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clouds and rain. And the huge billows broke his vessel, as if angry because he had come against the wish of his parents. Some of the passengers were whelmed in the waves, others were eaten by sea-monsters. But Chakra, as his allotted term of life had not run out, was carried to the shore and flung up there by the waves. While he was lying there in a state of exhaustion, he saw as if in a dream, a man of black and terrible appearance come to him, with a noose in his hand. Chakra was caught in the noose by that man, who took him up and dragged him a long distance to a court presided over by a man on a throne. By the order of the occupant of the throne, the merchant's son was carried off by that noose-bearer, and flung into a cell of iron.
In that cell Chakra saw a man being tortured by means of an iron wheel*[1] on his head, that revolved incessantly. And Chakra asked him, —" Who are you, by what crime did you incur this, and how do you manage to continue alive?" And the man answered— " I am a merchant's son named Khadga, and because I did not obey the commands of my parents, they were angry and in wrath laid this curse upon me: †[2] ' Because, wicked son, you torture us like a hot wheel placed on the head, therefore such shall be your punishment.' When they had said this they ceased, and as I wept, they said to me, ' Weep not, your punishment shall only last for one month.' When I heard that, I spent the day in grief, and at night when I was in bed, I saw, as if in a dream, a terrible man come. He took me off and thrust me by force into this iron cell, and he placed on my head this burning and ever-revolving wheel. This was my parents' curse, hence I do not die. And the month is at an end to-day; still I am not set free." When Khadga said that, Chakra in pity answered him— " I too did not obey my parents, for I went abroad to get wealth against their will, and they pronounced against me the curse that my wealth, when acquired, should perish. So I lost in the sea my whole wealth, that I had acquired in a foreign island. My- case is the same as yours. So what is the use of my life? Place this wheel on my head. Let your curse, Khadga, depart." When Chakra said this, a voice was heard in the air " Khadga, thou art released, so place this wheel on the head of Chakra." When Khadga heard this, he placed the wheel on the head of Chakra, and was conveyed by some invisible being to his parents' house.
- ↑ * A similar transferable wheel is found in the Panchatantra, Vth Book, 3rd Story. Benfey's Panchatantra, Vol. II, p. 331.
- ↑ † Cp. Ralston's Russian Folk-Tales, p. 358. " Great stress is laid in the skazkas and legends upon the terrible power of a parent's curse. Tho hasty word of a father or mother will condemn even an innocent child to slavery among devils and when it is once uttered, it is irrevocable." Throughout the present work curses appear to be irrevocable but susceptible of modification and limitation.
