father's mouth before Rupa-Sikha sped away, as if on the wings of
the wind, full of hope that all would be well. She found her lover
anxiously awaiting her, and quickly explained how matters stood. "You
had better say nothing about me to my father at first," she said;
"but only talk about him and all you have heard of him. If only you
could get him to like you and want to keep you with him, it would
help us very much. Then you could pretend that you must go back to
your own land; and rather than allow you to do so, he will be anxious
for us to be married and to live here with him."

9. Do you think the advice Rupa-Sikha gave to Sringa-Bhuja was good?

10. Can you suggest anything else she might have done?



CHAPTER VI


Sringa-Bhuja loved Rupa-Sikha so much that he was ready to obey her
in whatever she asked. So he at once went with her to the palace. On
every side he saw signs of the strength and power of the magician. Each
gate was guarded by tall soldiers in shining armour, who saluted
Rupa-Sikha but scowled fiercely at him. He knew full well that, if
he had tried to pass alone, they would have prevented him from doing
so. At last the two came to the great hall, where the magician was
walking backwards and forwards, working himself into a rage at being
kept waiting. Directly he looked at the prince, he knew him for the
man who had shot the jewelled arrow at him when he had taken the form
of a crane, and he determined that he would be revenged. He was too