"
Our Lord the King will not vouchsafe his anger to thee; knowest thou
not--
'Mighty natures war with mighty: when the raging tempests blow,
O'er the green rice harmless pass they, but they lay the palm-trees
low,'
'So the Jackals, keeping Lusty-life in the rear, went towards the palace
of King Tawny-hide; where the Rajah received them with much
graciousness, and bade them sit down.
'Have you seen him?' asked the King.
'We have seen him, your Majesty,' answered Damanaka; 'it is quite as
your Majesty expected--the creature has enormous strength, and wishes
to see your Majesty. Will you be seated, Sire, and prepare yourself--it
will never do to appear alarmed at a noise.'
'Oh, if it was only a noise,' began the Rajah.
'Ah, but the cause, Sire! that was what had to be found out; like the
secret of Swing-ear the Spirit.'
'And who might Swing-ear be?' asked the King.
THE STORY OF THE TERRIBLE BELL
"A goblin, your Majesty," responded Damanaka, "it seemed so, at least,
to the good people of Brahmapoora. A thief had stolen a bell from the
city, and was making off with that plunder, and more, into the
Sri-parvata hills, when he was killed by a tiger.
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