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

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when the king proposed that she should marry ; and with
that view ordered his minister to repair, with a suitable
retinue, to the courts of various neighbouring princes, to
seek for a personage of befitting rank and position to become
the husband of Chitrangee. He also sent several other
officers on a like errand. They were engaged in this way for
several years, but no eligible consort could be found for the
princess. They therefore returned to court, and acquainted
the king with the unsuccessful result of their mission, at
which he was extremely grieved, and thrown into consider-
able anxiety. While he was revolving in his mind what he
should next do, the princess, observing the mood he was in,
presented herself before her father, and begged him in such
moving terms to make her acquainted with the cause of his
apparent distress, that he could not refrain from opening
his mind to her. ‘My lord,’ said she, ‘be not grieved
that you have not been able to procure a fit personage to
become my partner for life. Permit me to propose a plan
which I trust will prove successful, and ensure the realisa-
tion of your wishes. I am sensible of your paternal love
and affection, which have for their aim the promotion of my
happiness. The scheme I would propose is this : let a
large, round, and smooth wooden pillar be erected ; on its
top let one thousand small bundles be fastened, in a single
row, and under each of these bundles place a ruby. The
person who claims my hand in marriage must first climb
to the top of the pillar and remove each of the rubies
separately from under its respective bundle, and then give
me an exact account of the Chitrakoot mountain, as I am
very desirous to become acquainted with it. The person
who acquits himself of this task to my satisfaction shall
be my husband, of whatever degree or condition in life he
may be, even if he be poor or deformed. Your majesty
need only write notices to this effect, and publish them far.
and wide, besides sending them to all the courts you can
think of. I am sure the greatest men and princes will
attend, if not on my account, at least for the sake of