“Stay this space,
    Or by thyself drive on!  The road is good,
    The son of Vrishni will be charioteer!”
      On that the Raja answered soothingly:—­
    “There is not in the earth another man
    That hath thy skill; and by thy skill I look
    To reach Vidarbha, O thou steed-tamer! 
    Thou art my trust; make thou not hindrance now! 
    Yet would I suffer, too, what thou dost ask,
    If thou couldst surely reach Vidarbha’s gate
    Before yon sun hath sunk.” 
                               Nala replied:—­
    “When I have counted those vibhitak boughs,
    Vidarbha I will reach; now keep thy word.” 
      Ill pleased, the Raja said:  “Halt then, and count! 
    Take one bough from the branch which I shall show,
    And tell its fruits, and satisfy thy soul.” 
      So leaping from the car—­eager he shore
    The boughs, and counted; and all wonder-struck
    To Rituparna spake:  “Lo, as thou saidst
    So many fruits there be upon this bough! 
    Exceeding marvellous is this thy gift,
    I burn to know such learning, how it comes.” 
      Answered the Raja, for his journey fain:—­
    “My mind is quick with numbers, skilled to count;
    I have the science.” 
                         “Give it me, dear Lord!”
    Vahuka cried:  “teach me, I pray, this lore,
    And take from me my skill in horse-taming.” 
      Quoth Rituparna—­impatient to proceed—­
    Yet of such skill desirous:  “Be it so! 
    As thou hast prayed, receive my secret art,
    Exchanging with me here thy mastery
    Of horses.” 
                Thereupon did he impart
    His rules of numbers, taking Nala’s too. 
      But wonderful!  So soon as Nala knew
    That hidden gift, the accursed Kali leapt
    Forth from his breast, the evil spirit’s mouth
    Spewing the poison of Karkotaka
    Even as he issued.  From the afflicted Prince
    That bitter plague of Kali passed away;
    And for a space Prince Nala lost himself,
    Rent by the agony.  But when he saw
    The evil one take visible shape again—­
    Free from the serpent’s poison—­Nishadha’s Lord
    Had thought to curse him then; but Kali stood
    With clasped palms trembling, and besought the Prince,
    Saying:  “Thy wrath restrain, Sovereign of men! 
    I will repay thee well.  Thy virtuous wife,
    Indrasen’s angered mother, laid her ban
    Upon me when thou didst forsake her; since
    Within thee have I dwelled in anguish sore,
    Tortured and tossed and burning, night and day,
    With venom from the great snake’s fang, which passed
    Into me by thy blood.  Be pitiful! 
    I take my refuge in thy mercy!  Hear
    My promise, Prince!  Wherever men henceforth
    Shall name thee before people, praising thee,
    This shall protect them from the dread of me;
    Nala shall guard from Kali,