ka, however, treats the whole as a dream, and reproaches the
king for his fickleness, as he had just before fallen in love with
Kuvalayamala, the princess of Kuntala, and recommends him to be content
with the queen, as "a partridge in the hand is better than a pea-hen in
the forest."

The prince and the Vidushaka then go into the garden by the back-door,
where, over the edge of a terrace, they see some of the fair tenants of
the inner apartments amusing themselves with swinging. Amongst them the
king recognises the countenance he has seen in his dream, but the party
disappear on the advance of the king and his friend.

The king then enters a pleasure-house or pavilion called the
_kelikailas_ or mountain of sport built for him by the minister.

It is a beautiful palace built of crystal, and decorated with statues
and paintings. One of the paintings is thus described:

"There is your Majesty at _pasa_ (dice) with the queen: behind you
stands one damsel with the betel box, whilst another is waving the
_chownri_ over your head: the dwarf is playing with the monkey, and the
parrot abusing the Vidushaka." The chamber also contains the portrait of
Mrigankavali, the damsel whom the prince has really seen in his supposed
dream. There is also a statue of her, whence the drama is named _Viddha
Salabhanjika_, meaning a curved statue or effigy.

The king discovers the statue. He thinks, "Who will carve on the wall
the person I dreamed of? No one was present when I dreamt. Has anyone
carved the statue out of his fancy? A real person may exist in this
world or how can an exact figure come here?"

He now verily believes the dream to be a reality. He then puts the
necklace of his dream on the neck of the carved statue.

Finally the lady is herself beheld through the transparent wall of the
pavilion, but runs away on being observed. The king becomes enamoured of
her. He and his friend follow her but in vain. The bards proclaim it at
noon, and the two friends repair to the queen's apartments to perform
the midday ceremonies.

Kuvalayamala, the object of the king's passion before encountering his
new flame, is the daughter of Chandramahasena, the king of Kuntala. She
has been sent to Vidyadhara Malla's queen, as the betrothed bride of the
supposed son of Chandraverma, who is the queen's maternal uncle.
Mekhala, the queen's foster-sister, practises a frolic on Charayana. He
is promised a new bride by the queen, and the ceremony is a