V
BLUE LOTUS AND RED LOTUS
A CERTAIN king had two wives, one of whom was a Rakkhashi[1] disguised. Each of them had a son, that of the Rakkhashi being named Ajit, or the Unconquerable, and the other Kushum, or the Flower-like. The two boys were very fond of each other: they ate, learnt their lessons, and slept together. The Rakkhashi, however, was ever on the alert to feed on her rival and her son; and one day she actually devoured the former. But she could not get the latter into her clutches, inasmuch as he was under the protection of his half-brother. At length she invited some of her fellow creatures into the kingdom, intending to do by force what she had not been able to do by stratagem. One night one of her Rakkhashis burst into the room where the king, with his sons, was asleep, seized Kushum, and ate him up. The king was paralyzed with fear, and stood helpless while Ajit gave the giant a blow, and compelled him to flee from the room. Before doing so, however, he threw out of his mouth a ball of gold.
The Rakkhashi was so frantic with rage that she herself attacked her son and ate him up. But as soon as she had done so, a ball of iron came out of her mouth and rolled on the ground. After this she went to the top of the palace, and calling a conclave of the Rakkhashis, dismissed them to their country. But the gold and iron balls gave her no peace.
- ↑ In Hindu mythology the Rakkhush and Rakkhashi were demons, male and female, gigantic and terrible in shape. They were said to be possessed of supernatural powers.
