विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

117 . favorable opportunity that now presented itself, whipped her horse and sped away at a rapid rate in an opposite direction, with the valuable articles in her possession. She did not draw rein until she had gallopped over some fifteen yojuns of road. The two pupils, having touched the tree indicated, ran back one after the other to receive from the hands of the umpire what had fallen to their respective shares ; but how great was their astonishment and dismay at finding that both the rider and the horse had disappeared whilst they had been engaged in contending for the prize, and with them also the three valuable articles, which were their all. They examined every nook in which they thought the umpire might have concealed himself, but all to no purpose, and at length they gave up the search in despair. It was now that they become conscious of the absurdity of their dispute, whereby, not only had neither reaped the slightest benefit, but a stranger had become enriched: ‘ It is a just punishment,’ said they, ‘ and will teach us to be more discreet and less confiding for the future.’ Neverthe- less, they grieved much for their loss. It has been truly observed that internal commotions profit only those who hover around the contending parties ; the latter are never benefitted. Thus two brothers, disputing each other's claim on the property left by a parent, go to law, and are thereby drained of every coin they possess, until at length, lacking the means of carrying on the litigation, they are left impoverished, powerless, and full of remorse for their want of foresight and their mismanagement. “ The Princess Malattee, during her flight, might have been observed to scan the horizon from time to time, to see if she were pursued ; and, as no sign betokened such to be the case, she stopped her horse, and entered a temple of Shiva, which was near. Having paid her devotions to the idol, she reposed there for the remainder of the day. While there, she thought frequently of Prince Soomunt, and felt great anxiety as to his fate. She spent most of the night in endeavouring to devise some mode by which to obtain