Here and there, now and then, there is an occasional bad man like
that. But women are usually bad. We hear about many of them."

Then the goblin disappeared from the king's shoulder as before.
And the king tried again to catch him.


FOURTH GOBLIN

King Shudraka and Hero's Family. Which of the five deserves the
most honour?

Then King Triple-victory went back under the sissoo tree and
caught the goblin, who gave a horse-laugh. But the king without
fear put him on his shoulder as before and started toward the
monk. And as he walked along, the goblin on his shoulder said to
him again: "O King, why do you take such pains for that wretched
monk? Have you no sense about this fruitless task? Well, after all,
I like your devotion. So, to amuse the weary journey, I will tell you
another story. Listen."


There is a city called Beautiful, and it deserves the name. There
lived a king named Shudraka, of tremendous power and mighty
courage. He was so used to victory that the fire of his courage was
kept blazing by the wind from the fans in the hands of the wives of
his vanquished foes. Under his rule the earth was rich and always
good, as in the days of old. And he was fond of brave men.

Now one day a Brahman named Hero came from Malwa to pay his