1854.] On tlie Ballads and Legends of the 'Punjab, 137 



And high above the cavern grew and wider spread around, 

 And freer breath the hero drew, the night gloom'd less profound ; 

 And those red orbs intenser glow'd, and 'neath them gushing aye 

 A vaporous flame incessant flow'd, of pale, blue, spectral dye. 

 Some monstrous living thing seem'd there to hold his leaguer dire, 

 Known by his eye-ball's baleful glare and breath of sulphurous fire. 

 A sound, faint heard from far, from near, of many a scaly fold, 

 "Wounding with muffled clash the ear, as each o'er other roll'd ; 

 Dimly the serpent shape defin'd to fancy's startled eye : — 

 How 'mid that darkness dense and blind shall he its might defy. 



Eull at those glaring orbs he smote : — the temper' d scales gave way ; 

 But the slope crest and flexile throat yield to the warblade's sway. 

 And rous'd to strife the monster hurls his wildering coils around 

 Bussaloo's frame, in ceaseless whirls of death's cold potence bound. 



'Twas then a star which long had shed its ray, to mock the sight, 

 Blaz'd forth in full effulgence red, flooding the cave with light. 

 Blest, heaven-sent ray," the hero cried, as at each mighty blow 

 "Which hew'd the monster's scaly side, the blood red torrents flow ; 

 Yet spite his more than mortal toil, the deadly folds creep round, 

 Till in their clay cold massive coil, his struggling frame is bound, 

 And the dire fangs his throat invade : — heplung'dhis dagger'dhand 

 Down that dark gulf, until his blade the jaw's black chasm spann'd. 

 Those hellish jaws clos'd crashing down, and thro' the palate driven, 

 The keen, thrice temper' d blade held on, until life's shrine was riven. 

 Then droop' d the languid head, then fell ; — but the death-struggle 'gan 

 And with an ocean's sway and swell thro' those vast volumes ran ; 

 Tugging the strangling coils amain, with vast, spasmodic throes, 

 And mightier seem'd the monster slain, than when his proud crest 



rose. 

 Panting within the death cold twine, one superhuman stroke 

 Sever'd at length the monster's spine, the hero's bondage broke. 

 Light bounding o'er the humbled crest, once more Eussaloo stands 

 And lifts to heaven the heart opprest, to heaven the clasped hands. 

 Then onward thro' the cavern strode tow'r'd that mysterious light, 

 To whose thrice welcome ray was ow'd his triumph iu the fight. 



t 2 



