'If one could only catch this Cobra, I'd be content to wander no more,' said the Rajah, 'for my wandering has not brought me much good of late.' But to catch the Cobra was more than any man could do. At last one day Vicram, driven nearly mad in this perplexity, ran away into the jungle. Tidings of this were soon brought to Butti, who was much grieved to hear it, and sighed, saying, 'Alas, alas! of what avail to Vicram Maharajah is his more than human wisdom, when the one unlucky self-chosen gift neutralises all the good he might do with it! It has given him a love of wandering hither and thither, minding everybody's business but his own; his kingdom is neglected, his people uncared for, and he, that used to be the pride of all Rajahs, the best, the noblest, has finally slunk out of his country, like a thief escaping from jail.'
Butti sent messengers far and wide seeking Vicram Maharajah, but they could not find him; he then determined to go himself in search of his lost friend; and having made proper arrangements for the government of the country during his absence, he set off on his travels.
Meantime Vicram wandered on and on, until at last one day he came to the Palace of a certain Rajah, who reigned over a country very far from his own, and he sat down with the beggars at the Palace gate.
Now, the Rajah at whose gate Vicram Maharajah sat had a good and lovely daughter, named Buccoulee.[1] Many Princes wished to marry this Princess, but she would marry none of them. Her father and mother said to her, 'Why will you not choose a husband? Among all these Princes who ask you in marriage there are many rich and powerful—many handsome and brave—many wise and good; why will you refuse them all?' The Princess replied, 'It is not my destiny to marry any of them; continually in my dreams I see my destined husband, and I wait for him.' 'Who is he?' they asked. 'His name,' she answered, 'is the Rajah Vicram; he will come from a very far country; he has not come yet.' They replied, 'There is no Rajah, far or near, that we know of, of this name; give over this fancy of yours and marry some one else.'
But she constantly refused, saying, 'No, I will wait for the Rajah Vicram.' Her parents thought, 'It may be even as she says who knows but perhaps some day a great King, greater
- ↑ Ixora Bandhuca.
