a Rishi, came to himself, and he solemnly cursed her, in these words: ' Since the fire of passion has been kindled in me at the sight of your beauty, you shall be the victim of deceit.' Then her father, hearing the curse, bowed to the ground before the Rishi, and said: ' Sir ! show compassion on my daughter, and grant her forgiveness ! ' Nârada replied: ' She shall indeed be deceived, but she shall not suffer loss, nor shall she fail in gaining a husband. On the top of Mount Meru is a city called Vipula, and in it dwells the Gandharva, Kanaprabha. He shall be your daughter's husband.' With these words Nârada departed, and according to his promise Madanamanjarî was given in marriage to the Gandharva. Soon after this her husband left her, and went on a journey to Kailasa. She was inconsolable at his departure, and lay full length on a stone slab in the courtyard of her home. Here she was seen by a Vidyadhara, who made advances of love to her. She declined them without hesitation, but he eventually, putting on the form of her husband, accomplished his object. Before long her husband returned, but it appeared to him that she was not particularly glad to see him. He thought that there must be some counter-attraction, and eventually he worked himself up to such a state of jealousy, that he contemplated putting an end to his wife's exist-
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126
THE ENCHANTED PARROT