“’Then into this palace came the Vetala Agni, sword in hand, and went about to slay the august Vikramaditya.  But the king said: 

“’"Harken, O Vetala Agni; seeing that thy Excellency has come for to cause me to perish, it is not doubtful that thou wilt succeed in thy purpose; albeit, all these viands thou dost here behold have been brought together for thy behoof; eat, then, whatsoever thou dost find worthy; afterwards thou shalt work thy will.”

“’And the Vetala Agni, having heard these words, filled himself with this great store of food, and, marvelously content with the king, said unto him: 

“’"Truly I am content, and well disposed towards thee, and I give thee the realm of Avanti; sit thou in the highest place and taste its joys; but take heed of one thing:  every day shalt thou prepare for me a repast like unto this.”

“’With these words, the Vetala Agni departed from that spot and betook him into his own place.

“’Then for a long space did Vikramaditya diligently fulfill that command; but by and by, growing aweary of feeding the Vetala Agni, he sought counsel of the jogi Trilokanatha, who had his dwelling on the mount of Kanahakrita.  The jogi, perceiving the manifold merits of the incomparable Vikramaditya, was moved with compassion towards him, and when he had long meditated and recited sundry mantras {hymns and prayers}, he thus spake and said: 

“’"Harken, O King.  From the sacred tank of Shakravatar spring alleys four times seven, as it were branches from one trunk, to wit, seven to the north, seven to the east, seven to the west, and seven to the south.  Of the seven alleys springing to the north do you choose the seventh, and in the seventh alley the seventh tree from the sacred tank, and on the seventh branch of the seventh tree thou shalt find the nest of a bulbul.  Within that nest thou shalt discover a golden key."’”

The Babu was now speaking very slowly, and an observer watching Desmond would have perceived that his eyes were fixed with a strange look of mingled eagerness and anxiety upon the storyteller.  But no one observed this; every man in the group was intent upon the story, hanging upon the lips of the eloquent Babu.

“‘Having obtained the golden key,’” continued the narrator, “’thou shalt return forthwith to thy palace, and the same night, when the Vetala Angi has eaten and drunk his fill, thou shalt in his presence lay the key upon the palm of thy left hand, thus—­’” (here the Babu quietly took up a key hanging from the bunch attached to the warder’s girdle, and laid it upon his left palm). “’Then shalt thou say to the Vetala: 

“’"O illustrious Vetala, tell me, I pray thee, what doth this golden key unlock?”

“’Then if the aspect of the Vetala be fierce, fear not, for he must needs reply:  such is the virtue of the key; and by his words thou shalt direct thy course.  Verily it is for such a trial that the gods have endowed thee with wisdom beyond the common lot of men.