370 



Essay on Telugu Literature. 



[Oct. 



flowers: at the sight of this fairy fawn she was filled with surprize; 

 she called to the lord of men, her spouse, and thus addressed him. 



Never till this day did I see so charming a creature as this — how I 

 long to recline, 0 prince, on a couch formed of its skin. O thou lender 

 of the solar race, pursue this creature, ..h ike it, and bring me its hide — 

 yet why? I wish thou couldst catch it without frightning it, which 

 would be far better : — 0 my spouse— we should keep it at our leafy 

 dwelling, and when our appointed term finishes let us take this golden 

 fawn home to the city and shew it to the king and to my aunts' and 

 cousins:— how they will be delighted at such a present! (70-95). 



Thus spoke Sita in -affectionate tones ; Laxraana listened to her and 

 thus addressed Ranna : was there ever, brojlier, seen so bright hued a 

 fawn? Can it be that a brute creature hasisuch wondrous colours ? It 

 must be a mere delusion, unfit to be credited ! surely it must be a vision 

 raised by (asura) demons — besides, possibly it is the hermit Mad- 

 chi who lives here, for he is a cruel demo;i and continually loams the 

 forest in a superhuman f urn. Have not we heard so— possibly it is 

 that fiend — perchance he Sas ccme here to tempt us into ruin. Do not 

 then set your gentle heart Oa cl^is arj,d be disquieted, or entertain the 

 thought of catching the fawn. Resides— though the lady of Videha 

 (i. e. Sita) should be so simple, be |iot thou so foolish O prince of men t 



At these words Rama looked on the bright countenance of Sita ; he 

 smiled, and thus addressed Lacshman (96 — HO). 



"Why be agitated at this, O son of Sumitra. Though even it were a 

 giant-raised vision certainly will I bring the deer home, and 1 will slay 

 the mightiest giants that can come; believe these two points — one or 

 the other will I do : for I will chase it, I will slay it, and give the hide to 

 Janaca's daughter. After so long a time she has made only this one re- 

 quest. Can I neglect Sita ? can I decline the deed she points out ? stay 

 thou with her affectionately, neglect not the lady of the bower. 



He said and committed all to Laxmana ; and gently taking his bow 

 from his brother's hand, he bent it, and duly set out, like Siva when he 

 set out in pursuit of the Lion giant who carried off the sacrifice. 



" He went on slinking behind ihe bush stooping as he walked, bend- 

 ing and running alongside; whenever it looked back he stood concealed, 

 he was on the point of catching it, it escaped, and he was vexed. He 

 held the bow and arrows ready to shoot, he laid his footsteps softly on 

 the soil so as to make no sound, as he observed its traces, he eyed its 

 path, and goings (neppu, an obsolete word), and concealed himself. 

 Here it is— I'll catch it — Here it comes — see— Its mine, cried he 

 merrily." 



