human?  Tell us truly, O blessed one if thou art the goddess of this wood or of this mountain or of the points of the heaven.  We seek thy protection.  Art thou a female Yaksha, or a female Rakshasa, or a celestial damsel?  O thou of faultless features, do thou bless us wholly and protect us.  And, O blessed one, do thou so act that his caravan may soon go hence in prosperity and that the welfare of all of us may be secured.’  Thus addressed by that caravan, the princess Damayanti, devoted to her husband and oppressed by the calamity that had befallen her, answered, saying, ’O leader of the caravan, ye merchants, ye youths, old men, and children, and ye that compose this caravan, know me for a human being.  I am the daughter of a king, and the daughter in-law of a king, and the consort also of a king, eager for the sight of my lord.  The ruler of the Vidarbhas is my father, and my husband is the lord of the Nishadhas, named Nala.  Even now I am seeking that unvanquished and blessed one.  If ye have chanced to see my beloved one, king Nala, that tiger among men, that destroyer of hostile hosts, O tell me quick.’  Thereupon the leader of that great caravan, named Suchi, replied unto Damayanti of faultless limbs, saying, ’O blessed one, listen to my words.  O thou of sweet smiles, I am a merchant and the leader of this caravan.  O illustrious lady, I have not seen any man of the name of Nala.  In this extensive forest uninhabited by men, there are only elephants and leopards and buffaloes, and tigers and bears and other animals.  Except thee, I have not met with any man or woman here, so help us now Manibhadra, the king of Yakshas!’ Thus addressed by them she asked those merchants as well as the leader of the host saying, ’It behoveth you to tell me whither this caravan is bound.’  The leader of the band said, ’O daughter of a great king, for the purpose of profit this caravan is bound direct for the city of Suvahu, the truth-telling ruler of the Chedis.’”

SECTION LXV

“Vrihadaswa said, ’Having heard the words of the leader of that caravan, Damayanti of faultless limbs proceeded with that caravan itself anxious to behold her lord.  And after having proceeded for many days the merchants saw a large lake fragrant with lotuses in the midst of that dense and terrible forest.  And it was beautiful all over, and exceedingly delightful, (with banks) abounding in grass and fuel and fruits and flowers.  And it was inhabited by various kinds of fowls and birds, and fall of water that was pure and sweet.  And it was cool and capable of captivating the heart.  And the caravan, worn out with toil, resolved to halt there.  And with the permission of their leader, they spread themselves around those beautiful woods.  And that mighty caravan finding it was evening halted at that place.  And (it came to pass that) at the hour of midnight when everything was hushed and still and the tired caravan had fallen asleep, a herd of elephants in going