he speaker, Hanuman replied:

"Yea, lords like you of wisest thought,
Whom happy fate has hither brought,
Who vanquish ire and rule each sense,
Must of our lord have audience.
Reft of his kingdom, sad, forlorn,
Once Bali's hate now Bali's scorn,
Defeated, severed from his spouse,
Wandering under forest boughs,
Child of the Sun, our lord and king
Sugriva will his succours bring,
And all our Vanar hosts combined
Will trace the dame you long to find."

With gentle tone and winning grace
Thus spake the chief of Vanar race,
And then to Raghu's son he cried:
"Come, haste we to Sugriva's side."

He spoke, and for his words so sweet
Good Lakshman paid all honour meet;
Then turned and cried to Raghu's son:
"Now deem thy task already done,
Because this chief of Vanar kind,
Son of the God who rules the wind,
Declares Sugriva's self would be
Assisted in his need by thee.
Bright gleams of joy his cheek o'erspread
As each glad word of hope he said;
And ne'er will one so valiant deign
To cheer our hearts with hope in vain."

He spoke, and Hanuman the wise
Cast off his mendicant disguise,
And took again his Vanar form,
Son of the God of wind and storm.
High on his ample back in haste
Raghu's heroic sons he placed,
And turned with rapid steps to find
The sovereign of the Vanar kind.

Canto V. The League.

From Rishyamuka's rugged side
To Malaya's hill the Vanar hied,
And to his royal chieftain there
Announced the coming of the pair:
"See, here with Lakshman Rama stands
Illustrious in a hundred lands.
Whose valiant heart will never quail
Although a thousand foes assail;
King Dasaratha's son, the grace
And glory of Ikshvaku's race.
Obedient to his father's will
He cleaves to sacred duty still.
With rites of royal pomp and pride
His sire the Fire-God gratified;
Ten hundred thousand kine he freed,
And priests enriched with ample meed;
And the broad land protected, famed
For truthful lips and passions tamed.
Through woman's guile his son has made
His dwelling in the forest shade,
Where, as he lived with every sense
Subdued in hermit abstinence,
Fierce Ravan stole his wife, and he
Is come a suppliant, lord, to thee.
Now let all honour due be paid
To these great chiefs who seek thine aid."

Thus spake the Vanar prince, and, stirred
With friendly thoughts, Sugriva heard.
The light of joy his face o'erspread,
And thus to Raghu's son he said:
"O Prince, in rules of duty trained,
Caring for