'O moulded pieces, favour me to-day!
For sooth it is a man with whom I play.
No paltry risk--but life and death at stake;
As Heaven does, so do, for Heaven's sake!'
So they began to play, whilst the women stood round in a circle, and
the kitten watched Dhol Raja from the window. Then Sarkap lost, first
his kingdom, then the wealth of the whole world, and lastly his head.
Just then, a servant came in to announce the birth of a daughter to
Raja Sarkap, and he, overcome by misfortunes, said, 'Kill her at once!
for she has been born in an evil moment, and has brought her father
ill luck!'
But Rasâlu rose up in his shining armour, tenderhearted and strong,
saying, 'Not so, O king! She has done no evil. Give me this child to
wife; and if you will vow, by all you hold sacred, never again to play
_chaupur_ for another's head, I will spare yours now!'
Then Sarkap vowed a solemn vow never to play for another's head; and
after that he took a fresh mango branch, and the new-born babe, and
placing them on a golden dish, gave them to the Prince.
Now, as Rasâlu left the palace, carrying with him the new-born babe
and the mango branch, he met a band of prisoners, and they called out
to him--
'A royal hawk art thou, O King! the rest
But timid wild-fowl. Grant us our request--
Unloose these chains, and live for ever blest!'
And Raja Rasâlu hearkened to them, and bade
King Sarkap set them at liberty.
Then he went to the Murti Hills, and placed the new-born babe,
Kokilan, in an underground palace, and planted the mango branch at the
door, saying, 'In twelve years the mango tree will blossom; then will
I return and marry Kokilan.'
And after twelve years, the mango tree began to flower, and Raja
Rasâlu married the Princess Kokilan, whom he won from Sarkap when he
played _chaupur_ with the King.