,
Besought him to restore his prize.
But deaf is Ravan's senseless ear:
His brother's rede he will not hear.
Vibhishan's daughter(864) loves me well:
From her I learnt the tale I tell.
Avindhva(865) prudent, just, and old,
The giant's fall has oft foretold;
But Fate impels him to despise
His word on whom he most relies.
In Rama's love I rest secure,
For my fond heart is true and pure,
And him, my noblest lord, I deem
In valour, power, and might supreme."

As from her eyes the waters ran,
The Vanar chief again began:
"Yea, Rama, when he hears my tale,
Will with our hosts these walls assail.
Or I myself, O Queen, this day
Will bear thee from the fiend away,
Will lift thee up, and take thee hence
To him thy refuge and defence;
Will take thee in my arms, and flee
To Rama far beyond the sea;
Will place thee on Prasravan hill
Where Raghu's son is waiting still."
"How canst thou bear me hence?" she cried,
"The way is long, the sea is wide.
To bear my very weight would be
A task too hard for one like thee."(866)

Swift rose before her startled eyes
The Vanar in his native size,
Like Mandar's hill or Meru's height,
Encircled with a blaze of light.
"O come," he cried, "thy fears dispel,
Nor doubt that I will bear thee well.
Come, in my strength and care confide,
And sit in joy by Rama's side."

Again she spake: "I know thee now,
Brave, resolute, and strong art thou;
In glory like the Lord of Fire
With storm-swift feet which naught may tire
But yet with thee I may not fly:
For, borne so swiftly through the sky,
Mine eyes would soon grow faint and dim,
My dizzy brain would reel and swim,
My yielding arms relax their hold,
And I in terror uncontrolled
Should fall into the raging sea
Where hungry sharks would feed on me.
Nor can I touch, of free accord,
The limbs of any save my lord.
If, by the giant forced away,
In his enfolding arms I lay,
Not mine, O Vanar, was the blame;
What could I do, a helpless dame?
Go, to my lord my message bear,
And bid him end my long despair."

Canto XXXVIII. Sita's Gem.

Again the Vanar chief replied,
With her wise answer satisfied:
"Well hast thou said: thou canst not brave
The rushing wind, the roaring wave.
Thy woman's heart would sink with fear
Before the ocean shore were near.
And for thy dread lest limb of thine
Should for a while be touched by mine,
The modest fear is worthy one
Whose cherished lord is Raghu's son.
Yet when I sought to bear thee