 Lie flat on the ground in an attitude of reverence.' O King, you
must say to that rascal:  I do not know this attitude of reverence.
Show me first, and then I will do likewise.' Then when he lies on
the ground to show you the attitude of reverence, cut off his head
with your sword. Then you will get the kingship over the fairies
which he is trying to get. Otherwise, the monk will kill you and get
the magic power. That is why I have delayed you so long. Now go
ahead, and win magic power."

So the goblin left the body on the king's shoulder and went away.
And the king reflected how the monk Patience was planning to
hurt him. He took the body and joyfully went to the
fig-tree.


CONCLUSION

So King Triple-victory came to the monk Patience with the body
on his shoulder. And he saw the monk along in the dark night,
sitting under the cemetery tree and looking down the road. He had
made a magic circle with yellow powdered bones in a spot
smeared with blood. In it he had put a jug filled with blood and
lamps with magic oil. He had kindled a fire and brought together
the things he needed for worship.

The monk rose to greet the king who came carrying the body, and
he said: "O King, you have done me a great favour, and a hard one.
This is a strange business and a strange time and place for such as
you. They say truly that you are the best of kings, for you serve
others without thinking of yourself. This is the very thing that
makes the greatness of a great man, when he does not give a thing
up, though it costs his very life."

So the monk felt sure the he was quite successful, and he took the
body from the king's shoulder. He bathed it and put garlands on it,
and set it in the middle of the circle. Then he smeared his own
body with ashes, put on a cord made of human hair, wrapped
himself in dead man's clothes, and stood a moment, deep in
thought. And the goblin was attracted by his thought into the body,
and the monk worshipped him.

First he offered liquor in a skull, then he gave him human teeth
carefully cleaned, and human eyes and flesh. So he completed his
worship, then he said to the king: "O King, fall flat on the ground
before this master magician in an attitude of reverence, so that he
may give you what you want."

And the king remembered the words of the goblin. He said to the
monk: "Holy sir, I do not know that attitude of reverence. Do you
show me first, and afterwards I will do it in the same way."

And when the monk fell on the ground to show the attitude of
reverence, the king cut off his head with a sword, and cut out his
heart and split it open. And he gave the head and the heart to the
goblin.

Then all the little gods were delighted and cried: "Well done!"
And the goblin was pleased and spoke to the king from the body he
was living in: "O King, this monk was trying to become king of the
fairies. But you shall be that when you have been king of the
whole world."

And the king answered the goblin: "O magic creature, if you are
pleased with me, I have nothing more to wish for. Yet I ask you to
make me one promise, that these twenty-two different, charming
puzzle-stories shall be known all over the world and be received
with honour."

And the goblin answered: "O King, so be it. And I will tell you
something more. Listen. When anyone tells or hears with proper
respect even a part of these puzzle-stories, he shall be immediately
free from sin. And wherever these stories are told, elves and giants
and witches and goblins and imps shall have no power."

Then the goblin left the dead body by magic, and went where he
wanted to. Then Shiva appeared there with all the little gods, and
he was well pleased. When the king bowed before him, he said:
"My son, you did well to kill this sham monk who tried by force to
become king of the fairies. Therefore you shall establish the whole
earth, and then become king of the fairies yourself. And when you
have long enjoyed the delights of heaven and at last give them up
of your own accord, then you shall be united with me. So receive
from me this sword called Invincible. While you have it,
everything you say will come true."

So Shiva gave him the magic sword, received his flowery words of
worship, and vanished with the gods.





End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Twenty-Two Goblins, from Sanskrit

