, and not recognizing the goddess born of seafoam, and whom all the host of heaven loved,[FN#85] Birbalinquired, "Why art thou thus beating thyself and crying out? Whoart thou? And what grief is upon thee?""I am the Royal-Luck," she replied."For what reason," asked Birbal, "art thou weeping?"The goddess then began to relate her position to the Rajput. Shesaid, with tears, "In the king's palace Shudra (or low caste acts) aredone, and hence misfortune will certainly fall upon it, and I shallforsake it. After a month has passed, the king, having enduredexcessive affliction, will die. In grief for this, I weep. I havebrought much happiness to the king's house, and hence I am full ofregret that this my prediction cannot in any way prove untrue.""Is there," asked Birbal, "any remedy for this trouble, so that theking may be preserved and live a hundred years?""Yes," said the goddess, "there is. About eight miles to the eastthou wilt find a temple dedicated to my terrible sister Devi. Offerto her thy son's head, cut off with shine own hand, and the reign ofthy king shall endure for an age." So saying Raj-Lakshmidisappeared.Birbal answered not a word, but with hurried steps he turnedtowards his home. The king, still in black so as not to be seen,followed him closely, and observed and listened to everything hedid.The Rajput went straight to his wife, awakened her, and related toher everything that had happened. The wise have said, "she alonedeserves the name of wife who always receives her husband withaffectionate and submissive words." When she heard thecircumstances, she at once aroused her son, and her daughter alsoawoke. Then Birbal told them all that they must follow him to thetemple of Devi in the wood.On the way the Rajput said to his wife, "If thou wilt give up thyson willingly, I will sacrifice him for our master's sake to Devi theDestroyer."She replied, "Father and mother, son and daughter, brother andrelative, have I now none. You are everything to me. It is writtenin the scripture that a wife is not made pure by gifts to priests, norby performing religious rites; her virtue consists in waiting uponher husband, in obeying him and in loving him - yea! though he belame, maimed in the hands, dumb, deaf, blind, one eyed, leprous,or humpbacked. It is a true saying that 'a son under one's authority,a body free from sickness, a desire to acquire knowledge, anintelligent friend, and an obedient wife; whoever holds these fivewill find them bestowers of happiness and dispellers of affliction.An unwilling servant, a parsimonious king, an insincere friend, anda wife not under control; such things are disturbers of ease andgivers of trouble.'"Then the good wife turned to her son and said "Child by the gift ofthy head, the king's life may be spared, and the kingdom remainunshaken.""Mother," replied that excellent youth, "in my opinion we shouldhasten this matter. Firstly, I must obey your command; secondly, Imust promote the interests of my master; thirdly, if this body be ofany use to a goddess, nothing better can be done with it in thisworld."("Excuse me, Raja Vikram," said the Baital, interrupting himself,"if I repeat these fair discourses at full length; it is interesting tohear a young person, whose throat is about to be cut, talk so like adoctor of laws.")Then the youth thus addressed his sire: "Father, whoever can be ofuse to his master, the life of that man in this world has been livedto good purpose, and by reason of his usefulness he will berewarded in other worlds."His sister, however, exclaimed, "If a mother should give poison toher daughter, and a father sell his son, and a king seize the entireproperty of his subjects, where then could one look forprotection?" But they heeded her not, and continued talking as theyjourneyed towards the temple of Devi - the king all the whilesecretly following them.Presently they reached the temple, a single room, surrounded by aspacious paved area; in front was an immense building capable ofseating hundreds of people. Before the image there were pools ofblood, where victims had lately been slaughtered. In the sanctumwas Devi, a large black figure with ten arms. With a spear in oneof her right hands she pierced the giant Mahisha; and with one ofher left hands she held the tail of a serpent, and the hair of thegiant, whose breast the serpent was biting. Her other arms were allraised above her head, and were filled with different instruments ofwar; against her right leg leaned a lion.Then Birbal joined his hands in prayer, and with Hindu mildnessthus addressed the awful goddess: "O mother, let the king's life beprolonged for a thousand years by the sacrifice of my son. O Devi,mother! destroy, destroy his enemies! Kill! kill! Reduce them toashes! Drive them away! Devour them! devour them! Cut them intwo! Drink! drink their blood! Destroy them root and branch! Withthy thunderbolt, spear, scymitar, discus, or rope, annihilate them!Spheng! Spheng!"The Rajput, having caused his son to kneel before the goddess,struck him so violent a blow that his head rolled upon the ground.He then threw the sword down, when his daughter, frantic withgrief, snatched it up and struck her neck with such force that herhead, separated from her body, fell. In her turn the mother, unableto survive the loss of her children, seized the weapon andsucceeded in decapitating herself. Birbal, beholding all thisslaughter, thus reflected: "My children are dead why, now, shouldI remain in servitude, and upon whom shall I bestow the gold Ireceive from the king?" He then gave himself so deep a wound inthe neck, that his head also separated from his body.Rupsen, the king, seeing these four heads on the ground, said in hisheart, "For my sake has the family of Birbal been destroyed.Kingly power, for the purpose of upholding which the destructionof a whole household is necessary, is a mere curse, and to carry ongovernment in this manner is not just." He then took up the swordand was about to slay himself, when the Destroying Goddess,probably satisfied with bloodshed, stayed his hand, bidding him atthe same time ask any boon he pleased.The generous monarch begged, thereupon, that his faithful servantmight be restored to life, together with all his high-minded family;and the goddess Devi in the twinkling of an eye fetched fromPatala, the regions below the earth, a vase full of Amrita, the waterof immortality, sprinkled it upon the dead, and raised them all asbefore. After which the whole party walked leisurely home, and indue time the king divided his throne with his friend Birbal.Having stopped for a moment, the Baital proceeded to remark, in asententious tone, "Happy the servant who grudges not his own lifeto save that of his master! And happy, thrice happy the master whocan annihilate all greedy longing for existence and worldlyprosperity. Raja, I have to ask thee one searching question - Ofthese five, who was the greatest fool?""Demon!" exclaimed the great Vikram, all whose cherishedfeelings about fidelity and family affection, obedience, andhigh-mindedness, were outraged by this Vampire view of thequestion; "if thou meanest by the greatest fool the noblest mind, Ireply without hesitating Rupsen, the king.""Why, prithee?" asked the Baital."Because, dull demon," said the king, "Birbal was bound to offerup his life for a master who treated him so generously; the soncould not disobey his father, and the women naturally andinstinctively killed themselves, because the example was set tothem. But Rupsen the king gave up his throne for the sake of hisretainer, and valued not a straw his life and his high inducementsto live. For this reason I think him the most meritorious.""Surely, mighty Vikram," laughed the Vampire, "you will be tiredof ever clambering up yon tall tree, even had you the legs and armsof Hanuman[FN#86] himself."And so saying he disappeared from the cloth, although it had beenplaced upon the ground.But the poor Baital had little reason to congratulate himself on thesuccess of his escape. In a short time he was again bundled into thecloth with the usual want of ceremony, and he revenged himself bytelling another true story.