Chapter IX — Manimekalai Leaves Her Friend

Side’ by side, Manimekalai and Suthamathi slept in the grove. Midnight came. With- out asound, Manimekala-Devi took the young girl in her arms. Away she flew, to her own island of Manipallavam. There she left Mani- mekalai still sleeping.

Prince Udhaya-kumaran, in his palace, was unable to sleep for thinking of Mani- mekalai. He sat on a couch by his bed. What was the good of lying down? He could not sleep. But as he sat dreaming of his love, the goddess appeared before him.

“Son of a king,” she addressed him, “Heed now my words. If the ‘king does evil, he disturbs the spheres in their courses. The clouds will withold their rain. The earth will dry up. All things will parch, and wither,. and die. Men and ‘women. will be starved from off the face of the earth. A king must think of his people as of -himself. On him, their lives depend. Then quell thy -desire for the holy maiden. For the curse of Heaven is upon it.”

The goddess flew. back to the grove. ‘She woke up Suthamathi. “Be not alarmed,'”

she said, “The time is ripe for Manimekalai to: -enter the service of the Lord Buddha. I have taken her away to my island of Manipallavam. There, she will learn the history of her former birth. In seven days, she will return to the city of Kaveripatnam. She will be disguised, but by signs you will know her. On that - day, many marvels will happen.

“Go and tell Madhavi what I have done. Tell her that her daughter is going to take the Holy Path. Madhavi has heard of me from Kovalan, I saved one of his ancestors from shipwreck, So he named his daughter after me. On the birth of the child, I appeared to Madhavi. [ told her that her daughter would conquer the desires of the flesh. I prophesied that she would relieve the misery of the world. I foretold that she: would one day be famous for her piety. Remind Madhavi of this dream.”

The goddess vanished. Suthamathi was. left grieved and puzzled. The city was asleep. The music had died away. The feet of the dancers moved no more. Children dreamed .sweetly in their little beds. The doves were: silent in the eaves. Stilled were the water-- fowl in the quiet ponds: stilled. were the sirds in the branches. Their last songs ‘had.

been sung; their beaks and eyes were closed till the dawn.

But other sounds could still be heard. The sentries of the palace proclaimed the passing of each hour. Hungry elephants pealed forth their impatience from the stables. The guards on the streets sounded their warning drums. From distant hamlets came the noise of revelry. Drunken sailors were still making merry there. The king was at peace with the world, but at the crossroads, his soldiers still made sacrifice. In cries of thunder, they prayed for victory to the arms of their king. Even at this time of night, magicians fought with the demons.

The confusion of sound frightened Sutha- mathiin the grove. She resolved to leave it. She sought for the wicket gate in the western wall. She came to Chakkaravala-kottam. The door of an alms house stood open: one and all might enter. Suthamathi found refuge there for the night.

On one of the walls, was an image ofa god, carved by Maya. As Suthamathi looked at it, the lips of the image opened. ‘“ Mani- area will return in seven days,” it assured

oe

In the last watch of the night, Suthamathi awoke. Herheart was heavy. She felt very

lonely without Manimekalai. Sentries were tired out with watching. It was the hour when lovers begin to stir. Conches were sounding through the city. Elephants pealed loud and long. Cocks crowed lustily to wel- come the dawn, Horses stirred within their stalls. They shook their manes to awake themselves for the tasks of the day. Birds in the woods began to carol. Women began to move about their household duties. Their bracelets made a pleasant jingle. Men began to tune their instruments. Sacrifice was being prepared for the gods. The whole city was awaking to another day. Thesun burst forth into the sky. The world was bathed in golden light again.

Suthamathi stepped out into the day. She went to Madhavi, to whom she told all her story. Both women were very anxious about the young girl. Together they wept, and grieved for her safety.

Meanwhile, Manimekalai had awakened. She found herself on the sandy bank ofa deep lagoon. Over her head, thick branches guarded her from the hot rays of the sun. Water-lilies and moss covered the face of the water. Blossoms fallen from the trees made a soft bed upon-the sand. The breeze wafted

the fragrance to the holy maid. On the beach were oysters, coral, and pieces of sandal wood. The marshes around, were ploughed by snails without number.

Manimékalai looked around. AIl was strange to her. She felt forgotten by her friends. She felt sad and forsaken. Perhaps this was anew part of the grove. She called aloud, “Suthamathi! Suthamathi! Why do you hide from me? Come out, and let me see your dear face. Where are your Am Iawake or asleep? Where am.I? Speak!. I am afraid. It is day. My mother will be anxious. Come, my friend. Suthamathi! Suthamathi!”

She searched all about. No friendly face appeared, no friendly voice answered her calls. She searched in the valleys. She climbed the rolling sand-hills. The swan stood like a captain before the company of sea-fowl. The -cock led an army of land-birds. They faced -each other like foes. But nowhere could Manimekalai find her friend. She shouted and wept in her despair. She thought of her father Kovalan. “O, my dear father!” she mourned, ‘Cruel fate drove you into exile. By cruel fate were you done to death. That -same cruel fate has now brought your daughter here to die.”