up ! I will find out for you what the fish meant by their laughter."
The Brâhman at this advice felt somewhat comforted, and went and told the king what his daughter had said. The king was delighted, and immediately sent for the damsel. She came and made an elaborate obeisance to his majesty and said, " Sir ! pray do not treat these Brâhmans so ill: it is not their fault. Pray tell me what kind of a laugh was it that you heard from the fish? Still, I am only a woman, and I wonder you are not ashamed to ask me to clear the matter up. For —
" A king may be vile, yet he is even then not as other men, but bears a divine form. You, Vikramâditya, as your name tells us, are the bearer of divine power. For it has been said —
" ' From Indra comes might; from Fire comes heat; from Yama wrath; from Kuvera riches; but a king is formed from Kama and Vishnu combined.'
" The person you ought to blame is yourself, for it is your business to remove doubts and difficulties.
" Hear, then, what I have to tell you: —
" The fish I The fish 1 they laid upon the dish. And they laughed when the queen called them men ! Would your Majesty know what these verses mean — Think over them again and again.
