Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

""""Nala d? DamayantiIt was not long that Nala had left his wife when he beheldin the forest a blazing fire, from the midst of which therecame a voice saying:Hurry, O Nala ;haste to help me ;He ran to the place and beheld a royal naga coiledhurry."upon the ground, encircled by the fire. Said the snake :By Narada s curse, am I encircled by this fire till Nalarescues me ;I am a king of serpents, great of might andwise in manifold hidden lore. Save thou me, and I shall domuch for thee." Then Nala lifted him, who could not moveof himself because of Narada s curse, from the fiery circleinto the cool forest, bearing him ten paces from the fire.Suddenly the serpent bit him, and his likeness changed ;but the naga assumed his own royal form. Then the nagacounselled Nala : I have by my poison altered thyappearance that men may know thee not. This is for thediscomfiture of the demon by whom thou art possessed.Do thou fare to Ayodhya, where Rituparna is king ; seekservice of him as charioteer, and the time shall come whenhe will exchange with thee his skill in dice for thinein driving. Grieve not, for all that was thine shall berestored. When thou wouldst resume thine own form,think of me and put on thee this tunic."As Nala receivedthe magic garment the naga king vanished away.As foretold, so it befell ;Nala became the charioteer ofRituparna. Meanwhile Bhlma s messengers, searchingthe world for Nala and Damayanti, found the queen atShedi s capital and brought her home. Again she sent otherBrahman messengers to seek for Nala. They were tosearch the whole world, asking everywhere: Where artthou gone, O gambler, who didst leave thy wife with halfa dress; why dost thou leave me alone?" If any madenews forthwith. Whenreply, they were to bring they cameto Ayodhya, Nala, now become the charioteer Vahuka,363