. For slayer and slain are equally deceived. Why spend your time
in such an evil pursuit?"

The sensible king was pleased and said: "Holy sir, I am instructed. And
great is my gratitude for this instruction. From now on I hunt no more.
Let the wild animals live without fear."

Then the hermit said: "I am pleased with your protection of the
animals. Choose any boon you will."

Then the quick-witted king said: "Holy sir, if you are kindly disposed,
give me your daughter Lotus-bloom."

So the hermit gave him his daughter, the child of the nymph, who then
came up after her bath. So they were married, and the king wore
cheerful garments, and Lotus-bloom was adorned by the hermits' wives.
And the weeping hermits accompanied them in procession to the edge of
the hermitage. Then the king took his wife Lotus-bloom, mounted his
horse, and started for his city.

At last the sun, seeing the king tired with his long journeying, sank
wearily behind the western mountain. And fawn-eyed night appeared, clad
in the garment of darkness, like a woman going to meet her lover. And
the king saw an ashvattha tree on the shore of a pond in a spot covered
with grass and twigs, and he decided to spend the night there.

So he dismounted, fed and watered his horse, brought water from the
pond, and rested with his beloved. And they passed the night there.

In the morning he arose, performed his devotions, and prepared to set
out with his wife to rejoin his soldiers. Then, like a cloud black as
soot with tawny lightning-hair, there appeared a great giant. He wore a
chaplet of human entrails, a cord of human hair, he was chewing the
head of a man, and drinking blood from a skull.

The giant laughed aloud, spit fire in his wrath, and showed his
dreadful fangs. And he scolded the king and said: "Scoundrel! I am a
giant named Flame-face. This tree is my home; even the gods do not dare
to trespass here. But you and your wife have trespassed and enjoyed
yourselves. Now swallow your own impudence, you rascal! You are
lovesick, so I will split open your heart and eat it, and I will drink
your blood."

The king was frightened when he saw that the giant was invincible, and
his wife was trembling, so he said respectfully: "I trespassed
ignorantly. Forgive me. I am your guest, seeking protection in your
hermitage. And I will give you a human sacrifice, so that you will be
satisfied. Be merciful then and forget your anger."

Then the giant forgot his