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

117 .
favorable opportunity that now presented itself, whipped
her horse and sped away at a rapid rate in an opposite
direction, with the valuable articles in her possession. She
did not draw rein until she had gallopped over some fifteen
yojuns of road. The two pupils, having touched the tree
indicated, ran back one after the other to receive from the
hands of the umpire what had fallen to their respective
shares ; but how great was their astonishment and dismay
at finding that both the rider and the horse had disappeared
whilst they had been engaged in contending for the prize,
and with them also the three valuable articles, which were
their all. They examined every nook in which they thought
the umpire might have concealed himself, but all to no
purpose, and at length they gave up the search in despair.
It was now that they become conscious of the absurdity of
their dispute, whereby, not only had neither reaped the
slightest benefit, but a stranger had become enriched: ‘ It
is a just punishment,’ said they, ‘ and will teach us to be
more discreet and less confiding for the future.’ Neverthe-
less, they grieved much for their loss. It has been truly
observed that internal commotions profit only those who
hover around the contending parties ; the latter are never
benefitted. Thus two brothers, disputing each other's
claim on the property left by a parent, go to law, and are
thereby drained of every coin they possess, until at length,
lacking the means of carrying on the litigation, they are
left impoverished, powerless, and full of remorse for their
want of foresight and their mismanagement.
“ The Princess Malattee, during her flight, might have
been observed to scan the horizon from time to time, to see
if she were pursued ; and, as no sign betokened such to
be the case, she stopped her horse, and entered a temple of
Shiva, which was near. Having paid her devotions to the
idol, she reposed there for the remainder of the day. While
there, she thought frequently of Prince Soomunt, and felt
great anxiety as to his fate. She spent most of the night
in endeavouring to devise some mode by which to obtain