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

118 intelligence of him, but nothing likely to succeed occurred to her ; it was with a heavy heart, therefore, that she set out on her journey on the morrow. About noon she reached a large city, the king of which, as she heard, had lately died and left no successor,—neither son, brother, cousin, or any other relative. The minister, after the last sad rites had been paid to the deceased monarch, summoned a council to elect a person to fill the throne. The several councillors and nobles made many propositions and suggestions, but at length the minister spoke as follows :—' I have heard it declared by a most learned hermit, that it is affirmed in the divine law that a selection in such cases as this should be thus made : a female elephant, richly adorned, with a chaplet or string of flowers on her trunk, should be let loose in the city, and on whoever she may place this, chaplet of flowers, that same person should be proclaimed king.' This was highly approved of, seconded, and carried by acclama- tion. A female elephant was immediately procured, and, having been completely decorated for the occasion, and the chaplet placed on her trunk, she was allowed to roam at large about the city. At the same time a number of musicians were engaged, who by their performances gave effect to the proceeding; the troops also marched out in warlike array, and paraded on each side of the elephant, which continued to roam about until sunset, without deigning to bestow the chaplet on any of those assembled on the plain, who, one and all, from the prince to the peasant, were clad in their holiday apparel. That day passed, as we have said, without the selection being made; and all the people retired for the night. The next day the ceremony was repeated, but with the same result, and the like on the third day; but on the fourth, the elephant was seen to proceed towards the outskirts of the town, where she encountered the Princess Malattee making towards the city gate, and, going up to her, unhesitatingly put the chaplet around her neck, and then, lifting her gently from off her horse, placed her on her own back. The elephant now