No. 44.— 1893.] epic of parakrama. 



71 



that he must be come in peace and in jealousy of the uncle 

 whom he had left, and welcomed him heartily. Parakrama's 

 life at his cousin's court was a triumph of dissimulation, but 

 it is a remarkably picturesque scene. Not only did he in- 

 gratiate himself with the king, for whom he obtained his 

 own sister's hand, and with all his nobles, but he went 

 continually about among the common people, entering with 

 sympathy into all their needs, and, without appearing to do 

 so, fostering all their grievances. A device which he used 

 for gaining access, without appearing to seek it, to their 

 houses is too curious to be left unnoticed. He kept a tame 

 elephant which he trained to run at him ; and when he was 

 near the house of a person whom he wished to win, he 

 would pretend to be charged by the elephant, and would run 

 for shelter into the house. 



The list of his spies is amusing, and shows us what were 

 the classes of itinerant traders and performers in those days. 



That he might learn exactly who among the inhabitants of the 

 outlying portions of the king's domains were attached to him and who 

 were disaffected, he looked out men who were clever in many devices 

 and skilled in the languages of various countries, and also foremost in 

 loyalty ; and among them, such as were learned in poisons he sent 

 about in the guise of snake-charmers. Some the ingenious prince 

 made fortune-tellers (from marks on hand, &c); some as harp-players 

 in the guise of Candalas or Brahmans. From among Tamils and 

 others he chose a great many skilled dancers and singers, and sent 

 them about as showmen of leather puppets and other entertainments. 

 Some he sent about as pedlars offering rings, bangles, glass beads, and 

 such-like goods for sale. 



Some were to equip themselves with umbrella and staff 

 or walking-stick, and so on, and assume the likeness of 

 ascetics, and like faithful devotees to go from village to 

 village as if to pay their homage at shrines. 



Others assumed the parts of itinerant teachers to teach 

 letters or the use of arms to children ; others went as 

 physicians, some were alchemists, some sorcerers, and some 

 goldsmiths and the like. 



Some of these spies, who went as Buddhist monks, found their way 

 into houses, entered into close intimacy and confidence with the 



