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

198 thrown into the water. This is their daily practice ; you must therefore proceed thither as a guest, taking care to be within hearing when the bird utters the usual call. When you present yourself they will invite you very civilly to join them, and will place a portion of the fruit before you with a request that you will partake of it. But do not touch it at first ; and when they ask you the reason you must unfold your mission to them, and beseech their aid. Being very charitably disposed, they will doubtless agree to help you ; and after they have promised their assistance you may eat the fruit laid before you.’ After this advice the hermit presented Charoo with a fine fruit, and desired him to eat it, telling him that it possessed the rare virtue of preserving a person from every harm—from the attacks of wild beasts, snakes, or human beings, as well as from the pangs of hunger. Charoo received it with much gratitude, and eagerly devoured it ; he then prostrated himself at the hermit’s feet, thanking him for all he had done for him ; and after receiving his blessing a second time, he started anew on his journey, in the direction pointed out by the holy man who had so materially befriended him. “ On his way towards Himonchul, Charoo encountered a great many hardships, all of which he successfully surmounted. At last he arrived at the foot of the mountain. Its immense height filled him with astonishment—its top seemed to pierce the skies. He could not then discern the tree the hermit had told him of, in consequence of the prevailing mist ; he therefore remained where he was for that day, and anxiously awaited the coming morrow, when, with renewed strength and vigour he resolved to commence the perilous ascent. He was engaged for several days in this discouraging task, until at last, after much toil and fatigue, he gained the lofty summit, where he had the satisfaction of seeing the gigantic tree, with its seven large branches and its profuse and tender foliage ; it also appeared loaded with fruit in uncommon abundance. Being scarcely able to distinguish objects in the dusk, he did not look for